Necromancing the Stone

August 1, 2012
A slacker wrangles zombies, werewolves, gnomes and gods in this amiable second entry in a humor-horror mashup series (Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, 2010). Life is looking up for Samhain LaCroix, college dropout, oldies aficionado and former fry-cook. After accidentally killing the evil necromancer Douglas, Sam has inherited his powers, fortune, minions and seat on the Seattle Council of magical beings. On the downside, Sam's new servants hate him, one of his best friends is now a ghost and another a were-bear, his girlfriend's father has just been murdered, and her werewolf pack blames him...and, oh yeah, apparently Douglas isn't completely dead after all. Fans will be happy to revisit the likable characters and learn more about paranormal politics, but those expecting the first book's manic action, grisly violence and sexy romance will be disappointed by the leisurely pace and wistful, almost melancholic tone. Indeed, the plot consists almost entirely of endless and repetitive meetings, leading up to a climactic confab with his erstwhile enemy. While the story stops dead when a few chapters slip into the viewpoints of secondary characters, only important for setting up the (just barely plausible) denouement, Sam's marvelously witty, self-deprecating narration carries readers along effortlessly to the very end. With most loose plot threads neatly tied off, there is still room for further adventures with Sam and his merry band. After all, they've got rhythm, they've got music, they've got the legions of the undead--who could ask for anything more? (Urban fantasy. 14 & up)

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October 1, 2012

Gr 8 Up-This story picks up where Hold Me Closer, Necromancer (Holt, 2010) leaves off. Now that his rival, the evil necromancer Douglas, has been disposed of, Sam LaCroix can get back to his normal life, right? Well, if you consider being a powerful (but dangerously untrained) necromancer, having a werewolf for a girlfriend, a were-bear for a best buddy, lavish new digs that are trying to kill you, a seat on the local magic council, and constant visits from dead friends and strangers normal, then sure, he's good. Sam is still coming to terms with the events of the first book and trying to understand his newfound power when tragedy unexpectedly strikes. Couple this with the nagging suspicion that not all the things he thought he was sure of may actually be, and Sam finds himself in an even deeper pickle than before. The writing is tight and funny and the characters are interesting and complete. McBride uses short chapters to keep up the pace, so the book reads quickly in spite of its length. The inclusion of a certain movie star seems a little gratuitous, but it is funny when he pops up; he's just a little overused. Also, the resolution seems a tad contrived, but all in all, these are truly small gripes in an otherwise excellent book.-Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2012
Grades 8-11 In this sequel to the William C. Morris YA Debut Award finalist Hold Me Closer, Necromancer (2010), slacker Sam LaCroix, now a self-conscious necromancer as well as a boyfriend to weregirl Brid, carries on his ironic-toned tale of sorting good from evil, and how fuzzy that line might become. Even the putative bad guy, Douglas, whom we left for good and dead in the previous book, is back. McBride keeps up the fast paceand the hilarityas Sam copes with his inheritance, both from Douglas and his new adopting pack. Early pages bring readers up to speed on plot points, but newcomers to McBride's world will likely want to go back to the first volume and begin at the beginningbefore the zombie panda appears. Here's hoping there's a third installment in the works.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)