First of all, I want to congratulate the author, Andy Peloquin, for his well-deserved win of the 2017 RONE Award for Best Fantasy/Sci-Fi book. Ironically, this happened just as I finished reading book two in The Last Bucelarii series, Lament of The Fallen, which is the very book I am reviewing now.
Lament of The Fallen … Lament of The Fallen. I didn’t really get this title until I was well into reading this book, where I discovered what a perfectly matched title Andy had chosen for this story. Perhaps, if one thinks about it long and hard, a reader will come to grasp a tiny piece of what this book is about simply by playing it on repeat in one’s mind. I’ve never expounded thus on a book title prior to this one, but it just goes to show how deeply this story touched me, no, grabbed me, on every spectrum of the emotional scale.
The Hunter continues his quest from book one, Blade of The Destroyer, in this second gripping, emotionally devastating story. Yes, devastating. The author shredded my heart in pieces as it broke over and over and over again for the Hunter, a magnificent anti-hero (he can be my hero forever), a ruthless killer with a ginormous heart who refuses to take orders from the demons living inside him. If you want a full on synopsis of Lament of The Fallen, please visit Andy Peloquin’s various social media platforms to inquire further. I absolutely abhor spoilers, and I’m not going to start writing them now.
As far as how this story impacted me, all I can say is, “Wear your armor when reading this one. You’ll need it.” There were so many times I wanted to cry my eyes out, to reach inside the pages of the story unfolding before my eyes to ease the pain, suffering, and deception experienced by the Hunter. Who would have thought I’d ever feel compassion on such a strong magnitude for a killer? Ahhh, but the Hunter is no typical killer – he has a heart.
If you haven’t yet begun reading this exquisite artist’s work, I highly encourage you to do so now. Caution: if you have to get up early the next morning for work, you may want to postpone reading Andy Peloquin’s beautifully creative works of art until the weekend. You will stay up long after your usual bedtime, turning the pages (or swiping to the next) as quickly as possible to discover just what happens next.
In my truly honest opinion, Andy Peloquin is the most creative writer I’ve read to date, and yes, this includes every other book I’ve ever read in my life. Lament of The Fallen…just do it, but start on book one in the series, Blade of The Destroyer. Oh! And don’t forget my very favorite book of all time by the same author, Child of The Night Guild – a must read, blow your mind kind of story!
Now, I’m on to read book three, Gateway to The Past.
Kudos and congratulations, Andy Peloquin. Great job!
~Have You Heard? Book Blog
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