First Look: TROLL MOUNTAIN (episode 2) by Matthew Reilly

This review contains spoilers from episode 1. Avoid reading further if you don’t want to spoil the entertaining fantastical adventure Reilly’s young protagonist Raf undertakes in the first instalment.

You can read my review of TROLL MOUNTAIN ep.1 HERE.

Raf and his unorthodox band of followers edge closer to obtaining the valuable elixir, made and controlled by the inhabitants of the dreaded Troll Mountain.

Episode 1 saw Raf, outlander Ko, and the endearing yet simplistic exiled troll Dum forge an unlikely friendship on an adventure which led them to the entrance of the feared hobgoblins’ abandon kingdom on route to Troll Moutain. Here, author Matthew Reilly steps up the atmosphere and brings the accustomed action he’s renowned for (Jack West Jr. Novels spring to mind) as the threesome traverse the hostile kingdom that isn’t as abandoned as first thought. I only wish more page time had been given to this dark and menacing place-setting but given TROLL MOUNTAIN is YA, I can see why he didn’t go over the top with explicit depiction of the surroundings and the danger lurking in its shadows.

From there, Raf catches a glimpse of what awaits him and the path he must undertake to obtain the elixir which will save his ailing sister and fellow tribesmen. Complete with maps (stock standard Reilly fiction), tension, action, and a more evolved cast of characters, this latest instalment brings readers to the edge of what seems to be a pivotal moment in Raf’s journey.

Much like episode 1, the second instalment of TROLL MOUNTAIN ends in a cliff hanger of sorts that has me eagerly awaiting the final portion of the story.