Above all, Master of Fiends is an absorbing adventure with interesting characters. Although the book is written in the third person, rather than the first, the reader's perceptions are all filtered through the character of Jarral.

As an ordinary person in an extraordinary situation, Jarral is a good focal point for the story because it is easy for the reader to empathize with him and share his experiences. The reader will admire Scythe's skill with the sword, Archer's great strength, and Mandra's selflessness because Jarral admires these qualities. This point of view also helps emphasize the theme of Jarral's growth to maturity. Fear and stress may cause Jarral to panic, but gradually he learns to confront his fears. Through Jarral, Hill is also able to touch on other issues of growing up, such as the budding romantic feelings Jarral has for Mandra.

Hill writes in a...