about the book
Long ago, the people of the medieval village of Moorvale were terrorized by the hellish Nethergrim, cruel ruthless creatures that snatched livestock and children for the sacrificial rituals that gave them power. Three heroes, the knight Tristan, his companion John Marshal, and the legendary wizard Vithric, were the only survivors of the epic battle that defeated the evil fiends.
Now thirty years later, three misunderstood fourteen-year-olds believe that shadowy magic is permeating Moorvale again and the old terror has re-awakened. When the three try to warn the village, no one believes them, even though livestock has gone missing and piles of bones have been discovered.
Who would believe them? An innkeeper’s son, Edmund dreams of being a wizard and studies magic. Katherine, the daughter of hero John Marshal, is talented with the sword but is disliked because of her tomboyish ways. Gentle Tom, a talented herbalist, is an indentured slave. Mercilessly beaten by his master, no one would ever listen to him. Even the apathetic Lord Aelfric refuses to help…until Edmund’s younger brother, Geoffrey, is taken by the shadowy minions of the Nethergim, the bolgugs
When the entire village realizes that Moorvale’s worst nightmare has returned, John Marshall sets off once again to battle the Nethergrim and retrieve the missing children. Though wizard-in-training Edmund is a poor student of magic, he vows to get his brother back and is unwilling to be left behind. Katherine and Tom offer to help in any way they can.
These overmatched warriors are about to endure bloodcurdling encounters, horrific monsters, and terrible losses—even before they make it to the Nethergrim’s lair! Along the way, they will discover surprising truths about the legendary battle thirty years ago and startling revelations about the Nethergrim’s true nature.
about the author
Near his suburban home in Ontario, Canada, a small wooded area was the perfect story breeding-ground for young Matthew Jobin’s imagination. If he looked just the right way up the ravine along the creek and between the trees, the area seemed to go on forever. In Matt’s childhood mind, it was an entire world! Sometimes he would go there and just sit and think; other times he joined friends in imaginary games filled with magic and dragons, heroes and villains. He eventually drew a map and envisioned a whole little village. He even gave it a name, Moorvale.
Matthew loved reading classic adventures (A Wrinkle in Time, Treasure Island, Lord of the Rings) but found that they left him wanting more. He yearned to set his own dreams into words on pages. He became fascinated with different eras in history, especially medieval times. The more he studied, the more Moorvale grew: its past and present, its landscapes, its language, and its residents.
When Matthew was nineteen, the story he had been imagining most of his life got its name—Nethergrim. But being a writer is not an easy thing, so Matthew practiced and wrote and wrote. Being an avid gamer also helped Matthew become a better story teller. It allowed him to test ideas, create characters, explore plots…and live a “second life.” Eventually his gaming personae and his Nethergrim fantasy merged. In all, it took 25 years for the story of Nethergrim to be published!
Matthew lives with his wife in the San Francisco Bay area in California. He holds a PhD in anthropology from Stanford and lectures at Santa Clara University. Some of the things he loves are castles, codes & ciphers, cellos, cilantro, and cats who stand on him while he tries to write!
Sources:
Author website
Author interview: Sabaa Tahir
Author article: Huffington Post
Author biography: Barnes and Noble
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