Title: Raven's Rise (World on Fire Book 3)
Author: Lincoln Cole
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Book Blurb:
Everything has come crashing down after the events of Raven's Fall: barely anyone is left standing and the Church is blaming Abigail for the fallout.
Haatim and Dominick are struggling to understand how their worlds were flipped upside down so completely, but they are running out of time. The threat that began in the mountains is far from over. They need to find a way to survive what comes next and put a stop to the cult that is threatening their existence before it is too late.
My Review:
Disclaimer: If you haven’t read Raven’s Peak and/or Raven’s Fall, please note that there may be spoilers here dealing with events from the first two books in the World on Fire series.
The Council is wiped out, most everyone is dead, and Haatim’s father is to blame. With a gun aimed at his father’s head, Haatim has a choice to make: murder his father or let him live. While he’s considering what to do, Dominick finds Haatim and then Frieda. All three must regroup and decide what to do before their enemies execute them.
They split up and have one goal: stop the demon inhabiting Haatim’s sister from completing the ritual. What’s the ritual? Bringing forth a demon so evil, it brings about the end of the world. Frieda seems to think Abigail is the only one who can stop it. But she’s dead, isn’t she? All is not as it seems and the more Haatim discovers, the more important Haatim becomes. Can he stop the end from coming or is this it?
This is the third book in the series and while it reads like a conclusion to a trilogy, the author assures me there will be more adventures. I’ve enjoyed the World on Fire series and Cole does an excellent job of tying up loose ends. The pulse-pounding ending, while too long (100 pages) in my opinion, kept me turning the pages. Action scenes were intense and at times, a little overwhelming. I mean, I can only handle only so much adrenaline in one sitting.
There’s a few instances of lack of originality that wasn’t apparent in the previous two books. Abigail revealing her true purpose in the ritual reminded me of a plotline (Dawn) from season 5 of Buffy. I was a little disappointed but I digress.
What I loved most was the believability of what Haatim and Dominick had to deal with all while trying to stop the end of the world. Hoard of demons, fight scenes, death, destruction, conflict of good versus evil, not to mention overcoming great odds to survive. Sure, some didn’t live through this book but that only made Raven’s Rise more authentic. Well done, Cole!
If you’re a fan of urban fantasy, paranormal and/or horror, you’ll really enjoy this book. The last few pages, alone, are worth it. Cole is an excellent storyteller and I look forward to reading more from him.
Favorite Character/Quote: My favorite character has got to be Haatim. He grows up a lot in this book and we see him come into his own in Raven’s Rise. He’s not the scared outsider anymore but a strong defender of good. He’s taken all he has learned and sacrifices himself for those he loves. At the end, he must make a choice: stay or leave.
My Rating: 4 stars
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Author Biography:
Lincoln Cole is a Columbus-based author who enjoys traveling and has visited many different parts of the world, including Australia and Cambodia, but always returns home to his pugamonster and wife. His love for writing was kindled at an early age through the works of Isaac Asimov and Stephen King and he enjoys telling stories to anyone who will listen.
He has won multiple literary awards for his novels. He has also been a bestseller in multiple different categories.
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Social Media Links:
Website https://www.lincolncole.net/
Twitter https://twitter.com/LincolnjCole
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/lcole1912/
Reviewed by: Mrs. N