Author J.C. Cervantes has outdone herself with her Storm Runner spinoff novel The Lords of Night. Spun from wildly successfully and highly entertaining literary creation Cervantes reintroduces readers to a compelling and captivating lead character, Ren Santiago in the latest book from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.
Ren, a shadow bruja, not only must contend with her godborn abilities, but also deal with a looming crisis. The Lords of Night are awakening, and with a cadre of friends from the god of death Ah-Puch, a demon named Edison, and Montero, an archer who is the descendant of the great Aztec King Itzcoatl, Ren must set out to stop the awakening.
It’s a race against time, and Ren is continuously being pushed beyond her limits. From friends to family, Ren Santiago is trying to prevent a dire situation while still trying to figure out her abilities. Faced with a challenge that has few answers, Ren must make sense of what she learns and make the best decision possible. That’s not easy to do when you are facing life altering consequences.
Going back into a literary world to form a new storyline can be a difficult job to pull off, but J.C. Cervantes has taken the seeds of creativity in her Storm Runner series and built a fantastical new world, with characters that are empathetic and relatable. Only J.C. Cervantes could make the god of death, Ah-Puch, a sympathetic and frightening character at the same time.
There is much to the story that allows readers of any age to find a connection point, but what stands out the most is the likeability of Ren Santiago. Here we have a protagonist who is unsure of her abilities, but at the same time someone who is very confident in her own abilities. Never once does Ren come across as arrogant or conceded, rather human. It’s easy to look past the mistakes made by Ren, and root for her success, because we have all met someone like Ren Santiago.
Even in a mythology tale with gods and magic, the main character must be human. Ren is the doubtful teen, who thinks she can outsmart the bad guys, but is the best person you would want at your side. Of course, when Ren agrees to be the Queen for the Lords of Night, we all know that she is making a mistake, but readers hang on and continue reading looking to see how Ren thinks her way out of the trap.
I always liked the character of Ah-Puch, and Cervantes has used that likeability of the god of death to make him one of the more compelling god characters in the mythology genre. This is the god of death after all, who knows all the horrors of the world, and who awaits many in the afterlife, but thanks to Cervantes writing prowess, I find that I want to be friends with this sympathetic and parental figure.
In literature, the worst characters can become the best people. Ah-Puch is certainly no angel, but the connection he has with Ren, and his worry for her safety is genuine. Here is a god of the ancient worlds, and he cares deeply for the safety of Ren.
Edison is the other fascinating character who mirrors Ren in multiple ways. He is a demon who is trying to find his place in a world that does not like demons. So, he hides behind his illusion of humanity, while learning about how to be a good person. Much like other stories and fables, Edison is the prototypical character who comes from a detested group of monsters who must hide his identity while he learns to be a better person. The life infused in him by Cervantes makes him a character beyond the ordinary.
There is a wide range of characters that readers get to connect with, but Cervantes has not only allowed us to move beyond her other noted heroes Zane, Brooks, and Hondo, she makes the reader comfortable with her new story in the same world.
I wondered how Cervantes was going to bring new life into a world well established, and Ren Santiago is the perfect answer. Perhaps the author was trying to tell her readers in the book that while everything may be the same, nothing is the same. Cervantes knows that she is asking her audience to accept these new people in an existing world, and she reminds us that even though everything is the ‘same’, there is nothing duplicated from her past works.
J.C. Cervantes blends a beautiful mix of history, mythology, cultural knowledge, and an incredible adventure that even makes the god of death worry about the fate of Ren Santiago. What more could any reader ask for?