I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
It’s been some time since I read Never’s last adventure and it took me a little while to find my bearings again in this story fashioned in equal parts out of a series of adventures, in a world where magic takes strange and weird forms, and of the main character’s quest to learn about his past and the heritage from his now- extinct and legendary forefathers. Once I did, though, the narrative flew quickly, carried by a very appealing premise.
In Spectre our hero is not facing the “simple” turmoil of warring factions bent on controlling territory, as it happened in past adventures, but rather the dire menace of a cult bent on the horrifying transformation of hapless victims – think Island of Doctor Moreau and you will have an idea of what I’m talking about. And this time the stakes are quite high, because he needs to save a young boy from the cult’s clutches and to prevent and old… well, frenemy is the best term that comes to mind, from succumbing to the vile alteration.
As usual Never is able to find valid allies in his endeavors, and this time the person who shares this portion of his journey is an intriguing one, the unassuming priest Lakiva: not unlike a warrior monk, the young man carries on with self-effacing modesty, only to exhibit amazing abilities when necessity arises. This combination quickly endeared him to me and often brought a smile to my face.
That smile was more than necessary, because Spectre is one of the darkest adventures Never faced until now, rife with a sense of impending doom and a relentlessly ticking clock, culminating in a harrowing confrontation that blends a heated battle with an authentic descent into Hell that kept me on the edge of my seat, especially because in this case even our hero’s remarkable powers and stamina seemed to be inadequate to the task at hand.
And of course it does not end here, because a new threat looms on the horizon at the end of the novella, promising more intriguing adventures…
My Rating:
So is this an ongoing series that will never end ala (take your pick of choices)?
I like the cover a lot but without some knowledge of there being an ending I doubt I’ll ever start this 😦
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There is an overall narrative arc, granted, but each novella is self-contained, so while I can advise you to start at the beginning, you can pick up each book at your own pace. No pressure 🙂
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Cool, thanks…
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“…think Island of Doctor Moreau” – ooh, yes please! Though wow, I have to say this series is darker than I thought. Though maybe as you say, things just too a darker turn in this one.
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It’s not as grim as I might have led you to believe, only it’s a little more serious than its predecessors.
And the “Dr Moreau” cult is quite scary! 😀
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I do like the sound of this series, and seven books with more to come sounds like you could really get to know the characters and become invested in their world😊
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These being shorter works, the overall series feels more like a serial novels like the ones you reviewed in the recent past. Only they don’t come out with a weekly frequency… 😉
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Great review. I think I have this book on my kindle. I guess I should get to it.
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Thanks! The first three were published indeed as a single volume, so that might very well be the one you own… 🙂
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I don’t know why but I’d thought this series had ended – can’t believe it up to No.7 but it’s good to see you’re enjoying it so much.
Lynn 😀
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It’s the kind of story that seems to feed on new details, expanding out of its perceived confines… 🙂
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Never heard of Never before – is this a series of novellas, like Murderbot, or books? Sounds intriguing anyway, but would like to get my bearings before I start another unending series… 😀
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Yes, the MurderBot analogy is a good one: this is a fantasy series and not unlike MB, the main character Never is searching for answers on his past and himself. You might find some information here: https://www.goodreads.com/series/182156-book-of-never-series . 🙂
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Thanks! 🙂
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