Review: A must read...
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 18, 2014
Followers of Demon Accord novels might think this merely a side-line story -- they'd be wrong.We first briefly met Declan and Caeco during Toni's rescue within "Fallen Stars". This is a back-story, from Declan & Caeco's first meeting, through their intersection with "Fallen Stars", concluding just after "Fallen Stars" conclusion.As the author mentions, this novel is somewhat of a risk for multiple reasons. First, the story is being told from someone other than Chris's perspective. Second, it raises former minor characters to main character status. Third, it expands the context of John. Conroe's "Universe" with the inclusion of the additional perspectives.This is also John's first attempt at storytelling from multiple points-of-view within the same novel. Declan's is the main POV, but glimpses are also shown from multiple antagonists. In general, this is a more difficult method of storytelling, forcing the author into maintaining the timeline, and the author and reader to visualize via multiple "voices".Overall, the story is extremely well done. It begins somewhat slowly, normal with initial character introductions, but picks up pace rapidly. Toni's rescue, the intersection point with "Fallen Stars" is superb -- we see Chris (and Tanya & "sos") from an entirely new perspective, and gain a much greater understanding of Chris along the way.Also "along the way", we find that Declan & Chris have more than a few things in common -- both raised by guardians rather than parents, both extremely powerful in their own ways, and both forced to fight potential evil from their strongest opponent -- themselves...John has offered us his longest novel, at the same (low) price. Quite a value, and an excellent read...