2020 Nov 20
“Life gives out more than it takes Dwayne, but every so often the Horsemen of Light must make a stand.”
The Relic Hunter is an adventurous tale of the Horsemen of Light, battling against deceptive dark forces. This is the first installment of X Masters Saga by the 14-year-old Brendon Perera. A work of both fiction and fact, the gripping events leading up to its climax in a seemingly futuristic Sri Lanka.
The book revolves around Denver Grey, a relic hunter mentoring a group of gifted youngsters, who eventually come to his defence. The writer’s attention to creating appealing dialogue and character development definitely stand out in this novel. Going beyond sensory imagery, the architectural detail to the novel’s locations come across as an interesting aspect.
The witty interweaving of multiple realms and surreal characters with unique abilities are sure to transport you to an almost cinematic experience. While not many futuristic adventure novels exist in the Sri Lankan literary scene, especially by a writer in his teens, he hasn’t faltered in crafting a book I would call a ‘thriller in its own right’.
A clever story-telling phenomenon of intrigue, mystery and drama, this makes an interesting read as a quest of discovering friendship, loyalty and temptation. The book is mainly targeted at young readers, but it could also be well enjoyable to adults alike.
The Relic Hunter passes as a heart-racing and engaging read, bringing together a plethora of heroic characters with ease. Heading towards the likes of Stan Lee, C.S. Lewis and Dan Brown, this is surely evidence of aspiring young Sri Lankan writers conquering lesser trodden paths of literature.
