Laurence and the Riders by Sloan Archer reviewed by fellow author Leon G. Caesar
Laurence and the Riders has it all: blood-and-gore, a passionate love story, an age-old secret, mystery, suspense, action, a centuries-old blood feud, treachery, revenge, fantasy, and humor.
Starting the plot with the end, has turned out to be an effective technique, and Archer knows just how to torment the reader. I was in a hurry to see how everything could go so awry for our poor hero, and as I progressed through the pages, my mind kept seeking linkages to the bloody ‘opening’ scene.
After my initial trepidation, I was pleasantly surprised upon realizing that this is no vampire novel – being a little sick of the genre myself. Archer has created her own species of supernatural beings, the Paxios, whose world is put right in the center of the plot. They live their lives of violence, drugs, money and fearsome eating habits by their own rules. The background and shenanigans of these immortals make for most enjoyable reading.
Laurence finds himself drawn into the very heart of the sinister and dangerous world of the Paxios’ after he witnessed Boone, the leader of the Never Enders motorcycle club (which is basically a Paxios chapter) and father of Jolene – his one true love – tearing an enemy to pieces in true Paxios style. The intermingling of the world of utter darkness with that of the nice-decent-guy-and-bright-promising-student leads to some hairy moments and unexpected turns of events.
Archer is best at describing the deeply-felt love that Laurence has for Jolene and the emotional ache he feels during the years he could not declare his feelings to her. The power of their love for each other is a central theme running through the book, overcoming all obstacles.
Laurence and the Riders works very well in the first person, Laurence being the narrator. His narrative is chatty and punchy, peppered with lots of youthful and charming humor.
My literary appetite has certainly been expanded by this novel, and I feel enriched for having read it. This is my first Sloan Archer, but certainly not the last. Is there perhaps a sequel on the horizon? Laurence and the Riders gets four and a half stars!
