Henry H. Neff

Well, well, I am tempted to say, where have you been all this time, you little demon?

And the answer would be, I was in my author's head, fool, this book came out only in 2024!

One Henry H. Neff, former history teacher no less, is the culprit here. Meet Laszlo, demon-hero of this unlikely tale. Also meet Maggie Drakeford, heroine. Now at the outset, dashing Laszlo (his human form resembles Paul Newman, for Chrissakes) seems to be the more interesting character. And after that zany first show more chapter in whose first scene Laszlo is wandering around the NY Subway guzzling a (large) milkshake, when we shifted focus to the impoverished Drakeford girl, I drooped a bit.

But what was this? Drakeford turned out to be nothing to sniff at herself. Indeed, even her child brother, endearingly nicknamed Lump, was...gasp! Likeable!

What's more, Laz and Mag are riding on a very, very strong story, told with gem-like clarity. The set up is powerful from the get-go: the Drakefords have been carrying a curse for centuries. Not only are they penniless and powerless, they actually physically transform into unspeakably hideous non-human creatures before dying a slow death. Aargh! Poor Maggie's unfortunate Dad is already well on the way, in fact: the curse passes on through the Drakeford bloodline. Maggie at 19 has begun to show signs too.

Into this wrenching scene wanders Laszlo. He's a lowly official of Hell, a Curse Keeper, relegated to the boondocks of Admin down in the sewers of Midtown Manhattan. He's lazy, frivolous, a real roue, and cunning to boot. Well, he's a demon, isn't he? He isn't exactly supposed to be awash with the milk of human kindness, har har. And so when faced with a terrible ultimatum unless he 'improves his performance' as a worthy demon, he has no choice but to involve himself with his curse-bearers, the Drakefords.

But the other thing about Laszlo is that he is a Very Witty Creature Indeed. So when he clashes frequently with strong-willed Maggie, it gives you that zingy feeling: you're in good authorial hands. The tale won't falter. Each character will act towards a clearly-outlined end. Obstacles will provide horror and humor. Relationships will be born, strengthen, weaken, endure. Side characters will emerge, both kind and cruel, innocent and jaded, all memorable.

Ah, I give up, Henry H. Neff, what sorcery is this, sir? Suffice to say, there is intricate plotting, devious dealings, insane bravery, and above all, that life-giving humor, lifting up the whole into something sparkling. And that Epilogue? I am biting my own hand to prevent spoilers spilling onto the page, but perhaps it won't be too dastardly to say that there MIGHT be a possibility of a sequel.

And with that I shall joyfully add Laszlo and Maggie to my ever-so-slim list of 2024 Favorites. I hope you have already been jotting away furiously, Neff, or I shall be so angry that I might have to set the Signora on you... show less

During an annual museum trip with his Dad, Max McDaniels discovers he has potential. But his “potential” is not your normal everyday kid potential. Nope. Max’s potential is magical, and a chance encounter with a golden threaded tapestry in the museum opens up a whole new world for the boy. Max eventually ends up at Rowan, an exclusive school for other Potentials, but not after being attacked by an odd little woman with hard, sparkly eyes. Once at school, Max discovers a number of show more pronounced talents — he can Amplify like nobody’s business (picture Superman’s quick trip around the Earth to turn back time when Lois dies on that highway in Superman: the Movie) and bears an odd similarity to Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster from Irish mythology. As expected, a darkness is rising, and Max and his roommate David appear to be the duo that will save the world. Despite their efforts, however, the Darkness (in this case, Astaroth) does rise again, opening the door for more adventures.

The Hound of Rowan is awash in mythology, both modern and ancient, and Neff pays tribute to Those Who Have Gone Before. There are plenty of similarities to Harry Potter — the impetuous boy destined to save the world, the magic school, odd creatures, the village sweet shop — but there is a welcome and refreshing blending of imagery from other sources as varied as The Dark is Rising, Half Magic, The Mabinogion, Star Trek, Tron, and even Bedknobs and Broomsticks! I was particularly taken with the “Courses” students are required to master that use a concept similar to Star Trek: the next generation holodeck mashed up with the psychedelic bing-bing of Tron. The courses run “scenarios” that teach the students things like strategy and agility. And of course, the obligatory school sports game — not Quidditch but Euclidean Soccer — played remarkably like the soccer game on the Island of Naboomboo in Bedknobs & Broomsticks.

The copy I read was an advanced reading copy, and as expected there were a few things that needed to be fixed. I hope the final version provides a better characterization of David, Max’s roommate, as well as the backstory for Ronin (think Sirius Black). On the whole, however, Hound of Rowan is a total and complete romp, well worth your time, and highly recommended for grades 4 and up. show less

19-year-old Maggie Drakeford lives in the Catskills and with a generations-old curse that turns members of her family into monsters as they do the job of sin-eater for their small backwoods town. Lazlo is a centuries-old demon (barely) working a desk job as a curse keeper, and he happens to be the keeper of the Drakeford curse. But he’s not very interested in his job and spends his time traveling, drinking, and swindling and/or bedding everything that walks. When his office comes under new show more management, Lazlo finds himself with only 6 days to shape up or he’ll be…terminated. And so the curse keeper and the cursed Maggie meet. And all hell breaks loose.

I loved it. The relationship (purely platonic) between Maggie and Lazlo is adorable and hilarious and wonderful, and Lazlo is one of my very favorite kinds of characters: no-good, lay-about, wise-cracking idiot on the outside, but a trickster genius extraordinaire when it counts. Highly, highly recommended. show less

In Henry H. Neff's The Hound of Rowan: Book One of the Tapestry, we are introduced to Max McDaniels, a thirteen year old boy who stumbles upon a room in the Chicago Institute of Art where he finds a strange tapestry, whose pictures seem to move and produce music. After discovering the tapestry, he finds a note in his pocket telling him to expect a visitor who happens to work for Rowan Academy, a school that specializes in nurturing the talents of kids with special abilities.

Setting aside show more the inevitable HP comparison, I found myself enjoying this book immensely. The book follows Max's first year at Rowan, where he discovers that he may be in possession of powerful magic. There is a great, ancient evil that was thought destroyed but may not be, and a legion of followers who are working to help the ancient evil regain control. There are several other similarities to HP; Max turns out to be extraordinarily good at the school's chosen sport; he has the possibility of having a huge amount of power at his disposal that he is unaware of; the school becomes his safe haven from the Enemy; the town next door is privy to the secrets of the school, and the students are allowed to spend some of their free time there; there is even a kind-hearted giant who the kids befriend (in this case, a reformed ogre who works in the kitchens); there are some other similarities to HP, but revealing those would give away some of the story. For as much as the book does seem to mirror HP, there are just as many differences within the story to make it stand on its own; Max loves his family and doesn't want to stay at the school; the magic is tied directly to ancient Irish lore rather than a more fabricated background; there is also some science tied in with the magic behind the school, so while I can see where people would jump to the conclusion that Neff is trying to create his own version of HP, I just can't see it that way. He is trying to create a world that is entirely his, and just so happens to be using some of the same techniques that JK Rowling herself borrowed from other stories to create hers; because in all fairness JKR didn't come up with these ideas all on her own. She's just become really famous for it.

I'm giving it 4 stars because Neff knows how to move his story along and ties up the plot lines nicely, leaving just enough questions to make the sequel worthwhile. I would like to see fewer plot devices akin to HP; while I understand that it is hard to not compare YA books to HP these days, there did seem to be a few too many similarities. Neff has proven that he can create a world all his own, now I'd like to see him take it further in his own direction. show less