Brandee: Okay, before I even cracked open my kindle to start War, I know it had BIG shoes to fill. We both loved Pestilence and were more than eager to continue the series but I was nervous. What if I didn’t like it as well? It turns out I needn’t have worried. 😉 What about you? Any pre-reading jitters?

Nadene: Yes! I had pre-reading jitters. I figured War would be hardcore and I expected the scenes to violent. The thing foremost on my mind was how Thalassa would portray the second horseman of the Apocalypse whose main purpose was to incite violence. Also, if he is anything like his brother Pestilence only a strong woman could have him reconsidering his mission. Well like you, my worries were for naught as Thalassa did an excellent job with War’s story.

Brandee: I mentioned this as we were reading but I appreciated Miriam as a heroine over Sara because she seemed to have experienced more strife in her life. Living in war-torn Jerusalem (New Palestine) as the daughter of a Jew and a Muslim couldn’t have been easy even if the apocalypse and civil war weren’t happening. She’d see and lost so much. Of course, this made her the perfect match for War in many ways. How did you feel about Miriam? On her own and as compared with Sara?

Nadene: Well, if I were to compare Miriam and Sara, then Miriam wins hands down. Despite losing everything, her family, her home she’s a survivor. Her determination to survive the apocalypse said it all and I just love the rules of survival she set for herself.

1. Bend the rules—but don’t break them.
2. Stick to the truth.
3. Avoid notice.
4. Listen to your instincts.
5. Be brave.

Brandee: I don’t know how I forgot about her rules! Be brave. Be brave. That was a common refrain and I loved that she was brave, especially when she challenged War.

Brandee: The thing about War and the reason he won my heart was that War was gritty. He wasn’t simply riding through cities and towns, enduring whatever fresh hell humanity might throw at him. No, he’s bringing violence, pain, and death from the back of his blood red steed. Therefore, he was harder to like. He proved a bigger challenge when it came to convincing him of his humanity. Honestly, I was won over very early on. What were your feelings about War? When did he win you over?

Nadene: It took a while to warm up to War.  He was so serious and his arrogance didn’t win him any brownie points. However, as his layers were slowly peeled away, I saw a man who stood firmly for what he believed. There were no grey areas for him. It was either right or wrong with no in between. I liked the fact he possessed human emotions unlike his brother, Pestilence. He understood the reasons war were raged and he thrived on the adrenaline of surviving a fight. He’s also aware of the pain of losing a loved one. Because of this he could relate to Miriam’s pain and sorrow over the loss of her loved ones.

Brandee: I’m very impressed with Thalassa’s ability to so far deliver such diverse and detailed stories. In Pestilence, we traveled through western Canada, the PNW of the US, and finally California. The description of these locales was spot on. And the characters were well fleshed out. In War, we were in Israel and Egypt. I don’t know about you but I could feel the heat, smell those awful smells, and feel the grit from the sandy deserts. Well done, indeed. I’m even more eager to start Famine than I was to begin War although I wonder if Famine will be as viscerally affecting. What do you think of the stories overall so far? And when can we dive into Famine? 🙂

Nadene: Thalassa sure knows how to transport her readers into the world she creates. Never once did I feel like a spectator but instead, I felt as If I was a part of the story. I can’t wait to wait to read Famine, I am curious to see what creative license Thalassa will take with the third horseman.

Nadene: I loved many aspects of War; however, my favourite scene involved Miriam’s attempt to rescue War. Her display of sacrifice tugged on my heart.  Do you have a favourite scene?

Brandee: I have so many favorite parts but I’ll say my favorite scene is where War is talking about redemption, for him and all humanity and Miriam realizes the true meaning of her scar.

Susannah Jones continues to narrate the series.  She kept me right in the moment and brought the scenes and situations to life. She did a wonderful job with the full cast of male and female characters. With her pacing and tone she enhanced the key scenes bringing the story to life. 

Story Evaluation
Plot	4.5
Characters	4.5
World Building	5
Writing Style	5
Pacing	4.5
Cover	5
Narrator (Audio)	4.5
Enjoyment	5
Ending	5
Overall:

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2023 Audio Book Challenge
• 2023- Coyer