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Vigilance (The Aeternum Chronicles Book 2) by H.G. Chambers

Vigilance, The Aeternum Chronicles, H.G. Chambers, book review
Sometimes, the void stares back…

The Aeternum Wars have begun anew. Ministry armies have spread like a pestilence across Illyria, wreaking chaos and destruction upon the last remaining outposts of those brave enough to resist.

Hunted by the same feral beasts that destroyed her town, Anzien Tsierig leads a squad of soldiers and untested recruits south along the Wyrewood. Their orders are clear: travel to the southern stronghold and prevent a mass slaughter. Will they find a town ready to defend, or a field of graves?

Across the Shattered Peak Mountains, Oren and Clementine search for a way to stem the tide of darkness. When they stumble upon a figure of legend, they must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for a chance to save their world. The answer is one that will put their friendship, and perhaps their very souls to the ultimate test.

Humanity is once again pushed to the brink, and those who remain must unite, or be swallowed by the void.
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopian, YA
Format: eBook, Print version to be released later in January.
Publication Date: January 2, 2018
Series: The Aeternum Chronicles


The time for subterfuge on both sides has ended and The Aeternum Wars are being fought openly.

In this installment of The Aeternum Chronicles, readers will see the beginning of The Aeternum Wars from three differing perspectives:

Anzien Tserig, a Ko'jin runner whose town is attacked by feral beasts and sent by her commander to warn the southern stronghold of the attack. When the town is lost, she finds herself leading a squad and untested recruits on a treacherous path to fulfill her duties.

Atticus Ryland Walcott, a Protectorate soldier, witnesses an invading army exiting a portal inside the city and realizes that his assignment is to prevent it from being closed. Abandoning his post, Ryland races to warn people of the threat; however, nobody believes him. To make matters worse, Ryland is being hunted as a deserter by the very government he served. His only hope is to find the underground resistance movement, tell them what he witnessed, and pray that they believe him.

Finally, just to reassure those of you who read Recreance, the plot continues where it left off with Oren and Clementine trying to find the purpose of the machine that Clementine has the schematics to. However, seeking the answer will risk their lives and their friendship.

I was surprised that this installment didn't follow Oren and Clementine as much as the previous installment did, but I really enjoyed the new characters; particularly Anzien Tserig. She was an incredibly intelligent, resilient, and resourceful character! Whenever the book switched to another character's point of view, I found myself yearning for it to return to her perspective. Ryland's character was equally impressive, but I felt that not enough time was spent on his point of view for me to feel the same emotional connection that I felt for the other characters.

The different environments that the characters found themselves in were described in exquisite detail. It was like Chambers was my guide on a panoramic tour of an alternate, dystopian Earth. I also found myself fascinated by how Chambers wove the subplots into a vast web of political intrigue, action, and a bit of romance that prompted me to keep reading. This made the plot unpredictable because there are many twists, turns, and alternative paths the characters could take. Just when I thought I'd figured out where Chambers was taking me, I would turn the page and discover that I was wrong.

I have a couple of criticisms (if you can call them that) I feel the need to comment on. The premise itself has a science fiction feel to it; however, some of the characters' abilities and the creatures come across as fantasy. As a hard-core fan of both genres, I found the combination of the two very compelling and appealing; however, fans of one genre but not the other may disagree. Also, while I know that Clementine and Oren are the "main" protagonists in the series, I found myself wishing that Anzien's and Ryland's stories had been given the same attention. Of course, Chambers may be saving Anzien's and Ryland's stories for another book later on in the series so this complaint may be premature.

Action-packed with elements of political intrigue and philosophy, Vigilance was an enjoyable read. There are several surprises, unresolved plot points, and a cliffhanger at the end that make me excited to see what Chambers has in store for his readers. 

About H.G. Chambers

H.G. Chambers, Vigilance, The Aeternum Chronicles
H.G. Chambers, author. Courtesy of


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Recreance, The Aeternum Chronicles, H.G. Chambers

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Recreance (The Aeternum Chronicles Book 1) by H.G. Chambers on Amazon   The Gathering Mask by H.G. Chambers   Vigilance on Amazon

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