Title: Harken
Author: Kaleb Nation
Series: Harken #1
Publication date: Jan 9th 2013
Format: Kindle
Genre: YA | Paranormal
After surviving an assassination attempt, teenager Michael Asher discovers that he is at the centre of a worldwide conspiracy reaching higher than any earthly power. A supernatural organisation desperately wants him dead. He doesn't know why. Everyone who might have the answers has already been killed.
Tumbling into a web of international secrets, Michael is forced to fight back and dig up the truth. He begins to question how much of the world is truly as people are led to believe it is. Are there things that humanity is not being told? Who is the puppet master? And how far into the maze can he venture before he is lost forever?
My thoughts:
I have to say this was not what I was expecting. Not one bit.
What hit me most of all was how original the story was. For me, if a book has any sort of new, unused content instead of the cheesy romances, vampires and werewolves, soulmate kind of thing, then it's already well on its way to becoming a great read. I really liked the new wolverine-esque powers and the way they came about. The plot was also more original than anything I've read in a while - it was refreshing.
The plot was incredibly fast paced. There was no doubt in my mind from when I read the first few chapters that the rest of the book would be just as packed with action and suspense. There was always something happening, whether it be action and fighting or something with the characters. There was a great mixture of drama with the bad guys and character development. There is a little bit of romance in the book too - I really loved that the storyline still remained focused on the action instead of Kaleb letting the romance become the main event in the story overall. I have to say as a whole though, sometimes I wished the story would slow down a little - I wanted to get to know the characters a little more and have them bond without them getting shot at.
Speaking of the characters, in my opinion, they were good but not great. I was waiting for that little bit of a push from the author - where something inevitably happens in the story that gives characters just a bit more depth. When something really compelling did happen to one of the characters though, I kind of got annoyed with the protagonist. Not in his reaction, but the way he changed after. I thought he lost a lot of what I liked about his personality in the first place. I also think that might be due to me wanting more time to get to know the characters - maybe I just didn't relate to them I don't know.
That aside, I thought the writing was marvellous. I was captivated with the story after the first page and stayed that way for the majority of the book - it was only when life got in the way that I would put it down. That alone tells me I will definitely pick up the sequel to Harken.
My rating: 7/10
Kaleb Nation:
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