- Publisher: novum pro; 1st edition (19 Jan. 2022)
- Language: English
- Paperback: 258 pages
- ISBN-10: 3991077523
- ISBN-13: 978-3991077527
- Genre: Dark Fantasy Fiction
The BookViral Review:
Readers looking for a Dark Fantasy nerve shredder need look no further than Will of Magic Chokehold of Darkness! A dark fantasy read that makes the reader feel like an active participant in its unfolding horror it’s one to be read with the lights on!
The best fantasy novels work because readers feel fully invested in the fate of the characters and Reurings easily achieves this. Demonstrating a confident command of composition and economic storytelling as Kena finds herself locked in a nightmare from which there seems little chance of escape and the answer she seeks eludes her.
Too many novels in the genre follow a generic “Magical powers revealed, true selves explored” template, but Will of Magic Chokehold of Darkness isn’t one of those novels and it isn’t one that falls back on trite and tired tropes or overreaches for the shock factor. Nor does Reurings give us protagonists predictably mired in love triangles that obfuscate their own character development.
Reurings’ narrative is refined, playing with character perspectives to illuminate the terrifying nature of his future world setting as magical tensions rise to meet the expectations of his readers. More importantly, he’s careful to balance the genre’s expected tropes with scenes that set up the emotional stakes for his key characters.
Yes, Kena’s journey is centred on self-confidence, and a nebulous evil that is destructive, but these elements aren’t what makes Will of Magic Chokehold of Darkness such a good read. Rather it’s the whole of Reurings’ pitch-perfect cast, well-stylized battle sequences, and intentional character development that makes the relationships between key characters feel nuanced and history-laden. Furthermore, he doesn’t get bogged down by world-building exposition thereby lessening the egregiousness of any narrative clichés.
A cracking introduction to a superb author with a bright future Will of Magic Chokehold of Darkness is an unreservedly recommended five star read!