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Max McDaniels lives a quiet life in the suburbs of Chicago, until the day he stumbles upon a mysterious Celtic tapestry. Many strange people are interested in Max and his tapestry. His discovery leads him to Rowan Academy, a secret school where great things await him. But dark things are waiting, too. When Max learns that priceless artworks and gifted children are disappearing, he finds himself in the crossfire of an ancient struggle between good and evil. To survive, he'll have to rely on a network of agents and mystics, the genius of his roommate, and the frightening power awakening within him.
| Marauder's grade | ... | O (outstanding) |
| Hoot Hoot's grade | ... | Woot-Hoot! |
Visit the official Henry H. Neff website HERE.
I must preface my review by saying that I've read those words many times, "If you liked Harry Potter, then you'll enjoy (insert title here)." Even though some of these have turned out to be quite good reads, I find that many books with this claim have virtually little or no parallel to Harry Potter what-so-ever. And with that said...
If you're a fan of Harry Potter you will thoroughly enjoy The Hound of Rowan, a fantastic, debut novel and first installment of The Tapestry series written by Henry H. Neff. A Chicago native and History teacher, author/illustrator Neff tells the incredible story of Max McDaniel and his first year at an elite, private boarding school in New England.
Even though Max's mother disappeared, Max and his father continue to visit the Chicago Art Institute to celebrate her birthday. While there, Max must hide from the man with one white eye, the one whose been chasing him, and discovers a mysterious, glowing Celtic tapestry in a hidden alcove. He is then "recruited" to attend Rowan Academy, with its magically morphing rooms and mystical animal charges, where exceptional youth are trained on "The Course" to fight "The Enemy".
Great things await Max at his new secret and enchanted school - but darkness is approaching too. Priceless paintings and other "potentials" are disappearing at an alarming rate, while there is a traitor within the school and scary, shape-shifting Vye, born from Neff's childhood nightmares, who have infiltrated the school's grounds. As Max finds himself in an ancient struggle between good and evil, will the power awakening within him, coupled with the genius of his roomate, be enough? Is Max the one to fulfill a prophecy?
Neff's tale may have distinct parellels to Hogwarts, however, his charming, character-driven storytelling makes it all his own and a worthy stand-out. Rich with mythology and folklore, The Hound of Rowan weaves a well-written, fanciful adventure that pulls readers of all ages into Neff's magical world.
The Tapestry Book Two: The Second Siege is due out in bookstores in September 2008.
Give you own rating, ask questions, or discuss the text with us
at our Hound of Rowan forum thread HERE.
