First Impression: Dreams? An Evil Lord? A teenager who thinks he's completely insane or he's about to have the adventure of his life? This summary had me at hello. While Reading: The Marked Son is definitely not my typical YA read. But that is really what drove me towards it in the first place. As the first book in a planned series, The Marked Son does not have many of the hang-ups that I often find in other first books. It is not a stepping stone type novel. Nor did it feel slow or frustrating cause I know that there will at least be one, if not two, following books. Now that we have the it's nots out of the way, let's focus on what it was. The Marked Son is a finely tuned machine. A special blend of action, romance, and fantasy coming together to create an experience that will make you not want to put the book down until that last page is turned.I typically do not favor the male POV, yet I do love books with male POVs. Maybe its cause I am female (or just weird like that), but I have a hard time really relating with male characters. However, Berkley, with her clear cut writing style, may be turning me into a male POV lover. Berkley makes Dylan and his thoughts easy to follow and down to earth. Dylan has his issues, but Berkley made me care about those issues, his past, and how everything weaves together to make him this complex and intriguing character. Verdict: The Marked Son is a solid first book. A thrilling ride mixing the bumps of teenagedom with a sprinkle of magic. Berkley sure has captured my attention with The Marked Son. And I am eagerly anticipating more to this completely unique series.
