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Bridge & Sword #7.5
The Defector
He would be despised. By all of them, he would be despised.
The shadow of the Rooks hangs over Revik’s head––a constant reminder of the dark warrior he used to be.
Hidden away in monastic caves after he leaves the network of terrorist seers, Revik no longer knows who he is, or what his life means.
When a delegation from renowned holy warriors, the Adhipan, appears, asking for his help, his first impulse is to say no––until they tell him it is Kali who needs saving, Kali who rescued Revik from the dark, when no one else would.
Revik agrees to fly across the world, facing off against his old friends, the Rooks, including his ex-partner, Terian, who is clearly holding a grudge about Revik’s defection. When they come after him, either to kill him or bring him back into the fold, Revik finds himself faced with old demons and new temptations, and the ongoing decision of which side he will fight for, the light or the dark, and what he’s willing to give up to be the man he desperately wants to be.
In the end, he thinks he’s got nothing left to lose.
It turns out he’s wrong about that, too.
A Revik prequel novel in the Bridge & Sword series, and companion novel to Trickster (Bridge & Sword Prequel #0.2).
Series Summary
The Bridge & Sword series is an epic, science fiction fantasy set in a unique, gritty version of Earth populated by a second race of psychic beings called Seers.
Allie Taylor, marked “The Bridge” from birth, is born to be the leader of the Seer race and the bringer of the next stage in humanity's evolution. Unfortunately, to many Seers, that means the death of most humans on the planet. Allie is helped and hindered, awakened and impeded by her antihero partner, Dehgoies Revik, whose on-again-off-again relationship with the dark beings known as the Dreng may destroy them both.
The series takes place in a modern version of our world at the brink of apocalypse and a dystopian future. It spans centuries along with the lives of its main characters, the Seers, and the wars they fight with themselves and their human allies and enemies.
The shadow of the Rooks hangs over Revik’s head––a constant reminder of the dark warrior he used to be.
Hidden away in monastic caves after he leaves the network of terrorist seers, Revik no longer knows who he is, or what his life means.
When a delegation from renowned holy warriors, the Adhipan, appears, asking for his help, his first impulse is to say no––until they tell him it is Kali who needs saving, Kali who rescued Revik from the dark, when no one else would.
Revik agrees to fly across the world, facing off against his old friends, the Rooks, including his ex-partner, Terian, who is clearly holding a grudge about Revik’s defection. When they come after him, either to kill him or bring him back into the fold, Revik finds himself faced with old demons and new temptations, and the ongoing decision of which side he will fight for, the light or the dark, and what he’s willing to give up to be the man he desperately wants to be.
In the end, he thinks he’s got nothing left to lose.
It turns out he’s wrong about that, too.
A Revik prequel novel in the Bridge & Sword series, and companion novel to Trickster (Bridge & Sword Prequel #0.2).
Series Summary
The Bridge & Sword series is an epic, science fiction fantasy set in a unique, gritty version of Earth populated by a second race of psychic beings called Seers.
Allie Taylor, marked “The Bridge” from birth, is born to be the leader of the Seer race and the bringer of the next stage in humanity's evolution. Unfortunately, to many Seers, that means the death of most humans on the planet. Allie is helped and hindered, awakened and impeded by her antihero partner, Dehgoies Revik, whose on-again-off-again relationship with the dark beings known as the Dreng may destroy them both.
The series takes place in a modern version of our world at the brink of apocalypse and a dystopian future. It spans centuries along with the lives of its main characters, the Seers, and the wars they fight with themselves and their human allies and enemies.
390 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 17, 2019
23 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
J.C. Andrijeski
212 books714 followersAlso publishes under the name Julie Light
JC Andrijeski is a USA TODAY bestselling author who writes sexy, apocalyptic and cyberpunk-y science fiction romance and mystery books, often with a metaphysical bent. Current works include the gritty, epic, psychic warfare romance, ALLIE'S WAR, which follows Allie Taylor and her antihero partner, Revik, in their attempts to save the world from a dark, psychic force. Her dystopian science fiction romance series, ALIEN APOCALYPSE, features Jet Tetsuo, survivor and slave under alien conquerors, and her GATE SHIFTER series is about a shape-shifting alien and a tough-girl PI from Seattle. Her newest launch is QUENTIN BLACK, a science fiction romance and mystery series that’s a spin-off from Allie’s War but set in our own version of Earth.
JC has a background in journalism, history and politics, travels extensively and has lived abroad in Europe, Australia and Asia, and from coast to coast in the continental United States. She currently lives in Bangkok, Thailand.
To learn more about me and my writing, please visit http://jcandrijeski.com. For more about the Allie's War series, visit http://allieswarseries.com
If you want to get an automatic email when JC's next book is released, join THE REBEL ARMY at tinyurl.com/JCAndrijeski.
JC Andrijeski is a USA TODAY bestselling author who writes sexy, apocalyptic and cyberpunk-y science fiction romance and mystery books, often with a metaphysical bent. Current works include the gritty, epic, psychic warfare romance, ALLIE'S WAR, which follows Allie Taylor and her antihero partner, Revik, in their attempts to save the world from a dark, psychic force. Her dystopian science fiction romance series, ALIEN APOCALYPSE, features Jet Tetsuo, survivor and slave under alien conquerors, and her GATE SHIFTER series is about a shape-shifting alien and a tough-girl PI from Seattle. Her newest launch is QUENTIN BLACK, a science fiction romance and mystery series that’s a spin-off from Allie’s War but set in our own version of Earth.
JC has a background in journalism, history and politics, travels extensively and has lived abroad in Europe, Australia and Asia, and from coast to coast in the continental United States. She currently lives in Bangkok, Thailand.
To learn more about me and my writing, please visit http://jcandrijeski.com. For more about the Allie's War series, visit http://allieswarseries.com
If you want to get an automatic email when JC's next book is released, join THE REBEL ARMY at tinyurl.com/JCAndrijeski.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 18, 2019
This is a much easier prequel to read and understand than Trickster. It is almost totally centered on Revik who with Ali are the main characters in the series. This book works round the birth of Ali who is known as the Bridge from before her birth. It also tells us about what was happening with Revik at that time, he was really struggling to move forward and understand the meaning of his life. I have read the whole series and the prequels are marvelous for me because they explain things about the characters earlier years that I had not learned from the books. It explained a lot of the reasons why they performed some of the actions I could never quite come to terms with. If you are reading the series from scratch then it is a real bonus that you can read the prequels first. I think if you take note of them seriously you will get far more enjoyment out of the series. I cant tell you enough how much I have loved Bridge and Sword, it will stay in my mind as one of my favorite reads ever. I hope that if you take the plunge and read it yourselves you will feel as I do the magic that is Revik and Ali.
March 18, 2019
Revik used to be a Rook and even though he has defected the shadow hangs over him. He has been hidden away in monastic caves he has no idea who he is anymore let alone what his life means. So he was surprised when an Adhipan delegation arrives asking for his help. His initial instinct is to say no to the holy warriors but when he hears that Kali needs his help he feels he has to help - especially as she helped him by rescuing him from his former dark existence when no one else would. So he agrees to fly in order to face off against his old Rook friends and as part of that, he sees his ex-partner Terian who definitely holds a grudge about his defection. As they come after him (to kill or bring him back to them) he has to face new temptations and old demons. It all comes down to how much is he willing to give up to become the man he wants to be? He might think he has nothing left to lose by he is wrong about that.
This was definitely a great story that filled in lots of blanks in the main series as well as giving another viewpoint of some of the events in the Terian prequel. It was great to understand more about some of the relationships that Revik was involved in which gave me new insight into some of the events in the main series, and so I know I'll need to go and reread some of it in order to experience this new perspective. Well written and very enjoyable, I could feel and appreciate the thoughts and emotions of the characters in this story.
*** Please note this story includes the suggestion of M/M sexual action.
This was definitely a great story that filled in lots of blanks in the main series as well as giving another viewpoint of some of the events in the Terian prequel. It was great to understand more about some of the relationships that Revik was involved in which gave me new insight into some of the events in the main series, and so I know I'll need to go and reread some of it in order to experience this new perspective. Well written and very enjoyable, I could feel and appreciate the thoughts and emotions of the characters in this story.
*** Please note this story includes the suggestion of M/M sexual action.
April 21, 2019
I’ve long adored Dehgoies Revik, one of the main characters in JC Andrijeski’s fantastic Bridge & Sword series. His relationship with Allie Taylor (the eponymous Bridge in the series) and their wild ride of a story arc is simply fiction at its best. For the legions of series fans, the “Bridge & Sword Prequel” novels which provide great back stories which are incidentally also great tales in themselves, are pure catnip. The Defector is one such tale, third of the Bridge & Sword Prequels (and 14th Bridge & Sword Series story overall), this Review backstory is a perfectly written story in itself and really does a great job in adding depth by providing more backstory for an already superb character. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises. The book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book (prequel or otherwise) in this series.
March 30, 2019
Sooooooo good
The Defector was a stunning book and I loved every page. It gives you great insight into Reviks personality and helps you understand him a bit more. His inner turmoil and deep sense of loneliness are so well described, you can’t help but feel for him. I have always been a huge Revik fan, even with all his faults, he was just so strong and heartbreakingly tragic that you could not help but love him. I did not think I could love him any more but I was so wrong. This book peeled things right back to the core and he is truly beautiful. Scared and tormented but a beautiful soul. It was lovely seeing the origins of him and Dalejem. Having read the whole Bridge and Sword series already, I knew how this book would end but that did not make it any easier. I feel like I have left a part of my heart behind in this book. Definitely one of my favourites. A must read, along with the rest of this brilliant series.
The Defector was a stunning book and I loved every page. It gives you great insight into Reviks personality and helps you understand him a bit more. His inner turmoil and deep sense of loneliness are so well described, you can’t help but feel for him. I have always been a huge Revik fan, even with all his faults, he was just so strong and heartbreakingly tragic that you could not help but love him. I did not think I could love him any more but I was so wrong. This book peeled things right back to the core and he is truly beautiful. Scared and tormented but a beautiful soul. It was lovely seeing the origins of him and Dalejem. Having read the whole Bridge and Sword series already, I knew how this book would end but that did not make it any easier. I feel like I have left a part of my heart behind in this book. Definitely one of my favourites. A must read, along with the rest of this brilliant series.
March 19, 2019
Remember that meeting between Terian and Revik in the jungle? From The Trickster?
This is what happened before and after from Reviks POV. Only now can you begin to fathom at what cost Revik was allowed to leave the Rooks. The gaps in his memory may be a blessing, but they also left him without a sense of self, a sense of his worth.
It is painful to watch how he stumbles through the remains of his tattered personality when it is plain to see for others that he is worth so much more than he thinks.
At least he is beginning to understand that he is loved deeply and that he has the potential to do things only slowly being revealed to him.
It is saddening and at the same time unbelievably satisfying to see Revik at this stage of his life, knowing what he will become.
This is what happened before and after from Reviks POV. Only now can you begin to fathom at what cost Revik was allowed to leave the Rooks. The gaps in his memory may be a blessing, but they also left him without a sense of self, a sense of his worth.
It is painful to watch how he stumbles through the remains of his tattered personality when it is plain to see for others that he is worth so much more than he thinks.
At least he is beginning to understand that he is loved deeply and that he has the potential to do things only slowly being revealed to him.
It is saddening and at the same time unbelievably satisfying to see Revik at this stage of his life, knowing what he will become.
March 19, 2019
The Defector
Following the story of Revik, (Bridge and Sword Prequel) is The Defector.
It tells us where Revik has been since saving Kali and what he is becoming to himself and those around him.
Penance and redemption are key to him finding himself. If he can just let go.
You see more to him in this book and I must say it is breathtaking and made my heart shatter.
Yes, this is emotional. To see and be with him on this soul search left me doing the same.
Again beautifully written by JC Andrijeski.
Thank you for your story.
Following the story of Revik, (Bridge and Sword Prequel) is The Defector.
It tells us where Revik has been since saving Kali and what he is becoming to himself and those around him.
Penance and redemption are key to him finding himself. If he can just let go.
You see more to him in this book and I must say it is breathtaking and made my heart shatter.
Yes, this is emotional. To see and be with him on this soul search left me doing the same.
Again beautifully written by JC Andrijeski.
Thank you for your story.
March 20, 2019
Revik is no longer a Rook, but what has that decision cost him? After his many decades, he now needs to start over almost back at the beginning. Redefining who he is, who he wants to be, while battling against the prejudice levelled against him for his time as a Rook. His pain is a living, breathing entity in this story. It cut straight into my heart and I spent most of this book fighting down my tears. Revik’s journey is an emotionally charged story that challenges the reader.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.
March 22, 2019
Beautiful Revik
Didn't think i could love Revik any more than I do but i was so wrong. This was a very emotional story to read . Revik has suffered so much and there is more to come. I struggle to read any other books after being in this world JC has created nothing compares and I feel somewhat lost when the story ends the books have such a huge impact on me emotionally. that's real talent i suppose.
Didn't think i could love Revik any more than I do but i was so wrong. This was a very emotional story to read . Revik has suffered so much and there is more to come. I struggle to read any other books after being in this world JC has created nothing compares and I feel somewhat lost when the story ends the books have such a huge impact on me emotionally. that's real talent i suppose.
March 19, 2019
Excellent book! After having read all the Bridge and Sword books this fits a lot of background pieces together. You see a look of the scene between Revik and Terian from Revik’s point of view. You also see the part Dalejem played in his relationship with Revik and Allie. A must read book as you will learn so much about the characters.
April 11, 2019
This one definitely surprised me, especially the way it ends. Perhaps it's just that Revik needs to know love in all senses and not be afraid of it that makes this book so revealing. It sure adds to the integrity of the entire series. The rewrite expands on the story and goes more in depth of Revik.
March 21, 2019
Wow! Awesome story! Incredible writing, fascinating plot, great characters and realistic dialogue. There are introspection, romance, drama, and action. This is the tale of what happened to Revik after he escaped from The Org — from Revik’s perspective. And what a tale it is!
May 21, 2019
??
I’m having a harder time understanding the purpose of this novella except to maybe introduce a new character that has a prominent role in the next book? Revik’s understanding and realization at the end of it? Hopefully it’ll make sense pretty soon.
I’m having a harder time understanding the purpose of this novella except to maybe introduce a new character that has a prominent role in the next book? Revik’s understanding and realization at the end of it? Hopefully it’ll make sense pretty soon.
January 4, 2020
So glad I read this fill-in in the series. It gave much insight into character motivations and way more understanding of the next book, The Prophet. Author did a nice job of depicting a younger Revik.
April 23, 2021
A Story of Revik
Revik's time with the monks after he has defected from the Rooks. His help is needed to again save Kali. It's a bit of a sad story as, by now, we have come to know about his past and his issues about being left. This is a necessary book as part of this series.
Revik's time with the monks after he has defected from the Rooks. His help is needed to again save Kali. It's a bit of a sad story as, by now, we have come to know about his past and his issues about being left. This is a necessary book as part of this series.
May 15, 2023
Don't be afraid
This one sure adds to the integrity of the entire series. This is a companion to Terian, it's the same mission told from Revik's POV. Perhaps it's just that Revik needs to know love in all senses and not be afraid of it that makes this book so revealing, especially the way it ends.
This one sure adds to the integrity of the entire series. This is a companion to Terian, it's the same mission told from Revik's POV. Perhaps it's just that Revik needs to know love in all senses and not be afraid of it that makes this book so revealing, especially the way it ends.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews