Shadowmancer by G.P Taylor

Thomas is a boy from a medieval coastal village that is dominated by a tyrannical clergyman named Obadiah Demmurral.  When Thomas meets a man from Africa who has come to the village to retrieve a religious artifact stolen from his people by Demmurral, Thomas, and his friend Kate, unwittingly get involved with a plot by Demmural to overthrow the powers of heaven and set himself up as the new god of this world. There are so many necromancy books out there, from all different cultural backgrounds. This one is interesting because it is written from a biblical/Christian background, and G.P Taylor quotes bible passages throughout.  The story is fast paced and intense.  The Christian message is a little heavy handed, but doesn't get in the way, too much, of the action of the plot. Taylor is as interesting a character as any in his book.  In his younger years he was involved with the music industry, got involved with the occult, but then converted to Christianity.  He spent some time as a Vicar, but resigned his position to write full time. This book is firmly a YA book, and not really for kids less than about 14-15, not because of sex, or even really violence, but because of dark and complicated philosophical themes. (275 p.)