Grabs hold and won’t let go… A high-octane adventure.
An exhilarating, action-packed fight between light and darkness propels the narrative of DiPaolo’s immersive supernatural thriller. Alexander Storm, an enigmatic man who spends his days in the Dragon Loch Castle, knows it’s his legacy to protect humankind from evil, and he is good at doing it. But when Moloch and Naamah, a pair of demons, set their eyes on the Twelve Hours of Night, the fabled Ancient Egyptian papyrus, in order to release a dark force, Storm knows he must prepare himself for a horrendous war. He creates a special task force of would-be-heroes. With the papyrus separated into twelve parts and hidden around the globe at major archaeological sites, the team must solve a set of intricate riddles to locate each part while facing a horde of supernatural enemies. Engrossing right from the beginning, the narrative and plot quickly darken and deepen. The novel’s world of good versus evil and terrifying supernatural transformations is casually revealed through a series of otherworldly happenings. Though Storm’s mysterious life in the Dragon Loch Castle creates plenty of intrigue, when the action moves to the various task force members, their backstories make a complex tapestry, woven of intricate threads of secrets, dreams, desires, and skills. DiPaolo has an eye for detail, bringing all the characters to life: Storm is a clever, courageous, darkly noble protagonist with an appealingly wry voice. The supporting cast is equally compelling. DiPaolo deftly layers in historical and archeological details, old myths, legends, and supernatural, drawing upon the famous monuments and archaeological sites, superstitions, common tropes of urban fantasy literature and the eternal war of good versus evil. From the pitch-perfect opening paragraph to the exhilarating final twist, the narrative unravels layers of revelation, skillfully ratcheting up the tension and horror to the shocking finale. Storm and the special task force members’ dangerous mission to locate all the twelve parts of the papyrus and their face off with the pair of demons and other supernatural entities propel the narrative; the mystery surrounding Storm and some unexplained facts about the task force members mean the sequel should be in cards. A labyrinthine plot with otherworldly darkness and intrigue keeps the pages flying. Immaculate characterization, atmospheric setting, and finely incorporated supernatural intrigue make for a page-turner. Historical fantasy, archeological thriller or urban fantasy—whatever genre you like, this novel is a must-read. Go, grab it.
THE DRAGON STORM – GATES
By Anthony DiPaolo
Pub date August 14, 2021
ISBN 978-1737484929
Price $19.99 (USD) Paperback, $6.99 Kindle edition
