2004, ISBN: 9780399242564

Hardcover

Wiley-Blackwell. Good. 6.05 x 1.15 x 9.05 inches. Paperback. 1995. 544 pages. Text buckled<br>This is a bold and timely analysis of the conflict in Northern Ireland, offering a com… More...

Wiley-Blackwell. Good. 6.05 x 1.15 x 9.05 inches. Paperback. 1995. 544 pages. Text buckled<br>This is a bold and timely analysis of the conflict in Northern Ireland, offering a comprehensive, up-to -date and constructively critical evaluation of the massive outpo uring of literature on the subject. John McGarry and Brendan O'Le ary examine the most common explanations of the conflict - nation alist, unionist, Marxist, religious, cultural and economic - high lighting their shortcomings and placing Northern Ireland within a comparative context. Synthesizing their conclusions, the authors advance a realistic but imaginative prognosis for conflict-resol ution in this most troubled region. Editorial Reviews Review Th e authors are experts not only on Northern Ireland but on ethnic conflict in many other countries. The comparative perspective tha t they bring to their treatment of Northern Ireland gives it extr aordinary depth and insight. It is a stimulating analysis not onl y for Northern Ireland buffs, but for anyone interested in the ro ots of ethnic conflict - the world's number-one problem in the 19 90s and probably in the twenty-first century, too. Professor Aren d Lijphart, University of California, San Diego, President of the American Political Science Association (1995-6) This is a trenc hant analysis and critique of the arguments around the Northern I reland conflict. McGarry and O'Leary slice their way through the tangle of argument, prejudice, history and propaganda which surro und the issue, while avoiding the traps into which so many others have fallen. They present a merciless critique of reductionist i nterpretations of the Northern Ireland issue from all parts of th e political spectrum, continually bringing us back to the facts o n the ground. This will be essential reading for anyone wishing t o understand this tangled question. Michael Keating, University o f Western Ontario In Explaining Northern Ireland McGarry and O'L eary strip away the misconceptions, dogmas, and stereotypes that have stood in the way of so many efforts to understand and resolv e the fate of Northern Ireland. They demonstrate, compellingly, t hat both Catholoic nationalism and Protestant loyalism are real a nd contradictory forces, that they have never had an accurate und erstanding of one another, and that only by accommodating what is minimally required by both communities can peace be achieved. Th e authors write with wit and wisdom, showing why the conflict has been so intractable, but also explaining why the prospects for a stable and relatively just peace are now good, even if they are not certain. This is a must-read book for anyone who has despaire d of peace in Ireland or who believes it is right around the corn er. Professor Ian S. Lustick, University of Pennsylvania Explain ing Northern Ireland lives up to its title. It is the most effect ive and intelligent analysis we have of the crisis itself, of its attendant discourses, of its possible resolution. This book deal s astringently with much of the propaganda, melodrama and lies th at have surrounded the Northern Ireland problem. It should be rec ommended reading for all those genuinely interested in finding a solution that is rational, humane and enduring. It is also a mode l of the kind of analysis that such conflicts need if they are ev er to be understood or resolved. Professor Seamus Deane, Universi ty of Notre Dame If read and heeded could well influence the dec isions of those who come to the negotiating table. O'Leary is a m an ahead of the pack, a man with a contribution made as Ireland s tands at the crossroads of history ... He gives a new slant on th e whole thing, claiming that the British and Irish states created the conditions that made it difficult for the people of the Nort h to live together. Irish World The book provides a balanced acc ount of nationalist and unionist discourse followed by an intelli gent deconstruction of both. The critical examination of Irish na tionalist theory stands favorable comparison with the cascade of tracts produced by unionist ideologues on the subject, not becaus e McGarry and O'Leary are necessarily more favourable to Irish na tionalism (though they are) but simply because their critique is well structured, intelligent, and reasoned, rather than reduction ist, polemical and emotional ... There is much in the book which will continue to fuel arguments amoung undergraduates (and feuds amongst the rest of us) for the foreseeable future. That is recom mendation enough for reading it. Feargal Cochrane, Queen's Univer sity Belfast, Irish Political Studies From the Inside Flap This is a bold and timely analysis of the conflict in Northern Irelan d, offering a comprehensive, up-to-date and constructively critic al evaluation of the massive outpouring of literature on the subj ect. John McGarry and Brendan O'Leary examine the most common exp lanations of the conflict - nationalist, unionist, Marxist, relig ious, cultural and economic - highlighting their shortcomings and placing Northern Ireland within a comparative context. Synthesiz ing their conclusions, the authors advance a realistic but imagin ative prognosis for conflict-resolution in this most troubled reg ion. The book will be welcomed by students of contemporary hist ory and politics and the general reader alike. From the Back Co ver This is a bold and timely analysis of the conflict in Norther n Ireland, offering a comprehensive, up-to-date and constructivel y critical evaluation of the massive outpouring of literature on the subject. John McGarry and Brendan O'Leary examine the most co mmon explanations of the conflict - nationalist, unionist, Marxis t, religious, cultural and economic - highlighting their shortcom ings and placing Northern Ireland within a comparative context. S ynthesizing their conclusions, the authors advance a realistic bu t imaginative prognosis for conflict-resolution in this most trou bled region. The book will be welcomed by students of contempor ary history and politics and the general reader alike. About th e Author John McGarry is Associate Professor in the Department of History and Politics, at King's College, University of Western O ntario. Brendan O'Leary is Reader in Political Science and Publ ic Administration in the Department of Government at the London S chool of Economics and Political Science, University of London. T heir previous works include The Future of Northern Ireland (1990) ; The Politics of Antagonism: Understanding Northern Ireland,(199 3) and, with Tom Lyne, Jim Marshall and Bob Rowthorn, Northern Ir eland: Sharing Authority. </div From the Inside Flap This is a b old and timely analysis of the conflict in Northern Ireland, offe ring a comprehensive, up-to-date and constructively critical eval uation of the massive outpouring of literature on the subject. Jo hn McGarry and Brendan O'Leary examine the most common explanatio ns of the conflict - nationalist, unionist, Marxist, religious, c ultural and economic - highlighting their shortcomings and placin g Northern Ireland within a comparative context. Synthesizing the ir conclusions, the authors advance a realistic but imaginative p rognosis for conflict-resolution in this most troubled region. The book will be welcomed by students of contemporary history and politics and the general reader alike. From the Back Cover Thi s is a bold and timely analysis of the conflict in Northern Irela nd, offering a comprehensive, up-to-date and constructively criti cal evaluation of the massive outpouring of literature on the sub ject. John McGarry and Brendan O'Leary examine the most common ex planations of the conflict - nationalist, unionist, Marxist, reli gious, cultural and economic - highlighting their shortcomings an d placing Northern Ireland within a comparative context. Synthesi zing their conclusions, the authors advance a realistic but imagi native prognosis for conflict-resolution in this most troubled re gion. The book will be welcomed by students of contemporary his tory and politics and the general reader alike. About the Autho r John McGarry is Associate Professor in the Department of Histor y and Politics, at King's College, University of Western Ontario. Brendan O'Leary is Reader in Political Science and Public Admi nistration in the Department of Government at the London School o f Economics and Political Science, University of London. Their pr evious works include The Future of Northern Ireland (1990); The P olitics of Antagonism: Understanding Northern Ireland,(1993) and, with Tom Lyne, Jim Marshall and Bob Rowthorn, Northern Ireland: Sharing Authority. </div From the Back Cover This is a bold and timely analysis of the conflict in Northern Ireland, offering a c omprehensive, up-to-date and constructively critical evaluation o f the massive outpouring of literature on the subject. John McGar ry and Brendan O'Leary examine the most common explanations of th e conflict - nationalist, unionist, Marxist, religious, cultural and economic - highlighting their shortcomings and placing Northe rn Ireland within a comparative context. Synthesizing their concl usions, the authors advance a realistic but imaginative prognosis for conflict-resolution in this most troubled region. The book will be welcomed by students of contemporary history and politic s and the general reader alike. About the Author John McGarry i s Associate Professor in the Department of History and Politics, at King's College, University of Western Ontario. Brendan O'Lea ry is Reader in Political Science and Public Administration in th e Department of Government at the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London. Their previous works inc lude The Future of Northern Ireland (1990); The Politics of Antag onism: Understanding Northern Ireland,(1993) and, with Tom Lyne, Jim Marshall and Bob Rowthorn, Northern Ireland: Sharing Authorit y. </div About the Author John McGarry is Associate Professor in the Department of History and Politics, at King's College, Unive rsity of Western Ontario. Brendan O'Leary is Reader in Politica l Science and Public Administration in the Department of Governme nt at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Unive rsity of London. Their previous works include The Future of North ern Ireland (1990); The Politics of Antagonism: Understanding Nor thern Ireland,(1993) and, with Tom Lyne, Jim Marshall and Bob Row thorn, Northern Ireland: Sharing Authority. </div ., Wiley-Blackwell, 1995, 2.5, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. Very Good. 7.25 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches. Hardcover. 2004. 304 pages. dj worn<br>Craving power and wealth, vicar Obadiah Dem urral enlists the powers of darkness and uses his powers as a sha dowmancer, a sorcerer who commands the souls of the dead, to beco me all-powerful, and Raphah, a young wizard who has come to recla im a priceless stolen artifact, is the only one with the hope of defeating Demurral and his demonic forces. Editorial Reviews Am azon.com Review An apocalyptic battle between good and evil is vi gorously, violently fought in British author G.P. Taylor's suspen seful, action-packed fantasy. The story, set in the 1700s on the Yorkshire coastline, revolves around Vicar Obadiah Demurral, a co rrupt-but-inept, dead-conjuring shadowmancer who desires to contr ol the universe by overthrowing God, or Riathamus. When two hard- luck near-orphans, (13-year-old Thomas Barrick, a bitter enemy of Demurral, and his troubled friend Kate Coglund) band together wi th a young African stranger named Raphah, they spend the rest of the book trying to stop the wicked Vicar as if their very souls a re at stake...they are. Along the way, the three youths meet an e normous cast of friends and foes, some agents of Riathamus, other s of Satan (Pyratheon), and some godless (but not for long) smugg lers like Jacob Crane. Readers who love fanciful storybook chara cters will find mermaidlike Seloth, smelly hobs, leg-dragging ser vants, goodhearted whores, and benevolent boggles. Age-old supers titions abound, though old magic and witchcraft are clearly denou nced here as the work of the devil. Indeed, the author, an Englis h vicar himself, tells a very Christian story and his often delic iously dramatic adventure lapses into stiffly presented glowing-h alo Touched by an Angel moments(readers will be lured into the En chanted Forest, but tricked into Sunday school). Nonetheless, Sha dowmancer, the first of a series, is a pageturner bursting with m agic and myth, and will appeal to fantasy lovers who don't mind t he Bible mixed in with their boggles. (Ages 11 and older) --Karin Snelson From School Library Journal Grade 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 i ts human equivalent. As he uses his considerable powers to acquir e the Keruvim, a young man named Raphah comes seeking an object s tolen from his African kingdom. It is soon obvious that Demurral' s angel and Raphah's stolen prize are one and the same. Once Demu rral 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 je opardy. The plot twists and turns, revealing that Demurral is not the ultimate evil but merely a tool in the hands of a fallen ang el. The book is rich with detailed descriptions that sometimes th reaten to overwhelm the story. There are a number of fantastic cr eatures warring on the side of evil, but at bottom this is a seri ously religious story clothed in the trappings of high fantasy. B iblical allusions abound, sometimes bordering on direct quotes. T he 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. R aphah heals a deaf boy and casts out demons. He is also brought b ack from death. Whether teen readers will understand all this is a matter of conjecture.-Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle Schoo l, Greensboro, NC Copyright ® Reed Business Information, a divis ion of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From School Libra ry Journal Grade 7 Up-The atmospheric Yorkshire coast is the sett ing for this good versus evil fantasy. Local vicar Obadiah Demurr al desires the power to command God. To do this, he needs an ange lic figurine called the Keruvim and its human equivalent. As he u ses his considerable powers to acquire the Keruvim, a young man n amed Raphah comes seeking an object stolen from his African kingd om. 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. Thom as 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 merel y a tool in the hands of a fallen angel. The book is rich with de tailed descriptions that sometimes threaten to overwhelm the stor y. There are a number of fantastic creatures warring on the side of evil, but at bottom this is a seriously religious story clothe d in the trappings of high fantasy. Biblical allusions abound, so metimes bordering on direct quotes. The theme of the triumph of l ove and light over pure evil reflects the Christian gospel messag e, with overtones from Paradise Lost. Thomas has dreams or vision s of someone who can only be Jesus. Raphah heals a deaf boy and c asts out demons. He is also brought back from death. Whether teen readers will understand all this is a matter of conjecture.-Bruc e Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC Copyright ® Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Al l rights reserved. From Booklist In a post-Potter world where Os cars accrue to films set in Middle Earth, publishers' big books ( the ones that receive the lion's share of publicity) are often fa ntasies. Such is the case with this debut novel, which was purcha sed by Putnam in a $500,000 three-book deal after it made headlin es in the UK, having given Harry Potter a run for its money. Expe ct requests for this novel, especially after the author appears o n the Today show, but the real question is whether it will contin ue to circulate after the initial buzz fades. Originally self-pu blished by a country vicar (a quaint fact that contributed mighti ly to the media cachet in the UK), Shadowmancer , set in an Engli sh village of the 1500s, pits two children against a corrupt vica r. 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 chil dren's comrade and spiritual guide, proselytizing a religion with the maxims (In our weakness we will find his strength, in our po verty 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 al so employed by C. S. Lewis, although many readers may find such p oetic license more difficult to accept in this less fantastical s etting). 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), candidate s for conversion, or evil adversaries, and although Taylor introd uces some deliciously scary demons and monsters, the moments of h igh drama are merely interruptions in what amounts to a rather po nderous sermon, suffering from characters too overshadowed by pyr otechnical plots and thematic enthusiasms to fully fire the imagi nation. -Jennifer Mattson Jennifer Mattson Copyright © American L ibrary Association. All rights reserved Review Pullmanesque fan tasy, set on the haunted Yorkshire coast. -- Kirkus Reviews Ther e are enough surprises to keep readers madly turning the pages. - - Publishers Weekly Well written and highly imaginative. . . . Y oung readers will like its pace, and adults will enjoy its comple xity. -- VOYA Review Pullmanesque fantasy, set on the haunted Yo rkshire coast. -- Kirkus Reviews There are enough surprises to k eep readers madly turning the pages. -- Publishers Weekly Well w ritten and highly imaginative. . . . Young readers will like its pace, and adults will enjoy its complexity. -- VOYA About the Au thor G. P. Taylor has spent the whole of his life searching for t he hidden secrets of the universe. He lectures on the paranormal and folklore, and lives in a secluded graveyard. Now Taylor is th e Vicar of Cloughton, a village in Yorkshire, which is close to t he spooky setting of Whitby, the location of many a devilish tale rich with a spiritual heritage. ., G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2004, 2.75<

2004, ISBN: 9780399242564

Hardcover

Hay House Inc, April 1995. Trade Paperback Trade Paperback. Good. Light edge and corner wear. Pages still clean and tight. All orders shipped with tracking number and e-mail confirmat… More...

Hay House Inc, April 1995. Trade Paperback Trade Paperback. Good. Light edge and corner wear. Pages still clean and tight. All orders shipped with tracking number and e-mail confirmation. All Orders Shipped With Tracking And Delivery Confirmation Numbers., Hay House Inc, 2.5, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. Very Good. 7.25 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches. Hardcover. 2004. 304 pages. dj worn<br>Craving power and wealth, vicar Obadiah Dem urral enlists the powers of darkness and uses his powers as a sha dowmancer, a sorcerer who commands the souls of the dead, to beco me all-powerful, and Raphah, a young wizard who has come to recla im a priceless stolen artifact, is the only one with the hope of defeating Demurral and his demonic forces. Editorial Reviews Am azon.com Review An apocalyptic battle between good and evil is vi gorously, violently fought in British author G.P. Taylor's suspen seful, action-packed fantasy. The story, set in the 1700s on the Yorkshire coastline, revolves around Vicar Obadiah Demurral, a co rrupt-but-inept, dead-conjuring shadowmancer who desires to contr ol the universe by overthrowing God, or Riathamus. When two hard- luck near-orphans, (13-year-old Thomas Barrick, a bitter enemy of Demurral, and his troubled friend Kate Coglund) band together wi th a young African stranger named Raphah, they spend the rest of the book trying to stop the wicked Vicar as if their very souls a re at stake...they are. Along the way, the three youths meet an e normous cast of friends and foes, some agents of Riathamus, other s of Satan (Pyratheon), and some godless (but not for long) smugg lers like Jacob Crane. Readers who love fanciful storybook chara cters will find mermaidlike Seloth, smelly hobs, leg-dragging ser vants, goodhearted whores, and benevolent boggles. Age-old supers titions abound, though old magic and witchcraft are clearly denou nced here as the work of the devil. Indeed, the author, an Englis h vicar himself, tells a very Christian story and his often delic iously dramatic adventure lapses into stiffly presented glowing-h alo Touched by an Angel moments(readers will be lured into the En chanted Forest, but tricked into Sunday school). Nonetheless, Sha dowmancer, the first of a series, is a pageturner bursting with m agic and myth, and will appeal to fantasy lovers who don't mind t he Bible mixed in with their boggles. (Ages 11 and older) --Karin Snelson From School Library Journal Grade 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 i ts human equivalent. As he uses his considerable powers to acquir e the Keruvim, a young man named Raphah comes seeking an object s tolen from his African kingdom. It is soon obvious that Demurral' s angel and Raphah's stolen prize are one and the same. Once Demu rral 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 je opardy. The plot twists and turns, revealing that Demurral is not the ultimate evil but merely a tool in the hands of a fallen ang el. The book is rich with detailed descriptions that sometimes th reaten to overwhelm the story. There are a number of fantastic cr eatures warring on the side of evil, but at bottom this is a seri ously religious story clothed in the trappings of high fantasy. B iblical allusions abound, sometimes bordering on direct quotes. T he 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. R aphah heals a deaf boy and casts out demons. He is also brought b ack from death. Whether teen readers will understand all this is a matter of conjecture.-Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle Schoo l, Greensboro, NC Copyright ® Reed Business Information, a divis ion of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From School Libra ry Journal Grade 7 Up-The atmospheric Yorkshire coast is the sett ing for this good versus evil fantasy. Local vicar Obadiah Demurr al desires the power to command God. To do this, he needs an ange lic figurine called the Keruvim and its human equivalent. As he u ses his considerable powers to acquire the Keruvim, a young man n amed Raphah comes seeking an object stolen from his African kingd om. 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. Thom as 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 merel y a tool in the hands of a fallen angel. The book is rich with de tailed descriptions that sometimes threaten to overwhelm the stor y. There are a number of fantastic creatures warring on the side of evil, but at bottom this is a seriously religious story clothe d in the trappings of high fantasy. Biblical allusions abound, so metimes bordering on direct quotes. The theme of the triumph of l ove and light over pure evil reflects the Christian gospel messag e, with overtones from Paradise Lost. Thomas has dreams or vision s of someone who can only be Jesus. Raphah heals a deaf boy and c asts out demons. He is also brought back from death. Whether teen readers will understand all this is a matter of conjecture.-Bruc e Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC Copyright ® Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Al l rights reserved. From Booklist In a post-Potter world where Os cars accrue to films set in Middle Earth, publishers' big books ( the ones that receive the lion's share of publicity) are often fa ntasies. Such is the case with this debut novel, which was purcha sed by Putnam in a $500,000 three-book deal after it made headlin es in the UK, having given Harry Potter a run for its money. Expe ct requests for this novel, especially after the author appears o n the Today show, but the real question is whether it will contin ue to circulate after the initial buzz fades. Originally self-pu blished by a country vicar (a quaint fact that contributed mighti ly to the media cachet in the UK), Shadowmancer , set in an Engli sh village of the 1500s, pits two children against a corrupt vica r. 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 chil dren's comrade and spiritual guide, proselytizing a religion with the maxims (In our weakness we will find his strength, in our po verty 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 al so employed by C. S. Lewis, although many readers may find such p oetic license more difficult to accept in this less fantastical s etting). 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), candidate s for conversion, or evil adversaries, and although Taylor introd uces some deliciously scary demons and monsters, the moments of h igh drama are merely interruptions in what amounts to a rather po nderous sermon, suffering from characters too overshadowed by pyr otechnical plots and thematic enthusiasms to fully fire the imagi nation. -Jennifer Mattson Jennifer Mattson Copyright © American L ibrary Association. All rights reserved Review Pullmanesque fan tasy, set on the haunted Yorkshire coast. -- Kirkus Reviews Ther e are enough surprises to keep readers madly turning the pages. - - Publishers Weekly Well written and highly imaginative. . . . Y oung readers will like its pace, and adults will enjoy its comple xity. -- VOYA Review Pullmanesque fantasy, set on the haunted Yo rkshire coast. -- Kirkus Reviews There are enough surprises to k eep readers madly turning the pages. -- Publishers Weekly Well w ritten and highly imaginative. . . . Young readers will like its pace, and adults will enjoy its complexity. -- VOYA About the Au thor G. P. Taylor has spent the whole of his life searching for t he hidden secrets of the universe. He lectures on the paranormal and folklore, and lives in a secluded graveyard. Now Taylor is th e Vicar of Cloughton, a village in Yorkshire, which is close to t he spooky setting of Whitby, the location of many a devilish tale rich with a spiritual heritage. ., G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2004, 2.75<

2008, ISBN: 9780399242564

Harvard Business Review Press, 2008-07-15. hardcover. Good. 6x1x9., Harvard Business Review Press, 2008-07-15, 2.5, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. Very Good. 7.25 x 1.5… More...

Harvard Business Review Press, 2008-07-15. hardcover. Good. 6x1x9., Harvard Business Review Press, 2008-07-15, 2.5, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. Very Good. 7.25 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches. Hardcover. 2004. 304 pages. dj worn<br>Craving power and wealth, vicar Obadiah Dem urral enlists the powers of darkness and uses his powers as a sha dowmancer, a sorcerer who commands the souls of the dead, to beco me all-powerful, and Raphah, a young wizard who has come to recla im a priceless stolen artifact, is the only one with the hope of defeating Demurral and his demonic forces. Editorial Reviews Am azon.com Review An apocalyptic battle between good and evil is vi gorously, violently fought in British author G.P. Taylor's suspen seful, action-packed fantasy. The story, set in the 1700s on the Yorkshire coastline, revolves around Vicar Obadiah Demurral, a co rrupt-but-inept, dead-conjuring shadowmancer who desires to contr ol the universe by overthrowing God, or Riathamus. When two hard- luck near-orphans, (13-year-old Thomas Barrick, a bitter enemy of Demurral, and his troubled friend Kate Coglund) band together wi th a young African stranger named Raphah, they spend the rest of the book trying to stop the wicked Vicar as if their very souls a re at stake...they are. Along the way, the three youths meet an e normous cast of friends and foes, some agents of Riathamus, other s of Satan (Pyratheon), and some godless (but not for long) smugg lers like Jacob Crane. Readers who love fanciful storybook chara cters will find mermaidlike Seloth, smelly hobs, leg-dragging ser vants, goodhearted whores, and benevolent boggles. Age-old supers titions abound, though old magic and witchcraft are clearly denou nced here as the work of the devil. Indeed, the author, an Englis h vicar himself, tells a very Christian story and his often delic iously dramatic adventure lapses into stiffly presented glowing-h alo Touched by an Angel moments(readers will be lured into the En chanted Forest, but tricked into Sunday school). Nonetheless, Sha dowmancer, the first of a series, is a pageturner bursting with m agic and myth, and will appeal to fantasy lovers who don't mind t he Bible mixed in with their boggles. (Ages 11 and older) --Karin Snelson From School Library Journal Grade 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 i ts human equivalent. As he uses his considerable powers to acquir e the Keruvim, a young man named Raphah comes seeking an object s tolen from his African kingdom. It is soon obvious that Demurral' s angel and Raphah's stolen prize are one and the same. Once Demu rral 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 je opardy. The plot twists and turns, revealing that Demurral is not the ultimate evil but merely a tool in the hands of a fallen ang el. The book is rich with detailed descriptions that sometimes th reaten to overwhelm the story. There are a number of fantastic cr eatures warring on the side of evil, but at bottom this is a seri ously religious story clothed in the trappings of high fantasy. B iblical allusions abound, sometimes bordering on direct quotes. T he 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. R aphah heals a deaf boy and casts out demons. He is also brought b ack from death. Whether teen readers will understand all this is a matter of conjecture.-Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle Schoo l, Greensboro, NC Copyright ® Reed Business Information, a divis ion of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From School Libra ry Journal Grade 7 Up-The atmospheric Yorkshire coast is the sett ing for this good versus evil fantasy. Local vicar Obadiah Demurr al desires the power to command God. To do this, he needs an ange lic figurine called the Keruvim and its human equivalent. As he u ses his considerable powers to acquire the Keruvim, a young man n amed Raphah comes seeking an object stolen from his African kingd om. 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. Thom as 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 merel y a tool in the hands of a fallen angel. The book is rich with de tailed descriptions that sometimes threaten to overwhelm the stor y. There are a number of fantastic creatures warring on the side of evil, but at bottom this is a seriously religious story clothe d in the trappings of high fantasy. Biblical allusions abound, so metimes bordering on direct quotes. The theme of the triumph of l ove and light over pure evil reflects the Christian gospel messag e, with overtones from Paradise Lost. Thomas has dreams or vision s of someone who can only be Jesus. Raphah heals a deaf boy and c asts out demons. He is also brought back from death. Whether teen readers will understand all this is a matter of conjecture.-Bruc e Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC Copyright ® Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Al l rights reserved. From Booklist In a post-Potter world where Os cars accrue to films set in Middle Earth, publishers' big books ( the ones that receive the lion's share of publicity) are often fa ntasies. Such is the case with this debut novel, which was purcha sed by Putnam in a $500,000 three-book deal after it made headlin es in the UK, having given Harry Potter a run for its money. Expe ct requests for this novel, especially after the author appears o n the Today show, but the real question is whether it will contin ue to circulate after the initial buzz fades. Originally self-pu blished by a country vicar (a quaint fact that contributed mighti ly to the media cachet in the UK), Shadowmancer , set in an Engli sh village of the 1500s, pits two children against a corrupt vica r. 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 chil dren's comrade and spiritual guide, proselytizing a religion with the maxims (In our weakness we will find his strength, in our po verty 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 al so employed by C. S. Lewis, although many readers may find such p oetic license more difficult to accept in this less fantastical s etting). 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), candidate s for conversion, or evil adversaries, and although Taylor introd uces some deliciously scary demons and monsters, the moments of h igh drama are merely interruptions in what amounts to a rather po nderous sermon, suffering from characters too overshadowed by pyr otechnical plots and thematic enthusiasms to fully fire the imagi nation. -Jennifer Mattson Jennifer Mattson Copyright © American L ibrary Association. All rights reserved Review Pullmanesque fan tasy, set on the haunted Yorkshire coast. -- Kirkus Reviews Ther e are enough surprises to keep readers madly turning the pages. - - Publishers Weekly Well written and highly imaginative. . . . Y oung readers will like its pace, and adults will enjoy its comple xity. -- VOYA Review Pullmanesque fantasy, set on the haunted Yo rkshire coast. -- Kirkus Reviews There are enough surprises to k eep readers madly turning the pages. -- Publishers Weekly Well w ritten and highly imaginative. . . . Young readers will like its pace, and adults will enjoy its complexity. -- VOYA About the Au thor G. P. Taylor has spent the whole of his life searching for t he hidden secrets of the universe. He lectures on the paranormal and folklore, and lives in a secluded graveyard. Now Taylor is th e Vicar of Cloughton, a village in Yorkshire, which is close to t he spooky setting of Whitby, the location of many a devilish tale rich with a spiritual heritage. ., G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2004, 2.75<

2004, ISBN: 9780399242564

G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. Very Good. 7.25 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches. Hardcover. 2004. 304 pages. dj worn<br>Craving power and wealth, vicar Obadiah Dem urral enlists … More...

G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. Very Good. 7.25 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches. Hardcover. 2004. 304 pages. dj worn<br>Craving power and wealth, vicar Obadiah Dem urral enlists the powers of darkness and uses his powers as a sha dowmancer, a sorcerer who commands the souls of the dead, to beco me all-powerful, and Raphah, a young wizard who has come to recla im a priceless stolen artifact, is the only one with the hope of defeating Demurral and his demonic forces. Editorial Reviews Am azon.com Review An apocalyptic battle between good and evil is vi gorously, violently fought in British author G.P. Taylor's suspen seful, action-packed fantasy. The story, set in the 1700s on the Yorkshire coastline, revolves around Vicar Obadiah Demurral, a co rrupt-but-inept, dead-conjuring shadowmancer who desires to contr ol the universe by overthrowing God, or Riathamus. When two hard- luck near-orphans, (13-year-old Thomas Barrick, a bitter enemy of Demurral, and his troubled friend Kate Coglund) band together wi th a young African stranger named Raphah, they spend the rest of the book trying to stop the wicked Vicar as if their very souls a re at stake...they are. Along the way, the three youths meet an e normous cast of friends and foes, some agents of Riathamus, other s of Satan (Pyratheon), and some godless (but not for long) smugg lers like Jacob Crane. Readers who love fanciful storybook chara cters will find mermaidlike Seloth, smelly hobs, leg-dragging ser vants, goodhearted whores, and benevolent boggles. Age-old supers titions abound, though old magic and witchcraft are clearly denou nced here as the work of the devil. Indeed, the author, an Englis h vicar himself, tells a very Christian story and his often delic iously dramatic adventure lapses into stiffly presented glowing-h alo Touched by an Angel moments(readers will be lured into the En chanted Forest, but tricked into Sunday school). Nonetheless, Sha dowmancer, the first of a series, is a pageturner bursting with m agic and myth, and will appeal to fantasy lovers who don't mind t he Bible mixed in with their boggles. (Ages 11 and older) --Karin Snelson From School Library Journal Grade 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 i ts human equivalent. As he uses his considerable powers to acquir e the Keruvim, a young man named Raphah comes seeking an object s tolen from his African kingdom. It is soon obvious that Demurral' s angel and Raphah's stolen prize are one and the same. Once Demu rral 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 je opardy. The plot twists and turns, revealing that Demurral is not the ultimate evil but merely a tool in the hands of a fallen ang el. The book is rich with detailed descriptions that sometimes th reaten to overwhelm the story. There are a number of fantastic cr eatures warring on the side of evil, but at bottom this is a seri ously religious story clothed in the trappings of high fantasy. B iblical allusions abound, sometimes bordering on direct quotes. T he 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. R aphah heals a deaf boy and casts out demons. He is also brought b ack from death. Whether teen readers will understand all this is a matter of conjecture.-Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle Schoo l, Greensboro, NC Copyright ® Reed Business Information, a divis ion of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From School Libra ry Journal Grade 7 Up-The atmospheric Yorkshire coast is the sett ing for this good versus evil fantasy. Local vicar Obadiah Demurr al desires the power to command God. To do this, he needs an ange lic figurine called the Keruvim and its human equivalent. As he u ses his considerable powers to acquire the Keruvim, a young man n amed Raphah comes seeking an object stolen from his African kingd om. 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. Thom as 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 merel y a tool in the hands of a fallen angel. The book is rich with de tailed descriptions that sometimes threaten to overwhelm the stor y. There are a number of fantastic creatures warring on the side of evil, but at bottom this is a seriously religious story clothe d in the trappings of high fantasy. Biblical allusions abound, so metimes bordering on direct quotes. The theme of the triumph of l ove and light over pure evil reflects the Christian gospel messag e, with overtones from Paradise Lost. Thomas has dreams or vision s of someone who can only be Jesus. Raphah heals a deaf boy and c asts out demons. He is also brought back from death. Whether teen readers will understand all this is a matter of conjecture.-Bruc e Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC Copyright ® Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Al l rights reserved. From Booklist In a post-Potter world where Os cars accrue to films set in Middle Earth, publishers' big books ( the ones that receive the lion's share of publicity) are often fa ntasies. Such is the case with this debut novel, which was purcha sed by Putnam in a $500,000 three-book deal after it made headlin es in the UK, having given Harry Potter a run for its money. Expe ct requests for this novel, especially after the author appears o n the Today show, but the real question is whether it will contin ue to circulate after the initial buzz fades. Originally self-pu blished by a country vicar (a quaint fact that contributed mighti ly to the media cachet in the UK), Shadowmancer , set in an Engli sh village of the 1500s, pits two children against a corrupt vica r. 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 chil dren's comrade and spiritual guide, proselytizing a religion with the maxims (In our weakness we will find his strength, in our po verty 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 al so employed by C. S. Lewis, although many readers may find such p oetic license more difficult to accept in this less fantastical s etting). 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), candidate s for conversion, or evil adversaries, and although Taylor introd uces some deliciously scary demons and monsters, the moments of h igh drama are merely interruptions in what amounts to a rather po nderous sermon, suffering from characters too overshadowed by pyr otechnical plots and thematic enthusiasms to fully fire the imagi nation. -Jennifer Mattson Jennifer Mattson Copyright © American L ibrary Association. All rights reserved Review Pullmanesque fan tasy, set on the haunted Yorkshire coast. -- Kirkus Reviews Ther e are enough surprises to keep readers madly turning the pages. - - Publishers Weekly Well written and highly imaginative. . . . Y oung readers will like its pace, and adults will enjoy its comple xity. -- VOYA Review Pullmanesque fantasy, set on the haunted Yo rkshire coast. -- Kirkus Reviews There are enough surprises to k eep readers madly turning the pages. -- Publishers Weekly Well w ritten and highly imaginative. . . . Young readers will like its pace, and adults will enjoy its complexity. -- VOYA About the Au thor G. P. Taylor has spent the whole of his life searching for t he hidden secrets of the universe. He lectures on the paranormal and folklore, and lives in a secluded graveyard. Now Taylor is th e Vicar of Cloughton, a village in Yorkshire, which is close to t he spooky setting of Whitby, the location of many a devilish tale rich with a spiritual heritage. ., G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2004, 2.75<

2004, ISBN: 9780399242564

G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. Very Good. 7.25 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches. Hardcover. 2004. 304 pages. dj worn<br>Craving power and wealth, vicar Obadiah Dem urral enlists … More...

G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. Very Good. 7.25 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches. Hardcover. 2004. 304 pages. dj worn<br>Craving power and wealth, vicar Obadiah Dem urral enlists the powers of darkness and uses his powers as a sha dowmancer, a sorcerer who commands the souls of the dead, to beco me all-powerful, and Raphah, a young wizard who has come to recla im a priceless stolen artifact, is the only one with the hope of defeating ... ., G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2004, 2.75<