Mask of the Swan

The Fearless, Book Two

Fiction - Fantasy - General
294 Pages
Reviewed on 08/31/2014
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Lex Allen for Readers' Favorite

Having read book one of The Fearless series (The Forest Bull), I knew going in that Mask of the Swan would be an exceptional read. This expectation doubled as Ring, Waleska (Wally) and Risa continued their chosen mission of eliminating immortals from our world, and the elusive and exquisitely deadly succubus Elizabeth remains their primary target. Now, however, they are much closer, and the three partners and lovers have picked up some unexpected co-conspirators. No names here, as that could spoil the experience for new readers.

The living characters (with an occasional reference to those deceased) from the first episode carry over into the second, but author Terry Maggert does an excellent job of interweaving past events and characterizations so that Mask of the Swan could easily stand on its own. Still, missing out on The Forest Bull would be a great loss to fans of this exciting series and masterful storyteller. Mr Maggert’s style of classy prose, back story and impeccably positioned sub-plot side trails are indicative of several notable bestselling authors. Unlike these authors, who sometimes develop a unique lexicon in their stories, Mr. Maggert uses the Standard English dictionary to raise the vocabulary bar for many, and even introduce some new words to the few. He sent me to the dictionary on at least four occasions while immersed in Mask of the Swan, for which I’m grateful. New words are always welcome in my vocabulary and with e-books, finding a particular word is quick and effortless. Knowing and using “big” words is one thing, but it takes a wordsmith extraordinaire to weave them into coherent sentences that are understood by readers of all levels without constantly visiting the dictionary.

Throughout The Fearless series, Mr. Maggert’s composition ability invaluably increases the reading experience. Based upon the living arrangement of Wally, Ring and Risa and several scenes of brutal and explicit death, I would not recommend this novel for YA readers. For the adult fan of horror tales, and those who simply love exceptionally well written novels, Mask of the Swan and the entire Fearless series is a must-read.