The Nethergrim
Gr 7 Up—Thirty years ago, three heroes—the knight Tristan, his friend John Marshal, and the legendary wizard Vithric—were the only survivors in a battle against an ancient evil known as the Nethergrim. A generation later, three misunderstood 14-year-old friends living in the medieval village of Moorvale become embroiled in events related to that dark past. Edmund wants to study magic but is forced to work in his parents' ale house. Katherine, Marshal's daughter, is an expert horse trainer and accomplished with a sword, but generally disliked for not being more ladylike. Gentle Tom has a talent for healing with herbs, but he is owned by a cruel master who beats him mercilessly. It becomes apparent to the teens that some evil magic is pervading the area, although no one else wants to believe it until Edmund's younger brother and other children are stolen by monstrous bolgugs. After the apathetic Lord Aelfric refuses to help, Marshal sets out to rescue the children. Unwilling to stay behind, Edmund, Katherine, and Tom soon follow. As in most epic quest fantasies, the overmatched heroes endure much hardship and pain, battling horrific monsters and suffering losses before the eventual showdown in the beast's lair. Although the prologue is somewhat misleading, once the story gets going it is an engrossing read. The main and secondary characters are clearly defined with personality traits that evoke sympathy or disdain from readers. Jobin combines elements of suspense and mystery with a pervasive sense of impending doom in this opening volume of this trilogy.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT