Requiem, Changing Times by R.J. Parker – Book Review

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  • Source: Review Copy
  • Pages: 450
  • Publication Date: 26 September 2019
  • Publisher: Olympia Publishers
  • My Rating: 4/5

It’s always interesting when a book starts with a news report. You get to know about a huge event that’s happening in the world and then you get to see how it affects the characters in the book. 

Two organizations called the Salvation Alliance and The Fury are after the Requiem. Because of the Reclamation, people who lie and commit other sinful things are changed to evil creatures. The Salvation is the opposite of The Fury and basically, the good guys of this world. They are fighting for freedom. 

The story shifts to Clint Holden and Corbin, two young boys in school. Clint is trying to ask the girl he likes to the dance. They are going through normal teenage stuff. Clint is struggling to accept his step-father as part of his family. However, Clint is wary of his strange teacher who seems almost inhuman. A normal day for him turns to being attacked by a stranger. 

The details about this world are not explained at the beginning of the book. At some points, I had no idea what was happening. There are creatures like orcs, trolls, and ogres. There are humanoids and creatures who look like animals but work and talk like humans.  However, when the story turns to Clint’s perspective, it started to make sense from there. 

There is a bit of dry humor in the book which I really enjoyed. The writing style and narration are good. The book is filled with action and is fast-paced. It doesn’t get boring at all. There is a lot of violence in some parts. When the thrilling scenes and the humorous scenes started switching up, I really started liking that. 

The book has an intense, gloomy vibe with a touch of humor. The chapter titles are especially hilarious. In the beginning, new characters are introduced in every chapter

I found some scenes quite unnecessary. It was taking too long for all the sub-plots to come together. There wasn’t a proper balance between them. I would’ve preferred if Clint and Corbin’s perspective had come sooner in the book because I was getting to know these characters and following the story. 

I didn’t like that the narrator was fat-shaming Corbin and there was no need to mention again and again that he was fat. 

The collision between the regular world and the supernatural can be tricky to show in a book. In some books, the characters are barely shocked at finding that monsters are real, which seems unrealistic. The author did a great job of handling this element. It was balanced and believable. I also liked how new creatures were gradually introduced in the book. It kept the world-building going. 

It was interesting to see that while the kids were held hostage in their homes, it wasn’t a typical hostage situation. It was nice to see the siblings bonding. I liked the dynamic between the otherworldly adults with the kids as well. 

I like how most of the book is from the perspective of young kids, but the overall story is more than that. It was crazy that they were still going to school while all that stuff was happening in their life. The instances where they were making light of the situation were nice to read about. I loved how they became a part of the mission.

I didn’t love how the book ended but I did not see it coming either. It was action-packed and shocking nevertheless. 

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