By Benedict Jacka
Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages
Released: August 27th 2013
Ace
I don’t publicly advertise that I’m a mage, but I don’t exactly hide it either, and one of the odd things I’ve learnt over the years is just how much you can get away with if you’re blatant enough. Hide something behind smoke and mirrors and make people work to find it, and they’ll tear the place down looking for what’s there.
Alex Verus is a diviner who can see probable futures—a talent that’s gotten him out of many a tough scrape. But this time, he may be in over his head. Alex was once apprenticed to a Dark mage, and in his service he did a lot of things he isn’t proud of.
As rumors swirl that his old master is coming back, Alex comes face to face with his misdeeds in the form of a young adept whose only goal is to get revenge. Alex has changed his life for the better, but he’s afraid of what his friends—including his apprentice, Luna—will think of his past. But if they’re going to put themselves at risk, they need to know exactly what kind of man they’re fighting for...
What do you do when you past comes back to haunt you? For Alex Verus he’s been known to run and hide, in order to live and fight another day. When his own fate weaving magic cannot tell him what’s coming his way, Alex needs to stop running and face up to what he has been hiding from.
In Chosen things take a turn to a darker side of Alex that we have not seen in the previous books. Alex is approached by a Keeper that wants confirmation to a rumor that is going around involving the return of his former master. Almost parallel to this news, Alex is confronted by a young man who has been tracking him for a few months. It doesn't take long for Alex to put things together and figure out that they are related to one another in an odd way.
Alex is confronted by a young man named Will that is hell bent on killing him for a supposed crime that he committed 10 years earlier. Will is convinced Alex killed his sister and he wants his revenge by killing Alex.
There are a lot of flashback scenes in the book that goes into detail into what went on in Alex’s life while under the tutelage of Richard. We also get to see what did happen to Rachel, who becomes someone known as Deleo (and I was very happy to see this, after my question to Benedict from his first book). The flashbacks lead up to a do or die situation, and a very surprise ending, which does explain why the book has the title it, does.
I did enjoy reading this despite the fallouts Alex had with some of the characters. Their ideals, that they would have done things different if they were in said situation, without taking into consideration the fact that they have different magical abilities than Alex. Overlooking that “issue” I recommend adding this to your collection and I’m eagerly awaiting the 5th book.
review: Cursed (Alex Verus #2)
interview with Benedict Jacka
4.25 sheep
Guest Review: Danielle D.
About the Author:
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Benedict Jacka became a writer almost by accident, when at nineteen he sat in his school library and started a story in the back of an exercise book. Since then he's studied philosophy at Cambridge, lived in China, and worked as everything from civil servant to bouncer to teacher before returning to London to take up law.
This looks like a great series. Thank you for sharing about it, hopping over to check out more :)
ReplyDeleteThe story was great. I could not stop once started and had to finish it in one sitting. The plot was decent. The characters were interesting, distinct and worth becoming emotionally invested in.
ReplyDeleteAny fan of the first three will love this one and only want more.