Official Review: Darksoul by L. Brooks

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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Darksoul" by L. Brooks.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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On a cold rainy night in a dark alley, Orion Stormgod is viciously gunned down alongside his business partner and best friend, Sam Pillman. Sam does not make it. His body riddled with bullets, and at death’s door, Orion welcomes a stranger’s gift of life by accepting the Darksoul as his own. The Darksoul is a powerful entity, as ancient as creation. Imbued with this newfound power, Orion sets out on a bloody path of revenge.

Across the seas, an archaeological team unwittingly resurrects an Egyptian pharaoh who calls himself Soulchaser. An evil being who was banished by his people, Soulchaser craves Darksoul’s life-force for himself and may just be powerful enough to get it.

With murderous enemies coming at him from all sides, will Orion prevail, or will these combined threats prove to be a little too much to handle? In the battle to come, no one is safe, and this is only the beginning.

Darksoul is an utterly captivating urban fantasy thriller by L. Brooks. I received a copy of the revised master for this review, and there were minor errors in the editing, enough to deduct a star. However, they were not enough to detract from the quality of the story.

If Darksoul were to be adapted for the big screen, I would pay to watch it. The cinematic appeal is undeniable. You have the unlikeliest of characters bequeathed with this unimaginable power, and you have no idea how it is going to play out. I was quite impressed with the authenticity and execution of the plot. To say the book was a page-turner would be an understatement. My bias may lie in the fact that I enjoy books with supernatural elements, but Darksoul was an enthralling read, and I look forward to more books like this from the author.

The characters, both major and minor, were well portrayed with clear motives to make their actions relatable. The plot was peppered with more than its fair share of f-bombs and more in the strong language department. Nevertheless, the dialogue, which was also sometimes witty, certainly stood out and felt real for the context of the story.

Additionally, I was intrigued by the author’s point regarding darkness. According to him, due to political reasons, and for fear of the unknown, darkness has caught a bum rap. Darkness is the essence of all things, including light. There is no light without darkness, and it is all-encompassing and infinite. That does not necessarily make it evil.

My only critique is concerning the writing. Overall, the story flowed well and was easy to follow. However, the amount and frequency of big words used were unnecessary and a tad distracting. The fact that it also made some of the characters appear to have majored in English simply did not sit well with the narrative. On the other hand, it was amusing to hear a sentence like “It’s pellucid our ilk is persona non grata...”; that is after I was able to determine what pellucid meant. In the context the sentence appeared, my initial assumption was that it was a code of sorts because I was not sure what the term meant. Additionally, I did learn a ton of new words to add to my vocabulary. For instance, pellucid means transparent or clear.

Darksoul more than earned its 3 out of 4 stars rating, and I strongly recommend this book to fans of high action urban fantasy or anyone in the mood for a book about an unlikely urban superhero. The book contains strong language and graphic depictions of violence and sex, making it unsuitable for children.

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Darksoul
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[Joan642]

From your nicely written review, I think this book is a fast paced, action packed thriller with a nice storyline.

[Tablito]

For Orion to set out on a dangerous mission to avenge Sam's death, the two must have been really close friends.

[Chigo Nwagboso]

I love it when a book is engagaging and fast paced. Great review.

[SamaylaM]

A fantasy book such as this, sounds like a thrilling read. Loved reading your elaborate review and your mention of the author's point regarding darkness. I agree as well that there is no light without darkness. Marvelous review!

[NetMassimo]

A fantasy novel that involves an Egyptian pharao is certainly interesting for me. Thank you for your great review!

[HannahsReads]

I love that you describe this book as having "cinematic appeal!" I agree that the plot sounds thrilling. I like urban fantasy a lot and would enjoy reading this one.

[Serenity2010]

This book seems it's along the lines of Supernatural. I really like books like this. Thanks is for the in-depth review.

[Pearl Akpan]

I’m drawn to this fast-paced thriller with a paranormal twist. I’d like to understand how the characters develop and how the rising actions build up to a climax.

Great review!

[Rita Nuncia]

I love books like this! A fantasy with action is always a good read for me. A well detailed review. Nice work!