A quote that begins the Introduction sums up the book wonderfully: “Now I know the full power of evil. It makes ugliness seem beautiful and goodness seem ugly and weak. – August Strindberg, The Dance of Death.” This is a tale of evil slithering into town and destroying its beauty, peace and people blinded by compassion and goodwill.

The world is at war, and while the great powers struggle, a Lycan community tries to avoid the war and keep its people safe. However, they are unable to turn away the refugees of the great war, particularly the children. Malthus Estrobian arrives at the town with his two nieces, pleading for sanctuary for the children and himself as their sole living relative. He is taken in, and in a remarkably short period of time, misfortune begins to strike the residents and neighbors turn against neighbors. In truth, Malthus is “the Butchering Serpent”, an assassin and black magic user. His mission is both personal and on behalf of his Lord, and he will go to any lengths to complete it. Those who suspect him mysteriously disappear, and the others are helpless to prove anything. But there is one young Lycan, Kynyr (with secrets of his own), who may be the only one who can solve the mystery and lay the evil to rest.

Serpent’s Quest is Book One of the series Lycan Blood and a continuation of previous series about this fascinating world. The author is a master storyteller and world-builder. Janrae Frank has created an intricate, rich world, filled with multi-layered cultures and interplays. The writing is sharp but lyrical at the same time. The descriptions are detailed without drowning the reader in minutia. The characters are fully formed with unique individual personalities. There are no stereotypes or shortcuts. The tension was subtle, and I found myself truly anxious for the characters without realizing the author had taken me there. The perfect amount of historical background was given. Although I haven’t read the previous books (yet), I didn’t feel lost in this complex world of complex relationships. The author also did an excellent job of whetting my appetite to read the previous books and left me eager to read the next installment of Lycan Blood.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 236 pages
• Publisher: Daverana Enterprises (December 18, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0981662609
• ISBN-13: 978-0981662602

To purchase a print copy of Serpent’s Quest, Lycan Blood: Volume One from Amazon click here.

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