it was a good book. written for younger / teen readers i think; but still well done. i would read again
Reviewed by Allison Fraclose for TeensReadToo.com
Since the earliest days of civilization, humanity has always stood a fragile step away from the dark forces that exist in other realms, and the Brimstone Network--in one form or another--has always protected and maintained that veil.
However, the testing of the atomic bomb during World War II damaged the magickal barrier separating Earth from the other realms, and Elijah Stone, leader of the Brimstone Network, refuses to let his guard down now that the Earth is in more danger than ever. One day, his worst fears come true, and a well-orchestrated attack of demons, trolls, and other nightmarish creatures brings the Network to a violent end.
To Elijah's son, Abraham, the struggles of the Brimstone Network take place a whole world away. Shuttled to different schools all his life, he is now holed up in the Himalayan monastery of P'Yon Kep, where his father had hoped Bram would learn to control the specter power that he inherited from his mother.
When a heavily scarred man named Mr. Stitch arrives at the monastery to tell Bram that his father is dead and it is up to the two of them to rebuild the Network from scratch, Bram can hardly believe it...
...until the Yeti attack.
Bram realizes fast that, to keep the rest of humanity safe, he has to own up to his responsibility and become the leader that his father meant him to be. Quickly, he and Mr. Stitch work to gather their resources, for the mastermind behind the Network's end has larger plans to end humanity's rule on the earth forever, and, any day now, may discover that Bram exists.
A well-told, action-packed story that reads almost like a graphic novel, the mesh of monsters, magick, and mayhem here will appeal specifically to older preteens who like a darker, more violent edge to their stories. Please note that the level of gore and squishy monster death may be too much for the squeamish.
Since the earliest days of civilization, humanity has always stood a fragile step away from the dark forces that exist in other realms, and the Brimstone Network--in one form or another--has always protected and maintained that veil.
However, the testing of the atomic bomb during World War II damaged the magickal barrier separating Earth from the other realms, and Elijah Stone, leader of the Brimstone Network, refuses to let his guard down now that the Earth is in more danger than ever. One day, his worst fears come true, and a well-orchestrated attack of demons, trolls, and other nightmarish creatures brings the Network to a violent end.
To Elijah's son, Abraham, the struggles of the Brimstone Network take place a whole world away. Shuttled to different schools all his life, he is now holed up in the Himalayan monastery of P'Yon Kep, where his father had hoped Bram would learn to control the specter power that he inherited from his mother.
When a heavily scarred man named Mr. Stitch arrives at the monastery to tell Bram that his father is dead and it is up to the two of them to rebuild the Network from scratch, Bram can hardly believe it...
...until the Yeti attack.
Bram realizes fast that, to keep the rest of humanity safe, he has to own up to his responsibility and become the leader that his father meant him to be. Quickly, he and Mr. Stitch work to gather their resources, for the mastermind behind the Network's end has larger plans to end humanity's rule on the earth forever, and, any day now, may discover that Bram exists.
A well-told, action-packed story that reads almost like a graphic novel, the mesh of monsters, magick, and mayhem here will appeal specifically to older preteens who like a darker, more violent edge to their stories. Please note that the level of gore and squishy monster death may be too much for the squeamish.
