Mr. Underneath

by Randy Briley (author and illustrator)

Mr. Underneath is an imaginative wonderland that will introduce you to a host of strange, magical and terrifying beings that have never existed anyplace but in the richness of the imagination.

Jackson McCabe finds a monster in the garage, a mysterious man visits the farm, his parents go missing and a coal black squirrel delivers an eerie message that pulls him into the deep woods outside the small town of Blankcastle, England.

His search for answers propels him into a world he never dreamed existed...a world where he must survive monsters, earth witches, a city of ghouls, back-stabbing fairies and the evil that lurks in the shadows, Mr. Underneath.

Led by a shape-shifting crow on a heart pounding adventure, Jackson must survive in a magical forest where no one is safe and hope is a long-forgotten dream.

Storyteller Randy Briley delivers with a new novel that is magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventure. Mr. Underneath is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Horror

168 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 20, 2013

About the author

Even as a child, Randy Briley was bringing the creations of his imagination to life through the drawings and stories that he was continually scribbling in his sketchbooks. His love of both art and science led him to pursue an engineering degree at Northern Arizona University until the urge to create overpowered him. He switched to the art program to earn a BFA in visual communications. Briley spent the next twenty years combining art and technology as an art director in the video game industry, producing dozens of hit titles on all platforms. While juggling his hectic day job, he consistently stayed awake into the wee hours of the night in order to bring his own characters to life. Recently, he wrote a young adult novel, Mr. Underneath, and compiled a book of his sketches, Sketchboy. He is currently working full time on writing and illustrating several visually stunning children’s books. Whether through the imagery of the written word or his unique visual style expressed in ink, watercolor, oil paint, sculpture, or digital art, Briley always has a story to share with people of all ages.
Briley lives in Seattle with his wife and two children. www.facebook.com/ravenmadstudios

Reviews

[Beca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vividly, beautifully told. As an adult, I would have liked a little more explanation--who, exactly, is Mr. Underneath? What does he want with the people? Why did Kyra's brothers fight him? Who made the sentinels? Etc. I especially was disappointed in the lack of answers because the storytelling is SO good. However, as a book for younger folk, i think it was fantastic.

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

a spooky adventure! I think this book might be middle grade. it moves quickly without a lot of explanation, but Jackson (I think he is 9) goes on a wild adventure through fairy and our world to save his parents.

[Alysa H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is like one of those movies based on a video game: a lot of really cool visuals, but not much substance.

There are some impressively imaginative and creepy scenes that I quite liked in themselves, but no engaging emotional core than makes a similar book such as, say Coraline, a modern classic. The plot is a string of "this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened," without any causality or momentum. There are also shallow new friendships presented as super deep, and a small hint of romance thrown in, which is entirely unnecessary as the main character, Jackson, is all of 12 years old, and in the midst of what essentially boils down to a Boys' Own Adventure Story.

I think this would be great for younger readers who like creepy stuff, but as an adult reader I wasn't engaged with it at all and found it somewhat of a slog to get through. I'm averaging those points out to 3-stars.

[Sarah Weller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Underneath by Randy Briley is one of those books I couldn't peel my eyes from. The authors ability to inject just enough detail that you can picture each character and setting easily but not so much detail that you can't let your own imagination run just a little is one of my favorite things about this book. I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone!

The story was spooky and dark without including any of the typical YA themes...it was a refreshing break from vampires, werewolves, and dystopian societies. A book that tells us that there are forces constantly at work fighting darkness that we usually blissfully unaware of, Mr. Underneath gives us a peek into that darkness.

I was definitely left wanting more (not in a bad way). I would love to read about Kyraven's story.....I'm thinking a prequel is on order....how about it Mr. Briley?

[Cindy Parks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so quickly drawn into the dark imaginative world of Mr. Underneath that I did not want to put the book down. There were even times while I was reading the book that had me looking over my shoulder and turning on my bedside light because I felt like I was actually running through the dark forest and meeting unknown magical and evil creatures. Mr. Underneath is the type of book that you think about even when you are not reading it. I was always wondering what new creatures Jackson, the main character, would come across and how he would escape from them or interact with them. I would highly recommend this creative and adventurous book. My 12 year old daughter loved it also, and now my 9 year old son wants to read it.

[La La · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hidden gem! This book was grusomely charming. I bet you have never heard that one before. It is for the lower age range of YA, but would make a great chapter a night book for the upper ages of Middle Grade readership. A unique little story. I loved it! I would have given it a four star rating because the final battle, in my opininion, was a little too brutal for the age readers it is intended for, but seeing as someone below rated it two stars because it was "childish" (how dare some YA be written for 12/13 year olds), I gave it the extra star to make up for that reviewer's ignorance. I will definitely be reviewing this title on my blog.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's well written and all, but... it really feels like about a middle-grade chapter book kind of thing. Definitely at the *young* end of YA, at least. I wish the blurb for it had mentioned that...

If you're 12 and love dark fantasy/horror, you will probably love this. If you are an adult who isn't especially fond of books aimed at children, you'll probably be a tad bored. It was well crafted and imaginative, it just was, well, aimed way too young for me.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soon after moving to the town in Blankenship, England, young Jackson discovers a monster in his garage. When his parents go missing Jackson will do anything to find them, even follow a squirrel (Twitch) and raven (Kyra) into the dark forest surrounding his home. During his journey he meets magical and intriguing characters he’s never seen before: an earth witch, bagmen, and rusty mechanical sentinels. With his friends Twitch and Kyra, Jackson is in a race to find the key to save his parents, but will Mr. Underneath outsmart him in the end?

Randy Briley creates a well-paced novel. It was light and delightful to read, in spite of the predictable story line. It felt a bit like the Wizard of Oz. One issue I had with the book was that the move to Blankenship, England seemed conincidental. I was hoping that there would be more purpose behind the reason why the family happened move to this place near Mr. Underneath. For instance, with the Percy Jackson or Harry Potter books, there was a reason why they lived where they did, that was unknown to the main character themselves. In the last chapter, the author leaves the door open for a sequel. Perhaps more will be revealed there.

Any child who loves fantasy and is looking for a quick read will enjoy this. Recommended to children ages 8 and up.

[Elisja Shumaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway. Thanks for the copy!

The imagination of a child is one of the most vivid landscapes to be explored. Briley navigates in perfect detail through the perceptions of a young boy. The characterization of Jackson lacks a bit. I think it is hard for some authors to maintain the very concrete cognition of young children and resist giving way to allowing them too much abstract freedom of thought. It is always a challenge for adults to accurately capture the viewpoint of a child. Briley has not failed.

Overall, a great, spooky read that is refreshing to the genre.

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Won this through a GoodReads giveaway. Thanks!!

Giving this 4.5 stars.

Beautifully dark and spooky that brought something new to the genre. Great character development, intriguing plot, and just very well written. Also, loved the little drawings before each chapter. Enjoyed this novel immensely and will recommend this to both younger and adult readers.



(Will try to write a fuller-more detailed review when I have a bit more time)

[Terri Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Underneath is a great read for everyone from tweens to adults. Mr. Briley uses wonderful visual imagery in his storytelling. The book is a blend of intriguing adventure with the theme of good verses evil at its center. I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a mysterious, slightly dark story.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good and well-written book. If you are looking for an interesting, imaginative, and relatively short read, this is the book for you.