The Avenger

Thomas Bennet and a Father's Lament (Bennet Wardrobe, Book 6)

By: Don Jacobson

Narrated by: Amanda Berry

Length: 13 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

"Bennet looked at his wife’s swollen lips, softly bruised from several deeply loving kisses, and her flushed complexion, as alluring when gracing the countenance of a woman of four-and-40 as that of a girl of nine-and-10. He was one of the lucky few to have fallen in love with the same woman at both ages. The elder had, after all, learned all that the younger could only begin to imagine."

Thomas Bennet, Master of Longbourn, had always counted himself amongst the few educated gentlemen of his acquaintance. But, he had to travel over 120 years into the future to discover how little he knew about the woman sharing his life.

Once again, the amazing Bennet Wardrobe proved to be the schoolmaster. Tom Bennet’s lesson? Mrs. Bennet had been formed especially for him.

Fanny Bennet also would uncover deep wells of courage and inspiration as she stood by her man’s side in the bleak years after World War II. Together they would lead their descendants in pursuit of the beast who had wronged every member of the five families.

Now, in The Avenger, are introduced to the forces which power the Wardrobe...C.S. Lewis’ Fourth Love - agape; Jacobson’s Fifth Love - exagoras agapis, the love which redeems; and Sixth Love - Synchotikí agape, the love which forgives.

The Avenger: Thomas Bennet and a Father’s Lament is the sixth volume of the Bennet Wardrobe series and chronicles Mr. and Mrs. Bennet’s journey through the Wardrobe to visit their daughter, the Countess of Matlock, in her own where/when. This novel is about 131,000 words in length.

©2018 Donald Jacobson (P)2019 Donald Jacobson

So many layers...

I love getting to see characters I enjoyed in various capacities have a story that allows them to grow and mature. So we see characters who may have been very simple, and one-note,, grow into multi-layered onions. Additionally we see a rich story with so many vibrant characters, time lines, and pieces that don't seem as though they would work together, instead lure the reader into a world where you can practically see the cigar smoke and smell the London streets.
Definitely you need to start at the beginning with this series, do not try to leap into the middle or you will be hopelessly lost and won't love the layers!

Pilgrim; The Avenger

This wardrobe book sees Mr Bennet attempt to take Mrs Bennet to see Kitty, and finds her death has taken place by an old enemy of the Fitzwilliam family. This makes Mr and Mrs Bennet change, as they try to avenge their beloved child.

The series teaches the Bennet’s lessons of life which makes their life rich, and which change their way of life.
The ending was both sad and happy, but I will still suggest a handkerchief, just in case.

Congratulations Don, another 5 star story ⭐️

😍

The whole series is amazing but this particular book is quite moving. I laughed, I cried, I felt quite frustrated at times and at others felt quite giddy with characters and storyline. This series is quite imaginative and I am deeply regretful that it was in my TBR pile for so long. This is series would make great television miniseries because the author's world building and storytelling very compelling.

The narrative brought the storyline to life. I will make sure that I look for other titles Ms Amanda Berry might have narrated.

A Swirl of Events and Emotions Transcending Time

The end of the previous book left me grieving a loss and a villain exacting his revenge and seemingly winning. I did not have an inkling how the Five Families would get something of their own back and stop a great danger, but have seen enough surprising and enchanting twists to the series that I didn't speculate long and settled in for this latest installment of a riveting magical time travel family saga.

The Avenger: Thomas Bennet and a Father's Lament is book six in an ongoing series. The series and book twists around and through, leaps forward and back and very rarely stays on a linear path because it involves time travel, but it does have to be enjoyed in order for much of it to make sense.

This book was at its heart a second chance tale for a couple in the autumn of their lives to not just rekindle the romance of their youth, but discover a love for the people they are now. At the same time, they are presented with a grand adventure that is driven by the grief of losing a beloved child, a child they didn't appreciate as much when she was with them at home. The majority of the story is set in post-WWII era Britain and it was a delight to encounter new members of the extended clan such as a couple of former spies who get a little side romance and to also encounter some real life figures interwoven into the tale.

The Avenger opens on a dark, gritty note exposing the horrors of Nazi SS torture and the way a captured individual can be broken and just what spies risked when they worked in constant danger for the sake of their country. It also establishes the character of the central villain and the frenzy to track him down.

There are moments when I felt the story lagged in extra explanations and details, but the history buff side of my mind could appreciate the pause in the plot to dwell on some of it.
This book altered some of the rules from the earlier worldbuilding around the Wardrobe making the wardrobe itself something of an enigmatic figure that is brought to light throughout the additional background and detail. There is a fun twist with all that and those passages of explanation were needed so the reader isn't thoroughly confused.

At the heart of these books is the family group who are close and loyal, who do their duty and sacrifice for others. I enjoy when the family comes together for family dinners or a ball, but also to take down an enemy who is set on evil.

The series narrator, Amanda Berry, continues to amaze as she takes on narrator voice and oodles of others who are mostly English, but also French, German, and more. She does well with both genders and social class differences. She doesn't lean hard on the drama though not to say she is lacking in inflection. Rather, Amanda lets the story tell itself

This was the end of a story arc and I enjoyed seeing the glimpses of an awaited story, building in the background of them all, rising to share more Wardrobe adventure. This is a creative and refreshing series that those who enjoy a mashing of a few magical literary worlds, good suspense, and engaging characters really should check out from the beginning.