Carbon: Session 02 – Forsaken Fates by Jason J. Berg
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Yet Arin never quits moving forward, and though he is under the constant threat of the invader, he never allows a morsel of respite to be taken for himself, or for the enemy.

Arin is changing. Due to the demon blood from the tainted katana and then from Shenmaru, his quest for vengeance takes a turn towards survival – not for himself, but from those he once lived with in the town of Sunnfal. Desperate to get away before killing someone, Arin takes his tortured body into the surrounding forest. Still wanting to rid the world of demons, he slaughters any he find, while the mysterious man, Vail, brings word of Arin’s deeds to the Council.

Continuing where Session 01 left off and containing much of the same qualities of the previous book, Session 02 expands upon the cast of characters. The mysterious man, Vail, has a larger part to play in this story than first hinted at, and Arin meets another interesting creature that he calls Regret. The world continues to expand, the artwork lending visually to the action portrayed. Still, the ending isn’t really an end, but more like a beginning to the bigger plot arch.

Quick and manga-esque, Carbon follows one man’s quest for vengeance that changes into his quest for saving his people from the monsters of the world – including the one he’s becoming.

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The Black Orb by Sabine A. Reed
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Don’t mistake me for a lady, old man, or that might be the last mistake you’ll ever make.

Aria has been searching for her brother for several weeks when she finds out he’s been taken prisoner by the Queen. In her desperation to bring back her only family member, Aria places her trust in Bikkar after he aids in her escape of the guards. They head to the seat of the throne, only to find Aria’s brother has been put under the spell of the Black Orb, leaving him a mindless husk intent on serving the Queen. To rid the world of the Queen’s rule, Aria and Bikkar travel to the end of the kingdom in search of the Dragon Claw, a magical item to break the Black Orb – and her only hope at getting her brother back.

While the world was very detailed, the characters were very simple. Aria only wants her brother back, and repeats this often. There were few minor characters that could have been developed further that would have helped flush out the story, yet Aria was a strong character and Bikkar was a nice compliment to her. The writing was very smooth: the places Aria and Bikkar went seemed to come alive. The ending, while nice and tidy, felt abrupt or forced, the climax too-quickly resolved.

With wonderful descriptions of the surrounding world and enough action to keep the plot moving nicely, The Black Orb is a quick fantasy story that readers can get lost within its pages.

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On Dark Shores 2: The Other Nereia by J.A. Clement
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“We of Scarlock, we stick together. That is how we survive.”

Nereia is faced with a difficult choice – accept the Other Nereia and stay to protect Mary, or drift away from the beating Copeland gave her. The Other Nereia talks of making the dark waters sweet again, instead of the bitter waters they have become, and Nereia is tasked with completing this. Confused but determined, Nereia must accept that she still has some part yet to play…

Copeland has a plan for Blakey, and Blakey doesn’t think he likes where it’s leading. Down below in the caves, Blakey learns of Copeland’s secrets, including that of the Archangel. But what can he do to stop it?

Picking up where the first book left off, book two is also richly written and full of vividness. The characters continue to grow and evolve, changing from meek-seeming and battered to firmer of will and full of purpose. There is a bit of history added into this book, explaining a bit about Nereia’s past and giving insights into how her and Mary came to be under Copeland’s thumb.

As if Copeland and his decent into madness wasn’t enough, soldiers have come to town, threatening to find Vansel, Mickel and others of their company before their plans can be completed. And, while not seen much in this book either, the Mother is still playing a crucial role in the events of Scarlock. Some new players come on the scene as well, adding to the realness of the town setting and to the drama surrounding it.

What a twisted tale is being woven here. Dark, mysterious, suspenseful, and engaging, On Dark Shores: Other Nereia continues to follow Nereia and the others as change comes to Scarlock – and change isn’t always good.

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The Mission by Bill Talcott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I look at the stars every night and think about home…

The leader of the Undead – a group of mercenaries – agrees to take Darkblood with them, against his better judgement when they are tasked with taking a dying scientist to the planet Valdorion in search of a cure. Once they’ve arrived, Darkblood is given the task of protecting the scientist, which also gives him a small amount of protection. Soon, the mission falls apart, and Darkblood slowly learns what the real mission was – and how he can stop it.

Set in a beautiful world similar to ours, the language making it easy to envision the surroundings and the people. The interactions of the different characters clearly defines each of them – and they are all clearly different. Mostly through dialogue, the characters come to life, encouraging the reader to feel right along with them. The tough decisions made and the depth of emotion shown add to the complexity of Darkblood et al, making them very “real” and relatable.

Undertones of friendship, loyalty, love and loss, as well as conspiracy and treachery, abound as the cast of characters grow before the reader’s eyes. Masterfully interwoven between the characters, The Mission is a quick read with a vivid world that can easily entertain more stories, as well as the reader.

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