Title: Vendetta: Legend of the Iron Warrior

Author: T.V. Holiday

Genre: Dark Fantasy

 

Travis Holiday is intent on leaving Carnage Coast in his rearview mirror for a little while with his girlfriend, Crystal, and surrogate daughter Ashley in tow. However, fate has other plans for Travis, and he must go back to Carnage Coast to help quell a volatile situation. Travis bears a heavy burden as he has been chosen to maintain the presence of God in Carnage Coast, a battleground between the forces of good and evil. Travis’s arrival on the scene as “The Iron Warrior” is a comfort to some, while others, such as local detective Rebecca, believe they can handle the likes of the Diabolical Donnas. However, a new threat to Carnage Coast and its residents comes from Candace Loveless, a woman who will stop at nothing to expose the Iron Warrior and will strike at those closest to him in doing so.

T.V. Holiday’s third volume in the ongoing epic of the Iron Warrior is both dark and transfixing in its portrayal of the fight between the forces of light and darkness. Travis Holiday is a man who has walked through fire in his role as a sentinel in God’s Army. He has experienced loss, temptation, and torment but his latest trial will push his faith to the limits. Holiday deftly builds up the intensity of his story from the standoff at the beginning of the story to its nail-biting denouement.

Travis Holiday takes the role of Iron Warrior seriously, yet he has suffered for it during the period he has watched over Carnage Coast. He possesses the strength of a superhero while possessing the flaws of the average person. The dichotomy underlying his character is between his role as warrior and his flagging faith, an element that is conveyed well by Holiday throughout the book. The years of service have exacted a toll upon Travis and he longs to escape Carnage Coast for an attempt at normalcy, yet he is unwilling to allow Luc, Candace, and other sinister forces to lay claim to Carnage Coast. The author puts his protagonist through the wringer in the latest installment yet allows for the character to continue to develop with each fight he faces. Travis’ journey is arduous yet is also inspiring.

One of the prominent themes explored in the story of Travis deals with faith, and Travis has experienced a crisis of faith in the past which left him adrift. Despite his return to the role of Iron Warrior, his close friend Mike believes Travis needs to trust in God’s plan in order to serve him better. While Travis is slowly rebuilding this conviction, the destructive actions taken by Candace are allowing some close to Travis to doubt their faith in him as a warrior and as a person. Holiday cleverly allows these seeds of uncertainty to grow while not becoming stale. T.V. Holiday illustrates how the inner conflict of a superhero can be as intimidating as any opponent summoned by Satan.

The battle between good and evil is an immemorial subject in literature, but the story of the Iron Warrior allows for nuance, as the Iron Warrior has more than a few allies to line up with him in fighting the minions of Candace, Luc, and others. The overarching presence of Luc is felt throughout the story and Travis’s loathing toward him is visceral, yet Luc only appears in one brief interaction, which is tense, yet begs for more. While Candace Loveless is a formidable adversary, she is a villain with few redeeming qualities and often veers into outlandish antics.

Vendetta: Legend of the Iron Warrior shoots out of the gate with action and high drama and keeps the reader riveted throughout. T.V. Holiday has authored a superhero novel infused with deeply spiritual elements that prove both entertaining and readable.

 

 

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