He would be despised. By all of them, he would be despised. The shadow of the Rooks hangs over Revik’s head––a constant reminder of the dark warrior he used to be. Hidden away in monastic caves after he leaves the network of terrorist seers, Revik no longer knows who he is, or what his life means. When a delegation from renowned holy warriors, the Adhipan, appears, asking for his help, his first … Adhipan, appears, asking for his help, his first impulse is to say no––until they tell him it is Kali who needs saving, Kali who rescued Revik from the dark, when no one else would.
Revik agrees to fly across the world, facing off against his old friends, the Rooks, including his ex-partner, Terian, who is clearly holding a grudge about Revik’s defection. When they come after him, either to kill him or bring him back into the fold, Revik finds himself faced with old demons and new temptations, and the ongoing decision of which side he will fight for, the light or the dark, and what he’s willing to give up to be the man he desperately wants to be.
In the end, he thinks he’s got nothing left to lose.
It turns out he’s wrong about that, too.
A Revik prequel novel in the Bridge & Sword series, and companion novel to Trickster (Bridge & Sword Prequel #0.2).
Series Summary
The Bridge & Sword series is an epic, science fiction fantasy set in a unique, gritty version of Earth populated by a second race of psychic beings called Seers.
Allie Taylor, marked “The Bridge” from birth, is born to be the leader of the Seer race and the bringer of the next stage in humanity’s evolution. Unfortunately, to many Seers, that means the death of most humans on the planet. Allie is helped and hindered, awakened and impeded by her antihero partner, Dehgoies Revik, whose on-again-off-again relationship with the dark beings known as the Dreng may destroy them both.
The series takes place in a modern version of our world at the brink of apocalypse and a dystopian future. It spans centuries along with the lives of its main characters, the Seers, and the wars they fight with themselves and their human allies and enemies.
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I’ve long adored Dehgoies Revik, one of the main characters in JC Andrijeski’s fantastic Bridge & Sword series. His relationship with Allie Taylor (the eponymous Bridge in the series) and their wild ride of a story arc is simply fiction at its best. For the legions of series fans, the “Bridge & Sword Prequel” novels which provide great back stories which are incidentally also great tales in themselves, are pure catnip. The Defector is one such tale, third of the Bridge & Sword Prequels (and 14th Bridge & Sword Series story overall), this Review backstory is a perfectly written story in itself and really does a great job in adding depth by providing more backstory for an already superb character. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises. The book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book (prequel or otherwise) in this series.
This one definitely surprised me, especially the way it ends. Perhaps it’s just that Revik needs to know love in all senses and not be afraid of it that makes this book so revealing. It sure adds to the integrity of the entire series. The rewrite expands on the story and goes more in depth of Revik.
Wow! Awesome story! Incredible writing, fascinating plot, great characters and realistic dialogue. There are introspection, romance, drama, and action. This is the tale of what happened to Revik after he escaped from The Org — from Revik’s perspective. And what a tale it is!
Revik is no longer a Rook, but what has that decision cost him? After his many decades, he now needs to start over almost back at the beginning. Redefining who he is, who he wants to be, while battling against the prejudice levelled against him for his time as a Rook. His pain is a living, breathing entity in this story. It cut straight into my heart and I spent most of this book fighting down my tears. Revik’s journey is an emotionally charged story that challenges the reader.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.
Remember that meeting between Terian and Revik in the jungle? From The Trickster?
This is what happened before and after from Reviks POV. Only now can you begin to fathom at what cost Revik was allowed to leave the Rooks. The gaps in his memory may be a blessing, but they also left him without a sense of self, a sense of his worth.
It is painful to watch how he stumbles through the remains of his tattered personality when it is plain to see for others that he is worth so much more than he thinks.
At least he is beginning to understand that he is loved deeply and that he has the potential to do things only slowly being revealed to him.
It is saddening and at the same time unbelievably satisfying to see Revik at this stage of his life, knowing what he will become.
Following the story of Revik, (Bridge and Sword Prequel) is The Defector.
It tells us where Revik has been since saving Kali and what he is becoming to himself and those around him.
Penance and redemption are key to him finding himself. If he can just let go.
You see more to him in this book and I must say it is breathtaking and made my heart shatter.
Yes, this is emotional. To see and be with him on this soul search left me doing the same.
Again beautifully written by JC Andrijeski.
Thank you for your story.