Nephilum Awakening is a kind of mystical fantasy quest full of action, exotic temples, awesome superpowers and a budding romance.
Kiran’s father is kidnapped and the ransom is to find and deliver three special blades that form the key to the prison that holds the Nephilum’s Fathers. Releasing them is supposed to bring whoever opens it ultimate power, others say it will bring death and destruction. The reader has to read to find out which it will be.
Kiran is a Nephilim, only she doesn’t know it until now when the Nephilim spirit in her begins to awaken. The plot has a couple of layers, the characters and their lives as they are in this world, and their Nephilum aspect as they existed in other bodies in the past. At first, Kiran sets out to do as she’s told, but along the way, she begins to remember the past and her relationship with the other two Nephilum who are out to get her. As she learns more, the stakes increase and the story becomes more complex. Kiran, an old friend and an FBI agent who got mixed up in it all are chased by other murderous Nephilum and secret service agents to various places around the globe. The story progresses through various battles, mystical visions and near escapes to a gripping conclusion.
The book is well written in crisp, active prose in present tense, so it’s a lively read, and the pace races along like an Indiana Jones movie. There’s nothing extraneous in this novel; it’s tightly and cleanly edited, but the author’s style is occasionally a little too sparse as I had to read some sections more than once to work out exactly what was going on. I also found the many references to the Old Testament more confusing than illuminating. But even without understanding the details of the Nephilum’s history, I was happy to just go along for the ride.
The main characters are Kiran and Seth. Both come across as real, complex people that I found easy to relate to. Odji, Kiran’s long time friend I didn’t relate to so well, but that was no fault the author. Micheal, another FBI agent added a nice touch. The way he and Seth related to each other, despite being on supposedly different sides, was delightful.
Occasionally, the point of view shifted a little too quickly within a scene, enough for me to notice. Though it would be better without it, it wasn’t enough to detract from the book overall.
This is a unique story, grounded in mythology but played out in a modern world. I recommend it for anyone who likes ancient artifacts and a bit of mysticism with their action.
