Cedric the Demonic Knight: Review

As a writer, it is my great pleasure to review the novel of a fellow local author.  Cedric the Demonic Knight is a story that weaves an assortment of fantastic myths and mythology into a pretty spectacular Fantasy Kitchen Sink. For those unfamiliar with such a term, it basically means that think of a creature or idea that one would expect to find in fantasy and you can be sure it will appear in some form within the pages of this novel.

The novel begins with a very cynical knight in sour armor named Cedric who is on a quest of vengeance.  Created by the Sorceress Morrighan to be a powerful minion, The Demonic Knight decided to choose his own path.  In his quest of revenge, he meets a young woman named Angeline that is descended from a powerful linage.  As Cedric is strangled by red string, his duel bloodlines come into conflict.  As a Half Vampire, Half Incubus, Cedric deals with both psychological and physical danger as he pursues his mission.  

His growing love for this woman begins to interfere with Cedric's goals and the story continues along as monsters attack, romance blossoms, and unexpected conflicts appear.  Although I am not a big fan of romance stories normally, this story gets it right.  With equal parts character building and action scenes, the intensity does not waver, nor do the love elements distract from the narrative.  In fact, watching Cedric grow is my favorite aspect of the novel.

As a writer who includes the myths of Demons frequently, I was very intrigued by this story's rendition of Lilith.  A fun spin on the Queen Succubus, especially in the more... ahem... blood filled moments. Though this version of Lilith is historically accurate, and was done perfectly, she did not manage to be my favorite character, despite the obvious author appeal should one read my own work. Instead, there was another who managed to be the character I wanted to watch the most.

I refer to Romasanta the Father of Werewolves.  From the moment I met this character, I paid close attention.  Being the first character to really humble the protagonists has its advantage.  The fact that this Father of Werewolves was so connected in the world intrigued me very much.  Making a deal with Cedric to accomplish his goals while clearly having an agenda sealed the deal.

As Cedric the Demonic Knight reaches its conclusion, plenty of surprises occur, but if I was to tell you them, I fear you might not read the book and experience them for yourself.  All an all, Cedric the Demonic Knight was a fantastic read and a great first addition to what appears to be a longer series.  

As Romasanta Father of Werewolves is the second book, I gleefully bought the story after finishing this one.  I'll be reviewing that novel once I complete it. After all, Willis has a large world to showcase, and this review does not do her incredible imagination justice.  I highly recommend this novel to both fans of romance and fantasy alike.