Isaura’s son has been kidnapped. Worse, his kidnappers are taking him to Huancavelica, a Peruvian mercury mine so dangerous it’s known as the “Mine of Death.” Her only ally is Amadi, a runaway slave haunted by guilt he refuses to explain. Her only choice is to beat the kidnappers to Huancavelica and lay a trap … assuming she can survive the mine herself.The Black Resurrection is a standalone … a standalone sequel to The Red Wraith, a historical fantasy set in Early America. The Ascenders, one of two prequels to The Red Wraith, includes Isaura and Amadi’s backstories.
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This story was incredible – I had no idea that I needed this historical/speculative fiction set in 16th century South America.
The work follows several different characters whose stories intersect. The characters were well-written and compelling, making me completely invested in what happened to them. No spoilers, but I almost teared up a little at the end of the book when a character I was cheering for didn’t make it. Characters all had different motivations that were evident enough to explain their behaviors throughout the work, making none of their actions feel forced or unrealistic just to forward the plot.
The various cultures portrayed throughout the work were absolutely interesting, and the author did an excellent job at portraying the differences in these cultures as well as the intersections of the cultures. I hadn’t realized what a melting pot South America was after the 16th c.e. Spanish conquests until I read this book.
The heavy fantasy elements throughout the work were awesome. I loved the way that magic worked in this world, as well as the way that characters of different cultures approached it and understood it.
My only complaint with this work is that the way the book starts is pretty confusing. We’re thrown into a scene with lots of characters and the aftermath of a lot of actions, with no explanation of what’s going on. I know this is the second book in the series, but it’s marked as being able to be a stand-alone read so I didn’t read the first book before this one. That being said, it only took a handful of chapters to get situated with the setting, parameters of the world, and the characters. I think starting the book with a preface that briefly explained the setting, the different cultures at play, and maybe even the main characters would go a long way in alleviating this.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book. The author did their research well and wove facts and fiction together in a compelling read. I can’t recommend this work enough and will definitely be reading the rest of the series!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
After the mass immunisation in ‘the red wraith’, the suffering from the original people and Afrii slaves is far from over. The harshness of plantations was already seen, but now we also meet the cruelty of guano-mining and the metal mines, where the mercury winning lasts till today. Also, the early immigration of Asians is covered in this book. The writer admits himself that the chronology in the book doesn’t correspond with the actual real timeline. But it all fits nicely together and the story is all the better for it.
Naysin is completely absent in this story, only on the very last page is his whereabouts revealed. The focus lays on Isaura and Amadi who’re travelling towards the mine of death, where her baby is kidnapped to. This is a voyage of 6 months, so many adventures await them. The evil Chin warlock who abducted the child has also put Chase under his command with puppet spores. And also here, it’s the means that justify the needs as Jies purpose is to heal his sister.
The ‘shocking’ revealing teaser for his next book on the last page makes me eager to read that one as well.
I received a free arc from the author and this is my honest review.