THE PHANTOM CHIMERA: Phantom Pact Book 2 continues the high-stakes journey of Cade and Ashlyn, shaping a story of singing spirits, betrayal, and ancient secrets that illuminate the veil between human and spiritual worlds. In this novel, Chase is captured and forms a relationship with Astra, an Engram with human qualities. Ashlyn knows that she has to fight for his safety, even when her intuition tells her otherwise.
Author Chad Queen offers up a fast-paced adventure that explores the volatile and unpredictable relationships between Bearers, Phantoms, and the somewhat treacherous wraiths. This story's pacing and momentum are phenomenal, creating a compelling narrative that moves as quickly as one could hope for. The prose is light and easy to digest, with action and clarity given priority over atmosphere and introspection. The universe is explained largely through dialogue, ensuring the reader is never lost—even when characters introduce complex new lore. Despite the transparent prose, there are moments of startling atmosphere, vivid descriptions of astral storms ("crystalline branches catching the galaxy’s glow") that break through, and a hero’s journey that keeps the pages turning.
As the narrative functions like a video game, with everyone responding to immediate action, the text remains largely invisible. Readers stay in the moment, moving with the characters from one encounter to the next. However, there is little psychological insight into anyone, and the book rarely pauses to help its audience really get to know its characters. Moments of betrayal, loss, or concern provide readers with flashes of emotion, and the people within the narrative draw on their intuition to respond, but we learn more about the world than any individual's beliefs, philosophies, or responses.
As a result, readers who prefer voice-driven text, deep internal monologues, or nuanced characters might find the novel's scenes rather light. The internal lives of these characters take a backseat to the plot throughout. That said, each of the characters has a clear personality with unexpected moments, heroic choices, and the deep loyalties that shape heroes. Fans of this genre will feel for them and stay with them through what is essentially a very moving journey.
In THE PHANTOM CHIMERA: Phantom Pact Book 2, Chad Queen has woven a fast, dialogue-driven adventure that's perfect for fans who want to know what happens next. This is a book for readers interested in phantoms, spirits, and the mechanics of a fascinating alternate reality.
~ Nicci Attfield for IndieReader