Title: The Diary: Perdition Awaits
Author: Terry Beer
Publisher: AuthorHouseUK
ISBN: 978-1546286134
Pages: 978
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Ella Vincent
Pacific Book Review
The Diary: Perdition Awaits by Terry Beer is an intense fantasy novel which will take readers on a journey they will love. The novel centers on the Diary, a document which takes control of people’s lives for a year. It preys upon children and throws them into the Cauldron, a ruthless penal colony. Elfie Hodges travels through time and encounters his great-granddaughter, Rosina, who has escaped The Diary and lives in the future. He convinces her to help him save his father who lives in the present from The Cauldron. As Elfie tries to return Rosina to her proper place with the children of the furnace, they embark on an adventure they’ll never forget.
Elfie is a complicated character comprised of a blended mixture of a surly anti-hero as well as being a concerned grandfather. The men he has to work with to help Rosina, Daniel Russell and Peter Sykes, are sometimes sympathetic, but also gruff assistants to Elfie’s mission. Rosina is a powerful heroine who is not the typical damsel in distress in fantasy novels. She is a brave, commanding character; even though she is a young woman who doesn’t have much life experience. The many interactions between Elfie and Rosina in fact bridge the generation gap between the older and younger generations of their family, thus offering an interesting and creative depth to Beer’s writing.
Beer’s skill is just as compelling when it comes to the character development. The descriptions of the sinister worlds of the Diary and the Cauldron are so vivid that readers will be scared of the foreboding settings in the novel. Beer’s writing also is evocative and presents readers with a clear vision of the worlds in which Elfie and Rosina have to traverse throughout the novel. The time traveling elements of the novel also add a sci-fi dimension and depth to the novel. Though The Diary is lengthy, the book is so action-packed readers won’t be deterred by the length.
The Diary would be best for readers who like adult fantasy novels, such as George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones. Because the novel has graphic language and violence, The Diary would be best for adult readers only. This book is ideal for readers who like time traveling fantasy novels like Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. The Diary is an engaging book which will leave readers wanting more novels to continue the story. Terry Beer’s has written an adventure which readers will find entertaining and exciting. The Diary is a book which will take readers on an unforgettable journey, guaranteed to linger in readers’ minds long after the book has ended.
