BOOK REVIEW: Raphael by Cliff Cochran

What better way to spend time in quarantine than reading something new?

Last June, I released an article about a book called Kaiyo - The Lost Nation, which went on to achieve a perfect five-star rating on Amazon (!!!) and was voted Book of the Month by usmilitary.org. (If you'd like to read that article, you can find it on the Kaiyo blog or on my website.) I'm excited to announce that there's now a sequel, Raphael, that continues the story from Book I and explores Kaiyo's future. 

... And all I can say is, the sequel is as fabulous and suspenseful as the first book. 

     "I waited a few minutes to be assured their clothes and boots were thoroughly burned beyond use. Then, I spoke the truth to them. I ordered them back to the ground and stood over them. They looked like the fools they were. But they were still dangerous vipers.

“I should kill you both, but that wouldn’t be a very Christian-like thing, would it?"

Raphael opens to a simple scene: backwoods Montana, where hunting season is in full swing and everyone is expected to fend for themselves. But by page 2, the twists have already begun. Who are the two mysterious strangers Sam encounters, and what are they hiding? As in the first book, Raphael's premise is deceptively simple, yet it explores deeper themes that will leave you surprised and wanting more. Nothing is as it seems when the McLeod family once again finds themselves presented with an apparently simple challenge that leads them all the way to the gates of Eden, man's long-lost paradise.

My favorite thing about this series so far has been its ability to take me where I never expected - the simplest events become significant later in the story, and you'll never be able to guess what awaits you on the next page. Each new narrator offers insight into different parts of the story and helps build the characters to a depth I've rarely seen in YA fiction. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoyed fast-paced, thrilling action coupled with a truly insightful story. 

Raphael  is available in print and ebook. Read Chapter 1 free on the Kaiyo website. To order a copy and find out more, visit www.kaiyobooks.com or go online to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, etc.

 Follow the author on Facebook @Kaiyobooks

 Follow the author on Instagram kaiyo_books

Raphael is the second of an exciting trilogy. Other books include:

• Kaiyo - The Lost Nation
• Defectors, expected to launch early spring of 2020.