The Deadly Seven by Kyoko M is a follow-up or rather, a companion addition to the author’s first book in this series, The Black Parade. Each chapter is titled with one of the Seven Deadly Sins; Wrath, Pride, Greed, Sloth, Lust, Gluttony, and Envy and the story or stories are told entirely from the perspective of Michael O’Brien, bodyguard to the heroine Jordan Amador, from The Black Parade.
The author points out in the Forward that this collection of stories actually take place over a two month period between Chapters 15 and 16 of the original story and honestly, it’s a nice addition, although, not a necessary one.
As with the first book, Kyoko’s writing is exceptional and her dialogue is so very, very engaging. In The Black Parade, she showed us Jordan and her amazing courage. In fact, Jordan was so outstanding that she overshadowed Michael, and I wonder if maybe that’s the reason for The Deadly Seven. In this offering, Michael is the center of attention. We get to see how powerful he truly is, how cunning, insightful, and how affected he is by his attraction to Jordan.
Each chapter has a different story based on the titled sin. In Wrath II, Michael and Jordan, who is a Seer (someone who helps wayward souls cross over after helping them to find peace or resolution here on Earth), help a young girl find her killer. In Greed, Michael and Jordan follow a lead that could lead to the source of some hellhound killings. In Sloth II, the two of them orchestrate a dramatic rescue of one of Michael’s soldiers, Adira, from demons.
I love Jordan and Michael’s relationship and the witty and often hilarious, touching, and surprising banter between these two. As in the first book, Koyoko’s writing is exceptional and her dialogue is so very, very engaging. In The Black Parade, she showed us Jordan and her amazing courage. In fact, Jordan was so outstanding that she overshadowed Michael, and I wonder if maybe that’s the reason for The Deadly Seven. In this offering, Michael is the center of attention. We get to see how powerful he truly is, how cunning, insightful, and how affected he is by his attraction to Jordan.
The Deadly Seven fills in some blanks for readers who want more of Michael and Jordan and a peek into the intimate makings of their relationship that weren’t included in The Black Parade. The point of these stories, to me, is the budding romance, the admiration, and appreciation these two have for each other, and how protective they each are for the other. Does it add anything to the overall series? After only reading the first book, I have to say, no. Not really. But is it a pleasant and entertaining read? Absolutely.
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J.D. Mason has been writing professionally for 16 years with more than 20 novels published. She’s also the author of a dark fantasy series titled, Inherit the Crown and Crown of Doom and Light written under her pseudonym JaydeBrooks. She’s currently working on turning that novel series into a graphic novel series and is working on her next speculative fiction novel.
