Title: The Black Diamond
Author: Luis Olivie
Publisher: Tate Publishing and Enterprises, LLC
ISBN: 9781622952380
Pages: 333
Genre: Fiction, Action & Adventure
Pacific Book Review
All of the great stories in literature and culture share the same model: the hero’s journey. The model takes an unlikely, flawed protagonist and presents him with a task that seems insurmountable at the start. How a character deals with a task determines his legacy. “The Black Diamond” by Luis Olivie takes this same model and gives the reader a hero worth the task with Peter Lanza. Reminiscent of “The Princess Bride,” this novel combines action, adventure, magic, and romance to give the reader an enjoyable, fun experience.Like any journey, Peter stumbles into it after breaking the black diamond on a powerful staff belonging to Morteus, a mysterious, magical old man. Morteous then gives Peter three tasks. The first task is to rescue Kelly, a beautiful young woman, from the mythical city of El Dorado. The attraction between the two is instantaneous and readers will love experiencing them fall in love along the way. The two balance one another out, and she isn’t reduced to a mere “damsel-in-distress,” which can plague this genre. There is also a great cast of supporting characters including a feisty nun, a priest and Peter’s strong, determined mother. As Peter attempts his other tasks, he is taken all over the Southwest and into various locales such as Mexico and Peru. The author expertly blends in aspects of culture and cuisine, teaching the reader a little along the way. In some ways, location seems to be just as much of the character as the people do. The descriptions of the food are mouthwatering but Olivie left little recipes along the way!
Readers will be surprised to learn that this is the author’s first novel, since the writing is not plagued with first attempt problems. His style is concise and fluid, which makes it easy to read. Instead of being caught up in clunky mechanics, the reader can become fully immersed in the story and the love between the two characters. Olivie also spaced out the chapters in a way that make them succinct and have readers wanting to flip to the next page. The story makes for a brisk reading experience that will leave them wanting more.
“The Black Diamond” makes for a great beach read and will appeal to those who love something fast-paced, quick-witted, and full of action and romance. For those captivated by the first novel, a sequel is already in the works.
