Witchfinder: Gallows at Twilight by William Hussey
| Witchfinder: Gallows at Twilight by William Hussey | |
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| Category: Teens | |
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Reviewer: Jill Murphy
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| Summary: Book two of this dark series combines time travel with demons in an usual twist in the genre. The plot is as twisty and turny as before and our young witchfinder has an even higher bar to clear. Fans will love it. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 448 | Date: January 2011 |
| Publisher: OUP Oxford | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 0192731912 | |
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After turning from horror comic geek to a cloned Witchfinder and saviour of humanity in the space of a few short weeks, Jake Harker's magic is understandably depleted. Try as he might, the blue light fails to ingite in his hand. But Jake has no time for recuperation or for coming to terms with the loss of his mother. His father is dying, hexed by the evil witch Marcus Crowden. And the Demon Father is at large, summoning a universal coven that will threaten everything Jake has already fought to save.
With Adam Harker failing, the Elders and the Hobarron Institute destroyed, and Simon still suffering from his time as Crowden's captive, Jake must not only rediscover his magic, he must travel back in time to change the course of history. But the past is as filled with horror and pain as the present...
I liked Dawn of the Demontide, the first book in this Witchfinder trilogy, but I think I liked Gallows at Twilight even more. A journey into another world isn't an unusual event in any horror book, but travelling in time is usually reserved for sci-fi. I thought it was a great idea and handled really well - it also is the device by which several plot lines are advanced in unpredictable ways. But it's not all about time paradoxes (or lack of them), there's plenty of satisfactory spells, hexes, gore and monsters, and Jake has personal demons to face as well as all the ones you'd expect.
There's an epic battle between good and evil going on as the main arc of this trilogy, but there are also conflicts in real, human relationships, and a strong theme of personal identity as Jake - a clone - struggles with an alternate identity and history that is as much a part of him as his present self.
This series is shaping up to be a much-read, much-loved entrant into the teen horror genre. Fans will love it.
My thanks to the good people at OUP for sending the book.
Those as interested in the time travel aspect of this book as they are in the horror might also enjoy Gideon the Cutpurse by Linda Buckley-Archer. Those who think horror, and only horror, is where it's at will love The Dead (The Dark) by David Gatward.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Witchfinder: Gallows at Twilight by William Hussey at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Witchfinder: Gallows at Twilight by William Hussey at Amazon.com.
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