Wednesday 17 October 2018

IA: Invincible Assassin by John Darryl Winston


IA: Invincible Assassin by John Darryl Winston
Published in America by BHC Press on the 9th October 2018.

Featured in Cover Characteristics: Stairs

How I got this book:
Received a review copy from the author

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where to buy this book:

The Book Depository
Wordery
Waterstones
Amazon US / Amazon UK

The only thing worse than having nothing to live for is having nothing to lose

When tragedy strikes his best friend, Harvis Young knows there will be a reckoning, especially since Naz Andersen possesses the supernatural powers of a god. Now it’s up to Harvis to save the guilty from Naz’s wrath. Beyond the mean streets of Marshal Park, Harvis will discover a darker path than anything he’s ever seen. His friend may not have the only soul that needs saving.

This new installment in John Winston's IA series slots in between IA: B.O.S.S. and IA: Union and I would advise having read at least the first two books in the series before turning to IA: Invincible Assassin in order to avoid any inadvertent spoilers and to understand the backstory which has led to Naz's intense grief. Winston took the brave decision to narrate IA: Invincible Assassin from the point of view of Harvis Young, a supporting character in the early books. I loved this change of perspective as it allowed me to observe Naz from the outside (so to speak) as well as getting to know Harvis better.

Dubbed the Wordsmith due to his poetic abilities, Harvis is desperate to help his friend, Naz, but doesn't really understand how best to go about this. Winston obviously put a lot of thought into this portrayal which always felt authentic so I could appreciate how a young man would feel and act in such a situation. Despite wise advice from his parents which Harvis does try to heed, he discovers a scarily violent side to himself. I liked the positive relationships between Harvis and each of his parents too. IA: Invincible Assassin incorporates lots of action scenes in a fast-moving story, and also manages to be philosophical without those sections dragging. I think this is a great addition to the series!


Search Lit Flits for more:
Books by John Darryl Winston / Young adult books / Books from America

6 comments:

  1. I do like the fact that one of the supporting characters from the earlier books in the series takes the lead in this one. I will have to check out the series.

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    1. I think changing the POV here added extra depth to the series

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  2. I haven't heard of this series. Might need to head to Goodreads to find out what it's about!

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    1. I'm happy to recommend the IA series. It's YA, but with relatively mature themes.

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  3. Your great review has me wanting to start at the beginning! I went and requested the book for myself. Love we go in-depth with a secondary character. Thanks Stephanie! ❤️❤️

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