Publisher:
Dorrance Publishing Co.

Publication Date:
03/30/2021

Copyright Date:
N/A

ISBN:
978-1-6491-3493-6

Binding:
Paperback

U.S. SRP:
28.00

Get the best author info and savings on services when you subscribe!

IndieReader is the ultimate resource for indie authors! We have years of great content and how-tos, services geared for self-published authors that help you promote your work, and much more. Subscribe today, and you’ll always be ahead of the curve.

DEATH’S DISCIPLES

By Dustin L. Herriman

IR_Star-black
IR Rating:
4.0
DEATH'S DISCIPLES manages to pack excellent worldbuilding and a fascinating religious premise into what is essentially a book-length battle for survival against an unknown and powerful enemy.
IR Approved
A young man with substantial psychic and parkour talents visits his friend in another town for a festival – and finds himself desperately trying to survive when that town is laid under siege by mysterious and very dangerous forces.

DEATH’S DISCIPLES is in its essence the description of one young man’s efforts, with some unusual and unpredictable allies, to survive a siege and escape from the terrifying, overpowered besiegers. However, in and among the vivid and action-filled descriptions of battle, daring escapes via rooftops and balconies, and the cruel and ferocious martial powers called on by besiegers and besieged alike, author Dustin L. Herriman manages to include a surprising amount of truly creative and well-thought-out worldbuilding and background. He creates a unique and intriguing religion, centered around worship of the God of Death, Thanaki, Who interacts with and gives His followers strange psychic powers and abilities. He tells the history of Thanaki’s disciples, and his point-of-view protagonist Zakul’s own individual backstory, clearly and naturally, as if we’re hearing the tale from Zakul himself, and as the story continues, more and more interesting details and backstories reveal themselves without ever feeling dull or overexplanatory.

The world Herriman’s created ends up feeling both real and fascinatingly unique, the characters well-rounded and three-dimensional, and the magical and supernatural aspects of it feel plausible, with limits, constraints, and possibilities that do a lot to help shape the plot. This is not a book for the squeamish or weak of stomach, however – it is, after all, an extended description of a long battle, and there is quite a bit of graphic and intense violence, with no way to skip over it without missing most of the book. There are also enough daring escapes, clever plots, and plot twists to keep the action going until the very end – adrenaline junkies will find much to enjoy in this book. For such a long book, however, there is a lot left out. The motivations and even the full identity of the attackers is never revealed, and the plot is left hanging at a very dramatic moment, leaving the reader eagerly awaiting more of the story. Hopefully, Herriman will continue the story in a sequel or two, because there is much here that needs resolution, and because the story and the world are well-designed enough to deserve one.

DEATH’S DISCIPLES manages to pack excellent worldbuilding and a fascinating religious premise into what is essentially a book-length battle for survival against an unknown and powerful enemy.

~Catherine Langrehr for IndieReader

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that IndieReader may make a commission if you use these links to make a purchase. As an Amazon Affiliate, IndieReader may make commission on qualifying purchase.