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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