"The Immortal Coil," by J. Armand
Urban / Dark Fantasy & Science Fiction
Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, GooglePlay, Kobo, and Walmart.
Book Blurb
Dorian Benoit is desperate to be normal in a world less than tolerant of those who are different, but being gay and telekinetic is just the start of his problems. He is about to learn a history lesson not taught in any textbook.
The blood-soaked reign of man may be a fascinating tale of triumph and tragedy, but hardly an original one. Since the beginning, humanity has been locked in a never-ending cycle of destruction and rebirth. Wars are fought and civilizations crumble only to be reborn and start anew. Names and faces may change with each cycle, but the game remains the same.
Humans are not the only players on the board, however. Sinister forces watch from the sidelines waiting for every opportunity to manipulate the fate of mankind for their own benefit. These immortal beings have purged the knowledge of their existence from our archives and stricken the true past from the record books to shroud the world in ignorance so that they may gain every possible advantage over the hapless cattle they seek to control.
Now, with the modern era coming to a close, it is time for the immortals to make their move once more. And for some, their plans include young Dorian, whether he likes it or not. Join him on his journey of self-discovery and fight for survival as he rises from reluctant hero to demon-slaying savior.
My Review
Okay, folks, this week’s review might go a bit off the rails because… hot frickety-frick-frack this is good stuff. I’d seen J. Armand’s book babies floating around the Twitterverse for a while thanks to his involvement in #writeLGBTQ, and I was positively champing at the bit to get my hands on them. So when we connected and scheduled him for a review on my blog several months ago? I was doing a butt-wiggle dance all up in my #amwriting nest. And let me tell ya, my lovely ladies, gents, and NBs… The Immortal Coil did not disappoint.
I’m not even sure where to begin with this review. I’ve admitted more than once before that, prior to opening my blog to all LGBTQ+ works of novel/novella length fiction, I was primarily a romance-only reader. I didn’t venture into other genres unless I was ordered to do so by an English teacher trying to “expand my readerly horizons.” However, I’ve discovered a rich patchwork of beauty within genres I never would’ve chosen to read before, this read being a perfect example.
I was floored by the sheer number of awe-inspiring avenues this story traveled down. It took me on an intricately weaved adventure truly owning the multiple genre tag of urban fantasy, dark fantasy, and science fiction. But rather than being overwhelming or feeling meshed together and shoehorned in, each nuance and subplot only added to the gorgeous world Mr. Armand created. Every chapter drew me further into the characters and the never-ending twists and turns that had me wide-eyed and anxious to turn the page.
I’m not going to go into any detail about the plot, because I think with this particular read, you can get all you need from the blurb and anything more than that would be an injustice. I want each and every one of you to experience this story for yourselves, without any added description or unnecessary details from me.
I can’t think of any specific audience I’d recommend this to, aside from those who enjoy the genres. Because, honestly, I’d recommend this to anyone with a pulse who even mildly enjoys reading. I have faith anyone who picks this up will be exactly where I’ve found myself… desperate to start book two.
So, what are you waiting for?? The Immortal Coil is available for your immediate reading pleasure. In addition, I’m going to link below to the other four books in the series. Have I read them yet? No. Do I plan to? Heck yes. In fact, look for reviews on each book in the near-ish future on my Monday Off Schedule Pleasure Read Reviews! 🌈💕 Also, be sure to check out the phenomenal artwork for sale here and here. (I mean, seriously, look at those covers. You know you wanna see what else he’s got!)
Until next time,
E💕
