Army of Shimshon (The Ambler Accounts Book 2) by Kevin C. Noel takes its readers into a high-stakes urban fantasy world where magic, mythology, and personal reckoning collide. We're with Garrick, the reluctant antihero introduced in the first book, who finds himself exiled and hunted by a deadly order of magical warriors. His reclusive Magirev mentor is here to help, and Garrick begins to confront his Incardian heritage and the volatile powers that come with it. But peace is fleeting: enemies from both past and present close in, and Garrick must forge uneasy alliances while wrestling with the legacy of violence he hoped to escape. As the Order of Shimshon tightens its grip, the battle becomes not just for survival, but for Garrick’s soul.

Author Kevin C. Noel has a brilliant knack for pacing and keeping readers on the hook, and he escalates the stakes beautifully in this sequel, where the action and internal conflict clash in ways that feel fresh and emotionally resonant. I was especially taken by Garrick’s evolution and how his quest for mastery over his powers doubles as a search for meaning and redemption, as it's a great way to connect these themes to his emotional arc. The fight scenes crackle with energy, and the worldbuilding expands in exciting and unpredictable ways. Readers get a deeper insight into the mythology that underpins the series, but never at the expense of pace or character. Overall, Army of Shimshon is a fast-paced, emotionally charged continuation that balances grit with heart, and I'd recommend it as a must for fantasy fans looking for high-stakes storytelling with genuine moral complexity.

Army of Shimshon: The Ambler Accounts Book 2 by Kevin C. Noel follows Garrick Joseph Hartmann, the modern reincarnation of Volant Aurimas Kesgaila, a powerful and controversial knight of the Order of Shimshon. Garrick tussles with his Incardian nature—a demon-linked lineage—and the prophecy marking him as the Ambler, a figure destined to impact the survival of Incardians. Throughout an extensive timeline, Garrick is hunted by Kendra, a Shimshonite trained to kill him, but whose feelings start to conflict. As Garrick trains under Knox and Lubna to master his volatile powers, he evades capture by dangerous factions, including the Gore Council, and faces assassins like Kira. Meanwhile, political and magical issues amplify around ancient artifacts, Incardian survival, and the looming threat of Azmaveth, a hybrid entity prophesied to bring disaster.

Army of Shimshon by Kevin C. Noel is a wonderfully detailed fantasy overflowing with great prose and exceptional world-building. Noel easily pulls us through multiple settings, from the Empyrean realm to the Scottish Highlands, all while introducing a diverse cast with distinctive roles and motivations. I really like the parceling out of action sequences and the beautiful diversity of characters. The surprising standouts to me are the Samurai brothers, Masanori and Masatsura, who wield the divided Chi Masamune swords. They receive the same careful development as Garrick and Kendra, with Noel showing all in moments of intense training, strategic planning, and mystic discovery. Overall, this is a solid second novel in the series, and while it does read comfortably as a standalone, readers would be doing themselves a disservice by making it the starting point. The series has the teeth to make it worth the time investment. Very highly recommended.