David Gatward

"A brilliant take on the coming of the Apocalypse..."

Am amazed by the reviews Doom Rider is getting. Seems that people are really liking it. So here's another that's just gone live, and it's fab! Read it, and make sure you follow the reviewer: she's awesome.

Dave

He has the POWER to destroy THE WORLD...

Seth Crow has lived a thousand lives, and in each one he's been murdered before he turns thirteen. And now he's being hunted again. But this time it's different...The Apocalypse is coming. And he only ones who can save the world, hold the power to destroy it.

Where to begin? David Gatward has a knack for gruesome detail. It's true. To be perfectly honest with you I don't do horror but this I loved. I had expected more graphic corpses and bodies torn apart and was, to begin with, a little disappointed. But when you meet the last Rider...OH! Creepy as hell! But I am getting ahead of myself! The main character is a lad called Seth, once part of a travelling family show delivering prophecies to people desperate to be 'englightened'. He finds himself almost attacked by a girl who throws images into his mind of his many, many past deaths. This is the beginning for him. Lily has come to save his life before a religious order called The Way slay him for the thousandth time. And off they go on a romp to save the riders of the Apolaypse. Will they destroy the world? Won't they? It's completely up to Seth.

Lily becomes Seths conscience. While he is busy being overrun by his immense power, Lily is there to bring him back to himself. To guide him, to try and stop him from detroying civilisation. A feisty and clever girl, Lily is one ass kicking addition to the book - literally! She doesn't have magical powers but she gives as good as she gets - look out for the scene where she takes out three grown men before being overpowered! Although she doubts whether she has done the right thing in saving the First Rider, she never doubts that it is possible to save the world.

We meet the other riders of the apocalypse who have been given unique powers by Gatward. Kelly is Strife. She has an incredible sword and voice that creates sonic waves and booms that crush and disintegrate things! I couldn't help but be impressed when she gave off that first wave of power. No girlie weapon for her! We also meet Dem, who is Famine, an odd little likable character who is obsessed with bugs and, naturally, controls swarms of locusts. The final Rider is Death - I will leave a little mystery around this one so as not to spoil the surprise. It is creepy though, when you picture it talking in your head you can't help but feel a little shudder. Not to mention the fact that it is followed round by tattered, ragged and skeletal damned souls, crawling around on the floor after the horse.

The story is, if not completely original, a brilliant take on the coming of the apocalypse and it's potential. The religious sect that is almost running the country, the way people cling to it for some form of hope and enlightenment, the iconography - pictures of 'The Protector' wherever you go. All these ideas aren't that far fetched, which lends an extra layer of chills to this book! There wasn't one bit where I was growing bored or skim reading. It is well written, fast paced and full of action! Definitely deserves this grade! _{My Grade: A}

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