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Men of Myth #3
Clashing Tempest
Finn de Morisco knows he is walking into a trap when he enters the Vampire Cathedral to rescue his sister Cynthia. Aided by Schwint and his other sister, Caitlin, he intends to free Cynthia and avoid enslavement. But when he confronts the master of the Voice that has tortured him, Finn faces a grim choice: compromise his soul or lose his family.
For centuries members of the Chromis tribe have disappeared, and Brett Wright is on a quest to discover the fate of the captive mers and to stop the abductions. Despite the risk of tribal warfare, he embarks on a dangerous ocean journey to find other mer tribes experiencing the same plight. When destiny brings him back to land, Brett encounters new allies and old dangers while coming to grips with the past.
For centuries members of the Chromis tribe have disappeared, and Brett Wright is on a quest to discover the fate of the captive mers and to stop the abductions. Despite the risk of tribal warfare, he embarks on a dangerous ocean journey to find other mer tribes experiencing the same plight. When destiny brings him back to land, Brett encounters new allies and old dangers while coming to grips with the past.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2013
7 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Brandon Witt
34 books442 followersBrandon Witt's outlook on life is greatly impacted by his first eighteen years of growing up gay in a small town in the Ozarks, as well as fifteen years as a counselor and special education teacher for students with severe emotional disabilities. Add to that his obsession with corgis and mermaids, then factor in an unhealthy love affair with cheeseburgers, and you realize that with all those issues, he's got plenty to write about....
Visit Brandon's webpage: http://www.brandonwitt.com/
Visit him on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandon.witt...
Enjoy episodes of The Witty Hour: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO5c...
Visit Brandon's webpage: http://www.brandonwitt.com/
Visit him on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandon.witt...
Enjoy episodes of The Witty Hour: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO5c...
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 2, 2014
Yep. I've been hit right in the freaking feels centre.
This is a great series. I have read all three books in about as many days and reviewed them - each approximately 350 pages, so I was thoroughly invested. If you like fantasy / paranormal in a contemporary setting I highly recommend Submerging Inferno, Rising Frenzy and now Clashing Tempest.
The world building continues - I am in awe of Brandon Witt's loving development of his characters and the world they live in.
These characters will forever stay with me and I hope to see more of them as part of further books. I hope there are further books. The good thing is, there are some interesting characters to go on with - and one I am deeply invested in. They need their stories told. I need their stories to be told
I must say that Costa Rica came to life. I swear I was there. The Vampire Cathedral was so clear and frightening in its decadence.
The mer and the sea really were the stars of Clashing Tempest for me.
The pure malevolence and cruelty was starkly vivid and upset me at times.
Characters died. One I loved. Rip my heart and hope out why don't you Mr Witt...*sighs*
Carefully crafted writing - whenever something would arise in the plot where I thought it could be illogical or it would need explaining, it would be answered perfectly. In paranormal and fantasy you need to be dead balls-on accurate. It was.
Clashing Tempest ties up the vampire stalker, the Voice, the call to the Vampire Cathedral, the Brett / Finn /Schwint triangle. Did I get what I wanted? Nope. I did not get my pairing. But that's okay, really, I will very maturely rant and rave and hit my pillow when I go to bed a bit later.
I can't say a lot about the book without spoilers but a full review, as spoiler free as possible, is at http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
December 30, 2013
I'm so sad that this had to end. If you made it this far, you know well enough that you'll be reading and loving this final installment in the Brett/Finn trilogy. They're like old friends at this point, so you have to read how things turn out for them.
Oh, and Schwint, of course. Beautiful, patient, loving, heartwarming Schwint. I think I may have loved him most of all, when all is said and done. As much as everyone grew over these three books, the way he grew into the kind of person (well, fairy) that Finn wanted and needed, changing his very nature for love, was so reassuring. He's selfless. Brandon, if your partner is half as great as the character you based on him, you are supremely lucky.
There are a couple of new characters this time around (Newton and Shane) as well, and both have potential to be as unforgettable as this trilogy's triangle. I remain seriously intrigued by Shane, a late arrival to the story, and his backstory. I love a guy with a mystery hidden behind his eyes, and this one definitely fits that bill. Hopefully he'll be returning in future installments.
I don't really know what else to say. These three books are my absolute favorite I've read this year, in any genre, and I hope that you give them a chance as well. If you're on the fence about whether to commit, just do it. They're unique, wonderfully written, and, above all, fun. Thanks for the adventure, Brandon.
Oh, and Schwint, of course. Beautiful, patient, loving, heartwarming Schwint. I think I may have loved him most of all, when all is said and done. As much as everyone grew over these three books, the way he grew into the kind of person (well, fairy) that Finn wanted and needed, changing his very nature for love, was so reassuring. He's selfless. Brandon, if your partner is half as great as the character you based on him, you are supremely lucky.
There are a couple of new characters this time around (Newton and Shane) as well, and both have potential to be as unforgettable as this trilogy's triangle. I remain seriously intrigued by Shane, a late arrival to the story, and his backstory. I love a guy with a mystery hidden behind his eyes, and this one definitely fits that bill. Hopefully he'll be returning in future installments.
I don't really know what else to say. These three books are my absolute favorite I've read this year, in any genre, and I hope that you give them a chance as well. If you're on the fence about whether to commit, just do it. They're unique, wonderfully written, and, above all, fun. Thanks for the adventure, Brandon.
March 14, 2014
I don't know what to say. I'm hoping there is more. I think there's gotta be more. It finished really well but someone is left out and I feel a bit sad about that. Although I'm not saying I'm not happy. Because I am happy. I loved Finn all the way through. He came out of it a bit wiser and a bit harder but happy. I mean things won't be the same for him in one way but he has found love. This was a tough read sometimes because a lot happened. A lot happened to people I liked. There was also a lot of fantasy weaving on the ocean and in the jungle's of Costa Rica.
The mers have had a hard deal. All this time and they never gave up. I love it when people don't give up hope. I'm happy Brett feels accepted and I thought he was pretty awesome. I hope he can help Lelas.
I can't really write a full review but if you like fantasy and love and the dark side as well as some romance then this is a great series. I like that it is fantasy with gay characters because like I said last time this is the first time I have read that.
The mers have had a hard deal. All this time and they never gave up. I love it when people don't give up hope. I'm happy Brett feels accepted and I thought he was pretty awesome. I hope he can help Lelas.
I can't really write a full review but if you like fantasy and love and the dark side as well as some romance then this is a great series. I like that it is fantasy with gay characters because like I said last time this is the first time I have read that.
April 29, 2016
SPOILER ALERT
I loved this UF series, it was excellent. All three books were fantastic with excellent writing and strong MC, I only had one small problem and that was with some internal dialogue that was just too long, but it's the only minor and picky fault I can find. I do love the authors notes at the end of book #3 and although I don't need a HEA, as Brandon Witt basically states, I'd still love to see future interaction between Brett and Finn. I know things aren't always clean and happy but I just feel like there was no closure between them at all and it actually made it a huge cliffhanger for me because of that. I don't expect them to keep torturing themselves or even have it wrapped up in cotton wool but I felt they at least needed have the chance to resolve things in the future. That said it's still a great read.
I loved this UF series, it was excellent. All three books were fantastic with excellent writing and strong MC, I only had one small problem and that was with some internal dialogue that was just too long, but it's the only minor and picky fault I can find. I do love the authors notes at the end of book #3 and although I don't need a HEA, as Brandon Witt basically states, I'd still love to see future interaction between Brett and Finn. I know things aren't always clean and happy but I just feel like there was no closure between them at all and it actually made it a huge cliffhanger for me because of that. I don't expect them to keep torturing themselves or even have it wrapped up in cotton wool but I felt they at least needed have the chance to resolve things in the future. That said it's still a great read.
December 19, 2013
Ok, I had figured out a major part of the plot by the end of the preceding volume, but there are enough plot twists in this to keep you surprised. There's a fair amount of steamy sex again too. Some of the characters are more developed in this final volume of the trilogy. I found the book compelling, and really enjoyed the read. I think the author has hit his stride in this 3rd volume, hence the higher rating.
January 19, 2018
Wow. What an ending. But it almost feels like it's not finished. like there is another story to be told. Lots of action and stuff going on. Really good book. The bad part is I feel like it's not done between Brett and Finn. And what of the mers now. Venault leaving. Does he find his dad? So many questions
November 3, 2016
Wow.
Clashing Tempest is the third of the Men of Myth series. I have been anxiously awaited this installment since finishing Rising Frenzy a couple of months ago. The continuation comes to a head with the epic battle of good vs evil. Vampires, Witches, and Mermen (oh my!).
I really enjoyed the continuation of the character development. Finn grows through the series and really shows a maturity in this piece after having a rough go of it in Rising Frenzy. He goes from being lost and broken to victorious in Clashing Tempest. When I started the series, I was really drawn to Brett, but also annoyed by him. Then Schwint became the focus of my interests. In this, it's a surprise appearance of Shane that caught my curiosity.
I'm still trying to process how I feel about the story, which is a sign of a good one!
Clashing Tempest is the third of the Men of Myth series. I have been anxiously awaited this installment since finishing Rising Frenzy a couple of months ago. The continuation comes to a head with the epic battle of good vs evil. Vampires, Witches, and Mermen (oh my!).
I really enjoyed the continuation of the character development. Finn grows through the series and really shows a maturity in this piece after having a rough go of it in Rising Frenzy. He goes from being lost and broken to victorious in Clashing Tempest. When I started the series, I was really drawn to Brett, but also annoyed by him. Then Schwint became the focus of my interests. In this, it's a surprise appearance of Shane that caught my curiosity.
I'm still trying to process how I feel about the story, which is a sign of a good one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2019
I've struggled with this series for a long time. I just couldn't get myself to finish it. It's really well written, the writing quality is actually very very good. But I really hated the choices the author made in book two and it made it really difficult for me to get into reading this story. I've put it off for years. In the end again the writing was really good but I don't really feel satisfied.
Part of my issue with this story is always going to stem from the choices in book 2. I really didn't want to see Finn and Brett broken up, let alone the way it happened. I've never understood how Brett could walk away the way he did. I hated reading one book setting up one love only to see it destroyed and the second book about a totally different love. There's only been one story I've ever read where I ultimately excepted a switch in romantic partners and came to love the second one just as much. Andrea Speed is the only author I've known that has pulled that off for me, but a large part of that was because Paris' condition was inevitable and built into the storyline. I felt for Roan so much. Here, Brett could have stayed or talked or something, instead he just ran.
While the story itself solved many of the dangling threads from the past two books and really filled out a lot of the story elements with the vampires, I wasn't really satisfied with the conclusion between Brett and Finn. I wanted more of a solid conclusion. Some sort of satisfying something for both of them. It still felt very dangling. But still the ending felt rushed. I do hope the author continues this series at some point and comes back to Brett. His ending felt very unfinished. Even Finn & Schwint felt rushed at the end of everything. I'd like to see them all in the future.
Part of my issue with this story is always going to stem from the choices in book 2. I really didn't want to see Finn and Brett broken up, let alone the way it happened. I've never understood how Brett could walk away the way he did. I hated reading one book setting up one love only to see it destroyed and the second book about a totally different love. There's only been one story I've ever read where I ultimately excepted a switch in romantic partners and came to love the second one just as much. Andrea Speed is the only author I've known that has pulled that off for me, but a large part of that was because Paris' condition was inevitable and built into the storyline. I felt for Roan so much. Here, Brett could have stayed or talked or something, instead he just ran.
While the story itself solved many of the dangling threads from the past two books and really filled out a lot of the story elements with the vampires, I wasn't really satisfied with the conclusion between Brett and Finn. I wanted more of a solid conclusion. Some sort of satisfying something for both of them. It still felt very dangling. But still the ending felt rushed. I do hope the author continues this series at some point and comes back to Brett. His ending felt very unfinished. Even Finn & Schwint felt rushed at the end of everything. I'd like to see them all in the future.
April 30, 2014
Book 3 in the Men of Myth series and I am completely blown away by Brandon Witt´s talent.
I´ve mentioned this before, as I've been lucky enough to read and review the previous books as well, he has an amazing talent for descriptions and world building. You feel completely submerged in this mythical land, so much that you don´t questions the existence of a wolf shifter in Costa Rica, you just go “yes, of course he is a werewolf, what else?”
By the end of Rising Frenzy, Brett and Finn were each involved in two different and very personal quests. Brett was trying to find the truth behind the mers abductions and Finn was on his way to the Vampire Cathedral to rescue his sister, Cynthia, and find out once and for all what the voice in his head wanted.
Of course both quests end up being part of the same. The Vampires are behind the mer abductions and they want Finn to be their resident warlock, in order to have him agreeing with their request they kidnaped Cynthia knowing Finn would agree to whatever they asked of him, to avoid any harm to his sister.
It sounds simple, it does, but in reality we have to go through so much to get to the point where we need to be.
There is one thing that I must say, this is not your typical romance, don´t make the mistake I made, hoping for Brett and Finn´s reunion and missing out on everything else. Once I got to the end of the book, I had to read it again, yes you are reading that right, because I was so anxious to know what was going to happen with them that I fast read and missed a lot.
So, my second read was more relaxed and complete. I was able to enjoy everything, every detail, description and dialogue. Such an amazing book!
I absolutely love Brett, how comfortable he is now that he knows the truth about who he is. He is so strong, he is intelligent and funny. He has grown a lot since the beginning of the series, he values love and friendship. It has to do with actually finding his place in the world and embracing it.
Finn, he is weird and smart. The strongest one among them all. His strength comes from within and his relationship with Schwint only makes him stronger; not in a “hulk” way, but mentally and spiritually stronger. Schwint balances him, relaxes Finn and helps him put things into perspective.
Finn is good at heart and when he finally learns about his new job at the Vampire Cathedral he starts plotting a way to fix such a horrible situation. Without knowing that Brett is on the other side trying to fix the same.
Lives were lost, and I cried for them, because even when it was necessary it was also painful.
New bonds between mers, demons, vampires, witches and werewolves are formed. They join forces, to rescue the mers, to rescue Cynthia, to give Sonia what she wants and to get their lives back.
Love is still intact for the warlock and the fairy, and it makes me so happy! I didn't expect to be so satisfied with the ending as I was. But it totally makes sense, and it´s the perfect ending for all the characters involved.
I asked Brandon Witt what´s next, because I know there will be more books in the Men of Myth series. He was kind enough to tell me that yes, we will have more books in this Universe, but with a different story line, the side characters of the first three installments will be the MCs of the next books. And we will still get to see a bit more of these characters that we already love.
This is a must read for supernatural/paranormal lovers, and for those looking for something different, an adventure. Is a book, a series, for a patient reader. You are going to hate, love, laugh, cry, be frustrated and sad all over the 300+ pages, but in the end it will all be worth it.
Reviewed by Connie
To see more of this review and others like it please visit us at Gay List Book Reviews at www.gaylistbookreviews.wordpress.com
I´ve mentioned this before, as I've been lucky enough to read and review the previous books as well, he has an amazing talent for descriptions and world building. You feel completely submerged in this mythical land, so much that you don´t questions the existence of a wolf shifter in Costa Rica, you just go “yes, of course he is a werewolf, what else?”
By the end of Rising Frenzy, Brett and Finn were each involved in two different and very personal quests. Brett was trying to find the truth behind the mers abductions and Finn was on his way to the Vampire Cathedral to rescue his sister, Cynthia, and find out once and for all what the voice in his head wanted.
Of course both quests end up being part of the same. The Vampires are behind the mer abductions and they want Finn to be their resident warlock, in order to have him agreeing with their request they kidnaped Cynthia knowing Finn would agree to whatever they asked of him, to avoid any harm to his sister.
It sounds simple, it does, but in reality we have to go through so much to get to the point where we need to be.
There is one thing that I must say, this is not your typical romance, don´t make the mistake I made, hoping for Brett and Finn´s reunion and missing out on everything else. Once I got to the end of the book, I had to read it again, yes you are reading that right, because I was so anxious to know what was going to happen with them that I fast read and missed a lot.
So, my second read was more relaxed and complete. I was able to enjoy everything, every detail, description and dialogue. Such an amazing book!
I absolutely love Brett, how comfortable he is now that he knows the truth about who he is. He is so strong, he is intelligent and funny. He has grown a lot since the beginning of the series, he values love and friendship. It has to do with actually finding his place in the world and embracing it.
Finn, he is weird and smart. The strongest one among them all. His strength comes from within and his relationship with Schwint only makes him stronger; not in a “hulk” way, but mentally and spiritually stronger. Schwint balances him, relaxes Finn and helps him put things into perspective.
Finn is good at heart and when he finally learns about his new job at the Vampire Cathedral he starts plotting a way to fix such a horrible situation. Without knowing that Brett is on the other side trying to fix the same.
Lives were lost, and I cried for them, because even when it was necessary it was also painful.
New bonds between mers, demons, vampires, witches and werewolves are formed. They join forces, to rescue the mers, to rescue Cynthia, to give Sonia what she wants and to get their lives back.
Love is still intact for the warlock and the fairy, and it makes me so happy! I didn't expect to be so satisfied with the ending as I was. But it totally makes sense, and it´s the perfect ending for all the characters involved.
I asked Brandon Witt what´s next, because I know there will be more books in the Men of Myth series. He was kind enough to tell me that yes, we will have more books in this Universe, but with a different story line, the side characters of the first three installments will be the MCs of the next books. And we will still get to see a bit more of these characters that we already love.
This is a must read for supernatural/paranormal lovers, and for those looking for something different, an adventure. Is a book, a series, for a patient reader. You are going to hate, love, laugh, cry, be frustrated and sad all over the 300+ pages, but in the end it will all be worth it.
Reviewed by Connie
To see more of this review and others like it please visit us at Gay List Book Reviews at www.gaylistbookreviews.wordpress.com
February 16, 2014
I only just finished this book mere minutes ago and so, I'm still reeling from the final events and conclusion.I decided to write a few things while its still fresh in my mind, though it may end up to be all over the place.
While the 2nd book didn't do much for me, having read this one I see why it is necessary, to connect dots and weave threads and flesh out the story. I have grown so attached to these characters throughout these books that its difficult for me to say goodbye. Particularly to Brett, Finn and Sonia.
What a ride it has been! I would consider this my first real foray into this genre and so quite a few things were strange to me, but that aside I connected with these characters as I do when I really get into a story, and enjoyed exploring their world.
One of the things I really enjoyed was the author's use of different perspectives to tell the story. It keeps things fresh and allows to see things from different character views, which makes for a very engaging read.
Another thing I enjoyed is the amount of intricate detail that is used to describe worlds, particularly the underwater world. (The vividness of some of the vampire scenes, Sonia's especially had my stomach turning). I could picture it all thanks to the attention to detail, almost like the words played out like a movie in my mind. It being such a mythical world, that attention to detail is welcome, to enable to reader to completely immerse themselves into the story, so thank you for that Mr. Witt. ( I know you read these :) )
I couldn't read fast enough when it was nearing the end, and at the same time I didn't want to say goodbye.. and even though one key thing didn't play out as I'd hoped.. I will accept it (for now )and look forward to revisiting these amazing characters when the time comes, all the while holding out hope for THE REUNION, the romantic in me refuses to let go of that. So, this isn't goodbye by any means, it's "till we meet again".
While the 2nd book didn't do much for me, having read this one I see why it is necessary, to connect dots and weave threads and flesh out the story. I have grown so attached to these characters throughout these books that its difficult for me to say goodbye. Particularly to Brett, Finn and Sonia.
What a ride it has been! I would consider this my first real foray into this genre and so quite a few things were strange to me, but that aside I connected with these characters as I do when I really get into a story, and enjoyed exploring their world.
One of the things I really enjoyed was the author's use of different perspectives to tell the story. It keeps things fresh and allows to see things from different character views, which makes for a very engaging read.
Another thing I enjoyed is the amount of intricate detail that is used to describe worlds, particularly the underwater world. (The vividness of some of the vampire scenes, Sonia's especially had my stomach turning). I could picture it all thanks to the attention to detail, almost like the words played out like a movie in my mind. It being such a mythical world, that attention to detail is welcome, to enable to reader to completely immerse themselves into the story, so thank you for that Mr. Witt. ( I know you read these :) )
I couldn't read fast enough when it was nearing the end, and at the same time I didn't want to say goodbye.. and even though one key thing didn't play out as I'd hoped.. I will accept it (for now )and look forward to revisiting these amazing characters when the time comes, all the while holding out hope for THE REUNION, the romantic in me refuses to let go of that. So, this isn't goodbye by any means, it's "till we meet again".
August 10, 2014
This is a review for the whole series.
I was completely mesmerized by Men of Myth since the first pages on Submerging Inferno. I have no words to express how much I loved it, but I'll try nonetheless.
For me, this series had all the ingredients of a perfect read: a balanced mix of romance, action, adventure and suspense. I loved the world building, but I was especially fascinated by the author's skill in plotting (which is something I always appreciate since I suck at it). This felt like a huge, intricate canvas that was spun thread by thread. The author made it all come together like everything was connected, but you couldn't see it until the last part of book three, when, finally, all pieces suddenly started to match. It was amazing!! I never saw some things coming. Rather, I imagined them totally different then they turned out and this makes this series so good! It's never predictable.
Let's not mention characters. God, I love them so much. And I cried so hard for some of them.
Major spoiler ahead!
What more to say? I wish this series would have never ended. I was ecstatic to read the author's note and find that, indeed, he will go back to these characters some time in the future. I'm really looking forward to that!! Loved it :D
I was completely mesmerized by Men of Myth since the first pages on Submerging Inferno. I have no words to express how much I loved it, but I'll try nonetheless.
For me, this series had all the ingredients of a perfect read: a balanced mix of romance, action, adventure and suspense. I loved the world building, but I was especially fascinated by the author's skill in plotting (which is something I always appreciate since I suck at it). This felt like a huge, intricate canvas that was spun thread by thread. The author made it all come together like everything was connected, but you couldn't see it until the last part of book three, when, finally, all pieces suddenly started to match. It was amazing!! I never saw some things coming. Rather, I imagined them totally different then they turned out and this makes this series so good! It's never predictable.
Let's not mention characters. God, I love them so much. And I cried so hard for some of them.
Major spoiler ahead!
What more to say? I wish this series would have never ended. I was ecstatic to read the author's note and find that, indeed, he will go back to these characters some time in the future. I'm really looking forward to that!! Loved it :D
July 26, 2016
Title: Clashing Tempest
Author: Brandon Witt
Cover Artist: Anne Cain
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Reviewer: Jay
Genre: Fantasy & Sci-Fi
Type: Romance
Pairing: Gay
Length: Long Novel
Heat Rating: ♨♨♨♨
Rating: ★★★★★
Review at WoDF - Clashing Tempest
September 6, 2015
The third book of the Men of Myth series is by far the best one! It really brought all that's happened to a conclusion. There was so much sad things that happened but good things came from them too. While this book feels like a great end to the story there seems a small hint for more to come.
February 21, 2016
This review first appeared in All About Romance: http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/boo...
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Clashing Tempest
Brandon Witt
August 2015, Paranormal Fantasy
DSP Publications, 360 pages, Amazon ASIN 1632166860
Part of a series
Grade: B+
Sensuality: Hot
Note: This book is available digitally from Amazon.
Clashing Tempest, the last book of the Men of Myth trilogy continues with the parallel adventures of Finn and Brett, but now Brett has Lelas as his best friend and confidante, while Finn has Schwint as his sidekick and lover. Both young men are seeking the truth, unaware that their lives are on converging paths that will lead them to unimaginable horror—and to Sonia, waitress turned vampire queen. At the same time, we learn a great deal of back-story and begin to see the pieces come together even as our two protagonists struggle to make sense of things.
Brandon Witt creates an intense, complex and mostly dazzling world in which magic and mortality intertwine. What his narrative lacks in Tolkeinesque grandeur, it makes up for in a kind of romantic-horror road-trip feeling that is both very contemporary and very American. Throughout the series, both Brett and Finn continue to sound like what they are—young Californians in over their heads trying to embrace destines handed to them against their wills. They are reluctant heroes, and they are not exceptionally noble. By keeping them flawed, Witt gives us characters we grow to love and care for, and he plumbs emotional depths that satisfy our need to feel along with them. These are not cerebral books; they’re all heart.
Sonia continues to be my stumbling block in the third book. I think we are supposed to sympathize with her, or at least with her hellish predicament — she is fully aware of the horror she has become, and hates it; yet she feels no remorse or love or connection to the gentle, loving human she was. Gwala, the vampire king, poses no such problem; in him there is no moral ambiguity. He revels in his own power and absence of any human moral compass. My inability to sympathise with her may be my fault, I think, not the author’s. My own novels created a model of a vampire who assimilates into the human world as a survival technique; the vampire as good guy. Brandon Witt choses the more traditional vampire trope, the relentless predator for whom humans are nothing more than food. I’ve always felt that there is a lack of internal logic in these killer vampires, because my mind has trouble accepting the notion that the larger world wouldn’t notice all those mysterious deaths, and that constantly killing humans works against effective camouflage that will last for millennia--especially since blood is a renewable resource. And from this arises my consistent discomfort with the ambiguous Sonia, who is what she is, but is nonetheless expected to command our sympathy. We aren’t allowed to forget the Sonia that was - loving, charming, a good friend. Clearly, Witt loves Sonia’s character, and I confess that I almost did. Almost. Nonetheless, her presence in the final third of the trilogy matters, and as readers we simply have to embrace Sonia’s truth or lose our way. In the end, liking Sonia isn’t important: understanding her is what counts.
The action really picks up in this book, and I found it to be a compulsive read. The final cataclysm is both satisfying and puzzling—there is a deux-ex-machina plot device that both intrigued and annoyed me. And, while the ending in this book is not a cliffhanger, exactly, it left me with mixed feelings. I wanted more closure, particularly in regard to Brett’s future. But there are promises of more books dealing with other characters whom we’ve met along the way. Even though I’m not really done with Brett or Finn, I confess that I look forward to the next saga from Witt’s Men of Myth.
Home
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Features
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About AAR
Clashing Tempest
Brandon Witt
August 2015, Paranormal Fantasy
DSP Publications, 360 pages, Amazon ASIN 1632166860
Part of a series
Grade: B+
Sensuality: Hot
Note: This book is available digitally from Amazon.
Clashing Tempest, the last book of the Men of Myth trilogy continues with the parallel adventures of Finn and Brett, but now Brett has Lelas as his best friend and confidante, while Finn has Schwint as his sidekick and lover. Both young men are seeking the truth, unaware that their lives are on converging paths that will lead them to unimaginable horror—and to Sonia, waitress turned vampire queen. At the same time, we learn a great deal of back-story and begin to see the pieces come together even as our two protagonists struggle to make sense of things.
Brandon Witt creates an intense, complex and mostly dazzling world in which magic and mortality intertwine. What his narrative lacks in Tolkeinesque grandeur, it makes up for in a kind of romantic-horror road-trip feeling that is both very contemporary and very American. Throughout the series, both Brett and Finn continue to sound like what they are—young Californians in over their heads trying to embrace destines handed to them against their wills. They are reluctant heroes, and they are not exceptionally noble. By keeping them flawed, Witt gives us characters we grow to love and care for, and he plumbs emotional depths that satisfy our need to feel along with them. These are not cerebral books; they’re all heart.
Sonia continues to be my stumbling block in the third book. I think we are supposed to sympathize with her, or at least with her hellish predicament — she is fully aware of the horror she has become, and hates it; yet she feels no remorse or love or connection to the gentle, loving human she was. Gwala, the vampire king, poses no such problem; in him there is no moral ambiguity. He revels in his own power and absence of any human moral compass. My inability to sympathise with her may be my fault, I think, not the author’s. My own novels created a model of a vampire who assimilates into the human world as a survival technique; the vampire as good guy. Brandon Witt choses the more traditional vampire trope, the relentless predator for whom humans are nothing more than food. I’ve always felt that there is a lack of internal logic in these killer vampires, because my mind has trouble accepting the notion that the larger world wouldn’t notice all those mysterious deaths, and that constantly killing humans works against effective camouflage that will last for millennia--especially since blood is a renewable resource. And from this arises my consistent discomfort with the ambiguous Sonia, who is what she is, but is nonetheless expected to command our sympathy. We aren’t allowed to forget the Sonia that was - loving, charming, a good friend. Clearly, Witt loves Sonia’s character, and I confess that I almost did. Almost. Nonetheless, her presence in the final third of the trilogy matters, and as readers we simply have to embrace Sonia’s truth or lose our way. In the end, liking Sonia isn’t important: understanding her is what counts.
The action really picks up in this book, and I found it to be a compulsive read. The final cataclysm is both satisfying and puzzling—there is a deux-ex-machina plot device that both intrigued and annoyed me. And, while the ending in this book is not a cliffhanger, exactly, it left me with mixed feelings. I wanted more closure, particularly in regard to Brett’s future. But there are promises of more books dealing with other characters whom we’ve met along the way. Even though I’m not really done with Brett or Finn, I confess that I look forward to the next saga from Witt’s Men of Myth.
May 8, 2014
Book 3 in the Men of Myth series and I am completely blown away by Brandon Witt´s talent.
I´ve mentioned this before, as I’ve been lucky enough to read and review the previous books as well, he has an amazing talent for descriptions and world building. You feel completely submerged in this mythical land, so much that you don´t questions the existence of a wolf shifter in Costa Rica, you just go “yes, of course he is a werewolf, what else?”
By the end of Rising Frenzy, Brett and Finn were each involved in two different and very personal quests. Brett was trying to find the truth behind the mers abductions and Finn was on his way to the Vampire Cathedral to rescue his sister, Cynthia, and find out once and for all what the voice in his head wanted.
Of course both quests end up being part of the same. The Vampires are behind the mer abductions and they want Finn to be their resident warlock, in order to have him agreeing with their request they kidnapped Cynthia knowing Finn would agree to whatever they asked of him, to avoid any harm to his sister.
It sounds simple, it does, but in reality we have to go through so much to get to the point where we need to be.
There is one thing that I must say, this is not your typical romance, don´t make the mistake I made, hoping for Brett and Finn´s reunion and missing out on everything else. Once I got to the end of the book, I had to read it again, yes you are reading that right, because I was so anxious to know what was going to happen with them that I fast read and missed a lot.
So, my second read was more relaxed and complete. I was able to enjoy everything, every detail, description and dialogue. Such an amazing book!
I absolutely love Brett, how comfortable he is now that he knows the truth about who he is. He is so strong, he is intelligent and funny. He has grown a lot since the beginning of the series, he values love and friendship. It has to do with actually finding his place in the world and embracing it.
Finn, he is weird and smart. The strongest one among them all. His strength comes from within and his relationship with Schwint only makes him stronger; not in a “hulk” way, but mentally and spiritually stronger. Schwint balances him, relaxes Finn and helps him put things into perspective.
Finn is good at heart and when he finally learns about his new job at the Vampire Cathedral he starts plotting a way to fix such a horrible situation. Without knowing that Brett is on the other side trying to fix the same.
Lives were lost, and I cried for them, because even when it was necessary it was also painful.
New bonds between mers, demons, vampires, witches and werewolves are formed. They join forces, to rescue the mers, to rescue Cynthia, to give Sonia what she wants and to get their lives back.
Love is still intact for the warlock and the fairy, and it makes me so happy! I didn’t expect to be so satisfied with the ending as I was. But it totally makes sense, and it´s the perfect ending for all the characters involved.
I asked Brandon Witt what´s next, because I know there will be more books in the Men of Myth series. He was kind enough to tell me that yes, we will have more books in this Universe, but with a different story line, the side characters of the first three instalments will be the MCs of the next books. And we will still get to see a bit more of these characters that we already love.
This is a must read for supernatural/paranormal lovers, and for those looking for something different, an adventure. Is a book, a series, for a patient reader. You are going to hate, love, laugh, cry, be frustrated and sad all over the 300+ pages, but in the end it will all be worth it.
I´ve mentioned this before, as I’ve been lucky enough to read and review the previous books as well, he has an amazing talent for descriptions and world building. You feel completely submerged in this mythical land, so much that you don´t questions the existence of a wolf shifter in Costa Rica, you just go “yes, of course he is a werewolf, what else?”
By the end of Rising Frenzy, Brett and Finn were each involved in two different and very personal quests. Brett was trying to find the truth behind the mers abductions and Finn was on his way to the Vampire Cathedral to rescue his sister, Cynthia, and find out once and for all what the voice in his head wanted.
Of course both quests end up being part of the same. The Vampires are behind the mer abductions and they want Finn to be their resident warlock, in order to have him agreeing with their request they kidnapped Cynthia knowing Finn would agree to whatever they asked of him, to avoid any harm to his sister.
It sounds simple, it does, but in reality we have to go through so much to get to the point where we need to be.
There is one thing that I must say, this is not your typical romance, don´t make the mistake I made, hoping for Brett and Finn´s reunion and missing out on everything else. Once I got to the end of the book, I had to read it again, yes you are reading that right, because I was so anxious to know what was going to happen with them that I fast read and missed a lot.
So, my second read was more relaxed and complete. I was able to enjoy everything, every detail, description and dialogue. Such an amazing book!
I absolutely love Brett, how comfortable he is now that he knows the truth about who he is. He is so strong, he is intelligent and funny. He has grown a lot since the beginning of the series, he values love and friendship. It has to do with actually finding his place in the world and embracing it.
Finn, he is weird and smart. The strongest one among them all. His strength comes from within and his relationship with Schwint only makes him stronger; not in a “hulk” way, but mentally and spiritually stronger. Schwint balances him, relaxes Finn and helps him put things into perspective.
Finn is good at heart and when he finally learns about his new job at the Vampire Cathedral he starts plotting a way to fix such a horrible situation. Without knowing that Brett is on the other side trying to fix the same.
Lives were lost, and I cried for them, because even when it was necessary it was also painful.
New bonds between mers, demons, vampires, witches and werewolves are formed. They join forces, to rescue the mers, to rescue Cynthia, to give Sonia what she wants and to get their lives back.
Love is still intact for the warlock and the fairy, and it makes me so happy! I didn’t expect to be so satisfied with the ending as I was. But it totally makes sense, and it´s the perfect ending for all the characters involved.
I asked Brandon Witt what´s next, because I know there will be more books in the Men of Myth series. He was kind enough to tell me that yes, we will have more books in this Universe, but with a different story line, the side characters of the first three instalments will be the MCs of the next books. And we will still get to see a bit more of these characters that we already love.
This is a must read for supernatural/paranormal lovers, and for those looking for something different, an adventure. Is a book, a series, for a patient reader. You are going to hate, love, laugh, cry, be frustrated and sad all over the 300+ pages, but in the end it will all be worth it.
January 14, 2015
4.5 star review by Vicki
Now this one I liked! Yeah!!
In this third book in the Men of Myth series, we get a very exciting plot. As we know from the last book, Finn is on a mission to rescue his sister Cynthia, who has been kidnapped by the Vampire Cathedral (the ruling group of the paranormal folks). He has gone to Costa Rica along with Caitlin (who I HATE!), Schwint (his boyfriend fairy), and another fairy named Newton/Pewlet. They have no idea what they are doing, or where they are going, it was rather interesting to follow their adventures. Execpt Caitlin, she was horrible!
Brett is still swimming around endless at the beginning of this book, but he finally gets a purpose when he is tasked with finding out why mers have been vanishing over the years. He heads off to visit other mer tribes, along with his father Therin (who is an asshole most of the time), his friend Lelas (who he seems to oddly lust after considering he’s gay and she’s a girl), and Wrell (who I thought might be a love interest for him, but wasn’t….). They visit a nice tribe and get some good information, then a nasty tribe and find only tragedy (pointlessly I felt!), before heading to Costa Rica to find the vampires they learn may have been taking mers for years.
So the two plot lines FINALLY merge, after waaaaay too long, and we get some serious action and drama! They all find each other and come up with a plan to rescue the missing mers and Cynthia. I loved it all, I don’t want to say much about what happens and give the plot away, but it was fantastic. Lots of action, some fighting, some fucking (finally!), and some resolution to this story. This is what I was wanting out of this series! Clashing Tempest is by far the best book of the three, with the best plot and the most action and drama. There were still scenes that I felt were too drawn out, too much conversation and arguing, and I didn’t like Caitlin and her negativity, but overall I really enjoyed this book.
The story was much more exciting, the characters seemed to have their shit together more by now, and I liked the indroduction of a couple of new characters. I am still not sure about splitting up Brett and Finn, although I liked Finn and Schwint as a couple (just not sure I liked them THAT much…). I can’t decide if I would have kept Finn and Brett as a couple throughout the series, or just not had them be a couple to begin with. I didn’t love the resolution for them really. But I did love the rescue and resolution to the rest of the story. I think the plot of this book was much better than the last one, and I’m so happy I didn’t give up on the series. The writing was great, I didn’t have a problem with Brandon’s style in the others, just the plots dragged. This one for the most part didn’t have that issue. It’s a great ending to the overall story.
If you have read the others in this series, you’ll like this one to wrap it all up. I really enjoyed it!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
Now this one I liked! Yeah!!
In this third book in the Men of Myth series, we get a very exciting plot. As we know from the last book, Finn is on a mission to rescue his sister Cynthia, who has been kidnapped by the Vampire Cathedral (the ruling group of the paranormal folks). He has gone to Costa Rica along with Caitlin (who I HATE!), Schwint (his boyfriend fairy), and another fairy named Newton/Pewlet. They have no idea what they are doing, or where they are going, it was rather interesting to follow their adventures. Execpt Caitlin, she was horrible!
Brett is still swimming around endless at the beginning of this book, but he finally gets a purpose when he is tasked with finding out why mers have been vanishing over the years. He heads off to visit other mer tribes, along with his father Therin (who is an asshole most of the time), his friend Lelas (who he seems to oddly lust after considering he’s gay and she’s a girl), and Wrell (who I thought might be a love interest for him, but wasn’t….). They visit a nice tribe and get some good information, then a nasty tribe and find only tragedy (pointlessly I felt!), before heading to Costa Rica to find the vampires they learn may have been taking mers for years.
So the two plot lines FINALLY merge, after waaaaay too long, and we get some serious action and drama! They all find each other and come up with a plan to rescue the missing mers and Cynthia. I loved it all, I don’t want to say much about what happens and give the plot away, but it was fantastic. Lots of action, some fighting, some fucking (finally!), and some resolution to this story. This is what I was wanting out of this series! Clashing Tempest is by far the best book of the three, with the best plot and the most action and drama. There were still scenes that I felt were too drawn out, too much conversation and arguing, and I didn’t like Caitlin and her negativity, but overall I really enjoyed this book.
The story was much more exciting, the characters seemed to have their shit together more by now, and I liked the indroduction of a couple of new characters. I am still not sure about splitting up Brett and Finn, although I liked Finn and Schwint as a couple (just not sure I liked them THAT much…). I can’t decide if I would have kept Finn and Brett as a couple throughout the series, or just not had them be a couple to begin with. I didn’t love the resolution for them really. But I did love the rescue and resolution to the rest of the story. I think the plot of this book was much better than the last one, and I’m so happy I didn’t give up on the series. The writing was great, I didn’t have a problem with Brandon’s style in the others, just the plots dragged. This one for the most part didn’t have that issue. It’s a great ending to the overall story.
If you have read the others in this series, you’ll like this one to wrap it all up. I really enjoyed it!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
February 20, 2017
Let me just say this...Toward the end of this book, my heart was in my throat! And to find out there are more books from this series... Can't wait to find out what's next. Excellent, Mr. Witt. Keep 'em coming! This was a fantastic read.
July 11, 2016
So I read he first book in this series and was hooked! Brandon Witt had a story to tell and I could “feel it. “ There was no mistaking how far it needed to go I would follow….I breezed through the second book, getting to feel where this author was taking us… THE EPIC SHOWDOWN…..And he nailed it!!!
We follow the characters, from Book One Submerging Inferno Brett, Sonia, Finn and his family to all come together for the third story Clashing Tempest. We certainly have been led slowly with this wonderful author to feed us bits and pieces until this final drama ridden, gripping adventure. How these three bave grown, come into there own as fate bestowed upon them this chance.
Finns’s family had originally kept their heads buried for safety and the effects it caused….Sonia an innocent became the trigger for something bigger, and Brett who was even ‘more’ than anyone could suspect all were able to be a catalyst for good.
Brandon you story was enchanting, and beautiful, and let me see what ‘under the sea’ truly means. I hope you have plans for another adventure…..There seems to be more to tell….. and when you do …please tell me…. I want to take that ride with you…
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
We follow the characters, from Book One Submerging Inferno Brett, Sonia, Finn and his family to all come together for the third story Clashing Tempest. We certainly have been led slowly with this wonderful author to feed us bits and pieces until this final drama ridden, gripping adventure. How these three bave grown, come into there own as fate bestowed upon them this chance.
Finns’s family had originally kept their heads buried for safety and the effects it caused….Sonia an innocent became the trigger for something bigger, and Brett who was even ‘more’ than anyone could suspect all were able to be a catalyst for good.
Brandon you story was enchanting, and beautiful, and let me see what ‘under the sea’ truly means. I hope you have plans for another adventure…..There seems to be more to tell….. and when you do …please tell me…. I want to take that ride with you…
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
December 28, 2016
Overall I enjoyed this series, even though it ended up being different than I thought it was. There is so much world building going on and so little romance, I felt this read more like a young adult book. The series starts with Brett and Finn, and goes alone on their two different adventures. They get together in the first book, are apart in the second and have a bittersweet goodbye in the third. Finn finds love with someone else, while Brett goes back to the ocean in the end. The mystery of the mers is solved and the vampires get what's coming to them. Like I said, with so much world building going on, it was an adventure to read, but it didn't feel like a regular mm romance book. So don't go into it expecting happiness and weddings in the end, because people die and not everyone gets a happy ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2016
. I love this story it’s poignant and heartfelt, mystical, and magical, dark and heart-wrenching at times. This is definitely not a Cinderella love story or a sparkling vamp romance. It’s extremely emotional and full of angst. There were several surprising twists that left me in shock. I will say near the end it brought tears to my eyes. Though there are only a couple sex scenes they are quite the scorchers. I cannot wait to see more form this series.
If you like strange, mystical supernatural worlds, Demons, vampires, mermaids and mermen, Witches , Warlocks and Fairies, drama, mystery, angst and lots of twists and turns this one is definitely for you
If you like strange, mystical supernatural worlds, Demons, vampires, mermaids and mermen, Witches , Warlocks and Fairies, drama, mystery, angst and lots of twists and turns this one is definitely for you
February 10, 2014
Clashing Tempest is the third book in the Men of Myth series. I’m not going to summarize because there’s a lot going on and you can read the blurb. But I will say is that it’s definitely a much darker story than the previous two because the quest to find out what happened to the missing merman and rescue Cynthia is almost over. It’s dark and painful but totally entertaining, an emotional roller coaster ride that I did not want to end!
See the entire review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
See the entire review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
January 2, 2014
See Trish's complete 5 sweet pea review at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index.....
Favorite quote: “The gloomy state of the city was soon forgotten out of sheer terror. I was fairly certain that every driver had spent the morning drinking multiple bottles of Jack Daniel’s while snorting speed. It was like we were in the middle of the Indy 500, except the vehicles were going every direction imaginable.”
Favorite quote: “The gloomy state of the city was soon forgotten out of sheer terror. I was fairly certain that every driver had spent the morning drinking multiple bottles of Jack Daniel’s while snorting speed. It was like we were in the middle of the Indy 500, except the vehicles were going every direction imaginable.”
February 24, 2014
Cliffhanger much! I hate you Witt. >:(
November 23, 2015
Brilliant ending to an amazing world. Can't wait to hopefully read more on a spinoff of the series.
September 4, 2017
Lord, this devastated me. And now I need more.
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