Thursday 15 October 2015

(Book) Stop, Hammer Time! A look at Soulless Monk


As you can see, this is the second instalment of the Inquisitor Series. 

When we last left Brother Sebastian, he'd been given a ring that was reserved for Hammers. Hammers are like the Red Berets of the Clergy. They attempt to Purge the toughest things that go bump in the night. 

But it's not all roses. A Bishop has had his name besmirched, so Sebastian has to leave New England under the wing of Clergyman heavy hitter Brother Malachi. 

The story formula changes up with the inclusion of former monk James. Reading the chapters from his perspective was like looking at the other side of the coin. He seemed emotionally distant not just out of necessity, but also because he completely disregarded human life in exchange for power. 

It's almost as if he traded his soul or something! 

I enjoyed reading both Sebastian's and James' paths. Though they end up in very different places from what I expected, it was still emotionally satisfying. 

Thaddeus is a great bad guy, but his henchmen seem a lot like those bumbling gooks from Saturday morning cartoons. Their incompetence is probably the real reason that Thaddeus failed. Not so much a critique as an observation.  

Though, I never expected to get so attached to one of the summoned creatures the magi are capable of summoning. Without saying much, I found him incredibly likeable and was legitimately sad when it died.

The detail throughout the story kept me engaged and the pacing was so quick that I had to take breaks to pace myself. 

I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure my favourite character so far is Brother Malachi.

The dangerous thing about sequels is that you need to find a way to ramp up the action and the tension without going too big, too quickly. 

Soulless Monk found a great balance of raising tension without going too big. 

It's a visceral journey that makes Catholicism look cool and goes from 0-60 in a matter of pages.

I can't wait for the third book.

5 Stars

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