41943371John Carver has three rules: Don’t drink in the daytime, don’t gamble when the luck has gone, and don’t talk to the dead people who come to visit. 

It has been almost five years since the incident in Kabul. Since the magic stirred within him and the stories began. Fleeing the army, running from the whispers, the guilt, and the fear he was losing his mind, Carver fell into addiction, dragging himself through life one day at a time.

Desperation has pulled him back to Afghanistan, back to the heat, the dust, and the truth he worked so hard to avoid. But there are others, obsessed with power and forbidden magics, who will stop at nothing to learn the truth of his gifts. Abducted and chained, Carver must break more than his own rules if he is to harness this power and survive.

Source Format Pages Publisher Genre Publication Date
Author eARC 287 Fallen Leaf Press Fantasy November 30th, 2018

Well, now… this was such a pleasant surprise of a book! And I say that admitting the full irony as the content is anything than pleasant for our characters, but you know… welcome to fantasy-land! I am no stranger to Graham Austin-King’s work having previously read&reviewed the Faithless. I knew I was going to be in for something good- and: Wow! Austin-King is either a man of many-many talents (blacksmithing and military) or he’s a bloody good researcher who knows exactly how to put his knowledge to the reader without it sounding like a wikipedia snippet! Hell, maybe Austin-King is all of the above: a man of many talents and a great researcher and writer, because why not?! Proof? I won’t need to get shot in real life to be able to imagine how it might feel… *shudders*

I might be a whore with a gun, but I’m an honest whore. Once I’m bought, I like to stay bought.

The Lore of Prometheus by Graham Austin-King

The Lore of Prometheus initially tantalizes with a less than perfect main character. Sure, Carver has three very solid and legit rules but he also has PTSD and a big secret which he acquired in Kabul. If you like a cheeky guy who knows his way around weapons and is generally born to lead when not too busy drinking away his hallucinations, then Carver will quickly win your favour.

In the book, things get serious pretty quick… I mean, things are serious from page one, really. Carver is in deep trouble and to make his way out of said deep trouble, he manages to get himself into even bigger trouble. I know- exciting, right?! But before we find out exactly the kind of mess Carver gets himself in, we are introduced to Mackenzie.

Mackenzie’s situation brings a whole new, different sort of darkness and edge to the story adding exciting bit of mystery to it all… How and when will the storylines of these 2 characters meet and merge? And- oh my word, things were going to get a hell of a lot worse before they started to get better! I continued to turn the pages with bated breath whilst the why’s, the how’s and the who’s were slowly being weaved and revealed.

Selfishness is a natural state and it’s not one I fight all that hard against. I joined the army for the career, not from any particular sense of duty to Queen, country, or world at large.

The Lore of Prometheus by Graham Austin-King

The Lore of Prometheus is a ‘balls to the wall’ exhilarating read set in Kabul, Afghanistan and another secret  location! John Carver comes from a military background and his training, his experiences, his PTSD and his very self make for such a great character to read about. Carver doesn’t know mollycoddling, Carver doesn’t do pussyfooting- he’s direct, straight out and he cracks a mighty joke when you least expect! What, I ask of you, is there not to love?

Every aspect of this novel felt real- so very, very real. The military phrases, the training, the characters and even the settings felt all to close for comfort- and that’s what makes this book fascinating to read! It doesn’t bore with too much technical detail and gives you just enough to feel included. And it absolutely kills me that I can’t tell you more because spoilers! gah… 🙂

Torture is an odd thing. People often make the mistake of confusing torture with pain and they’re not always the same thing.

The Lore of Prometheus by Graham Austin-King

The thing about this book that really pulled me in, other than the fast pace of action, was the level of psychological aspect of the characters’ minds. I felt very close to action and through the struggles of their minds, I really got to know Carver and Mackenzie. Every tactical move they made, every word they said, every decision they took- I had no doubt that it was the best course of action. I guess, this is my roundabout way of saying- I was really invested in these believable characters and the story! Austin-King breaks the human psyche down to where the most basic needs, thoughts and emotions echo loudest!

I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but with the savage, predatory setting, the very human element of fear, survival and mental condition, and with the unexpected humour in the most dire situations I couldn’t help but love it all! I sure look forward to whatever Graham Austin-King publishes next!