Review by joshfender -- Raven's Peak by Lincoln Cole

[joshmanzano]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Raven's Peak" by Lincoln Cole.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Raven’s Peak is a horror/thriller fiction novel written by Lincoln Cole. It is the first book in his World on Fire series. In this book, Cole touches upon themes such as religion, spirituality, and paranormality. While most books start slowly by introducing the characters at a relaxed pace, Raven’s Peak does it differently. The reader is immediately placed in a prison cell with a man named Arthur, also known as “The Reverend”. Much mystery surrounds Arthur; we do not know where he came from or what crime he has committed. We only know one fact; he is unrivaled at exorcising and defeating demons.

Haatim’s life changed when he meets a mysterious woman named Abigail. In a series of perilous events, she proves to Haatim that demons do exist. Filled with disbelief, he needs to deal with the fact that everything he has studied about demons and religion, is undoubtedly real. Haatim unwittingly joins Abigail in her mission to investigate Raven’s Peak, a small mountainside village where mysterious events were said to be happening. As they traverse closer to their destination, they find out that something more sinister is taking place at Raven’s Peak.

Raven’s Peak provides an interesting, open-minded perspective on the idea of God and religion in general. The way the story is paced kept me interested; it provided just enough information to allow me to understand what is happening, but not enough information to fully sate my curiosity. This prompted me to keep reading, to find out the answers to the mysteries presented. It never made the mistake to reveal too many answers, which would have made me lose interest. Whenever an answer is revealed, a mystery is also unveiled; which kept me hooked till the end. Action-packed scenes are also plentiful, which means that dull moments are rare.

It featured unique protagonists, in the form of Abigail and Haatim. While Abigail might seem to be the stereotypical strong character and Haatim the typical weak character, this is not entirely the case. She relies on Haatim more often than she likes to admit, and inevitably the unlikely duo work together efficiently. Their witty interactions are highly entertaining, which made their dialogues enjoyable to read.

The abrupt changes in narration in the novel mildly confused me at times, but it somehow helped give the feeling of looming; that something big was going to happen. It also provided me a way to understand the different character’s perspectives.

The ending of Raven’s Peak, while arguably predictable, did not diminish the story. It gave me the answers I needed, while still leaving room for the second book. It left me craving to read the sequel as soon as possible. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars; the combination of suspense, mystery, and wit is enough to make anyone interested. Overall a great read, would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or thriller book.

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Raven's Peak
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Like joshfender's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Sindhu Srinath]

Good review! I reviewed this book as well. Did you find the printing mistake wherein the first word of every chapter was split like this "H aatim"? Actually that was the only complaint I had about the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[joshmanzano]

Good review! I reviewed this book as well. Did you find the printing mistake wherein the first word of every chapter was split like this "H aatim"? Actually that was the only complaint I had about the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks! Yes I did notice that printing mistake. It confused me a little but I thought it was intentional. Nevertheless, it didn't stop me from enjoying the book, so I didn't mention it in the review.

[Sindhu Srinath]

I don't think it was intentional. It seems to be a printing mistake. Thanks for letting me know.

[Jaime Lync]

Great review. I actually don't remember noticing that reading mistake when I read and reviewed this but I do remember that Cole made the mistake of introducing a minor character with one name but soon after referring to him by another name - it was one of the college students in the cabin. Can't remember out my head nut I think I mentioned it in my review.

[joshmanzano]

Great review. I actually don't remember noticing that reading mistake when I read and reviewed this but I do remember that Cole made the mistake of introducing a minor character with one name but soon after referring to him by another name - it was one of the college students in the cabin. Can't remember out my head nut I think I mentioned it in my review.

Thank you. I don't recall if I ever noticed that mistake, I think I'll check it out later. Thanks for the information!

[Sindhu Srinath]

I don't remember this mistake either. Maybe I should revise it!

[joshmanzano]

I don't remember this mistake either. Maybe I should revise it!

I was reading the book earlier today and found the mistake. The names Derrick and Tim were interchanged with each other. It was really subtle and you would only notice it if you were paying attention to the names.

[Sindhu Srinath]

Hmmm...good observation!

[Janien van Rooyen]

Great review. This was certainly one of the best books I read!

[shish_by_design]

Nice...i like how you summarized the book to a perfect T. like you, i also enjoyed the one answer followed by a mystery, keeps you piqued to the end and you just cant put the book down unlesa you really have to