Sorcerers of the Nightwing (The Ravenscliff Series, Book 1) [Hardcover]

Geoffrey Huntington (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ravenscliff | Publication Date: August 6, 2002

Every kid fears the monsters in the closet -- but for Devon March, the monsters are all too real. Horrible things come slithering out across his floor, determined to drag him with them back down their Hellhole. But Devon is no ordinary young man. He can move objects with his mind, summon incredible strength, disappear at will -- and that's only what he has discovered he's capable of so far. Yet his powers -- and the demons in his closet -- remain for him unexplained mysteries.

At fourteen, Devon is sent to live at Ravenscliff, a dark seaside mansion, where he learns the first part of the secret of his powers: he is a sorcerer of the Order of the Nightwing, a three-thousand-year-old tradition of mysticism and magic that fascinates Devon with its fabled history. But Devon's new family, the Muirs, forbids him from discovering any more about his heritage, inexplicably terrified of what that knowledge might bring.

At Ravenscliff, Devon must contend not only with the demons but with a strange, precocious eight-year-old boy who may prove to be the link to the most fearful demon of all: the Madman, who wants to unleash the creatures of the Hellhole for his own malevolent gain. Ravenscliff is built over one of the largest Hellholes in the world, and the uninitiated Devon must fight off the demons with the help of his new friends from Misery Point High -- including the dazzling Cecily Crandall, raised at Ravenscliff and the holder of a few secrets herself.

Sorcerers of the Nightwing marks the debut of a compelling new fantasy-horror series, evoking a richly detailed and fully realized world of sorcerers and mystics, haunted houses and shadowed terrors, and the ever-present threat of the ancient creatures of the Hellhole.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9-All his life, Devon March, 14, has known he has special talents and that the monsters under the bed and in the closet are real. On his deathbed, his father confesses that Devon is adopted and must seek his identity and future. He is sent to live at Ravenscliff, a seaside estate with secrets of its own, under the guardianship of Mrs. Amanda Muir Crandall. He learns that he is a sorcerer in the Order of the Nightwing, an order that uses mysticism and magic to guard Hellholes and defend against the evil spirits of the world. He is attracted to Cecily Crandall, a likable teen, thus lending a touch of romance to the story. Possessed by an evil ancestor, Cecily's younger cousin, Alexander Muir, almost overshadows Devon's role as protagonist and often provides the plot twists that move the story along. This first book in a new series is a dark, moody, and sometimes frightening tale with many questions and few answers. If some of the important information is too long in coming, readers will lose interest.
Molly S. Kinney, Office of Public Library Services, Atlanta, GA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 7-10. Although published by an adult press, the first volume in the Ravenscliff series is clearly better suited to younger readers: the main characters are in high school; the horror is fairly tame in comparison with the usual gory adult fare; and there's nothing subtle about the good-versus-evil goings-on. But don't mistake this for a "new" Harry Potter despite some similarities (adopted boy learns to tame inherited magical powers, seeks parents, finds friends, and fights horrible demon who wishes to return from banishment). It lacks both the depth and the cleverness of Rowling's stories, drawing most of its horrific elements straight from such readily identifiable sources as The Wizard of Oz ("Just click your heels, and you will go where you want to go"), Superman, and Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (of course, without the wicked sex). Still, horror fiction is in short supply for this age group, and although this isn't great, the familiar allusions and melodramatic action (and occasional satire) will help sell it, as will the ongoing mystery about the future and past of a teenage hero who needs only to tell himself "I'm stronger than they are" to make things happen. For collections where horror fiction is in demand. REVWR
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Regan Books; 1st edition (August 6, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060014253
• ISBN-13: 978-0060014254
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,171,176 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the few good dark fantasies, February 9, 2003

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sorcerers of the Nightwing (The Ravenscliff Series, Book 1) (Hardcover)

A young boy with a mysterious past and strange powers, with a plucky sidekick and evil forces that want him dead. Harry Potter? Nope, it's the teenage hero of the new dark fantasy "Ravenscliff Series." Geoffrey Huntington weaves together gothic elements with an intriguingly murky plot about evil ghosts, disguised demons, and a budding sorcerer that teens will love.

Devon March is not like other boys: He hears voices, can move and affect things with his mind, and the things that go bump in his closet are for real. Ever since he was little, he has been pursued by demons which his father always assured him he was stronger than them. But when his father dies, revealing that Devon is adopted, he is sent to live with the weird Muir family in their rambling seaside mansion of Ravenscliff. There is the cold Mrs. Crandall, her energetic daughter Cecily, and mischievous nephew Alexander, not to mention the creepy caretaker Simon and charming, secretive competitor Rolfe Montaigne (great name!).

And Devon's problems only get worse. Demons begin to up their attacks on him and those around him, and he starts to suspect that the precocious Alexander may not be merely mischievous, or even destructive -- he may be the conduit for a vengeful presence seeking to release demons from the Hellhole. To battle the evil forces in his new home, Devon will learn his true nature as a sorcerer, and may find the keys to his past.

Really good dark fantasy (or fantastic horror, or whatever) is a very rare thing because the authors usually just throw one shock after another at the readers. Huntington, on the other hand, utilizes gothic cliches (the sinister mansion with a tragic past, abandoned towers with lights, the weird caretaker) with the excellent idea of the Sorcerers of the Nightwing. Despite using a combination of stuff that could have been stupid if handled badly (demons in the closet, evil clown-face), and stuff that has been done many times before (gothic cliches), nothing Huntington does seems stale or affected. If anything, the gothic atmosphere is better because Huntington takes the old cliches and remakes them, rather than shying away from them.

He also handles Devon March very well; almost all of the book is seen through Devon's eyes, and so we have a good idea of his fears and thoughts. If readers want someone deeper than Harry Potter, then Devon may be the right hero. Cecily seems like a less chattery Lloyd Alexander heroine, while Alexander reeks with innocent-faced creepiness. Readers may especially like Rolfe; at first it seems hard to tell what side he's on, but he's intriguing right from the start.

His writing style is fairly descriptive, mainly when it needs to be (no intricate descriptions of pizza parlors). But when describing the grotesque and the weird, such as a maimed ghost, he doesn't try to shock us. He also has a good sense of how to build up tension and suspense with little hints of the horrific, rather than flying blood and body bits; the plot twists and past events are well-drawn and evocative. The dialogue is also very good, especially anything uttered by the villain ("Can you spell it, boys and girls? W-R-O-N-G!").

Teenagers and adults will definitely enjoy the opener of this series, especially those with a love of ghoulies, ghosties, long-leggedy-beasties, and sorcerers who make books fly through the air. Can't wait for the second "Ravenscliff" book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun read & a promising start to a new series!, September 9, 2002

By 

Timothy Capehart "Review-a-holic" (Dayton, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sorcerers of the Nightwing (The Ravenscliff Series, Book 1) (Hardcover)

If the writers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and J K Rowling collaborated on a book in the Dark Shadows house...this would likely be the outcome. Devon, raised by a single father, has always been different. "Things" live in his closet, and he has unreliable "powers." His father assures him Devon will always be stronger than the demons that attack him.

When his father dies and the Devon learns he was adopted, the 14 year-old is sent to live with strangers at a wickedly spooky house atop a cliff in the aptly named Misery Point. Ravenscliff is the house and all its denizens freely admit it is haunted. Devon learns his past is connected to the house...and the ghosts who have never harmed anyone before start to act up.

An excellent addition to the creepy-clown subgenre of horror, this exciting read, while nothing startlingly new, is well worth the time. And the promise of future volumes is a plus. The story does drag a wee bit in places, but this is the author's first for young people (he's written adult novels under another name).

This book also has a killer website. Any teen who sees the site will want the book immediately. Just type in the name of the house (mentioned above) and you'll see!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Forget Harry Potter...., September 14, 2002

By 

RICHARD MANDRACHIO - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sorcerers of the Nightwing (The Ravenscliff Series, Book 1) (Hardcover)

Forget Harry Potter; leave him for the kiddies. In Devon March we finally receive the literary (male) equivalent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. However, the denizens of Ravenscliff, particularly the adults, are quite diverse and a lot more fascinating than those who inhabit Sunnydale. Ironic, given that the actual target here is a teenaged audience. Being the first of a series, and more or less of an introduction, these characterizations are not as well developed as I would have liked. Though I'm certain that with the next installment they will evolve, as will their relationships and the mysteries contained therein. Consequently, comparisons to Dark Shadows are inevitable but this could only be for the best. After all, what could prove more unsettling than family members who may not be quite who or what they seem to be. Furthermore, the chronological aspects of the Muir family tree is nicely handled. The author succeeds in creating, through them, a creepy gothic atmosphere without relying on stereotypical villains. This tension keeps the reader in suspense as to when or where the next demon will appear. The continuation of this saga of the Sorcerers of the Order of the Nightwing is surely something to look forward to.