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Malice (Malice #1)

4.04 of 5 stars 4.04 · rating details · 1,323 ratings · 292 reviews

Once you get into the story, there's no way out.

Everyone's heard the rumors. If you gather the right things and say the right words, you'll be taken to Malice, a world that exists inside a horrifying comic book. It's a world that few kids know about...and even fewer survive.

Seth and Kady think it's all a silly myth. But then their friend disappears, and suddenly the rumor...more

Hardcover, 384 pages

Published October 1st 2009 by Scholastic Press

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Apr 09, 2013 Grace marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: manga-anime-manhwa-graphic-novels, books-i-want-to-own, best-beloved-books, fantasy-or-syfy, read-book-ages-ago-need-to-reread

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 24, 2012 Kelly Leigh rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fantasy, graphic-novels, speculative-fiction, how-do-i-love-thee-let-me-count-the

Did you think Jumanji was the bomb? Did you think Never Ending Story was practically perfect in every way? Yeah, me too. Well, Malice is a hybrid of the two.

I will not recap the description, you’re welcome. But know this. Malice’s opening is beyond brilliant. It’s enchanting, arresting, pure funivity at its finest. Malice is completely immersive. As close as you can get to a movie experience, IMO. A total page-turner. Unputdownable. Did I mention that I really liked this tome? Sometimes I’m not...more Did you think Jumanji was the bomb? Did you think Never Ending Story was practically perfect in every way? Yeah, me too. Well, Malice is a hybrid of the two.

I will not recap the description, you’re welcome. But know this. Malice’s opening is beyond brilliant. It’s enchanting, arresting, pure funivity at its finest. Malice is completely immersive. As close as you can get to a movie experience, IMO. A total page-turner. Unputdownable. Did I mention that I really liked this tome? Sometimes I’m not clear with my feelings.

The Jumanji aspect in this novel is a comic book in place of a role playing game. Some important deets. The story itself is about two friends who find out that their missing friend, Luke, is in fact not missing, but trapped within the pages of a comic book, once thought of as an urban legend. Said two friends Sherlock their way into the bowels of London to track down an unheard of comic book store, a la the Frog Brothers, where after some cloak-and-dagger maneuvering, they pilfer the comic book - the myth, the legend - entitled Malice (not the actual book I'm reviewing, but the story within the book). Its pages are brimming with missing children crying out for help within its pages. Including Luke. Creeptastic, right? Word on the street is that the author/artist of Malice scours the missing person section of the daily to use as inspiration for his characters, or does he? With comic book in hand, rumor has it that if you Beetlejuice a certain phrase, not three times but six, after having cast an animal-friendly spell (mad props to the author for keeping it PETA-esque *blows kisses your way Mr. Wooding*), those that are brave enough to cast spell and recite phrase are then whisked into the world of Malice. Inside the bleeping comic book. Well, in order to save their "missing" friend, that's what the two friends do. And so begins the adventure. (And yes, Malice is a book, it's a comic book, it's a world.) But there's a catch. After the spell is cast and words are recited, Tall Jack comes looking for you! Spine-tingling, terrifying, so so cool! So watch out kiddies!

Keeping with the comic book theme, peppered throughout the actual book of Malice are graphic novel sections. Now, for those that balk at graphic novels/comic books, there are only 8 pages a pop. Totally doable. To me those sections mixed it up, added to the story and the overall amazingness and uniqueness that it was/is.

More gushing:
likable characters
atmospheric descriptions
Typographic symbolisms- visually awesome
And . . .
Fantastic ending. Totally hooks you for more, tempting you to continue on with the series. To which I say, uh, yeah, obvi I’ll be reading Havoc. I have to, for I’m in love with this whimsical series. (less)

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May 29, 2011 Mitchel Broussard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, graphic-novels-and-comics, ya-fiction, series, summer-2011, parallel-universes, paranormal-and-supernatural, steampunk, thriller-suspense

I never thought a book aimed at such a young audience could be as dark, smart and exciting as Malice. Combining elements of both the comic and novel mediums, Malice thrusts us into the sinister world of the evil comic; a place where nothing is as it seems.

The book opens with a very Jumanji-like scene where a guy tries to impress a girl he has a crush on with a neat, but somehow creepy object he's found. Here it's Malice, a creepy comic that details the trials of children being chased, maimed and...more I never thought a book aimed at such a young audience could be as dark, smart and exciting as Malice. Combining elements of both the comic and novel mediums, Malice thrusts us into the sinister world of the evil comic; a place where nothing is as it seems.

The book opens with a very Jumanji-like scene where a guy tries to impress a girl he has a crush on with a neat, but somehow creepy object he's found. Here it's Malice, a creepy comic that details the trials of children being chased, maimed and murdered in a world built of horror and madness. The kid, Luke, taunts the girl into starting the ritual that calls upon Tall Jake, and is rumored to take you away to Malice.

A couple of weeks later, Seth and Kady discover Luke's disappearance, and follow the trail to the comic's alternate world.

The opening is slow, and takes its time explaining the paranormal events going on, but it sold me in the last 100 pages or so. The world-within-a-comic sounds kind of cheap and lame, but Wooding throws in some fantasy elements that make you think that this isn't just inside a comic; it could be an entire alternate universe. There are different lands (The Menagerie, the Clock Tower, the Oubliette) and they're all well realized in their creepiness. I really hope the sequels explore more of the parts of Malice hinted at in here.

The only complaint I had was the comic sections interspersed within the novel. They contain many of the book's action set-pieces, and the art just isn't up to snuff. It's difficult telling which character is which, much less what is going on in some of the frames. Maybe it's just the juxtaposition of going from novel to comic every 100 or so pages that threw me off, but these comic sections needed more detail to justify their existence. I know Wooding could have written more tighter, exciting action in his pretty solid exposition than what is in those comics. It's kinda sad that the main hook of the novel is the weakest part of it, but maybe it will improve with upcoming books.

I didn't expect much from a middle-grade novel, but Malice was just dark and exciting enough to warrant its reading. And with that awesomely staged cliffhanger, you can bet that I'll be back for Havoc.(less)

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Feb 25, 2013 Jada added it · review of another edition

Malice is basically a bout a horror comic that is entirely real. Do the ritual, say the chant and you'll find yourself inside it.
We're your only goal is to survive and escape.

I don't know how he did it but Chris Wooding managed to write my favourite book of all time. It was uncharacteristically dark for s middle grade novel and i loved it. I loved the whole world he created that I could get lost in forever. He had me hooked from the first chapter. Especially with all the little graphic element...more Malice is basically a bout a horror comic that is entirely real. Do the ritual, say the chant and you'll find yourself inside it.
We're your only goal is to survive and escape.

I don't know how he did it but Chris Wooding managed to write my favourite book of all time. It was uncharacteristically dark for s middle grade novel and i loved it. I loved the whole world he created that I could get lost in forever. He had me hooked from the first chapter. Especially with all the little graphic elements he added. There was never a slow moment for me. I usually hate at least one character in every book but I just couldn't find one in malice.

I'll start with Seth(the protagonist). Seth was a kid I could actually relate to. He was scared that one day he would end up like his parents, just going through the motions and never really living. I liked this because in most books you hear the characters complain, wishing they could have normal lives. But Seth was the exact opposite which was nice for a change. He was overall an awesome main character.

Justin was my absolute favourite character in the while two book series. He was hilarious and served for as the comic relief for Seth. And although he was really funny he was serious enough that he felt like a real person. I especially loved how he had his own backstory that wasn't really important to the story but really made him a stronger character. It made me want to know everything about him.

Then then there's Kady. She was the third person in the small group if main characters. She didn't have a such of a role in book 1 but she still played a very important part in the overall plot. She was well developed and had an interesting pov to read from.

And I can't forget about Tall Jake. When I first picked up the book I figured he would be the typical bad guy with the creepy laugh. Although he does have a creepy laugh I felt like he wasn't just the bad guy. He had his own personality in a sort of twisted way. He obviously had plans behind the plans. But I found him hard to figure out. Which I liked.

Malice was a good read. Not just because of the characters but because of Chris Wooding's writing style. He had a lot of really cool graphic elements in his writing. From weird fonts to add a certain feel to actually telling part of the story in comic book form.

I absolutely loved it and would recommend it to everyone. Even older age groups then the book was intended for. (less)

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Oct 25, 2011 El Templo de las Mil Puertas added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 17-eltemplo, reseñas

"Es curioso ver como coinciden en un corto espacio de tiempo dos obras con una temática similar. Hace algunos números hablamos de Poliedrum, cuya historia tenía como punto de partida la desaparición de un misterioso y reputado dibujante de cómics. Tres jóvenes fans suyos iniciaban su búsqueda. Aquí, en cambio, los que desaparecen son los jóvenes que se topan con un misterioso cómic (llamado Malice, título original de esta novela) difícil de obtener. En realidad, no es que al leerlo atravieses la...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Krista Stevens rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, graphic-novels, young-adult, journey

Loved this series. Very dark and scary (ok - for me who does not like any horror, but also thought it would be better for Grade 8 and above. I was surprised to see in a review a Grade 5 student reading this, but I could be over-reacting). An alternate world exists in the dark comic of Malice and kids keep disappearing into it. It's up to Seth and Kady to try and do something about it, but this journey may be more than they can handle. Great, tight writing and characterization (though the bad are...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Tiaira rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I checked out the book Malice by Chris Wooding. This book is a graphic
Novel and Horror. This book is those genres because it’s about a scary
place called Malice where these kids ends up in because they did a chant. This book takes place in Malice , London and in a comic shop. The main characters in this book are Kady , Seth and Justin (Tall Jake).

The main problem in this story is that Kady, Seth and Justin are trying
to destroy the world Malice and Tall Jake . The conflict kept this book very exc...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Jimmy Juliano rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Eh, just okay.

The Good:

The scenes with the summoning of Tall Jake and elicits some real feelings of dread. Nice job, author! Kady running around in England trying to solve the mystery was fun - the scene with her hiding in the closet was entertaining. Overall, smooth writing and no real head-slapping moments.

The Bad:

Not very scary. I was hoping for some solid YA/MG horror, and while it started out that way, about halfway through the book the author must have gotten bored or run out of ideas. Hon...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Elliot rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

the book was fantastic is was suspensfule but yet tariffing it was like one of those books that you cant put down and you have to keep reading because you can never predict whats going to happen next.
so malice was about these children that find a scary novel that had rumors spreading around about the whole thing being true and theres this ritual that you do, you have to like get a bowl with wtaer put feather in it a nail piece of your hair its a really creepy ritaul and so after you do it you ha...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Ed Dexter rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

Although this phrase is in big bold letters on the back cover, it's much more novel than comic. I'm not saying that's bad, just needed to get that out there.

The best way I can describe the story is parts Pan's Labyrinth (but not quite so dark), Alice in Wonderland (somewhat darker than the Disney version), and Labyrinth...at least those were the things that came to mind most often while reading and that is a Good Thing.
I very much liked the story taking place over two worlds. While the world of...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Dawn Vanniman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The story starts out simply enough - two friends, Heather and Luke - messing around trying to scare each other...or at least Luke is.

Do you remember the urban legend of Bloody Bloody Mary? Or maybe the urban legend made up for the movie Candyman? The book is a little like those...only it really happens. Luke gathers up the simple ingredients, burns them and chants 'Tall Jake, take me away.' six times. The lights go out and things get weird, but Tall Jake only takes you when you're alone.

Soon,...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Franz Gillian rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I chose this book because a friend of mine said recommended it to me. She said it was really good and the cover caught my eye. Malice is about two kids, Seth and Kady, who found out about a comic book named Malice. Their friend, Luke, disappeared after he read it and they have to find out the mystery behind Malice. My favorite quote in the book was, "Tall Jake take me away." I like this quote because children say it six times and they don't believe that it is actually true. They dare each other...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Jose rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First of all, I would like to say that I love this book. Also, i would like to say that, at first, you think its going to be a scary book,(even though it kind of is) it goes to mystery, suspense, action, and mystery again. To top it all off, its part comic (sorry Ms. Checka). This book is about two kids, Seth and Kady, finding a comic. There friend, Luke, makes a simple joke: doing the ritual to get into Malice. As it turns out, it's real. Luke goes missing, but no one knows what really hapened...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Imagine Coraline meets The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Malice is that and more. Our protagonists are lured into a dark and dangerous mostly mechanical other-world from which return is rare and comes at a deep cost. The villains who create, run, invent, and illustrate (through the comic book Malice) this alternate reality live in both worlds. There is non-stop action, tension, and terror as the protagonists work in both worlds to understand what is going on, track down and stop the villains, and si...more

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Apr 16, 2011 William Clemens rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For a book that tries to incorporate a comic into its plot, you think they would have found a better illustrator. Chris Wooding actually does a nice job as a writer, the story is plotted well and fairly gripping, but the illustrations just fall so flat I wish they weren't integral to the plot.

The plot, in summary, is that a kids have begun disappearing without a trace across Britain. There are rumors of a secret dark comic book called 'Malice' that features the missing kids, and a mysterious fig...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Simon Yu rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: advisory-2010-2011

This book is about a creepy comic book called Malice that traps a lot of children in the real world, if they read it and do the ritual. The comic book is called Malice and it is a secret comic that is about a strange world full of traps and tricks. The ruler of Malice is named Tall Jack and if you do the rituals that is said in the comic, then Tall Jack will take you to the strange world, Malice. Also, to escape and go back to the real world once again, kids have to get a ticket, but when they g...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I saw that Wooding had released a book that was part graphic novel and part book I was very excited. Not to mention the cool premise of the book. So when I was offered this book through the Amazon Vine program I was ecstatic. It ended up being a great book; I didn't realize that it is the first book in a duology. The second book "Havoc" is supposed to be released some time in 2010. Overall it is an interesting read and a pretty cool idea, it has some issues but for the most part those are o...more When I saw that Wooding had released a book that was part graphic novel and part book I was very excited. Not to mention the cool premise of the book. So when I was offered this book through the Amazon Vine program I was ecstatic. It ended up being a great book; I didn't realize that it is the first book in a duology. The second book "Havoc" is supposed to be released some time in 2010. Overall it is an interesting read and a pretty cool idea, it has some issues but for the most part those are out-weighed by the creative storyline.

Luke and Heather sit down to read a comic called Malice. Malice is full of incomplete stories of teens fleeing horrible things in the dark. Luke decides to try and summon Tall Jack, the bad guy from Malice, doing a ritual that kids are talking about. When the lights go out, eventually Luke finds out that the ritual worked. Seth is Luke's best friend and after Luke's disappearance he decides to check out Malice for himself. When he sees Luke's grisly death in the next issue of Malice he decides that he needs to stop Tall Jack. He willingly enters Malice and there runs into another boy that helps Seth learn the ropes. From there the boys descend into the hellish city of Malice.

This is an interesting book and it is very creepy. Most of the book is written as a novel. Specific fight scenes are then done as scenes from a graphic novel. So you have mostly book and a little graphic novel. Does this work for the story? Kind of. I am a big fan of graphic novels and books, so I was looking forward to this. Unfortunately the graphic novel scenes are done in a very sparse and non-detailed style. This ends up making it hard to tell what is going on in the graphic novel scenes, the scenes are actually drawn in a kind of immature way. I found myself wishing that Wooding had gotten the artist from one of the mangas I read (like Hellsing or Berserk) to draw the monster scenes, because they were just lacking.

As for the novel itself it was fascinating. Wooding does a good job of depicting a horror filled world that is interesting, very detailed, and full of wonder. The characters are so-so. They are kind of stereotypical and at times talk like they are in a cheesy action films, but I didn't really mind that much...it fit with the story. The strong point through is definitely the super creative world that Wooding has created. Also the idea behind how the kids get to Malice is fascinating.

Another warning, the book ends mid-plot...which always irritates me. The remainder of the story will be picked up in "Havoc". Overall I enjoyed the book, even though it wasn't perfect. I have previously read "Poison" and "Storm Thief" by Wooding and in both cases it was the ending that absolutely blew me away. So I will have to see how the next book plays out before I can fully judge this first one. (less)

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Sep 27, 2010 Tina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-reads, childrens-ya, graphic-novel

There is a persistent rumor about a comic book called Malice. If you make the right offerings and say the right words during the correct ritual then the ruler of Malice, a man only known as Tall Jake will come and take you there. It is only a rumor, though. Right?

Luke and Heather, two London kids decide to try the ritual and promptly disappear. Seth is a friend of Luke's and the only clue he has about Luke's disappearance is that he mentioned Malice once. He and Kady, another friend, set out to...more There is a persistent rumor about a comic book called Malice. If you make the right offerings and say the right words during the correct ritual then the ruler of Malice, a man only known as Tall Jake will come and take you there. It is only a rumor, though. Right?

Luke and Heather, two London kids decide to try the ritual and promptly disappear. Seth is a friend of Luke's and the only clue he has about Luke's disappearance is that he mentioned Malice once. He and Kady, another friend, set out to the creepy bookstore, the only place where Malice is sold to investigate. They are horrified to see their friend Luke in the pages on the comic. Seth, longing for his own adventure and feeling a sort of teenaged discontent, decides to do the ritual to enter Malice and find Luke. Kady stays back in in real world London to figure out what is going on on this side.

What follows is an adventure that takes place in two worlds: One in dangerous, crazy toon-Malice where Seth must fight off weird monsters and mechanical beasts and the other in real-Life London where Kady is in a different kind of danger.

I must say this is one book where the cover is probably the best advertisement. It is a nice hard cover, brilliant crimson with a 3-D figure of Tall Jake looming on the outside, very striking and totally makes you pick the book up. I saw it at a bookfair during a parent/teacher conference and decided to get in for my 10 year old. He loved it. I decided to read it myself.

I liked it very well too. The story is extremely atmospheric and inventive. I've never read this author's work before so I had not expectations. I am not a huge consumer of YA books and thought it was definitely something that would appeal to younger audience, even it isn't precisely my taste. The story is written in combo on prose and graphic comic art. The written part of the story certainly moves right along although you get to a point where you understand that this is not a self contained story and there is going to be a sequel. Maybe this is why I felt some characterization suffered, especially in the case of Seth. Hopefully that is just a case of first-in-a-series-book-itis.

I am sad to say that graphic art part was a bit of a let down. I love graphic novels and the ones that speak to me the most are the ones that are wonderfully illustrated. I didn't especially love the illustrations here. My son, though thought they were fine.

All in all a pleasant way to spend a couple of afternoons and most definitely a winner for the YA set.(less)

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Sep 15, 2010 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, dark, graphic, j, not-graphic, ya, horror

Three-and-a-half stars. So here's my debate in trying to tip the scales to either three or four:

Con: The start didn't hook me. The premise is unoriginal and felt formulaic at first. Not as appealingly dark and atmospheric as Wooding's other books I've liked so well. Struck me as younger and tamer.

Pro: The writing is still excellent in places with passages I really loved. While I didn't get chills from the atmospheric darkness, it was still there. The bad guys are really creepy. The characters ar...more

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Mar 07, 2010 Cathe Olson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It took me almost a week to finish this book--but that's only because my 5th grade daughter kept sneaking it away from me and when we took a car trip with friends, the 5th grade son of my friend kept sneaking it away from her. Of course the flashy 3-D cover caught their eyes right away but it was the inside that hooked them. This book starts right out so creepy and mysterious that it pulls you right in. The mystery of the comic book featuring kids from missing children flyers and the chant to ha...more

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Feb 20, 2010 Mel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I have read Chris Wooding's books before and I think he's a really good author. He finds just the right balance between action and character development, and this is also the case with Malice.
Basically, it's about a comic that few people know about. Say a spell, and "Tall Jake" will come and take you away. You'll be whizzed off into the world of Malice, where everyday is a fight for survival. Malice is also a bit special, because it's part written and part graphic novel.
I like that the comic bi...more

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Jan 29, 2010 LJ rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, graphic-novels

Chris Wooding and Dan Chernett's Malice is one of those genre blending novels that is part graphic novel and part prose. It blends these two fairly well, as the story line is also intrinsically involved in these two formats. The story starts out with two kids, Luke and Heather, playing a daring game involving ritual and chant, the goal of which is to enter the grotesque comic book world of "Malice." We don't know much about their motivation, but that doesn't matter. Chalk it up to morbid curiosi...more Chris Wooding and Dan Chernett's Malice is one of those genre blending novels that is part graphic novel and part prose. It blends these two fairly well, as the story line is also intrinsically involved in these two formats. The story starts out with two kids, Luke and Heather, playing a daring game involving ritual and chant, the goal of which is to enter the grotesque comic book world of "Malice." We don't know much about their motivation, but that doesn't matter. Chalk it up to morbid curiosity, or the tendency of certain kids to take on a dare when challenged. A flaw in the book is that we never hear of "Heather" again, but that's a minor flaw. Luke is friends with the main characters, Kady and Seth and the story quickly shifts to them when they become worried about their missing friend Luke. Luke had mentioned Malice once before going missing, and when Katy and Seth find evidence that Luke had performed the ritual they'd heard rumors about, they investigate. Their suspicions are confirmed when they see Luke as one of the characters in the printed comic book, only sold at a creepy, out-of-the-way comic book shop. Seth decides he must enter the world of Malice to take their investigation further.

Seth's motivations for wanting to enter "Malice" extend further than the investigation into Luke's disappearance. He is critical of his parents and wants to avoid the fate of becoming a boring adult and living a deadened existence. This is how he views the adult world. He gets his wish when he becomes part of the horrific world of Malice where he feels fully alive for the first time. This is where the graphic novel part takes over. Chernett draws the action sequences in a classic comic book style, with black and white panels that shift from small to full page as the action warrants. They are never bloody, even when monsters get killed or characters injured, so I'd give them a PG rating, but no more.

It's obvious by page 360 or so that this book will be a series, but that's in keeping with the whole genre blending idea, since graphic novels are often serialized. The book is long, at 378 pages, but because there are plenty of drawings that break up the prose narrative, it doesn't feel that long. First editions have a cool 3-d, low-relief cover featuring "Tall Jake," the ruler of Malice. I'd recommend it for 5th to 8th grade readers who have enjoyed The Last Apprentice series, The Thief of Always ( Clive Barker) or read books by authors Garth Nix and Neal Gaiman.(less)

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Jan 19, 2010 Julia Driscoll rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, appropriate-for-high-school, appropriate-for-middle-school, appropriate-for-upper-elementary, science-fiction, dystopia

Malice is a semi-secret comic book set in a strange universe where kids & teens face terrifying situations and few survive. Rumors about it run around, and the most persistant and creepy is that if you say certain words and burn a few of the right things, Tall Jake (master of the world of Malice) will take you away into the comic book. Most people don't believe these rumors, but a few still try the spell - just to see what happens.

This is the story of a pair of friends who lose another frien...more

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Dec 31, 2009 Alison rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So scary and so much fun!

Remember when we would dare each other at sleep-overs to look into a mirror in the dark and say "Bloody Mary" three times? Well, such is the urban legend of Tall Jake in Malice.

Imaginative, suspenseful, original, exciting, and, yes, a wee bit scary!

I really enjoyed Chris Wooding's Malice, a story about an underground comic book named Malice and an urban legend called Tall Jake. All the kids have heard about Malice and Tall Jake, but few took the journey to the comic book...more

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Oct 29, 2009 Myckyee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First of all I have to say that the cover of this book is startlingly creepy. It’s bold red with the title and an antagonist in eye-catching relief. I love it! I’ve traced the lines of that character (Tall Jake) a hundred times while reading it!

The description on the back cover pretty well sums up the plot of this YA horror novel. It says: “Once you get into the story, there’s no way out.” Well, the truth couldn’t be any plainer. Malice is the name of a comic book but it’s also the name of the p...more First of all I have to say that the cover of this book is startlingly creepy. It’s bold red with the title and an antagonist in eye-catching relief. I love it! I’ve traced the lines of that character (Tall Jake) a hundred times while reading it!

The description on the back cover pretty well sums up the plot of this YA horror novel. It says: “Once you get into the story, there’s no way out.” Well, the truth couldn’t be any plainer. Malice is the name of a comic book but it’s also the name of the place in the comic where, if the kids are foolish enough to take the dare of presenting the specified offerings and repeating the required chant, they find themselves in a dangerous world of monsters, caves, dark corridors, booby traps and many more hidden dangers. Just when I thought I’d come across the worst evil-doer, the following page would be all the more terrifying!

To Seth and Kady, best friends since childhood the rumors of Malice are too much to resist. What follows is an adventure of a lifetime – and maybe several lifetimes. The book is full of intrepid and resourceful teenagers battling the evil lurking behind every corner in the real world and in Malice. But they’re normal teenagers too – they have arguments with their parents and deal with peer pressure. And the antagonists!

I love adventure stories and when I saw the cover of this book, I couldn’t resist reading the first page. And then the next and the next. Ok, I had trouble putting the book down. Its easy to read format and the story line drew me in completely. The book’s beautifully graphic cover extends to the inside where the story is interrupted in at least six places by a comic depicting the action going on. That was great! Sometimes it’s easier (especially if you’re a visual person) to see something rather than have it described by the written word. So the descriptions of some of the fantastical creatures were depicted in equally strange drawings.

I didn't realize until I finished the book that this is a series! I cannot wait for the next one to come out! I love having books to look forward to...I recommend this book to any kid who loves creepy horror stories (who didn’t see or hear about or read at least one book from the Goosebumps series?). And some adults too! (less)

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Jan 10, 2013 Cherie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, fantasy, graphic-novel, jan2013

Malice is a silly myth and every kid knows that. But when Seth and Kady's friend dissappears and all the evidence is leading to Malice, they start to change their mind.

Malice is indeed real and when Seth and Kady get trapped in it, they are determined to stop the madness, though many things stand in their way. There are many creatures lurking in the shadows of Malice that are life threatening. But no matter the costs, they will find a way to stop Tall Jack and his terribly cruel tricks.

Sornuuj...more

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Oct 18, 2011 Patrick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal

First impression: I think the writing and set-up of this one are done perfectly creepily. You know what is going to happen in the first chapter from the summary on the back of the book, but the execution is intense and suspenseful. I think I am always much more creeped out by fantasy-horror that purports to take place in "normal" settings. These kids disappearing is much more creepy than a magic school or world.

I think the "hook" for young readers is both cool and annoying at the same time. The...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Eric rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book Malice, by Chris Wooding, is an intriguing fantasy book with an interesting twist. Throughout the book, there are small elaborately drawn comics of the story inserted within the chapters. These small comic excerpts help create a better image for the reader while at the same time, puts an interesting twist on the book.
So, everyone knows the rumor about Malice. If you gather the right ingredients and say the correct words, than Tall Jack, the main antagonist in the story, will take you t...more

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Sep 26, 2010 Erika (YA or GTFO) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-children-s-awesomeness, graphic-whatever

I think this book got too hyped up for me and so it was a bit of a disappointment. I really liked the concept and the sort of post-modern feel of the characters in "Malice" (the comic book) being aware of other people reading about their existence in Tall Jake's nightmare world. However, I had a real problem with the pacing of the book. There was always something exciting happening, so that wasn't the problem; it was more that Chris Wooding didn't reveal the complexity of the world of Malice unt...more

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Apr 02, 2013 John Reinke rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Malice is a very exciting book. In contrast to most novels, Chris Wooding perfectly blends novel and comic in a way that both entices and intrigues. While most of the story is a novel, at random points the story will become a comic book, usually to portray an action scene and also to keep in touch with the story's main plot point of an evil comic book series that kids can become trapped in. The main characters, Seth and Katy, are an interesting duo to follow. Being friends for so long, they know...more Malice is a very exciting book. In contrast to most novels, Chris Wooding perfectly blends novel and comic in a way that both entices and intrigues. While most of the story is a novel, at random points the story will become a comic book, usually to portray an action scene and also to keep in touch with the story's main plot point of an evil comic book series that kids can become trapped in. The main characters, Seth and Katy, are an interesting duo to follow. Being friends for so long, they know each other very well, allowing each character to tell the reader more about the other then about themselves. When they split up, it's interesting to watch how they both try to find out more about the land of Malice, with Seth venturing into the nightmarish world to get a personal view, and Katy remaining in the real world to find out what she can. Chris Wooding does a good job with describing the way the characters think and react to their surroundings, which are also very well detailed, such as when Seth journeys through Malice with his newly acquired friend, Justin, "Something like panic was waiting, lurking in the dark places of Seth's mind. At any moment, it might rush out overwhelm him. This couldn't be real, it just wasn't logical, it must be a hallucination. Maybe he was living an elaborate dream. Maybe he'd been hypnotized and this was all someone's idea of a joke. But his senses knew the truth. He could smell the oily reek of the pipes; he could hear huge cogs grinding away behind the walls; he could feel the bruises left by the creature's fingers on his shoulders, and the weight of the wrench in his hand. Tall Jake had taken him away, all right. And put him here"(115-116). But one of the most interesting experiences is a sort of mental game that you can't help playing when you read this book, where after you read Wooding's description of a person, object, or location, you try to visualize it as best you can before you get to a comic section, then see how accurate you were to the actual image itself. It's a truly fun and exciting experience, as is the entire novel/comic itself, which I highly recommend to fans of action, suspense, and conspiracy.(less)

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Does Seth ever know that Kady has been to Malice before?	3	9	Jan 10, 2012 05:39pm

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About Chris Wooding

Chris Wooding grew up in a small town in Leicestershire, where not much of anything happened. So he started to write novels. He was sixteen when he completed his first. He had an agent by eighteen. By nineteen he had signed his first book deal. When he left university he began to write full-time, and he has been doing it professionally all his adult life.

Now thirty-two, Chris has written sixteen b...more

More about Chris Wooding...

Books by Chris Wooding

Retribution Falls (Tales of the Ketty Jay, #1)

The Black Lung Captain (Tales of the Ketty Jay, #2)

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