Official Review: The World Without Arkhalla

[Kristy Khem]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The World Without Arkhalla" by Abraham Kawa & Arahom Radjah.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The second installment of Arkahalla’s Trilogy by Arahom Radjah and Abraham Kawa continues the story of Ur after the death of the great vampire queen, Arkhalla. Aptly named,The World Without Arkhalla describes how the major characters in the first book deal with her death ten years later. Bel struggles to lead Ur as he is still plagued with guilt, Shamath is tortured by the loss of his true love, and Narama is heartbroken by Bel’s blinding obsession with Arkhalla even after her death. However, the cities are in disarray, the royal council is divided, humans have started to rebel against the vampire factions, and the ever cunning Sin plans to overthrow Bel and take Arkhalla’s throne by whatever means necessary even if it means risking an alliance with the human Akkadian king. War takes center-stage, but despite the gnashing of swords, betrayal, and trickery, rays of friendship, love, and justice begin to blossom.

After reading the first book in this series, I really became attached to the characters so I was excited to read the second part of the story. Whereas the first book had a concrete storyline regarding Arkhalla and Shamath, I was slightly disappointed that this one focused mostly on wars. However, it is rare to find the subjects of war and politics described so intricately and eloquently as they were in this book. This was what I enjoyed the most. My mind grew pleasurably dizzy with the multitude of war strategies, one of which involved the surprising element of quicksand. The realistic descriptions of combat also made me feel as if I were right there, fighting alongside the same army I was rooting for.

Another admirable thing about this book was its excellent characterization. I liked that the characters evolved through their experiences from the previous book. This provided many unexpected twists that left me astonished such as when Bel, a normally brave and respectable warrior, resorted to trickery to accomplish a horrible feat before fleeing like a coward in the midst of a battle. Shamath’s natural leadership qualities finally bloomed and I relished his newfound strength, purpose, and intelligence. On some occasions, I even found myself empathizing or admiring the villains, especially Sin, who was incredibly diplomatic but also sly as a fox.

Although I had some qualms at first because this book seemed like a brief interlude to the full story rather than a continuation, I still enjoyed reading about the war strategies and getting to know the characters more. I also appreciated that the novel contained only a few minor errors. I am awarding it 4 out of 4 stars for its excellent characterization, its intriguing descriptions of war, and its professional editing.

Readers who enjoy books about medieval wars, vampires, and gore will love this trilogy. It also has a resemblance to the Game of Thrones TV series in terms of its medieval setting, war tactics, and characters so fans of this show may enjoy reading it. However, The World Without Arkhalla is the second book in the trilogy and I would only recommend it to readers who have already read the first book because it cannot be read as a standalone.

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The World Without Arkhalla
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Like KristyKhem's review? Post a comment saying so!

[kandscreeley]

I was lucky enough to do an interview with one of the authors. It sounds like quite the story; I know a lot of research went into it. This one sounds just as good as the first. It's one I'm definitely going to have to pick up sooner or later. Thanks.

[Kristy Khem]

I was lucky enough to do an interview with one of the authors. It sounds like quite the story; I know a lot of research went into it. This one sounds just as good as the first. It's one I'm definitely going to have to pick up sooner or later. Thanks.

Really?! Wow, you are so lucky! I'm a major fan of these vampire novels. I haven't read anything as good as this (in the vampire genre) since Anne Rice's novels years ago. This story sucks you right in and it's hard to put down. I finished this one days ago and I still catch myself thinking about the characters!

[kandscreeley]

I was lucky enough to do an interview with one of the authors. It sounds like quite the story; I know a lot of research went into it. This one sounds just as good as the first. It's one I'm definitely going to have to pick up sooner or later. Thanks.

Really?! Wow, you are so lucky! I'm a major fan of these vampire novels. I haven't read anything as good as this (in the vampire genre) since Anne Rice's novels years ago. This story sucks you right in and it's hard to put down. I finished this one days ago and I still catch myself thinking about the characters!

You're in luck. The authors plan for it to be quite a long series.

[8amaseter]

As suggested in your review, it is better to start with the first book to appreciate the story more.

[DogoMulla]

This seems like a must-read. The intertwining of politics and war never goes boring. The hunger for power, love-hate relationships, casualties and repercussions...the list goes on. Excellent review.

[sri varshini303041]

Strong characters help readers to get involved in the plot. As a fan of Game of Thrones series, I think I would enjoy this book. Thank you for the passionate review. I am glad you enjoyed the book.

[Nisha Ward]

I'd initially passed over doing a review of the first book, mainly because I was looking for something out of my comfort zone, but this makes me want to go read the series. I like this kind of medieval-esque fantasy and I'd love to know how things turn out for the characters.

[kdstrack]

You had a definite advantage of knowing all the characters from the first book. Your high praise for the author's ability to maintain your interest is quite appealing. This is not one of my preferred genres, but your review makes me want to read this series. Great review!

[SunVixen]

Vampires, war and politics? Very interesting combination.
Thank you for the great review.