‘Echoes of Blood’ by Halo Scot —BOOK REVIEW

About ‘Echoes of Blood (The Rift Cycle Book 2)’ by Halo Scot::

Genre: Dystopian; Dark Fantasy; LGBTQ+; Science Fiction

Dystopian Earth buckles under the gods’ wrath while two mirrored souls seek reason and revenge.
Kyder is the boss of the Apolli, the most notorious gang on the planet. Rune is a recruit at the Four Towers of Ma’at, a military academy. They were born on opposite solstices in a world where season of birth determines power—spring healers, summer mages, fall shapeshifters, and winter shields. As they struggle through war, their fates orbit while they battle their own demons and the demons from the sky.
How do we rebuild after we lose everything?
How do we rise again after we fall?

Other titles by Halo Scot that I’ve reviewed:
Edge of the Breach (Rift Cycle Book 1)

To say this story is not for the faint of heart would be an egregious understatement. Following in the footsteps of Book 1 (Edge of the Breach), ‘Echoes of Blood’ is an emotionally turbulent ride where inner darkness and outward trauma battle for the characters’ souls. Keep in mind that neither book holds shock value. You may be shocked for sure, but the absolute horrors therein all serve a vital role in the character/world development. And just when I think the author can’t hurt me anymore…

This book sees Kyder and Rune further apart, but also arguably closer together than ever. While these solstice babies take opposing sides in the war, they continue to fight with themselves to figure out why they can’t stop feeling about each other the way they do. Rune settles into military life seeking purpose as Kyder manipulates the world around him to reach god-like status. When again the two meet, all bets are off. Can Kyder sustain his dark stature or will his one weakness in Rune prove to be the undoing of this odd couple?

Halo Scot’s presentation of mental illness, trauma, and all the horrid thoughts and toxic (and less toxic) coping techniques that come with is astounding. I was deeply impressed with the representation of various psychological issues in the first book and even going into the second knowing the groundwork for the characters’ mentalities, I was floored once more. The author has an incredible grip on the way human experience and circumstance mold the mind and she uses that knowledge to keep her audience not only intrigued by, but in love and hate of the persons she has created.

Once you’re in, there is no out. I had to take pauses to recover from its intensity at parts, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the story. It’s filled from start to finish with horrifying experiences, bitter-sweet love, and of course the never-resting battle for balance both in world and in spirit. I know I’ve focused a lot on how brutal it is, but despite that there are tender moments and inspiring messages. I think the fact that the author has shared these more positive things in the midst of the brutality is one of the greatest, most realistic charms of the series.

A side note: the fourth wall is broken several times. Often when writers do this, it’s quirky in a way that keeps the environment feeling somewhat playful and frequently threatens the immersion factor. In ‘Echoes of Blood,’ it did offer a minute amount of comic relief. Very minute. However overall, it actually added to the depth of the story rather than detract from it. It was a nice compliment to the character personalities that I absolutely loved.

Buy the ebook (FREE on Kindle Unlimited).

Buy the paperback.

Halo Scot can be found on:
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Author Website

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~Sahreth ‘Baphy’ Bowden