The Undying Legion by Clay Griffith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
THE UNDYING LEGION picks up soon after THE SHADOW REVOLUTION, with the same cast of characters. If you liked the first book in the Crown & Key trilogy, you’ll like this one too. It has the same action and sketches of world-building and the same moments that might make you squirm. These books don’t dive into straight up horror, but there are definitely bits that made my stomach do a little roll. I didn’t stop eating my dinner, but it was a close thing. The uncomfortable parts are handled well, like the instance at Penny’s house, which doesn’t play out the way it might in a scary movie.
As you might guess from the title, the dead rise in this one–steampunk zombies, of a sort. Our magical scribe Simon and his sometime-romantic-interest/alchemist Kate have to unravel some ancient hieroglyphic sigils found in old churches in London, and it was at this point that I wished ebooks incorporated more images. I really wanted to see these designs!
Thankfully, even though this is part of a trilogy, the story wraps up its major sequences. However, there’s a completely new story started in the epilogue, setting up the third book. So I’ll be looking for the next story, because I’d like to see how this ends. If you’re looking for action with just a hint of romance/sensuality and a side of big pistols (and the attendant gore) check out this series.
Side note: the book I finished reading on my 35th birthday.
Received as a free digital ARC via Netgalley and the publisher.