Henry H. NeffCritiques

This is extremely reminiscent of Harry Potter - not as well written but still a nice tale of magic, battles and adventure

I cannot even begin to say how great this series is! The harector development is incredible, and the story has gotten better with every page. You can see the author improving with each chapter, and each page is even better than the next. Anyone who speaks English will love this series!

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 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.

Like "Game of Thrones" in idea, but other than that it's worlds better. This fantasy book takes place well after the author's "Hound of Rowan" series, with magical humans dominating the non-magical ones and the demonic Lirlanders threatening both. There's a great magic system, spies and assassins, conspiracies, warring houses, and fantastic characters. I couldn't put it down- it's an amazing book!

This was a little slow to start, but once it got going it was a roller coaster with wonderful twists and turns!

Although set in the future, this is a fantasy novel and a 2018 Lone Star book!

The Faeregines have ruled Impyrium for centuries, but their magic has abated, leaving them open to be overthrown. Hazel is part of the triplets who are to be the next rulers. She is different from her sisters in that she was born last and is albino; she also has more power than anyone in the family has had for centuries. Her grandmother wants her to be their weapon to take on those who want to take over Impyrium. Hazel, however, is a kind girl who cares nothing for ruling.

Hob is a commoner who is sent to spy on the Faeregines in order to take them down. Hob is really smart, but his situation has kept him from going to school. When he becomes Hazel’s tutor, he has the ability to spy on the inner circle as the rebels request. With all the magic, it’s hard for Hob to know who to trust; after all, magic corrupted Hazel’s foremother and she could become evil like her.

I enjoyed this novel; I found it captivating, fast-moving, and I didn’t want to put it down. There’s room for a sequel or it could just be a stand alone.

This book never really grabbed my attention. I found Max to be an unworthy protagonist, not only did he deceive his father but he had quite a temper and was extremely immature and irritating. However, I did like Max's room mate, David. He was by far a much more interesting and likeable character. Will not bother with any more books in this series.

Apesar das eventuais parecenças a Harry Potter, devido ao colégio de Rowan, tudo o resto é inovador e muitíssimo interessante.
A história acompanha um rapaz, Max, que descobre que consegue ver coisas que aparentemente parecem não existir, mas que estão ligadas à utilização das energias humanas. Ele é então recrutado por uma escola após realizar um conjunto de testes para avaliar o seu potencial.
A entrada na escola de Rowan tem muitas semelhanças com o universo Harry Potter, com o sniffing ritual pela Bruxa de serviço à cozinha e a criação dos quartos (das mais interessantes ideias que já li até hoje).
Na escola ele confronta-se com desaparecimentos de crianças potenciais que estão ligadas a uma luta antiga entre o bem e o mal e a uma figura central maléfica, chamada Astaroth, que os seus súbditos tentam trazer à vida.
Vale muito a pena ler, em especial para quem gostou do universo Harry Potter

I really loved the continuation of the Tapestry saga, specially because it moves away from any similarity with the Harry Potter books. The heroe(s) have to confront with the Demonic character throughout the book and it is a very creepy character indeed. The ending leaves us hanging and anxiously waiting for the 3rd book to be launched later on this year. It is very worthwile for fantasy book lovers who are not squeamish about some extra violence in their books. This will appeal to a wider audience.

An inventive, often surprisingly dark take on the "Magic Boarding School" genre. The plot was somewhat muddy and lacked a strong through-line, and suffered from a generic bully and a shadowy villain revealed too late in the book. Still, I enjoyed it enough to seek out the sequels.

Honestly, I thought as I began that this would be a Harry Potter knockoff, but it really was its own book. Great storyline. I really enjoyed it

RATING: 2.5 estrelas.

Quando me foi proposta a leitura deste livro, fiz alguma pesquisa sobre o mesmo e descobri várias opiniões no Goodreads que o caracterizavam como sendo parecido com Harry Potter mas não desprovido do seu próprio encanto.

Parti então para a leitura com algum entusiasmo pois a saga de Harry Potter é uma das minhas preferidas e se "O Guardião de Rowan" tinha o mesmo tipo de premissa isso só podia significar que ia ser um livro agradável.

Infelizmente, não foi o caso. Ao contrário de outros leitores não achei o mundo construído por Henry H. Neff particularmente interessante; nem o mundo, nem o enredo e nem mesmo as personagens.

Mas comecemos pelo principio. A história faz realmente lembrar a do Harry Potter. O protagonista, Max McDaniels, está de visita a um museu quando se depara com uma velha e puída tapeçaria numa sala meio escondida. Quando se aproxima, a tapeçaria parece mudar: as cores avivam-se, cenas bucólicas desenham-se, os fios brilham em várias cores... enfim, basicamente a tapeçaria transforma-se. E pouco depois Max recebe uma carta informando-o que é um "Potencial". E é assim que a vida deste jovem de 12 anos muda para sempre... indivíduos estranhos aparecem de repente, alguns para lhe fazer mal, outros para lhe dizer que fora aceite na Escola de Magia e Feitiçaria de Hogwa... Academia de Rowan.

Quando chega à escola, Max aprende que é um "Místico" e que pode manipular energia. E não, não é preciso varinhas como os professores salientam peremptoriamente.

Esta é, em linhas gerais, a história do primeiro livro que me parece ser um livro introdutório à série, uma vez que a acção é escassa. Muito pouco acontece que não esteja relacionado com o funcionamento normal de uma escola em regime de internato. Isto tornou a leitura um pouco morosa, por vezes.

Max ingressa então na Academia, um local misterioso carregado de 'Magia Antiga', onde as divisões mudam de aspecto para acomodar quem lá está dentro; os seus testes indicam que tem qualquer coisa de invulgar, mas não se sabe bem o quê. Quase de início, Max e os colegas são confrontados com um trio de alunos arrogantes do segundo ano que persistem em gozar com eles. Bailes e banquetes a celebrar o dia das Bruxas ou o Dia dos Namorados sucedem-se... e, claro, todos os alunos têm de cuidar e conviver com criaturas mágicas, inventadas pelo autor e que, para serem distintas das apresentadas numa certa série são... bem, ridículas. O "lymrill", por exemplo, é uma misturaça tão grande de espécies que não fui capaz de criar qualquer imagem mental do animal. O único ponto positivo que tenho a apontar é a utilização de engenhos tecnológicos lado a lado com a magia.

Como podem ver o enredo é assustadoramente reminiscente do de Harry Potter; a triste diferença é que Neff não é, nem de perto nem de longe um escritor tão imaginativo como Rowling. É por isso que o seu mundo falha e que não consegue imprimir às suas criaturas ou à sua misteriosa academia o ambiente mágico e arcano que caracterizam os livros de Rowling. A prática da 'magia' é escassa no livro e Max utiliza mais a sua misteriosa força sobre-humana do que os seus supostos dons de místico.

Também a mitologia é confusa. O autor utiliza mitologia Irlandesa e Escocesa para explicar a constante mas antiga batalha entre os Místicos "bons" e os "maus" (também comummente designados como "O Inimigo"), metendo os Tuatha Dé Danann pelo meio; Cúchulain entra também na história para explicar porque é que Max é especial, mas sinceramente as explicações são tão atabalhoadas e incompletas que não se percebe bem a relação.

As personagens também têm muito pouco que se recomende. Não estão particularmente bem desenvolvidas e em termos comportamentais são semelhantes às de Rowling (temos David, o Místico prodígio e a Directora que trata Max como o Dumbledore trata o Harry). Max distingue-se de Harry Potter na medida em que parece ter mais garra e ser um pouco mais volúvel emocionalmente. Mas de resto não há nenhuma personagem que se destaque.

No geral: "A Tapeçaria - O Guardião de Rowan" é mais um livro dirigido aos leitores que apreciaram Harry Potter. Atenção, digo aos que apreciaram e não aos fans. Isto porque o universo criado por Henry H. Neff é tão similar ao de Rowling que um fan desta depressa estaria a comparar as duas obras. E a de Neff sai claramente a perder pois falta-lhe o encanto e complexidade que caracterizam os livros de J.K. Rowling. Confesso que este livro não me cativou particularmente por achar o enredo previsível e o mundo pouco interessante e mal desenvolvido. Destaco, no entanto, a escrita acessível do autor e as belíssimas ilustrações espalhadas pelo livro. Talvez o segundo livro tenha mais detalhes sobre o mundo em que as personagens se movem.

GoodReads Synopsis: The Fiend and the Forge, is an unforgettable dystopian adventure across a landscape overrun with goblins and trolls. The world has changed almost beyond recognition, for with the Book of Origins firmly in his possession, the villainous Astaroth now has the power to reshape history at will. Plucking pivotal discoveries from mankind’s past, he has reduced the world to a preindustrial nightmare.

But while most humans toil as slaves within four demonic kingdoms, Astaroth allows those at Rowan to thrive in peaceful isolation. Theirs is a land where magic and nature flourish . . . so long as none dare oppose the new order.

That proves too steep a price for Max McDaniels. Unsure of his place at Rowan, Max sets out to explore the shifting landscape of the world beyond. In the course of his travels, he will become many things: Prisoner. Gladiator. Assassin. But can he become the hero that mankind so desperately needs?

My Thoughts: I am stunned at how this series has changed since the first book! The tone of the story as well as the plot points are growing and changing as the main character, Max, is growing and changing. In this installment, he’s about 17, has gone through a lot, and the challenges he faces now are well beyond his years. Quite a change from the first book which was reminiscent of the first Harry Potter book.

In book 2, The Second Siege, the bad guy “won” the war…not what I was expecting! In this installment, the story delves into the dystopian world the bad guy created as a result. Neff is not afraid to remove beloved characters…something that really adds a new level of emotion and interest in the story. You can bet that whatever happens it will be unexpected. This is also the first series I’ve read where we get to watch our current society change into the dystopian society that the story shifts into. Once again adding yet another level of interest.

This series is huge in terms of size and scope! Neff is keeping it very fresh. While I initially thought this series would be pointed to the middle school reader, I am finding that it would appeal to all ages. If you are at all curious as to what the world would have been like had Voldemort won the battle, you should read The Tapestry series.

GoodReads Synopsis: GRAVE FORCES ARE converging to seize control of the Book of Thoth, a hidden artifact whose pages hold the key to creating—or unraveling—the very threads of existence. Under the care and tutelage of Cooper, Rowan’s most lethal Agent, Max McDaniels and David Menlo embark on a quest to protect the book from the demon Astaroth, who would exploit its secrets with dire consequence. And with Astaroth free after centuries of imprisonment, the world outside Rowan’s gates has already become hostile.

Far from home, cut off behind enemy lines, Max and his allies must journey across Europe, descend into the fabled Frankfurt Workshop, brave the tangled corners of the Black Forest . . . and cross beyond the veils of our very world.

My Thoughts: This story starts out a very short time after “The Hound of Rowan” leaves off. Our heroes are a year old but seem more than a year wiser. The challenges they face in Second Siege are much darker and scarier.

While Siege seemed to start kind of slowly for me, it did speed up. Taking me along on a journey to find the Book of Thoth before Asteroth can get his hands on it. I was very impressed with the tone of this installment. Initially I thought this series was going to be geared toward the Jr. High set…and I think the first book really is. Second Siege, takes a decidedly darker and more adult tone. Also Neff is the rare author that doesn’t feel the need to tie up all the loose strings into pretty little bows! The ending is anything but a pretty little bow and Max and David have had to learn some really hard lessons.

I love the direction this series is taking and can’t wait to dive into the third book, “The Fiend and the Forge”.

This is a good series to read if you love Harry Potter and find yourself desperate for more. It is definitely not as amazing as Harry Potter, but few things are ;) But it is a good book and certainly worth reading. It follows the same basic story line of boy who doesn't know he's a wizard, a school of magic, a boy who's important, a prophecy, an evil villain, etc.

I'll agree with and echo what sensitivemuse said: if you're desperate for more Harry Potter, you'll probably love this book because the two are so similar. If you love Harry Potter and you'd be insulted by something 'copying' it, you'll probably hate this book. There are huuuuuge similarities between this and Harry Potter so decide for yourself if that's something you'd like or hate.

This is a story about Max McDaniels, and how he does in his boarding school. Well, that's the basics. The story starts as Max and his dad goes into an art museum to celebrate his mom's birthday. (Apparently, she disappeared a long time ago... this has GOT to play a role somewhere...) On the way to the museum, Max saw a strange man, with, what looked like a dead eye (that's white). While escaping from that man, he sees a mysterious tapestry (other people say the tapestry has the Cattle Raid of Cooley on it. Tain Bo Cuailnge, as it's called). This is where Max's journey begins. He gets a letter requesting that he goes to a school called Rowan. In the school, he makes friends, rivals/enemies, and gets new abilities (amplifying, aka: superspeed). Later, when scrubbing the deck with enemy/rival Alex Munoz, he gets captured by the Enemy (aka: monsters intent on destroying the world). They later use his blood to reawaken the demon/evil thing Astaroth. With a little help from the White Eyed Guy (going by Ronin) he saves some kids that've been kidnapped and gets help.

This is a good book, with interesting ideas. With Max being a reincarnation(?) of Cuchulain, (Something in Irish myth...) he could do magic without being called that (aka: the "Spark"). Well, the books have it's ups and downs. One cool thing was that the Irish in the book is REAL. The cover is kinda cool too, because all those little pictures? They tell parts of the story. They also have clever twists, like Alex Munoz trying to murder Max, because he apparently hates Max THAT much. (Everyone know they were rivals, but no one would expect that he would go THAT far...) All in all, it's a great book.

The Second Siege continues the story begun in The Hound of Rowan. Max continues to learn more about himself, and continues to progress and improve at a super-accelerated pace. It was hard to see him as a thirteen-year-old boy. David similarly acts much older than his physical age would indicate. For the most part, however, this wasn't more than a minor issue.

Still some rough bits in the writing, and places where characters (usually minor ones) were acting rather out of character for how they'd been portrayed up to that point. Overall, though, a good read.½

The Hound of Rowan is an enjoyable first novel, following in the literary footsteps of many boarding-school stories (magical or otherwise). There are a few rough spots in the writing/storytelling, but overall this is a solid book.½

Im Gegensatz zu Band 1 hat mir Astaroths Angriff ganz gut gefallen. Wobei ich manchmal schwer folgen konnte. Es sind doch schon sehr viele Fantasywesen und seltsame Begebenheiten. Und - ohne jetzt zuviel verraten zu wollen - aber etwas verstört darf ein Vierzehnjähriger schon sein, wenn ihm gesagt wird, man sei sein Vater, obwohl er doch einen hat. Um nur eine dieser seltsamen Situationen zu nennen.

It’s hard not to compare this with Harry Potter. However the stories are somewhat similar you just can’t help it. There are definitely some aspects of the book you often wonder to yourself if you’re just reading another version of Harry Potter. However there are some aspects of the book where the similarities end and there is a difference between the two books after all.

The storyline is interesting and although it has magical elements and mythology into the plot, there is no hidden magical world. The magic just stays hidden and the faculty of the academy do what they can to cover up chaotic moments with perfect excuses. It does work well and the charade is well played. What I did enjoy is the care of animals which is part of the school curriculum, and when the pairing of the animals to the students was described, I thought that was an interesting read. There was a lot of emphasis and description on the Academy itself - which was nice to read because although it is set in the real world, the school was like a different place altogether.

The story also tends to take a little darker turn than usual especially towards the climax of the book. It does get more interesting and the action is well done, the emphasis on Celtic mythology is mentioned and adds a nice little spin to the book. The Prophecy bit is a little tedious and overdone, but is to be expected to keep the series going. The arc with Max’s mother is what keeps me curious about this series. There’s obviously more to that part and I hope it will tie in nicely as the series progresses.

Character-wise, Max was all right. There wasn’t anything to dislike about him and his nemesis, Alex is your typical jerk. Max also has his own little circle of friends but neither of them really stood out for me. Although I thought David was rather interesting. Mum and Bob are the ones that stand out the most (the kitchen staff). I thought they provided the comic relief and were a fun read. I also liked the relationship between Max and his father. I thought it was nice to see a parent character play such a main role into the main character’s life. It’s something I don’t usually see in these kinds of novels and it’s definitely a nice change to see.

So, with this book you’ll either like it. Or absolutely hate it. Those that are absolute Harry Potter purists should not read this book. The similarities are VERY close and there are many (quite a lot actually) and reading it would probably make your blood pressure pop. However readers that are looking for something that is similar to the Harry Potter style should pick this book up. It’s good enough for me to continue reading this series, however there should be more effort on the author’s part to make things different and think of new creative ways to move the plot ahead. It doesn’t look good if the book is a total rehash of ideas that have already been thought of.

Minder i opbygning stærkt om Harry Potter-serien. Denne har også humor, spænding og kamp mellem de gode og de onde. Et kæmpe person- og væsensgalleri gør den lidt vanskelig at overskue. En del af komplottet handler om udslettelsen af gamle arter, væsner og sprog - hvilket gør bogen lidt sværere end H.P.

"A Harry Potter Read-Alike"
I can’t wait for The Tapestry series, Book 2, to continue the story of Max, a modern child infused with “Old Magic.” I love The Hound of Rowan by Henry H. Neff because it is truly a “Harry Potter read-alike” in a thoroughly enjoyable way! To give you an idea of the similarities I did a quick list, using key themes and ideas from HP:
The unexpected awakening of magic: Snakes escaping the zoo / Viewing a mysterious Celtic tapestry in the Chicago Art Institute
First contact with magical representative: Hagrid, the Groundskeeper / Nigel, the Recruiter
School: 7 yrs at Hogwarts / 6 yrs at the Rowan Academy
Wise guide: Dumbledore / Ms. Richter, Director of the the Academy
Weird kitchen help: House elves / reformed hag and ogre
Fantastical elements: Magical animals
Special Abilities: Using wands and spells / Ability to “amplify” natural talents
School rival: Malfoy / Alex
Enemy: Voldemort / Dark magic of Astaroth, long thought to be dead but really imprisoned in a painting!

Twelve-year-old Max and his allies risk much as they seek to acquire the Book of Origins, an artifact of unimaginable power, in hopes of halting the ancient evil that is bringing the world to its knees.½