#Review - Death Unleashed by Steve McHugh #Fantasy #Contemporary

Series: The Rebellion Chronicles (#2)
Format: Paperback, 428 pages
Release Date: February 27, 2020
Publisher: 47North
Source: Publisher
Genre: Urban Fantasy

A deadly venom. A looming rebellion. A vicious siege. And the clock is ticking.

For sorcerer Nate Garrett, the stakes have risen. If Asgard falls, he may lose much more than his home—he may lose the thing dearest to him. To stand a fighting chance against Avalon, he must be ready to go to war. But when his best friend and father are poisoned, Nate must race against the clock in a desperate quest to find a cure.
 
Layla Cassidy is tasked with gaining the aid of the Valkyrie in Valhalla, but once there, she finds herself involved in another rebellion and must pick a side.

Meanwhile, Mordred finds himself on a hunt for Excalibur, a weapon of incredible power that would aid the rebellion in their fight against Arthur and his allies. But to retrieve it, Mordred must face uncomfortable truths about himself.

War looms over the rebellion, and the battle for Asgard is at hand. Time is running out as Avalon’s forces threaten total destruction. But Nate can’t be in two places at once. Can he find the cure, and can he, Layla, and Mordred save the realms before it’s too late?

Death Unleashed is the second installment in author Steve McHugh's The Rebellion Chronicles. This story picks up several months after Sorcery Reborn. The author has decided to use three main characters to tell his story; Nate Garrett, Layla Cassidy, and Mordred. In the realm of Asgard, Nate, has become a father for the first time in his long life, he has a chance to meet his father, Odin, and he is happy with Selene, a dragon shifter. But, things are not yet settled when it comes to stopping Arthur, Avalon, and Hera who truly wants to see Nate dead. 

When Tommy and Odin return from Montana near death from an unknown venom, Nate knows that Hera is somehow involved. Nate's journey will take him to Montana, Canada, and London. Along the way, he picks up assistance from Rasputin and Pandora aka Hope. Nate's team includes Kase, Remy, Sky, and Zameka. With Tommy, and Odin dying of an unknown venom, time is ticking away. Nate learns that thanks to a blood ritual, 7 people were created to be weapons. He is apparently Death, Mordred is Conquest. Apparently, Pestilence, Judgement, and War are still alive. But, whose side do they fight for? He will eventually face off against War, Hera and Atlas before rushing back to Asgard for the final stand.

Meanwhile, Layla is sent on a mission to Valhalla with Piper, Tego, Irkalla, Chloe, Ava, and Jinayca. Layla, who is able to create weapons from metal, has a dual fold mission; to seek the Valkyries help in preventing Asgard from falling, and searching for Zeus's final resting place. Why Zeus? Because one of the 7 weapons created is Zeus's daughter, Judgement. It's not really a surprise when things don't go as planned in Valhalla, but they make some important discoveries here and the introduction of some new characters is an added plus.  

Layla, who is eager for the war against Arthur to end so that she can move on with life without bloodshed, also encounters Brynhildr, aka Nate's mother, a Valkyrie who is leading a rebellion against Valkyries who have aligned with Arthur. Layla, Brnyhildr, and her new allies must fight to save Valhalla, as well as being there to prevent Asgard from falling to Arthur and Avalon.

For Mordred, he and Hel have become a happy couple despite the ravaging war that is destroying various worlds. But, he needs to accept his fate as the one who truly was meant to wield Excalibur, not Arthur. He first needs to find Guinevere who is said to have escaped Arthur along with the sword and promptly hid it where nobody but Mordred could find it. Mordred's journey includes meeting the Lady of the Lake and going thru a trial which means facing his past and his past darkness which consumed him until Nate stopped him. He will also have an encounter with Arthur that seemingly sets the stage for the next (2) books in this series. There's a whole lot of bloodshed in these series, but the humor often times comes from Mordred who has a never ending supply of movie themes to hum.

Later on in this book, readers get a brief chapter from the perspective of Arthur. The man really needs to die soon. He's been around for both the original Nate series, Layla's series, and now this one. He's evil incarnate and not the man that fiction novels have made him out to be. His plan to destroy any world that stands against him, has left devastating consequences behind. Also, there's a key character, an ally of Nate's, who really could use some loving after what happens to him. In essence, this character has been around since Nate's original series. 

I am going to repeat what a fellow reviewer said recently. It is possible to read and enjoy Death Unleashed without reading any of the previous books, but I strongly advise you to read at least some of the other novels to truly appreciate just what a magnificent story teller Steve McHugh really is. You are likely to find your favorite Norse, or Celtic, or Arthurian, or Mythological character in this series. No character is safe. You are either on Nate's side, or Arthur's side. If you try to remain neutral, you are likely not to live long.

 

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