Accidentally drawn into a war between good and evil, three young people are brought face to face with the powers of darkness in an epic battle. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Taylor's debut novel, a bestseller in his native England, is a dark and weighty morality tale set in 18th-century England about a black-hearted vicar with designs to take over the world and overthrow God. Obadiah Demurral won the vicarage in a drunken bet but long ago lost his faith ("Church is the place for reciting meaningless words to a God who isn't listening anymore"). He is now the shadowmancer of the title (he communes with the dead) and is working to obtain two Keruvim (one an amulet, the other a form that's revealed later in the novel) that, together, will give him unlimited powers. As the story opens he has secured the first, but the second is still at large. Raphah, a young African from the village where the golden Keruvim was stolen, seeks to return it to his home. Thomas and Kate, two youngsters who have suffered Demurral's ruthlessness first-hand, decide to help Raphah. The twists and turns of the plot take precedence over character development. The sudden changes of heart of Beadle, Demurral's withering right-hand man, and Jacob Crane, a murderous smuggler, seem unfounded, and some readers may be deterred by the heavy Christian shadings ("Riathamus stands at the door of your life and knocks," Raphah preaches, "if you hear his call and answer him he will share your life and live with you always"; Thomas says, "Within him he felt that something had changed and was continuing to change, something unstoppable, like the growing of a mustard seed" a reference to Christ's parable). Still, there are enough surprises to keep readers madly turning the pages. Ages 12-up. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

If he can get his hands on a missing artifact, the evil vicar Obadiah Demurral is convinced that he can usurp God himself and rule the world. Rapha, a shipwrecked traveler who has journeyed from Africa to reclaim this artifact for his homeland, enlists the aid of young, homeless Thomas Barrick and his friend, the spirited Kate Coglan, to prevent Demurral from triumphing. Steeped in English folklore, Vicar Taylor's debut fantasy novel features heroes who must battle the thulak, invisible beings that fill people's minds with horrible nightmares for the rest of their lives, and choirs of seloth, flowing creatures whose piercing cries come out of the sea to take men to their deaths. There are obvious similarities to the Harry Potter books here, but this title is good enough to garner its own following and will appeal to Tolkien fans as well. Although aimed at young adult readers, it is complex enough to hold the interest of adults. Conservative Christians who are uncomfortable with Harry Potter may find this tale of good and evil more palatable. With a 250,000-copy first printing and a strong publicity campaign in the works, this British best seller will surely find an American audience. Highly recommended for all collections. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 7 Up-The atmospheric Yorkshire coast is the setting for this good versus evil fantasy. Local vicar Obadiah Demurral desires the power to command God. To do this, he needs an angelic figurine called the Keruvim and its human equivalent. As he uses his considerable powers to acquire the Keruvim, a young man named Raphah comes seeking an object stolen from his African kingdom. It is soon obvious that Demurral's angel and Raphah's stolen prize are one and the same. Once Demurral has it and Raphah under his control, he believes he will be master of the universe. Thomas and Kate, two local children, are inadvertently drawn into the struggle. Soon their lives are in jeopardy. The plot twists and turns, revealing that Demurral is not the ultimate evil but merely a tool in the hands of a fallen angel. The book is rich with detailed descriptions that sometimes threaten to overwhelm the story. There are a number of fantastic creatures warring on the side of evil, but at bottom this is a seriously religious story clothed in the trappings of high fantasy. Biblical allusions abound, sometimes bordering on direct quotes. The theme of the triumph of love and light over pure evil reflects the Christian gospel message, with overtones from Paradise Lost. Thomas has dreams or visions of someone who can only be Jesus. Raphah heals a deaf boy and casts out demons. He is also brought back from death. Whether teen readers will understand all this is a matter of conjecture.-Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

In a post-Potter world where Oscars accrue to films set in Middle Earth, publishers' "big" books (the ones that receive the lion's share of publicity) are often fantasies. Such is the case with this debut novel, which was purchased by Putnam in a $500,000 three-book deal after it made headlines in the UK, having given Harry Potter a run for its money. Expect requests for this novel, especially after the author appears on the Today show, but the real question is whether it will continue to circulate after the initial buzz fades. Originally self-published by a country vicar (a quaint fact that contributed mightily to the media cachet in the UK), Shadowmancer, set in an English village of the 1500s, pits two children against a corrupt vicar. We're not talking skimming from the collection plates; a lust for power has led the vicar to devil-worship, which is hastening the world to Armageddon. A visitor from Africa serves as the children's comrade and spiritual guide, proselytizing a religion with the maxims ("In our weakness we will find his strength, in our poverty we will find his riches") and symbols (healing of the sick, breaking of the bread) of Christianity, though Taylor substitutes the names Riathamus and Pyratheon for God and Satan (a device also employed by C. S. Lewis, although many readers may find such poetic license more difficult to accept in this less fantastical setting). But issues of doctrine aside, is this a good story? Not particularly. The characters are either ecstatic believers ("It's as if I was blind, and suddenly the blindness is gone"), candidates for conversion, or evil adversaries, and although Taylor introduces some deliciously scary demons and monsters, the moments of high drama are merely interruptions in what amounts to a rather ponderous sermon, suffering from characters too overshadowed by pyrotechnical plots and thematic enthusiasms to fully fire the imagination. -Jennifer Mattson JenniferMattson. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

G. P. Taylor has spent his life pursuing the secrets of the universe. He has had a multifaceted career spanning the music industry and law enforcement. Today, he is the vicar of Cloughton and lives near Whitby on the Yorkshire coast, a countryside of cliffs and moors, richly steeped in history and folklore Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Foreword	vii
1. The Dark Storm	1
2. The Poisoned Angel	12
3. The Triptych	21
4. The Oak King	35
5. The Golden Altar	45
6. Boggle Mill	56
7. Dagda Sarapuk	70
8. Brimstone and Cold Cabbage	81
9. The Hanged Man	91
10. The Dunamez	99
11. Bell, Book and Candle	109
12. The Azimuth	118
13. Tempora Mutantur	125
14. The Burning Man	137
15. The Miracle	147
16. The Witch of White Moor	159
17. The Keruvim	172
18. Latet Anguis in Herba	178
19. The Raven of Gold	187
20. Pyratheon	200
21. The Twisted Oak	213
22. Seirizzim	222
23. Lubbock's Drum	235
24. Vitae Veritas	249
25. The Sword of Mayence	262

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