Monday, December 7, 2009

Review: The Bringer of War by Dylan Birtolo

The Bringer of War is the sequel to The Shadow Chaser. You can see my review of The Shadow Chaser here.

Bringer of WarThe Bringer of War

By: Dylan Birtolo

Published by Lulu.com

ISBN: 1435729374 (isbn13: 9781435729377)

234 Pages

Genre: Fiction/Urban Fantasy

Product Description (from the back cover): The stand-alone sequel to The Shadow Chaser, an urban fantasy novel.

Three months have passed since Darien Yost learned that the world was not all he believed it to be – that underneath the surface of the world he knew, people exist with the ability to shift between human and animal form at will. These people, who have waged a secret war for centuries, now struggle for control over Darien’s destiny. Even among the shifters, he has a special power – one that they believe could tip the scales of balance.

Now, Darien and his friends are hunting the organization of shifters that tried to enslave him three months ago. Meanwhile, a renegade shifter with secrets tries to pull him away from his friends. She believes that together they could rule over all. Alone, their fates could be madness.

The General Review: Darien and friends are back again in The Bringer of War, a fast paced, suspenseful addition to The Shadow Chaser. The fantastical world of shape-shifting is explored deeper and friendships are tested while Darien learns what it really means to embrace his destiny.

Likes: Each chapter is told from a different character’s point of view. I enjoyed the different perspectives, it gives the story more depth and brings out characters personalities.

Like its predecessor, The Shadow Chaser, I really liked the descriptions and the flow of the novel. This author is an excellent writer, his words easily creating vivid mental pictures.

Dislikes: There are a few holes in the story. For example, a few times in the book Richard wanders off on his own and comes back with information or items needed, but the author never shares any details of his errands. I would have liked to read about what Richard was doing while away from the main characters and who he was meeting with.

Closing Comments: Although The Bringer of War was written as a stand-alone sequel, I recommend reading The Shadow Chaser first to understand the journey the protagonist has experienced.

4 comments:

  1. Haven't heard of this series. Thanks for the great review. The cover is clever!

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  2. A stand-alone sequel, eh? Hmm. I like the cover from the first novel better than this one. Nice review!

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  3. @Alyssa - Dylan Birtolo is an independently published author. You can check out more of his work at dylanbirtolo.com

    @Logan - I like the cover of the first novel better too!

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  4. This is the first I hear of this series. Great review! Apart from the holes in the plot, this one sounds pretty good. :)

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