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Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
In books one and two of the Ages of Malice series by Lloyd Jeffries, reporter Emery Merrick is offered a second chance at life, then introduced to Thaddeus Drake, who's actually the first murderer in the history of man: Cain. Assigned to a special report, Emery discovers Cain's immortality and links to the ancient past are made present. Emery's work on a precious biography turns out to be horrifically dangerous, with potential ramifications for the whole of humanity. Emery survives but is emotionally defeated. His former love, Rhyme, has married Cain and wants nothing more than to protect Emery, get her life back, and take down her hellish husband. Now, in book three, Embers of Shadow, we see the fight to free Rhyme from Cain, who continues growing in power by the second, and Emery's role in a war that has arrived with the Antichrist. The attacks on Emery and Rhyme and the implosion of humanity are threatened with obliteration at every angle.
I had the pure delight of reading both books one and two in the Ages of Malice series by the wildly talented Lloyd Jeffries, and eagerly anticipated Embers of Shadow. It should not come as any surprise that Jeffries continues to go from strength to strength with this powerful saga. It's difficult for me to tell a reader that book three could be read as a standalone, as it would certainly rob them of an exceptional build-up. At this stage, Emery, Rhyme, and Cain are all thoroughly developed. I love Emery's dogged pursuit to get the whole mess on paper in what feels like almost a follow-up to the Bible. Ancient history is coming to life in real time. It's terrifying, particularly as Jeffries paints a picture of both heaven and hell on Earth in near cinematic detail. To me, the real star is actually Rhyme, who is just a firecracker of a female protagonist. She is fiercely strong, retains her agency even as her husband stifles her life, and gets things done. As far as stories of the supernatural, the frailty and redemption of man, and themes that explode off the page, Jeffries gives as good as a reader can possibly get. Very highly recommended.