Warbound by Larry Correia

Man was this a fun book to read. In this thrilling conclusion to the Grimnoir Chronicles, Larry Correia has once again managed to write a novel that I was hard pressed to put down. As with his MHI series (Monster Hunter International) Larry has created a world that is full of violence and war, but that hasn't sunk itself so deep into a mire of misery and pain that it would be impossible for people with purely good motives to exist. While it is bloody, this book is not what I would call gritty. The  book doesn't leave you gaping at man's depravity, but rather it has you looking more towards a hope for the future of these people. I will admit that I do enjoy that type of book, but this one was refreshing change of pace.

This book series takes place in the 1930's. In this alternate history a power began to appear in certain people. These people began to develop certain abilities. Some were able to manipulate gravity (Heavies), some could control fire (Torches) and a whole host of other powers. Some of them are more common than others, but those with the same ability are limited in the same way, with the only difference being the level of power of the individual and their ingenuity with the power. As with any type of power, some will use it wisely and some will use it for evil purposes.

The characters created by Larry Correia were all very well done. Each character is unique and each character had something that drew me to them and made me want them to succeed (villains excluded). The world building in this series is top notch. He manages to take magic and the world state of the thirties to create a believable world situation. It shows that the setting and background were both researched quite well.

As I stated with Monster Hunter International, this book is not going to test your intellect and force into any deep philosophical discussion or contemplation. Rather it is what I would call a fun summer read. It is a lighthearted fare, full of action and guns and interesting superpowers. While it does have some things in common with the other series (like being awesome), this series is quite different. Larry manages to keep both worlds afloat without crossing the ideas of one into the other.

If you are looking for a fun summer read full of action, guns, superpowers and a smidgen of Lovecraftian horror, then this is the book for you. I am sad that the trilogy has come to an end, but at least I know that Larry is working on other books that will take me on lighthearted romps through worlds of violence and mayhem.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.