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So Shall Ye Reap (Book 2 of the Revenge Series) by Terry Tyler

“Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”
-Galations 6:7

Call it karma, call it poetic justice – two novellas that explore the cunning way life can exact its own revenge, in a way that no amount of foresight can ever fully predict.

Ordinary Joe

A phone call on a cold November morning summons Joe Carter from Vienna to Brazil, to meet up with his old travelling buddy, Ziggy. But Ziggy’s changed. He has a new crowd, different values, and a clever way of reeling Joe in.

Soon, Ziggy will make an offer Joe could refuse, if he really wanted to. When he agrees, he has no idea of the dark path he will travel down.

Some roads don’t let you turn back.

King of the Playground

The path between love and hate is narrow indeed.

At six years old Jerry and Mikkel become inseparable, the brothers each other never had. Mikkel is generous, funny, adventurous, the leader of the gang, the king of the playground. Jerry feels honoured to be his second-in-command, but over the years his resentment grows. Why can’t he be the king? Why does Mikkel always turn up smelling of roses?

As they become men, Jerry acknowledges that this choke hold of emotions that intensifies as the years pass, has consumed him.

About the author:

Terry Tyler is the author of twenty-eight books available from Amazon, the latest being the post-apocalyptic thriller, Safe Zone.
Other recent publications include the SFV-1 rage virus trilogy: Infected, Darkness and Reset, also ‘Where There’s Doubt’, the story of a romance scammer and his prey, and ‘Megacity’, the final book in the dystopian Operation Galton trilogy. Happy to be independently published, Terry is an avid reader and book reviewer, and a member of Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team.
Terry is a Walking Dead addict, and has a great interest in history (particularly Saxon, Plantagenet, and Tudor), along with books and documentaries on sociological/cultural/anthropological subject matter. She loves South Park, the sea, and going for long walks in quiet places where there are lots of trees. She lives in the north east of England with her husband.
Terry can be found on X @TerryTyler4
My review:
Having read several of Terry Tyler’s stories before, I was keen to read the books in her Revenge Series, for several reasons: I love revenge stories (perhaps I’m a bit twisted, but who is perfect?), I am always happy to read anything this author writes, and I was intrigued by the idea of combining two novellas under a general theme in each book. I read the first one, and I knew I would be waiting eagerly for the rest. So, in case you’re in a hurry, I can already confirm: the second book in the series is a fabulous read as well.
I don’t want to dissect the two stories in excessive detail, to avoid giving too much away to future readers, so I’ll try to talk in general about the two.

As expected from an author who is talented at creating gripping stories inhabited by realistic and psychologically complex characters, ‘Ordinary Joe’ and ‘King of the Playground’ manage that elusive combination: a compelling plot and protagonists we can relate to (even when we don’t like them very much).
The two novellas in this book have male protagonists who narrate their stories in the first person. Both stories share some similarities: both feature a male friendship that has lasted many years (in one of the cases since childhood), where one of the friends is the more popular, adventurous, and fun of the two; in both of them, one of the friends betrays the other, although the nature of the betrayal is very different (one is very personal, the other involves something that is more “dangerous” in the usual sense); and, as can be guessed by the title, in both stories fate has a way of punishing the betrayer, more or less directly. Both protagonists also learn a lesson by the end of the story, and they are changed by their experience, at least to some extent.
There are also many differences. While one of the protagonists is determined to turn his life into a successful story, and his ambition is to achieve an important social status and become well-off, the other cares nothing for material things and only sees money as a means to an end: travelling, meeting people, and collecting unique experiences. Also, one of them is the “victim” of the betrayal, while the other one is the “perpetrator”, although there are many nuances and things aren’t clear-cut, because life is rarely, if ever, black or white. While one of the stories is set in a world that will feel everyday and familiar to many readers, the other takes place in a much more exotic, dark, and dangerous world, but both are compelling and make us keep turning the pages.
The plot builds up quickly, but the author manages to pack enough details into both stories to make us grasp the psychological makeup of the protagonists, so we understand why they behave in the way they do, and we get the full impact of what happens next.
The two stories work as cautionary tales and deep explorations of the psychology of relationships, self-perception, fairness, and revenge. Readers can draw their own conclusions, but I’m sure both stories will keep them turning the pages until the end and thinking for a long time after.

Thanks to the author for this book, to all of you for reading, and remember to like, share, comment, click, and above all, to keep reading and smiling!

I’ve closed comments here as I will be a bit busy. Take care! ♥