As Above So Below

The Rise of the Southern Obeah

Fiction - Magic/Wizardry
375 Pages
Reviewed on 08/30/2020
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Author Biography

Straight out of California, I began my writing journey what feels like eons ago. I've always been an avid reader but most of the things that I read, while amazing and awe inspiring, really didn't feature too many characters that reflected me or my family.
So, like my favorite author once said: if you don't like something, change it and if you can't change it, change your attitude; I did just that and began the journey of writing my debut novel.


    Book Review

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

As Above So Below: The Rise of the Southern Obeah by River L. Davis is the perfect mixture of fantasy with magic. What would you do if the salvation of countless people rested upon your shoulders? Clem has no idea what Obeah is and only her cousin Celeste telling her about it helps her understand that it is a real thing. It is something that somehow she possesses. She has power, but she also has no idea how to use it. She is just a regular girl, but suddenly the responsibilities of the world are thrust upon her. It turns out she and her friends are the only people standing between the people and a mighty (read: terrifying) god that will not stop until it consumes everything that exists. With guidance from Christus Rex, she needs to harness her power in time, protect the magical community, stay alive, and stop an angry ancient god. It should not be that difficult, right?

As Above So Below is packed full of action and a lot of tension between the characters. The plot is alive from the moment the story begins and we meet Clemence and her set of friends. Each of them is unique with their quirks, which makes them very natural and human. Their development and the pace of that development made the story entertaining for me. The author adds just the right amount of humor, suspense, and feisty characters to make sure the reader is hooked from the very beginning. I have a special love for Caribbean literature and the history of the area. River L. Davis explains the concept of Obeah really well, especially considering that it is not something very easy to explain in the first place. The plot is complex in the perfect way. The narrative is a work of magic itself. The author weaves images with words, creating vivid pictures that are real and characters that are believable. This is a fantastic, fascinating, and must-read novel for everyone. Even the chapter titles will make you fall in love.

K.C. Finn

As Above So Below: The Rise of the Southern Obeah is an exciting work of fiction in the fantasy, magic, and adventure sub-genres, and was penned by author River L. Davis. Written for adult reading audiences, the work does contain the use of explicit language and some scenes of graphic violence appropriate to the book’s context. Set in the realm of African gods and magic, we meet Clemence and her little troupe of fellow magically talented friends. When the end of the world comes knocking, none of them are ready, but Clemence is all set to train up and try to succeed where all others have failed. Thus begins a highly entertaining magical adventure tale.

Author River L. Davis has crafted a fabulous fantasy adventure that doesn’t take itself too seriously but delivers a high octane and action-packed plot with a wry smile on every turn of the page. One of the things which I found most enjoyable about the work was its character development and narration around Clemence and her friends, whose dynamics were fun to read about, and their attitudes and dialogue are relatable to mature teen and new adult audiences. This results in an atmospheric page-turner filled with inventive magical concepts and characters who you really root for and want to see succeed against the impossible odds stacked against them. Overall, I would highly recommend As Above So Below: The Rise of the Southern Obeah to readers who want a talented and amusing fantasy read to devour.