But just then, twenty meters in front of me, a small group of Dark Court cultists emerged, out from a side corridor. I grimaced—this only meant trouble. There were four of them, this time with cappa hoods covering their heads, obscuring their faces from sec-cam and LS orb identification by NYPD droids. They were no doubt trying to imitate their beloved, so-called adjudicators, the self-appointed, anonymous leaders of this vile cult of violence and misinformation. The cultists were dressed in black from head to toe, including leather pants and tunics. They even wore black, tactical Kevlar gloves.
The cultists spotted me. “Let’s get her, boys,” said one voice. Then I heard raucous laughter.
They moved toward me, cutting off my route to the UN employee East River entrance. And as they approached, they pulled out neural shock sticks, sheathed in cases worn around their belts. Of course, just my luck. The long, thin devices were illegal, and for good reason. If applied for more than a few seconds, they could result in permanent brain damage or even death. I steeled myself—this was the only way through.
As I neared, the group appeared surprised I was still heading toward them—not the response they expected. I would never run away again, not since that night in the Black Forest, twenty years ago. Sure, I had been through Interpol’s basic combat training, back in the day. For what that was worth. But since the Black Forest, I had taken self-defense training to insane levels, obsessive as always. You could say I had elevated it to the status of a dark art.
An immersive mix of sci-fi, mystery, and thriller.
The Dark Court is the second book in author Vyvyan Evans’s science fiction plus series, Songs of the Sage, and is an excellent followup to its debut novel, The Babel Apocalypse. With its engaging characters and imaginative rendering of a dystopian, near-future Earth society, where brain power literally determines your fate, this book is one of my favorites of 2024.
Lilith King is a determined, bulldog of a sleuth, and a main character I was immediately behind and rooting for. I liked her complex yet unclear background, giving her depths for the author to build and draw on later.
As with the series’ starter, the plot hits the ground running and the never slows, leaving plenty of questions along the way. The author’s storytelling is compelling, and I had difficulty finding a stopping point when I needed one. Plot twists kept me too invested to step away. The unique mix of science fiction, mystery, and thriller makes this entire series a must read.
I recommend THE DARK COURT to fans of the previous book and
readers who enjoy dystopian tales and speculative fiction.
paperback copies of
both Book 1 and Book 2 of the
4 comments:
Thank you so much for hosting and reviewing today.
This looks spectacular. Thanks for sharing and hosting this tour.
cool
I highly recommend this series!
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