If you are a horror fan, The Geomancer's Apprentice is a perfect read for you. It's a well-written novel that includes graphic fight scenes against a horrible shape-shifting creature called a Yaoguai. Yet the book also has well-developed characters in relationships that are thoroughly explored. There's a middle-aged man who always thought he didn't live up to his father's expectations and a young romance that's beginning to take shape.

The book covered subjects I wasn't familiar with in an interesting way. These are feng shui and geomancy. I had heard of feng shui (a system of laws considered to govern spatial arrangement and orientation in relation to the flow of energy) but I did not know the related term geomancy (the art of placing or arranging buildings or other sites auspiciously). It was fun to learn a little about these topics.

The story begins when a young woman, Junie, approaches her uncle. His profession is to bless houses and offer advice about furniture arrangement and color choices. Junie's mother has convinced him to hire Junie, provisionally. Once Junie discovers what the job entails, she finds it interesting, researches the subject, and comes to her uncle with some basic knowledge. As time goes on they find she is a good fit to work with him.

Then they get a job at a house with more problems than they expected. Millie, the woman who owns the house, has had a frightening experience with something in her cellar, something she cannot explain. What happens after that is an adventure worth reading. ( )