Beneath the splendor of empires, there ever beats a poisoned heart.

In the city of Naemralda, a glorious capital of untold wealth and glamor, the people of Ceremai live in exile — content but loathed, and ever dreaming of the homeland they left behind. Only a scorned arbiter and failed priest, Braddock Tuzzein, knows the truth.

That the lands they seek, the lands their ancestors escaped at great cost, are home to a fallen god.

Hakaz, the Dark One, whose waking spirits nearly shattered Braddock’s mind with a single touch.

And now, the wolves of the fallen god are coming for them all.

A tale of grisly murders, monsters, and madness, The Father of Shadow and Death follows one man’s doomed quest to save his people — from the wrath of a vengeful god, and the traitors who hound his every step.

But woe to those who would break a man’s soul.

For the shame of the father begets wrath of the son.

Dar’shenna Cere Ma’z. “Glory to the children of wrath.”

Dark, gritty, and action-packed, The Father of Shadow and Death starts off with a bang and keeps up the fantastic pace until the last page.

Sunrise turned its steeple the color of blood, like a gruesome nail stabbed through flesh.

It is no secret that I love fast-paced, action-heavy fantasy, especially ones that don’t shy away from darker or nihilistic themes. So in many ways I was the ideal audience for this book. However, besides incorporating all I love about the genre, the author takes it a few steps further. I was impressed by how he balanced the brisk pace with a good character focus, and I also loved the use of a non-linear style of presentation. The combination of the two makes it stand out among most books I have read in this category.

The story follows the later life of Braddock Tuzzein—a complex, multifaceted individual with a convoluted past. A man of faith once, Car Tuzzein’s belief in the Triune gods was shaken after a brief confrontation with an ancient evil—Hakaz.

Many do not believe his accounts, and since his departure from the priesthood, his life has spiraled into a series of failures. Despite continuing to retain the well-recognized title of Vindicar, his financial situation is close to decrepit, and his own family has broken all ties with him. I loved the layered presentation of his multitude of flaws and virtues over the course of the story.

Strange, he thought, to find such peace in failure.

From the above summary, the premise may feel somewhat stereotypical, yet the execution is anything but. There are enough twists and turns in the plot to keep you turning those pages.

As you might have already guessed, Hakaz does not stay forgotten and buried forever.

Hakaz has found his Drah’van Scai’ûr once more. The Weapon of the Dark, here to avenge the gods of old.

When a string of mysterious, brutal murders begins to shatter the fragile calm of the empire, Braddock is granted authority to investigate the matter. Unfortunately for Braddock, the links once again pull him back to the ancient evil he had once left behind.

The world-building is not as expansive as bigger names in epic fantasy; however, it is well thought out, and I loved how the lore and narrative are deeply woven. Small things like the Vicar/Vindicar confusion, the way half-forgotten lore gets twisted and distorted over time etc. go a long way towards making the world feel real.

Shame of the father begets wrath of the son.

There are places where the plot speeds forward, leaving you confused. For instance, I was a bit miffed about the way his relationship with Lucienne got disrupted. However, towards the ending, all those gaps get filled in nicely. Tim is an author who would reward your patience.

The usual caveats of single-character focus apply. I found myself wanting a deeper look into the perspective of some of the other characters, esp. his son and also the professor. But I do see the merits of keeping the presentation focused on Braddock, so I am not complaining too loudly.

The ending comes a bit too soon, though, and I was definitely not ready to let go of the world Tim has conjured. I hope he decides to write more in this setting—perhaps from the PoV of Zarrad.

Empty prayers to uncaring gods