I’ve been an avid reader of Ted Tayler’s Phoenix Series since the beginning. With that being said, the final book in the series, Larcombe Manor, is heart breaking. Well written, with plenty of high stakes action, book twelve had me turning pages frantically.
As the dedicated members of the Olympus Project continue their war with The Grid, led by Tyrone O’Riordan and his mother Colleen, makes plans to eliminate their enemies. As the two groups prepare for all out battle, the British government struggles with the possibilities of extreme upheaval. The previous month had seen joy at Larcombe Manor with the marriages of two beloved residents. However, there had also been unexpected occurrences. Now Christmas was on the horizon, and the Manor prepares for celebrations.
Tayler has a wonderful ability of setting the scenes for upcoming conflicts. In this book the conflicts are brutal, the vengeance well-deserved. Throughout the book, the question of whether the Project can handle the multi-level attacks keep rising to the surface. Will they be outwitted by the Grid?
Tyrone O’Riordan is a vicious leader who will go to any lengths to remove his enemies, and the Olympus Project is at the top of his list. Realizing he is fighting an organization that chooses to remain undercover, Tyrone sets about exposing them to authorities as well as waging full on attacks on their members. Meanwhile, Phoenix realizes they are up against the most dangerous force they have faced. Enlisting the aid of the Irregulars, he and the group search out the hidden threats, hoping to cripple the Grid. He arbitrarily decides to go out on a limb and seeks assistance from an unlikely source.
Larcombe Manor is more than a follow up to the action and thrills of previous books. In concluding his series, Tayler pulls out all the stops. There are unexpected deaths; loyal Project members who are lost in the fray with the Grid. The battles are breathtaking, and Tayler doesn’t hold back when it comes to sacrificing beloved characters. I cheered, I wept, I was enraged, and I was broken-hearted. Tayler has provided his devoted followers with an unforgettable denouement, guaranteed to leave the reader breathless and satisfied. I confess to a secret hope the Olympus Project will appear on my bookshelf some time in the future. If this is, indeed, the final chapter, it is a winner, and a must read.
Between the Beats 