Taken

by Ben Meeks

With Thera absent and Naylet gone, Obie turns his attention to a string of disappearances in the ultranatural community. As the Keepers uncover clues Holt is the next to go missing. It's a race against the clock as Obie discovers who's behind the disappearances. He must find Holt and the other missing ultras before their abductors' plans come full circle.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1951107063
• ISBN13: 9781951107062
• Release Date: July 2022
• Publisher: Sidestreet Publishing
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A far too straightforward yet simultaneously disjointed plot produces a book not worth getting excit

"Taken" is an improvement of “The Keeper Chronicles” series in many ways, though not unequivocally the strongest book to date. The writing is markedly improved with only few misspellings and cases of improper grammar. The cast also gains more depth with many of the forgotten supporting and peripheral members getting more development. There are also several interesting new additions including a new Keeper and a werewolf who can burst into flames. Conversely, there are at least two new additions so forgettable that when they were mentioned near the end of the story, I could not remember who they were. Despite being a bit jumpy, the plot is as good as the previous book and kept me engaged the whole time. The Keeper universe is also expanded with the story taking Obie outside the state of Georgia for the first time in the series. My largest critique is that the villain has no previous connection to the series which feels significantly less important than when, in the previous book, a betrayal from an unlikely source made a real impact. Though the stakes are higher in this story, the lack of connection to previous books means when the villain is revealed, it is not shocking, namely because we have no idea who this person is. It feels like the book is banking on this “twist” ending which does not pack the intended punch. The book ends with a paradigm shift coming out of nowhere. Never during the course of the book or series has this particular topic been illuded to so there is no time for stakes to be established or tension to build around them. The ending was a bland conclusion to a generally bland book and series. It is a shame because with better writing, better characters, and better consistency, this could have been the best book in the series. Instead, it is once again worth reading only after you have finished your reading list.