Sunday, November 11, 2012

Book Review: Exiled by M. R. Merrick




Exiled

by M.R. Merrick
Series: The Protector #1
Release date: 28th June, 2011
Publisher: M.R. Merrick
Pages: 286 (ebook copy bought by me)
Summary from Goodreads:

Chase Williams is a demon hunter in the Circle, or at least he was supposed to be. On his fifteenth birthday, Chase stepped up to the altar to claim his elemental power, but it never came. Elemental magic is passed down to a hunter through the bloodline, but on Chase's birthday, the bloodline stopped.

Exiled without the Circle's protection, Chase has spent two years trying to survive a world riddled with half-demons and magic. When he has a run in with a frightened and seemingly innocent demon, he learns the Circle's agenda has changed: the Circle plans to unlock a portal and unleash pure-blood demons into the world. Vowing to stop them, and knowing he can't do it alone, Chase forms a reluctant alliance with Rayna — a sexy witch with an attitude and a secret.

In their attempt to stop them, Chase and Rayna find themselves in the middle of the Circle's plan, leaving one of them to decide what their friendship is worth, and the other's life depending on it.

Review By Alaiel Kreuz:

I've heard so many wonderful things about this book that at first I was a bit worried that it wouldn't live up to my expectations and actually held myself back a little bit putting other books before Exiled.
Major mistake ever. After 50 or so pages into the story all I could think was "Remember not to listen to yourself ever again, Alaiel..."

Because yes, Exiled was everything I was hoping to be and much more. Cliche, I know, but what can I say that hasn't been said before? I mean, let's make a quick check list here:
Action? Check.
Humor? Check.
Sarcasm? Double check.
Character development? Check.
Drama? Check. (And boy, did I cry here so much...)
Promising sequel? You bet!

If that is not enough (and I know it's not and that you actually want a proper review that makes sense, but bear with me a little more) we have a wicked plot. No kidding.
I love RPG games as much as any guy out there, and you are probably wondering what does that have anything to do with the book, right? Elemental powers. That's it. Elemental powers are a big part of this book, in fact, almost everything spins around it. Who doesn't want to control fire, water, air or earth?! It just sounds so much like a game that I love it.
You see, when Chase Williams -our cocky main character- discovers that he doesn't have an Elemental power his whole life just crumbles down. His father, a legend within his species -a cold bastard if you ask me- turns his back on him and Chase's mom alleging that he can't be his son. Therefore they are cast out.

A few years later Chase and his mom are living among us. Life is hard since they have to work a lot in order to survive and everyday brings out a new fight with Underwolders that want to claim they killed Riley Williams' son.
Between being cast out and the fighting Chase is now a boy that loves his mom but doesn't trust in anyone else and boils in anger. And to be honest, you can't blame him.

But then he meets a member of the Circle, one that was supposed to be dead, actually. And he is fighting alongside a young girl, a witch... an Underworlder.
Turns out that Marcus has a lot of information to share with Chase. Not only the Circle is hiding a lot of dark secrets but some of the Underwolders they hunt down and kill without hesitation could be innocent. Or as innocent as a they can be.

Fighting to keep it cool Chase doesn't want to hear Marcus out, after all, his whole life could haven been based upon a lie but despise his hesitation he listens to his mother (the only person capable of putting some sense into him) and decides to cooperate with Marcus and Rayna, the witch girl that is actually half hunter too.

Together they will investigate the disappearance of a lot of Underworlders, specially when the traces seem to go back to the Circle.

Personal opinion:
By now you all know that I enjoyed Exiled a whole lot. How couldn't I? So I'm just going to add some info.

One of the things I liked best was the fact that the characters developed throughout the whole book, specially Chase. At the beginning he was this cocky guy that thought he could handle anything and that didn't really think things through, he just reacted. Granted, he is strong and brave but to be a worthy fighter you need more than that. And although stubborn (to the point you will want to hit him hard) he is still open enough to listen and learn from his mistakes.
Besides, as it turns out, I enjoyed seeing the story from his POV.

Then of course we have Rayna. Boy, oh boy... was she kick-a**. I like this girl a lot, she doesn't take sh*t from Chase or anybody. She is strong, sassy, reliable and very smart. Maybe at the beginning her relationship with Chase was a mess because neither of them trusted in the other but by half the book they both knew very well that the other was willing to give his/her life for the other.

As for the romance part, there's really not much about it but you won't miss it at all because there are so many things going on that friendship seems like the best option right now. Plus, I'm sure something is going to happen between them soon. And the waiting helps to create more expectation, haha.

And don't get me started with the vast variety of races and creatures going on here! Humans, witches, demons, vampires, hunters, goblins, werecats... I'm not sure how but Mr. Merrick managed to make them all work nicely for the plot, every little piece engaged with the other creating a whole cast that hold the story perfectly together.

Although bittersweet the ending was so good that the sequel, Shift, is next in my TBR pile.

Alaiel's Rating:


If you liked it, you can order it here:

You can find M. R. Merrick here:

4 comments:

  1. Great review! I agree that Exiled has it all! Just wait, Shift is even better!

    Valerie
    StuckInBooks.com

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  2. Wow girl, this review is freaking good! Really, you just sold me the book xD
    So thanks a lot, I can't wait to read it ;)

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  3. I've done exactly the same thing by pushing this one back - just because I'm scared I won't love it as much as everyone else!

    Great review, you've made me reconsider the fact that I'm being such a scaredy cat.

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  4. @ Kat Balcombe: Like I said, I regret being such a scaredy cat myself and I recommend you this book a looooot :D
    It has the right amount of everything a good book needs :]

    ReplyDelete

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