Zenith Maelstrom’s day isn’t going well. Being grounded for his scientific curiosity seemed a little harsh, but causing an explosion in his kitchen was at least exciting while it lasted.

Bored and under the supervision of his big sister Apogee, Zenith is intrigued by a bag left on his doorstep. It looks strange. It looks old and tired, and weird sitting on his front doorstep alone. At first Zenith wonders if Apogee knows something about it. There is definitely no sign of anyone dropping it off, and it has no name or sender note with it.

Zenith looks closer. It seems to be stitched by hand, and not neatly either. Bits of animal skins have been patched haphazardly together making it the ugliest bag he’s ever seen. Is it a prank? His nemesis from school could’ve sent it, or Apogee could be in on it. Zenith still hasn’t forgiven either of them after he required his own stitches over a year before.

His anger making him feel braver, Zenith considers opening it. And then it yawns open with a groan all on its own. Zenith snatches up his baseball bat to attack whatever is about to come out of the bag. Even armed, he is far from prepared when something does actually appear. Not only does it escape him and his weapon, it kidnaps Apogee in front of his eyes! How is that possible?

In denial that his entire sister can fit in the bag along with the creature that snatched her, he ventures in to save her. What he finds is the land of GrahBhag, where the sky is a weird green, and the sun an angry red. The creatures that live there are just as terrifying as the skittering, black, hairy and many-legged thing that snatched his sister. Gargoyles that trade in earwax, a giant patchwork man, and a ruler of slimy proportions are just some of the obstacles in Zenith’s way to rescue Apogee.

A middle-grade horror story of creepy creatures, imaginative world building, and discovering the truth about yourself.

Think Jim Henson and David Bowie’s Labyrinth and you are getting a little closer to the land of GrahBhag and its malevolence. Sibling rivalry is present throughout as Zenith tries to save his sister, who keeps telling him she has it all under control.

This is far from the truth however, as she doesn’t realise what this menacing land plans for her. Far from who they were when they began this horrifying adventure, Zenith and Apogee know their terror is far from over – promising more in this series.

Book 2 is The Twisted Tower of Endless Torment and Book 3 The Cursed Cloak of the Wretched Wraith is on its way!

Author – Rob Renzetti

Age – 10+

(2024, Penguin Publishers, Portal, Horror, Family, Growing up, Series, Mystery, Creepy, Eerie, Monsters, Creatures, Siblings, Kidnap, Rescue, Quest, Whichway Woods, Gargoyle, Earwax, Negotiation)