Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Rising Frenzy
SERIES: Men of Myth #2
AUTHOR: Brandon Witt
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
RELEASE DATE: October 6, 2020
LENGTH: 489 pages
BLURB:
Sequel to Submerging Inferno
A Men of Myth Story
Heartbroken, angry, and hurting, warlock Finn de Morisco can feel darkness growing inside, altering every aspect of his life. There are moments when the man he used to be seems to have been devoured completely. Retreating from his family and everything he once held dear, Finn attempts to escape the despair left in the wake of Brett’s rejection—only to find dangers he never knew existed.
Still struggling with the decision to leave everything he knew behind, Brett Wright is swept into a maelstrom as he searches for his place within his newly discovered family. Life beneath the surface of the ocean should have been unlike anything he’s ever known, yet prejudice over his demon ancestry and homosexuality follows him. Even the existence he begins to build may not last as those he is learning to love face extinction.
(This is book two of three. Books one and two contain cliffhangers.)
REVIEW:
Finn’s demons taunt him, whispering rejection, and he embarks on a personal destructive path. Getting to know ‘The Square’ better and its occupants, ensure that Finn loses some of his naivetés and gets a reality check on the supernatural world in which he lives. Ashamed of his activities, he withdraws from his family, keeping secrets. As such, he is informed that he has taken the most challenging path.
Meanwhile, Brett has chosen life under the waves to be with those he shares the most blood. To become part of the tribe, he must face rejection, coming out, and fear of his demon side – things he already went through on land. Nevertheless, Brett does what he must to find a place he belongs, and along the way, he discovers family and friendship. But, is his bloodline the only reason for the acceptance.
Rising Frenzy is book two, of three, in the Men of Myth series. It’s an awkward place to be, because the reader is no longer sinking their teeth into a new universe, and have ideas of what they’d like to see, nor are they receiving any conclusions. Part-two’s tend to be an expansion of the known, with the addition of more depth, and a few questions answered, which can leave the reader highly frustrated, or clamoring for more. As the blurb says, this second installment leaves on a cliffhanger. Meaning, while the story has progressed, not all the secrets have been revealed.
In this book, Brett and Finn learn more about themselves, their heritage, and the worlds in which they live. As already suggested, the boys have decided to ignore the main highway and take the country route to arrive at their destination somewhere in book three. While the journey’s taken by Brett and Finn gives a more 360-degree view of the world, it is difficult to determine (until the series finishes) what elements stray from the main arc and which ones will play a part in the final action.
Rising Frenzy is one of those stories where I appreciated the content more at the end instead of during because the destination was more apparent.
The story is told in the first and third person depending on who’s viewpoint one is reading. The author’s preference for the words flinched and winced returns along with the eyes becoming autonomous body parts and I found a few grammatical errors that spellchecker would have missed.
I found much to love in this book, and areas that I became intensely frustrated with, too.
I loved hearing about Brett in the sea and the tribe. When he was the focus, I soaked up every detail. The tribal lore, gods, and their detachment from land society was inspired writing. However, having come from a world where burgers and pizza were the norms, I would have preferred to hear about how Brett’s coped with eating raw fish and kelp instead of discovering how his bowel movements were disposed of. Positively, I appreciated how some, rather archaic bloodthirsty, traditions were balanced out with opposing views. Brett shows his strength, willingness to learn, and intelligence at navigating a new realm. The personalities, social orders, and story flow was everything I hoped it would be.
In Finn’s world, the story introduces some new characters and hails the return of some loved ones, too. Finn’s sister Caitlin is a force of nature, and a brick is more subtle – loved her. Wendell is more worldly-wise than his fatherly exterior suggests. And Marina is a blast. Her sharp wit and acidic tongue were a joy to read. Light sexy relief comes from Schwint – a fairy in every sense of the word. Finn, however, I wanted to slap a few times. He is a powerful warlock who seems to need everything explained to him in minute detail and seems to do the opposite of what is logical. The only time I truly felt for him was during his despair over Brett – it was agonizing and brought me to tears.
Another aspect I enjoyed was the cynical look at situations, life, and the gods. It appealed to my inner demon. Overall, the story is a much darker offering containing hunting, drug use, a fairy party, sexual exploits, brutal, bloodthirsty scenes, death, influencing, and more.
It is clear how much the author loves the world created, as it is rich with characters and imagery. It also includes every thought process and nuance imaginable. I felt somewhat spoon-fed. Some explanations and ramblings could have been removed without detriment to the story or universe created. If this had been done, Finn would have come over more intelligent than he did. Sometimes, less is more.
How to rate this story put me on the fence, but I still gave it an above-average score. I had high hopes that this installment was going to increase my appetite for the story, and in some areas, it succeeded. Though it is very long for the story progression that it accomplished. While I loved vast aspects of it, I got frustrated, too, losing sympathy for some characters, whose plight, for me, was overworked. Nevertheless, the closing chapters redeemed some of what came before, and I found myself looking forward to book three, Clashing Tempest out October 20.
RATING: 
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