Caractacus Plume's Arrow of the Gods was published by Silvatici Publishing in April 2020.
About Caractacus Plume:
Caractacus Plume is the official biographer of Lyons & Hound Paranormal Investigation Agency (est. 1895). Because of the highly sensitive nature of the Agency's work, some of the names in the upcoming manuscripts have been changed to protect the identities of certain individuals (the author's included).
Click here to visit the author's official website.
About Arrow of the Gods:
London 1907.
Mummies, immortals, long-forgotten gods & a murderous demon marauding through the hallowed halls of the British Museum!
What vile villainy is this?!
Sounds like a job for the paranormal investigation agency of Lyons & Hound (est. 1895).
But the theft of a recently discovered Ancient Egyptian artefact places not only Mr Percival Percy (the legendary "Hound Who Hunts Nightmares") & his dear chum & faithful companion, Professor Cornelius 'Dandy' Lyons, in mortal danger but also threatens to bring about the destruction of all mankind!
REVIEW: ARROW OF THE GODS BY CARACTACUS PLUME
Let me start this review by saying that Caractacus Plume's Arrow of the Gods is one of the most entertaining fantasy mystery books I've ever had the pleasure of reading. This engagingly written book pulled me in from the start and I found myself devouring it in one sitting. Reading this book was an absolute delight, because it's perfect escapism.
Just like its predecessors, Arrow of the Gods continues to shed light on the paranormal adventures of Mr. Percival Percy (aka the legendary Hound That Hunts Nightmares) and Professor Cornelius 'Dandy' Lyons. It's an excellent addition to the Lyons & Hound series and will please fans of the previous books. I think that this book will also attract new readers, because the story is exciting and immersive.
So, what is it about this book that impresses me? Is it the fluent prose and the gripping writing style? Is it perhaps the diverse cast of characters? Or is it the atmosphere or the strange events? Well, to be honest, it's all of these things put together, because the combination of them just works brilliantly. I've always had a thing for engagingly written fantasy stories and this book pushes all the right buttons in me. The fact that there are fascinating mystery elements in this book only makes the story all the more compelling and irresistible for me. And, I must not forget to mention that the humorous elements are marvellously amusing and clever.
Although Arrow of the Gods is similar to the previous books, it is also slightly different from them. The protagonists are used to dealing with dangerous and strange situations, but this time, they find themselves in mortal danger and have to stop the destruction of all mankind. They face a devious and cunning foe - a necromancer - whose evil deeds could bring utter annihilation to the world and wipe humanity away.
The story begins with Professor Lyons and The Hound spending time at The Cursed Men Club. They meet Colonel Thaddeus Tamlinson, who is a senior agent of the Unseen League (the secret government organisation that protects the British Empire from supernatural threats). Colonel Tamlinson asks Professor Lyons and The Hound to lend him a hand with a somewhat delicate matter. The Colonel tells them about a theft in the British Museum and mentions that one of the stolen things is connected to the altar of Anubis, the Egyptian God of the underworld (he also informs them that four mummies - two human ones and two canine ones - have been stolen from the museum). Soon, Professor Lyons and The Hound notice that the survival of mankind is at stake, because they are dealing with a foe who can bring destruction to the world of men...
This marks the beginning of an exciting story that swiftly gathers momentum and builds up speed towards the thrilling endgame between good and evil. I was pleased with the story, because the author many surprises in store for the reader and the events are deliciously dark and macabre.
One of the things that impresses me about this book is how fluent the characterisation is and how well the author writes about the characters. Mr. Percival Percy (The Hound That Hunts Nightmares) and Professor Cornelius 'Dandy' Lyons are well-created characters whose characteristics are wonderfully fleshed out by the author. It's fun to read about them and how they solve strange cases, because they're experts in their field and know how to deal with supernatural beings and threats.
Professor Byrne is an interesting character, because he works for the Unseen Wing of the British Museum and knows a lot about archaeology. He is a somewhat strange person who has secrets of his own, all of which will be revealed to the reader during the story.
Dr Khamwas and his daughters - Pakhet, Sekhmet and Bastet - are fascinatingly mysterious characters who also have secrets of their own. It was fun to find out how they were connected to the events and what they could do. (I have to mention that it was especially entertaining to read about Pakhet and her shameless flirtation.)
The Egyptian elements are truly intriguing, because the author writes captivatingly about mythology, archaeological findings and ancient gods (readers who are interested in Egyptian mythology will find a lot to enjoy this book). I was taken by how effortlessly the author has infused the story with these elements, because all of the pieces seem to fit perfectly together and the various revelations during the story are rewarding.
The Unseen Wing of the British Museum is an interesting place, because it houses mythical, magical and potentially perilous artefacts of supernatural disposition. It was fascinating to read about this hidden place and what could be found there. The cat, Timmy Toldrum, that walks around the place adds a nice touch of class to the story, because he's not an ordinary cat (you'll know what I mean by this when you begin to read the story).
I can highly recommend this book to readers who are familiar with Vaugh Entwistle, G.S. Denning, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Tarn Richardson. I think that this book will also be of special interest to those who love Indiana Jones films.
If you're in need of something captivating and entertaining to read, you can't go wrong by reading Caractacus Plume's Arrow of the Gods, because it will tickle your literary taste buds in the most pleasing way imaginable. Please, don't hesitate to read this book, because it's wonderful and witty entertainment from start to finish. This book and its predecessors are so enjoyable that they may well turn out to be your next fantasy addiction.
My final words are:
Caractacus Plume's Arrow of the Gods is excellent entertainment!