Maja (The Nocturnal Library)'s Reviews > Rise & Fall

4.5 stars
A quick note: This was supposed to be an LGBT Monday review, but the first thing you need to know about THIRDS agent Dexter J. Daley is that he lives to bend the rules. He never does what he’s told, so I knew better than to schedule this post on a day that would actually make sense. That’s Dex for you: loving, unruly, and hilarious.

In Dex’s world, being gay is perfectly normal and accepted, but the two co-existing species, humans and therians, are constantly at war. Humans fear the shapeshifting Therians, and Therians resent being forced to register and get tattoos on their necks. The conflict is always brewing and acts of terrorism from both sides are far too common. Enter Therian-Human Intelligence, Recon, Defense Squadron, also known as the THIRDS, whose only mission is to keep the peace between the two races.

Agents Dexter Daley and Sloane ‘Broody Bear’ Brodie are THIRDS agents. One is human and the other is therian. They are both excellent agents, but personally they’re as different as they can be. They are also partners, on and off work. Dex is a half-glass-full type of person, loveable, extroverted and funny. He is very close to his father and brother and he makes friends with seeming ease. Sloane Brodie is none of the above. Having lost his previous partner and lover, he is very careful with his feelings. It’s always one step forward, two steps back between him and Dex. But he is strong, honest and fair, even when someone doesn’t deserve it.

Rise & Fall is the fourth book in Charlie Cochet’s THIRDS series, and like the three before, it left me completely in awe. This is how everyone should write paranormal fiction, M/M fiction, action, romance… everything. This is how everyone should write. Enough said.

I remember starting this series with a very healthy dose of skepticism. I didn’t need another Cut & Run series, with two amazing, all-powerful agents perfect in everything they do. I wanted strong, but fallible men with a great sense of humor and a romance I could actually enjoy. But Charlie Cochet must have known exactly what her readers crave because she gave us a series that is both amazing and insanely popular.

I can’t say too much about the plot in Rise & Fall for fear of spoiling some important detail from the previous two books, but I can say that this book is the biggest emotional rollercoaster so far. By now, the Destructive Delta agents are all very familiar to us: Ash, Cael, Letty, Hobbs and others have become our close friends. There’s so much going on in this series, plenty of action and danger from all sides, but the characters are what makes it truly stand out, and their weird dynamic a constant source of amusement.

Mark Westfield narrates the story beautifully. He is the perfect person to bring us Dex’s light-hearted perspective. Every emotion comes through loud and clear in his voice, and although I read this one the second it came out, I couldn’t resist getting the audio when it finally showed up.


I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for excitement, excellent characters and a whole lot of action. Oh, and laughter. Lots and lots of it.