Messenger of Fear

September 29, 2014
First in a planned series, Grant's (the Gone books) uneven paranormal story transcends time and space to address the consequences of bullying, violence, and moral cowardice. Teenage Mara wakes up with amnesia in a place set outside of reality; she learns she's meant to become the apprentice to the so-called Messenger of Fear, an immortal young man who judges evildoers and forces them to confront their actions and experience their greatest fears. Mara familiarizes herself with three cases, the most haunting of which involves a teenage girl driven to suicide by a classmate's bullying. But nothing is straightforward in Mara's new role, and she has much to learn about right and wrong, dispensing justice, and the transgressions of her own past. Intriguing mythology fleshes out Grant's concept, and the story concludes with a powerful revelation. Yet inconsistent internal logic (the severity of one of the infractions that Mara presides is out of step with the other two) and the unsubtle message about behaving with mindfully good intentions mar an otherwise absorbing premise. Ages 14âup. Agent: Steve Sheppard, Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams and Sheppard.

August 1, 2014
Sixteen-year-old Mara thinks she might be dead when she wakes up in a mist and finds herself with a strange boy dressed in black and displaying frightening supernatural powers. Neither Mara nor readers will understand what's going on until the final pages of this interesting paranormal mystery, but readers, at least, can have plenty of fun speculating about it. The boy, the titular Messenger of Fear, tells Mara that she is not dead but that she has become his apprentice-apparently by her own choice. Her response is emotional when Messenger shows her the suicide of a high school girl named Samantha. As part of her training, the Messenger then demonstrates his task when they follow a couple that commits a wrong, giving them the option of winning a gruesome game or facing their worst fears. Later, Mara will begin to understand what that choice means when she witnesses a boy being burned at the stake, a scene described in gruesome detail. But the story keeps returning to Samantha, and Mara begins to anticipate the punishment of the girl who knowingly bullied Samantha, literally, to death. Grant only slowly unveils the reason Mara is with the Messenger, building tension and atmosphere expertly for maximum impact. Readers will find that in the end, it all comes together extremely well. An unusual and intriguing puzzle of a book. (Paranormal suspense. 14 & up)

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July 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-Mara wakes up one day in a strange place. She is confused and scared by her mist-shrouded, grass-covered, pitch-black surroundings. She is soon approached by a beautiful young man who emerges from the mist and calls himself the Messenger of Fear. He demands justice for those who can not speak for themselves by observing their lives prior to their moment with him and playing a simple game of life and death. Mara travels with the Messenger across this unfamiliar universe to confront the truth of why she is in this unique world and what is her purpose in it. Grant's new series starts off with a bang and never lets up. Mara is a strong, relatable character who stands up for herself, while also regretful of some of the things she has done in her past. The games the Messenger of Fear plays with his victims are gruesome and graphic, which will delight those readers who enjoy a little gore and horror in their books. Even though the twist ending will probably be guessed by those readers who pay close attention to the text, it is still a satisfying one. The mythology of the world is sketchy at best and will hopefully be expanded upon in future books. This is a promising start to a series with a truly unique concept.-Christopher Lassen, Brooklyn Public Library

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2014
Grades 9-12 When Mara awakes, she's in a field, and the only person she sees is a beautiful young man called the Messenger of Fear. As Messenger takes her through time and space, showing her flashes of people's lives and bits of the horrific things they do to each other, Mara gradually learns that she is now his apprentice and she must learn how to judgeand punishthe wicked. Grant's new series is purposefully confusing for the first half, as readers slowly learn along with Mara who she is and why she is with Messenger. Then things really pick up as the plot hurtles toward the end, which resolves some issues while leaving plenty of elements to be explained in later volumes. Grant explores bullying, family problems, suicide, and more, and several painful passages will have readers cringing, even as they make them think about what they would do in the same situation. This is a solid beginning to a series that is likely to be quite popular with horror and paranormal fans. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Grant's Gone and BZRK series were huge hits. It's a safe bet that this paranormal series starter won't stray from the pattern.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)