Genre: Sci-Fantasy, Romance Sub-Arc
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay, Bisexual
Reviewers: Ulysses, Paranormal Romance Guild; Maryann
Get It On Amazon | Universal Buy Link
About The Book
SILYA COMES INTO HER OWN, BUT WILL SHE BE ENOUGH?
Silya finally has everything she always wanted. She’s the Hencha Queen, head of the Temple, and is working to master her newfound talents. So why does the world pick now to fall apart?
Her once-nemesis Raven is off riding dragons, and their mutual friend (and her ex) Aik is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, a new threat menaces the Heartland from the East, and if she can’t convince a reluctant Gullton city council to prepare for the worst, she may lose everyone and everything she’s ever cared about.
As she uses her magic-like abilities, wit and sheer determination to try to save the city, she’s joined by Raven and his new friends. Will their help tip the scales? And will they finally find out what happened to Aik as a dark storm threatens to sweep them all away?
Forget messy. Things just got apocalyptic.
The Reviews
Ulysses, PRG
The third book in the Tharassas Cycle brings us right to the edge. Raven is the Dragon Eater, his longtime friend Aik is the Gauntlet Runner, and in book 3, Aik’s ex and Raven’s reluctant mentor, Silya, steps into the fullness of her role as the Hencha Queen of Tharassas. All three of these characters, young people whose plans have been overtaken by events, have grown and matured and have come to see (or at least suspect) their greater roles in their planet’s destiny.
Then there’s Spin, the little shiny bit of past-futuristic technology, the ship brain from the last flight out of earth. His origin is revealed, adding a powerful new dimension to the part he might play in the unfolding drama. He and his three friends—because all of them get to know him, finally—find themselves on individual quests, the exact purposes of which are not clear to them.
Raven now has his new friends, both the verents and their riders, but he yearns to find Aik, who he now understands is his soulmate. Aik is pulled forward by the insidious presence of the gauntlet with which he bonded. He believes it is taking him to find Raven. Silya, trying to find Aik and her mother, Triya, realizes that her guard, Kerrick, is going to be more to her than just a protector. She knows that the future of Tharassas depends on her, but she is unsure what she must do.
And, while it’s not a cliffhanger, the final scene in the book makes you think “oh, no!”
Scott Coatsworth has created a richly painted world that is both beautiful and sinister, evoking landscapes that are as much science fiction as Tolkiensian fantasy. There is as much emotion as action in the narrative as we watch the essential players for the final book gather. We, as readers, see more of the picture than anyone else, because we have met the Death-Bringer.
I have the fourth book ready to read. See you on the other side.
Maryann
Spin has an awakening, as he starts to remember his past.
Aik Erio is still missing Raven, and has to get to Anghar Mor to find his friend. But the gauntlet is just about driving him mad. He and Desla have made their escape with two of Tri’Aya’s urses. When Tri’Aya discovers this, she leads her caravan to the Highlands, following Aik and Desla.
Poor Kerrick has been sent to caverns by Silya, to get him out of the way while she prepares for her Rising ceremony. As Kerrick works, he makes a discovery in the tunnels.
Silya officially becomes the Hencha Queen, the Seventh in the Royal Line, and wonders if she’s ready for such a huge responsibility.
Chala still feels like a loner at Mountainhome, and still hasn’t made a connection with a verent. Raven and Jai meet someone new, which leads them back to Gullton.
Everyone is on a journey. Where will they all end up? With earthquakes, strange red fireflies, and white blisters covering the land, war has arrived. And if Silya can’t find a way to end it, her world will no longer exist.
I commend Coatsworth for the third book in “The Tharassas Cycle” series. I haven’t even scratched the surface with this review – there’s so much going on: adventure, excitement, suspense, drama, terror, danger and even a little romance. The story is packed with secrets, surprises and revealing flashbacks.
Each of the characters in The Hencha Queen has to learn to accept change, including new people and those from their pasts, and come to terms with where their futures will lead. They will all have to find a way to work together if they want to continue to exist.
I highly recommend The Hencha Queen, an intense read that I couldn’t put down.
I also loved the covers of the first two books – The Dragon Eater and The Gauntlet Runner, but Kelley York at Sleepy Fox Studio, did an outstanding and beautiful illustration of Silya for book three.
The Reviewers
Ulysses
Ulysses Grant Dietz grew up in Syracuse, New York, where his Leave It to Beaver life was enlivened by his fascination with vampires, from Bela Lugosi to Barnabas Collins. He studied French at Yale, and was trained to be a museum curator at the University of Delaware. A curator since 1980, Ulysses has never stopped writing fiction for the sheer pleasure of it. He created the character of Desmond Beckwith in 1988 as his personal response to Anne Rice’s landmark novels. Alyson Books released his first novel, Desmond, in 1998. Vampire in Suburbia, the sequel to Desmond, is his second novel.
Ulysses lives in suburban New Jersey with his husband of over 41 years and their two almost-grown children.
By the way, the name Ulysses was not his parents’ idea of a joke: he is a great-great grandson of Ulysses S. Grant, and his mother was the President’s last living great-grandchild. Every year on April 27 he gives a speech at Grant’s Tomb in New York City.
Maryann
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
The Paranormal Romance Guild was established in 2009 by 8 Indie Authors and one Reviewer to be a constant help for authors. You can be a free author member, submitting your work for review OR become a Premium Author Member for a small yearly fee and enjoy many extra services including Free Beta Reads, Author Giveaways and many others. Your reviews are posted on our 3 FB Sites, Amazon, Goodreads, Twitter and Instagram. WE REVIEW ALL GENRES LGBTQ+ welcome.
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