Everything has come crashing down after the events of Raven's Fall. The Council is barely standing after they were attacked and no one knows if they will ever recover. But, the threat that began on that day isn't over, and they need to find a way to stop their enemies before they can enact whatever terrible plan they have in mind.
Haatim is thrust into a position of power he never expected nor asked for, and he knows that failure is not an option.
Lincoln Cole is a Columbus based author who enjoys traveling and has visited many different parts of the world, including Australia and Cambodia, but always returns home to his pugamonster puppy, Luther, and family. His love for writing was kindled at an early age through the works of Isaac Asimov and Stephen King and he enjoys telling stories to anyone who will listen.
Disclaimer: If you haven’t read Raven’s Peak and/or Raven’s Fall, please note that there may be spoilers here dealing with events from the first two books in the World on Fire series.
The Council is wiped out, most everyone is dead, and Haatim’s father is to blame. With a gun aimed at his father’s head, Haatim has a choice to make: murder his father or let him live. While he’s considering what to do, Dominick finds Haatim and then Frieda. All three must regroup and decide what to do before their enemies execute them.
They split up and have one goal: stop the demon inhabiting Haatim’s sister from completing the ritual. What’s the ritual? Bringing forth a demon so evil, it brings about the end of the world. Frieda seems to think Abigail is the only one who can stop it. But she’s dead, isn’t she? All is not as it seems and the more Haatim discovers, the more important Haatim becomes. Can he stop the end from coming or is this it?
This is the third book in the series and while it reads like a conclusion to a trilogy, the author assures me there will be more adventures. I’ve enjoyed the World on Fire series and Cole does an excellent job of tying up loose ends. The pulse-pounding ending, while too long (100 pages) in my opinion, kept me turning the pages. Action scenes were intense and at times, a little overwhelming. I mean, I can only handle only so much adrenaline in one sitting.
There’s a few instances of lack of originality that wasn’t apparent in the previous two books. Abigail revealing her true purpose in the ritual reminded me of a plotline (Dawn) from season 5 of Buffy. I was a little disappointed but I digress.
What I loved most was the believability of what Haatim and Dominick had to deal with all while trying to stop the end of the world. Hoard of demons, fight scenes, death, destruction, conflict of good versus evil, not to mention overcoming great odds to survive. Sure, some didn’t live through this book but that only made Raven’s Rise more authentic. Well done, Cole!
If you’re a fan of urban fantasy, paranormal and/or horror, you’ll really enjoy this book. The last few pages, alone, are worth it. Cole is an excellent storyteller and I look forward to reading more from him.
Favorite Character/Quote: My favorite character has got to be Haatim. He grows up a lot in this book and we see him come into his own in Raven’s Rise. He’s not the scared outsider anymore but a strong defender of good. He’s taken all he has learned and sacrifices himself for those he loves. At the end, he must make a choice: stay or leave.
After the events of Raven's Fall, this amazing new episode in the World on Fire series by genius storyteller supreme, Lincoln Cole, will take your breath away without you realising it until you gasp at what the next page reveals.
Incredibly, Haatim, Frieda, Jun Lee and Dominick have survived against all odds - but so has Haatim's misguidedly evil father, Aram. He and Jun have been badly wounded and although Haatim argues with himself about whether to kill Aram (who makes pathetic excuses about being led astray by the Ninth Circle), he reluctantly agrees to take both men to a Church-run hospital where they can be operated on.
Even more incredibly, Frieda tells Haatim that his demon-possessed sister Nida is alive, but plotting the world's final destruction by releasing the demon Surgat, who intends to free his hordes from Hell. To save her he will have to go to receive instructions from Father Niccolo at the Vatican, who can access the book that details the ritual needed to complete the portal through which Hell will be unleashed upon Earth.
What else will Nida have to obtain to perform the ritual? Who will she obtain these objects? What does Haatim have to do in Father Niccolo's basement - does he succeed? Where does Haatim first encounter Nida - and what is the outcome? Can Dominick save the person he's guarding? When do Frieda and Haatim encounter Abigail? Who else is looking for her - and why?
Once more the World is focused on Raven's Peak - and what happens there will stay seared on your memory and remind the fantasy-thriller fan of apocalyptic sci-fi that there is more in Heaven and Earth than we will every truly know. Wonderful stuff - more please!
It was only a memory, yet it scared the hell out of her ― so old, so fragile, yet so strong. Abigail found herself fighting. She couldn't keep up knowing that Surgat is growing stronger, every second, within her. Keeping him at bay, she found herself lying on a table reminding her about the helpless state she was as 10-year-old girl, this terrified her. Suddenly, Hatim reached her: this gave her courage, but what's going to happen next?
In this exceptionally well-written read that leaves you, undoubtedly, in a state that drives your adrenaline. One can't help but wonder what's in store for Lincoln Cole's characters as The World on Fire series comes to a halt in its third installment. As an occult genre that filled its 220 pages with demonology and dark theme, you can notice the spark of romance, heroism in form of action, and its entwine fantasy.
Filled with multifaceted characters, Cole brought out dark secrets, an unexpected hero, and a rise of a legend. He included complex situations and plot mysteries hinting an arise for a fourth installment. Beginning of the plot was slow paced weighted toward boredom, but after chapter 12 it changed its pace. Using simple and straight forward language, Cole had secured the clarity of the communication among his characters. You can gain a realistic experience from the plot signifying its originality as a piece of art.
Among all of Cole's characters, Haatim would delight you beyond expectation. His character development went far than expected. Viewed as a liability, he has a certain spark which will surprise everyone including you. The sub plot sidelines the story from progressing using unnecessary characters, yet it's ending was perfect leaving a slight mysticism to be solve by Cole. Undoubtedly, if you are familiar with Cole's work Raven's Rise wouldn't fail to surprise you.
One good thing about having author friends is that if you fall in love with one of the series they write, you get early access to their books! I've been following the World on Fire series since the first book, Raven's Peak, and I'm so excited that Raven's Rise will be coming out today!!
Raven's Rise continues right after the events of Raven's Fall where (spoilers for the previous book) Haatim's father has betrayed the council which resulted in a demon killing almost all of them. Only Haatim, Dominick, Frieda, Haatim's father and one council member remain (Abigail's whereabouts are unknown and a plot point so I shall not spoil that for you).
Out of the three books, I think this is the one where Haatim really grows. In the first book, Haatim was basically scared but had potential. In the second, the focus for him was on family. In this, however, he takes a much more active role and learns a great deal more about the gift that he has.
And speaking of learning, the reader is going to learn a lot in this book. I thought I was pretty used to this world, but Lincoln Cole just proved that I knew nothing with quite a few explosive revelations about the council and Abigail's history. Even though I was surprised by it, I totally bought the new information too, so everything built on the previous books rather nicely.
If you're a fan of horror and for some reason you haven't picked up this series yet, you absolutely have to. The first two books are already out, and this third book will be out soon, which provides the perfect binge reading opportunity.
But you might want to limit it to daytime reading.
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of the book from the author, who (like I mentioned above), I know.
This book picks up just where the last one left off. The council is utterly destroyed and Hatim has a gun to their betrayers head. Like the first two books, this one builds with even more action and suspense. The few remaining members of the council are not just trying to stop a bad demon from being risen, they are also being hunted by the church.
This book has Hatim's sister, Nida as a demon they are hunting, but they also are trying to prevent her from raising an even worse demon, Surgat. What I liked about this book is that we get to see Hatim grow up a little and become a hunter in his own right, we learn more about the history of the council, and we learn more about Dominick and Frieda.
In the previous books, Frieda is sort of a leader giving orders, but it's nice to see her in this one kicking butt with the rest of them. We learn more about what happened when Abigail was a child and with the Ninth Circle. That is actually crucial to the plot. I'm not going to spoil it, but there's a little in there for the Arthur fans too.
While this has the makings of the end of a trilogy, the ending was left open for the series to continue with the remaining characters and I was happy to see a preview for a new book with characters from this one in it. While it might not involve Raven's Peak, the series has the possibility of several new books
I wanted the story to be over and I didn’t want it to b over!!! I really loved these books but I still want more!!! I hope there is going to b a book 4!!! Please tell me your great mind is working on it!!! I will be one of the first to buy it to keep abigail Arthur Frieda Dominick and hating fighting demons!!! Love the characters and their stories! We need to keep them going strong!!!
I have loved all three books, but this one is definitely my favourite. I'm truly excited that there will be another in this series! Just like the others, Raven's Rise is fast paced and action heavy. I found myself unable to put it down and go to bed at night. I fear Mr. Cole's fascinating story will get me fired, if I'm not careful! If you enjoy good writing, editing, storylines, and fun characters in a fantasy genre, this book and series are for you.
Excellent series, fair amount of twists and turns, with some good surprises, while keeping good consistency throughout. Book 3 got a tiny bit boggy in a couple of spots, but there was a lot of input to slip in. It's always nice to find another author, who writes well enough to inspire me to follow them.
I really enjoyed Raven's Rise, as I did the other two books in the series. Raven's Rise picks up right after the second book in the series ends and there really is no build-up....it's action and suspense right away. If you are a fan of suspense, urban fiction or paranormal thrillers, this would be a great book for you. Do be sure, though, to start at the beginning with the first book.
A worthwhile read with good characters and a few twists to keep it interesting. As always seems to be the case nowadays there are a few loose ends, no doubt so the author can return for another trilogy. I would put this just above the YA section of books but quite readable none the less.
This was a great book. All three crab you from the first chapter. You just can't wait to see what's going to happen next, I really hope there's a fourth book.
The series was good. I could have done with out knowing what ever character thought about every event. It dragged a bit to get to the point of the story but it was entertaining to read. I would recommend this series to others.
It has everything demons assassin's it is the ultimate good vs evil the action is packed in every page i have read the the whole series and each one has been an enjoyable read.
I really enjoyed this trilogy. The story moved at a good pace and the different plots flowed together nicely. I did dock it a star because I felt like a couple of story lines were left without answers. I'll be checking more Lincoln Cole books in the future.
An adventure from start to finish. The Council is no more and the few remaining members and Hunters are being hunted by the Church. Haatim really comes into his own in Raven's Rise. What he manages to achieve through his love for Abigail is amazing. Happy reading. Annemarie
I'm still complaining about it being 3 books. I do like all of the characters the plot line the dialog gets a bit stale but do rather like the twist away from the usual Christian demonology ...also ends on a note that leaves it open to add on
Raven's Rise brought about a closing that left me wanting more. I am looking forward to see where the group wind's up next and how far they will go to handle this situation.
What an amazing end to a great trilogy. Each chapter left me wanting more. I hope there's another linked series as I'd love to know what they get up to next
Book three picks up right where book two ends, full of action and intrigue, with everything being brought to a head. Typical of the first two books in the series, this book is full of occult demon killing action, evil, and adventure. I liked the way the characters grew and we saw much more of them, especially Haatim and Dominick. It was great to get to know them as the story went on. I didn't want to stop reading so that I could figure out what was going to happen in the end. I thoroughly enjoyed these books and would definitely read more.
This has been a great trilogy. Book two ends and book three picks right up. Still full of action and intrigue, everything gets brought to a head. I didn't want to stop reading so that I could figure out what was going to happen in the end. I've enjoyed the character development over the three books. It was great to get to know them as the story went on. Thoroughly enjoyed these books and would definitely read more.
Raven’s Rise is the third book in the World on Fire series by Lincoln Cole. I haven’t seen the author use the word ‘trilogy,’ although admittedly I haven’t looked that hard. But this installment clearly brings to a close a number of mysteries and leaves few characters hanging by a thread…unlike the previous books. So, yes, it has the feel of the end of a trilogy, while leaving ample room for the same characters to fight new hordes of demons and leave us again gasping for breath.
As I did after book 2, I’ll address the question, are these books standalone or do you need to read them in order? And I’ll stick with my previous answer – I’d strongly recommend sticking with the sequence. If nothing else, you’ll miss out on the development of Haatim as a character if you start here, and for me, that was central to the story.
Raven’s Rise is primarily action-oriented, starting from the first chapter, which put my heart in my throat. The mysteries that were laid out in books 1 and 2 get resolved, often with a plot twist. But none of the twists seemed to release any tension, as it built continuously to the end. The author’s writing style is informal, almost as if he is just telling you a story by the campfire. Of course, with the prominence of evil in these books, the story might not be one you’d enjoy that much at night, far from the safe confines of your home. The downside of this style, however, is that occasionally the sentences become a bit convoluted. But with a handful of such situations in a 370-page book, it’s not really an issue – for me, anyway.
No review is complete without some critique, and for me, there were just a couple of areas I wished the story had been handled differently. First, one of my pet peeves with fantasy/occult books is when all the supernatural conventions of the first, in this case, 2.5 books get violated in the final pages in order to reach a resolution. This happened, in a way, in that something inexplicable occurred at the end. But it appeared so late and seemed so tangential that I wonder if it is just the author’s segue to the next trilogy? We’ll see. And second, by about 70% of the way through the book, the mysteries had been resolved and the battle lines had been drawn - all that was left was the fight to the death. But that covered over 100 of those 370 pages. To me, the impact of this book would have been doubled if the finale had been halved. My heart can only race for so long.
So, for a superior (perhaps) trilogy, featuring some great action, unexpected twists, and plenty of tension to go around, don’t miss this series. And if you have to read just one of the series, make it Raven’s Rise.
The third book in the series. This ones a bit longer than the first two as it both cleans up loose ends left from the first two books and perhaps opens new ones to be dealt with in the future in the next three part cycle since this book would appear to end the raven cycle in the World on Fire books. Typical of the first two books in the series, this book is full of occult demon killing action, evil, and adventure. The first third of the book sort of stalls as it builds on the existing characters and introduces a few new ones into the world, but the back third is wall to wall action. There's little doubt these characters will be back again in another adventure, well those that survive. While it's not critical to read the first two books to enjoy this book, there's little reason not to if a reader wants to fully understand all the actions by characters.
The series was well written. However, the mental process of introspection was in my opinion way to drawn out. Instead of contributing to the plot, it mired it in useless dialog. I found myself able to skip ahead quite easily over this dialog to the next part of the the story. Doing this lost me no important information to help the plot. It simply was not necessary and extremely boring. I realize that characters have to make wrong decisions to move the plot forward. However, these characters choices were uncharacteristically dumb.