Intriguing premise, fantastic execution. Loved it. If you are a fantasy lover who can’t get enough of overpowered protagonists, visceral action at an epic scale, and a story that moves faaa…st, this book is written for you.
The narrative is layered, and follows the protagonist Brann, an individual living by himself in seclusion, attempting to get away from a complicated past. Over the course of the story, we get a wonderfully deep look into Brann’s past, his conflicted worldview, and his brash but honest personality. He reminded me quite a bit of the Hunter of Voramis from Peloquin’s Darkblade. The author clearly understands their audience well, and his protagonist is bound to create an impression.
The gutter is where I learned to see the world as it is, and not how you wish it were.
The story begins with a young priestess seeking him out. She hails from the temple where he once held the title of Warden of Light. More curious is that the priestess reminds him of a wife he had left behind along with his mantle of Warden.
Fourteen years of burying Kaelor, and here I am, digging up my own corpse.
Apparently the fate of the world now depends on Brann, for he had a role to play in the uncovering of the artifact that threatens its stability. His primary opponent—a man he had followed in the past, and thought of as a brother. This aligns with tropes that would be familiar to avid readers of the genre, but the author’s presentation is fresh and his writing style begins to truly shine when we get to the action. In fact, shine is an understatement—it dazzles. I felt the cover doesn’t quite do justice to it, and it would have benefited from an artist who could capture the heat of action.
Their god would not forgive failure. Brann relieved them of that burden with the swipe of his sword.
No matter how much Brann wants to just live out his days in peace, the cultist Reclaimers would not leave him alone. In the wake of their pursuit, a long chain of staggeringly violent events follows, during which we discover the many lies and deceptions around which the doctrine of Ashkareth’s religion has been scaffolded.
Even in sleep, his sins had their teeth in him.
I loved the overall presentation. The treatment of the suppressed past and the mythology constructed on falsehoods was quite interesting. The element of duality, how the concept of Harmony gains significance over the chapters, and the layered metaphors were sometimes befuddling, but it all connects well towards the end. If you find the fragments of the forbidden texts, especially the multiple interpretations of the Wound, to be confusing, I’d advise you to just keep reading. There is enough handholding in place to drive home the intended meaning later in the book.
Before him was a twisted, mangled, and corrupted creator controlled by the gods who betrayed their own world.
While this book wouldn’t quite qualify as grimdark, as the theme of hope and love is woven deep into the core of the story, the battle scenes are impressively visceral and grand. Dark fantasy enthusiasts will not be disappointed. The battle with reclaimers, the unexpected twisted reincarnation near the end, Brann entering the Wound surrounded by the semi-fossilized remnants of his past mistakes all left lasting impressions. The author’s style leans towards painting the grisly battle scenes in broad strokes and letting the reader fill in the details. I would have loved a bit more description around the world-building and ambiance, but overall it works out well.
The mouth of the statue moved, not a true movement, but the illusion of it. A vibration of stone. “Not … enough,” it whispered. “Never enough.”
The grimdark enthusiast in me was looking forward to some more depth in the intentions of the true antagonists beyond mere greed. Oh well, we can’t get it all.
Seren’s depictions were great—she comes across as competent, mature for her age, and holds her own. I also liked the core theme of the bond between a man and his daughter having such a pivotal role in the story.
Someone to remember what you were so you don’t forget yourself in the transformation.
Kiera’s portrayal I enjoyed much less, and her interactions with Brann felt somehow unnatural. She also came across as a character who was sidelined for no fault of her own and deserved a more prominent placement.
Which brings us to a recurring complaint of mine. While I enjoyed almost all of what I did get, I felt this was a story that would have really benefited from a multi-PoV presentation. I would have loved to get a glimpse of Seren’s mind, and Kiera’s even more so. The machinations she was orchestrating behind the scenes would have made for a very interesting tangent, and we see almost none of it. It is understandable though that the author wanted a razor sharp focus on a single protagonist, and that contributes towards the pacing of the story.
He reached deep into his core, where Light waited to burn, Shadow yearned to bind, and Blood hungered to consume.
Maliketh was an interesting touch, and I love when some long-forgotten character suddenly finds himself in the limelight at the very end.
Minor grievances aside, all in all, it is a power-packed fantasy thriller that puts you in the shoes of a one-man-army, reluctant but capable of challenging the cycle of faith, of breaking the pattern. He has failed over and over again, but this time something is different. If you have loved the Wheel of Time, want something more focused and fast-paced, this is the book for you. Many thanks to the author for sharing a free review copy.
Let’s kill some fucking gods.