Trials of Eden - Flesh Trade by Alexander Wilkinson

When Earth is destroyed in a cataclysmic event known as ‘The Reckoning’, all remaining species relocate and begin to populate the planet Eden. The war that raged between humans and the supernatural on Earth continues, but the hierarchy has shifted.

Mortis is an ancient demon, a hunter of hunters, and he roams the ravaged landscape as a hired gun. With his latest mission completed, he heads to Spring Water to collect his bounty. Once there, Blood Moon–the top Ork military commander–asks Mortis to investigate the murder of a visiting dignitary in the nearby outpost Posideon. With a promised payout four times more than his going rate, Mortis accepts and begins the trek.

A loner, Mortis’ plans are suddenly altered when a succubus joins him and the pair head to Posideon together. His travel companion, Synclair, is as unpredictable and mysterious as the terrain, but they are inexplicably drawn to one another. Deep undercover in debauchery, Mortis and Synclair find themselves thrust into a realm of slavery where the flesh traders rule.

As Mortis peels back the layers of deceit in search of a killer, what he finds may prove fatal. Not only to himself, but to thousands of others, too.

Mr. Wilkinson did an amazing job of world building and character development which sets the stage wonderfully for the rest of this series.  The reader can truly abandon reality and immerse oneself into the story. 

This book has a very interesting blurb and I was intrigued.  However, I was not prepared for the amount of violence in this novel.  The graphic violence, while befitting the story, was just not something I was expecting.

One of the things I loved about this novel was the characters.  I loved how Mr. Wilkinson combined the sci-fi and fantasy elements to give us a world where all of our mythical characters are in positions of power.  The main characters, Mortis and Synclair, were such fun to watch as they try to remain distant and ignore their physical chemistry but are simply unable to.  I really liked how Synclair is not a weak female, but a fighter and dangerous in her own right.  I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series to see what adventure awaits Mortis and Synclair in their next novel.

Amazon US

Stamford, UK, 1986. It had to have been a dark and foggy night to give rise to one of the area's most mystic individuals. Fast forward to present day, and that individual, one Alexander Wilkinson, can be occasionally seen wandering the streets of York and Leeds like some creature of legend. With a Pepsi Max in one hand, a half-eaten cheese pretzel in the other, and an open bag of peanut M&Ms in his pocket, he lurks in the shadows of North Yorkshire like a nocturnal animal only paying the day a visit.

In the light hours, Mr. Wilkinson can be seen moonlighting as a nine-to-five office drone with a lighthearted composure and a traditional brain. But dusk is when his true self begins to emerge. Seeking to entertain the masses, he dips a virtual pen into a digital inkwell and composes unique prose that has been compared to that of James Joyce.

Whether it's a smell, sound, or image that ignites the creative spark in Mr. Wilkinson's mind, it always turns into a blazing chemical fire incapable of being quenched. Everything from anime and Quentin Tarantino to video games and old samurai films inspires him to create something. A peculiar and invigorating blend of sci-fi, Western, horror, fantasy, black comedy, and straight up attitude permeates the flagship work of his, the Mortis Chronicles.

His debut, Trials of Eden: Flesh Trade, ventures forth into uncharted waters. Demons, mutants, humans, and supernatural beings clash in a truly otherworldly plot that puts the entire universe at stake. It doesn't fall into overused archetypes but instead fuses the best parts of classic genres together to make what has been hailed as an instant classic. The flowing, erratic prose will command your attention and make you crave more. Join both the author and the protagonist of the series, Mortis, as they stride the surface of Eden in tales of treachery, debauchery, combat and espionage.

Mr. Wilkinson's second book in the Trials of Eden series, Hunter's Creed, is also now available.

Check in at http://mortischronicles.com for updates on future works still in progress or due for self-publishing, at an Amazon near you!