The Beast of Noor

Noor #1

by Janet Lee Carey

Late one night, piercing screams awake the villages of Noor.

And the next day the bones of a young woman are found deep in the surrounding forests. Terror courses through the hearts of the villagers, along with something else...relief. An attack such as this is not uncommon in Noor.

The Shriker, a massive beast of unimaginable strength and rage, has roamed the dark woods for nearly three hundred years, savaging those unfortunate enough to encounter him. The people of Noor have lived in fear for so long that most have forgotten that the Shriker was once a loyal dog until the day his master betrayed and cursed him, condemning him to life as a monster. But Miles and Hanna Ferrell have never forgotten where the Shriker came from -- how could they? It was, after all, their ancestor who betrayed the dog.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Horror, Paranormal, Fiction, Mystery, Magic

496 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2006

About the author

~Things are never what they seem. Find the lost inside the dream ~
Janet Lee Carey is the award-winning author of nine Children's and YA novels. Her YA fantasy is critically acclaimed: "Verdict: This is quite simply fantasy at its best–original, beautiful, amazing, and deeply moving.” School Library Journal starred review. Janet links each new book with a charitable organization empowering readers to make a difference in the world. She tours in US and abroad presenting at schools, children’s book festivals, and conferences.

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Reviews

[Hannah Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me completely by surprise. I thought since this was intended for a lower grade level I wasn't sure if the plot would be sophisticated enough for my taste. Boy was I wrong. This is one of the best original folktale/Gothic tales I have read! The story starts out deceptively simple: Miles and Hanna live in a village called Noor that is reputably haunted by a savage beast. Miles was not a character I really liked at first, and I was afraid that this novel was going to take a sexist turn, but I was pleasantly surprised. When Miles is taken by the beast the roles quickly reverse and Hanna becomes the seeker and protector of her brother as she journeys to free him. I highly recommend this to readers of all ages.

[Tim Turnip · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was delightfully entrancing! It reminded me of the in depth world of The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. At first glimpse, it seems like a drab same old same old story of a massive beast that ravages the countryside, and a young protagonist that overcomes the beast. But no! This amazing story weaves into a deeper magic, delves into other worlds and enchants the reader to the point where you are completely swallowed into the detailed world.
Basically, as mentioned before, a mysterious beast known as the Shriker haunts the Shalem Woods, mercilessly killing people with it's huge wolf like figure.
And then there is Miles and Hanna. They are linked by blood to the man who traded his dog to Death in order to escape it's clutches. The dog, betrayed by his master, and aided by Death is cursed to become the Shriker. Before, the Shriker had disappeared, but recently... It has returned. Weighed heavily by the wrong doings of his ancestors, Miles takes extraordinary measures to ensure the Shriker's doom. But once he has been gifted with a mighty ability, pride and greed threatens to consume Miles, until Hanna ventures to rescue Miles from himself, and together they stand strong against the formidable foe.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good story for a young adult. Well writen, it might scare the timid kid.

[Annie/Soul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book because... well... I can't explain it. But I loved it nevertheless. Something about it is really sweet, and just gets to you. The plot is really interesting too. One of the few negatives about this book though, is that the characters didn't really make me fall in love with them as much as other books usually do. They didn't have great personalities, and though the author was trying to express that everybody has faults and isn't all perfect, I didn't like the idea so much. A few mistakes would be okay, yes. But not until you make the main character almost go evil and become filled with greed. If you ask me, I would have had booted Miles out of the way and let poor Hanna take the lead role, for everybody's sake--His, Noor's, and the readers! I also didn't like how there wasn't even a real personality in them. It was always changing. Even in the very book, the characters were becoming OOC! @_@ Yeah, I didn't really like that.

I completely despised pretty much all the characters, so my only favorite characters were the Falconer, Aetwan, Hanna, and Wild Esper. Heck, add the Shriker in as well. I didn't really love them that much. If anything, I only liked them a little because they were a little cute, a little wise, and a little cool. I usually like the main character as well, but for some "weird" reason, I ended up totally hated Miles. He messed up way too badly, and I'm surprised he didn't end up in a tree or something like Enoch had. In a way, and I am ashamed to admit, I would whispering under my breath when he was being chased by the Shirker, "Kill him! Kill him!." So, It was mean. I'm sorry. I really didn't like the main character for once.

But I'm glad of how it ended, and it wasn't THAT boring. It was pleasant, so I'm content. I don't really know who I would recommend this to, so I'll just leave it at "nice book."

[Rachel Lightfoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had my eye on this book for a very long time, ever since I saw it on a library shelf in high school years ago. I never had a chance to read it back then, but recently found a used copy for sale and decided it was about time to fix that.
This is the kind of book I would have loved when I was younger, but I still found it quite enjoyable now. The pacing felt perfect, the characters showed development throughout the story - with both main characters facing their own personal demons in order to grow enough to overcome the obstacles thrown their way. I also really appreciated the black dog lore, something I love seeing gotten right.
For me, this was a nice, quick read. I was able to just lose myself in the story and enjoy it - something I feel we all need from a book every now and then. My only regret is that I didn't read this sooner.

[Maranda Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my all-time FAVORITE book EVER!!! i dont know how the heck anyone could NOT like it. i loved how it mixed adventure and fantasy in with everything else that made it up. When i discovered that there was a second book (The Dragons of Noor) i found it amazingly dreamy, it went beyond my wildest dreams and further! i love them both and wish i owned them!!!

[Sierra Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book got me into reading while I was in middle school! Love it!

[Lindsey Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

DUPLICATE REVIEW (I no longer have access to original account): I remember reading this book back in middle school as a part of the Mark Twain reading list. I love the fantasy and lore that the author has lovingly sewn together of Irish folklore. It’s such a pleasant read and I’m so happy I read it again. The story is much simpler than I remember, but I attribute that more to age. Kids from elementary to junior high would find so much wonder here.

The characters are much more 2D, but that is more due to the direct storytelling method the author has adopted. The tone and feel of this book very much lends to lore and fantasy. It’s to tell the adventure and the moral. While Miles could possibly be considered the leading character of this story, a brash young boy ready to take on the evils of the world, adds to the growth and power that his sister quietly comes to put more thought into. Overall I’m glad I re-read this story so many years later.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good story! I feel like there are times when the story feels a little rushed or underdeveloped, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. As the story goes on it gets more and more Grimms Brothers-esque. It has a lot to do with the fae and old Irish lore which is really interesting, and why I recommended it to my Mother, lol. It's a really good read for cold and stormy autumn nights!

[Bethanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As it's intended for younger readers, it was a little hard for me to get into for a while, but the plot was good. The role between the main characters and the beast was interesting and unique enough to keep me reading.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as a kid, and thought it was a good book, but what really impressed me was that my brother, who NEVER read, was fully enthralled by the story. It may have been the first book I remember him hiding himself away to read. That is impressive writing and what young adult fiction is about.

[C Lyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book holds up almost 20 years later. I genuinely love this authors writing style and wish she would publish more, but that's easier said than done. The amazing lore and world building is first class.

[Lorinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Folklore, magic, fae, trolls. Loyalty and family. Good all the way around.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely marvelous! A beautifully textured story combining suspense and folklore! A tribute to Irish culture and tradition.

[Jaiden Flanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in elementary school actually, but I remember being extremely intrigued and on the edge of my seat. Maybe I'll give it another read.

[Annamarie Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very good. I would recommend it to anybody that loves books about magic, and things that can't happen in reality. This book is also very very good at explaining details.

[Sandra Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tales within the story. Cant wait to start The Dragons of Noor

[Tarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as a preteen and liked it, (I was also a bit scared by it), so I decided to reread. However, this time around, I thought it was just okay. It feels slightly too long. It is also definitely not as scary as I remembered. Oh, well. It is probably meant more for kids.

3/5 stars

[Robert Beveridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janet Lee Carey, The Beast of Noor (Atheneum, 2006)

I was a bit daunted by the size of this book when I picked it up from the library; I'm old enough to remember when no one ever wrote a kids' book over two hundred pages (unless it was from the nineteenth century), and so doorstop-sized things like the Eragon books and The Beast of Noor make me wonder what I'm getting into. In this case, the answer was “bigger type”. Got off to a bit of a slow start, but once it ramped up, I ended up devouring the whole in a couple of days (and that while stopping every half-hour to read something else). I was chomping down seventy pages at a clip. Did I like it? You could say that.

The story centers around the Ferrell family, who on their mother's side are descended from the Sheen family. They live off in the wilderness, being a family mostly of shepherds, but also because the townfolk don't like them much. (Though it's never explicitly stated, I got the distinct idea that the this is an alternate-world Ireland, if that helps you picture things.) Seems that some three hundred years ago, Rory Sheen made a bargain with the Daro, leader of the Wild Hunt; Sheen offered the Daro his dog in exchange for having his own life spared. The dog became the Shriker, a nasty beast who has quite a taste for blood. He was soon after trapped in the Otherworld, and remained there for two hundred fifty years; recently, however, he's come back. Guided by their grandfather, Miles Ferrell, in training to be a healer, and his younger sister Hanna are afforded an opportunity to make things right. As Miles' refrain, so often mumbled, in the book, goes: “kill the hound. Solve the curse.” Problem is, how do you kill a dog that stands seven feet tall at the shoulder, is rumored to be able to shape-shift, and has made mincemeat out of everyone who's tried before?

The thing that really stands out here is the readability; less than thirty pages in, you'll find yourself suffering “just one more chapter” syndrome. That can be a tad on the annoying side when you're dealing with a book this large and you need to do things like eat and sleep, but in general it's a very good thing. Carey keeps the main plot simple while weaving in the standard coming-of-age narrative as well as some of the usual themes one finds here. I did have something of a problem with Miles, who transforms from a bitter kid bent on revenge to a wise, forgiving one without us seeing too much of it, but if you're looking the other way a couple of times at the beginning, you probably won't even notice. Good read for adventure-lovers in the middle grades. *** ½

[C.K. Volnek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always loved the magical legends of norse folklore, to be pulled into the mystical realms and feel the very breath of the enchanted characters. And I was not disappointed with Ms. Janet Lee Carey’s tale The Beast of Noor.

Set in the country of Ennes Isle, just outside of Shalem Wood, young Miles and Hanna Ferrell find themselves in middle of an age-old thriller; embarking upon a quest only they can complete, to stop the supernatural rampage of the beast, The Beast of Noor.

The beast had once upon a time been a dog, a loyal dog to his master, Rory Sheen. But when death ensnared Rory, Rory bargained with death and gave death his dog in return for his life. Ever after, the dog was doomed to an eternity of shape-shifting. Its hatred for mankind grew because of Rory’s treacherous deed, killing to quench its vengeance upon every full moon...until now. Miles and Hannah (distant relatives of Rory on their mother’s side) are the only ones left who can stop the beast’s eternal hatred and save the villagers from sure death.

Within the beautifully crafted and vibrant scenes, Ms. Carey’s readers will find themselves transported to another world, a charming world or folklore, with fantastical creatures and characters you can almost reach out and touch. From the eccentric fairy queens, to the wind woman and sprites, the wise and devoted healer, and the dark creatures of trolls and the Beast of Noor, the characters come alive, sprinkling their magical dust on you, compelling you to keep reading chapter after chapter. Miles and Hannah pull you into the story as they weave their tragic tale from their modest home in the hills where they shepherd their sheep to how and why they must stop the creature that haunts their family and their country.

Brother and Sister embark upon their quest, sacrificing all they would have in order to right the dreadful wrong of their long-dead relative, learning as they go that love, loyalty and forgiveness are worth more than all the riches of the troll king.

The Beast of Noor is a delightful tale, one that you will not soon forget. Ms. Carey spins a deliciously imaginative story and I highly recommend The Beast of Noor for your next YA read.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com

Miles and Hanna Ferrell live in the country in Ennes Isle, just outside of Shalm Wood. Miles wants nothing more in life than to go to Othlore and be trained in magic. He's been studying with the Falconer, but he feels like his teacher is holding him back more than he's helping. If only the Falconer would teach Miles a few spells... Hanna just desperately wants to feel normal and safe. But between her different colored eyes, the legend surrounding her family, and especially since the return of the Shriker, it doesn't look like normal or safe are in Hanna's future.

Stranded in a cave to escape a surprise storm, Grandpa tells them again the legend of the Shriker. He tells them how the Shriker used to be a brave and faithful dog, until he ways betrayed by his own master and cursed by death himself. Now, as the Shriker, he hunts human prey every full moon. The master who betrayed him, Rory Sheen, happens to be an ancestor of Miles and Hanna. Now that he's back the brother and sister won't be safe in the village, and no one is safe in the woods once the sun goes down.

When Miles tries to take matters into his own hands, things get more than a little out of control. Suddenly it's up to Hanna to save him. Hanna was always the quiet one. The one who stood back and let Miles handle things. The one who asked for the happy tales by the fire, because the others scared her too much. Now, she's right in the middle of the scariest one of all, and if she ever wants to see her brother again she'll need to find a lot of inner strength, and quickly.

This is a great, creepy, interesting tale. I don't know how comfortable I would be hearing it at a fire on a dark night. Granted, I'm a big wimp, but that's only part of the point. It's scary enough for those who are looking for that, but it's also a great story, which is what good legends are. There's a fair amount of fantasy, a little magic, personal discovery, even a sweet little love story woven in. There's a little bit of something for everyone. Perfect for a stormy, foggy night, curled up with hot chocolate, warm and safe in your house.

[Susannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Beast of Noor:
Fantastical Worlds


For centuries, the Shriker has stalked the people of Noor. It is a fearsome, man-eating monster, huge and wolflike with red eyes and the ability to shape-shift. And it comes at every full moon to the dark woods of Enness Isle to hunt its prey. But many have forgotten the stories about the Shriker, the ones that tell how it came to be this monster. According to these tales, it was once a loyal dog…until its master betrayed it.
The Beast of Noor by Janet Lee Carey is a story with both fear and magic, loyalty and betrayal. The imagined worlds of Noor and Oth are detailed and have a wide range of different characters, from humans to fairylike beings called sylths to trolls and unicorns. The relatable characters, the suspenseful events, and the fantastical world all grabbed me from the start.
Miles and Hanna Ferrell are the main characters of the book. Miles, fifteen, studies music and herbs. Though he longs to learn magic, his teacher, the Falconer, continues to tell him that he isn’t ready. Hanna is thirteen. She’s often teased because of her mismatched eyes, though Miles is more than willing to defend her. The two siblings have always been under the Shriker’s shadow, because their ancestor was the one who betrayed the Shriker. As it’s often said in Noor, “Those who cause the curse must break it, and the breaking’s in the blood.” This means that a person who causes a curse must break it, or if they can’t, their relatives must. Miles feels responsible for the Shriker’s curse. He wants to break it so that the people of Noor can live in peace. The adventure begins when he finally gets the magic he will need to break the curse. He and Hanna will travel far from home to put an end to the fear the people on Enness Isle have always lived with. By the end, they will be changed forever.
I couldn’t put this book down the first time I read it! I recommend it to anyone who has ever imagined another world of magic and magical creatures. Suspenseful, detailed, and creative, this book was a great read!

[Francesca Rock · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no idea what possessed me to pick up this book but it was a worthwhile read. There were elements of this book that I really enjoyed (which I will talk about later) and only one that I did not. I did not enjoy just how young the characters were. Now, that being said, it's really my bad as it is a young adult novel and I should have read more closely before I purchased it.

I found the entire concept of this book to be new and I am quite pleased for that. You will not find here the same old story with the same old elements. This has a new concept, in a new world. I also kind of enjoyed that it mixed different kinds of fantasy into the book, I don't know how, but Janet Lee Carey made it work. This was primarily a story about siblings and how important that relationship can be. Miles and Hanna love each other and would do anything for each other, that much was apparent in the book, which was heartwarming to see. On another note, I love the value placed on dogs as pets by the end. I am a dog lover myself and it warmed my heart to see Mile's and Hanna's love for dogs become apparent.

Also a plus, the chapters were short. This is vital for young adult novels, so as to keep readers interested without overwhelming them. I also like to be able to read about ten pages and then take a break. While I love reading, I find I cannot sit still for long periods of time and that I get bored when I can't get up and move because a chapter is so long. So - good job Janet Lee Carey, an important element carried out here! Overall, this was a heartwarming tale about family that managed to convincingly combine different kinds of fantasy together.

For more reviews visit: http://frannierocks.blogspot.ca

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the land of Noor, Miles has always wanted to be a meer--a magician--but his parents, the provincial culture of his island, and his mentor, the Falconer, seem determined to crush his dream. Now, though, that the monstrous Shriker--a wolf-like beast that eats people alive--has returned, and the curse is connected with Miles' family, it seems more important than ever to learn magic. Miles needs to defeat the beast and save his sister Hanna, who is drawn to the dark woods in her sleep. When a stolen spell puts Miles in contact with the Sylth Queen, she gives him a gift that may allow him to defeat the Shriker--but he might have to sacrifice everything he has and everything he is in the process. When he disappears into the other-world of the Shriker, his sister Hanna knows that she must follow and save him.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would; I was expecting horror, and while there are certainly components of that here, it's more of a fantasy. Carey has beautiful, lyrical descriptions of her fairy world and its folk, and equally descriptive passages about the darkness within it. I liked Hanna, though I found Miles hard to like; I did wonder why it always seems that in fantasy, if you have brothers/sisters, it's the brother who goes bad and the sister who has to save him. Maybe the other way around would be good sometimes? (I'm thinking Narnia, Fablehaven, in particular.) While the book was a bit overlong, it was a well-imagined world with interesting concepts, and I think kids will enjoy it.

[Kai C · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Beast of Noor was a quite interesting tale. It was a tad strange for me because at the time I was reading the Tiger’s Curse. One about India’s gods and goddess and the other was Irish lore. Anyways it has a Celtic/Irish thing going and is pretty mysterious. The two main characters last name is Sheen and their family is cursed. Apparently their descendent came in contact with the reaper of Celtic belief (a God called Arawn). The Celtic reaper is a medieval guy who makes a hunt of soul collecting. Meaning he has a chariot and is led by a pack of hounds from hell. He’s blows a horn for the hunt and loves a good chase. Though he’s not all bad, because if you can out run him (give him a good hunt) than he’ll strike a “good deal”. Well that sort of happens with the Sheens decedent but I won’t tell you what actually did happen (read that for yourself). Let’s just say the Sheen descendent guy got help from his loyal dog and it didn’t really go well from there. Any way it is up two a siblings to have a monstrous shape-shift hound after them. This book has a bit of everything; Wizards, dragons, winds, humans with sight, loss, love and fairy folk.my only complaint is it was a little too tedious and words didn’t make much since. Few things should have been better explain or just explained in general. Overall good book but not something crazy amazing…So a 3.5 or four is good enough.

[Masha Toit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm undecided about this book.
A brother and sister face up to the history of their family - long ago, an ancestor of theirs released a monster into the world and as a result the family is ostracised by the fishing community they live in, feared and reviled as witches.

This framework gives Janet Lee Carey some interesting themes to work with: the legacy of fear in a family, especially fear that is not spoken about. What happens when you deal with a real threat by refusing to face it. The beast itself becomes a powerful metaphor for the corrosive nature of anger and the drive for revenge, and this is one of the aspects of the book that I found most compelling.

On the other hand, I found myself frequently getting quite annoyed with the characters. They are constantly angsting and doubting themselves at every step, ignoring good advice, refusing to see facts that are in front of their noses, clinging to their ignorance. This is probably a fairly accurate representation of how real people would act in this situation, but it really slowed down the pace.

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall this is a good story. I did feel a little disconnected from the main characters at times. And I also felt like the author tried very hard to immerse us readers into the beautiful magical world in the book. But it almost seemed like she was trying too hard sometimes. We always seemed to be finding out information about the world in the book and half of the time the info we received didn’t really have anything to do with the story. I found myself skimming over paragraphs because of this, just trying to get back to the story itself, wanting to know what the characters would do next. Also when the characters went off on their long parlous journeys I felt like the author worked too hard to get us to understand how long those journeys really were sometimes. It would become boring and I’d start skimming through again trying to get back to the action. The author has a great imagination. I love the world she created and the interesting beliefs and people. Sometimes it just felt like it was too much.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was all over the place with my feelings for this book, one minute I was reading parts I loved and the next time I picked it up I felt it dragged on more than it should and bounced back to liking it again after that. I think from the description of the book I was expecting a little more of a horror aspect and less of the fantasy so I did have to change my expectations a bit when I realize the type of book I was reading.

There was a lot going on in this book, from breaking a curse to becoming the people they were meant to be. Hanna's journey is finding out she was stronger and more than she thought she was while Miles gets the magic he wished for only finding himself struggling with pride and a darkness in himself he didn't expect to be there. While these ideas aren't original they did have a different path than other books I have read and I enjoyed that.

I had a hard time with the characters because I thought they could have been a little better written to bring them to life a little more. That is the reason this book is a 3 star rather than a 4 star book.

[Lindsey Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember reading this book back in middle school as a part of the Mark Twain reading list. It is such a charming and captivating book. I love the fantasy and lore that the author has lovingly crafted and sewn together from Irish storytelling. It’s such a pleasant read and I am so happy that I was able to find it and read it again. The story is much simpler than I remember, but I attribute that more to age. Kids from elementary through junior high would find such wonder here.

The characters are much more 2D, but that is more due to the direct storytelling method the author has adopted. The tone and feel of this book is very much one that lends to lore and fairytales, it is meant to tell the adventure and the moral. While Miles could possibly be considered the leading character in this story, a brash young boy ready to take on the evils of world, adds to the growth and power that his sister comes to quietly and more reverently put more thought and care into understanding. Overall I am glad I re-read this so many years later.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book I have read by the author Janet Lee Carey. I am not usually a fan of books such as these with all of the fantasy aspects in it, but for some reason just the cover alone drew me in. The two leading characters Miles and Hannah were wonderfully described and I connected with both of them right away. Miles being strong and brave making you feel as if though he could make any situation safer. Then there was Hannah timid and innocent, judged by just her appearance alone making her feared by many. Then there was the shrieker, a wonderfully written character especially since it was an animal so therefore it had no lines in the book. The backstory of the animal alone makes you fear it and feel empathy for it at the same time. All in all this was a wonderfully written book that takes you to beautiful worlds full of all types of interesting creatures. I highly recommend this book, especially to those who are fantasy lovers.