The Vast and Brutal Sea

June 15, 2014
Those who enjoy pure, lightweight fantasy fluff will find all they want in the conclusion of the Vicious Deep series.Mer-human hybrid Tristan descends, of course, from sea royalty, although his uncle Kurt really has a more direct claim to the sea throne. However, the evil Silver Queen Nieve holds the reins of power now. The book picks up amid action that recaps the previous books and sends Tristan off to a magical island so that he may prepare himself for the epic battle to come. There, he must battle the monstrous Naga, with unexpected results. At last ready for the big fight, he returns to Coney Island, where he unites with vampires to help him in the battle. Yes, merpeople and vampires. All the while, Tristan is plagued by vivid visions of the future. The final battle plays out with magical creatures such as a giant turtle and a sea horse the size of a whale. Cordova lightens the narrative by including a sprinkling of comedy drawn from Tristan's cocky Brooklyn attitude. The relationships involved are so complex that readers new to the series would be well-advised to start with the first book, as the author includes little recap, and even fans may need a refresher. Tristan's true love, captured by Nieve, plays almost no role, which keeps the focus on action.Fans of the mermaid craze will enjoy it. Others may struggle. (Paranormal romance. 12-18)

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September 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up- Tristan is running out of time to save the girl he loves and secure his rightful position as heir to the Sea Throne in this dramatic final chapter of the "Vicious Deep" series. The fantasy epic features a diverse cast of mermen, sea witches, vampires, fairies, and all manner of supernatural creatures. Fans will be sad to see this trilogy come to a close.

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