Review || Out of Darkness Rising

Betrayal.

For me, that one word brings up a certain sense of suspense, intrigue, and mystery. It's the first word of Out of Darkness Rising, promising an epic adventure from start to finish, filled with the qualities I listed above.

Gillian does an amazing job of delivering that promise. Evil serpents, betrayal (surprise! xD), sword fights, and the figure of our one true hope are packed into a 160 page novella. To say it was epic is an understatement. The book never drags--the plot's never boring. Each page brings new adventures to keep you on your toes. :)

See our lovely flowerpots on the background with sad looking weeds planted
in them? Yeah, it's a bit pathetic. :p

Con:

The length. 

(You can also take this as a pro, since I'm sad that it ended so soon. *shrug*) In a way I feel bad for commenting about this part of the story. Being a writer myself, I know it's hard to just change the size of a book and make a shorter length novella into a gigantic novel. But as a reader I was disappointed that it only took under an hour to read it; I wanted more of the story. I feel like some parts could have been drawn out a bit more to give it a longer length.

Pro: 

The allegory.

Wow. Just... wow. Gillian really nailed it on the head with this one. The allegory was so crystal clear. She wrote about the fall of man and how they were tempted with the serpent. She did this in such a genius way and one that I have never seen done before. The resemblance to the Bible was obvious, but not in a way where it took away from the book. It just added to the already epic story.

Look! More sad flowerpots. (Sorry, mom. xD)

Con: 

Pacing. 

Marya's (one of the main characters) story felt very short, to me. By the time we get to the present moment (where the back cover blurb describes), the story is half done. I wish there would have been more time to get to know her character and maybe go a little deeper into the story.

Pro: 

The writing. 

Sometimes, when I read a very awesome book, I get jealous of the author's writing skills. 

This was the case for Out of Darkness Rising. I wanted to transfer Gillian's words to my own story. They were perfectly crafted in a way that made them flow seamlessly one after the next. There weren't any odd sentences that I had to read twice for them to make sense.

Pro: 

The cover.

 Um, and I just need to admire the cover for a moment. It's amazing. *dies* That's what first caught my attention before I heard of the book. (I know, shameless cover judge-r.) And after reading the back cover blurb, I knew that I had to read this book.

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Darkness reigns unchallenged.  

For the villagers on the accursed Island, life has only one meaning -- death. bound to the Island by the curse, the villagers suffer beneath the iron claw of the serpent, daily breathing the poison of his breath and dying to appease his insatiable appetite. 

When Marya's parents are slain by the serpent for their belief in a legendary king, she becomes an Outcast. Struggling to survive and avoid the vengeance of the Tribunal, Marya is torn between legend and the harsh reality of the Island. Yet when a forgotten promise springs to life, she cannot help wondering if the old stories might in fact be true. And if they are, will the promise prove stronger than the curse?

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Gillian Bronte Adams is a sword-wielding, horse-riding, coffee-loving fantasy author from the great state of Texas. During the day, she manages the equine program at a Christian youth camp, but at night, she kicks off her boots and spurs, pulls out her trusty laptop, and transforms into a novelist. Her love of epic stories and a desire to present truth in a unique way drew her to the realm of fantasy. Visit her online at www.gillianbronteadams.com.

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- Katie Grace

Thanks to Gillian for providing me a free copy of the book in exchange for a review!