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Paperback Book Details
  • 05/2016
  • 9780692472019 0692472010
  • 380 pages
  • $$14.99
R.S. Dabney
Author
The Soul Mender (The Soul Mender Trilogy) (Volume 1)
R.S. Dabney, author

Adult; Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror; (Market)

In a wild escape to avoid becoming the sixth victim of the elusive Rocky Mountain Murderer, twenty-two-year-old Riley Dale finds herself flung into a universe parallel to her own, where Las Vegas is known for its churches, terrorist attacks are initiated by the United States, and peace can be found in the darkest corners of the globe. As the deadly visions that have haunted her since childhood become real, Riley is confronted with the implausible story of a world split in two and the stark contrast between good and evil in people she thought she knew. Racing deeper into the mystery of the new world, Riley discovers the explosive truth about her ancestors who have been hunted for thousands of years because of a single mistake made long ago. And now it’s her turn to pay for that blunder. Pursued by both the government and a clandestine sect of assassins, Riley must ally with the only people in the parallel universe willing to keep her safe—the drug-addicted, prostituting other half of her soul, and the counter soul of a man who tortured and killed five young women.

Quarter Finalist

Plot/Idea: 8 out of 10
Originality: 8 out of 10
Prose: 9 out of 10
Character/Execution: 9 out of 10
Overall: 8.50 out of 10

Assessment:

In this intriguing novel set in Colorado, newly graduated environmental scientist Riley Dale is shocked to discover that the voices and visions that have plagued her since childhood are intimations of a parallel universe populated by Demies: counterparts who are twins in looks but opposites in temperament and personality that represent our divided souls. After a somewhat leisurely start, the novel picks up steam. The author’s writing is crisp and engaging, and the story disappoints only insofar as, being the first book in a projected trilogy, it leaves subplots introduced early unresolved by the end.

Date Submitted: August 28, 2016

Reviews
A familiar science fiction theme—a parallel reality populated by alter egos of the inhabitants of our own—gets a fresh spin in this intriguing variant of a dark fantasy. Since childhood, Riley Dale, an environmental scientist living in Boulder, Colo., has been plagued by visions. Then she unexpectedly crosses over into the world of her imaginings with the help of a magic ring left to her by her grandmother. Partnering with Oz, a drug-addicted ne’er-do-well who represents the other half of her divided soul, and protector Zachary Stone, who’s a serial killer in her own world, Riley travels cross-country to Los Angeles, the terrorist-bombed capital of this alternate U.S., to learn the crucial role she must play in events rocking the parallel world. Dabney’s writing is crisp and confident, and her characters—including both of their personalities—are well-developed. She introduces more subplots than can be resolved by the novel’s end, making this a promising start for a projected trilogy. (BookLife)
Author Julia Joseph

"From the first scene, Dabney’s rich imagery grabbed me in a stranglehold and didn’t let go. THE SOUL MENDER is a fabulous ride, beginning to end." -Julia Joseph, Author of The Broken Trilogy

Kirkus Reviews (Starred review)

"Judging by the engrossing first volume, this trilogy about two heroines' perilous mission has the potential to be not only highly entertaining, but profoundly edifying as well." -Kirkus Reviews

Pacific Book Review (5 Stars)

"A fantasy thriller that thoroughly cranks up the volume on the fantasy and doesn't pull any punches on the thrills." -Pacific Book Review

Formats
Paperback Book Details
  • 05/2016
  • 9780692472019 0692472010
  • 380 pages
  • $$14.99
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