Title: In the Valleys of the Earth
Series: The Watchers Book One
Author: R.R. Pearl
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Fated Mates
LGBTQ+ Category: MM Gay
Publisher: Self
Pages: 233
Reviewer: Maryann
Get It On Amazon
About The Book
The only thing more dangerous than their chemistry…is their enemies!
Mild-mannered Xenoarcheologist Dr. Alec Coimheed and his best friend, Dr. Clemy Armistead, are certain that they’ve just found the ancient location of an apocryphal battle between demons and angels. Whisked away on a rollicking adventure, Alec finds himself under the watchful eye of Rafe, a taciturn mountain of a man with a mysterious past.
Working with the enigmatic Praesidium, which claims to have protected humanity for generations, Alec clashes with his ethereally handsome bodyguard. As the New Watchers pursue the rambunctious pair across the globe, Alec and Rafe will have to battle ancient terrors and mythical creatures come to life. Racing to the ancient tomb of a fallen angel, Alec and Rafe may lose it all – and each other – to save the world. The Watchers: In The Valleys Of The Earth is the first book in an MM paranormal romance series.
The Review
R.R. Pearl brings to the forefront the ancient Hebrew apocalyptic religious text from the “Book of Enoch”. The author builds this new series “The Watchers” around two significant texts. The Watcher’s had made God angry because they provided: magic, technology and forbidden knowledge to mankind and eventually the Watcher’s met their demise.
Also, the text that speaks of the Fallen Angels and the Angel Raphael, who was told by God too imprison Azazel in Dudael. With these two text Pearl creates a new novel that’s fast paced, adventurous, suspenseful, intense and exciting. But it’s not without humor or some campy lines which gives this an Indiana Jones-ish feel.
This adventure all starts on a dig in Egypt for the Israeli Antiquities Authority. Dr. Alexander “Alec” Coimheed, (not comb-head), an expert Xenoarcheologist, uncovers a stone tablet. When it comes to his work Alec is more than inquisitive, in fact he’s overly exuberant at times and it leads him into trouble. He has a good friend in Dr. Clementine “Clemy” Armistead, that never fails to tease and give Alec a bad time. She loves to call him “numpty”.
Even though Clemy tries to warn Alec about the stone tablet he just can’t resist touching it. The mysterious blue light causes a strange effect. Alec finds himself still at the dig site but there is a strange war going on around him. If things couldn’t get any weirder, (and they do), Alec and Clemy find themselves in the midst of the strange world of the of the Praesidium and a stranger known as Rafe.
Rafe is a protector with a secret. He’s not very friendly and just too serious. Alex swears he knows Rafe from somewhere but even his snooping doesn’t get him answers. Gradually Rafe loosens up and joins in with his dry humor and a spark starts to grow between him and Alec.
With the function of the Praesidium, Alec and Clemy start to learn about the mystery of the Watcher’s. What are the New Watchers and has Alec truly found Dudael? All the answers will lead Alec, Rafe and Clemy into danger and the clutches of the New Watchers.
Pearl gives us plenty of characters that bring so much to the storyline and there’s sure to be more to come about all of them. There’s great banter between Clemy and Alec and eventually Rafe. Alec’s Grandma Rose is delightful along with his pirate friend Theodore Quora. The Praesidium introduces:
Dr. Avigdor Azarya, Dtrs. Goldstein, Professor Nori Lee-St. Clair, Director Baroness Von Fabres, and Oliver Winston. Of course, it’s not with our the evil demons and the New Watchers: Eris Erebos, Markus Lee-St. Clair and Azazel.
“The Watchers” has really great potential to become an interesting and fantastic new series. I’m really curious and looking forward to find out where Pearl will take Alec, Rafe and Clemy next.
This is a first time read for me by R.R. Pearl. I’m hooked and this is a real page-turner! I highly recommend “The Watchers” series for anyone that loves action, excitement and great characters!
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
