Sophia Rose Reviews Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews

 

Welcome to the blog for Sophia Rose's review of one of her favorite authors, Ilona Andrews, Sanctuary.
Enjoy!

Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews

#1 Roman Chronicles

Urban Fantasy

Publisher:  Self Published

Published: 7.30.24

Pages: 152

Rating: 4 stars

Format: ebook

Source:  Purchased

Sellers:  Amazon

ADD TO: GoodReads

 

GoodReads Synopsis:

It’s not easy serving the Chernobog, the God of Destruction, Darkness and Death…especially during the holidays; and especially when you’re out of eggnog and one of your pesky, freeloading mythic creatures has eaten your last cookie.

Roman would like nothing more than to be left alone, but when a wounded boy stumbles into his yard and begs for sanctuary, Roman takes him in. Now elite mercenaries are camped out on his property, combat mages are dousing the house with fire, and strange priests are unleashing arcane magic. They thought Roman was easy pickings, just a hermit in the woods, but they chose the wrong dark priest to annoy. For while Roman might be patient, he is the Black Volhv, filled with the love of his terrible god. For his adversaries, it's a fight to the death, but for him, it's just another day in the neighborhood.

 

Sophia Rose's Review:

Readers encounter a certain Black Volhv priest to Chernabog early on in the Kate Daniels’ series who then becomes the occasional recurring character.  Ilona Andrews writes an amazing world, plot, and characters and this is especially true because readers like me fall for the minor characters right along with the main talent.  Roman is just such a one and I was jazzed as can be to see him get his own story beginning with this Sanctuary novella.

 

Slavic mythology and the post-apocalypse urban fantasy world of Kate Daniels blend for the backdrop for an engaging dark priest-style adventure.  Roman, avoiding the winter holidays with family and fretting about not getting some well-earned time off from his godly boss, gives sanctuary to a mysterious teen boy who arrives in his back woods just before a cocky group of mercs show up demanding Roman hand over the kid.

Roman’s got his own magic, his own menagerie posse, and a grumpy attitude so the demand doesn’t set well and he digs in for a good scrap with all the mercs and their magical support throw at him. 

 

When all is said and done, readers get a fabulous insight into Roman’s entertaining perceptions, his way of mentoring the young man who turns out to need the sort of guidance that only one like Roman can give, and the revelation of Roman’s past which gets some strong resolution through the quirk of a god.

 

Sanctuary wraps up in a good place, but leaves space for further adventures for Roman and his new-old acquaintances along with his adopted crowd of unusual pets.  Roman is a wonderful nuanced character I look forward to knowing better as his chronicles progress.  Incidentally, there is a bonus short story at the end following up on a small portion of the novella.  Kate Daniels’ fans are the primary target for this book since it would be a hard place for new readers to jump in though I suppose it could be done.

 

 

Author Bio:

“Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two children and many dogs and cats.

They have co-authored several bestselling series, including the #1 NYT bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels, rustic fantasy of the Edge, paranormal romance of Hidden Legacy, and Innkeeper Chronicles, which they post as a free weekly serial. For complete list of their books, fun extras, and Innkeeper installments, please visit their website at Ilona-andrews.com.

 

 Sophia’s Bio:

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, piano-playing, and gardening. Road trips and campouts, museums and monuments, restaurants and theaters are her jam. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing. Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators. Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance. Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/sophia.rose.7587

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiarose1816

GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13418187.Sophia_Rose