Have you ever picked up a book that when you start reading you’re not sure if it will be any good or not? That was me with Pivot by L.C. Barlow. But by the end of the book I was wanting more. I have given it a lot of thought as to why I wasn’t sure if I would like it as the book gets off to a good start, and I cannot come up with any logical reason apart from I probably wasn’t in the right mood when I picked it up, but I’m glad I did. So never give up on a book after a few pages as you could be missing out on a fantastic story.
Pivot is a dark fantasy, coming of age supernatural thriller and is the first book in the Jack Harper trilogy. It covers 10 years of her life, from ages 7 to 17.
From the young age of 7 years old, Jack is raised by the leader of a dark mystical cult, Cyrus Harper. She is being groomed by Cyrus with the help of Roland, a man incapable of dying as Cyrus can always bring him back to life. She is being groomed as an assassin and is being taught to kill using a range of weapons, how to steal, how to control others as well as being taught about economics and given a full education. With her first murder at the age of seven, the aim is that she will be the perfect weapon for anyone that opposes Cyrus and his twisted plan to transcend above other humans.
But is Cyrus the devil or does he have help? Jack soon discovers that his power is help in a small box that contains great power and warns him of threats against him. Jack is determined to find out what’s in the box and soon discovers much more, a mysterious being locked up in the basement who can heal and resurrect the dead.
Over the next 10 years, despite her love for Cyrus, Jack is feeling alone and lost but her world is turned upside down when she meets the mysterious basement dweller. A battle between good and evil commences.
Overall, Pivot is a fantastic and original story. Beautifully told and very well written. It is a story of love, murder, power, despair, coming of age, and redemption. A story that leaves you with the message that no matter what the circumstances of your upbringing you are in control and can always turn your life around if you really want to. The story flows extremely well, making it exciting and thrilling as well as emotional, giving it great depth and has some nice plot twists that you won’t see coming.
The characters are excellent with strength and feeling, they really jump out of the page. The protagonist, Jack, is a solid character – fearful, charming and lost. She is an assassin, a murderer and a drug user but is one that you feel for and can’t help liking. Cyrus as the antagonist is perfect, you can feel the need for power and control oozing out of him, dripping from the pages in the book. The relationship between Cyrus and Jack is complicated but one of love, respect and fear whilst being conflicting and dangerous.
Whilst it is part of a trilogy it doesn’t leave you with an incomplete story and can be read as a standalone novel. With that said, I can’t wait to read the next instalment Perish (released 2020), followed by Peak (released 2021).
If you like to read dark and disturbing supernatural thrillers mixed with a bit of horror, then I can highly recommend Pivot. A pulse-racing, heart-pounding and beautifully terrifying read.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £12.99 (Paperback, Kindle and Audiobook)
For more information, visit lcbarlow.org. Available to buy from Amazon here.
