Barry Hutchison
Harper Collins
Available from 04/08/2011 (Paperback)
Review by Rob Wade
Kyle wakes up in hospital...in the Darkest Corners. In this hospital, the surfaces aren't clean, and the instruments are not used for healing. But it's about to get much, much worse. The doctor is ready to see him now...
One of the things I've liked about this series since I started at The Crowmaster is that it teases a cataclysmic finale continually throughout, and it's a really effective way to tease the final novel in the series.
While this novel (POTENTIAL SPOILER [Highlight to Read] which explains how Doc Mortis is responsible for the Invisible Fiends END SPOILER) could have easily suffered from a high level of pacing issues, it's pleasing that these are kept to a minimum. Don't get me wrong; the pacing isn't completely perfect, and at times the pacing suffers from moving incredibly quickly, but for the most part Hutchison nails it.
What's done exceptionally well, however, is the tension that builds. There are many, many set pieces that deal with tension well, and every time you find yourself dreading the big reveal. In fact, Doc Mortis himself doesn't appear particularly often in the story, but a lot of his mystique is caused by what you see him having done to various bodies around the hospital. It's got elements of Silent Hill, which is probably why I like it in all honesty, but the tension is absolutely spot-on.
Fans of the series will love it, and if you're not already a fan, you should definitely consider taking the leap.
The Emotionally Fourteen Rating
Violence: Lots of scuffles, but it's teenage fiction.
Sex/Nudity: None.
Swearing: None.
Summary: A really effective and creepy novel, building up nicely to what promises to be a massive finish. 9/10
Taro was just a fisherman's son...but then his father was murdered and he was forced to become a Blood Ninja, fated to live by night, doomed to live on the blood of others. But he has had his revenge. He has killed Lord Oda, the warlord who had his father assassinated. But Lord Oda is not quiet in his grave.
He has found a way to reach beyond death and Taro and his friends soon find themselves facing samurai armies, a deadly enemy from the past and strange ghostly creatures who suck life from the living. Dangerously weakened, Taro, must recover the one object that Lord Oda was desperate to find before he died: the Buddha Ball, the source of limitless power. But if Taro is to complete his perilous quest - to save himself, his friends, his mother, and the girl he loves - he must go to hell and back and face his arch enemy once again. For Lord Oda has returned - as a Blood Ninja.
Thanks to our friends at Corvus, we've got five copies of Blood Ninja II: Lord Oda's Revenge t-shirts to give away! For your chance of winning, send your name and full postal address to emotionally14@hotmail.co.uk before midday on Tuesday 9th August, making sure to put "Lord Oda" as the subject. The first five entries out of the electronic hat after the competition closes will receive a free copy!
Don't forget to put "Lord Oda" in the subject line. Incorrectly labelled or blank entries will be discarded.
Blood Ninja II: Lord Oda's Revenge is out now, courtesy of Corvus.
Entries limited to one per household. Offer open only to postal addresses in the UK and Ireland.
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