Trevor Melanson

This paranormal novel is about Mason Cross, resident of Terminal City and student at the local university. His father, John Cross, was a well-respected professor at the university until his death several months previously.

A mutual friend, Lester Wright, tells Mason that John was a Necromancer, someone interested in magic and communicating with the dead. Lester is also a Necromancer. Mason is shown Dad's library of old books on necromancy, and learns that he is also a Necromancer. Mason has no interest in raising the dead, or anything like that, he just wants to know more about it. That does not matter to the Inquisitors.

For the past several hundred years, an all-out war has been going on between Necromancers and Inquisitors, religious fanatics who think that the only good Necromancer is a dead one. Lester is killed by them, and so is Mason. He finds himself in the spirit realm, where the spirit of his father helps convince the being in charge to give Mason another chance. Mason is returned to Terminal City with a task; kill a "bad" Necromancer named Rowland, and send him back to the spirit realm.

Rowland has been alive for over 300 years, and has perfected the ability to kill with a mere thought. He also knows that Mason is coming for him. Meantime, Rowland has made it known to all the Inquisitors in North America that he is making his final stand at the top of a Terminal City skyscraper that is still under construction (come and get me). Mason is also there. Who is still alive when the battle ends; Rowland, Mason or any of the Inquisitors?

This is an excellent piece of writing. It is just weird enough, without being too weird, or too much like a horror story. The body count gets pretty high by the end, but it is very easy to read. I look forward to a sequel.… (mehr)

The events of Winter's End, a guarded retreat for necromancers, begin with Kyle MacDonald a psychopathic necromancer. The author then introduces us to Mason Cross, who has challenged himself to come up with new ways to use spirit energy and Joan Worthington who is a guardian. Their characters develop the theme of necromancy and the philosophical argument of the practice of necromancy and it's influence on the world of the living. I really liked this novel. It was cogent with interesting characters speaking in their own voices.… (mehr)

Second in the Terminal City series, Winter's End picks up a couple of years after the events of the first book.

Mason's necromancy has developed, and he is sent on a mission by one of the Necromancer Guardians to preserve the secrecy of the dark arts.

He is introduced to Eli, a professor, his student Liana, and a rogue necromancer called Kyle. Events unfold quickly and are complicated by his in-the-dark girlfriend and a policeman investigating events from the first book.

An enjoyable read, not too dark or complicated.

*i received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review… (mehr)

Winters End took necromancy in a direction I did not expect but absolutely enjoyed!!

Frequently a storyline with necromancy as it's theme the plot is filled with nothing but dark, eerie, nefarious events. Winters End is peppered with the machinations of one necromancer, creepy doesn't come close to describing, that I can't get the picture of some out of my head! Otherwise the bulk of the story uses interesting, like able characters to give a view into this version of the vast majority of necromancers. The characters of all ages, from different walks of life is where you learn what lines won't be crossed to keep its use from the nefarious side. By no means is necromancy common knowledge and whether it's user has any evil intentions or not they still keep it's existence from the general public. I did not miss the explicit gruesome act after act associated with most necromancy books. Which isn't to say at times I don't look forward to a good hair raising scare filled with the walking dead or the schemes of a black hearted necromancer! But this time with Winters End I found myself a little relieved, I wasn't quite in the mood for the more intense dark side. Winters End was well written with just enough vividly intense moments to keep reminding you that while the author is showing a bit more pedestrian necromancer than we come to think of that there is still the dark ones out there. Overall a good read, even if you start with a different expectation as I did, the writing soon had me enjoying the book that it was vs what I expected!… (mehr)