Synopsis from the back of the book: “OLD SCORE, NEW CITY:  Following years of war and near-annihilation, the people of the great city of Gastar have thrived without a major threat in two centuries, since the departure of the demon lord Zermon.  Now, unknown to the people, dark forces from the past return to stake their claim.  The boy Goldeon seeks to topple the city leaders by use of a secret army.  Shevata, the teen assassin and the boy’s greatest enemy, unexpectedly returns to the city by unlikely allies.  The clash of the children sets off a series of events that place the people in the center.  Who is the greatest danger, the two teens from the past, or their own war with one another?  Can the city survive it?”

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This sequel of Act of Redemption is another great story in the Gastar Series.  Cole creates a completely new cast of interesting characters, save Shevata and Goldeon, as the two children battle each other as good versus evil.  Two hundred years have passed since Shevata’s last battle in Gastar, from which she left the human world in search of her greatest foe, Goldeon.  Although the demon world from Act of Redemption now resides in hell, a new group of unexpected foes takes the light in this new novella, controlled by Goldeon as he pursues utter destruction of the city.

I especially liked the set up of this novella as it takes place over the course of a week, but the sequence is not necessarily in order.  This aspect creates suspense and interest, egging the reader on to find the answers to the questions that arise in each segment.  It reminds me of the Greek tragedy format, in which the beginning is the middle, and the middle is the beginning (the end is the end).  While the prologue of the novel begins in the middle of the story, the next segment rewinds to earlier in the week.  As the story plays out, and the sequence of events change, the chapters guide the reader, telling him/her where the next portion of the story lies in terms of sequence.  Thus, the novella jumps back and forth, taking the reader for a thrilling ride as the plot unfolds and answers arise.  Questions brought up in this newest novella, as well as those brought up in Act of Redemption, reveal themselves as the story progresses, giving the reader much satisfaction as it all comes together. 

Cole does a wonderful job entertaining the reader through this action packed novella.  I was mesmerized as the story quickly progressed, and I was constantly caught off guard by the multiple twists and turns Cole ingeniously adds to her writing.  The end of the novella sets itself up for the third installment, and I am very excited to read about Shevata’s newest quest, though there is little foreshadowing as to what will happen next for the heroine of the Gastar Series.  Four stars!

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I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.