The Fiend and the Forge

Gr 6—9—With Astaroth and his fellow demons firmly in control of the world, Max McDaniels and Rowan Academy are officially cut off from the rest of society in the third title (2010) in the series by Henry Neff. Max yearns to know what has happened since Astaroth gained possession of the Book of Thoth. He gets his chance when the demons create an embassy Gravenmuir in Rowan and allow the Red Branch to survey Rowan's lands. After witnessing human slaughter and losing a loved one at the hands of Vyndra, one of the demon nobles, Max vows to slay the demon and to rescue the humans from the demons. He sets off on his own, while his roommate and friend, David Menlo, works on his plan to destroy Astaroth and bring back a champion to help Max and Rowan. Neff continues to create characters and settings that draw listeners into the story. Jeff Woodman's narration magically captures the chilling calmness of the demons, particularly Astaroth, along with the hotheadedness of Max. He gives each character—human, monster, animal-a unique voice, bringing to life their emotions. The third book fills in answers to many questions raised in The Hound of Rowan (2007) and Second Siege (2008, all Random, Recorded Books), while leaving some tantalizing ones still open. Full of action, humor, emotion, adventure, and mythology, give this to fans of Harry Potter, mythology, and fantasy.—Sarah Flood, Breckinridge County Public Library, Hardinsburg, KY