Esper Files: The Sky Cult - Egan Brass

Synopsis:

After the events of the first book, Freya has joined the Institute - an organization created to help Espers control their powers, and she thought she’d finally found peace.

That is, until Anti-Esper weapons find their way into the hands of The Coalition, a radical group who is determined to kill anyone with powers.
At the same time, the Sky Cult has arisen, claiming that Espers have the right to rule over lowly humans.
The timing couldn’t be worse, as all of this happens three days before Esper Day, the first holiday designed to show that humans and Espers can coexist.

Now Nathan, Freya and the team have to fight both organizations in a race against time before one of the radical groups tips the scales, and plunges the entire world into their own version of Armageddon.

Review:

So this is indeed the second book of a series. Back in the first book which I got as a paperback, we discover the world of Espers based in London who are in fact humans who after an experiment that had gone wrong in the late part of the 19th century, gain extraordinary powers. A thing called The Institute is set up to help those who have the powers to control them and stop corrupt Espers from abusing them. We meet up with the characters from the last book, Nathan, James and Freya who joined The Institute in the last book alongside her brother who still in this book is effected by the happenings in book 1.

Meeting back up with these characters felt so lovely, once I was asked to give an honest review for this book in return for a getting a free copy I just couldn't say no because I fell in love with the characters, the unique plot and the writing itself.

Sky Cult picked up shortly after the first book, the book automatically pushes you into the action without faffing around. 2 new what ill call baddies are introduced. One called Juniper who can control thunder and lightning (this makes me think of Thor) and secondly Lichtmann (you don't need too much help to translate that name) who can burn others with his touch and emits golden light whilst he believes himself to be an angel. Juniper is the leader of 'The Sky Cult' and Lichhtmann is just there to protect Jupiter under the orders of a mysterious character called Hades.

What I love is how real the characters are portrayed, Freya is still just a typical teenager, she probably believes herself to be indestructible, a hero. You know all of the things teenagers believe themselves to be? Except she can wield ice and is learning to control it which allows her to use it for good.

Nathan is still as attractive as he was the first time around, not in the sense of looks but in the way of his sarcasm, his personality and strength and determination and how protective he is and willing to risk all. I love his overall character just as much as I love the others.

What is great about this book is that it's actually diverse, we have people of colour and different ethnicities. Its beautiful to see that they aren't getting excluded from becoming beautiful powerful extraordinary characters. I also love the fact you do hear about slavery for a small part in the book which I felt had to be covered to help fill out James' character.

The book has so much action and what is called steam punk parts, both of these made the book awesome once again. All the characters that kind of played second to the main characters are characters I cant wait to see again if they every do make another appearance, like the Phantom Thief and Red Cap (who has the most amazing and hilarious one liners ever who reminds me a little of Deadpool) which also brings me to the point that I love more Espers from the institute were also featured which helped you understand the true reach and power of Espers.

I definitely didn't see the end of the book coming for sure, I loved that all  the questions you first want to ask get answered but then when you look back, you end up having more questions than actual answers and somehow that just makes me love it even more. What I am super looking forward to finding out all about the mysterious Hades, he has so much power through this book even though he isn't actually a huge part of it (if that makes sense, like he is present in the books but he isn't an actual fully fledges character we see every chapter or paragraph) I cant wait to find out about everything that was left unanswered at the end. I'm just so in love with this series that I think I'm never going to want to let go.

Its definitely a 5/5 from me for the second instalment of Esper Files, I'm looking forward to the next instalment. I'm probably going to have to heavily occupy myself up until it is available to read. I can recommend this to family, friends, strangers on the street, everybody and anybody.

Esper Files -Egan Brass

Synopsis:

Set in London during the latter part of the 19th century. An experiment goes wrong at The Oxford Academy of Science, giving certain people extraordinary powers which turns them into 'Espers'. An institute is set up to teach Espers how to control these power, and stop corrupt Espers from abusing theirs. Nathan and James, two agents from the Institute team up with Freya, a young Esper whose brother (gifted with the strange ability to manipulate emotions) is abducted by a ruthless Baron. The group has to fight against a dark threat to protect the fragile peace of Victorian London... And the rest of the world.

Review:

This book is the first in a series called Esper Files,  we first start off with a prologue which shows us the experiment that goes wrong in the late 19th century. It immediately grips you and you begin to wonder what the outcome of it all would be even more so if you haven't read the synopsis (which some people don't) The experiment that goes wrong goes down in history as the Great Storm, on that day unlike the character nicknamed The Professor intended, the world changed.

We are then introduced to Nathan who is our main character, he is witty, sarcastic, intelligent and enthusiastic. I imagine him being a very wonderful human being if he was actually real and in my life. We also meet James who is a character of colour who is a supporting character who really is just as important as Nathan. They both have developed powers thanks to the Great Storm and are now working with a place called The Institute that helps Espers control their powers and also stop corrupt Espers from abusing their powers.

You're pretty much pushed right into the action, no dilly dallying around with building up everything because the ways its written does that just perfectly in half the time. We see the so called 'villain' of the book called The Baron who captures a young Esper by the name of Siren and take him away from his sister Freya as he plans to steal the sirens power for himself. Before you know it, Nathan and James are coming to Siren's rescue.

We do see many perspectives on the side of the main perspective provided by Nathan, we see those of The Baron, Shadow ( a ruthless assassin) as well as the perspectives of The Siren and his older sister Freya, all of which help bulk out the story.The setting of the story being in old time London really helped me get immersed in it as I can easily imagine an old London rather than a far fetched super robotic futuristic London.  I really fell in love with the characters, the storyline, the action and the writing as a whole. It was a super easy read, it took me just 2 days I believe and I was left not only waning more but needing more.

The members of The Institute act like a single person, they are somewhat a huge family. Thinking about it now I can see themes likes the corruption of power and greed and the whole family theme which is strong and easily idolised. Its an easy 5/5 for me and I can easily recommend it to anyone around me within a 10 mile radius. Immersive, quick and action packed read.