What I want for Christmas is the Black Tattoo by Sam Enthoven.
Grade 9 Up—London teen Jack leads a not-very-interesting life. His friend Charlie is none too bright and is blinded by his anger over his parents' divorce. Jack stands by his best mate through thick and thin, even when Charlie, possessed by a demon, crosses into Hell itself. Khentimentu, also known as the Scourge, has been trapped in the roots of an ancient tree for thousands of years by a secret society called The Brotherhood of Sleep. Charlie, thinking he is being recruited into it, unwittingly becomes a host for the escaped Scourge, manifested in a writhing, black tattoo. With Charlie's help, the demon kills all the members of the Brotherhood except the young warrior-woman Esme. When the demon and Charlie escape into Hell, it is up to Jack and Esme to rescue Charlie and save the universe from Khentimentu's evil plan. Enthoven has created an interesting and original universe and a gripping story. Hell is a demon-populated Roman empire at its most decadent, complete with gladiators and an all-powerful emperor. There are a few plot inconsistencies in this hefty book, and scattered Briticisms will momentarily trip up some readers, but overall it is a readable story with an amusing denouement. A good choice for readers ready to move on from Darren Shan's popular "Cirque du Freak" and "Demonata" series (both Little, Brown).—Anthony C. Doyle, Livingston High School Library, CA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Tattoo-Sam-Enthoven/dp/B000NA1Y4S/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197048038&sr=8-1
I saw this at the Nelson's Book Store & it caught my eye. It looks pretty interesting.
Grade 9 Up—London teen Jack leads a not-very-interesting life. His friend Charlie is none too bright and is blinded by his anger over his parents' divorce. Jack stands by his best mate through thick and thin, even when Charlie, possessed by a demon, crosses into Hell itself. Khentimentu, also known as the Scourge, has been trapped in the roots of an ancient tree for thousands of years by a secret society called The Brotherhood of Sleep. Charlie, thinking he is being recruited into it, unwittingly becomes a host for the escaped Scourge, manifested in a writhing, black tattoo. With Charlie's help, the demon kills all the members of the Brotherhood except the young warrior-woman Esme. When the demon and Charlie escape into Hell, it is up to Jack and Esme to rescue Charlie and save the universe from Khentimentu's evil plan. Enthoven has created an interesting and original universe and a gripping story. Hell is a demon-populated Roman empire at its most decadent, complete with gladiators and an all-powerful emperor. There are a few plot inconsistencies in this hefty book, and scattered Briticisms will momentarily trip up some readers, but overall it is a readable story with an amusing denouement. A good choice for readers ready to move on from Darren Shan's popular "Cirque du Freak" and "Demonata" series (both Little, Brown).—Anthony C. Doyle, Livingston High School Library, CA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Tattoo-Sam-Enthoven/dp/B000NA1Y4S/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197048038&sr=8-1
I saw this at the Nelson's Book Store & it caught my eye. It looks pretty interesting.
