3 out of 4 stars
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Raven’s Peak is an adventure into the unknown. As the first book in the World on Fire trilogy, it opens with intrigue and excitement. Author Lincoln Cole does an amazing job of building suspense while creating a tale that leaves the reader spellbound. Although there are some rather graphic scenes, it was not overdone or more than the average reader can handle.
The book opens with Arthur, a tortured, complicated man that left me feeling a bit horrified. He had voluntarily imprisoned himself in order to deal with his rage. It is through this character that the major themes are introduced and questions raised. After reading the prologue, I was hooked.
The main characters in the thriller, Abigail Dressler and Haatim Arison, are thrown together through circumstance and find themselves in the ultimate battle of good versus evil. Abigail, with support of the Council, has made it her life’s work to rid the world of creatures from beyond. Haatim is somewhat of a lost and naive soul that finds himself facing things he never believed even existed as he fights for his life. Nightmarish creatures with paranormal powers are intent on destroying all that is good in the world. Through strength of will and absolute faith, Abigail and Haatim banish the demons back to the underworld knowing that their work is far from finished.
The author does a very nice job of developing his characters. They have distinct personalities with witty, believable dialogue. Abigail is a very strong female lead with an in-depth backstory. She is focused on her mission and confident in her skills. Haatim is less experienced, yet honest and trustworthy. Although he unwittingly becomes involved in the unfolding drama, he ultimately becomes a powerful force in the struggle. In the beginning, Haatim is suffering from a crisis of faith having recently lost his sister. He doesn’t understand how God could possibly let bad things happen. But as he comes to know and understand Abigail and her work, his faith is restored. There are some complicated themes tackled in this story but it ends on an upbeat note leaving the reader feeling hopeful.
I enjoyed reading Raven’s Peak very much. Although I liked the fast paced action, my favorite part of the story was the way the characters coped with some very real topics and internal conflicts even though the tale was generally supernatural. I rated the book a 3 out of 4 stars as there were a few word omissions and editing errors, yet I did not find that it interfered with the story. Overall, it was a fun and thought provoking read. I can’t wait to read the other two books in the series and invite others to join me.
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Raven's Peak
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