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The Vanguard #3
The War We Make
Can the Vanguard survive as empires based on human trafficing rise, and the machinations of a vicious shadow government step boldly into the light, leaving their king lost, to suffer an unknown fate!
When weapons technology was trapped in the dark ages, and the nation collapsed, the crisis forced Chessed to pick up his sword to fight for his community. His actions sparked a rebellion and gave birth to the kingdom of Vanguard! After securing his borders in Connecticut, and winning a crushing victory in New York, King Chessed attends a victory celebration and disappears! Left to pick up the pieces, Khalise must cope with the loss of her lover, and the father of her children managing her depression and anxiety, to rise up, fix her crown and take her place as warrior queen her nation needs! Leaving a team of heroes to search a post-collapse New York City for their missing king, Khalise carries Chessed's banner to war!
Perfect for anyone craving reads like A Game of Thrones, or those looking for books like The Rage of Dragons, The War We Make delivers dark military fantasy that combines fast paced action with gritty worldbuilding steeped in war, magic, betrayal, and conspiracy! Beautifully rendered with expert storytelling, this emotional rollercoaster is sure to be a top ten fantasy read! African American fiction rising star, Chase Bolling’s third installment of The Vanguard series takes readers on a harrowing journey with characters that feel like family, for an unforgettable epic adventure!
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2020
4 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Chase Bolling
9 books7 followersBorn and raised in Bridgeport Connecticut with a strong connection to his Afro-Indigenous roots , family tradition of activism and a love of science and history. A childhood fascination with historical fiction began his life long affinity for fantasy and science fiction books and movies. His eclectic tastes now extend from Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and the MCU, to anime series like Bleach, Naruto, and Gundam Wing.
As an avid reader Chase counts authors like Milton Davis, Steven Erickson, Glen Cook, Miles Cameron, and Gregory Keyes among his favorite authors and top literary influences. If you want to know more connect with on Tiktok @lordofawonju
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 16, 2020
The War We Make (First Book of the Vanguard II) – Chase Bolling
I was given an advance copy of this book by the author in order to provide and honest review.
Chase Bolling is an African American author who has written “The Road to Resistance (First Book of the Vanguard I)”.
Chessed has been betrayed and no-one, not his wife Khalise or his Ile-Se, has any idea where he is or what is being done to him, though they have a fair idea just who is responsible for his sudden disappearance.
Powers was the last person to be seen in Chessed’s presence before his disappearance, yet he is vehemently denying any and all involvement and any knowledge of King Chessed’s whereabouts. Sadly, all searches have coming up empty and are proving futile.
Khalise is a tumult of emotions since the loss of her beloved Chessed. But she knows she and the Vanguard must continue on and carry out the plans that Chessed had laid out so carefully for them all, otherwise it would have all been for nothing. So Khalise, her Lionesses and the Vanguard push on, determined to continue making the earth a better place for all, see the vision of the Vanguard continue on.
Thought she does not forget about Chessed, tasking his elite and most trusted warriors to go forth and covertly uncover any and all information pertaining to his whereabouts and exactly who is responsible for his disappearance. On a mission to bring back their King and stop the Vanguard from becoming another crumbling empire, they make a risky alliance that would either help them find Chessed or with them all sacrificing their lives.
All the while Chessed is trapped in what seems to be his living hell on earth, subject to the twisted will of Powers. Trying to stay sane and separate reality from the visions they were forcing into his consciousness. Being beaten and brutally tortured while being denied basic necessities such as food and water made every day and every hour a struggle to live and hold onto himself. Yet what Powers was struggling to realise, Chessed wasn’t someone who could easily be broken. He is who he is and became the person that he was through survival and he would do everything in his power to survive this.
Time will tell if Chessed’s will is strong enough for him to survive and hold on until his Ile-Ise find him or if he will become something entirely broken and different from what they knew.
“The War We Make” is a thrilling and action-packed tale of betrayal and survival. The way the author is able to write such a vivid picture of the horrific struggle with Chessed and the torture and degradation he is put through. This really enables the reader to feel as though they are not just reading about these acts but actually suffering them alongside Chessed. You are also able to feel the heartbreak of dear Khalise and the sorrow and shame felt by members of the Vanguard for having lost their King in the first place.
But the ending – major cliff hanger, it guarantees you will be chomping at the bit for the next chapter in the story of the Vanguard.
I was given an advance copy of this book by the author in order to provide and honest review.
Chase Bolling is an African American author who has written “The Road to Resistance (First Book of the Vanguard I)”.
Chessed has been betrayed and no-one, not his wife Khalise or his Ile-Se, has any idea where he is or what is being done to him, though they have a fair idea just who is responsible for his sudden disappearance.
Powers was the last person to be seen in Chessed’s presence before his disappearance, yet he is vehemently denying any and all involvement and any knowledge of King Chessed’s whereabouts. Sadly, all searches have coming up empty and are proving futile.
Khalise is a tumult of emotions since the loss of her beloved Chessed. But she knows she and the Vanguard must continue on and carry out the plans that Chessed had laid out so carefully for them all, otherwise it would have all been for nothing. So Khalise, her Lionesses and the Vanguard push on, determined to continue making the earth a better place for all, see the vision of the Vanguard continue on.
Thought she does not forget about Chessed, tasking his elite and most trusted warriors to go forth and covertly uncover any and all information pertaining to his whereabouts and exactly who is responsible for his disappearance. On a mission to bring back their King and stop the Vanguard from becoming another crumbling empire, they make a risky alliance that would either help them find Chessed or with them all sacrificing their lives.
All the while Chessed is trapped in what seems to be his living hell on earth, subject to the twisted will of Powers. Trying to stay sane and separate reality from the visions they were forcing into his consciousness. Being beaten and brutally tortured while being denied basic necessities such as food and water made every day and every hour a struggle to live and hold onto himself. Yet what Powers was struggling to realise, Chessed wasn’t someone who could easily be broken. He is who he is and became the person that he was through survival and he would do everything in his power to survive this.
Time will tell if Chessed’s will is strong enough for him to survive and hold on until his Ile-Ise find him or if he will become something entirely broken and different from what they knew.
“The War We Make” is a thrilling and action-packed tale of betrayal and survival. The way the author is able to write such a vivid picture of the horrific struggle with Chessed and the torture and degradation he is put through. This really enables the reader to feel as though they are not just reading about these acts but actually suffering them alongside Chessed. You are also able to feel the heartbreak of dear Khalise and the sorrow and shame felt by members of the Vanguard for having lost their King in the first place.
But the ending – major cliff hanger, it guarantees you will be chomping at the bit for the next chapter in the story of the Vanguard.
October 14, 2020
Confession: I was never really a dystopian/fantasy novel fan until I read the first book in this series, The Road of Resistance. I was immediately pulled in because it was a sweeping epic fantasy...with Black people as the MAIN characters. So impressed was I with the first book that I had the author on my podcast.
So, naturally, when the second book in the series was released I was all in. The War We Make was even more thrilling than The Road of Resistance. The saga continues as Khalise and the Vanguard are searching for King Chessed, who has disappeared.
The first book introduced us to The Vanguard who, in my opinion, is the new Camelot. The second book pulls us deeper into the world of the Vanguard and explains how African and Indigenous cultures are the foundation of the Mighty Brothahood (that's my pet name for The Vanguard).
Some have said that this book is a struggle for the soul of America. I say it's a technology experiment gone wrong with unforeseen circumstances that let the chickens come home to roost.
So, naturally, when the second book in the series was released I was all in. The War We Make was even more thrilling than The Road of Resistance. The saga continues as Khalise and the Vanguard are searching for King Chessed, who has disappeared.
The first book introduced us to The Vanguard who, in my opinion, is the new Camelot. The second book pulls us deeper into the world of the Vanguard and explains how African and Indigenous cultures are the foundation of the Mighty Brothahood (that's my pet name for The Vanguard).
Some have said that this book is a struggle for the soul of America. I say it's a technology experiment gone wrong with unforeseen circumstances that let the chickens come home to roost.
October 16, 2020
So reading this book was completely out of my norm and I gotta admit I’m glad I gave it a try! I gotta be honest it was a little hard for me to get into but that was because as I stated it was out of my norm! Sticking with it and reading all the way through opened my eyes to a new genre! This was Urban Fiction meets Fantasy!
Once I got into the storyline I couldn’t stop reading! Reading this book I was easily able to imagine the story play out in my head! It was kinda like watching a movie! This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I gotta admit I look forward to reading more!
Once I got into the storyline I couldn’t stop reading! Reading this book I was easily able to imagine the story play out in my head! It was kinda like watching a movie! This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I gotta admit I look forward to reading more!
October 16, 2020
This book kept me on my toes the whole way through. The plot was engaging and pulled me in. I was invested in the characters and wanted to see them reach their goals. I’ve read a lot of fantasy, and it was beautiful to see people of color being the main characters. I didn’t have to imagine people who looked like me. I would highly recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews