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

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Izesicle
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Review by Zbechamel -- Raven's Peak by Lincoln Cole

Post by Izesicle »

[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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Resolving an internal conflict can push a reluctant hero towards winning an external conflict.

The powerful prologue of Raven's Peak by Lincoln Cole has scenes reminiscent of Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series of thrillers. The Reverend wrestles with his doubts and guilt to ultimately push himself to do the best thing. This theme is repeated in the other main characters, Abigail and Haatim, as they battle the supernatural in the novel.

A series of events resulting from the Reverend's actions propel Abigail and Haatim to meet. Abigail is a highly-skilled warrior and unintentionally becomes Haatim's protector and breaker of news. As Haatim reflects on the revelations, the action moves them towards Raven's Peak. Abigail is forced to contend with buried memories herself and the two help each other with their unique set of skills.

This book was a very quick read to me due to the fast-paced plot with twists. If you like a bit of Constantine mixed with Langdon, you will definitely like this book. The ending is satisfactory and leaves room for a sequel, of which there are at least two. I am eager to read them as I am hoping to find out the continuation of the story. I'm also wishing for the back stories of the Reverend, the Order, and the Council.

The plot and the pace are the main reasons I am giving this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. In addition, the author uses similes quite well, for example "The blood dripping down his parched skin fulfilled him like biting into a juicy strawberry on a warm summer's day." It provides a vivid picture in the reader's mind. I too, laud the diversity of the fleshed-out main characters.

The book is a good representation of the thriller genre and can stand on its own. That said, it could be a bit more creative by using less genre generic terms like the Reverend, the Order, the Council, etc.. I understand that those terms don't require a lot of exposition to a reader familiar with the genre, but being a bit more creative would help the series stand out.

Overall, the book is quick read and a pageturner that will delight fans of supernatural thrillers and strong female characters. The author uses vivid similes but some jargon could be a bit less cookie-cutter. Raven's Peak is a good start for a series with a world that will hopefully be more established in the sequels.

******
Raven's Peak
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Post by gali »

I have read it and liked it, but I rated it 3 stars due to lack of depth and the unsatisfying ending. It was indeed a quick read. I am glad you enjoyed it. Nice review!
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Post by Izesicle »

gali wrote:I have read it and liked it, but I rated it 3 stars due to lack of depth and the unsatisfying ending. It was indeed a quick read. I am glad you enjoyed it. Nice review!
Thank you. Maybe I need to set the bar a little bit higher.
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Post by alwaysdaddygirl »

Kudos! I like how you include an example of the author writing. I am reading this book( I read many books at a time.) The ending leaves me confused. Why? I think way outside the box. The story was okay. I gave it 3 stars. In ways it also reminded of character Robert Landgon. For me, there is only one Robert Landgon.

I picked this book for a review too. You truly have good writing skills. You wrote this better then I could. I have no problem of admiting that. I prefer things not to be sugar coated and I hate brownie kissing.

-- 14 Jul 2017, 01:36 --
Izesicle wrote:
gali wrote:I have read it and liked it, but I rated it 3 stars due to lack of depth and the unsatisfying ending. It was indeed a quick read. I am glad you enjoyed it. Nice review!
Thank you. Maybe I need to set the bar a little bit higher.
May I ask why you think that way?

???
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Post by Izesicle »

alwaysdaddygirl wrote:Kudos! I like how you include an example of the author writing. I am reading this book( I read many books at a time.) The ending leaves me confused. Why? I think way outside the box. The story was okay. I gave it 3 stars. In ways it also reminded of character Robert Landgon. For me, there is only one Robert Landgon.

I picked this book for a review too. You truly have good writing skills. You wrote this better then I could. I have no problem of admiting that. I prefer things not to be sugar coated and I hate brownie kissing.

-- 14 Jul 2017, 01:36 --
Izesicle wrote:
gali wrote:I have read it and liked it, but I rated it 3 stars due to lack of depth and the unsatisfying ending. It was indeed a quick read. I am glad you enjoyed it. Nice review!
Thank you. Maybe I need to set the bar a little bit higher.
May I ask why you think that way?

???
Thank you very much for your sweet comment on my writing. Regarding your question, both gali and you said that it was nothing spectacular, so you gave it a 3 rating. If I gave this book a 4 rating and a spectacular book the same rating, it would not be fair so I have to raise the bar.
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Post by Kelebogile Mbangi »

I like books with a fast pace, and since you say its a page turner perhaps I should consider reading this. Thanks for the review Izesicle :)
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Post by Izesicle »

Kelebogile Mbangi wrote:I like books with a fast pace, and since you say its a page turner perhaps I should consider reading this. Thanks for the review Izesicle :)
you're welcome!
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Post by CassyS »

I'm glad you say it is a fast-paced book. I get bored way too easily when the story line starts to go stagnant. And I was a huge fan of the Robert Langdon series, so I most definitely will have to check this one out. Thanks for the review!
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Post by John Cand »

Nice review! I read this novel and also enjoyed the fast pace writing style.
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Post by Izesicle »

CassyS wrote:I'm glad you say it is a fast-paced book. I get bored way too easily when the story line starts to go stagnant. And I was a huge fan of the Robert Langdon series, so I most definitely will have to check this one out. Thanks for the review!
I like the Langdon books too, although I was disappointed by Inferno. Thanks!

-- 21 Jul 2017, 04:43 --
John Cand wrote:Nice review! I read this novel and also enjoyed the fast pace writing style.
Thank you! I agree, it kind of reminds me of The Exorcist TV series.
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Post by Wael El-Manzalawy »

Hi Zbechamel,
Very good review. I also give the book 4 of 4 stars.
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Post by Izesicle »

Thanks, Wael. I definitely will check out your review. I like to calibrate with other reviewers.
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Post by Rosemary Okoko »

Congrats to the author for getting 4 stars. Sounds like a very interesting book to read. Thank you for this nice review.
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Post by Izesicle »

Thank you, Rosemary. It was a fun read.
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Post by Donatelloo »

I started reading this novel but didn't finish it because I lost interest. But your review makes me think I should have completed this novel
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