Hold Me Closer, Necromancer

September 13, 2010
A title this good has a lot to live up to, and debut author McBride proves she's largely up to the task in this scary and
irreverent romp. College dropout Sam is underwhelmed by his life as a fast food fry cook, when a game of potato hockey behind the restaurant goes awry and throws him into the sights of an evil and powerful necromancer named Douglas Montgomery. Sam turns out to be a necromancer too, making him Douglas's target for either slavery or death. With help from Brid, a teenage werewolf/fey hybrid who is Douglas's prisoner, and a ghost named Ashley, Sam must figure out how to escape Douglas, keep his loved ones alive, and use his power while avoiding its more horrific aspects. McBride pulls no punches and hits where readers will least expect it; the story can be gory and violent, but isn't gratuitously graphic. A solid start that concludes with the promise of Sam's power growing greater and darker, secrets getting deeper, and more fun to follow. Ages 14–up.

Sam is a normal guy, he thinks, moving a bit aimlessly through life in a fast-food world in Seattle. What starts as horseplay leads to Sam's finding himself the target of a powerful evil force that can raise the dead. In a dual narration, Jonathan Ross portrays Sam, and Chris Sorenson offers a menacing, ominous tone for the mysterious power. Ross is adept on two levels: He crafts voices well, especially women, and he shines with Sam's sarcastic, self-deprecating tone. The writing and narration balance a bit of terror with comedic twists. Even those who think they hate the horror genre might want to give this a chance. M.B. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine