Book Review: The Last Necromancer by C.J. Archer

Media Type: Ebook
Title: The Last Necromancer
Series: The Ministry of Curiosities #1
Author: C.J. Archer
Publisher: Self-published
Pages: Paperback; 268
Release Date: August 11, 2015
Source: Xpresso Book Tours/Author
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Content Screening: Mild Violence

HDB Rating: 4 Keys to My Heart

Recommended to: Readers who enjoy stories with a slow burn, and a twist at the end.

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Victorian London: For five years, Charlotte (Charlie) Holloway has lived as a boy in the slums. But when one theft too many gets her arrested, her only means of escape lies with a dead man. Charlie hasn’t raised a spirit since she first discovered she could do so five years ago. That time, her father banished her. This time, she brings even more trouble upon herself.

People are now hunting Charlie all over London, but only one man succeeds in capturing her.

Lincoln Fitzroy is the mysterious head of a secret organization on the trail of a madman who needs a necromancer to control his newly “made” creatures. There was only one known necromancer in the world – Charlotte – but now there appears to be two. Lincoln captures the willful Charlie in the hopes the boy will lead him to Charlotte. But what happens when he discovers the boy is in fact the young woman he’s been searching for all along? And will she agree to work for the man who held her against her will, and for an organization she doesn’t trust?

Because Lincoln and his ministry might be just as dangerous as the madman they’re hunting.

Pardon me, just a moment, while I flail in excitement over this cover! I’ll fully admit, that was the first thing that drew me to The Last Necromancer. Of course, once I found out it was set in Victorian London I was hooked. Still, it’s hard to deny that this book has some gorgeous wrappings. I can assure it, it’s as pretty inside as it is out. If you’re on the fence about this book, get off of that fence and go buy it. It’s well worth your time.

Charlotte, or Charlie as she prefers to be called, had my attention and admiration from the very first page. To say that her life is hard would most definitely be an understatement. I was given a main character whose entire life was centered around survival. A girl, posing as a boy, to keep her secrets hidden and keep herself alive. Charlie intrigued me. Her gruff demeanor, her razor sharp wit, all of it made for a character that I simply couldn’t ignore. Even before any other characters were revealed, I was hooked. Charlie made sure of that.

Oh, and the story that she is wrapped up in just sealed the deal. I was thrown into a world of mystery and magic. A place where a secret society is needed to keep things swept under the rug. Who wouldn’t be interested? Any time that a secret society is involved, you know something good is coming. I followed along with Charlie, angry when she was angry, sad when she was sad, until finally her fate came into focus. I’ll admit that this story is a slow burn. There’s not too much action, but rather a lot of focus on the character build up and story line. I wasn’t upset in the least though. When the villain finally made himself known, that’s when I knew this series would be on my reading list until further notice. Brilliant!

Am I being vague? Yes, I most certainly am. The Last Necromancer is a story that is much too easy to spoil, and I’d rather you go into it knowing as little as possible. Who is the mysterious villain? You’ll have to discover that for yourself. I can assure you that it’s well worth your time. I can’t wait for more!

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.