Afraid of being caught by trackers from another world, a young mother abandons her baby boy in a tomato box inside the screened porch of a children’s home. The staff at the orphanage name him Hamelin Stoop, but he grows up longing to learn his real name, find his parents, and thus discover his true identity.

Life is not easy for Hamelin. He belongs to everyone, though in some ways to no one fully. And the people he is closest to leave him one by one. A letter from an older friend advises Hamelin to “keep waiting and keep hoping.” Bitter experiences force Hamelin to wait, but he has to learn how to hope.

When the children’s home forgets his eighth birthday, he sneaks away at night. He soon discovers that he isn’t just running away — he is being summoned by the Ancient One. Guided by the Great Eagle through a mysterious cave, Hamelin must pass a dangerous test of courage before he can find his parents.

Hamelin’s failures, fears, and hopes become part of a larger story, a story of a great struggle between worlds and kingdoms where the old myths of magic, evil contracts, and enslaved children turn out to be real.

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Book one in the Hamelin Stoop series from Robert B. Sloan is a fantasy novel for a young adult audience. In the last year or so I have tried my hand at reading YA books, and to my surprise, they have been enjoyable while not being too childish. I am also a huge fan of fantasy, more specifically the works of Sir Terry Pratchett and his Discworld series. The books that make up the Discworld series are filled with subtle innuendo and adult humour that, while not overt, adds a really entertaining and enjoyable element.
With these two factors in mind, I wondered how I was going to get along with this book. The last young adult book I read was Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold. It was filled with adventure and thrills, without being overly taxing but equally not treating the reader as a child. Very quickly though, I found the first Hamelin Stoop to be something different.

The book builds towards a main event, a trial if you will, for the lead character. Along the way the lead, Hamelin, has to face a series of events that build his character. Growing up in a children’s home since before he was one, he already had to grow up without parents. Throughout his development, Hamelin encounters loneliness, family, loss, fear and bullying along the way, along with a difficult test that he ultimately fails.

All of these are dealt with in a mature manner, not condescending or trivialised. The emotions he goes through when dealing with his defeat are well developed. You feel his disappointment, his anger and his determination to better himself should he get a chance to make up for his perceived failure. The book culminates in Hamelin looking to redress the balance and conquer the trial. Slightly infuriatingly, the book ends here, luring the reader on to book two in the hopes of finding out how successful he is. Hamelin Stoop is slightly darker than I had anticipated for a YA book, though not dark in the usual sense. It is very grown up while easily accessible and an all-round enjoyable read.

My rating: