"Events in Thera continue with malevolence as tensions build to a potentially catastrophic finale."
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We return to our characters where we left off in The Strains of Malice: Part 1: Spite with those that are aware of it preparing in their own way for Nessemi and those who don’t in no less peril. As Jake and Emilya separate to try to escape the vindictive wrath of Prince Magnus, Emilya and Elyse find themselves in more danger than they realised while seeking refuge at a secluded Monastery. This well developed world continues to grow as we reconnect with each of the 10 narrative threads. All of the characters’ journeys have their shocking twists and turns, each facing their own deadly threat aside from the one that looms in the sky above.
I liked the structure of this book. You have all of the maps and charts at the start as you did in the first book, but the chapter numbers follow on from Part 1: Spite. I thought this was a really clever yet subtle way of indicating this is a continuation of the story and all one long narrative. I enjoyed learning more of Drax’s journey, having been part of a crew of slave oarsmen and now training and fighting and dying in the gladiator fighting pits. With scenes reminiscent of The Gladiator this fight for survival is action packed. Emilya and Elyse’s experiences are undercut with subtle threat and malice, with some of the monks hostile to their presence. I found that the sexual assault in the book was powerfully written and incredibly sinister, really emphasising Emilya’s helplessness.
Andrew Beardmore’s ‘The Strains of Malice: Part 2: Malevolence’ continues to remind me of A Song of Ice and Fire, with a deadly looming threat overshadowing peril and conflict in the lives of our characters. Beardmore knows when to finish a book leaving you asking questions and keen to discover more and I really want to know what happens with Nessemi. Will any of them survive the asteroid hit? Who will survive up until then?
Charlotte Walker, A LoveReading Ambassador
| Primary Genre | Indie Author Books |
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