Bound To Stay Bound

Bulletin for the Center... - 11/01/2007 Twelve-year-old Max is understandably startled when he sees a tapestry suddenly coming to life. That, however, is just the beginning: this means he is a Potential, a suitable candidate for Rowan Academy, the school of magic and mysticism, and he has only a few days to decide whether to leave his father and dive headlong into this world about which he still knows little. Of course, he chooses adventure. Once at Rowan, Max and his peers learn that graduates are the last protection the world has against Astaroth, a brilliant and evil force that has been manipulating humans for centuries and that is now gearing up for an epic battle against good. In the meantime, Max has fighting lessons, mysticism training, and the minefields of friendships and crushes to negotiate. Max’s increasing empathy and appreciation for his earnest and vulnerable father, brought about through the struggles and privations Max himself must endure, is an endearing surprise in this lightning-paced, action-focused fantasy. Unfortunately, the special training school, the isolated but magically gifted boy, and the accompanying varied crew of stock fantasy creatures (from ogres to the apparently original but werewolfesque “vyes”) is all well-worn territory, and there is little to distinguish this new series. In addition, although one would expect more questions than answers from the first entry in a series, the plot is so complex and open-ended as to be frustratingly opaque rather than enticingly mysterious. Fantasy fans hungry for more good versus evil showdowns with clever boys at the helm may still find plenty to enjoy, however, and Max, flawed but amiable, is a worthy protagonist to try and save the world this time around. AS - Copyright 2007 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

School Library Journal - 03/01/2008 Gr 5-8-Twelve-year-old Max's life changes dramatically after a vision of a tapestry scene reveals itself to him at the Art Institute of Chicago. Following a terrifying encounter with a strange woman and a series of unusual tests, he finds himself enrolled at Rowan Academy, a semisecret and definitely Hogwarts-like school for children with abilities and experiences similar to his own. It is at Rowan that Max learns about the ancient struggle between those who watch over and nurture the world and those who want to control it. As an Apprentice, First Year, Max begins to hone his mysterious magical skills and shows a particular talent for amplifying his own physical capabilities, such as running and jumping. As the school year progresses, Max must face his destiny as a key player in the struggle against evil Astaroth. Overall, this is a solid and worthwhile beginning to a new fantasy series. The book lacks fully realized secondary characters and relationships, but as this is the first in the series, there is opportunity for development. And, of course, Astaroth's reemergence promises plenty of future conflict. Parallels to J. K. Rowling's work are inescapable, but Neff's tale certainly has potential and should help ease the suffering once Harry Potter withdrawal sets in. For general purchase, particularly where fantasy is popular.-Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information. - Copyright 2008 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/01/2007 In a hidden alcove within Chicago’s Art Institute, Max McDaniels discovers a faded tapestry. As he watches, the tapestry begins to glow; soon after, he receives an invitation to attend a private boarding school in New England. When he arrives at Rowan Academy, where young people with Potential are trained to fight an unnamed enemy, he and the other apprentices are housed in magically morphing rooms and assigned animal charges. Max is paired with the last lymrill in the world, a nocturnal creature with metallic quills. They train on the Course, where they experience different scenarios as they try to achieve a goal and move up levels as they progress. Meanwhile, apprentices and even some full-fledged agents are disappearing all over the world. This novel’s sprawling, quirky boarding school has obvious parallels to Hogwarts, but Neff’s storytelling boasts charms of its own, and U.S. readers may appreciate that this magical adventure, the first installment in the planned Tapestry series, takes place here rather than abroad. - Copyright 2007 Booklist.

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