Annie's Book Stop of Worcester

Reviewers Name: Scott Wooldridge

Title:  Gideon’s Spear
Author: Darby Karchut
ISBN: 978-1937053949
Publisher:  Spencer Hill Press
Publication Date: February 4, 2014

Core Audience:  Geared towards teenagers and Irish folklore-based fantasy fans.

Noteable Aspects:  Filled with snark, heart, and written by someone who has done extensive research on Irish Folklore.

Review: As the second book in the Finn Finnegan series, this book had some pretty big boots to fill, and fill them it did. When we last left our hero Finn, he learned the truth about Gideon’s Spear, and was continuing his training to become a knight of the Tuatha De Danaan, a magical race of warriors from Ireland. His enemies are the Amandán, a breed of goblin-like creatures.

In between fighting the Amandán, and trying to pretend to fit in, (in suburbia) Finn and his master, Gideon Lir, take on a few new apprentices; Finn’s neighborhood friends, Rafe and Savannah, twins who know what the Amandán are and are in danger due to being friends with Finn.

Gideon’s friend Mac Roth also takes on a new apprentice, Lochlan, who is just as much of a wise ass as Finn.

They meet up with Iona, the sorceress from the first book, who has plans for Finn. None of them good.

Darby has really upped the action content of this book. The action scenes are very well written and almost cinematic in nature. The dialog is also top notch, and she captures both the snark and drama of teenage boys, adding to the realism.