The Bookwyrm's Review of The Piledriver of Fate by Samuel Gately

Publisher: Cylinder Publishing

Release Date: February 25, 2021

Length: 233 Pages

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Titan Wars, Book 2

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After reading the first book in the series, The Headlock of Destiny, which I thought was one of the most unique takes on fantasy in years, I was hot to get the next book in the series. After finishing it, I can honestly say the wait was worth it. It's an even deeper dive into the world we got a glimpse into in the first book.

PLOT SUMMARY

In the aftermath of the Headlock of Destiny Tournament, battle lines are being drawn. The return of the Titan Wars is inevitable and Van the Beer Man must carry forward alone against his greatest enemy. With the dreaded OverLord drawing ever closer, can Van find safe harbor in this world of violent giants? And will he ever get that cold beer he's been pining for?

MY THOUGHTS

This book does such a good job taking what worked in the first book and expanding it is such interesting ways. The world building is really well executed, expanding from Van's village and Empire City to now include the Nether, the underworld realm of the Overlord. The Nether is such a surreal world, a land of mists and shadows that eats at the soul, making people relive their worst memories. Its also inhabited by the minions of the Overlord, such as goblins, golems, trolls, and those titans that fell in the ring to the might of the Overlord, and are now his undead thralls. Finding out the origin of the Nether, and how it ties into the Titans, is an interesting bit of world building, which you just don't see coming.  We are introduced to another race in the upper world, the Valkyries, winged warrior women who turn out to be not a myth, who have an ancient duty they still uphold to varying degrees. They end up in the mix when the Overlord's minions finally invade the overworld, leading to an even bigger confrontation.

The characters definitely shine again, adding new layers to the existing characters while introducing some fun new characters. We even get a look into the origins of the Overlord, and it turns out he's much more a tragic villain than you would ever expect. Van has such a good growth arc, because while he's no ones idea of a chosen one, he's the only choice they have. Its also fun reading about the titan characters and trying to put a face to their real life inspirations, Wrestlers such as the Undertaker, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Nature Boy Rick Flair, Andre the Giant and The Road Warriors, Hawk and Animal, are just some of the larger than life characters transformed into the Titans in this story. Its a lot of fun guessing who is who, and with the addition of the Valkyries, just adds another layer to the story.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While it is not always easy to avoid a sophomore slump with a second book in a series, Samuel Gately deftly manages to avoid that fate. Adding in the new layers the story and characters really helps engage the reader, and you really find yourself sympathizing with the characters, and being able to see the action in your minds eye. It is at least as good as the first book, and in my opinion, even tops it. I think fans of fantasy and wrestling can easily find something to enjoy in this story, and I highly recommend reading these books.

RATING: 9/10 STARS