The Adversary by Thea Harrison – Dual Review

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Description:
When Dragos and Pia move to the Other land of Rhyacia, they hope starting a new life will bring safety and freedom to their family, especially their young baby, Niall. And at first their new home seems perfect… but looks are deceiving.

Beneath Rhyacia’s idyllic façade an ancient, malevolent force lurks, waiting for the right opportunity to break free of its cage. When that opportunity comes, it strikes with devastating accuracy.

While Dragos has never backed down from a fight, he’s also never encountered an enemy like this one before. How can he fight a foe who doesn’t have a body? A foe who can invade and turn his own mind against him?

How can Dragos protect his family, when at any moment one of them may become the enemy?

As Dragos and Pia race against time to fight this unseen menace, they must also acknowledge a terrifying truth—when anyone can become the enemy, no one can be trusted.

An adversary who can trap the dragon poses a threat to everyone in Rhyacia, and that means no one is safe…

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Barb’s Review:

The Adversary by Thea Harrison is the 2^nd and final book in The Chronicles of Rhyacia.  The Adversary is a 2-book arc that is part of her wonderful Elder Races series.  The story is focused on our favorite couple, Dragos and Pia, and picks up immediately after the last book (The Unseen) left off.

We left off a cliffhanger, as Dragos was possessed by a malevolent being, who takes over his body and mind. Pia calls in all the Sentinels to help fight this new enemy.  She does get a brief glimpse of Dragos telling her to do whatever is necessary to try and stop this dangerous adversary; though Dragos is ultra-powerful, he has been unable thus far to find a way to take control back. 

Pia gives orders to all the Sentinels to hurt this new enemy, in hope to get the entity to leave Dragos’s body.   She was simply amazing, fighting off her fears, and stress, and using everyone to bring back Dragos; proving herself over and over that she was also a strong leader, and the perfect mate to Dragos.

We got to see Dragos fight this possession, as he uses all his knowledge, power, and even magic/spells to stop this takeover. It is a race against time to save Dragos; and just when you think all is well; they learn quickly that this evil being can move into someone else.  How can they stop this unseen being?

What follows is an exciting, riveting, non-stop action filled thriller, with a few twists along the way. I do not want to tell too much more, as you need to read this book, without spoilers.  I absolutely loved seeing all of our favorites again, which included Liam, Rune, Graydon, Eva, Aryal, Carling, Khalik, Grace, Bel, Morgan LeFey, baby Niall and Skeeter (dog). 

Dragos and Pia are such an amazing couple, who are one of the best in the literary world.  I never tire of seeing them in new stories.   The Adversary was a wonderful conclusion to this arc, and so very well written by Thea Harrison. If you are a fan of the Elder Races series, this is a must read. 

Sandy’s Reviews:

THE ADVERSARY is the second novella in Thea Harrison’s contemporary, adult ELDER RACES paranormal/ fantasy romance duet focusing on the former leader of the Wyr demes new in New York, Drago Cuelebre, and his mate Pia Giovanni. THE ADVERSARY should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the events and cliff hanger of book one THE UNSEEN.

SOME BACKGROUND: Dragos and Pia, along with 20,000 members of the supernatural Wyr leave New York to begin a new life in the Other land known as Rhycia but not all goes according to plan when an unseen force begins to cause a disturbance within the new society-misplaced items, collapsing buildings, and taking control over the mind, body and soul of our story line hero.

NOTE: If you have not read THE UNSEEN, there may be spoilers in my review. The author had plans to write a four-part novella series but at this time, I am unsure as to the number of instalments. Thea Harrison has left THE ADVERSARY open ended, laying the groundwork for future story lines.

Told from third person perspective (Pia) THE ADVERSARY focuses on the fight to ‘free’ Dragos from an ‘unseen adversary’. Dragos is no longer himself, in fact, he is often someone else. Struggling to free her mate from an ancient enemy, Pia and the Wyr, must formulate a plan in an effort to release the ‘unseen’ from her mate’s body but once released, the ‘unseen’ needs another host, and Pia and Dragos find themselves, once again, facing the prospect of losing someone they love. From Azreal, the angel of death, to the Seraphim, Dragos and Pia must accept that life and death are not theirs to control.

THE ADVERSARY is a story of family and friendships, power and control, loss, love, desperation and revenge. Thea Harrison pulls the reader into an action packed, emotional and intense tale of magic and the supernatural, of other worlds and the paranormal, of the power of love for mate and child. The premise is strong and impassioned; the characters are numerous, familiar and charismatic; the romance is magical-the love is palpable.

Copies supplied for review