Watchers of the Fallen

Second Death, Book 1

De: Brian Rella

Narrado por: Todd Menesses

Frank Bishop has been at war with fallen angels since he was five years old. That's when they first tried to kill him.

A group of supernatural warriors called the Watchers saved Frank that fateful day. They taught him how to be a powerful wizard and warrior. But nothing could prepare him for what Jessie and Arraziel have planned.

Frank blurs the line between good and evil in his all-consuming quest to stop Jessie and the Fallen in book one of Brian Rella's dark urban fantasy series, The Second Death.

You'll love Watchers of the Fallen because everyone loves a hero with a dark side.

©2016 Brian Rella (P)2018 Brian Rella

GREAT START TO SERIES! EXCELLENT BOOK!

I really liked this one, good stuff! Exciting from beginning to end, great plot, awesome characters/development. I love the genre, and it was GRIPPING! Excellent story and excellent narration, Frank and Jessie are great characters. I'm definitely excited to read/listen to more in the series!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Exciting & Engaging

This is book one and does a fantastic job of introducing the characters and laying the groundwork for the series. It takes a bit to get used to switching back and forth between characters and past and present Frank telling the story but once you get used to it the story is fast paced and very enjoyable. The narrator does a great job bringing the story and characters to life. I look forward to more in this series and from this author.

A great concept; disappointing execution

I found the premise of this book promising. Something unique, perhaps with a little Dresden Files and Monster Hunter International sprinkled in. In the end, it sort of was, but not in the same calibur.

The story follows 2 main individuals: Frank, a Watcher and Jessie, a girl commanding a demon (and communing with another... entity).

Frank's story is told both in the present, and past. We get to see how he was first introduced into his role as watcher, and his battles in the present. We actually lead with his past and then jump into the future for so long that I figured we were done, but the author pops back to the 80's a few times to reveal more of Frank's past. Honestly, I found the mysteries of his past more interesting than what was going on in the present, and was disappointed that the character development started there was either destroyed or left hanging depending on the character.

Modern Frank is supposed to be a tired old soul that's got a "dark side" (according to the synopsis), but I didn't see that at all. I see the tired, but I also see a virtous person that doggedly presses on regardless of the obstacles before him. Unfortunately, beyond that, the author doesn't really do a whole lot of character development for present Frank, so we don't know why he feels the way he does or does the things that he ends up doing. For being the protagonist, he's pretty forgettable in my opinion.

Jessie is a tad more interesting -- at first. We learn she's in control of a demon and eventually get tidbits of how that came to be and the past she was seeking to run from. Even though the author hammered home the point she hated men and was abused ad nausem, it still didn't emotionally connect for me. We were being told something and not being made to feel it. That groundwork is what was used to drive the character forward in the book though, so it ended up making all of her decisions and actions seem more superficial plot point than anything else.

Sadly, the narration didn't really help things. The narrator was perpetually in moviefone mode -- that is to say he was constantly reading in an overly-dramatic, false baratone that was more distracting than atmospheric. I found the voices for the characters equally disappointing. The lead antagonist is supposed to be a 14 year old girl in an adult's body, but he reads her like a breathless 4 or 5 year old. Our protagonist is read like a gruff, but whiney old codger, but his actions, for the most part, just didn't match up. Dialogue was also a little cheesy and painful, but that can't all be laid at his feet.

The book ends without resolving, or even expanding on the few things that I actually took an interest in (that possible-dimension jump? What's up there? Where's Frank's mother?), but spent plenty of time setting up for a sequel -- including a new chosen one (weren't we lead to believe Frank was the special one?). Sadly, I'll be passing as there just wasn't enough here to justify investing in another book in this series.

I was provided this audiobook free of charge in exchange for my honest review. I hope the author and narrator find it useful.

Pretty good

I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

So, this book was...good, for the most part. It starts a little slow as you get to know the characters and the world is built by the author. I think this part could have been a little faster paced, but it wasn't end of world for me. Once the action truly gets started, though, it's much more exciting and entertaining. The narration is a little dry, but fairly good. Definitely not as good as Luke Daniels, Joe Hempel, and Jeff Hays, but FAR from the worst I've ever heard. All in all, if you like urban fantasy, you should check this one out. I'm going to listen to book 2.

Great Start to the Series. Great Narration

The Second Death Series starts off with a bang. As the story develops and the characters begin to do battle, you realize that the mythology behind the story is rich and vast. Very well thought out. The story has a very nice flow and is easy to imagine you are watching a film. The characters are well developed and the creatures are monstrous. Not for the faint of heart.

Todd Menesses did an excellent job as always. He breathes life into the characters.

I requested a free review copy of this audiobook and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review.