The Moving Words Review – Cuauhtémoc: Descending Eagle

“This child shall be called Cuauhtémoc; which in the old tongue means descending eagle.”

Descending Eagle, starts with the birth of Cuauhtémoc, a child born to Natomis who was destined to change the world as people knew it. The plot builds on the adventures as he learns to fly and ventures into his first battle.

The story is engaging and extremely entertaining. The author David Davies has an impeccable hold over his craft and knows his art of storytelling. His finesse and creative thinking reflect on each page. The hook is provided very early in the story and that is enough to keep you intrigued throughout. The pacing is fast and you keep turning the pages trying not to waste time on breaths. I devoured it in just a couple of sittings.

But what specifically sets Cuauhtémoc by author David Davies apart and immediately catches your attention is the delightful world-building. It is extremely intricate and immensely vivid. That combined with detailed character arcs transports you to the setting instantly. You practically live in the world and get lost in it.

This is the first installment in the Cuauhtémoc series and I cannot wait to continue reading more of it. I will recommend it to everyone who loves reading a good fantasy novel.

The Moving Words Review – Descent of the Sun Priests

Creative World Building at its Best.

Descent of the Sun Priests is the second installment in the Cuauhtémoc series that amalgamates fantasy, action, and adventure elements. While the first book in the Cuauhtémoc from Descending Eagle marks the first flight of Cuauhtémoc, the Descent of the Sun Priests closely follows his journey into the great city where the Mayan Emperor lived on the orders of his commander. It all starts with a dream in which Inti shows Cuauhtémoc the gruesome and tragic future of the Mayan people, which motivates Cuauhtémoc to take it on him to change the future through the events set in motion by his actions. The story progresses from here and quickly takes pace.

With battles, pirate ships, and a kingdom to take over, the storyline of Descent of the Sun Priests is equally adventurous and exciting as its preceding book, Descending Eagle. As a reader, it is always crucial for me to have a fair idea about the story goal from the beginning to remain invested in a book, and the initial chapters of Descent of the Sun Priests did precisely that. It aced at foreshadowing the story goal and intrigued me from the very beginning, while what kept me engaged is the way the author framed the hooks in each chapter.

Author D L Davies’s trademark style of storytelling and creative thinking is what makes this novel wholesome and sets it apart from other books in this genre. The characters have a distinct voice, that with organically done POV and a vivid and authentic world-building, almost instantly transports you to that world.

I enjoyed reading this book and following Cuauhtémoc’s journey this closely. I totally and thoroughly have invested in the series and will recommend it to everyone who likes to read a good fantasy novel.

The Moving Words Review – Cuauhtémoc: Descendant of the Jaguar

It’s the third installment in the Cuauhtémoc series which is as exciting and full of adrenaline rush as the preceding two books. While book one follows Cuauhtémoc’s first flight and book two follows him establishing his reign as the Mayan emperor, book 3, The Descendent of the Jaguar follows his journey to become the Chief Jaguar Priest. It opens after the first few days when Cuauhtémoc ascends the throne, giving the readers a peek into his rule of the kingdom, which slowly develops as the base of Cuauhtémoc’s next adventure. With the introduction of characters like Son of Spain, Admiral Wright, Quoholocet, Captain of Aztec, and others, this book is a totally different ball game. The author integrates the elements of adventure in this historical fantasy novel and thoroughly combines the themes of suspense, thrill, and action alongside. On one hand, the author revisits the happenings of the last two books in small snippets, while on the other hand, a complex plot for this one is set.

As one might already know, I’m a fan of the author’s trademark writing style and creative thinking. I’m much impressed with the execution of the storyline of his book 3. The imagery he creates is exceptionally original and fresh. The world-building is vivid through and through. He transports you to the setting entirely and always makes me take the journey with our Birdman. But what gets me every time is how his adventures and actions are not built on cheap thrills but on solid and tightly constructed narrative. Each character holds a distinct voice of their own, and the dialogues flow organically. He manages to keep me invested in this series.

The Moving Words Review – Cuauhtémoc: Deception and Treason

Nothing in nature can relax better than a cat.

Cuauhtémoc: Deception and Treason is the fourth and final installment in the Cuauhtémoc series that binds this intriguing saga in a wholesome manner. Book one follows Cuauhtémoc’s first flight. Book two follows him establishing his reign as the Mayan emperor. Book three follows his journey to become the Chief Jaguar Priest. Finally, book four follows the journey and events as Maya becomes a world power. It opens with him as the Chief Jaguar Priest and his brothers making fun of his ‘cat’ form. Then the storyline quickly escalates to Cuauhtémoc establishing Maya as a great world power while navigating various adversities and betrayals in an uphill battle.

The author visits previous events by mentioning some occurrences of the last three books and ties everything up in book four to give the series a neat and satisfying ending.

The world-building is as vivid and consuming as you’d expect from the author, and the plotting is thorough. His creative flair is commendable. Combined with a complex plot filled with thrill and surprises is bound to hook readers. The characters of not only the Birdman but of other supporting characters are well-drawn as well. Reading this series was a journey in itself, and I feel a bit sad with it coming to an end, no matter how well the author gives us the closure.

A great ending to an explosive saga!

The Moving Words Review – Gee

Gee is a feel-good story about a young boy who turns his life all around through honesty and smartness. D.L. Davies has penned an intriguing story about people who try to make a difference amidst chaos and destruction. Multiple nuclear missiles were launched into unspecified cities by accident, and this escalated fear and confusion among people. Immediately, WWIII broke out. Bombs fell, and thousands of years of civilization were reduced to ruins and dust. After the war ended, the people who were left alive had only one goal in their lives: to fetch something to eat daily. George Elandier “Gee” Evansen is a 10-year-old boy living in these ruins. Every day he has a simple routine. He goes out to find things to eat or things he can sell or trade for food. In his daily runs, he starts to help people around him. One day, he overhears a plan to rob a nearby store owner and foils the crime. This also made him a target of those thieves. In the process of escaping from them, he learns his unique ability to teleport. Eventually, he lost his father, sister, and mother to the cannibals residing in the city. Will he be able to avenge their deaths? Will he use his powers for good or bad?

Gee is one such story that is a blend of happiness and sadness. At times, we feel sorry for Gee, and at others, we root for him. He is a hero with humility. I really liked the way his character was built throughout the story. How he thinks and analyses situations are pure cleverness. His keen observation of things is what sets him apart from others. Gee is an embodiment of survival. He is thrown into situations that make him thoroughly helpless. But with inherent smartness, he overcomes every difficulty. He was found as an 18-month-old infant in the ruins. But he is a perfect example of a man who always tries to rebuild the world with his vision.

D.L. Davies has written this story in a remarkably good manner. The plot unfolds very slowly in the beginning, but once we get to know all the characters, it gains momentum. The author never drags or slows down the story. It continues at an even pace. The more we dive into the story, the more it becomes interesting. Gee lands on so many different adventures, and we, the readers, get to ride along with him. The story paints a realistic picture of what the world would look like after WWIII. New-age weapons have the potential to destroy not only buildings but also society and its moral values. In a world where people are trying to make it through each day, unimaginable things will happen. Man itself manifests destruction as well as construction.

Apart from the story, what I liked most was the style and language the author used. The conversational style and well-thought-out humor serve a flawless reading experience. The story reminds us that all our deeds will compound and return to us. It doesn’t matter how much we progress; our actions will lead to the destruction of things we once built. Pick this one up to know how the evil deeds of humanity will shape a not too distant future for us.