Finn Fancy Necromancy (The Familia Arcana)

Writers of the Future grand prize winner Randy Henderson presents a dark and quirky debut in Finn Fancy Necromancy.Finn Gramaraye was framed for the crime of dark necromancy at the age of 15, and exiled to the Other Realm for twenty five years. But now that he’s free, someone—probably the same someone—is trying to get him sent back. Finn has only a few days to discover who is so desperate to keep him out of the mortal world, and find evidence to prove it to the Arcane Enforcers. They are going to be very hard to convince, since he’s already been convicted of trying to kill someone with dark magic.But Finn has his family: His brother Mort who is running the family necrotorium business now, his brother Pete who believes he’s a werewolf, though he is not, and his sister Samantha who is, unfortunately, allergic to magic. And he’s got Zeke, a fellow exile and former enforcer, who doesn’t really believe in Finn’s innocence but is willing to follow along in hopes of getting his old job back.

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—Henderson's debut is a hold-on-tight romp through all things weird and fantastical. Finn Gramaraye knows a few things: he is a necromancer, he has been imprisoned for 25 years in the Other Realm for a crime he didn't commit, and he can't wait to go home. There is one thing he doesn't know—who framed him. And just as his soul is about to be transferred back into his body (it's been hosting a fairy this whole time), he and his jailer are attacked by forces unknown. Then the body of the woman he was accused of attacking is found dead on his kitchen floor, and Finn realizes this is not going to be the homecoming he was hoping for. With no memory of the last quarter century, he must rely on the few people who are still talking to him, including his werewolf brother and a berserk Arcane Enforcer, to find out who has it in for him and why. Henderson's take on fantasy feels like an asylum for the dangerously magical and a support group for mundanes (humans) who have been loved, then abandoned, by witches and warlocks. Although Finn's body is technically in his 40s, he still has the mind of a 15-year-old, narrated to perfection by Todd Haberkorn, who also expertly voices Pete the werewolf and girl-next-door Dawn; this juxtaposition leads to awkward moments of self-discovery and loads of Eighties pop culture references. VERDICT Fans of Cassandra Clare's urban fantasy series may want to try this and any sequels to come.—Michaela Schied, Indian River Middle School, Philadelphia, NY

Kat Richardson, bestselling author of the Greywalker series

"Absolutely marvelous. A funny, quirky, and compelling tale full of fantastic twists and dire conspiracies, featuring a charmingly awkward hero you'll root for every step of the way. Henderson's voice is unique and delightful and this is, hands down, the best fantasy debut novel of the year."

Ken Scholes, author of the Psalms of Isaak series

"Mix one cup humor, two cups homage to the 80s, and three cups imagination run wild and you get Randy Henderson's debut novel, Finn Fancy Necromancy.... Any child of the 80s and lover of fun, funny fantasy is going to love Henderson's first shuffle onto the storyteller's stage...and demand an immediate encore."

Kirkus Reviews

"A fast-paced fantasy mystery.... Henderson's debut novel is somehow lighthearted despite the doom and gloom inherent in its premise.... The quick turns of the mystery plot make this a speedy and enjoyable read, and Finn's world is a lively one, packed with all manner of weird and wonderful ghosts and goblins.... Genre fans looking for a fix will enjoy the gleefully ghoulish setting and engaging, suspenseful plot."

Publishers Weekly

"Henderson's debut is written from the unusual viewpoint of a teenager full of 1980s memories thrown into an adult body in the present day, and Finn faces peril at every turn.... The entertaining style and breakneck pace nonetheless make it easy to fall into Finn's world for a fun, if flawed, getaway."

Library Journal

"Funny and exciting.... The family dynamics between Finn and his brothers are well done, and the author (winner of Writers of the Future's 2014 Golden Pen Award) excellently shows Finn as an emotionally stunted teenager suddenly middle-aged and having to deal with the family and friends he left behind. A promising writer to watch."

About the Author

Randy Henderson is the grand prize winner of the Writers of the Future Award for 2014, a Clarion West graduate, and a member of SFWA and Codex. His fiction has appeared in Penumbra, Escape Pod, and Realms of Fantasy, and has been included in anthologies. Find him online at www.randy-henderson.com.

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