Title: The Dire KingAuthor: William Ritter
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy
Published: August 22, 2017
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Pages: 352
Goodreads
Synopsis
The thrilling conclusion to the New York Times best-selling series the Chicago Tribune called “Sherlock Holmes crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer” sends the eccentric detective and his indispensible assistant into the heart of a war between magical worlds.
The fate of the world is in the hands of detective of the supernatural R. F. Jackaby and his intrepid assistant, Abigail Rook. An evil king is turning ancient tensions into modern strife, using a blend of magic and technology to push Earth and the Otherworld into a mortal competition. Jackaby and Abigail are caught in the middle as they continue to solve the daily mysteries of New Fiddleham, New England — like who’s created the rend between the worlds, how to close it, and why zombies are appearing around. At the same time, the romance between Abigail and the shape-shifting police detective Charlie Cane deepens, and Jackaby’s resistance to his feelings for 926 Augur Lane’s ghostly lady, Jenny, begins to give way. Before the four can think about their own futures, they will have to defeat an evil that wants to destroy the future altogether.
The epic conclusion to the New York Times best-selling Jackaby series features sly humor and a quirky cast of unforgettable characters as they face off against their most dangerous, bone-chilling foe ever.
The fate of the world is in the hands of detective of the supernatural R. F. Jackaby and his intrepid assistant, Abigail Rook. An evil king is turning ancient tensions into modern strife, using a blend of magic and technology to push Earth and the Otherworld into a mortal competition. Jackaby and Abigail are caught in the middle as they continue to solve the daily mysteries of New Fiddleham, New England — like who’s created the rend between the worlds, how to close it, and why zombies are appearing around. At the same time, the romance between Abigail and the shape-shifting police detective Charlie Cane deepens, and Jackaby’s resistance to his feelings for 926 Augur Lane’s ghostly lady, Jenny, begins to give way. Before the four can think about their own futures, they will have to defeat an evil that wants to destroy the future altogether.
The epic conclusion to the New York Times best-selling Jackaby series features sly humor and a quirky cast of unforgettable characters as they face off against their most dangerous, bone-chilling foe ever.
Sneak Peek Review
I received a copy of this sneak peek from Algonquin Young Readers through Netgalley. This is my honest review.
First of all, it should be mentioned that this is the 4th book in a series. I didn't realize that when I got the sneak peek (I can be a bit oblivious at times), or when I started reading it, although there were some clues in the story to indicate that it might not be the first book. That being said, I didn't feel like I needed to read the previous three books to understand what was happening, even at the beginning of this particular tale. I may go back and read them now though because this sneak peek has me absolutely intrigued about the world that Mr. Ritter has created.
Obviously I'd have a much better understanding of this particular world if I had already read the first three books, so there are some details that I'm a little bit fuzzy on right now. There's a good chance that many of them will be cleared up in this book itself, although I cannot say for sure. It just doesn't spend the first five chapters straight up world building, which is a good thing, because the action and mystery that were the focus of the first few chapters helps to draw you into the story.
I'm struggling a little to keep some of the creatures and their names straight at the moment (but that's a me problem I think). That being said, I'm currently not a fan of Arwan (?) the king of the fairies (?). He seems like a pretentious jerk, but I have a feeling he'll get his comeuppance before this tale is through. I'd really like to see that, so I'm probably going to have to buy this book at some point to finish reading it, just in the hopes that my prediction comes to pass.
Would I buy this book on release day? No because I'm the kind of person that likes to read whole series (although I rarely seem to, and I often read them out of order), and since I haven't read the previous three books yet and won't have had time to do so before release day, there is no reason for a release day purchase on my part. It is going on my wish list though for future consideration when time and finances allow. - Katie
Buy the Book
About the Author
William Ritter is an Oregon author and educator. He is the proud father of the two bravest boys in the Wild Wood, and husband to the indomitable Queen of the Deep Dark. He is the author of the acclaimed New York Times bestselling Jackaby series.
No comments:
Post a Comment