And God said, ‘Let There Be Death.’
And He saw that it was Good.
As the second day in The Creation begins, the world continues to be transformed. Day has arrived, but this is no ordinary light. And it is but the precursor for something far more terrifying.
With the dawn, Faye Moanna finds herself a prisoner in one of the darkest dungeons created for man. To escape with her life, she may have … escape with her life, she may have to sacrifice a part of herself that can never be reclaimed: Her soul.
Meanwhile, new allegiances are formed between Dugan’s band of mercenaries, but betrayal lurks at every corner. And the power they seek, in the form of the Shaman, may prove not to save the world, but destroy it.
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THE CREATION: Let There Be Death is the second book in The Behrg’s captivating Creation series. As this is the second part, it is advisable for readers to begin with part one–THE CREATION: Axis Mundi, in order to fully appreciate this storyline, as it continues right where the first left off. One problem I often encounter in a “series” is that I’ve forgotten many of the smaller details from the previous book by the time the next is released. I am very pleased to say that in the case of this series, I was able to jump right back into the plot and lives of the various characters, as though I had never left them. I attribute this to the fantastic amount of detail and great characterization that The Behrg put into this series.
These characters are simply too “real” to be so easily forgotten. Dugan and his select band of soldiers–each as true to character as they were in book one–, Dugan’s estranged daughter, Faye: “. . . she still hated him, ergo, she was still his daughter.” , the Facility, the corrupt Gutierrez with his crew, and Father Remmy Shumway with the boy, Josue, are all brought back to this heavy actioned sequel.
The Behrg makes great use of Venezuela’s natural geography, as well as some additional changes, to give us an exceptionally “real” environment, with both natural and unnatural dangers. We begin on the “newly formed tabletop mountain in Southern Venezuela, recently named Tepui Byrd . . .” . The biggest internal change here, I feel, is seen with Dugan, Faye, and Dugan’s team. For some, the changes being wrought by the sought-after Shaman merely add to their current beliefs: “He had never believed in a world of black and white with clear delineations. Only a world with varying degrees of gray . . . ” . For many others, their belief system is being radically challenged: “In days when you could no longer rely upon the sun rising or setting, it was difficult to know what you believed.” . In the case of Faye, the change is perhaps the most dramatic as she is forced to confront some unsettling thoughts about her own nature: “Maybe that’s life’s greatest truth . . . We’re all monsters. And the things we fear the most? They’re inside us. They’re what we know we will become . . .” . Even those without previous convictions found themselves “. . . beginning to understand how people could justify belief when faced with questions that bore no answers.”
In the midst of all the chaos and destruction surrounding this story, each group continues to be motivated by their individual plans and designs. There is death, depravity, and more illustrated by the opposing forces. The one unifying factor being that each wishes to be the one in control/possession of the legendary Shaman, or Takushkansh’kan–using his vast powers for their own goals.
“. . . what Dugan had asked for; begged for–was as unholy as the demon who could make such a request come to pass.”
The Behrg’s writing style is brought into great light as his large cast of characters continue to show their individuality. From his descriptions of mass destruction, human frailty, the beauty and dangers of the Venezuelan forests, to the relevant social commentary, each and every scene has a ring of “truth” to it, and it was all too easy to lose myself completely in his “new world”. Certain questions and comments even gave me pause: “So what happens when we break the cycle? When we eliminate death, are we no longer living?” Also the thought that, “. . . everyone kills to survive whether they realize it or not: most are just slowly killing themselves.”
This is not only an engrossing thriller, but also a novel that brings to the surface some “uncomfortable” thoughts regarding our human race. Leaving us with another electrifying ending, I simply can’t wait to see what “Chapter 3” has in store for us!
Highest recommendation, to read following the first chapter, THE CREATION: Axis Mundi.
(when’s the next one coming out)????