The Last Necromancer by C.J. Archer - Book Tour & Review
Book & Author details:
The Last Necromancer by C.J. Archer
(The Ministry of Curiosities #1)
Publication date: August 11th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Young Adult
(The Ministry of Curiosities #1)
Publication date: August 11th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Victorian London: For five
years, Charlotte (Charlie) Holloway has lived as a boy in the slums. But
when one theft too many gets her arrested, her only means of escape
lies with a dead man. Charlie hasn’t raised a spirit since she first
discovered she could do so five years ago. That time, her father
banished her. This time, she brings even more trouble upon herself.
People are now hunting Charlie all over London, but only one man succeeds in capturing her.
Lincoln Fitzroy is the mysterious head of a secret organization on the trail of a madman who needs a necromancer to control his newly “made” creatures. There was only one known necromancer in the world – Charlotte – but now there appears to be two. Lincoln captures the willful Charlie in the hopes the boy will lead him to Charlotte. But what happens when he discovers the boy is in fact the young woman he’s been searching for all along? And will she agree to work for the man who held her against her will, and for an organization she doesn’t trust?
Because Lincoln and his ministry might be just as dangerous as the madman they’re hunting.
People are now hunting Charlie all over London, but only one man succeeds in capturing her.
Lincoln Fitzroy is the mysterious head of a secret organization on the trail of a madman who needs a necromancer to control his newly “made” creatures. There was only one known necromancer in the world – Charlotte – but now there appears to be two. Lincoln captures the willful Charlie in the hopes the boy will lead him to Charlotte. But what happens when he discovers the boy is in fact the young woman he’s been searching for all along? And will she agree to work for the man who held her against her will, and for an organization she doesn’t trust?
Because Lincoln and his ministry might be just as dangerous as the madman they’re hunting.
Purchase:
My Review
The Last Necromancer, set in Victorian era London, tells the story of Charlotte Holloway. Charlotte has a few secrets. One: she can raise the dead. Two: She's been living as a 13 year old boy for the past five years. Three: Well, I don't want to spoil this one, 'cause it's a twist to the whole entire story.
Charlotte aka Charlie is the last of her kind. A necromancer banished by her father, Charlotte now lives in the slums of London as a 13 year old boy. Thieving has become a new way of life for her, but when she gets caught and thrown in jail with some unseemly characters, she must use her powers to escape.
Unfortunately for Charlie, the men in jail are the least of her worries. There's a madman on the loose, seeking her for nefarious reasons. There's also a secret organization hunting for her, desperate to get to her before it's too late.
What will become of Charlie by the end of the book? Well, you'll just have to read it and find out.
Overall, I rather enjoyed The Last Necromancer. I've never been a huge fan of stories that have a more historical setting, but Victorian era London is definitely an exception to that. Mostly because I have a fascination with Jack the Ripper.
I found myself drawn into the story almost immediately. The imagery that comes from the writing is what really hooks you. It's like falling into the slums of 1890s London and living out the story as you read along. I love that! The writing is imaginative, bold, fast-paced, and just plain awesome.
I really found myself liking Charlotte/Charlie, although there were times she frustrated me. She's a likeable character, well-written, and someone you can easily root for throughout the story. You find yourself intrigued by her resilience and her desire for freedom. All she wants is a normal life, even though she's not normal.
There is a twist to the plot, as well. It's one I definitely did not see coming, and it's a unique take on a very-well known story. I quite liked the twist, and I feel it brought more excitement to the story.
The Last Necromancer is a fantastic book with great characters, a great plot, a unique twist, and it's just really well-written. I highly recommend giving it a read. 4.5 stars is my rating!
AUTHOR BIO:
C.J.
Archer has loved history and books for as long as she can remember and
feels fortunate that she found a way to combine the two with her
writing. Under her other name of Carolyn Scott, she has published
contemporary short stories in women’s magazines, and she also writes
romantic mystery novels under this name.
She has at various times worked as a librarian, IT support person and technical writer but in her heart has always been a fiction writer. She has won and placed in romance writing contests including winning RWAustralia’s Emerald Award in 2008 for the manuscript that went on to be released under the title HONOR BOUND. C.J. spent her early childhood in the dramatic beauty of outback Queensland, Australia, but now lives in suburban Melbourne with her husband and two children.
To be notified when C.J. releases a new book, subscribe to her newsletter from her website. She only sends out the newsletter when she releases a new book, and never spams.
She has at various times worked as a librarian, IT support person and technical writer but in her heart has always been a fiction writer. She has won and placed in romance writing contests including winning RWAustralia’s Emerald Award in 2008 for the manuscript that went on to be released under the title HONOR BOUND. C.J. spent her early childhood in the dramatic beauty of outback Queensland, Australia, but now lives in suburban Melbourne with her husband and two children.
To be notified when C.J. releases a new book, subscribe to her newsletter from her website. She only sends out the newsletter when she releases a new book, and never spams.
Author links:
1 Comments
Thanks so much for the awesome review! I'm glad you liked it.
ReplyDeletePlease try not to spam posts with the same comments over and over again. Authors like seeing thoughtful comments about their books, not the same old, "I like the cover" or "sounds good" comments. While that is nice, putting some real thought and effort in is appreciated. Thank you.