Henry H. Neff: The Hound of Rowan Book One, The Tapestry

One Word Summary: Strategy
More Words: It’s a shame this novel was published on the heels of Harry Potter. Otherwise Max would have had a theme park. I like this book. It was solid. It follows a popular formula, but it’s different. The monsters aren’t from classical mythology, and Max is nobody’s pet. He’s brave and loyal like Harry or Percy but he’s more dynamic. Also Neff is a history teacher and it shows. The book isn’t perfect- the dull opening lines and the explanation of the traitor’s motives fell flat. Still, I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
Plot Summary: Max is 12 years old. He has heightened special abilities that are an inheritance from the Tuatha de Danaan (Fairies). After seeing a ‘vision’ of a tapestry at the Chicago Museum of Art Max is recruited to Rowan Academy where he will be trained to use his abilities to battle the forces of evil. He of course is a key player in the fight because he’s more than just special. This novel is an introduction to the Rowan Academy and its cast of characters with one or two frightening adventures.
Quote:

“They might,” said his father simply. “And so you might feel bad and I might look ridiculous, but we’re still going to live our lives...”
Question:
Does Neff like his work being compared to Rowling’s Epic?
Other Books:
The Bartimeaus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud