Book Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 / 5 stars)
Daniel Cavanough and the mysterious Rose have been on the run since the last King fell, but now Chicago is in turmoil. Forced to return to the scenes of the crime, Daniel is forced to decide his role amongst the Minds. Will he remain the dog? Or will he sacrifice himself to free the city?
In a fast paced, entertaining conclusion to the Crimson Minds Trilogy, Patrick Kaiser takes us back to Chicago where Daniel Cavanough takes on the Kings in a final battle of the minds. As always, Kaiser paints a picture in verse, helping the reader understand Daniel’s anxiety and indecision of what is right and wrong.
While Crimson Lilies is the shortest of book of the series, it probably packs the most punch. At this point we know about the minds, about Rose, about Daniel’s role as the dog, and in the method of verse, we see all these altercations come to a head. The beauty of verse is that it really paints these battles scenes, especially among psychics. You can feel the pace in the rhythm that mirrors Daniel’s anxiety, fear, and confusion with each fight.
And the final moments of each battle echo in the stanzas.
My critique of the story, just like my reviews of the first two books, lies mostly in the limitation of verse. We don’t get to see everything, or some development isn’t there, forcing the reader to leave much to the imagination. Is this the fault of the author? Absolutely not. But any one who picks up this book should be aware that the story is written in verse and thus requires some inference.
Patrick Kaiser is a phenomenal poet and storyteller. I cannot wait to read his newest verse thriller, Frost, in the near future. If you want to check out verse thrillers, definitely check out his work.
What’s it about?
The Crimson King is dead.
The city is in shambles. And Daniel Cavanough finds himself on the run from friends and foe alike. Once again, the title of King is coveted as a new, even more sinister ruler claims the throne. With a plan unlike any before it, the Dog must come to grips with previous decisions and the system he has served for nearly eight years. It’s time to free the city of tyranny once and for all. Lives will certainly be lost, but the choice must be made.
Tonight, there will be graves, adorned with crimson lilies.
E.S. Barrison 