Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/01/2016 Gr 5–8—Set in Ireland, this story has all the components needed to keep readers engaged—mystery, fantasy, a creepy orphanage, knights, monsters, mysterious creatures, and the battle between good and evil. Denizen Hardwick is an orphan with no family, no past, and little prospects for his future. Everything changes the night that he discovers he has a long-lost aunt. He's whisked away into a secret society where he soon learns that he has special powers and a connection to the Knights who fight against the shadow monsters. Though the tropes will be familiar to fans of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, Rudden's world-building, nonstop action, and strong characters make this a memorable and well-developed trilogy starter. VERDICT With an intriguing mix of mystery, horror, fantasy, and adventure, this is sure to find an eager readership.—Valentine Muyumba, Indiana State University - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 07/01/2016 After a lifetime spent in a dreary Irish orphanage, thirteen-year-old Denizen Hardwick has been offered a home with a mysterious aunt he’s never met. Seraphim Row turns out to be no ordinary home, though; it’s the secret headquarters for a cadre of knights who battle the Tenebrous, shadowy monsters from another realm. Now, having come into his own dark powers, Denizen is asked to join the fight. Meanwhile, three terrifying figures have taken over the orphanage and have trapped Denizen’s best friend Simon in a waking nightmare. With time running out and his training nowhere near complete, Denizen and his new compatriots must discover what angered the Endless King and defeat the Clockwork Three before shadows overrun the world. This fantasy novel offers a solid, spooky adventure with just the right amount of darkness and terror. The narrative is a familiar tale about the education of the hero, but the monster-ridden, fight-heavy plot makes for a real page-turner and provides plenty of backstory without getting bogged down by it. Denizen is a worthy knight, all orphan’s angst and adolescent awkwardness, and the memorable cast of supportive adults rivals Harry Potter for quirky mentors. Simon’s subplot is more original and therefore at times more interesting, and readers will likely root for him to have a bigger part to play in planned sequels. Hand this to fans who have outgrown Nimmo’s Charlie Bone series (Midnight for Charlie Bone, BCCB 5/03) series and are ready for their next dark magic adventure. AM - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Booklist - 08/01/2016 A boy from an Irish orphanage discovers he’s destined to vanquish shadow monsters in this dark middle-grade fantasy debut. Denizen’s uneventful life changes when he turns 13 and is whisked away from the orphanage by a mysterious stranger to meet the aunt he never knew existed. Denizen soon discovers the stranger is part of an ancient order of knights, led by his aunt, who are sworn to fight the living darkness. He finds he has more in common with the knights than he imagined but isn’t sure he can trust them—or even wants to join them. The plot is familiar, but the monsters are unusual, and the description of the physical transformation that the knights undergo from their prolonged use of magic is intriguing. The narrative alternates between Denizen and his friend Simon, who remains trapped in the orphanage by creepy mechanized monsters, and, initially, Simon’s the more appealing character. Hopefully, Denizen himself will grow on readers in the books soon to follow this predictable but exciting trilogy opener. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.