Monsters (The Order Saga, Book 2 by Brian McKinley 4/5 stars Publisher: Amazon Digital Services Length: 29 pages Format: Kindle
Goodreads: Alia Cheveyo...moreMonsters (The Order Saga, Book 2 by Brian McKinley 4/5 stars Publisher: Amazon Digital Services Length: 29 pages Format: Kindle
Goodreads: Alia Cheveyo has left her home to join with a group of strangers who share an extraordinary power, but is this power something that Alia can bear to use? When they attack a group of vampire mobsters in Las Vegas, Alia must decide who are the real monsters... NOTE: This is a short story and is a sequel to "The Chermasu" which you might want to read first, though it is not necessary.
I have to admit I didn’t love Monsters as much as I enjoyed The Chermasu. While it continues Alia’s story, she played a less prominent role. The focus here was on the Vegas vampires.
Las Vegas is a blight. That is the third sentence in this short story and how accurate it is. It a city full of sin that never sleeps, it’s not so farfetched to think that vampires could rule the town. It used to be run by the mob in its heyday, anyway. Heck, for all we know, there’s some crazy underground group of vampires trying to get control. There’s an entire city of homeless people living under downtown, so why not vampires?
Everything in Monsters happens quickly, right up to the point when Alia, Red Feather, and the rest of the Navajo people return to their camp. Things slow down then and the story starts to feel incomplete. That being said, the characters were well-developed and I felt like I got to know each of them in the short amount of time I spent with the story.
Both Monsters and The Chermasu are great lead-ins to Ancient Blood, but stand on their own.
Disclaimer: I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for my review.
A good telling of a classic tale, but honestly, it good have been have the length and gotten the job done. There was a ton of repetition. The book was...moreA good telling of a classic tale, but honestly, it good have been have the length and gotten the job done. There was a ton of repetition. The book was also poorly edited.(less)
The Chermasu (The Order Saga, Book 1) by Brian McKinley 5/5 stars Publisher: Amazon Digital Services Length: 29 pages Format: Kindle
Goodreads: When the...moreThe Chermasu (The Order Saga, Book 1) by Brian McKinley 5/5 stars Publisher: Amazon Digital Services Length: 29 pages Format: Kindle
Goodreads: When the strange old man came to Alia Cheveyo's home on Third Mesa, she had no idea that her life was about to change forever. Taking her to his Canyon de Chelly hogan, he guides her through a spirit journey that will introduce her to a lineage she never knew existed. Now, she will have to make a choice: will she accept this strange new knowledge and go where it leads her or cling to the way of life she loves?
To me, a sign of a good book is one that leaves me wanting more, no matter the length. The Chermasu was one such book. Although I’ve never really been interested in Native Americans, this book may have been the one to pique my interest.
Dreams are very powerful, very specific things. Alia has powerful dreams about her mother and things that may have happened in the past. When Alia meets Red Feather, she is taken on a journey she never anticipates. I vaguely remember learning about spirit journeys in college, maybe in my women’s studies class.
I tried to read Ancient Blood, which is Mr. McKinley’s first full-length novel in the Order Saga, but it was giving me major nightmares (which I have anyway. The book just made them much worse). Reading The Chermasu was much better for me and I enjoyed it. It’s obvious he’s done his research about the Navajo and Hopi Native Americans. The details were present in his descriptions of both Alia’s home and Red Feather’s hut. I could clearly imagine this book taking place in Arizona or New Mexico.
I should mention that while this is part of the Order Saga, it has nothing to do with Ancient Blood. It mentions vampires, referring to them as blood-drinkers, but none of the characters are the same and the setting is completely different. Also, despite it’s short length, the characters (all two of them) were fleshed out and I really felt like I was able to get to know both Alia and Red Feather during the story. I would love to see Alia’s story continued in a full-length novel.
Disclaimer: I purchased this book directly from Amazon. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for my review in any way.
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