Author: N.J. Burns
Series: The Eldrak'kin Chronicles (Book 1)
ASIN: B007DKIRBO
Synopsis
Four worlds. Four ages. Four struggles through deserts, demons, criminal underworlds and overwhelming odds. Elian searches for answer to the mysterious blackouts, led forward by his only clue: an encoded diary. Ben stalks the streets at night in search of horrific creatures not of this world. Alexander hunts down criminals, always intent on doing the right thing whatever the cost. And Prometheus tries to save his village without dying in the process.
Separate but intertwined, they press on, linked somehow to the mysterious John, who watches and waits - for it seems each of the four is part of something much greater than they could ever have imagined.
My Review
I was sent an e-copy of this in exchange for an honest review. I will admit this is another one that I have had for ages but I am trying to catch up.
As the synopsis says this book is written with four different perspectives. In some ways this was interesting it had me wondering how they were connected, but at the same time I found it quite irritating. The chapters alternate between the characters. Elian who is in a world being taken over by darkness, Prometheus who lives in a village which is being attacked, Ben who is fighting demons in London and Alexander who is a Priest or Knight or Guard (I'm not entirely sure). Each story in itself was very good. I liked Prometheus best and Elian intrigued me, but I just had to wonder what the point was. Also by the time I got through all four, by the time I got back to the first I had forgotten who they were and what they were doing and had to remind myself. It felt very disjointed.
To me it felt like the author had four great story ideas but couldn't decide which to write first so he just decided to do them all at once. I kept waiting for the 'connection' between the stories to show and apart from a mysterious black mark/tattoo appearing on their hand I still don't know what it is. The tattoo isn't explained, you get a voice of 'John' talking about the people being linked through this mark but no explanation as to how or why.
I really am torn with this because as I've said, the individual stories were good and I wanted to know more about them but at the moment I would have been happier with four separate books one from each perspective. Who knows maybe it will all make sense in book 2 but for now I'm just left wondering "what's the point?"
The writing is well done and the pace does move well, I could picture most of what happened and felt connected with the characters, although it was harder to get a real feel of them as you were jumping between the different stories so much.
It is a unique writing style and I would say worth a read, but if I had realized how it turned out I would have read it by flicking forward and finding each persons chapters and reading them all together. I know that means a lot of going back and forth but may have giving me a better feel for them all and made it easier to keep hold of the stories in my head.
My Rating
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