The Kings Mortal

by Armada West

[justine_manzano]

You wouldn't think drug dealers and vampires would go together, but they absolutely do in Lana Corvin's world. Lana is a fascinatingly dark and complex character who is facing death and struggling to protect herself in the world she has found herself in - a world filled with drugs, sex, violence, and cruelty. As she attempts to survive these normal, albeit terrible, real world troubles, she stumbles into a supernatural war involving vampires and doppelgangers, evil creatures bent on the destruction of humanity.

West does a great job in balancing the gritty world of Lana's drug dealer boyfriend Vic, and the majestic and dark world of the Vampires in Cimmerian. The writing was strong, the characters, interesting, and the world building, flawless. As we become immersed in the history of Cimmerian and it's people, we never get bogged down - we yearn for more. And West provides. The best thing about the story is this - just when you think you're going one way, you quickly find you're not. Nothing predictable or dull about this vampire tale, and no tired tropes to speak of. I can't wait to get my hands on Book 2.