Review: The Seven Hungers: Rise of the Crimson King by Morgan Quaid [Rock Star Book Tours]

I like my villains to be villainous; I want to loathe them and yet love them at the same time. I like my heroes to be relatable and yet have their own uniqueness that can only be found in fiction. Morgan Quaid has successfully given this to me. I was intrigued by The Seven Hungers by its promise of offering a bizarre mystery packed with magic and fantasy elements.

The story follows a Crown sorcerer, Drake, who is hired to investigate an emergence of “non-terrestrial phenomena” that appears halfway across the world. We’re first introduced to Drake in battle, kicking off the novel right in the thick of the action. Drake is clearly arrogant, but we soon learn that underneath the cocky and sarcastic exterior, he’s battling his own inner demons as well as paranormal beings in the mortal world.

We’re then introduced to Agent Karen Winter, who’s not only Drake’s ex but his new partner in this mission. The relationship starts out all business, but it softens as the story pans out. Another favorite character of mine is Rook, a deaf soldier who first appears as Drake’s partner in crime. It’s clear that Drake is fond of her, but no romantic intentions are given.

Without giving too much of the story away about the story, what I really liked about this novel was the character development. I didn’t hate any of them, even when they were given unlikeable personalities. They all developed and grew as the story went on and I found myself being able to relate to them in some way.

If I had one critique, it’s that it would be that the “Hungers” were not explained early enough in the story. Upon reading, I kept asking myself “what is this Hunger that’s being referred to?” and didn’t really learn this until late in the book.

I guess that was part of the reason I kept reading, but I feel like the story was compelling enough that I would have continued even if I learned this earlier on. It’s not really a downside though, as you do finally get the answer to the question; it would just have been helpful to know sooner.

Overall though, it’s a very enjoyable read and kept me hooked throughout. Judging by how the story ended, it appears a sequel is in store, so don’t devour it too quickly!