Immaculate Resurrections: Tears of Constantine by Randall Lowe

Title: Immaculate Resurrections: Tears of Constantine
Author: Randall Lowe
Info: Facebook
Release Date: December 29th, 2011
Publisher: Outskirt Press
Pages: 314
Format: Electronic
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: Immaculate Resurrections: Rise of the Antichrist
Age Group: Adult

Does it matter what your college GPA is when you’re trying to prevent the Apocalypse and the rise of the Antichrist?

For nearly twenty years, Bill Stout bided his time, waiting for the day that Felix August would come along to carry out Bill’s plans. On the campus of Portland College, that day has arrived. Convinced that his destiny is to oppose the Antichrist and prevent the Apocalypse, Felix prepares to destroy the First Templar Amulet, a deadly talisman in the Antichrist’s possession. But if Felix is going to survive his first mission in the war to save mankind, he must trust in Bill to teach him to unlock his incredible power. But Bill is hiding a dark secret from Felix that calls into question what Felix really is, and whose side Bill is on. And as the mutilated remains of several hikers are discovered in the forest where the First Templar Amulet is guarded, the plan to destroy it looks like a suicide mission that will not only cost Felix’s life, but the lives of his friends. Book II in the Immaculate Resurrections series is an exhilarating ride into the world of Felix August, a world where good and evil, triumph and tragedy, love and anguish, self-determination and destiny are pitted against one another in a universal fight for survival

For Felix, going to Portland College was a chance to prove himself after cheating on his SAT. Living, learning, and growing was what was on his plan, yet plans change unexpectedly. Now the second book in this series picks up right where it left off with Felix needing to oppose the Antichrist. So, not only did his plans change - they really changed.

Time for training has begun for Felix with the help of Bill, who did everything in his power in order to prove to Felix that he was the Second Coming. But time is running out and when the moment comes to face off Landry, Felix will need to be prepared. Yet, it won't be easy knowing that Landry has his hands on the First Templar Amulet.

Surprisingly, I didn't like it as much as the first book. Even though this is where a lot occurred, I just didn't get into it as much. It was good, I was able to make it to the end, but I wasn't completely excited about it as I was the first. And the sad part? I can't even distinguish just what it was about this book that made it different then the first. Possibly by just the complexity of the story or maybe it was just that I was still suffering from a book hangover from a previous novel.

Either way, this novel moves forward and continues to explore Felix and his journey. I like how Lowe was able to keep Felix a constant character, never once did I feel like he would do something out of character, which I thought was awesome.

There's a lot this book could have done but overall, it wasn't a bad read. If you enjoyed the first one, take a chance on this one.

Immaculate Resurrections: Rise of the Antichrist by Randall Lowe

Title: Immaculate Resurrections: Rise of the Anticrhist
Author: Randall Lowe
Info: Facebook
Release Date: December 29th, 2011
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Pages: 436
Format: Electronic Copy
Acquired: From Author
Interest: Series
Age Group: Adult

Welcome to college, Felix. By the way, you're the Second Coming. And the Antichrist, well, he lives on the other side of town...

Felix August enrolls at Portland College with two goals: prove that he belongs at the school, even though he cheated on the SAT, and crack the starting lineup on the football team. But when Bill Stout, the school's groundskeeper, tells Felix that Landry Ashfield, the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, is the Antichrist, and that Felix is the reincarnation of a long-dead Druid who is known throughout the world by another name, the Second Coming of Christ, his life changes forever. Already struggling to cope with a recent tragedy in his life, Felix's desire to fit in at school and be like all the other students on campus is complicated by the knowledge that he could be the Second Coming. And although Felix could have never imagined a stranger way for any freshman to begin his college career, as the semester unfolds, an ordinary college life of football, partying and pursuing girls with his reality star roommate almost seems possible. But a horrifying recurring nightmare not only threatens to undermine Felix's attempt at normalcy, it may reveal a disturbing secret from his past. The religious intrigue of the DaVinci mythology collides with a magical world that is both fantastic and believable. The Immaculate Resurrections series is the most original urban fantasy to come along in years

I have to say, this novel took me for a ride. Even though I read it back in the summer I still remember some of the moments that had me stopping and just thinking. And every time I thought I had it all figured out...Lowe threw a curve ball at me and I was back to "Okay, what just happened?" But not in the frustrating way that makes me want to put down a book and never pick it up because, honestly, I have a lot more books to read than focus on just that one. But in a way that made me want to keep going to make sense of the mess.

So, Felix is the Second Coming. And the Antichrist is a CEO of a multi-billion dollar company. Somehow the latter doesn't surprise me, I'll be honest. If the antichrist were to ever come I'm sure he would come in that form. Still, this novel, with it's complex plot-line and even more complex main character, I found myself wanting to know what happens in the end.

Now, all Felix needs to do is bring down Laudry Ashfield, without anyone realizing that a college student just got rid of a really important person. Easy, right? Yeah, I would ask the four hundred pages of this novel, because Felix has got a fight on his hands.

I'm really glad that the author let me read and review this novel. The only reason that I gave it four stars is because of the lack of...emotion that came out of Felix. I felt like he was a little too made out of cardboard. And not enough humor. I like a funny story. It keeps me interested and most importantly it reminds me that the characters are living people, because that's what you want to feel when reading a novel.

Still, I moved forward with it and when I got to the end I had to stop myself because I felt like I just got off a very strange roller coaster. I, personally, would recommend this book. The novel's an interesting read.