Magicians call up demons in exchange for their power. The demons can appear in any shape, show you marvels, promise you anything - until you invite them in and receive their mark.
What happens next?
First you get possessed.
Then you die.
Nick's been on the run his whole life, ever since his mother stole a charm from the most feared magician of them all, and the only person he trusts is his brother Alan. Alan's just been marked by a demon. Only Nick can save him, but to do so he must face the magicians - and kill them. The hunt is on, and Nick's going to discover things he never dreamed were out there...
The Demon's Lexicon Trilogy
The Demon's Lexicon
The Demon's Covenant
Book 3 title & release date TBC
For more information visit the Sarah Rees Brennan's website
Review:
Nick and Alan have been on the run for as long as Nick can remember. Their Dad died trying to keep them safe from the magicians who have been chasing after them and their Mum ever since their Mum stole a powerful charm. Since then it has been Alan and Nick who have had to work together to keep their Mum safe. When Jamie and his sister Mae come to them for help because Jamie has been marked by a demon Nick doesn't want to have anything to do with them - as far as he's concerned they have enough of their own problems. It is Alan who convinces him to help them although Nick is furious when Alan ends up marked too.
Nick is very loyal to Alan, who is the only person in the world he can trust, so he is devastated when he finds out Alan has been keeping secrets from him. When he sets out to uncover the truth he ends up finding a lot more than he bargained for - nothing will ever be the same for him again.
I thought this was a great debut from Sarah Rees Brennan - completely different from anything I've read before. I found it interesting that the magicians are shown as evil and that in order to use their magic they have to give human sacrifices to the demons. Nick may not be a perfect hero, he doesn't seem to have any compassion or empathy and the only real emotion we see from him is anger but he does care for his brother and it is obvious he will do anything to keep Alan safe. The other main characters are likeable but I found Nick was definitely my favorite.
The story is a little slow to start but I think this is usually to be expected at the start of a series where the author is introducing their world & the rules. Overall I really enjoyed the story and the twist at the end knocked me sideways - I really didn't see that one coming! I can't wait to see how this is going to play out over the next 2 books, I'm sure Sarah Rees Brennan has some more shock up her sleeves for us!
Source: Recieved for review from publisher Simon & Schuster
Other Reviews:
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This does look good
ReplyDeleteNice review..It's really hard to stick with a book with a slow start..sometime i force myself to stick with so then i know there's actually pretty amazing story at the middle to the end.. =p
ReplyDeleteI've seen a few reviews on this book here and there, but I've never paid attention until now. Great review!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an interesting premise and a suspenseful story. The premise reminds me a bit of the TV show Supernatural.
ReplyDeleteGreat review - I suppose I'm drawn to what you've mentioned about Nick being a not-so-typical hero. Books which highlight a fatal flaw always beats those which do not :)
ReplyDeleteThe Demon's Lexicon was one of my favorite books from 2009 :) You're right about the slow start, but the pace does pick up and the ending is just wow! This is one of those books that is better on a second reading, because there are so many little details and pieces of info woven into each scene. And Nick, what can I say about Nick? He is definitely not the standard hero, but he is such a great character. Of all three of the covers available for DL, the UK one is my favorite!
ReplyDelete@ Cleverly Inked - I'd recommend it :o)
ReplyDelete@ Darlyn - I know what you mean but although this is a little slow starting I still found I was interested in the story so I didn't have problems reading it.
@ Maria - Thanks :o) I'm glad you liked the review.
@ Stephanie - I've not actually seen Supernatural so I don't know if the stories are similar or not. I really do need to get hold of the DVD's of Supernatural though - I've heard lots of good things about that series LOL
@ Dwayne - I really liked Nick, he was definitely my favorite character :o)
@ Serpentine Librarian - I loved the twist at the end! Usually I'm quite good at guessing twists that are coming but I didn't see that one coming LOL. Nick was a fab character - I thought he was great :o) I'll have to check out the other cover versions
It sounds very good and suspenseful. Even with the slow start I really want to try this one. It kind of reminds me of the show supernatural, which I totally love!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Nina, I really am going to have to watch Supernatural - you're the 2nd person to mention it :o) I would recommend this book though - I loved the twist at the end!
ReplyDeleteAwesome review, Sarah! When I finished reading this book, I was disappointed, though I can't exactly remember why. But I couldn't get the story out of my head for days. I really want to know what happens next, though I'm not terribly excited for The Demon's Covenant. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteHi Jo, it's a shame you were disappointed by this one - I can see why the story stayed with you though :o) I'm quite looking forward to finding out what happens next LOL
ReplyDeleteI have a library copy of this waiting in the wings. Glad to hear you enjoyed it - despite a slow start.
ReplyDelete