Synopsis

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, an impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—abducted from his quarters while the door and windows remained locked from the inside, in a building whose entrances and exits are all under constant guard.

To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial investigator, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.

Before long, Ana’s discovered that they’re not investigating a disappearance, but a murder—and that the killing was just the first chess move by an adversary who seems to be able to pass through warded doors like a ghost, and who can predict every one of Ana’s moves as though they can see the future.

Worse still, the killer seems to be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud. Here, the Empire’s greatest minds dissect fallen Titans to harness the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the destruction would be terrible indeed—and the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

Din has seen Ana solve impossible cases before. But this time, with the stakes higher than ever and Ana seemingly a step behind their adversary at every turn, he fears that his superior has finally met an enemy she can’t defeat.

Review

The Tainted Cup was one of my favourite new fantasy books of last year and I was very excited to dive into the sequel. This inventive fantasy mystery series is set in a world where giant monstrous leviathans are a constant threat, following a pair of detectives in service to a vast empire who use their unique skills to solve murders. In the empire, many people have magical augmentations that give them abilities that are usually uniquely suited to their role in the empire’s bureaucracy. This includes our narrator, Din, whose perfect memory makes him an adept detective, especially when partnered with his ingenious and eccentric partner Ana.

In this second instalment, Din and Ana are dispatched to investigate another gruesome and mysterious death at the empire’s fringes, in which a man seems to have been kidnapped from a locked room and subsequently brutalised. Yet this doesn’t feel like a rehash of the first book, because this time we get a glimpse into the world outside of the empire as our protagonists are sent to Yarrowdale, a distant canton which hosts the Shroud, a kind of bizarre organic fortress where workers dissect dead leviathans to harvest their magical properties on behalf of the empire. The inventive worldbuilding keeps a sense of freshness to a story that could easily become formulaic.

Of course, it’s the characters who steal the show, and they’re very much out of their comfort zone in this new setting. Din struggles between his own ambitions and his duties to the empire, while Ana is her usual utterly chaotic self and their banter-filled interactions are endlessly entertaining. As before, the protagonists are surrounded by an array of colourful characters, and I particularly loved Malo. Din’s narrative voice is perfect to tell this story, with both humour and vulnerability contrasting his often wild and unpredictable mentor. It gives me Sherlock and Watson vibes, but still feels fresh and new.

As with the first book, the story starts with a strange death and swiftly gets more complex with stakes that climb higher as Din and Ana are drawn deeper into the mystery. Bennett deploys pacing expertly to keep tension high and the mystery is so well-crafted that I had trouble guessing what would come next and was left staring open-mouthed at the page when it all came together seamlessly.

I’m always happy when a sequel lives up to its predecessor and that was certainly the case here. A Drop of Corruption maintains the quality of the first book in the series while building on the world and the characters and delivering a hugely entertaining story. If Bennett wasn’t already on my auto-buy authors list, I’d have to add him to the list for this series alone. Masterful stuff!

Synopsis

Norylska Groans…
with the weight of her crimes. In a city where winter reigns amid the fires of industry and war, soot and snow conspire to conceal centuries of death and deception.

Norylska Groans…
and the weight of a leaden sky threatens to crush her people. Katyusha Leonova, desperate to restore her family name, takes a job with Norylska’s brutal police force. To support his family, Genndy Antonov finds bloody work with a local crime syndicate.

Norylska Groans…

with the weight of her dead. As bodies fall, the two discover a foul truth hidden beneath layers of deception and violence: Come the thaw, what was buried will be revealed.

Review

Norylska Groans is a grimdark fantasy I’ve had on my radar for a long time. I’ve read Snyder’s excellent Cold West and River of Thieves, but this is my first title by Fletcher – and if this is anything to go by, I’ll be moving more of his work up the TBR pile. As it’s cowritten by two authors who have a reputation for writing bloodthirsty and brutal fantasy novels, I was expecting grim and was not disappointed. Right off, we have a scene of one of our protagonists, Genndy, watching a man get brutally torn to pieces by machinery in the factory in which he works. He’s then promptly fired from said job, and things only go downhill from there.

As a former soldier trying to support his young family, Gen desperate enough for new employment to get involved in organised crime. The other protagonist, Katyushka, is one of the few women to find employment in a setting that very much discourages them from doing so, taking a position as a secretary only to find herself pushed into a different, darker form of employment. This is where the magic comes in, and it’s one of the coolest concepts I’ve ever seen. Essentially, it involves extracting memories and personality traits from someone and storing them in stone, and anyone who touches that stone can then take on those traits or memories. The possibilities range from a stone that can make you become braver to even transplanting a human’s personality into an animal’s body or vice versa.

The dark implications of this are laid bare as both protagonists are forced to wear these stones in order to perform their new roles and are left grappling with memories that might not be their own and not knowing if they made their own decisions or if someone else did. The authors don’t shy away from the murky morality and the psychological aftermath of having this power at one’s fingertips and there are some truly haunting sequences throughout.

The rest of the world is equally well drawn. Norylska, the bleak city that gives the novel its title comes to life through the vivid descriptions of the cold, the stench of factories, and visceral violence that permeates the streets. Details are layered into the background that fill in the rest of the world with the result that it feels lived-in to its darkest, grimmest corner. Although this is a standalone novel, there’s enough scope here for more stories set in this fascinating place with monstrous megafauna, mysterious magic users, and endless layers of corruption in a stratified society in which nobody gets out unscathed.

I went into Norlyska Groans with high expectations but I didn’t know I’d be this completely blown away by the skill and creativity on display here. The story had its claws in me from the first page and didn’t let go, and the two authors’ styles work excellently together. This is a definite contender for one of my top grimdark fantasy novels of all time.

Book Information

Title: Void’s Vengeance by Emma L. Adams

Series: Death’s Disciple

Genre: Dark Epic Fantasy

Intended Age Group: Adult

Pages: approx. 620

Published: Kickstarter June 10 – 26, retail release Oct. 2025

Publisher: Self Published

Cover Artist: Deranged Doctor Design

Synopsis

Former captain Yala Palathar is once again in exile, while a tyrant sits upon the throne of Laria. The armies of the dead stalk the lands, while across the country, the orders of Disciples are falling, one by one.

Amid the chaos, Yala is offered an opportunity to return to the battlefield as a soldier of the highest rank. Accepting might be her only chance to get close to her enemy, but at the cost of being drawn deeper into the god of death’s domain.

Niema, too, faces a raging battle in her heart, between the promises she swore to the god of life and the knowledge that the god of death has marked her, too.

As the gods of life and death prepare to wage all-out war, Yala and Niema face choices that will shape the future of the nation and the world at large. Either they will bring an end to a conflict years in the making, or else watch everything they hold dear fall into the ruinous void.

Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/emmaladams/voids-vengeance-complete-epic-fantasy-hardcover-collection?ref=35a7rf

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/232935391-void-s-vengeance

About the Author

Emma L. Adams spent her childhood creating imaginary worlds to compensate for a disappointingly average reality, so it was probably inevitable that she ended up writing fantasy novels. She has a BA in English Literature with Creative Writing from Lancaster University, where she spent three years exploring the Lake District and penning strange fantastical adventures.

Now, Emma lives in the middle of England and is the international bestselling author of over 50 novels including the world-hopping Alliance series, the urban fantasy Changeling Chronicles series, and the fantasy adventure Relics of Power trilogy. When she’s not immersed in her own fictional universes, Emma can be found with her head in a book, playing video games, or wandering around the world in search of adventure.

Website: http://www.emmaladams.com/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ELAdams12?ref=hl

Instagram: https://instagram.com/emmaladams12/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/emmaladams12.bsky.social

Synopsis

Alone in a city on the cusp of revolution, separated from his allies and with nothing to his name, former mercenary John Vanguard finds vigilante life can be a poorly paid gig. When an influential aristocrat’s death causes a sudden shift in the balance of power, Vanguard finds himself once more caught in the crossfire between dangerous men with murderous ambitions.

From his tower far above the city, Captain Sanquain seeks to tighten his iron grip on the capital and its citizens. Amidst the chaos of the Black Zone, a deadly turf war is brewing between the crime lords. Outside the city, libertarian Argent Cooke struggles to gather support for the uprising. And from the smog-stained rooftops, Vanguard’s former protégé Tarryn Leersac is watching all.

With any hopes of redemption fading, Vanguard finds one last shred of hope in the form of an old friend, risen from the dead and promising the chance for atonement.

Review

I was excited to leap into this sequel right after finishing We Men of Ash and Shadow, and I was immediately drawn back into this dark and gritty fantasy world.

We begin with Vanguard, our protagonist, in a precarious spot. He’s outcast and hunted, dealing with the fallout of the events of the previous book while also handling new unwelcome developments in the corrupt city in which he lives.

The setting is still centred on the city of D’Orsee, a grimy metropolis teeming with crime lords and revolutionaries, corrupt politicians and vigilantes. Through the eyes of its various inhabitants, we get an insight into all levels of society, and the city felt as multifaceted as the previous book. In this second instalment, the world also expands, with other settings being introduced that add more depth and dimension to the world Tinsley had created.

The characters, too, are as well-drawn as ever, with layers of complexity that make them seem like authentic individuals with lives outside of the story’s main action. Of the side characters, I particularly liked Henriette, Kosic and Carmen, all of whom are given more page time in this instalment and grapple with decisions that both have an impact on their own lives as well as those of the major players. And Tarryn is even more screwed-up than ever, but he’s entertaining to watch, in a twisted way, and I found myself wondering what on earth he’d do next.

Again, I’m impressed with the smooth quality of the writing in this series. Tinsley has a real gift for crafting the right turn of phrase that makes you think oh, damn, with countless lines that linger in your head long after you close the book. It’s not overwritten but there’s enough detail to picture the action without being bogged down, with the result that I absolutely flew through this book in a matter of hours.

This is without a doubt one of the strongest indie grimdark fantasy series I’ve read. The character work, atmospheric writing and off-the-charts tension combine to make this a compelling read that I won’t forget in a hurry. Whenever Book 3 is done, I’ll be first in line to buy it!

Synopsis

Amidst the gas lamp shadows former soldier-turned-mercenary John Vanguard hunts criminals at the behest of his corrupt employer, Captain Felix Sanquain. Shamed by his deserter past and seeking to make amends for his many misdeeds, a chance encounter with Tarryn Leersac – a skilled young would-be-assassin fallen from the graces of high society – leads Vanguard to become an unlikely mentor.

Charged with hunting down the killer of two guards left washed up on the banks of the canal, the further Vanguard delves into the underbelly of the city the more he finds himself entangled in a web of secrets and lies. A prominent aristocrat is missing. Crime lords, con men and harlots run amok and the city teeters on the brink of another revolution.

With his already precarious reputation hanging by a thread, Vanguard must piece together how and why the last war came to pass, find a way to earn redemption for his mistakes and come to terms with the past in a city where few survive, and even fewer can be trusted.

Review

I’ve been excited to get to HL Tinsley’s debut for a long time. I’m a fan of stories with morally grey characters and fantasy with a noir flavour, and this story definitely delivered on both. The atmospheric writing creates a vivid picture of the grimy city viewed through the eyes of its flawed and complex characters. This is a character-driven story but the city is almost a character in itself and corruption seeps through its very pores.

Vanguard, the protagonist, is a disillusioned ex-soldier with a whole host of inner demons, trying to do some good amid a sea of terrible options. He’s a killer working as a mercenary for a corrupt warlord, targeting criminals in an attempt to atone for the terrible deeds he’s committed in the past.

Tarryn, by contrast, is a former noble turned would-be assassin with decidedly less of a moral compass than our other protagonist. He’s young and impulsive and Vanguard takes him on as an apprentice of sorts while he investigates a spate of crimes that draw him deeper into the city’s dark underbelly.

While those two are the main players, there’s a number of side characters through whose eyes we see over the course of the story and all are equally complex and layered.

This isn’t the sort of fantasy with epic battles and heroic deeds. This world has a history of war and revolution, but it forms more of a background to the complex goings-on of the characters in the present day. The tension is palpable on every page and Tinsley’s simple yet elegant prose kept me turning the pages. It all feels very polished and it’s very easy to see why this book was chosen as a SPFBO finalist.

If you like your fantasy on the bleak and brutal side with characters who have real depth and are awash in modern dilemmas, I can’t recommend this enough. The story gives me the same vibe as Peter McLean’s Priest of Bones, and it’s subtle enough on the fantastical elements that I feel like readers of modern crime noir will find something to enjoy here, too.

I’m seriously impressed with this debut and I can’t wait to see where Tinsley takes the series next.

Synopsis

In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible.

Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears–quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home.

Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.

Review

Ever since I picked up City of Stairs for the first time, I’ve admired Bennett’s ability to craft fantasy worlds that feel fresh and creative while also telling a compelling page-turner of a story. I’m happy to say that The Tainted Cup was no exception, despite having a very different feel than previous books by the author. It’s a murder mystery set in a fantastical empire in which giant leviathans frequently cause havoc and people are capable of enhancing themselves with magical powers that come with serious downsides. Honestly, the story ticks so many of my personal boxes that it was hard not to fall head over heels in love with this series.

The story starts with our narrator, Din, being called to investigate a bizarre murder in which a tree has spontaneously erupted from the victim’s chest. It isn’t long before the mystery grows a lot more complicated, and the heightening stakes ensured I was glued to the pages as the story unfolded. The melding of fantasy and mystery elements is perfectly balanced, with the kind of layered mysteries built into the world itself that are just narrative catnip to me.

The characters are excellent, too. The narrator, Din, is very much out of his depth in this situation, but he’s adaptable and likeable and has the very handy talent of being an engraver – namely, someone with a magically enhanced perfect memory. Handy for a detective! His mentor, Ana, is a foul-mouthed eccentric genius Sherlock Holmes-esque character with an intriguing past, and the supporting cast is equally well-drawn. Mostly, the story is pure fun, an entertaining adventure that’s also so well done that I can’t help but be fully on board with wherever the series goes next.

The ingenious plot twists, weird and creative magic and well-written character dynamics make this a standout read and a story I’ll be sure to continue. I’m more than ready for Book 2!

Synopsis

A fantasy epic of freedom and empire, gods and monsters, love, loyalty, honour, and betrayal, from the acclaimed author of GODBLIND.

For generations, the forests of Ixachipan have echoed with the clash of weapons, as nation after nation has fallen to the Empire of Songs – and to the unending, magical music that binds its people together. Now, only two free tribes remain.

The Empire is not their only enemy. Monstrous, scaled predators lurk in rivers and streams, with a deadly music of their own.

As battle looms, fighters on both sides must decide how far they will go for their beliefs and for the ones they love – a veteran general seeks peace through war, a warrior and a shaman set out to understand their enemies, and an ambitious noble tries to bend ancient magic to her will.

Review

I have to start by confessing that I first read this book when it was initially released and I was absolutely blown away (and on tenterhooks waiting for Book 2), but the sequel ended up buried in the depths of my TBR list for so long that I ended up deciding to reread the whole series when the final book was out. So it feels right that I should come back and write a review for the complete series now I’ve finished.

The Stone Knife is set on a continent dominated by a vast empire that has been gradually conquering its way across the jungles until only two free tribes remain. We follow a multitude of viewpoints both inside and outside the empire and I found them all equally compelling, especially Xessa (and her dog sidekick, Ossa), Tayan and Lilla. The character relationships were well-drawn, which added so much more to the stakes and tension throughout as the varied characters fought to maintain their status or their freedom, depending on which side of the conflict they were on. I especially loved how diverse the world was, with central queer relationships and disability representation throughout.

The world building is creative and rich yet written in such an accessible way that I felt utterly immersed. I wouldn’t call this story grimdark, but the concept of an empire which unites its citizens under an eternal, ceaseless magical song is so cool and so creepy. There’s literally no escaping the song, anywhere in the empire, and those details brilliantly emphasise the themes of colonialism and conquest. I was also fascinated and horrified by the Drowned, murderous water-dwelling predators that one culture reveres as gods while the other views as dangerous monsters.

Mostly, I’m impressed with Anna Stephens’s ability to explore dark themes while keeping an undercurrent of hope throughout the story and within the central character relationships. This is everything I look for in epic fantasy and I’m seriously stoked to delve into the sequels.

Rating: 9.5/10

Synopsis

The Empire of Songs reigns supreme. Across all the lands of Ixachipan, its hypnotic, magical music sounds. Those who battled against the Empire have been enslaved and dispersed, taken far from their friends and their homes.

In the Singing City, Xessa must fight for the entertainment of her captors. Lilla and thousands of warriors are trained to serve as weapons for their enemies. And Tayan is trapped at the heart of the Empire’s power and magic, where the ruthless Enet’s ambition is ever growing.

Each of them harbours a secret hope, waiting for a chance to strike at the Empire from within.

But first they must overcome their own desires. Power can seduce as well as crush. And, in exchange for their loyalty, the Empire promises much.

Review

The second book in the Songs of the Drowned series is just as compelling, heart-wrenching and brutal as the first.

The empire has achieved its goal of conquering the entire continent, but not everyone is happy with the situation. Not just the conquered peoples, but there are conflicts within the empire itself and the author did a brilliant job of exploring all the various power dynamics and forces grappling for control.

A lot of our favourite characters are now enslaved and separated from one another, forced to make heart-breaking decisions for their own survival or that of their loved ones. We see the characters resisting in small and big ways, even if it’s just trying to maintain a sense of autonomy in the face of the brutal, all-consuming song, which literally shapes their desires according to what the empire itself wants. Some of the characters don’t even have privacy over their own thoughts and emotions, and we see them struggling to maintain their sense of self and of their prior loyalties to their tribes in the face of the insidious nature of the empire’s magic.

At the centre of everything is the creepy Singer, the centre of the empire’s magic, who has been consumed by a desire for violence that spreads throughout the empire as a whole. Throughout the novel, the tension is palpable and the pace gripping. I really admire how the author is able to keep the stakes high without losing sight of the human relationships that really make this series sing. Pun intended.

And with that brutal cliffhanger of an ending, I’m really glad I have Book 3 ready to start right away!

Rating: 9.5/10

Synopsis

Ixachipan is in flames.

Rebellion rages in every land and across every hill as the Empire of Songs battles to maintain control, but nowhere more fiercely than in the Singing City itself. In the great pyramid at its heart, Shadow Tayan faces the awful consequences of his actions, and their seductive possibilities.

In the city streets, Xessa and Lilla lead their warriors in increasingly desperate battles, their unity riven by betrayal and deception, while far to the north, Whisper Ilandeh discovers the freedom – and obligation – in making her own choices.

But war is fickle, and so are people. Sometimes, the only peace possible is that bought with blood and lies.

And when vengeance sings, the choices made will determine whether the flames of war are fanned – or drowned.

Review

As the Empire of Songs erupts into full-scale rebellion, the Songs of the Drowned trilogy comes to a brutal and bloody conclusion. I dove straight into this final volume anticipating that I’d get my heart ripped out, and it’s safe to say that my expectations were met.

I’m incredibly impressed at Anna Stephens’s ability to create nuanced and morally complex characters who elicit sympathy even when they make heart-wrenchingly terrible choices. There’s plenty of double-crossing, betrayal, and deception that kept me breathlessly turning the pages as the story rolled onward. The politicking and backstabbing continue amid the bloody battles as the various forces struggle for supremacy, and there were some twists I didn’t see coming as the secrets of the empire and its magic are finally exposed.

I’m still in awe of the author’s skill at creating a living and breathing world that feels as real as its many-layered characters. There’s just the right level of detail to immerse the reader without slowing the pace or undermining the tension. The violence and brutality also feel organic to the setting and not gratuitous, and the author’s exploration of hard-hitting themes offers questions but no easy answers.

It’s safe to say this dark epic fantasy series has earned a place on my list of all-time favourites, and I’ll be first in line to buy whatever Stephens writes next!

Book 1: The Shadow of the Gods

Synopsis

Set in a brand-new, Norse-inspired world, and packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeance, The Shadow of the Gods begins an epic new fantasy saga from bestselling author John Gwynne.

After the gods warred and drove themselves to extinction, the cataclysm of their fall shattered the land of Vigrið.

Now a new world is rising, where power-hungry jarls feud and monsters stalk the woods and mountains. A world where the bones of the dead gods still hold great power for those brave – or desperate – enough to seek them out.

Now, as whispers of war echo across the mountains and fjords, fate follows in the footsteps of three people: a huntress on a dangerous quest, a noblewoman who has rejected privilege in pursuit of battle fame, and a thrall who seeks vengeance among the famed mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn.

All three will shape the fate of the world as it once more falls under the shadow of the gods . . .

Review

I enjoyed Gwynne’s previous series and was impressed with the depth of the worldbuilding, the dynamic cast of characters whose stories were interwoven throughout the series, and the gripping battle sequences rendered in visceral detail and realism. The Bloodsworn Saga, however, takes all those elements to another level. This series has been on my TBR list for an embarrassingly long time and I’d amassed such high levels of expectations that it seemed impossible that the series would deliver – but it did, and it’s for this reason that I’ve chosen to review all three books at once.

In this Norse-inspired world and its compelling characters, we meet Orka, a mother fiercely determined to protect her child; Varg, a former slave on a quest to avenge his sister’s murder; and Elvar, an ambitious young warrior out to make a name for herself.

The world is vividly drawn, and although there’s a lot of unfamiliar terminology introduced concerning the weapons, clothing and other worldbuilding elements, it never felt jarring or detracted from my enjoyment of the story. Rather, it added to the sense of immersion and I felt as if I was there with the characters as I followed their journey and watched their defeats and triumphs.

The story is packed with action, adventure, gods, and magic, as well as the jaw-dropping battle sequences that make John Gwynne’s writing so iconic, but it’s the characters at the heart of the story that truly brought this world to life for me. I’m throughly invested and I’m thrilled to have the next book ready to read right away.

Book 2: The Hunger of the Gods

Rating: 10/10

Synopsis

THE DEAD GODS ARE RISING.

Lik-Rifa, the dragon god of legend, has been freed from her eternal prison. Now she plots a new age of blood and conquest.

As Orka continues the hunt for her missing son, the Bloodsworn sweep south in a desperate race to save one of their own–and Varg takes the first steps on the path of vengeance.

Elvar has sworn to fulfil her blood oath and rescue a prisoner from the clutches of Lik-Rifa and her dragonborn followers, but first she must persuade the Battle-Grim to follow her. Yet even the might of the Bloodsworn and Battle-Grim cannot stand alone against a dragon god.

Their only hope lies within the mad writings of a chained god. A book of forbidden magic with the power to raise the wolf god Ulfrir from the dead…and bring about a battle that will shake the foundations of the earth.

Review

In the second instalment of John Gwynne’s Bloodsworn Saga, Orka continues her fierce quest to find her missing child, while Elvar struggles to prove herself to the Battle-Grim and Varg adjusts to the reality that he carries the powers of a god inside himself. And we have more POVs introduced from the… less heroic side of the battleground, which add a new dimension to the story.

This series is epic in every sense of the word. Giant gods awaken, quests span the continent, and every detail of the ships, armour, and monstrous creatures serves to make this world more vivid and alive. As with the first volume, I felt as if I was present throughout every painful journey across harsh landscapes, every emotional moment, and every bone-crunching battle sequence.

Overall, this epic saga is just going from strength to strength and I’m sure the finale will be one to remember!

Book 3: The Fury of the Gods

Rating: 10/10

Synopsis

THE FINAL BATTLE FOR THE FATE OF VIGRIÐ APPROACHES

Varg has overcome the trials of his past and become an accepted member of the Bloodsworn, but now he and his newfound comrades face their biggest challenge yet: slaying a dragon.

Elvar is struggling to consolidate her power in Snakavik, where she faces threats from within and without. As she fights to assert her authority in readiness for the coming conflict, she faces a surely insurmountable task: reining in the ferocity of a wolf god.

As Biorr and his warband make their way north, eager for blood, Gudvarr pursues a mission of his own, hoping to win Lik-Rifa’s favour and further his own ambitions.

All paths lead to Snakavik, where the lines are being drawn for the final battle – a titanic clash that will shake the foundations of the world, and bear witness to the true fury of the gods.

Review

While I hadn’t intended for the series to be complete before I began my journey, I was glad of the chance to jump into Book 3 after that sucker-punch of an ending for the previous instalment.

And I’m delighted to say that the finale more than delivered.

We pick up where the last book left off, with our protagonists in dire peril and the world on the brink of a war between the gods. I was instantly drawn in and once again blown away by how Gwynne’s writing evokes the sheer vastness of this living and breathing world in a seemingly effortless fashion. The pace is never bogged down in infodumping and every detail serves to make the world and the characters feel more alive.

The gods are undeniably compelling, but they never overshadow the very human stories of our main characters. Interspersed amid the jaw-dropping action sequences were some truly heart-wrenching moments that I didn’t see coming. John Gwynne isn’t afraid to deal emotional damage and really hurt your favourite characters, that’s for sure. The battles are brutal and unflinching yet cathartic and have you cheering and punching the air whenever a character triumphs over the odds.

The ending is a satisfying one that brings closure to both the character arcs and the storyline as a whole, while still giving the sense that there’s enough of this vast world left to explore that leaves it open for further instalments.

Without a doubt, this is a series that has joined my list of all-time top fantasy favourites and is one that I’ll be revisiting over and over again.

Rating: 8/10

Synopsis

In the world’s most magical metropolis where spirits run noodle shops and cash-strapped dragons stage photo-ops for tourists, people still think fairies are nothing but stories, and that’s exactly how the fairies like it. It’s a lot easier to feast on humanity’s dreams when no one believes you exist. But while this arrangement works splendidly for most fair folk, Lola isn’t one of the lucky ones.

She’s a changeling, a fairy monster made just human enough to dupe unsuspecting parents while fairies steal their real child. The magic that sustains her was never meant to last past the initial theft, leaving Lola without a future. But thanks to Victor Conrath, a very powerful–and very illegal–blood mage, she was given the means to cheat death.

For a price.

Now the only changeling ever to make it to adulthood, Lola has served the blood mage faithfully, if reluctantly, for twenty years. Her unique ability to slip through wards and change her shape to look like anyone has helped make Victor a legend in the DFZ’s illegal-magic underground. It’s not a great life, but at least the work is stable… until her master vanishes without a trace.

With only a handful left of the pills that keep her human, Lola must find Victor before she turns back into the fairy monster she was always meant to be. But with a whole SWAT team of federal paladins hunting her as a blood-mage accomplice, an Urban Legend on a silent black motorcycle who won’t leave her alone, and a mysterious fairy king with the power to make the entire city dream, Lola’s chances of getting out of this alive are as slender as a silver thread.

Review

I’ve read and enjoyed other books set in the DFZ universe by Rachel Aaron, so picking up this series was a no-brainer. I’m a huge fan of urban fantasy with creative worldbuilding and a post-apocalyptic edge, and I really enjoy how Aaron incorporates familiar fantasy creatures into her worlds but with her own unique flair. She did this with the dragons in Nice Dragons Finish Last, and I was very excited to see her take on fairies next.

Lola, the main character, is a changeling. True fairies are rare, but changelings like her are created by using magic to replace a human child and usually disappear when the magic sustaining them unravels. However, she works for an unscrupulous blood mage, Victor, who effectively keeps her tethered to him by giving her capsules that keep her human. She’s forced to use her ability to slip past wards and change her appearance to commit crimes… until Victor disappears. This puts her on a countdown to find him before she runs out of the pills keeping her human, and since this happens right at the start of the novel, the tension is high from the outset.

As a protagonist, Lola is definitely an underdog, and one I found myself rooting for from the outset as she struggles to survive and form alliances with other fascinating characters, a lot of whom are also connected to Victor. The varied cast are well developed and intriguing and I’m excited to see them explored more in the sequels.

The pace of the narrative is fast and the action high, but it’s the depth to the characters and world that really kept me invested in this book. I love how the author continues to expand this world in each series and I’m looking forward to picking up the sequel right away.

With A Golden Sword (Book 2)

Rating: 8/10

Synopsis

Standing up to Victor was only the beginning.

Three weeks ago, Lola put her soul on the line to save her sister and stop an abusive blood mage from making himself a god. But while she managed to derail the worst of Victor’s plans, the rest of the world still sees her old master as the hero. To make matters worse, the Nightmare King Alberich has entirely escaped his prison and is now leading the Wild Hunt on a rampage of fear and chaos across the skies of Europe.

With Alberich playing the villain, it’s only a matter of time before Victor convinces all of humanity that his abusive magic is their only hope. Lola’s not about to let him get his dirty hands on that kind of power. But while she’s free to fight him, Simon and the Black Rider are still trapped under the blood mage’s boot. Lola will have to break them both out before she can take Victor down, but her former master’s plans are far from finished. He’s playing a game none of them can predict for a prize no one yet understands, and once all of his pieces are in place, the future of the world will hang on the edge of a golden sword.

Review

I dove straight into the second instalment in this series after finishing the first. Once again, I was swept into an entertaining thrill ride as Lola deals with the fallout of the first book in the series. Without giving too much away, Lola’s ally is still trapped under the thrall of the enemy who has made the world see him as a hero.

Lola’s character growth is wonderful, but she never loses the core of who she is as a person. The other characters are equally memorable, with some truly villainous villains. The story is fast-paced and the action never relents. While some of it felt like setup for the final book, a few of the plot twists genuinely surprised me, and Aaron really tugs at the heartstrings in this one. I remain impressed about the creativity of this series world and how the author constantly uncovers new corners to explore, which helps keep things fresh.

Overall, this is a strong second instalment in the series and I’m excited to move on to the finale!

To The Bloody End: Book 3

Rating: 8.5/10

Synopsis

No Victor lasts forever.

Victor thought he won when he became the Hero. He thought he won when he took over the DFZ. He thought he’d made himself untouchable.

He’s wrong.

Lola isn’t the sad little monster she used to be. She has a plan, she has allies, she has more magic than she ever dreamed possible. Killing one blood mage should be easy with a fairy kingdom at her fingertips, but Victor didn’t make himself a god by playing fair, and his bag of tricks is far from empty. Taking him down will take everything Lola and her friends can bring, but if there’s one thing Lola’s always been, it’s determined. No matter the cost, no matter what it takes, she will see this through.

To the bloody end.

Review

The final instalment of Rachel Aaron’s DFZ Changeling trilogy is the most action-packed yet, as the author builds towards the climactic standoff between Lola and her enemy. While I don’t want to delve into spoilers, I was delighted with the way the characters developed over the course of the final book and I thought the main relationships were handled in a satisfying way.

The plot remains equally thrilling, and I loved that we got to dive more into the magic underlying this fascinating world. A major part of why I enjoy Aaron’s books set in this universe so much is because I have an eternal soft spot for urban fantasy with a post-apocalyptic flavour. When you add fairies, too, it’s hard not to add this series to my list of favourites alongside the previous ones. If the author returns to this world again, I’ll be the first in line!

Rating: 9/10

‘You cannot fix this world alone, Selkie.’

‘I know. But, when we die, all that is left are shadows of our lives preserved in the memories of those who remain. I plan on leaving an exceptionally long shadow, filled with ripples of moonlight for those I helped, and darker than the worst of nightmares for those who wronged us.’

How far would you go to save your skin?

I’m a selkie, trapped above the waves until I can recover my skin. Humans used to call us seal-wives many years ago – before they broke the planet. I thought that less humans, after the warming, would mean less danger. My kind believed our world was finally recovering.

We were wrong.

Up here, the magic is fading and Old Ones like me are being traded as trophies for rich and powerful humans to display in collections.

Without the Old Ones, the magic fades, without magic, the planet dies.

Humankind has gone too far and someone has to put a stop to it. I just wasn’t expecting it to be me.

Far to the south on his enormous pleasure ship, Barge, Lord Sal hunts for missing Old Ones – with a grand plan to leave his own mark on the world. But, Icidro and Prince Ulises are searching for them too, and this is a world where money talks louder than morals.

Review

I love it when a fantasy book’s contents are just as immersive the fantastic cover. The deep worldbuilding entranced me from the opening, and as I love selkies (and mythology in general), I was instantly invested. I loved how this was a post-apocalyptic Earth but changed in significant ways with magic built into the world. It was refreshing and intriguing, with just the right mix of the new and the familiar.

I enjoyed the characters, too. We have a selkie who gave up her skin to save a friend’s life and is held captive by humans as she seeks to free herself, and we have a crew of sailors looking to save other mythological creatures from human captivity and cruelty. There’s an environmental message here that I was 100% on board with and which is woven naturally into the story and world. Overall, this is a very strong start to the duology and I’m excited to read the conclusion!