Riverkeep

Gr 6–10—Wull is approaching his 16th birthday, the date on which he will take over the grim, hereditary position of Riverkeep from his father. When Wull's father is possessed by a demon that will consume him from the inside out, the only way to save him is to journey to the mouth of the river to slay the Mormorach, a sea monster with healing properties. Along the way, Wull collects a motley assortment of traveling companions: Homunculus Tillinghast, stowaway Mix, Remedie Cantrell and her resurrected wooden baby, and Rushworth the Bootmunch. Some very bad men are chasing Tillinghast, who has stolen a valuable mandrake for reasons of his own, and everyone is trying to slay the Mormorach while Capt. Gilt Murdagh looks on, learning from every failed attempt. With a humorous, light touch and an excellent feel for dialogue, Stewart has created a first-rate fantasy. Unfortunately, in order for the plot to work, the river has to flow both ways, an impossible feat in a world where magic doesn't govern river current. While casual readers won't notice, fantasy lovers, the title's target audience, will. Tillinghast's ribald wit will go over the heads of younger readers and guarantees the comedic elements of the book will be best appreciated in the teen section.