Janet Crane Barley (Children's Literature)
The gothic story of Alaizabel Cray's haunting will continue to haunt its readers long after the book has been read. Set in a rather Dickensian alternative London, this is the story of 17-year-old Thaniel Fox, a "wych-hunter," who must solve the puzzle of what is haunting Alaizabel Cray, in order to figure out how to prevent the forces of evil from taking over his world. He knows that if he does not get to the heart of what's happening, no one will. It is a big task for the young man, but he has inherited his father's skills and reputation as the most-talented wych-hunter. Although Thaniel is brilliant at his trade and he pursues the wych-kin with dedication and intensity, the evil spirits are becoming stronger and stronger. The wych-kin, created from the material of Londoners' worst nightmares, were set loose when Prussians bombed the city south of the Thames into rubble. They are creating havoc all over the city and the situation keeps getting worse. Overcoming them seems almost impossible. Thaniel gathers an unlikely bunch of allies and commandeers an airship to get to the center of things, but the odds are against him in this exciting story whose dramatic conclusion will leave readers with much to ponder. Mr. Wooding, who lives in London, has sixteen books and several short stories in print. The 27-year-old author was commissioned to write a screen play for this book that has won the Silver Award of the Nestle Smarties Prize and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal. 2004 (orig. 2001), Orchard Books/Scholastic Inc, $16.95. Ages 12 up.

Annette Crouch (Children's Literature)
Thaniel Fox is a wych-hunter, as was his father, who hunts the supernatural creatures that occupy Old Quarter in London. The story begins with Thaniel hunting for a Cradlejack, a creature that sneaks into homes and devours babies. Instead of finding the Cradlejack, he stumbles across a girl, Alaizabel, with too many problems of her own. In his quest to help the girl discover who she is, Thaniel finds that Alaizabel is possessed. As Thaniel tries to uncover the truth about the proliferation of monsters in the city and attempts to save Alaizabel, strong emotions form between them, which may make saying goodbye difficult. Chris Wooding has created a thrilling tale of make-believe and heroes intent on saving the world. While Wooding takes his time building up his cast of heroes, the story becomes captivating and chilling. Wooding produces tantalizing themes of mystery, corruption, and even a little romance that all flow into the creation of this wonderful tale. 2004, Orchard Books/Scholastic, $16.95 and $7.99. Ages 12 up.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2004 (Vol. 72, No. 16))
Readers will get finger cramps from rapidly turning the pages of Wooding's gripping tale, an excellent mélange of horror, suspense, and the gothic. Set in a strange, alternative London just 20 years after a German airship fleet humiliated the British by bombing London into submission, the narrative describes a city under siege by wych-kin-supernatural monsters who prey on the human population-and Stitch-face, a weirdly masked serial murderer. Seventeen-year-old Thaniel, on a wych-kin hunt, finds a beautiful young woman, Alaizabel Cray, who has no memory of her past. His efforts to protect Alaizabel uncover threatening, unexplained incidents throughout the city. Complex plotting and structure combine with rich, atmospheric world-building in a fast-paced, tension-filled read. The growing relationship between Thaniel and Alaizabel animates the plot, and the other characters support interest admirably. This brilliant effort will appeal to readers of Philip Pullman, Cornelia Funke, and Christopher Pike as well as to older teen fans of fantasy "new weird" writers like China Miéville. 2004, Orchard, 304p, $16.95. Category: Fiction. Ages 13 up. Starred Review. © 2004 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Michele Winship (Kliatt Review, July 2004 (Vol. 38, No. 4))
London's Old Quarter is filled with creatures of the dark, wych-kin that terrify those who dare walk the streets after dark. Seventeen-year-old Thaniel is a wych-hunter, tracking down Cradlejacks and Night Mares, and setting wards against attacks with skills learned from his late father, the most famous wych-hunter of all, and his current mentor and partner Cathaline. On one hunt, he finds a seemingly mad girl on the streets of the Old Quarter and takes her home. She soon recovers from her fever, but Thaniel and Cathaline realize that there is something about the girl Alaizabel that is like a magnet to the wych-kin, attracting ever more perilous creatures to her. The truth appears one night as Alaizabel's body is taken over by Thatch, the spirit that possesses her. Thatch has been summoned by the Fraternity, a group of dark-seeking powerbrokers who hope to open the gates allowing the most horrible of the wych-kin to take over the world. Thaniel must stop the Fraternity from completing their rites before the world sinks under the terror of the evil soon to be unleashed. Wooding's tale takes readers directly to the Gothic heart of Jack-the-Ripper London and into a secret underworld described in shivering detail. Category: Hardcover Fiction. KLIATT Codes: JS--Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2004, Scholastic, Orchard Books, 304p., $16.95. Ages 12 to 18.

Michelle Glatt (Library Media Connection, November/December 2004)
The Age of Reason meets unfathomable evil in this gothic horror novel. Thaniel Fox, a wych-hunter following in the footsteps of his legendary father, helps rid London of any manner of horrible creatures that terrorize and kill. One night as he hunts a Cradlejack that has been preying on helpless infants, Thaniel happens upon a wild, seemingly mad young woman named Alaizabel Cray. While struggling to understand and help this beautiful, troubled young woman, Thaniel and his mentor Cathaline discover an insidious plot to bring even more destruction to not only England, but also the whole world. The Fraternity, a secret society comprised of prominent businessmen, doctors, lawyers, judges, politicians and the like, have conspired to unleash ancient evil gods through a complicated series of ceremonies. Thatch, the wych possessing Alaizabel, is the key to their success. Thaniel, Cathaline, Alaizabel, and a complement of unlikely heroes join together to stop the ceremony and, thus, save the world. Wooding sets his tale amid the quintessential dark, murky London streets and alleyways, and the horrible wych-kin monsters are each so different and so well described as to make the hair on the back of one's neck stand on end. Grisly deaths of both friends and foes are gruesomely detailed, making this a story not for the faint of heart. Those who enjoy horror stories will love reading this one-with the lights on! Highly Recommended. 2004, Orchard Books (Scholastic), 292pp., $16.95 hc. Ages 12 to 18.

Cassandra Haggard (The ALAN Review, Spring/Summer 2004 (Vol. 31, No. 3))
The shadows and dark alleyways of London are seething with mysterious, frightening horrors that could haunt children in their dreams. The Old Quarter of London creeps with beastly creatures called wych-kin. Townspeople are aware of the unspeakable horrors that stalk London's streets at night, and most hide in their homes and close shop early to avoid inevitable death if one crosses a wych-kin's path. The only ones who can protect the public from these nightmarish creatures are wych hunters. Thaniel is a 17-year-old boy following in his father's footsteps as a legendary wych-hunter. His mentor, Cathaline, helps in his hunts for anything evil that lurks in the shadows. Their lives are changed as they meet a young girl, Alaizabel, who seems to carry a mysterious and frightful past. Soon, the team of three band together to uncover a sinister plot by London's elite that could destroy London, turning power over to the wych-kin. Readers who like a bit of horror and gore along with a good mystery will enjoy this book. While the wording is sometimes overly descriptive and some terms are confusing, high school-level readers should enjoy it. Category: Adventure/Horror. YA--Young Adult. 2004, Orchard Books, 304 pp., $16.95. Ages young adult.Tempe, AZ

Krista Hutley (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, September 2004 (Vol. 58, No. 1))
The Old Quarter of London is not safe at night, and the danger that was once confined there is spreading. Skulking amid the muted glow of gaslights on foggy nights, in narrow, crooked alleys and squalid streets, there are myriad death-dealers: a plague of perverse wych-kin, who kill, infect, or possess in a thousand different ways; an all-too-human serial killer named Stitch-face, offering rides to unfortunates in his death carriage; and an underground cult known as the Fraternity, with powerful high-society members bent on fulfilling an unholy ritual. Walking the same beat are the wych-hunters, people dedicated to ridding the world of wych-kin; Thaniel Fox, at seventeen, is already one of the most renowned of his kind. Still, he is unprepared for the depths of evil he unearths when he meets Alaizabel Cray, an amnesiac girl who appears to be possessed. Alaizabel, he discovers, is the key to the Fraternity's success and to the wych-kin's domination, and he and his few friends are the only ones who can stop them from unlocking the door to hell itself. Wooding has written a haunting and atmospheric horror story that seems, with its breakneck action, cinematic scenes, disquieting dread, and shuddering scares, like the best movie you've ever read. Though the prose occasionally becomes grandiloquent enough to make readers aware of its costuming, its old-fashioned gothic formalwear suits the alternative-Victorian London locale and the darkly intelligent plot. Wooding's characterizations are done in moody, descriptive passages that create people with strong psychological presence instead of well-rounded definition; they come off as somewhat shallow, but that's appropriate in a book more about semblance and setting than people. Recommend this to those who enjoy feeling like they're reading at night by flashlight, even when they aren't. Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2004, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2004, Orchard/Scholastic, 292p, $16.95. Grades 8-12.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2005)
The plotline--our heroes must thwart a conspiracy of mortals who wish to loose the world's protective bonds and admit a supernatural evil--is scarcely original, but Wooding invests his gothic, alternate-history London with an uncommon creepiness and menace. Stalkings and night murders add suspense; plenty of action moves the pace along swiftly. Category: Older Fiction. 2004, Scholastic/Orchard, 292pp, $16.95. Ages 12 to 14. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.

Monica Irwin (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 17, No. 4))
Fans of horror fiction everywhere will find this book to be a quality selection. Even though the setting is part Victorian England and part alternate universe, the book is creepy and suspenseful. Thaniel is just seventeen years old and is already known as a great wych-hunter. His mentor and friend, Cathaline, is just slightly older than Thaniel. They are both quite successful at their task of destroying evil in their town. One night, however, Thaniel discovers a beautiful young girl who is obviously in distress. Her name is Alaizabel Cray. She is on the verge of becoming one of the evil wyches. Thaniel and Cathaline must try to save her and defend all humanity from the evil around them. Using dark imagery and unusual circumstances, Wooding has created a scene for the reader that will not be easily released. It may even cause some readers to continue reading long into the night. This book has it all. There is the evil menace, the lovely heroine, the brave hero, romance, intrigue, and adventure. This book will be a good selection for all libraries that have horror fiction fans. Fiction, Highly Recommended. Grades 9 and up. 2004, Orchard Books, 292p., $16.95. Ages 14 up.

Hillary Theyer (VOYA, October 2004 (Vol. 27, No. 4))
In a gothic-style London straight from Jack the Ripper, steeped in fog and lamplight, teenaged Thaniel Fox hunts creatures of the night with his mentor, Catherine. Using ancient rituals of science and magic, they track creatures like Cradlejacks-"wych-kin" who have made the Old Quarter a perilous place to live. One night Thaniel stumbles across a young woman who alternates between spouting mad gibberish and adopting a sweet nature but who does not remember who she is or how she came to the Old Quarter. Taking her in, Thaniel and Catherine discover that the woman is an escaped sacrifice of a group of men in political and police power known as "the Fraternity" and that they must protect her life at any cost. Joining forces with the Old Quarter's society of vagrants, pickpockets, and magic creatures, they set out both to rescue Alaizabel and to stop the Fraternity from completing its task. This rich story will appeal to fantasy and horror fans alike. It is a natural to get fans of television's Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel into reading true gothic literature and will appeal to fans of Phillip Pullman or other rich fantasy novels. Students already reading Stephen King or other adult fiction will not mind coming back to the teen shelves for this one. Thaniel is a brooding, deep character with more secrets yet to be revealed, and as his sisterly mentor, Catherine balances the tone to make the story accessible to those uninitiated into gothic horror. It has definite messages about religion, magic, and petty political power-and both the scare and the blood make the novel unsuitable for middle school. The ending, which includes an escape by the head of the Fraternity, promises that readers will see more of Thaniel. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2004 (orig. 2001), Orchard, 304p., $16.95. Ages 15 to 18.