Review: Carved from Stone and Dream (Los Nefilim #5) by T. Frohock

Rating: 9.0/10

Synopsis

“Frohock seamlessly blends fantasy and WWII history into a heart-wrenching story of war in the action-packed second Los Nefilim novel.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

In this sequel to Where Oblivion Lives, the first entry in the Los Nefilim series set during the Spanish Civil War, a coded notebook containing the identities of Los Nefilim’s spies falls into enemy hands, and Diago is faced with an impossible choice: betray Los Nefilim or save his family.

February 1939

Catalonia has fallen. Los Nefilim is in retreat.

With the Nationalist forces hard on their heels, the members of Los Nefilim—Spanish Nephilim that possess the power to harness music and light in the supernatural war between the angels and daimons—make a desperate run for the French border.

Diago Alvarez, a singular being of angelic and daimonic descent, follows Guillermo and a small group of nefilim through the Pyrenees, where the ice is as treacherous as postwar loyalties—both can kill with a single slip. When a notebook of Los Nefilim’s undercover operatives falls into a traitor’s hands, Diago and Guillermo risk their lives to track it down. As they uncover a pocket realm deep within the Pyrenees, Diago discovers his family is held hostage.

Faced with an impossible choice: betray Los Nefilim, or watch his family die, Diago must nurture the daimonic song he has so long denied in order to save those he loves.

Review

Thanks to the publisher and author for an advance copy of Carved from Stone and Dream (Los Nefilim #5) for review consideration. Receiving a copy of the book did not influence my thoughts or opinions.

Frohock once again delivers the goods with her follow-up to the mesmerizing Where Oblivion Lives. Carved from Stone and Dream, while more low-key with the musical overtones, cranks up the volume when it comes to action, pacing, and the grandiose implications of the major players in the game. It is a story that will tear at your heartstrings and leave you breathless. It is simply spectacular.

This story is set some nine (9) years after the events of its predecessor and turns part of the focus away from Diago and Guillermo, two (2) of the focal points in WOL, and gives a hefty amount of spotlight to their children, Rafael and Ysabel. Now in their teens, the children begin to grow into themselves and attempt to forge their own paths, though they do not have the strength or experience necessary to do so. At least, not without their parents’ guiding hands. It is a story with a focus on family, bonding, and relationships, on top of that of war, spies, traitors, and the like.

It was a neat experience seeing the relationships between the children and their parents. While the kiddos tend to be bull-headed when it comes to decision making, always rushing in instead of taking a second to think about the implications, their elders are always what feels like just a whisper away, guiding them through life’s complications and the scenarios they find themselves in. While all of this is going on, you have the Spanish Civil War happening with the Battle of Minorca starting and ending, the Los Nefilim in retreat through France, and postwar loyalties being put to the question.

Having said all that, it is also a thriller chock-full of daimons, angels, spies, Nazis, portals, magic, and explosions. OH MY. Frohock does a wonderful job juggling the family aspects of the story with the intense surroundings of war, and precisely adds in factual history elements to the story because that is apart of what historical fiction/fantasy is all about.

If you haven’t given the Los Nefilim series a shot yet, I encourage you to do so. The novellas are not essential reading material, so you can begin with Where Oblivion Lives. While Carved from Stone and Dream CAN be read as a stand-alone thanks to Frohock’s amazing writing ability, I’d encourage you to read it in order.