`Be afraid … this book gave me chill after chill’ – R. L. Stine on Messenger of Fear.
I wanted to touch the boy who was not to be touched.
The Messenger of Fear exists to punish the wicked, to restore balance in a world where evil seems to be everywhere. He offers sinners one terrible choice: play . . . or pay? If you win the game, you can go free. But if you lose, you must live out your greatest fear.
His assistant, Mara is still adjusting to her role. She must face the worst horrors of intolerance, cruelty and injustice: she, as much as any of the people Messenger pursues, is being punished. But Mara has secret feelings for Messenger, and they’re threatening to overpower her. As she learns more about his tragic past, she must make her own choice: how far will she go to gain her heart’s desire?
This enthralling sequel to Messenger of Fear promises just as many heart stopping moments as its predecessor. These books contain all the thrills and surprises that you know to expect from the Man who brought you the GONE series. Fans of Tom Hoyle's Thirteen will love this.
Look out for Michael's latest intense thriller, Front Lines.
Praise for GONE: `These are exciting, high-tension stories told in a driving, torrential narrative that never lets up … This is great fiction.’ Stephen King.
Michael Grant has lived an exciting, fast-paced life. He moved in with his wife Katherine after only 24 hours. He has co-authored over 160 books but promises that everything he writes is like nothing you’ve ever read before!
The Tattooed Heart follows the story of Mara, a girl who has been sentenced by a greater power for her hand in driving a young girl to suicide. She's now accepted her fate and works as an apprentice for the Messenger of Fear, a title which allows those who bare it to see into the minds of those who are deemed wicked and extract their greatest fear. To restore the balance, to determine guilt, the wicked are asked to play a game where the only positive outcome is to win. Refusing to play is seen as being defeated and punishable under the guidance of Isthil. The horrors Mara faces haunt her every moment, fears of justice that befalls upon those sentenced. She's being trained to become The Messenger, where she will lose her identity, her spirit and any connection to her former life.
In The Tattooed Heart, Mara is pining for her former life. With each new judgement, an inked tattoo appears on her skin, her mind holding the horrors of the darkest fears of the wicked and as a Messenger, she is never to be touched. But rather than let the isolation and loneliness take hold, Mara becomes emotionally invested in her work. Her feelings for The Messenger are clouding her judgement all while he pines away for his lost love simply known as Ariadne. Mara knows she'll never hold his heart so in an act of narcissism disguised as kindness, she's determined to find out what became of Ariadne so The Messenger may one day be free to love her. Only her.
I felt for Mara. I don't believe she was in love with The Messenger, but craved companionship and understanding. Facing a life of servitude in a state of purgatory, Mara's apprenticeship is almost complete, only then will she take the reigns alone and become the next Messenger. But throughout The Tattooed Heart, Mara is also faced with the decision whether to seek a life of pleasure with Oriax, the counterbalance to The Messenger who seeks pleasure and pain. Throughout the storyline, Mara not only matures, but develops into someone who's not only being punished but is worthy of the Messenger title.
Ending on a bittersweet note, I can't fathom what Michael Grant has in store for the finale. The Messenger of Fear series, although entertaining, also poses questions to readers such as morality, justice and paying for your crimes. How we judge others, even fictional characters, as seen through the eyes of someone else.
An emotional installment to the series, The Tattooed Heart is engaging, highly charged and sure to leave readers feeling emotionally exhausted. I enjoyed the inclusion of more diverse characters who Mara and The Messenger are seeking justice for, as I felt more invested in their plight than that of our protagonist at times. Similar to Michael Grant's Gone series, the writing is sharp, restrained and isn't bloated by lyrical prose. Looking forward to the finale and seeing the magic Michael Grant can create for our young heroine. Because bloody hell, she's going to need it.
