World's End [Kindle Edition]

Mark Chadbourn's first four novels were horror. This, his fifth, opens a contemporary fantasy sequence crammed with horrific events. Its interesting premise is that the New Agers' gooey rhetoric was partly right. Our age of reason is ending on Earth, giving way to "The Age of Misrule"--and it's not just brownies, mermaids and ley-line energies that return, but the worst nightmares of myth. A dragon strafes M4 traffic, shape- shifting demons infiltrate Heston Services and the Wild Hunt slashes bloodily through a pub crowd. Technology is fading, with random power and equipment failures. More conventionally, the hero and four varyingly dysfunctional companions have been Chosen to oppose the darkness by collecting a familiar set of magic objects hidden in booby-trapped locations around Britain: the eternal sword, spear, stone and cauldron/grail/kitchen sink. An ageing hippy who's strayed from an old ballad gives cryptic advice that doesn't seem much help when the legions of hell are in hot pursuit. All the main characters are painfully manipulated by non-human forces, with the distinction between good and bad guys growing blurred. Chadbourn is overly fond of magical "with one bound he was free" escapes from impossible situations, but his story rattles along compellingly--with many a nerve-tingling frisson--to a chill and unconventional finale. --David Langford

"Although the concept of having mythological creatures in a modern setting isn't new, Chadbourn brings a unique quality that is rare to come by. Overall, World's End was an impressive read and a great introduction to Chadbourn's writing. The flow of the book seemed to fly right by and I was always wondering what was going to happen next. Mark Chadbourn is an author that readers of fantasy will definitely be encountering for a long time. World's End left a lasting impression and brings just an added uniqueness that is always welcome. I look forward to the second book and what surprises are in store, I'm hoping it'll be just as action packed as the first." -- Fantasy Book Critic, June 1, 2009 "World's End is an impressive opening volume to the Age of Misrule trilogy and the conclusion is such that everything that readers would have assumed about the novel series is shockingly thrown out the window. While not perfect, [it] is an impressive achievement." -- Sacramento Book Review, June 15, 2009 "The first book of the Age of Misrule is a terrific urban fantasy thriller that brings Celtic mythology into modern day London. The story line is fast-paced from the opening encounter at the bridge and never slows down as the champions are on the run. Readers will enjoy this fine beginning and look forward to more malice from Mark Chadbourn." -- Reviewed by Harriet Klausner in the July 2009 online issue of the MBR Bookwatch. "Simply put: it completely blew me away. I was sucked into the fascinating tale of Celtic magic in conflict the modern world, where evil seeks the end of the world, where 'good' may be little better, and those charged with saving us all have their own problems to deal with. Highly recommended" -- Neth Space blog, April 2009.