The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray

by Chris Wooding

Book Overview

The Alienest meets Dracula in this gripping, gothic-horror thriller from young UK phenom Chris Wooding. Thaniel, just seventeen, is a wych-hunter. Together, he and Cathaline - his friend and mentor -... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0439546567
• ISBN13: 9780439546560
• Release Date: August 2004
• Publisher: Orchard Books (NY)
• Length: 292 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.7" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

"His Eyes Have Turned..."

If you enjoy the atmosphere and imagination of Philip Pullman, Garth Nix or Philip Reeve, then you're sure to like Chris Wooding; one of the handful of fantasy-authors who (by some miracle) does not feel the need to fill their fantasy worlds with elves, dwarfs, wizards, dragons and every other fantasy cliché that's been done to death since Tolkien published "The Lord of the Rings". As a lover of fantasy myself, I find the sheer lack of originality of many fantasy-authors and the resignation of readers to go on reading these books anyway a constant source of depression. The flimsy excuse of both authors and readers seems to be: "all fantasy is like that." Reader, it is not. Some authors are willing to explore new territory, and Wooding is one of these. "The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray' is set in an indefinable time-period of London: it appears to be mid-19th century, but events are occurring that bear no resemblance whatsoever to our historical knowledge of the period. The city is haunted by creatures known as `wych-kin', a variety of monstrous and grotesque creatures that prey on the city's inhabitants. The only defence against such mysterious and deadly beings are the `wych-hunters', such as Thaniel Fox and his mentor Cathaline Bennett. They live turbulent, dangerous and (more often than not) *short* lives as they hunt down and destroy the wyches, driven by a desire to rid their city of the supernatural infection that is slowly eradicating the world. Thaniel is a seventeen year old wych-hunter, partnered to Cathaline since his father's death (who was also a hunter). Together the two scout London, finding new methods to destroy the wych-kin and keep the citizens safe, whilst remaining on the outskirts of society. It is on one such patrol of the city that Thaniel discovers an incoherent and dishevelled girl wandering about in her nightgown. Feverish and with no memory of how she came to be wandering the night-time streets, Thaniel takes her home in order to untangle the mystery. Who is this mysterious girl? What does the tattoo on her back signify? And does she have anything to do with the influx of wych-kin roaming the city? The intrigue and action doesn't let up for a single page as Wooding unravels the mystery, sustaining interest and excitement till the very last page. His best effort is in the creation of a detailed and intoxicating atmosphere, a fully-realised world filled with asylums, secret cults, upperclass neighbourhoods, beggar's communities, prostitutes, churches and parliament houses. London isn't just haunted by wych-kin, there are wolves that stalk the back-streets and the enigmatic psychopath Stitch-face who is yet to be captured by the authorities. The dark and dense atmosphere of the story will remain long after the book is finished. As dangerous and unwelcoming as it is, you can't help but be sucked into it. This alternative-London is just as much a character as Thaniel and Alaizabel themselves, and Chapter Twenty in parti

The Glau Meska Has No Hold over London with Thaniel Fox at the helm

London has been over-run by Wych-kin for twenty years or so after the bombing by the Vernichtung. The city's residents have lived as prisoners terrorized by the nebulous and nefarious Cradle-jacks,Drowned Folk, Wights, Chackh'morg, Rawhead and Bloodybones, Deildegasts,The Hallow Ghoul, The Draug, and Stitch-Face. Ultimately at the heart of the evil and the spawning of the Wych-kin lays the Fraternity, a coven of immense power-enough to summon a beast that will lay waste to London and next...the World. It is an invokation twenty years in the making and they will not let anyone stand in their way... In the midst of a growing terror emerging from the bowels of the Old Quarter, Thanial Fox Wych-Hunter, Cathaline Bennett, Alaizabel Cray and a rag-tag force embark on a journey to save London by unraveling the sinister core of the Fraternity, and battling spirits enshrouded in the twilight world of their fading city. Hope is against them amid the crimson vortex of a evil so deadly, one could only hope they succeed. Chris Woodings, "The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray" is a densely textured vision of apocalyptic London, rife with archaic symbolism and verbiage that weaves an intense page turning journey of wonder. The most brilliantly imaginative, well-written piece of fiction that has been emerged in years-Let Wooding's Alaizabel set a new standard of writing that can only improve like the finest of wines. Worthy of 6 Stars!Copyright(c)Nicola Mattos

Entertaining and Delightful Read

This book had action, romance, suspense, mystery... and the list goes on. Thaniel is a wych hunter, like his father. He finds a girl named Alaizabel and he quickly discovers that she is possesed by one of the most powerful wyches there is and bad ppl want her to open the portal to a most evil source. Thaniel and his mentor, Cathrine, must stop these ppl from getting Alaizabel. It was a great way to express the human mind. There was great suspense that won't let you put it down. Yet I must warn you. It isn't a book to be read in the dark.

Deliciously intricate yet oh so creepy ...

Chris Wooding's award-winning "The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray" is a masterful gothic thriller aimed for teens that had me on the edge of my seat in horrified suspense and action. Wooding creates in this novel an alternative Victorian London where 17-year old which-hunter, Thaniel Fox, must fight an apocalyptic evil known as the whych-kin. It is on one of these hunts that Thaniel saves Alaizabel Cray, a lovely girl that happens to be possessed and holds the key to an evil occult's plans to take over the world. Wooding is a master of suspense, creating scenes that will make you wince with glee and shudder in fear. His characters are believable enough that you will root for them in their troubles and the plot is very intricate but not that much as so you won't become confused. Not to be missed by those horror/gothic/mystery/thriller lovers out there. I only recommended this book though to those above thirteen as there are light elements of horror, murder, the occult, and prostitution. But, these somewhat grotesque themes do not take away from the sheer delight and suspense that I received as I read this book. Not to be missed!

Very Surprising

I hate reading and I have never heard of Chric Wooding, but while at my school's library I saw this book on the shelf. It had never been checked, so I thought I might as well check it out myself. THIS IS MY FAVORITE BOOK! I love the action, the characters, and the story in general. This book's story is like it came from a video game, and that really drew me in. If you are looking for something good to read, GET THIS BOOK!