"Erec Rex-- The Monsters of Otherness" review

I really enjoyed volume one of this series, The Dragon's Eye. But I was more than a little skeptical, sequels being sequels and all, that this book would not live up to the high standards set by the first book. I'm so happy to say I was wrong. Erec Rex-- The Monsters of Otherness is a fantastical adventure that even manages to surpass its predecessor in just about everything.

When we last saw Erec Rex, he was promised he would be king. But he must complete a series of twelve tasks designed to test his character before he canweild a scepter-- that is, if he even wants to. But if he doesn't do his twelve labors, so to speak, Balor and his cronies will take the throne, plunging Alypium and its two neighboring realms, Aorth and Ashona, into darkness.

Erec has a lot of issues on his plate right now. The people of Alypium say he rigged the tournament in book 1, that he's an impersonator because (and here's the biggie) the real Erec Rex died years ago. Plus, he's got a secret admirer who sends him letters via a literal sort of "snail mail", anger against King Piter, who's hiding something from him, problems with his dragon's eye, and an encounter with the Memory Mogul, who may hold one of the most crucial clues to Erec's past.

In a world where magic is controlled by remotes, where monsters hide in plain sight, and where a madman is plotting to rule the world as we know it (and as we don't), Erec must make sense of the riddles and deception surrounding himself and others. Oh, and he's got to save the world.

I loved The Dragon's Eye not just because of its original story, characters, and world, but because of the little things. This one takes all of the elements and special touches and raises them up a notch (a tough thing to do when the previous volume was so good). The stage has been set for something fantastic, something with lots of literary magic, fun, and-- dare I say it?-- heart.

Kaza Kingsley's work is slowly beginning to move to center stage. Erec Rex is getting himself on the map. And with the series only a quarter of the way done, we're in for a long ride. And isn't it great?

Book Three, The Search for Truth, is in the works, scheduled for a release later this year. The Monsters of Otherness is a hard act to follow, but I've got a feeling this is going to be big.