Monday, September 27, 2010

VENOM & SONG by Wayne Batson and Christopher Hopper

VENOM & SONG by Wayne Batson and Christopher Hopper is the sequel to the first Berinfell Prophecies novel, "Curse of the Spiderking." Following the cliffhanger ending of Spiderking, we catch up with the young Elf Lords as they enter the strange realm of Allyra. They have a traitor in their midst and their enemies are dogging their heels every step of the way. They have to learn their newfound abilities fast if they are to survive.

I found this installment less incumbered by the problems of the first book, particularly trying to follow seven different protagonists, nearly all in different places. The sequel packs them together better, making progress smoother for the reader and keeping details straight easier.
Venom & Song is chock full of action, creepy enemies, and intense plotting. I personally found this series harder to get into for some reason....However, young readers, (especially those who enjoy Harry Potter, Ranger's Apprentice, etc), should enjoy Venom & Song very much. I think it was a bit too "high fantasy" for me, particularly the dialogue, but that's just nitpicking based on my personal tastes. As I said, I would still highly recommend it to younger readers. I received a complementary copy of "VENOM & SONG" from the Publisher.

What others are saying about Venom & Song:

"This isn't just any fantasy book! It's a perfect blend of Elven fantasy and Earth teens. Though the mythical creatures are portrayed a little different than normal, they are still interesting and unique characters. The plot line is great, full of suspense and drama. I particularly like the Seven Elven Lords, with their amazing powers like wind walking and hyper speed. So one of the Lord's death (I won't completely spoil it!) was a very hard hit to me. I'm a reader that knows and has seen that death of main or secondary characters is very important to the story, but when it actually happens, it always makes me sad. I think I need to care less about the books I read. Overall, this book is very good for anyone and is a definite buy."

"VENOM AND SONG, book two in the Berinfell Prophecies series is an excellent Christian fiction novel. Seven new "lords" have come back to help Elf-kind win the bloody war against the Spider King. They grew up on Earth, knowing nothing of the Elf war, or of Berinfell, but now they have been returned and must learn to master their new powers in order to help turn the tide of war and win against the viscous Spider King.

Filled with wonderfully written characters, quirky twists of plot, and insightful spiritual messages, VENOM AND SONG is first-class fiction!"