Review by Fictions Mistress -- Raven's Peak by Lincoln Cole

[Fictions Mistress]

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

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3 out of 4 stars

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I am a massive fan of both the fantasy and paranormal genres. But when the two intertwine, that is when the true magic happens. Though it had its flaws, I was pleasantly surprised with Raven's Peak.

Raven's Peak may appear to be an unassuming mountain town, but within it lies a dark and ancient evil. Abigail, a young and fierce Hunter, is summoned to uncover the truth behind the rumored disturbances and deal with the threat at hand. But this threat is bigger than anyone could have anticipated. And thanks to a mysterious set of circumstances, Abigail has to look out for Haatim, the son of one of the most powerful people on the Council. But here's the catch: Haatim knows nothing of his family's involvement in the supernatural world. These two unlikely allies will have to trust each other against all odds and their natural instincts. Can they work together to stop the evil from spreading, or is it too late?

What impressed me most about Raven's Peak was its pace. Many fantasy novels get too bogged down in specifics. Complexity is intriguing and almost necessary in the fantasy world, but over-describing can be the death of interest. Cole did not have this issue. I have never come across such an easy read in this genre. Each chapter captured my interest more than the last. Cole somehow managed to keep the audience both informed and in the dark, entrancing them with every page. It's an incredibly difficult book to put down.

The combination of action, magic, and spiritualism balanced beautifully. While Raven's Peak focuses on a very specific endeavor, it's clear just how vast this world is. With this book offering a taste of a colorful, enchanting, and sometimes horrifying world, Cole leaves you literally begging for more. And while religion and spirituality has a large role to play, the concept of a higher power is not shoved down your throat. It adds to the magic more than takes away from it.

Though the plot itself is intriguing enough, what really hooks the audience in is one of the protagonists: Abigail. Young, brave, and selfless, Abigail is a skilled fighter who fights demons in the outside world as well as within herself. Abigail is like a mixture of Buffy and a Shadowhunter. And quite frankly, it was so refreshing to see a female taking the lead! Fantasy tends to have a stock hero, almost always male, but Abigail breaks away from that. And not only can she hold her own, she is almost always saving Haatim. She's extremely well developed, someone I would love to read more about.

That being said, Haatim was a little under-developed for my taste. There were sudden changes in his character that, had they been built up throughout the story, would have been more emotional and more climactic. Haatim had the potential to resonate with the audience, and had Cole spent the time developing him further in Raven's Peak, it would have pushed the book's rating a little bit higher.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Raven's Peak. I found a few instances of missing punctuation, incorrect pronouns, as well as a couple of other errors. All mistakes that could have been easily remedied with a little more care. But in terms of the plot, I personally can't wait to see what happens next. I definitely can't wait to read more about Abigail. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars and would recommend it to all fantasy/paranormal fans. Even if you haven't read these genres, Raven's Peak is a great way to ease yourself into them.

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

[geoffrey ngoima]

I'd like an easy to read a "combination of action, magic, and spiritualism," I've become a softcore reader, ..a wow review you have here, I'm sure lining this for reading

[KlareAllison]

Raven's Peak sounds complex and intriguing from this review. Like Fictions Mistress rightly pointed out, this book will appeal to fantasy/paranormal fans. The review? Good job!