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Matthew (or Matt, or M.J., or Hey You) has always been fascinated with stories. Whether it’s telling or receiving makes no difference. Books, shows, games, campfire stories. They’re all great, and he's never been able to get enough. Imagination in one of its purest outlets. What’s not love?
Inspiration for Shikaree came from a general love of real world adventure. Racing storms alone up the tallest mountain for miles around. Easing over the edge of a cliff to rappel a hundred down. Spending as much time under a white water raft as in it. They all coalesced into the bold adventurer that is Chandra Pattal.
Reviewed by Maalin Ogaja for Readers' Favorite
In Shikaree: The Arnstead Chronicles Book 2, M.J. Oelkers plunges us into a wild and heart-pounding adventure in the World Below. During one of her hunts, Chandra Pattal, a novice Shikaree, stumbles upon a map leading to the location of a large cache of relics. With her family’s future hanging in the balance, Chandra has one goal in mind: to help her father pay off the huge debt owed to the local bank. Despite her father’s disapproval, Chandra ventures into the treacherous depths with the help of a new ally, Owen, a Spellseeker. Their journey through dangerous terrain and an encounter with a mythical creature force them back to the surface to seek help from Ryleah. As an acolyte, she knows a powerful rite that can help them defeat the deadly ashling. Suddenly, the journey becomes a high-stakes game against a team of Baylocke Battalion and ruthless varmints, all eager to secure the cache of relics.
In Shikaree, M.J. Oelkers’ characters set the mood and atmosphere of the story. Chandra’s daring and adventurous personality infused the narrative with energy and suspense, and moments of fear and anxiety evoked a feeling of dread. The presence of the ashling and the varmints further heightened the sense of danger, ensuring that I could not put the book down, even if I wanted to. Together, the ashling and varmints served as crucial elements that shaped the story’s conflict, adding layers to Chandra’s quest and making her journey not only physical but a test of her courage, intelligence, and determination. I would highly recommend this novel to fans of thrilling adventures, the supernatural, and rich imaginative worlds.
