Set in R.S. Belcher’s urban fantasy Nightwise universe, the Brotherhood of the Wheel returns to explore the haunted byways and truck stops of the U.S. Interstate Highway System in King of the Road. Jimmie Aussapile, Lovina Marcou and Heck Sinclair are members of a secret society dedicated to protecting those who travel America’s highways from the monsters, both supernatural and mundane, that lurk … supernatural and mundane, that lurk in the darkness just beyond your headlights. They are the Brotherhood of the Wheel.
At home in Lenoir, North Carolina, Jimmie and his squire Heck find themselves drawn into an all-out war between two competing biker gangs. One is led by a rival biker in possession of new found supernatural allies and the other is an all-female werewolf pack.
Meanwhile, Lovina is drawn into a missing-person case that leads to a Pennsylvania trailer park seemingly haunted by killer clowns.
One way or another peace must be maintained and the many roads of America must be protected. But it might just cost the Brotherhood their souls if they aren’t careful.
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King of the Road
Brotherhood of the Wheel, Book 2
By: R. S. Belcher
Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
Wow, this was as good if not better than the first book! This time the Brotherhood is dealing with supernatural dealing along the rail system and killer clowns! Hey, I think clowns are creepy enough but but them in a forest with axes and chasing people, now I am really creeped out! There are so many layers to the story with characters dealing with different issues but they eventually come together. All of it is so well thought out. Characters are so well developed, plot with many twists and turns, the world building is terrific!
The narrator is fantastic! He makes the story really pop! He is excellent! He is a man of a million voices!
I loved this series!
I am new to the Urban Fantasy genre so I had absolutely no idea what to expect. This book felt like a mash up of the wildly popular Sons of Anarchy and Stephen King’s It with a splash of Once Bitten and The Black Dahlia thrown in for good measure. The book is an interesting mix of horror, mystery, action, and the supernatural all thrown into one somewhat disturbing (but quite enjoyable) read.
I received King of the Road in my monthly My Thrill Club box and I have to admit it was not a selection I would have picked out on my own. The title sounded intriguing and the cover art was pretty cool so I figured I’d give it a shot! Unfortunately, I did not realize this is the second in the series of the Brotherhood of the Wheel books. With that said, I don’t know how much I missed out on from the first book but I was still able to read this installment as a stand alone. There were a few times when I questioned things and thought perhaps the answers to my questions were in the first book. There was nothing so significant though that indicated reading the first book is essential.
The book starts off with a chase involving human trafficking on the open highway. If that’s not your thing, don’t worry because it serves no greater purpose than being an introduction to some of the characters and what their jobs are. The real story is in the raging war between rival clubs and who is really fueling the fire that’s costing the lives of many. In a separate story, people are continually going missing near the small town of Coalport, PA. The locals have tried to tell anyone who would listen, but once authorities start hearing tales of hobos and clowns with machetes, it seems they quickly lose interest. That is until a southern cop named Lovina comes across the case. Missing persons are important to Lovina and have hit close to home so she decides to delve in to see what she can find.
Filled with action packed fight scenes, scary clowns (named Harlequins), and references to everything from Nicolas Flamel to Insane Clown Posse, this book really runs the gamut. I was particularly pulled in because of the PA locations. My husband’s mom was from Coalport and it’s so small that very few people have ever heard of it. It’s also pretty fun to read books when you are familiar with the landscape in which it is set. Although I must admit, I may think twice before visiting the abandoned turnpike near Breezewood ever again!
All in all a fun read. I would recommend it to anyone who has an open mind and enjoys horror, fantasy, and action genres. The book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger so now I’ll be on the lookout for the next one in the series for sure!