I am a HUGE fan of Larissa Ione's Demonica series. I was so sad to see the series come to an end but that sadness quickly ended when I found out that she will be writing a spin-off series. Woo hoo! And that some of the characters from her Demonica series will make an appearance in the new series, Lords of Deliverance. The series can be read without having to read the Demonica series but I suggest if you want to understand the world building and the role each character plays in the stopping of the impending Apocalypse, I suggest you read the Demonica series. Larissa Ione does a fantastic job of getting readers up to speed on what has happened thus far.It took me a while to get into Eternal Rider. The book starts off with pages of info dump. I think this was necessary in order for the reader to understand the overall story of the book. Having already read the Demonica series, some of this information was stuff I already knew. There were new characters introduced along with their story and background info and along with more world-building involving the story of the 4 Horsemen. It was a lot to take in. There wasn't very much action going on for about the first 100 pages. But once we got past the info dump, the pace of the plot really picked up and I was immediately drawn into the story.I wasn't sure if I was going to like Cara at first. She has a traumatic past and her present and future is pretty effed up. She has a gift that she is afraid of; she can use to to heal and communicate with animals. And she has used this gift to kill. When she saves a "dog" that has been hit by a car, she is unknowingly and unwittingly drawn into this world where the fight of good vs evil is truly real. Cara holds the power to tip the scales in either good or evil's favor. Cara could easily have been a character who is whiny with a "woe is me" attitude. When she eventually comes to terms with the fact that demons, fallen angels, hellhounds and preternatural characters are real and that she is now an integral part in saving the world, she steps up to the plate and is willing to do whatever is necessary. There are times where she is conflicted as a human and she tries to make decisions based on her human morals. This conflict does create speed bumps along the way and unfortunately, lives are lost because of it.Eternal Rider is much darker than the books of the Demonica Series. The violence is extreme and grotesque. The evil in this book, Reseph or Pestilence, is the epitome of evil. He loves causing death and mayhem. It makes you wonder if he is truly able to be redeemable. Right now, I say no. He is enjoying the destruction he is causing entirely too much.Ares and Cara's relationship is a slow build. I liked that they didn't immediately jump into each other's pants. Cara brings out the softer side of Ares. The feelings that Ares have for Cara are feelings that he hadn't felt since he was human. He is reluctant to give in to them because he is War and he doesn't want his judgment to be clouded by human emotions. Also, he knws that if Pestilence learns of Ares' feelings for Cara, Pestilence will use that against him. Larissa Ione is known for writing hot, steamy, smex scenes and she did not disappoint in this one. Who would have thought that upside down tree sex was possible?Eternal Rider is an awesome start to the Lord of Deliverance series. Larissa Ione did not disappoint. The sibling relationship amongst the Horsemen was written fantastically. I loved the introduction of the siblings and the dynamics of their relationship. Ares (War), Thanatos (Death) and Limos (Famine) each bring something different to the table. I loved the interaction between the 3 siblings. We get a look at what Reseph was like before his seal was broken and I hope Ione finds a way to make him good again. The carefree, woman loving Horseman is a stark contrast to the evil, violent, blood-lusting Pestilence that he has turned into.If you are a fan of the Demonica series, Eternal Rider will not disappoint. Once the plot picked up, I could not put this book down. It is everything you would expect from Larissa Ione and more. A definite must read.P.S. - OMG I love Than and can not wait for his book. He reminds me of Wraith and you know how much I love Wraith!
