Chronicles of the Dawnblade, Book Two I've been looking forward to getting my hands on this book basically since the moment I finished the first one. To the point where I recently backed the author's Kickstarter for signed physical copies. I waited to read it until my paperback arrived, and it was most definitely worth the wait. We rejoin the main character, Nicolas, back at home after his adventures in the first book, and Nicolas is not handling the trauma of those events well. He sees danger in every small sound, he's scared of the dark, his hands shake when they shouldn't, and his compulsive tendency to remind himself that 'there are no monsters out there' every time he has to open a door after the sun goes down is almost painfully believable in its realism. When a chance encounter with old friends leads him on a new adventure, I'm not sure if it's Nicolas who is more shocked, or us! Throughout 'Strange Companions' we meet up once more with many familiar faces from the first book, like Auron and Garaz, and even Potter, whom instinct tells me may become an important character later in the series. Each of them, in their own way, help Nick to overcome what he's already been through, and face the current conundrums they're faced with. Like a chicken that won't stop following them around. Andrew Claydon's unique and delightful humour flavours 'Strange Companions' as thoroughly as the first book, and makes this epic adventure a sheer delight with every turn of the page. But the beauty of this series is that Nicolas isn't a reluctant hero of the stereotypical variety. He has a genuine streak of cowardice, yet also a deep reserve of genuine bravery to counter it, and that pushes him to do the good thing, the right thing, in spite of his fears. Being brave isn't a lack of fear, it's being afraid and acting despite that fear, and Nicolas fully embodies that goodness of heart. It also makes him the reluctant, but ideal, role model for a surprise re-occurring character who may or may not be searching for redemption. All Nick's weary heart wants at the end of this adventure is to return home, but his journey isn't over yet and I, for one, can't wait to see how he and his friends handle the events of Book 3! Strange Companions is scheduled for release on December 5th.
You can purchase a copy in E-book or Paperback form via; Amazon UK or Amazon US Barnes & Noble Googleplay Smashwords Kobo UK or Kobo US
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Arista Holmes
I'm a writer in her thirties, who is based in the South East of England. Archives
March 2024
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