Reviewed by Annika
TITLE: Balefire
SERIES: Whyborne & Griffin #10
AUTHOR: Jordan L. Hawk
NARRATOR: Julian G. Simmons
PUBLISHER: Widdershins Press
RELEASE DATE: June 28, 2018
LENGTH: 8 hours, 3 minutes
BLURB:
Whyborne’s Endicott relatives have returned to collect on the promise he made to help them take back their ancestral manor from an evil cult. In exchange, they’ll give him the key to deciphering the Wisborg Codex, which Whyborne needs to learn how to stop the masters.
To that end, Whyborne, his husband Griffin, and their friends Iskander and Christine travel to a small island off the coast of Cornwall. But when they arrive at Balefire Manor, Whyborne must not only face the evil within the ancient mansion, but the painful truth about his own destiny.
REVIEW:
Sometimes you have to have luck on your side. I started listening to this series a couple of months ago and basically binged every audiobook in about a week. And after finishing Draakenwood I resigned myself to a long wait for Balefire. I mean it’s been almost two years since the last book was published, and there was no real news of when the next one was going to be produced, let alone being published. Believe me, I looked. Then one day in the end of June I saw that not only had Balefire a date, it had been released! To say that I had a grin on my face that day and had a happy warm feeling in the days to come was an understatement.
The, extended, gang is travelling outside Widdershins once more. This time it’s to a small island off the coast of Cornwall where Whyborne promised his help in aiding the Endicotts taking back Balefire from evil. Once there they are in for a number of surprises and dangers– if you’ve read the previous nine books you know what I mean. We learn more about the Endicott side of the family, their secrets and role in all of this. But we also learn more about what’s destiny has in store for Whyborne and his part when the Masters arises. Nothing is clear mind you, because the word Jordan L. Hawk has created is full of twists and turns interwoven with mythology and fantastical creatures and dangers at every turn. It’s all connected in some way and not easily understandable. But that’s also what makes these books so much fun, an adventure that I for sure can’t get enough of.
You can feel it in the air, in the people. In their interactions and conversations. Everything is coated in this mixed feeling of dread and anticipation. The big bad is coming and that final epic battle is not far off the horizon. It’s not here yet, but preparations are made and alliances formed. Alliances that in the beginning were unthinkable when this all started. They aren’t always comfortable, but hey you can’t expect to unquestioningly trust the people that more than once tried to kill you and your friends. But it makes for an all the better read for us.
Julian G. Simmons might just be synonymous with this series, and these people. He is all of them, he knows them and the feel of this series. He’s a part of it. So for some the wait for Balefire has been long, but it’s a wait that was worth it, because listening to this series wouldn’t have been the same without him. Just like he’s done before he brought it all to life, made you feel like you were fighting beside Whyborne and Griffin, Christine and Iskander, fighting the creatures hell bent on destroying them all. It was so poignant you could feel the cold of the ocean and the rush before each battle. It was amazing from start to finish.
Balefire is the same but different from the previous books. It’s the same people, and have the same feel to it. Yet at the same time, this time you truly felt that it was part of something much larger and infinitely more dangerous. Whereas previously we’d been dealing with the big bad here and now and then have gone on to celebrate a job well done once defeated. This time there’s no celebration, it’s more of a checkpoint to be crossed off in order to face and defeat the Masters in the coming battle.
I can’t wait to see what Hawk has in store for us with Deosil, but I know one thing; it’s going to be epic!
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
Annika, Thank you so very much for your amazing review! I so love narrating Jordan’s books, her characters resonate with me and I have so much fun giving them a voice. Thank you again!
And it shows in your narration, it’s always such a treat to listen to you and these books. 🙂
Your review really captures the quality of Julian’s contribution to Jordan’s rich stories. They are a perfect match; julian IS Whyborn, Griffin, & Company. I especially love his rendition of the monsters, ghostly beings and dueling dowagers.
Thank you!
I totally agrees, it really makes the books feel much more omnius at times. I love it!