Review by greenstripedgiraffe -- Raven's Peak

[Joy Boudreau]

[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 by Lincoln Cole is a curious mix of horror and thriller. The prologue introduces Arthur but does not give the reason for his stay in a solitary cell nor how long he has been there. Unknown to her superiors, a “hunter” (demon fighter) named Frieda sets Arthur free and sends him on a mission to rescue another hunter named Abigail. The ensuing battle with a powerful demon comes to a stunning yet unsatisfactory end. Months later, Abigail has yet to remember the events leading up to her possession and rescue, while Arthur remains missing.

Meanwhile, George hires Haatim, a young college student, as an amateur sleuth. George explains that a beautiful girl (Abigail) is stalking him with an intent to kill. Although this situation does not make sense to Haatim, he is glad for “easy money.” This mysterious adventure gives some purpose to Haatim’s life after having lost his younger sister to cancer but also pulls him into a dangerous life of intrigue. Haatim becomes the target of a powerful group that nearly succeeds in killing him more than once. Under the guise of keeping him safe, Abigail manages to convince an unwilling Haatim to leave his comfortable home and join her as she travels to the town of Raven’s Peak to check on reports of supernatural activity.

Raven’s Peak includes themes of good vs. evil and the importance of faith. The author’s take on fighting demons was intriguing to me. Along with real weapons, Abigail uses rare herbs and “sanctified” items such as holy water. However, the most effective “weapon” in the hunter’s arsenal is simple faith. Consequently, the book has a feeling of stepping back into a time when excommunications were a regular part of priestly duty.

Although I do not generally gravitate to stories about demons, I found this novel by Lincoln Cole so riveting, I could hardly put it down. Lincoln Cole is a master of both pace and suspense as he cleverly intertwines several story threads. Overall, I like how Cole introduces and develops the characters. My favorite character is Haatim, as he underwent the biggest transformation throughout the book. Being chased by something supernatural definitely goes beyond the realm of normal, yet Haatim reacted realistically, given the circumstances! Although I would recommend Raven’s Peak to a wide audience range, I hesitate to recommend it to the junior high crowd or younger, due to some described violence.

Despite this being the first book in a series, I felt it was nearly a stand-alone novel. My only complaint was that the beginning seemed to assume some knowledge that I did not have, such as why Arthur was locked up and who and what is the Council. After I read Raven’s Peak, I discovered that Lincoln Cole wrote another series dealing with earlier events. Thankfully, this lack of knowledge did not hinder my enjoyment of the book. I am glad to give it 4 out of 4 stars.

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Raven's Peak
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