Synopsis

Light dims on humanity’s reign over the galaxy.

Charlus Vaughn, a teenage refugee, escapes deadly machine justice with her penitent mother.

Rescued by a data-pirate crew, she falls into the path of ancient arachnid machinations that propel her back towards her mysterious origins and the heart of her unknown heritage.

Review

I haven’t been able to read books in the last few months due to personal circumstances in my life. But there is nothing like a good DB Rook, book to hook you back into the world of reading, and damn did he not disappoint.

DB Rook is back and has bodly stepped into the world of Sci-fi, and it’s absolutely fantastic. Residuum is a novella from what looks to be a future series release A Darkening Dawn. And if the series is anything like this visceral dark short beauty, I can’t wait.

Residuum reminds me of a mash up between Gaurdians of the Galaxy and The Terminator, where the good guys versus robots programed to wipe out the human population across the galaxy. For the authors’ first time writing sci-fi, it shows that he is a master of his craftsmanship.

I love DB Rooks writing, with each book he releases, they go from strength to strength. His prose are wonderful to digest. His world-building and setting are brilliant. From start to finish, you are hooked and drawn into a dark tale that fills you with chills. Residuum is fast-paced, action-packed, and beautifully character driven.

What i loved about this story is that it’s really dark and that the author is able to mix in hilarious and humorous moments when things are looking very bleak for the characters. My favourite characters were Tapedeck and Shadwell, a robotic hero and an Insectoid limb ripper, and the other characters are just as lovable.

In this story, DB Rook throws you straight into a massacre. Our main protagonist, Charlus, and her mother, Merrian, are on the run after night of terror from the black bots sent into terminate the human population. Deposited on a strange planet, they are running blind into chaos and only have each other. With kept secrets and betrayal, will they survive from being hunted down. Only time will tell.

If you haven’t read or checked out DB Rooks books or Novellas. His Callus and Crow book from The Wayward World Chronicles is excellent, a fantasy dystopian dark tale full of goodness. I very highly recommend for all fantasy lovers…

Synopsis

Tell me how it happened…

Layne was a soldier, conscripted to fight under the Fox in a vengeance fueled march. He, and his friends, were due for a fated confrontation, one that has ended in blood and loss. Now, the inquisitors want to hear every detail of his conscription, his training, and the duel against the assassin in grey.

A backwards narrative full of banter and blood Z.B. Steele presents An Inkling of Flame, a Song of the Damned novella.

Review

An Inkling of Flame is a grimdark fantasy that lives up to that term. It’s filled with tragedy, heartache and pain. A very real-world exploration of themes like finding oneself, friendship, duty, and sacrifice. I could go on for a while about how this novella broke me. But allow me to say this. An Inkling of Flame is a masterpiece in storytelling. I’m someone who likes stories that have lighter topics, but this story drew me in and kept me hooked.

The main characters, Layne, Sharp, Spark, Harwood, their personalities shine in every word and page. Spark may be my favorite in the story. I can relate with her, and I can see how she gravitated to the other characters. Layne and then Sharp would be a close second, sorry Harwood, you were great too! As I understand it, An Inkling of Flame is a prequel to Z.B. Steele’s book Whispers of the Storm. As I have yet to read that story, I just got a taste of his series. The ending of An Inkling of Flame seems to tie into the main book, which I really appreciated.

To give it a one sentence review, I’d say. A heartbreaking tale of friendship, war, and loyalty. If you like grimdark, and are ready to feel some feels, I would definitely recommend this story. It’s beautifully dark and complex. Believe me, again, I could go on, but suffice it to say, this story deserves recognition.

About the Reviewer

S.R. Arrkewey is an epic fantasy author who wishes to captivate readers with intricate worlds and compelling characters. Living in a quiet, secluded cottage nestled by an imposing mountain, Arrkewey finds inspiration in the wonders of the cosmos and the whisper of the stories that flow over the whole of the multiverse.

Omen to this

Synopsis

In the world of the occult, new is never good.

As one of Copperton’s hardworking investigators, Lawrence Reed has seen it all: vampires, werewolves, warlocks and witches.

When a monstrous creature crawls from the corpse of a mutilated girl, Law is determined to find answers—with or without payment.

Ignoring advice to leave the mystery alone, he sets out to uncover the details of the girl’s death. But the deeper he digs, the more questions he unearths.

Can Law bring peace to the dead girl’s family? Or will his investigation open the door to far darker discoveries?

Only one certainty remains: monsters aren’t the only evil stalking the streets of Copperton.

Review

Quick note: I have now stopped giving number ratings to my reviews – I want my words to do the talking!

Parasitic Omens, a short novella introduction to the intriguing new gaslamp fantasy horror world of indie author Jessica McMinn (writer of the grimdark fantasy series Gardens of War and Wasteland) is one of those stories that, for a certain kind of nerd, tantalises with the comparisons. The author describes it as for fans of TV’s Supernatural and From Software’s cult classic video game, Bloodborne. As an uber fan of the first and someone who respects the vibe of the second while never having been good enough to master the gruelling game mechanics to actually play it, I was more excited than a rat who’s won a holiday in a cheese tower block. A read of the synopsis brought two more comps to mind: the Witcher (a game series I am good enough to play) and The Dresden Files, albeit a more eldritch version of the urban fantasy detective series. That’s a lot of great comparisons, and often with such things disappointment awaits. But boy has McMinn knocked this ball of body parts and viscera straight out of the haunted park.

The plot concerns the town of Copperton, an town of the occult and the monstrous in which the creature investigator and permanently broke Lawrence Reed plies his trade. When he’s faced with the mystery of a girl found dead in the forest with something previously undiscovered having crawled out of her, he decides, against the advice of his colleague, to proceed with the investigation, which threatens to take him to some pretty dark places and seriously violent ends.

The first thing to say is that this is a prime example of how to establish a vivid, grim, fleshed out world (the emphasis on flesh) in a short page length. From the grime of Lawrence’s and the population’s living conditions to the catalogue of creatures he’s investigated previously to the sense of doom-laden atmosphere that stalks this semi-forsaken land, this is wickedly efficient and impressive worldbuilding. I could really see myself riding around as Geralt of Riveria being told to investigate the presence at the local manor by a concerned peasant with just enough coin to hire a Witcher.

McMinn also leaves a mark with her protagonist. As any good noir/urban fantasy/mystery writer knows, there is something gold in the concept of a private eye character, on the edge of penniless, desperately needing that good-paying job while also wanting to do right by that moral instinct eating at him. It’s narrative heroin, but also easy to descend into cliché. McMinn steers it well into the path of complexity rather than caricature, and I was genuinely desperate for the long-suffering Lawrence to get his due. The subtle antagonistic-friendly push and pull of his relationship with the woman he procures jobs from is nicely done too, as is the appearance of a feisty, deftly written fae character who I can’t say much about with spoilers but I expect to become a firm fan favourite if we see this series blossom.

But many readers will be here for the horrors as well as the characters, and McMinn does not disappoint on these grounds either. Mutilated bodies are vividly described; hellish, eldritch creatures make haunting appearances, and the lingering sense of cosmic unease hangs over it all, with themes of the evils of humans as well as monsters ever-present. I desperately want to see what horrors McMinn has in her toolbox for future efforts—someone petition her for the next one to be a full-length novel (the use of “0.5” for the novella’s full description suggests my wish may be granted).

A manual for how to do a fantasy horror mystery right, Parasitic Omens is the eldritch-flavoured amalgamation of the Dresden Files and the Witcher you didn’t know you needed. I want a full length novel of this series more than I want the knees of a 25-year-old.

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.

TL;DR Review: A grimdark fantasy adventure, an indefatigable character, and cleverly woven mysteries that had me spellbound until the last page.

An unlikely assassin struggles to escape a legendary bounty hunter in this breakneck fantasy debut that will grab you by the throat―perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie, R.F. Kuang, and Christopher Buehlman.

She killed for a cause. Will she die for it too?

Anji works as a castle servant, cleaning laundry for a king she hates. So when a rare opportunity presents itself, she seizes the chance to cut his throat. Then she runs for her life. In her wake, the kingdom is thrown into disarray, while a bounty bigger than anyone could imagine lands on her head.

On her heels are the fabled mercenaries of the Menagerie, whose animal-shaped masks are magical relics rumored to give them superhuman powers. It’s the Hawk who finds Anji first: a surly, aging swordswoman who has her own reasons for keeping Anji alive and out of the hands of her fellow bounty hunters, if only long enough to collect the reward herself.

With the rest of the Menagerie on their trail, so begins an alliance as tenuous as it is temporary―and a race against death that will decide Anji’s fate, and may change the course of a kingdom.

Full Review:

It’s safe to say I have never read a book quite like this! I mean, how many fantasy adventure stories can you think of where the protagonist and heroine spends quite nearly the ENTIRE time (like 95%!) shackled and held prisoner?

But I’m getting ahead of myself…

Anji Kills a King follows Anji, a palace laundress who has, surprise surprise, killed a king. Really, that’s where it starts with Anji standing over the body of the tyrant king she just finished murdering. Realizing what she’s done—and what’ll be done to her when she’s discovered—she collects what few belongings she has and flees.

She gets, oh, about, three days away before she makes the sort of ridiculous mistakes most first-time fugitives would, which leads to her getting caught by The Hawk, a member of the Menagerie, one of the five most famous bounty hunters in the kingdom.

And thus begins Anji’s lengthy—most of the book, really—incarceration. She’s not only manacled, but she is tethered to The Hawk by magic (called “maxia”) which works like a long leash to keep her from getting more than a few hundred yards away from her captor.

What makes this story so interesting is that though Anji spends most of it as a prisoner, she never stops trying to fight and flee. She has balls of steel, Anji does, with a fiery spirit and sharp tongue to match, so every chance she gets, she’s going to try to take The Hawk down, break free, or find some way to escape.

She’s smart enough to play docile at the right times, and there are plenty of moments when the realization that she’s never going to escape her highly trained professional captor could cause her to crumble. But like strong steel, she always snaps back. She bends but never breaks, and that makes her a character we absolutely love to follow.

From the beginning, we’re introduced to a fascinating mystery: why is The Hawk so insistent on delivering her to justice in person, why has she been missing from the public eye for years, and, most important of all, why is she so willing to kill her own fellow Menagerie members?

Never do we get quick, easy answers to anything—about The Hawk, about Anji’s past, about the darkness flooding the world—but it’s well worth the patience, for when they come…well, it’s safe to say a few of these big reveals saved up for the end had my jaw on the floor.

The world feels wonderfully grimdark, the violence is savage, and bloodshed is always just a breath away (quite literally, at one of my favorite scenes in the entire book). It works perfectly as a standalone and wraps up all the story threads to perfection while still keeping us interested enough in the world and what’s to come that I would not at all be mad if future books were set in this same realm with the same characters (those who survived this story, at least).

All in all, a book I absolutely devoured and a hell of a debut for the author.

Synopsis:

An unlikely assassin struggles to escape a legendary bounty hunter in this breakneck fantasy debut that will grab you by the throat—perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie, R.F. Kuang, and Christopher Buehlman.

She killed for a cause. Will she die for it too?

Anji works as a castle servant, cleaning laundry for a king she hates. So when a rare opportunity presents itself, she seizes the chance to cut his throat. Then she runs for her life. In her wake, the kingdom is thrown into disarray, while a bounty bigger than anyone could imagine lands on her head.

On her heels are the fabled mercenaries of the Menagerie, whose animal-shaped masks are magical relics rumored to give them superhuman powers. It’s the Hawk who finds Anji a surly, aging swordswoman who has her own reasons for keeping Anji alive and out of the hands of her fellow bounty hunters, if only long enough to collect the reward herself.

With the rest of the Menagerie on their trail, so begins an alliance as tenuous as it is temporary—and a race against death that will decide Anji’s fate, and may change the course of a kingdom.

Review:

Anji Kills a King is a brutal, action-packed, grimy fantasy and I had a wonderful time with it. So often in fantasy stories, our heroes ride horses down packed dirt roads on a journey from a fire in the middle of a woods one evening to a tavern in a random village the next. In those stories, we don’t get the brutality and dirtiness as a character, but in Evan Leikam’s debut novel (releasing next Tuesday, May 13), he took the nature of the world and made it a core feature of Anji’s story as she has to grapple with the consequences of her actions. 

Leikam starts quickly with the plot. The book isn’t about Anji in her journey and process to kill the king. Instead, the assassination happens almost before we are more than a few beats into the book. The plot, instead, is about what happens to Anji afterwards — the ramifications of her actions on the world and her future. Her killing of the king might have been correct — might have been justified — but she is still a royal assassin and has to be held accountable. 

That’s where the Hawk steps in. The Hawk is one of the members of the Menagerie who are like a Seal Team 6 for this fantasyland with animal-themed names and masks. There’s a lot more to the Hawk’s story that takes a lot of coaxing and time by Anji to discover and the Hawk’s backstory ultimately shows what the story beyond this book will be. 

The interplay between Anji and the Hawk is brutal and rough. Anji has a big mouth, and at first, the conversations between the two are entirely one-sided and as a reader, it was a bit understandable when Anji was told to shut up or threatened with violence. But even with the Hawk’s treatment of Anji, we see that it could be worse when other members of the Menagerie show up. 

I really liked this book, but I can totally see where someone might claim this book was just a giant set-up for the next book in the series. The ending is a huge payoff for the journey that Anji and the Hawk go through and helps to show what’s really at stake and what our protagonist will be up to once the second book starts (presumably with a bang). 

Evan Leikam did really well for a debut novel and I’ll be on the lookout for the second book in The Rising Tide series down the road. And as always, Moira Quirk did an excellent job in narration for the book, capturing Anji’s fresh attitude and the Hawk’s war-weariness. 

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Tor Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Anji Kills a King releases on May 13, 2025.

Synopsis

The Hinterlands are a lawless place of broken dreams and broken people.

Roth is a bodyguard trying to leave his dark past behind, but history has a way of turning back up. Cynthia is a bandit who’s trying to make a future by wading through blood. They travel separately, trying to live by their own codes. All while a man in a red cloak tracks their blood-soaked footprints.

Review

“Cynthia the Bloody stood up, her name earned once again as she looked like a crimson ghost amongst the snow.” 

I loved this book but ZB definitely needs to pay me for therapy. It is not because he killed my favorite character, it is because he made me like the character that killed my favorite character. I have to go to a therapist and find out what is wrong with me. 

The first scene has a character decapitating someone with a bladed whip and it only gets more dark from there. I was not ready. From there, I loved everything about the writing. The setting, the characters, the tone, the plot, the dialogue, the action, short chapters – everything is a win. The best way for me to describe it would be Red Dead Redemption 2- a game where every aspect of it is perfect-  but with the darkness dialed all the way up. I don’t want to pick apart individual plot beads and expand because I firmly believe it is best enjoyed going in blind. If you have triggers, it is definitely advisable to check the trigger warnings before going in but if you’re a heathen that cannot get enough grimdark in your life, stop and rejoice because you have arrived. 

“You’re not very forthcoming.”
“You didn’t pay for the drink.”
“I’m the one who knifed the bartender.” “I’m sure he appreciated that.” 
“Probably not,” Cynthia said as she topped off her own drink, “but paid in blood is paid indeed.”  

The rising star of grimdark fantasy title is well warranted and this book becomes the easiest recommendation for dark fantasy and grimdark fans. It is short but  ̶s̶w̶e̶e̶t̶ sinful book and you will love it. Or you will start questioning yourself. Either way, you WILL be engaged. 

Side note, I didn’t even have to wait to finish the book to judge it as a 5 – star read; the first Vonnegut reference I came across I knew I wouldn’t be able to give it any less than 5 stars. I won’t talk about the person Z.B. but the author Z.B. – I am just genuinely scared of how much I’m falling in love with his writing.   

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

The Hallow serum was once sacred to the Auld Bloods. Used to gain access to their lost ancestral powers, now it is regulated and administered by the powerful Providence Company. Evolved from the echelons of the Auld Church, the company exists to maintain the balance between faith, science and politics.

But keeping the peace between humans and Auld Bloods isn’t easy. Taking Hallow comes at a price. Providence Company Assessor Cam must deal with backstreet bootleggers, burnt-out addicts and floating nuns that won’t stay on the ground.

When a string of Auld Blood deaths appear to have been caused by a corrupted batch of Hallow, Cam begins to suspect all may not be as it seems. Bodies are piling up. Someone is hiding something, and the consequences are becoming monstrous.

Review

I waited way too long to read this book, but what a fun way to start the spooky month off. I really enjoyed myself despite some criticism that usually makes me rate books 3 stars at the most. But I enjoyed its strengths so much that I had to give it a higher rating.

Where it lacked for me a bit was the emotional department. If you’ve followed my reviews for a while, you know that I’m all about the emotions. I want to feel something while I’m reading, whether that’s happiness, love, sadness, or fear. I need it to have that depth to really connect with the book usually. While this book had the outlines of the kinds of emotions I like for this type of story and character, it didn’t have quite the depth I am looking for. We found out interesting things about the MC to keep me hooked throughout, but that did make me less attached to him and the supporting characters than I’d like.

Thankfully though, I really enjoyed the plot and setting enough to make me excited about the book anyways. It was so easy for me to picture where this took part or what the characters looked like. I also found the politics and plot really interesting. While some of it was a little predictable (not in a bad way though; I do like some things to play out a certain way that makes sense for the story), other things were really fun reveals. There was a fun variety of characters too and I enjoyed their roles throughout the story.

I struggle to find standalones I really like and while this wasn’t the perfect fit for me either, it still is one of my favorite fantasy standalones so far. I love the author’s other series and will always pick up the next book to see what she’ll surprise me with next.

Synopsis

Holy work sometimes requires unholy deeds.

Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his new flock is made up of unrepentant murderers, practitioners of ghastly magic, and outright monsters, and the mission he is tasked with will require bloody measures from them all in order to achieve its righteous ends.

Elves lurk at our borders and hunger for our flesh, while greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions and comfort. With a hellish journey before him, it’s a good thing Brother Diaz has the devils on his side.

Review

“You spend years illuminating manuscripts,” said Baptiste, working off one boot, “and singing hymns, and tending the monastery gardens, but all anyone wants to talk about is the one time you fucked a werewolf.” 

The absolute easiest way to torture me is to lock me in a room and say “Choose which of the character’s in Abercrombie’s devils is your most favorite and you’re free to leave.” I will go certifiably insane. I can literally visualize the people reading this and going – Oh Joe Abercrombie’s characters are great, what else is new? I can predict all variations from the oldie but goodies of grass is green, sky appears blue to the benign stuff like is the pope catholic, does a bear shit in the woods, to newer refreshing stuff like is a frog’s arse water tight, does a one legged duck swim in a circle to the ones that are unrepeatable here that the bawdy minded ones of you are thinking of. But what am I to do? Joe Abercrombie is phenomenal at character work and profoundly without parallels. The reality of grimdark fantasy has rearranged itself when Lord Grimdark started writing in the genre. 

I speak so highly of his character work because in the hundreds of (I googled to check, anything more than 200 can be classified as hundreds of ) books I have read, I have not seen a writer with as much strength in introducing a character after a 100 pages and within two and odd pages makes me love that character more than all the others who I have traveled with through the 100 pages before. To be clear, there are definitely other writers who do this exceptionally well, but the might with which Joe does this is singular. A vampire, a werewolf, a cynical necromancer, and an invisible elf is not the beginning of a bad joke… but characters in the book that I cannot choose my most preferred of. There are 8 different main characters and each of them are unique, memorable, and hilarious. Any writer can be proud of crafting just one of these characters but to have 8 of them is just Joe Abercrombie showing off. In my ‘The Blade Itself’ review I said I hadn’t enjoyed a character’s inner monologue and voice as much as Glokta since Murderbot; now I say I haven’t enjoyed a character’s inner monologue and voice as much as Balthazar Sham Ivam Draxi. 

“Wasn’t much more she could do. Nothing needed stealing, and no one needed lying to, and it was hard to see how loing at cards would help, so that was her whole skillset exhausted.”

It is obvious that Joe has had enormous fun writing this book and it translated into me guffawing and scaring my roommates through the night (because I was reading the arc every night after work.) I seriously think I haven’t laughed this much with any other book in the last couple of years. It is very different from First Law humor but it works just as well even better. The Blade Itself was nothing short of excellence for me and that was a debut book. This is Abercrombie at the peak of his powers and it reflects in the writing. Every other page, I was being reminded of how good the characters, the dialogue, and writing is. I have statistical proof. I actually did the math and counted my highlights – I had 51 of them in the first 100 pages. For more than fifteen years, we’ve seen First Law, and Glokta dominate the answers every time a question about a book or character is asked in r/fantasy. From May 2025, I think we should be prepared to see the Devils, and one of the Devils characters be added to the answers.          

“The Dogeressa’s been excommunicated! Twice” 

“Some very fine people have been excommunicated,” said Balthazar.

“It’s very well known she poisoned her husband!” 

“Some very fine people have poisoned their husbands,”murmured Baptiste. 

Coming to the plot, this has everything from catching lightning in a jar to necromancy to crab men to lesbian yearning. Slimy, grimy, and humorous, this is the story of a bunch of people escorting a thief for a quest across a very treacherous land. Yes, this is grimdark Hobbit. A dragon with treasures in his basement is Tolkien. A pope with a bunch of monsters in the basement is Abercrombie. We go through the same adventure of friendship, self-discovery, and character growth albeit with a grimdark twist and naval battles. I cannot talk about it without spoilers but the whole extended climax and the reveals are glorious. There are some twists pulled off in a way that can only be called masterful and only be done by Abercrombie. 

All in all, I loved this book and cannot wait for the next installment. There were a few hurdles but I was just having too much fun to offer them more than a passing glance. The Devils has easily become not just one of my top reads of 2025, but of all time. It is that good and everyone should pick up a copy for their shelves, a special edition because you will love it, and the audiobook because you know, Steven Pacey.