Genre: Fantasy, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
After holding off the New Watchers at the tomb of a fallen angel, Rafe and Alec are back with a new adventure. The Praesidium has gotten a tip that the New Watchers are on the hunt for the legendary ring of King Solomon.
Traveling the globe on a continent-spanning adventure, Alec, Clemy, and Enoch the misanthropic computer have to unravel the mysteries of conflicting information.
But as Alec and Rafe grapple with the gun-toting New Watcher armies, they find themselves tested in other ways. Rafe still hasn’t told Alec everything – and Alec is about to learn just how far secrets can go.
The Review
Xenoarcheologist Alexander “Alec” Coimhead is now an agent of the Praesidium, and director Azarya has given him a new investigation. He and Rafe are off to the Italian island of Sardinia, looking into grave sites of giants, Tomba Dei Giganti.
The mission doesn’t go without trouble, as the New Watcher soldiers have found them, and all hell breaks loose and brings them face to face with the Sardinian police. Even though the incident is not their fault, Alec and Rafe still find themselves in front of their bosses, reprimanded by Director of Operations, Marjani. No matter what they do, it seems Marjani always has it out for Alec, Rafe and Clemy.
Now Director Azarya has a new concern. There’s been a rash of killings of academics and people of science in Europe by demons. This time, Alec and Rafe are off to Paris to investigate, and Alec is worried. The destruction and carnage at the University of Paris Science and Letters leave Professor Moreau, who had an affinity for researching King Solomon and the Testament of Solomon, dead.
Rafe believes Barghests are the culprits. Following this disaster, there’s now a rash of kidnappings which send the duo off to Tel Aviv, and Clemy joins in.
At the Tel Aviv University, they find Professor Renzulli dead. He was researching the Seal of Solomon.
After all the chaos Rafe and Alexander endure, there’s still secrets that can destroy not just the human race but their relationship, too. The change in Rafe and the secrets that he keeps hidden. The odd name of Mal’ach. No matter how much Alec pursues answers from Rafe, it will lead to a dangerous situation for them both. What is the truth about Alec’s parents and was there a connection to the New Watchers? Why does someone feel they already met Alec? What of the New Watcher that looks like Alec? Who is Sabastian? How is that Eris Erebos and the New Watchers always seem to know where Alec and Rafe are? What will the Seal of Solomon bring?
R. R. Pearl creates another explosive, fast paced action, violent, deathly and dangerous page-turner with the second installment of “The Watchers” series. The “Seal of Solomon”, the bible and myth, are an intriguing mix for a plot. Pearl had me so curious that I spent time finding out even more about the subject matter, especially the demons and the places that she describes so vividly in Europe: Israel, Italy, Tel Aviv, Syria and Africa. The Scottish dialect really comes through with Alec and his banter and conversations with Rafe.
After all the chaos Rafe and Alexander endure, there’s still secrets that can destroy not just the human race but their relationship, too.
Besides Alec and Rafe there’s a host of characters that return from the first novel.
I loved these side characters too. Doctor Clementine “Clemy” Armistead and Norri Lee St. Clair have both have forged a great friendship. There’s also Theodore “Teddy” Quora, who can answer some questions for Alec. And Enoch the snarky “AI” and Oliver! Of course, we also follow the stories of Eris Erebos, Markus St. Clair, and the New Watchers, who are back again, accompanied by many evil characters and terrifying demons.
In “The Seal of Daemons,” Pearl creates another explosive, fast paced action, violent, deadly and dangerous page-turner. The “Seal of Solomon”, the bible and mythology create an intriguing mix for a plot. Pearl had me so curious that I spent time finding out even more about the subject matter, especially the demons and the places that described so vividly in Europe.
I was surprised and excited to see this second book in “The Watchers” series, and can’t wait for Pearl’s book 2.5 “The Might of the Coming Vril-Ya”. I can’t even imagine what she has planned for Alec and Rafe.
I also recommend “In the Valleys of the Earth,” book one of “The Watcher’s” series. It’s just as exciting, and introduces these great characters and the excitement they bring. I’ve read the book and have also listened to the fantastic narration by John York. His Scottish accent is very distinctiv,e and he provides a variety of accents for the other characters to recognize them individually. His narration is presented with the high emotions that come with this fantastic tale. I hope there’s plans for this second novel to be on audio, too.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.