Ibenus (Valducan series) Book 3 - by Seth Skorkowsky - Another solid story of the Valducan Knights and their holy weapons

5 of 5 Stars     Review copy

Urban Fantasy is hit or miss genre for me.  For the most part, I'm not a fan, but every now and then I find a series that pulls me in and doesn't let go.  One such series is Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files.  Another is the Valducan series by Seth Skowkowsky.

Ibenus is the third book in the series, the previous works include Dämoren and Hounacier.  To date, every book in the series has been worthy of a 5 Star review.

This time, The Order of Valducan is in recruitment mode, not an easy task since each Holy Weapon must reach out to it's new protector.  In addition to the training of new members of the order there's a new, outside threat.  Not a monster, but a cryptozoologist and web host, Johnny D who is hellbent on outing the Valducan.

The way the story in Ibenus is told certainly works as a stand alone novel, but for maximum enjoyment, I do recommend reading the entire series.  The story is pretty dark and there is plenty of monster fighting, but there are also some lighter moments, as well as a touch of romance.  Fight sequences can be very hard to write, but Skokorsky handles them with a touch of genius.

Another thing I like about these stories is Skorkowsky's willingness to kill off his characters if it enhances the tale.  I like that a lot.

There's a major twist for fans of the series that comes at the end of the book.  You'll know it when you read it.  And the author brings all the little pieces of this tale together at the end.

I'm very pleased to recommend the latest work in Seth Skorkowsky's Valduvan series.

Ibenus is available in paperback, e-book, and Audio formats from Ragnarok Publications.

From his bio - Seth Skorkowsky is a writer that gravitates to the darker sides of fantasy, preferring horror and pulp heroes over knights in shining armor. He is the author of Dämoren and Hounacier, and now Ibenus, all three in the Valducan series. Seth has also released two sword-and-sorcery collections in the Black Raven series, Mountain of Daggers and Sea of Quills. He lives in Flower Mound, Texas.