Alexzander Christion

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Killing Monsters

Hired to defeat a monster terrorizing the land, Shefa soon finds the king wasn’t so honest with him. Never lie to a dragon, and never try to trick one into completing your dirty work.

At under a hundred pages, Killing Monsters is a quick and entertaining read. Both readers new to the series as well as those who have followed Shefa’s journey will enjoy this tale. This snapshot of the By the Hand of Dragons world brings the brutal action Alexzander Christion is known for right to the forefront. Shefa has his own morals and code he follows. And readers will soon realize what he sees as justice, and how he takes matters into his own hands.

You never cross a dragon.

Killing Monsters is the perfect bite-sized portion of Alexzander Christion’s writing. It’s a story that comes full circle by the end and doesn’t hesitate to show off Shefa’s power and abilities. If you’re on the edge, deciding whether or not to read the By the Hand of Dragons series, give this one a go. You might just find yourself itching to learn more about the chimera and Shefa’s role in the grand scheme of things.… (más)

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Saber

Any time I pick up a book by Alexander Christion I know there will be brutal battles of epic proportions. This time Shefa goes toe to toe with Saber, a being once favored by the emerald mistress but has since been thrown into disgrace. When Shefa unknowingly grants Saber the one object that can return him to his full power, he unleashes a monster on the world. Saber sets forth with the power of a red dragon to conquer Fuumashon and kill as many as he can in the process.

There is no mercy in Alexzander Christion’s writing. He will pull no punches and unleash the full force of evil on his characters. Blood flows freely as Saber manipulates and slashes his way into the kingdoms. And while Shefa does not want to kill citizens, if they stand with Saber he will cleave through them. With two powerful forces on the board, when they finally meet on the battlefield buildings will fall and sparks will fly. You know when you go to watch a monster movie like King Kong vs Godzilla just to watch two monsters level cities in their ongoing feud? Picture that, but with a sword and sorcery angle. However this time, Shefa may have met his match.

As intense as the battle scenes are, it took a little while for the story to push Shefa towards Saber. It was a good tactic to build up and show the vileness of Saber, but I wish it had been executed a bit differently. One scene, in particular, depicts a battle Shefa is thrown into the middle of with a race of people that don’t have an impact on the story. I was also a little confused at the mention of new abilities. I would have liked a little bit of an overview to fully grasp how they worked.

But even with these stumbling blocks, as a fan of dark fantasy Saber contained everything I look for in the genre. Brutal battles, intense life or death moments, and the overall tone of anguish. The characters are each so unique and the powers they wield are devastating. If you enjoy fantasy books focused on combat, give Saber a try.… (más)

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Rook

Sheath was created to be a weapon and trained from birth to be powerful. But there is more to power than mere strength. As he embarks on his first quest with Garrison, Sheath will find the real world can be treacherous. And if he is to be the self-proclaimed King of Fuumashon, there is a lot left to learn.

Be prepared for a bloody good time with Rook. The battles are intense, and the difficulty level rises with each new confrontation. Sheath will not go unscathed and no punches are pulled. Reading this book reminded me of anime where both the heroes and villains take incredible hits and rise back up to pummel each other into the ground. And the battles are written in gruesome detail befitting the dark fantasy genre.

I will admit the pacing is a bit off with this one. Some parts rush by because there is non-stop action, while others slow down to develop the history of the world. There is a section of the book when the Chimera children are being taught history lessons that may deter some readers, but stick with it! Once the history lessons come to an end the real action and adventure begins!

The evolution of Sheath’s character is central to the story. I loved the concept of an arrogant kid learning there is more to being a king than simply wanting it. Through his adventures and lessons with Garrison, Sheath realizes he is not all powerful. There is still a lot for him to learn. As he rises up to each new challenge, his knowledge and skill improves. However, he isn’t the only Chimera in this story and his fellow siblings are just as interesting as Sheath.

Aside from Sheath my favorite of the Chimera has to be Farabaugh. She is a water elemental and the creativity given to her abilities is wonderful. Just the way she thinks and behaves is so different and so fitting for a creature made of water. And let me tell you when she starts to develop her abilities you’ll see water used in ways you have never imagined. Some of the things Fara became involved with made my skin crawl.

While the first book in this series stumbles a little in the beginning, I can assure you it is a worthwhile read. Brutal battles, devastating magic, and a whole lot of creativity make By the Hand of Dragons: Rook a dark fantasy book you’ll want to pick up.… (más)

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: AlinGuard

As Shefa travels the world he will one day rule he comes across AlinTown. There he learns of the famous prison AlinGuard, said to hold the worst criminals of all time. But they are no longer contained. They’ve taken over the prison and are wreaking havoc for the town. Anyone sent to reclaim the prison is never heard from again. But what happens when one monster confronts another? Shefa offers his services to clean out the prison and of course wouldn’t it be fun to take them on?

If you are looking for a fast-paced fantasy novel filled with epic battles, then look no further. There is never a dull moment in AlinGuard. I would suggest you have a strong stomach and a penchant for blood, as there are no details left unsaid. Body parts fly and blood will spray, and I loved every bloody minute of it. Fans of dark fantasy, Alexzander Christion is your newest author to watch out for.

I jumped into this book knowing it wasn’t the first in the series. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t do this, but it was suggested I read AlinGuard first and I saw this as an opportunity to challenge the writing. Could this novel actual stand on its own? And yes, yes it can. I never once felt confused about the world, or how the magic system worked. There was enough of a backstory worked in to let me know the characters’ origins, but not enough to say that I won’t go back and read the previous book. In fact, AlinGuard made me want to read the first novel, Rook, even more. I have to find out how Shefa came to be who he is!

And as for Shefa, he is immensely powerful. I was worried that with such a character things would come too easily to him. But no, he still has to struggle and sacrifice as any other character would. Granted it’s a hell of a lot more entertaining because of the amount of power he wields and the types of creatures he must face that can even compare to him.

I highly recommend this for fans of the fantasy genre, though I would say this does lean more so towards the darker side of the genre.… (más)