Lost Soul - a review by Rosemary Kenny
*slight spoilers*I'm distraught to learn that E.A.Copen's intending to make Lost Soul, Lazarus Codex series #11 her penultimate ever in the series - I hope it's not true, as I'm already re-reading some of the earlier ones - they're so great I've enjoyed them even more the second time around.
In Lost Soul, we learn it's Laz himself who's had to pull his own soul out, to seal a portal that had been opened by the evil alien predator known as Mask, before laying waste to large areas of Laz's beloved New Orleans with the aid of Pestilence. As a result Laz's soul shattered and now he's in a race against the clock to find the pieces (and his shadow back from Odin), as a soulless wandering spirit while his body lies in intensive care wasting away under the terrified eyes of Emma and Nate. If he doesn't succeed within 7 days the life-support will be switched off and Baron Samedi will dig his grave, meaning he can never be revived by anyone - a terrifying fate even by Laz's laid-back standards.Who unexpectedly helps Laz in his quest - and what does this person want in return? Why doesn't Laz want Emma to know what's going on? Who else can see/hear Laz in his invisible ghostly form? What does Jean Lafitte have to do in the Summer Court? Who returns to fight alongside Laz and the others? Can Laz avoid the Reapers? Who is Thanatos? Why does Remy need to accept a challenge from Fenrir?There's so much to thrill at and become enthralled by in Lost Soul by E.A. Copen, that you'll make a dent in the edge of your seat where you've been perched throughout this epic pre-apocalyptic 'sword and sorcery' adventure. As for your fingernails, forget them - they'll be frayed up to the elbows where you've been chewing them to bits in your excitement. Be sure to grab your copy as soon as you possibly can - remember, as it is for Lazarus - time's running out!