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MY REVIEW
‘Better to die with light than live in the darkness.’
“All great revolutions and movements start with a few people meeting in secret, hatching plans to change their worlds. More often than not, it ended in failure and the death of those involved.”
A prophecy: A boy made of light will end Eden from the darkness and break the curse that strangles it and the world.
It has been a while since I read the last book in the series, Ghost King, but everything came back to me pretty quick. It all began when someone dreamed up The Red Death (Book I), a plague that quickly took over the world.
“…We treated the world so shabbily that is was bound to fight back…”
I love books that hint at the real world, yet keep me living the fantasy.
I have almost two pages of notes and I know I can’t use them all. It would spoil everything for those who want to enter the world of The Red Death. The Red Death kills all those who were in their twenties and older. Everything is connected. If one world falls, they all fall, so the darkness must be faced head on. It starts with Eden.
We first meet Thorn and Rose, as they look out at Eden, hoping to have found a home, but it was not to be. As they travel through life, they are complete opposites and end up with opposing goals. Thorn had grown tired of war, but Rose was so driven to take Eden, he wondered why?
Thorn and Rose are the Immortals…chosen by the Devil. Wilky has come a long way, from a bumbling young man who couldn’t communicate, to a king. The Painted Ones, The Cursed Tribe…they were counting on Wilky and Aaliss to save them, and what they would do would cross all realms.
Aaliss had felt the Creator had deserted her because she was surrounded by death and then, Wilky returns from the Ghost Rider’s realm, a grown man. They needed to return to Eden to stop her uncle and his evil plans. He was a traitor. Aaliss is in love with Eamon, but when his father died, he became king and they both had a different road to take. Would they come together in the end?
I love this: Man had their chance and had screwed up the world so badly, it would take a girl to set things right. Could that apply to today?
“…for all who passed, so we can live in the light.”
I know not all will survive and when they called off the names of those who had fallen, I shared their sorrow. Much was sacrificed for those who chose to do the right thing.
The story was unpredictable, the battles crossed realms, the characters ranged from evil to angelic, the magic crossed all boundaries, the prophecy came to life and The Red Death…well, you will need to get the details for yourself. The series is complete, the story told and the characters live on…in everyone’s mind who has read it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Immortals by Jeff Altabef.
GOODREADS BLURB
Most believe the Immortals are a myth, a folk story meant to frighten children, but Wilky and Aaliss discover the truth is even more frightening than the myths.
Wilky, once a boy filled with light and a healer, is now the Ghost King, drawn to darkness and violence. As powerful enemies descend on Eden, he must find another, the true child of light, to help him save Eden and keep the world from descending into darkness. Does he have time? Can he still be trusted? Will he instead succumb to power and darkness?
Meanwhile, Aaliss is pushed to the limit to bring justice to Eden, and joins with the most unlikely of allies. In the end, she must accept the magic inside her, or all will be lost. Will she pass her ultimate test?
EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS the thrilling conclusion to the multiple award-winning “Red Death” series of epic fantasy/dystopian adventures, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very last page.
ABOUT JEFF ALTABEF (from Amazon)
Jeff Altabef lives in New York with his wife, two daughters, and Charlie the dog. He spends time volunteering at the writing center in the local community college. After years of being accused of “telling stories,” he thought he would make it official. He writes in both the thriller and young adult genres. Fourteenth Colony, a political thriller, was his debut novel. Shatter Point, a thriller, published by Evolved Publishing was his second novel. It won the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Best Thriller, Fall 2014.
Jeff’s first Young Adult novel, Wind Catcher: A Chosen Novel, is being published on March 23rd by Evolved Publishing. He’s very happy and proud that his co-author is his teenaged daughter, Erynn Altabef. Wind Catcher has won the 2015 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal for Coming of Age Novels, the 2015 Beverly Hills Book Award for Best YA Fiction and a Mom’s Choice Award.
As an avid Knicks fan, Jeff is prone to long periods of melancholy during hoops season. Jeff has a column on The Examiner focused on writing and a blog designed to encourage writing by those who like telling stories.
You can follow Jeff on Facebook, Twitter, or join his newsletter!
MY JEFF ALTABEF REVIEWS
Thanks for the well-written, thoughtful review. I’m happy you enjoyed the series. This one was particularly fun to write. I love King Arthur and Merlin!