Evas' Son: Necromancer's Curse

Reviewed by Lisa Tyler © 2006

Wild Child Publishing.com © 2006

Title: Evas' Son: Necromancer's Curse
Author: Susie Hawes
Publisher: Renaissance E Books/PageTurner
Genre: Dark Fantasy
ISBN Number: not available at present
Release date: April 25, 2006
Author's website: http://www.sfreader.com/authors/susiehawes/

Necromancer's Curse chronicles the life of the Etruscian Kanates, who having traded his soul to a god of the underworld in exchange for his wife and child's safe passage into paradise, battles demons and ignorant humans on a journey to find the meaning of his existence, and the redemption of love.

The story begins with Kanates deep inside a copper mine, armed with his wand and flanked by two skeletons that have been empowered by his magic to serve as his soldiers. The three use bolts of magic and traditional weapons of the time period to slay a variety of demons that are threatening the livelihood of "Kanates's" village.

Already a grandfather, shunned by his son, Kanates is ready to die if need be. His body aches and his energy dims through the long battle, but he never imagines the outcome of defying Evas the two-headed god over the underworld.

The author takes us far from the copper mine north of Rome across the lands of Greece and the Middle East crossing centuries, examining the rise and fall of Rome and the beginnings of the spread of Christian thought. She very cleverly makes us understand how these changes in worship affect the way the people live and the dangers they present to a "monster" such as Kanates.

I was pleasantly surprised at how richly Susie Hawes weaves the landscapes and details of life in the time periods this book covers. She draws the reader into the story immediately, creating a bond with the main character and sympathy for his plight. Together with the characters, the reader battles the underworld and examines what life and death are about.

You can feel every bone crunching, smell the leather and scented oils, and once or twice you will have to wipe your eyes from the sting of the smoke from the candles used to illuminate the village huts so many centuries ago.

Excellent reading, a true learning experience for history buffs, without being overwhelming. You will be eager to read on with the sequel.

I give this book 4 cats.

Rating: Four cats.

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To find out more about how to purchase Evas' Son: Necromancer's Curse, visit Susie Hawes' website.