A review of “Dog Days (Notes of Necrosoph Book 2)” by Al K. Line

Full Disclosure – I was provided a copy of the book by the author as a member of his “A-Team”, however, have voluntarily chosen to write a review. All opinions are my own.

Another year, another note

After receiving his yearly note, Soph is bound for Liverpool with Woofer and Tyr in tow to seek out his newest target. But why so far away? As the trio makes the journey they seem to be delayed at every turn, as one crisis after another arises that takes them further and further from their destination. After a layover at an old friend’s house, certain things are revealed that leave Soph with more questions than answers. When he finally arrives in Liverpool, his world is turned upside down as his past is brought back into the present, opening old wounds and bad memories at the absolute worst of times. As he faces his most powerful adversary to date, Soph wonders if this note will be his last.

Dog Days is the second book in the new Notes of Necrosoph series by Author Al K. Line. Jumping four years into the future from the close of Necronote, Soph and Phage are dealing with their now 11-year-old daughter becoming more and more aware of her abilities and her destiny as a Necro. With a dragon and a unicorn as constant companions and in a home where you never know who will appear in the living room, Jen is growing up fast and her parents are not happy with it. Overall, the world we were introduced to has not changed and if anything has gotten even more severe in the restriction of all resources. The populace is still as closely monitored as ever, but Soph discovers in this journey that there are places that even the drones can’t go. In this seemingly hidden area, Soph discovers more clues to who the puppet masters pulling the strings behind the notes might be, and he also learns that his recent mission targets may not have been accidental.

 I really liked Line’s use of the time skip between Necronote and Dog Days as it was an effective way to advance the story without bogging the reader down in potential repetition. With skipping forward in the timeline, the momentum that built in the first book continued with many of the same characters present. I also liked how Woofer, Tyr, and Bernard played more active roles in this installment. While they were not bit players by any stretch of the imagination in Necronote, Dog Days provided a platform for the trio to show Soph and the reader just what they are capable of. With Tyr growing into his adult form, it was amusing at times to witness what can only be described as a dragon going through puberty. Never to disappoint, Line pauses the story with a cliffhanger ending that will see Soph and Phage team up in the next book Dragon Nights which is slated for a January 2022 release.