Sunday, August 6, 2023

Review: BEAR (The Fall Gauntlet #1) by J. A. Merkel

BEAR

The Fall Gauntlet #1

by J. A. Merkel

Published: July 23, 2023

Publisher: Worlds Apart Media

Genre: Young Adult, Apocalyptic, Post Apocalyptic, Dystopian


Blurb:


Benji and Soren will do anything to save their family, but the Crown isn’t going to make it easy . . .

Ten years after his mother was thrown into her off-world prison, Benji finally has a chance to save her. All he has to do is win the Fall Gauntlet, a fight-to-the-death tournament on the planet of Calypso, designed to please the gods and goddesses and keep them at bay. Benji’s success will usher in a new era of science and innovation, and he’s come too far to lose now.

But the Crown is three steps ahead. They’ve orchestrated every move, pushing Benji to the victory that will serve their own agenda. Winning the deathmatch will grant his wish to save his mother, but the Crown has other plans and won’t let go of Benji so easily.

As Benji learns the truth about the Crown’s desires, he is forced to make impossible choices, especially when he learns that his final opponent—the hulking young man behind the bear mask—is his brother, Soren.

J. A. Merkel’s Bear is part of The Fall Gauntlet, a collection of short stories about Benji and Soren’s adventures on the planet of Calypso.


Goodreads ~ Amazon


My Review:

BEAR is the first book in The Fall Gauntlet by J. A. Merkel. BEAR is a short read but packs a big punch leaving its mark on you. BEAR will have you racing to the end to see how it all turns out. The suspense will keep you hanging on page after page.

Two brothers are pitted against each other in a battle for the Crown and their lives. Neither one knows who the other one is under their mask. Well, that it is in the beginning but then one of the brothers learns that he will be fighting his brother. He must find a way to let his brother know who he is. They are fighting to save their parents. They have been working toward this goal for many years.

What will happen if he can’t find a way to let his brother know who he is? The battle is a fight to the death. Will his brother kill him? Will he have to kill his brother? Oh, the suspense, the suspense.

The world-building is just awesome. I could see it all playing out in my head I felt as if I was right there. I felt as if I was the one battling in the arena as I raced to the end.

BEAR is a great read that pulled me in from the beginning and never let go. I can’t wait to read more from this world. BEAR is a great start to a whole new series.

I highly recommend that you give BEAR a try. Grab your copy of BEAR today!


Connect with J. A. Merkel

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