THE BLACK TATTOO
Sam Enthoven
Razorbill/Penguin Young Readers Group
Fantasy/Horror
ISBN-10: 1595141146
ISBN-13: 9781595141149
528 pages

"If you truly wish to become Emperor of Hell-"
"Yes?" said Charlie. "Yes?"
"-then you can never go back to your world."
There was a pause.
"That's it?" asked Charlie. "That's the catch?"

It's rare when a book comes along that has the power to satisfy several diverse fan bases at once. But whether you love horror, action, adventure, magic or humor, you'll find much to appease yourself in Sam Enthoven's debut novel, THE BLACK TATTOO.

Charlie and Jack, two young teens in London, find themselves drawn into a world of ancient powers and evil creatures when they meet the mysterious Nick. Nick is the head of the ancient Brotherhood of Sleep, a conclave dedicated to protecting the world from a bodiless, black, ink-like demon known as the Scourge. Nick chooses Charlie to be the next head of the Brotherhood, promising to pass his powers on to the teen. But what no one knows is that Nick already has been possessed by the Scourge, and when he passes his powers on to Charlie, he also makes Charlie the Scourge's new host body.

Charlie and Jack join Esme, a kung-fu fighting girl whose lifelong training should have made her the Brotherhood's next leader, on a mission into the very bowels of Hell. As they are subjected to a series of gladiator-like battles, it becomes all too clear that the Scourge's control over Charlie is becoming more pronounced.

For his first time out, Enthoven has crafted a fast-paced page turner that reads very much like watching a movie. The balance of fantasy/horror/action is just right. Think THE GOLDEN COMPASS meets The Matrix. An odd combination, no doubt, but Enthoven makes it believable and likable.

Two criticisms: the 500+ pages easily could have been trimmed down (although Enthoven's excellent instincts for pacing make it a swift read). And there are elements that will seem VERY familiar to some people: a young girl (Esme), endowed with incomparable martial arts skills and other supernatural abilities, who has trained her whole life to fight the forces of darkness, and her older, wiser guardian guiding her in her struggle. While the book doesn't focus solely on these characters, it's difficult not to make comparisons with a very popular TV series.

Still, Enthoven manages enough plot twists to keep the more recognizable aspects fresh and entertaining. It'll be interesting to see what he comes up with for his sophomore effort.

   --- Reviewed by Brian Farrey (emohawk9000@gmail.com)

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