Description:
Jack and Rosie tried to return to their normal hacker lives after encountering the metal fae, but now people are disappearing. Their next-door neighbor Zelda, a psychobilly actress with a screaming habit, is on the receiving end of a home invasion by a living cloud that was likely meant for them. They’re not sure what they’re dealing with…and Rosie may have been infected by the same black dust as the missing locals.
She feels it drawing her out to sea, where the others disappeared. She knows better than to go, but when they exhaust their other options, Rosie follows the only lead she has; chasing the impulse she’s felt since encountering the black dust. It leads her to the Graves, an old lighthouse, where a Kindwraith has taken up residence. Instead of trying to kill Rosie, it heals her.
But if the Kindwraith is a helpful faerie…what’s eating people?
My Take:
PHAROS picks up about a year after the events in PHAETHON, Book one of the series. Note: PHAROS stands alone well without prior knowledge of the series. Sharp does an excellent job dealing with the backstory without it seeming forced. Jack and Rosie’s life is dramatically altered from what it was before book one, but it has settled into a new normal as they coexist with not only the knowledge of the existence of the fae around them but also cohabiting with Lassie, a brownie introduced in book one. Here, Zelda, a new, quirky neighbor is introduced and she rapidly becomes an integral part of the story.
Character development is Sharp’s forte, spending the correct amount of attention to the relationships exposed through dialog and interactions. She expertly weaves the plot elements around the characters as she explores the new challenges before them. But it is her way of telling the story that makes this book a must-read. It feels real despite the far-fetched premise and surreal situations; she invites the reader to suspend disbelief, almost immediately immersing them in a fantasy world where magical realism is not only the norm even if most people don’t realize the truth, but also an elemental part of the interworkings of its nature. The resulting foundation defines the interactions of fae with humans and exposes how dangerous or beneficial it can be depending on dispositions and circumstances.
I thoroughly enjoyed PHAROS and already look forward to the next installment, which I understand is currently under development.
Author Bio:
After a decade of touring the country, Rachel Sharp now lives in Vermont with several plants and her questionable sense of humor.
At time of writing, she is working on entirely too many projects. The previous statement will be true regardless of time of reading.
She also lives with chronic illness, plays ukulele, and tries to save the planet. Learn more about Rachel Sharp and her writing at her website. Get her books at Amazon and Pandamoon Publishing.
The One & Only Elgon 