Review Page for Riley

Reviews of Riley

Review #1

Riley: Dragonmaster

Ken Mason

Fantasy

Imagine a ten-year-old boy with unearthly powers. He can produce destructive fireballs from thin air. Imagine unscrupulous military leaders wanting to exploit these powers as a mighty weapon. They murder the only parent the boy has ever known. Imagine the boy unleashing his full powers to avenge his caretaker's death...

And this is only the beginning of Riley: Dragonmaster!

General Luker, now believing Riley to be an uncontrollable menace, is bent on destroying him. Riley suffers some disturbing violence at the hand of Luker's aide, Captain Legault. The scene is intense, true to Mason's form (see my review of Book Two of the Riley trilogy), and we are grateful when Riley gains uncommon strength from a higher source and is able defend himself.

Afterwards, Riley discovers the portal into the Seventh Level of Purgatory, where he is king. It is a fantastical land in which dragons are his protectors. People who have died and end up there must better themselves before being allowed to enter higher levels of Purgatory until heaven is attained. But demons from Hell are threatening God's pathway to heaven. Riley must search for the four magical swords needed to effectively staunch the flow of what Satan has spawned from entering Purgatory--a monumental task, even with his awesome powers. He battles horrific legions, and the last demon he must face results in his most shocking, his most necessary battle of all!

After having read Book Two, Riley: Eye in the City, which was well-written to stand on its own, I am glad to have read Book One as it adds deeper meaning to Riley's background. In it are thoughtful conversations about God and references to the Book of Revelation. Mason's writing skillfully transports us from the harsh reality of Riley's life on Earth to the exotic fantasy of his life in Purgatory, though the evil deeds committed in both places can be downright terrifying. We desperately hope Riley's supernatural powers are strong enough for him to prevail.

The story reaches a surprising and satisfying conclusion while leaving us with the perfect set-up for the sequel.

I enthusiastically recommend Riley: Dragonmaster to those desiring a fascinating trip into another dimension, for its spectacular action, and for the philosophical questions it raises. There is gripping suspense as we wonder if Riley can overcome the insurmountable odds facing him as he strives to be one of God's archangels--and the king of the Seventh Level of Purgatory.

Jeanne Allen

Review #2

Riley is a ten year old boy with strange abilities. He was taken from his mother when he was born because he set a few nurses on fire and rattled a few test tubes. He's been raised in an institution, treated like a lab rat, never realizing that he's about to become the centerpiece of the army's experiment. The army thinks that he might be a product of alien technology. They plan to use his abilities as a weapon, but not before they use his body to try to sire a few more like him.

Riley suddenly understands what's in store for him. Dreams have haunted him with his true self and his true power. With a threat against his life, this power suddenly finds a name and an expression. Finding himself surrounded by friends who help him escape from his oppressors, Riley begins to remember who he is and the importance of his abilities.

Ken Mason has written a remarkable piece of dark fantasy. Riley is part of us, yet always separate. His mission and his power are nearly absolute, yet at the end of this story, a very human little boy goes looking for his mother. That's what I enjoyed most about this book. It's easy to endow a character with superhuman abilities. It's not easy to make him likeable. Ken Mason has managed to do both.

- Joyce Lavene
joyceandjimlavene.com

Review #3

Riley is a ten-year-old boy. When he sleeps his dreams are a journey into terror as he visits a realm where he sees a huge castle silhouetted in the night sky and can hear fearful beasts calling for him to come home. His waking hours are no less fearful. He is imprisoned in a world of stainless steel and surveillance cameras as he struggles to control the inner rumblings of a power he doesn't understand.

Let me say here, Riley is not a story for children. Ask yourself, "What if...the last chance for the souls of mankind to redeem themselves in Purgatory was threatened by the demons of hell?" Then turn out the lights, lock the door, and settle yourself into a big comfortable chair because you'll be there for a while.

If you enjoy fantasy adventure you'll find yourself at home as you follow Riley through his brutal escape from this world to his home world of dragons, frightened souls, and magnificent beasts, all battling to save their world. In this world Riley will overcome an army of demons, and the biggest foe to all of life's changes as he wins the loyalty of the souls he is destined to protect.

I give Riley a rating of 5 stars.

- Mary Adair