Today, I am reviewing the Urban Fantasy story The Order of the Four Sons: Book 1 by Coyote Kishpaugh and Lauren Scharhag. A Mission Impossible-esque thriller with a team drawn from the dregs of the mystical Order of the Four Sons, this book boasts amazing action and character interaction alongside a mythology that stands favorably next to any that I’ve read.
I give this book a 4.75/5. Here is my breakdown.
Characters: 5/5. Absolutely outstanding. Each and every one of their characters drew my interest and stood apart from the others. I loved the dynamics between them, from the gruff leadership of the Colonel to the growing teacher-student relationship between Doug and Kate and the firm grasp on real reality that Murphy tries to hold onto. Each feels like a real person to me, a real personality. Each of their actions is in line with their established traits, and they do a fantastic job in setting them up quickly.
Plot/Storyline: 5/5. Enthralling. I lost a good couple hours today of my own writing on this book because the story hooked me so strongly. The plot elements follow one another in completely believable sequence, with no instances of the deus ex, with no coincidences or elements coming out of left field, but yet trickled with twists that made my eyes widen as I realized what was going on. This is an excellent, excellent story.
I give this book a 4.75/5. Here is my breakdown.
Characters: 5/5. Absolutely outstanding. Each and every one of their characters drew my interest and stood apart from the others. I loved the dynamics between them, from the gruff leadership of the Colonel to the growing teacher-student relationship between Doug and Kate and the firm grasp on real reality that Murphy tries to hold onto. Each feels like a real person to me, a real personality. Each of their actions is in line with their established traits, and they do a fantastic job in setting them up quickly.
Plot/Storyline: 5/5. Enthralling. I lost a good couple hours today of my own writing on this book because the story hooked me so strongly. The plot elements follow one another in completely believable sequence, with no instances of the deus ex, with no coincidences or elements coming out of left field, but yet trickled with twists that made my eyes widen as I realized what was going on. This is an excellent, excellent story.
Flow: 5/5. As I do with my own writing, Kishpaugh and Scharhag did not delay their characters’ actions just because they wanted to talk about them or describe them. The story moved with the speed of plot, with the sense of urgency strongly felt in each delay, in each question the characters had to ask themselves, and I loved the tension and drama this created..
Spelling/Grammar: 4/5. I counted 3 or 4 typographical errors in this book - a missing quotation, a few misspelled words - and that was it. It’s better than most other published works that I’ve read, and the smoothness definitely added to my enjoyment of the book.
Overall: 4.75/5. Wow. What a thrill ride. Ending on a fantastic cliffhanger, I became an instant fan of Kishpaugh and Scharhag's writing and this series. I will be picking up the next book soon. I can’t recommend it enough.
