Shadow Bringer

Written by: David Calcutt.

Publisher: Oxford University Press.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 4th February 2010.

Rating: 4/5

Official synopsis: "Nathan knows something is watching him - something menacing and dangerous. Something without a shape, that he can't get out of his head. The Creature. Then there are the noises he starts hearing in the attic. Shuffling. Scratching. Even a voice. The Bogeyman. Nathan's sure that the Creature and the Bogeyman are the same thing. Whatever it is, it's after him. As soon as it's strong enough, it will show Nathan what it really wants. And it's growing stronger all the time . . ."

Shadow Bringer is a psychological thriller written to perfection. Right from the first words, I was captured and catapulted into this dark, mysterious world. It is completely and utterly absorbing and won't let you go until the last page! So warning, if you choose to read it, make sure you set yourself a few hours aside, because 15 minutes on the bus just won't cut it with this one!

The Creature is a horrifying being, lurking just out of the corner of Nathan's eye. Just waiting. Calcutt's characters are brilliant and match perfectly. He's blended reality, and magic together to form this stunning story. To me, the way that I see it, it's taking what we know to be real, and what we sometimes think to be real which can be a scary thing when melded together. The mind plays tricks.

It's a bit hard to explain really what I liked about this book, because it's pretty much everything. It's so perfectly weaved that I could spoil the story and this is one that everyone should enjoy as they read it, not hear tidbits and then read it. I really cannot recommend this book enough. An atmospheric piece of brilliance that will be enjoyed by adults and children alike!

(Thank you to Michelle Harrison at OUP for this!)

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