Tag: Magic

The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Historical Fiction, LGBT+1 Comment

Publisher: Tor (Trade Paperback– 24 February 2026)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 535 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Australian author Cameron Sullivan delivers one of the best and most compelling debuts of 2026, with the historical fantasy epic, The Red Winter, a truly impressive read that you won’t be able to put down.

Plot Synopsis:

A devastating love story.
A bewitching twist on history.
A blood-drenched hunt for purpose, power, and redemption.

In 1785, Professor Sebastian Grave receives the news he fears most: the Beast of Gévaudan has returned, and the French countryside runs red in its wake.

Sebastian knows the Beast. Twenty years ago, it nearly cost him his life to bring the monster down. Now, he has been recalled to the hunt by Antoine Avenel d’Ocerne, an estranged lover who shares a dark history with the Beast and a terrible secret with Sebastian. With the help of his indwelling demon, Sarmodel – who takes payment in living hearts – Sebastian must return to Gévaudan for a final reckoning, while the Beast is poised to plunge the continent into war.

In this dark retelling of the hunt for the Beast of Gévaudan, Cameron Sullivan tears the heart out of history. He lifts the veil on the hidden world behind our own and reimagines the story of Europe, from Imperial Rome to Saint Jehanne d’Arc and the first flickers of the French Revolution.

Wow, want an outstanding and incredible debut.  I must admit that when I first received The Red Winter, having very little prior knowledge of what it was about, I didn’t know what to expect.  Still, I decided to give it a chance, and found myself quickly enthralled by Cameron Sullivan’s brilliant storytelling, excellent humour, and use of multiple intriguing periods of French history.  One of the best books I have so far read in 2026, The Red Winter gets a full five-star rating from me, and I loved it so damn much.

I loved the unique and layered story that Sullivan came up with for The Red Winter, which thrust readers through several different periods of French history in a slightly alternate world filled with demons, angels and spiritual power.  Told primarily from the perspective of Professor Sebastian Grave, an immortal sorcerer with a demonic spirit bound to him, the book serves as a personal chronicle of several connected past adventures in France.  Starting with a storyline set in 1785, the book sees Professor Grave encounter Jacques Avenel d’Ocerne, the son of his former lover Antoine d’Ocerne, who requests Grave return with him to the Gévaudan region of France to fulfil a contract he holds with his father.  Setting off on this new journey, the reader soon starts following Grave’s previous adventure in Gévaudan in 1766, when Grave first encounters Antoine and finds himself drawn into the hunt for the infamous Beast of Gévaudan, a monster terrorising the area and killing many locals.  The story also features an interesting third storyline set out as an Addendum to the main narrative.  This Addendum takes place throughout the early 14th century and is also told in the form a chronicle, this one primarily written by Grave’s succubus servant Livia, who attempts to uncover a valuable artifact in war-torn France, dragging her employer into further danger and carnage.

Without giving too much away, Sullivan masterfully binds these storylines together, as he simultaneously follows the events of all three time periods.  Most of the focus is on the two 18th century storylines, with the consequences of Grave’s attempts to hunt the beast in 1766 coming back to bite him when the same monster returns in 1785, with even greater savagery.  At the same time, the Addendum narrative contains even more chaos, which sees Grave first unknowing encounter with the Beast, and establishes much of this creature’s history and motivations, as well as Grave’s long-time obsession with obtaining its power.

Each of these different plotlines provides the reader with something different, including a great tragic romance narrative in the 1766 adventures, covered over with dark unexplained events from real-life history.  This blends well with the more entertaining misadventures showcased in the Addendum, and the darker storyline in 1785, as Grave and other character are forced to relive all their past mistakes and uncover how the Beast survived.  I honestly grew quite attached to all three of the different plot threads, as each contains a brilliant and compelling narrative that stands on its own.  However, it’s the way that Sullivan weaves a larger, more complete narrative from them, that is the real highlight of The Red Winter, and which raised this entire book to a five-star epic.  Each storyline perfectly flows into the other, and learning revelations from one has great impacts on your understanding of the others.  Sullivan also captures the regret and anger of the protagonist (and other characters), in each progressive timeframe, and I loved seeing the true impacts of past decisions and bad decisions haunt people years down the line.  I really cannot emphasise just how impactful, addictive and well-put-together this incredible narrative was, and you are guaranteed to come away from it deeply entranced.

While the epic storyline of The Red Winter was very awesome in its own right, Sullivan’s moving writing style added an extra impressive kick to it that constantly kept the reader coming back for more.  I’ve already mentioned a few times the different time periods, separate narrative threads and even an alternate narrator, and these effective writing tools were each used to great effect.  However, I really need to emphasise the way that each of them had their own unique feeling of tragedy, anger and personal regrets, especially thanks to the different experiences of the protagonist, that ensured they all stood out.  The difference in tone between these three simultaneous plotlines produces a truly vibrant and emotionally charged novel, and I loved how each storyline got dark in their own way, while still having some moments of levity.

While there are some tonal differences, each plotline has some excellent and consistent humour behind it.  Much of this humour is driven by the interaction between Grave and his internal spirit, Sarmodel, as well as the selfish and cynical antics of Livia in the 14th century plotline.  Sullivan also makes great use of various entertaining footnotes, which not only provide further context for this fantasy version of the world, but also add some additional comedy outside the flow of the main story.  This humour blends well with the darker elements of The Red Winter, and the contrast and occasional lighter tone makes this book even easier to read and enjoy.  Indeed, Sullivan’s entire writing style in The Red Winter was very inviting and easy going at times, and I was quite impressed with how effortlessly he conveyed a lot of complicated bits of real-life history and his own personal lore to the reader.  There was never a part of The Red Winter that got bogged down in extensive occult discussion or deep dives into history, and Sullivan’s writing keeps the reader hooked all the way from start to finish.

One of the big highlights of The Red Winter for me was Sullivan’s clever use of French history, which also tied into a wider world of magic and religious truth that only the protagonist and his associates are aware of.  As with most successful urban fantasy series, Sullivan ensures that the setting of The Red Winter is very similar to the real-world in terms of history and society, but with hidden magic just beneath the surface and only visible to a few.  The author works these elements cleverly into the story, with the protagonist explaining to the reader the realities of magic and the divine, both in text and through the aforementioned footnotes.  These descriptions and explanations work into the main narrative well, and you soon understand the implications of what the protagonist is experiencing or doing, as well as the dark consequences of everything that he does.  While much of the magic in this book is more subtle than some other fantasy reads, it is still quite impactful, and its clever design and inclusion of battling angels, demons and other godlike beings really upped the stakes at times.

On top of the fantasy elements, Sullivan does an excellent job showcasing three different periods of French history, especially based around the Gévaudan region of France.  This includes the post-Hundred-Years War period in the 14th century, the early waning days of the French monarch in 1766, and the angry start of the French revolution around 1785.  Each of these are explored masterfully, and not only does this help to give each separate plotline its own unique identity, but Sullivan gives some interesting mystical or spiritual origin to some certain historical events.  However, the historical element I liked the most was the compelling dive into the mysterious occurrence of the Beast of Gévaudan.  A heavily documented series of creature attacks in Gévaudan in the 1760s, the story of the Beast of Gévaudan wasn’t something I was too familiar with before getting this book, but boy am I interested in it now.  While Sullivan does put his own spin on the origins of these events, he did capture much of the actual recorded history of the Beast of Gévaudan attacks, with several historical figures appearing as supporting characters.  I found this to be deeply fascinating, and it served as a very interesting centre to much of the story, primarily the near half of the book set in 1766.  I cannot emphasise just how fascinating Sullivan’s dive and use of this curious event was to the plot of The Red Winter, and I really must congratulate him for finding and using such a fitting piece of historical weirdness.

Finally, I need to mention some of the great characters featured throughout The Red Winter.  Sullivan utilises a rich cast, combining immortals and magical beings, with normal humans caught up in their crossfire.  The obvious focus is on main protagonist and point-of-view character Professor Sebastian Grave, a seemingly immortal being who has already lived for over a thousand years at this point in the story.  An entertaining figure, bowed by his experiences yet still retaining the ability to fall in love and make mistakes, Grave was an interesting conduit for the reader to explore this dark tale, and I loved his unique and often cynical take on events, often written with some unfortunate hindsight.  While you don’t get a lot of character development from Grave due to his immortal status, there is still some moving moments with this character, especially when more tragedy comes his way, and he is forced to deal with old mistakes and failings.  The way that Sullivan simultaneously showcases Grave’s passionate romance with Antoine in 1766, and the distain Antoine holds for him in 1785, added some great drama to the plot, and you really become intrigued by what led to these events.  This doomed romance and the history behind it drive much of Grave’s later story, and it was compelling to see how much regret he holds and how it continues to impact him.

Aside from Grave, there are several other great characters of note in The Red Winter, many of whom steal the show in their own way.  This includes the demonic spirit Sarmodel, a mysterious being that has lodged itself into Grave’s soul, giving him immortality and much of his power.  Thanks to their connection, which is nearly another romance, Sarmodel serves as a background voice to Grave’s actions.  I loved the constant bickering back and forth between Grave and Sarmodel (like a very old married couple), and it honestly added a lot of humour and internal discord to the novel.  Sarmodel’s needs also serve as a great motivator for this protagonist duo, with Sarmodel constantly driving Grave to find sources of life and magic to feed him, and it was interesting to see how that impacted their adventures.  The use of the d’Ocerne father and son duo was also an excellent character use in The Red Winter, primarily because of their relationships with Grave, but also because of how their separate mistakes and secrets impact each other and bring greater tragedy to the plot.  Throw in a disobedient succubus assistant, controlled by her own vices, various interesting historical luminaries and even the Archangel Michael who is working his own angle in events, and the cast of The Red Winter was impressive, and helped move the story in some awesome directions.

Thanks to his obvious talent, impressive ability and fantastic imagination, Cameron Sullivan’s debut novel, The Red Winter, was an exceptional read, and I honestly still can’t get over how much I loved it.  A particularly clever, moving and addictive novel, The Red Winter was an absolute pleasure to read, and I loved every single second I spent with it.  I honestly hope that Sullivan revisits his main characters again in the future, as there is so much potential for further adventures across history.  Until then, The Red Winter remains one of the most impressive recent debuts I’ve had the pleasure of reading, and indeed it was one of the very best books I read in the first half of 2026.

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The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Throwback Thursday1 Comment

Publisher: Gollancz (Trade Paperback – 16 March 2021)

Series: Blacktongue series – Book One

Length: 416 pages

My Rating: 5 out 5 stars

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Prepare for brutal action and adventure in the highly acclaimed fantasy novel, The Blacktongue Thief, a modern classic from a fast-rising author of fantasy fiction.

Several years ago, I made note of an intriguing upcoming fantasy novel that had caught my attention, The Blacktongue Thief.  Written by Christopher Buehlman, an established fantasy and horror writer who I wasn’t familiar with, The Blacktongue Thief had an awesome and intriguing plot behind it, and I was determined to read it when it came out in 2021.  Unfortunately, due to time constraints I never got the chance to read it when it first came out.  However, for the next several years all I heard from fellow fantasy fans was just how good The Blacktongue Thief and its prequel The Daughter’s War was.  Despite this constant praise, which felt a little judgemental towards me, I kept failing to read The Blacktongue Thief, although I was lucky enough to find a good secondhand copy of it last year.  With the sequel to The Blacktongue Thief announced for late 2026, I finally decided to take the plunge with this book earlier this year, and boy was I happy, if unsurprised, with how much fun I had with it.

Plot Synopsis:

Kinch Na Shannack owes the Takers Guild a small fortune for his education as a thief, which includes (but is not limited to) lock-picking, knife-fighting, wall-scaling, fall-breaking, lie-weaving, trap-making, plus a few small magics. His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path.

But today, Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark.

Galva is a knight, a survivor of the brutal goblin wars, and handmaiden of the goddess of death. She is searching for her queen, missing since a distant northern city fell to giants.

Unsuccessful in his robbery and lucky to escape with his life, Kinch now finds his fate entangled with Galva’s. Common enemies and uncommon dangers force thief and knight on an epic journey where goblins hunger for human flesh, krakens hunt in dark waters, and honor is a luxury few can afford.

Whelp, it turns out that I made a big mistake not reading The Blacktongue Thief sooner.  Featuring a powerful and dark take on the classic fantasy quest, The Blacktongue Thief was a compelling character-driven journey into an elaborate and war-riven fantasy world that effortlessly grabs your attention and refuses to let go.  An utterly addictive read from Buehlman that gets a full five-star rating from me.

Buehlman hits the ground running hard with The Blacktongue Thief, quickly introducing you to witty and likeable rogue, Kinch Na Shannack, the book’s protagonist and point-of-view character, as he engages in a little light banditry in the forest.  However, things quickly get out of hand for the protagonist as he fails to rob travelling knight and goblin wars veteran Galva in dramatic fashion.  However, there is far more to Galva than expected, as Kinch finds himself tasked by his employers, the powerful Takers Guild of thieves to follow Galva on her quest to the remote, giant-ravished nation of Oustrim, where she seeks to find her lost friend and queen.  Manoeuvring his way into Galva’s travel plans, Kinch soon becomes attached to his new friend, while the Takers Guild continue to control his actions.  I liked how effectively Buehlman set up his narrative in the early pages of The Blacktongue Thief, as there is a lot of early hints and starting storylines that play out as the novel continues.  The author also lays out some interesting details about the larger fantasy world, including much of its recent troubles and wars, which effectively draws you in alongside the compelling central narrative.

After this intriguing start, Buehlman gets into the story proper, as The Blacktongue Thief takes on many characteristics of a classic fantasy adventure story, with the protagonists travelling from one end of the continent to another.  Picking up some interesting new companions, as well as hints of some of the shadowy motivations around the various players of the plot, Buehlman starts loading in the action, with several entertaining and bloody sequences.  I personally loved the extended run with the protagonists travelling on a piratical whaling ship that takes up much of the centre of The Blacktongue Thief, especially as Buehlman litters this part of the book with feuds, monster fighting, multiple skirmishes and other nautical misadventures.  There are some great moments here, and the author shows the reader what type of book The Blacktongue Thief is with plenty of brutal deaths and sudden changes of fortune.  While much of this part of the book is focused on adventure and modern carnage, Buehlman also makes sure to continue providing intriguing dives into additional details of the setting, as well as some compelling character histories, much of which comes into play as the book continues.

After several dark encounters, tragedies and compelling dangers, the book enters its final third, which proves to be particularly compelling.  Set in the giant-stalked ruins of Oustrim, this final part of The Blacktongue Thief is particularly intense, and you are constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop amongst the dangerous exploration, encounters and sudden sharp conflict.  Buehlman cleverly drops some big revelations as you get towards the end of the book, with developments that change your entire perspective of events.  It also leads to a final series of deadly confrontations, which proves to be quite shocking in places, even after the book’s various prior tragedies.  Buehlman keeps you guessing about what will happen next right to the very end, especially with a final mind-blowing twist about a supporting character.  I loved the intriguing note that Buehlman leaves The Blacktongue Thief on, especially as it sets up its potential sequel which will no-doubt expand on several loose ends from this cool book.  All this is quite addictive, and I honestly got so hooked on all the crazy adventures that the author loaded into this novel.

I really enjoyed how The Blacktongue Thief came together, especially as Buehlman provides a dark take on the classic quest narrative.  Bringing the reader into a beat-up fantasy world, The Blacktongue Thief has a very readable and edgy style that effectively draws you in from the start.  It really doesn’t take you long to get stuck into the book thanks to the great combination of entertaining humour, distinctive worldbuilding and intense action, all of which blends in an excellent and intense manner.  Much of this humour is driven from the amusing antics of The Blacktongue Thief’s protagonist, and the combination of other unique personalities adds a lot to the overall adventure aspect of the plot.  The intrigue, mistrust and hidden motivations increase the tension of the plot nicely, with old mistakes and dark histories perfectly inserted into the main plot by Buehlman.  I deeply enjoyed the multiple awesome action set-pieces that the author throws into The Blacktongue Thief, with so many intense moments of well-choreographed and described combat weaved into the plot.  There is an amazing amount of brutality thrown into the book, which the darker nature of the universe and the desperate plot extremely well, and I was glad that Buehlman didn’t hold back any punches.  I also really enjoyed how there were no slow or quiet moments in The Blacktongue Thief, with the reader constantly moving forward, much like the protagonists.

For me one of the big highlights that put The Blacktongue Thief on another level was the complex and grim fantasy world the story takes place in.  While there are many classic fantasy elements within this book, Buehlman sets it apart with some very intriguing details.  In particular, the book is set in the aftermath of a brutal war between the various human nations and an invading army of goblins.  As such, there is a battered feel to the setting, with the remaining humans wary and militant, and distrust and change in the air.  I loved how well Buehlman captured the desperation and despair of the inhabitants of the realm, as they attempt to survive in the post-war period, and it adds an even darker edge to the already brutal proceedings.  The clever inclusion of several consequences of the war, such as the loss of all the horses in the world thanks to a goblin-wrought disease, and the necessity of woman to be called up to fight in the last war, further enhances the uniqueness of The Blacktongue Thief, and it was really cool how it impacted the current journey and the protagonist’s pasts.  I also quite enjoyed how Buehlman set up multiple unique fantasy realms and kingdoms within the larger world, which the protagonists are forced to move across to reach their goals.  The differing politics, cultures and allegiances that they experienced, as well as the realistic length of the journey across the large continent, ensured that the protagonist’s journey felt like a proper epic quest, and I really enjoyed following the journey on the map provided at the front of the book.  Tracing the protagonist’s journey across the lands helped to enhance the enormity of the plot, and it also hinted at a ton of fun new realms that the protagonists will likely visit in the other entries in this series.  Buehlman’s excellent world building in The Blacktongue Thief really was quite impressive, and it was a big factor in my eventual five-star rating.

The final thing I want to talk about with The Blacktongue Thief are the excellent and memorable characters Buehlman sets his plot around.  The author ends up introducing a fun central cast that engage in the main quest, each of whom have their own demons and interesting quirks.  The primary character is Kinch Na Shannack, a low-level thief who is indebted to the Takers Guild after they trained him and taught him some basic magic.  The narrator and central perspective protagonist, Kinch entertains as the willey tricksters of the group, using his brains and talents for deceit and thievery to survive rather than brute force.  Much of The Blacktongue Thief’s humour comes from Kinch’s funny jokes, cutting observations and somewhat unreliable narration, which blended surprisingly well with the darker setting of the book.  While mostly always comedic, Kinch does have a serious side to him, especially when it comes to his many secrets and hidden motivations.  Buehlman writes a great plot around Kinch finding his true purpose, as his loyalties to the group and his growing courage is forced up against the control of the Takers Guild and the general craziness of the world he encounters.  An overall amazing main character who was the perfect depiction of the rebellious yet faithful rogue.

The other major character I really need to highlight is the striking Galva, a deadly female knight whose quest the plot is set around.  A scarred and dangerous veteran of the goblin wars, Galva is a no-nonsense figure in the book, dedicated to her mission, as well as her worship of the setting’s death goddess.  Buehlman ensures that Galva is set up as pretty badass character from the very start of the book, and you really get drawn to her honourable personality in this dishonourable world.  While mostly serious and unforgiving, there is a certain lighter side to Galva at times, which makes even more likeable, and she ended up being the perfect foil and straight woman to Kinch, with the two having some great interactions.  There is also a certain amount of battle-born trauma to Galva, much of which looks set to be explored in the prequel novel, The Daughter’s War, which added some extra complexity to her appearance.  Galva truly was a great character, and I loved her use as the serious and militant heart of the larger cast.

While Kinch and Galva get most of the focus in The Blacktongue Thief, there are some other entertaining characters who add a lot to the plot.  This includes the young witch, Norrigal, who serves as an interesting interest to Kinch, and whose overarching story had some clever and twisty moments to.  I also must mention Malk Na Brannyck, a countryman of Kinch who adds a lot of drama to the plot due to his history with the protagonist.  Another war veteran, Malk worked well as a minor antagonist who eventually morphs into a reluctant ally, and his various caustic interactions with Kinch added to the larger dysfunction of the protagonists.  Special mention also needs to go to the stray cat, Bully Boy, who tags along with the group against all the odds, and whose appearance definitely isn’t sinister or mysterious.  Throw in a range of rogues, thieves, killers and other dangerous figures that the protagonists encounter, and the cast of The Blacktongue Thief is stacked.  All these characters, and more, have some great storylines attached to them, and I really enjoyed the entertaining and often dark interactions that occurred, especially as it added to the general chaos of the plot.

After finally reading this epic novel, I can confirm that The Blacktongue Thief lives up the hype surrounding it.  Christopher Buehlman introduced a wonderfully dark fantasy world in this book and then moulded a powerful adventure story around it.  Loaded with intense action, great characters and a captivating story, The Blacktongue Thief was utter fun from the very beginning, and I had so much fun getting through it.  I am so glad I finally got the chance to read this novel, and I am hoping to read The Daughter’s War next, especially with the next book in series, The Thrice-Bound Fool, set for release later this year.

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Pretenders to the Throne of God by Adrian Tchaikovsky

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star BooksLeave a comment

Publisher: Head of Zeus (Audiobook – 12 February 2026)

Series: The Tyrant Philosophers – Book Four

Length: 20 hours and 1 minute

My Rating: 5 out 5 stars

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The legendary Adrian Tchaikovsky continues to showcase his incredible writing skill with his deeply impressive novel, Pretenders to the Throne of God, an outstanding read that perfectly continues one of his very best series.

Over the last few years, I have fully fallen in love with the writings of Adrian Tchaikvosky, who is honestly one of the best current writers of fantasy and science fiction.  Known for his Shadows of the Apt, Children of Time, Echoes of the Fall and Final Architecture series, as well as several awesome standalone novels, Tchaikovsky has a truly outstanding catalogue of works to his name, and there are some true classics captured there.  I personally have had the pleasure of reading several of his latest great books, with entries like Service Model (one of my favourite books of 2024), Alien Clay, the novella Orges and the Warhammer 40,000 novel, Day of Ascension (one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels) and the awesome fantasy novel Guns of the Dawn (which I only recently finished), proving to be quite amazing.

While I have had an exceptional time with many of Tchaikovsky’s novels, my favourites are the awesome novels of his Tyrant Philosophers series.  This gripping, brilliant and highly amusing series is set in a cool fantasy world filled with magic, gods and demons, all of which are being consumed by the Palleseen, an anti-religious empire of perfection-seeking fanatics who have been conquering the world through elaborate military and diplomatic action. The first three books in the series have been quite exceptional, including City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), Days of Shattered Faith (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2025), as well as the cool novella Lives of Bitter Rain.  I really love these elaborate and highly entertaining novels, which made me very excited for the fourth book in the series Pretenders to the Throne of God, one of my most anticipated books of 2026, which very much lived up to all my expectations.

Plot Synopsis:

Arthur C. Clarke winner and Sunday Times bestseller returns to a world steeped in magic – and the Tyrant Philosophers’ campaign to bring reason, logic and ‘perfection’ to it.

Eres Ffenegh – “the City on the Back of a Crab” – is the next state slated for conquest by the Palleseen, but its citizens won’t give up sovereignty easily, and the siege has now dragged into the harsh Eresi winter. The defenders – both locals and Pal renegades – hold an uneasy alliance against the enemy at the gates, while the Pal army is constantly looking over its shoulder for the next self-destructive dictate of their government back home.

Within the city, Devil Jack is the apprentice to the notorious conjurer and bawd known as the Widow, a good man driven to bargaining with hell to get back what he’s lost. Meanwhile Kiffel ea Leachan is the city’s champion, a child of privilege who’s just lost everything to the invaders. We follow the ups and downs of both as they try to survive the siege and make their own destinies in a world that’s cut them loose.

Outside the city, the Pals have been desperately waiting for reinforcements so they can finally take the city, but when new soldiers finally march in with the winter it’s the worst kind of help, enough to damn the entire army.

Tchaikovsky continues to showcase why he is one of the world’s leading authors of unique fantasy fiction with his latest Tyrant Philosophers novel.  A wonderful and complex character-driven read, Pretenders to the Throne of God was an outstanding novel that perfectly tells its own story, while also continuing the epic overarching series narrative.  Clever, incredibly moving, and featuring some subtle but effective satire, Pretenders to the Throne of God is an exceptional novel that gets a full five-star rating from me.

Even after reading all the previous books in the Tyrant Philosophers series, I honestly was so impressed by how Tchaikovsky pulled this latest distinctive story together.  Pretenders to the Throne of God once again sees the bureaucratic, yet effective, armies of the insidious Palleseen trying to recapture the city of Eres Ffenegh.  However, between the city’s unique defences, determined citizens, and a group of former Palleseen soldiers sworn to two cults, the Palleseen assault has mostly halted, awaiting the arrival of fresh reinforcements.  Told through multiple chapters, each of which generally focus on one point-of-view character who is witnessing the events of the siege unfold from their perspective, Tchaikovsky effectively introduces the setting and the key players in the siege, and you soon get a sense of the chaotic nature of the conflict and the volatile figures on both sides.  These initial chapters do a good job of setting up a variety of book-wide story elements, including early introductions to figures who will have a bigger impact later in the plot as side figures in other characters perspective chapters.

The plot of Pretenders to the Throne of God quickly gets into overdrive when unexpected and uncomfortably undead Palleseen reinforcements arrive outside the city.  Despite reservations and restrictions, the besiegers make use of their new troops and swiftly gain ground, causing the defenders to make some desperate decisions.  Tchaikovsky makes sure to expand on all his character storylines as this plot continues, including in several compelling ‘mosaic’ chapters, which generally surround big events and split the focus across multiple characters as they try to deal with new developments.  There are some great character-focused moments built into this part of the plot, with various members of the cast dealing with their own issues or chasing their own desires.  This includes the continued torment of Devil Jack, internal politics of the besieged city, the machinations of a leading Palleseen officer, the struggles of isolated Palleseen specialists, and various people discovering how far they’ll go to get back what they have lost.

Everything leads up to a particularly intense and complex final third of Pretenders to the Throne of God, focused on the final days of the siege.  Without giving too much away, things inevitably go to hell for all the major characters, as desperation, determination and deceit guide them to their destinies.  I love how so many characters take the final steps towards being the people they want or think they should be, and there are some amazing moments built into this final bit of narrative.  Tchaikovsky has an even-handed approach to tragedy and happy endings here, with various characters encountering either an ironic conclusion to their story or their ideal fate.  The author ensures that the main standalone story of Pretenders to the Throne of God is nicely wrapped up by the end, with all the major character storylines finalised one way or another.  At the same time, certain storylines from previous entries in the series are cleverly continued, with various threads remaining for the final upcoming Tyrant Philosopher novel to finalise.  All this ensures that readers come out of Pretenders to the Throne of God extremely satisfied, while also remaining curious enough to instantly get the next book when it comes out.

Tchaikovsky ended up using a similar writing style to the previous entries in the Tyrant Philosophers series, which I think works extremely well to convey his elaborate and entertaining narrative.  Relying heavily on multiple perspective changes to tell his layered story, Tchaikovsky embarks on providing a deep and personal story, set around a large collection of compelling supporting characters.  The author excels at creating elaborate and complex backgrounds for the various protagonists which are worked into the larger plot extremely well, especially as each character has their own unique motivations and damage.  All these varied story elements are well woven together into one complex story, and it was fascinating to see all the different figures react to the continually changing events.

Tchaikovsky cleverly altered the tone of Pretenders to the Throne of God multiple times within the course of the story.  While there is an easy, compelling and cynical humour to much of this novel, especially when the various characters provide their realistic and sarcastic commentary on events, at times Pretenders to the Throne of God can get quite dark and moody.  Much of this is down to Pretenders to the Throne of God being a gritty siege novel, and the desperation of the characters fighting on both sides is heavily evident during the plot.  Into this potent mix, Tchaikovsky adds in some intense action sequences, as well as an overlay of intrigue, betrayal and hidden motivations, all of which is quite awesome to see.  There is even a moving love story right at the heart of the plot, which, while unique and twisted, adds some real emotional heft to the novel.  All this ensures that Pretenders to the Throne of God has an extremely unique feel to it, even compared to the other Tyrant Philosophers novels, and I loved how well the compelling fantasy elements fit with the very human narrative.

Pretenders to the Throne of God works well as both its own distinctive standalone narrative and as a continuation of elements and character-focused storylines from the previous books in the series.  Due to how it initially focuses on several central characters stuck in a new setting in the established world, readers can easily come into Pretenders to the Throne of God without any real pre-knowledge of the other Tyrant Philosophers books.  However, as the story eventually grows to focus on several major characters from the previous novels, existing Tyrant Philosophers readers will end up appreciating the plot of Pretenders to the Throne of God a little more, as you are a little more familiar with the events that forged them.  Much of this prior character history is cleverly reintroduced throughout the course of Pretenders to the Throne of God, so new readers can also appreciate the continued personal arcs and storylines very easily.  The author also features references to events from the previous books throughout Pretenders to the Throne of God, and readers will find it fascinating to see how certain decisions or plots from the recurring characters, such as religious conversion in House of Open Wounds, wider rebellion against the Palleseen and the continued tragedy of a certain former priest, continue to be explored here.

One of the big highlights of Pretenders to the Throne of God is the elaborate setting for his compelling narrative.  While the book is set in the same fantasy world as the other Tyrant Philosophers novels, much of the action occurs around the newly introduced and besieged city of Eres Ffenegh.  An ancient city of gods and the sea located on top of the body of a long-dead crab god, Eres Ffenegh is currently under attack from the Palleseen, with various factions within the city, both new and old, struggle to work together to defend it.  Tchaikovsky excelled at introducing the various unique elements of Eres Ffenegh with some deep dives into its history and culture, all of which bleeds into the plot. In many ways Eres Ffenegh felt like its distinctive character of the book, with an understanding of its people, their mindset, and the city’s relationship to the rest of the world, vital to appreciating the full plot of Pretenders to the Throne of God.  Tchaikovsky cleared had fun developing the many quirky and unique features of Eres Ffenegh, and this ended up being a particularly compelling fantasy setting, which added a lot to the wider book.

I also must highlight Tchaikovsky’s excellent continued use of the villainous Palleseen, who serve as the series’ main antagonistic group.  Ideological zealots often bound by their own rules and processes as they slowly and greedily try to take over the world, all the books in this series are dedicated to examining their methods and serves as a humorous critique of militarisation and empire building.  Pretenders to the Throne of God once again features the Palleseen as an occupying force as they attempt to reconquer Eres Ffenegh. However, thanks to the events of the previous novels, many of the foreign magic and occult practices they co-opted as weapons, such as necromancy and demonology, are at risk of being designated as imperfect, with potential dire consequences for the Palleseen soldiers who specialise in them.  It has been very fun to see the slow decline of the mighty and insatiable Palleseen over the last few books, and the continued symptoms of their unsustainable growth and continually narrowing definition of perfection has been a fantastic ongoing storyline.  Tchaikovsky works these elements into the plot of Pretenders to the Throne of God perfectly, especially when it comes to the various Palleseen characters, who come to fear their own side more than their opponents in the siege.  Not only does this add to the drama for half the cast but it also serves as an insightful critique of militaristic and fascist governments and how they always turn on each other.  I look forward to seeing how the various storylines about the Palleseen come to an end in the final Tyrant Philosophers’ novel, and it has been a real treat to see how Tchaikovsky has utilised them.

Another key aspect of Pretenders to the Throne of God that I need to highlight are the incredible characters featured throughout this story.  Tchaikovsky loads this novel with an outstanding array of complex or damaged characters who are the true highlight of the plot thanks to their collective dark histories and layered motivations.  The sheer range of different characters in this novel is very impressive, with a combination of local inhabitants of the city, newcomers determined to defend it for their own reasons, the invading Palleseen, and others who have their own complex motivations for being there, which Tchaikovsky explores in detail.

Some highlights of the cast include Kiffe lea Leachan, Eres Ffenegh’s current champion, who finds herself at a moral crossroads when her magical sword that allowed her to be a great fighter is destroyed.  Disgraced and caught up in despair, Kiffe is forced to fight between her natural meekness and determination to regain the thing that made her special by any means necessary.  Kiffe is well matched by Nieve a Galeaff, a fixer for one of the city’s leaders, who not only serves as a cynical buffer to the more naïve Kiffe but provides one of the more interesting perspectives of the Eres Ffenegh’s defenders, as she tries to hold the city together.  Other highlights include the damaged or insane leaders of the two former Palleseen religious cults that have taken up residence in Eres Ffenegh.  This includes the Mouth of the Sea; one cult’s conflicted second in command who will be very familiar to fans of the second Tyrant Philosopher’s novel.  There is also the quite entertaining Abellaime, better known as The Widow.  A dangerous conjurer, Abellaime serves as a dark temptress for many characters in the city, while also manipulating events for her own designs, and in many ways is a more dangerous villain than the Palleseen.

In addition to the defenders of Eres Ffenegh, Tchaikovsky spends a good chunk of the novel focused on the Palleseen army besieging the army, especially the members of an officer’s club known as the Heretics.  Made up of several specialists with controversial fields of study, the Heretics prove to be fun characters as they reluctantly fight for an empire that is likely to brand them imperfect and expendable any day.  Their alternating perspective of the novel, as well as their weariness and damage from previous wars, make the associated Heretics quite fascinating to follow, and their storyline was one of the more intense and interesting in the book.  However, my favourite Palleseen character had to be Fellow-Archivist Dantell, the second in command of the regiment and a self-serving schemer who serves as one of the main antagonists of the book.  Known as ‘the Stoat’ for her sneaky and backstabbing behaviour, Dantell was a highly entertaining figure who attempts to outthink and manipulate every other character in the book, with mixed effects.  A wonderfully sinister schemer who perfectly showcases the larger issues of the Palleseen in her actions and personality, Tchaikovsky clearly enjoyed writing Dantell, and I felt she had one of the more amusing storylines in the book.

While all these characters are amazing and intricate in their own ways, the best and most emotionally compelling character in Pretenders to the Throne of God had to be that of Devil Jack.  The closest thing this series has to a main character, Jack has appeared in all four novels so far with a different name or occupation each time, starting off as a priest to a selfish fallen god.  Much of the series has focussed on his struggle to escape his past and find a better life.  This latest novel sees Jack at his very lowest, having lost his demon lover and one chance of happiness in the previous novel.  Determined to do the impossible and bring her back, Jack apprentices himself to the Widow to learn all about conjuring and demonology, while the Widow attempts to corrupt him in turn.  Tchaikovsky writes an impressive narrative about Jack’s despair and desperation in Pretenders to the Throne of God, as he attempts to hold onto his humanity while trying to recover his lost love.  You really get drawn into his emotionally charged inner battle, and Tchaikovsky writes some fascinating scenes and interactions with the other characters, such as the unlikely friendship he forms with Kiffe.  I personally loved the scene where he meets his former god once again, with the two continuing to influence each other in entertaining and complex ways.  This was one of the most heartfelt appearances of Jack in the series yet, and he was the perfect highpoint Pretenders to the Throne of God’s other exceptional characters.

As with most big fantasy novels, I ended up listening to the audiobook version of Pretenders to the Throne of God, which turned out to be an awesome way to enjoy this incredible book.  Coming in with a decent runtime of 20 hours, the Pretenders to the Throne of God audiobook is a bit of a longer listen, however, it is worth it, as this format really helps to capture the elaborate nature of Tchaikovsky’s narrative, as well as the multiple complicated characters within.  Hearing the story read out really helps me absorb more of the book’s impressive detail, and I found myself more easily dropping into the besieged city and witnessing the various interactions between the characters.

Much of the impact associated with Pretenders to the Throne of God’s audiobook is due to the excellent voice work of David Thorpe, who has previously narrated the other Tyrant Philosophers audiobooks.  Thorpe has a real knack for bringing Tchaikovsky’s unique style and characters to life with his voice work, especially as he constantly matches the tone of the various scenes perfectly.  Not only does Thorpe always land the book’s subtle humour and sarcastic observations in every scene, but the more serious and tragic moments are given the solemnity and emotional depth they deserve.  Thorpe also has an incredible array of voices for the various characters of Pretenders of the Throne of God, and I loved some of the fun and unique tones he attributed to some of the more supernatural creatures in the plot.  I personally appreciated how Thorpe brought back several voices from the previous entries in the series, and it was great to get this continuity.  At the same time, the various new voices were also extremely good, with the tones always matching the personalities of their respective characters.  Thorpe also showcased a real talent for pronouncing the over-the-top names, titles and other unique words that Tchaikovsky invented for his fantasy world, and I loved how authentic the Pretenders to the Throne of God audiobook felt, as it was clear that Thorpe was really putting in the effort.  All this makes for quite an exceptional listen, and I loved every single second I spent listening to Pretenders to the Throne of God.

Thanks to his captivating and layered narrative, great characters, and wonderful storytelling, Adrian Tchaikovsky once again impresses with Pretenders to the Throne of God.  An exceptional continuation to the Tyrant Philosophers series, Pretenders to the Throne of God was so damn good, and I honestly couldn’t get enough of this outstanding read.  One of my favourite novels of the year so far, Pretenders to the Throne of God comes very highly recommended, and I cannot wait to read more from Tchaikovsky this year, especially with his next novel, Green City Wars, nearly here.

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King Sorrow by Joe Hill

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Horror, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Headline (Trade Paperback – 21 October 2025)

Series: Standalone 

Length: 881 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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One of the more unique and addictive novels I’ve had the great pleasure of reading in recent months has to be the exceptional horror read, King Sorrow, by the very impressive Joe Hill.

Joe Hill is an author who is well known for his creative and over-the-top narratives, especially with his very interesting contributions to the horror genre.  The son of the legendary Stephen King, Hill has followed in the family footsteps with some amazing releases, including several standalone novels like Horns, Heart-Shaped Box and NOS4A2, a huge array of short stories (including The Black Phone), and even some comics (Locke & Key being the obvious candidate).  Several of these publications have been turned into film and television adaptations over the years, and I have been keen to read something from Hill for a while.  As such, when I saw the compelling narrative of Hill’s new book, the massive King Sorrow, I knew I had to check it out, and boy was I glad that I did.

Plot Synopsis:

Bookish dreamer Arthur Oakes is a student at Rackham College, Maine, renowned for its frosty winters and beautiful buildings.

But his idyll – and burgeoning romance with Gwen Underfoot – is shattered when local drug dealers force him into a terrible crime: stealing rare and valuable books from the exceptional college library.

Trapped and desperate, Arthur turns to his closest friends for help: the wealthy, irrepressible Colin Wren; brave, beautiful Allison Shiner; the battling twins Donna and Donovan McBride; and brainy, bold Gwen. Together they dream up an impossible, fantastical scheme that they scarcely imagine will work: to summon the fabled dragon King Sorrow to kill those tormenting Arthur.

But the six stumble backwards into a deadly bargain – they soon learn they must choose a new sacrifice for King Sorrow each year or one of them will become his next victim. Unleashing consequences they can neither predict nor control, this promise will, over the course of four decades, shape and endanger their lives in ways they could never expect.

King Sorrow was a truly outstanding read from Hill that had me hooked from the very beginning, all the way to its heartfelt and complex end.  A wonderfully powerful read filled with great characters and dark moments, King Sorrow was an exceptional horror epic that proves near impossible to put down.  King Sorrow was one of my favourite books of 2025, and I cannot recommend it enough.

I really loved the elaborate narrative of King Sorrow, which I can tell Hill put an awful lot of care and thought into.  Told initially from the perspective of Arthur Oaks, a young scholar at Rackham College (in Maine, naturally) who is forced to steal rare books from the school’s library for local drug dealers with the ability to hurt his mother in prison.  When his secret becomes known to his friends, an eclectic mixture of fellow students at the college, they agree to help him with his troubles.  However, this help gets out of hand when, after a night of drinking, the group decides to use an infamous occult tome to summon a fabled dragon, King Sorrow, to kill those tormenting Arthur.  But to the group’s horror, this is no one-time occurrence, as King Sorrow decrees that the bargain they struck entitles him to a new soul each year.  This was a pretty awesome first part of King Sorrow, which, while long, was a very impactful introduction to the larger story and perfectly set up the chaotic events and dark bargains to come.

After this first part, King Sorrow’s story evolves into a more long-term storyline, skipping ahead years with each new part and focusing on the various main characters and how they are dealing with the Faustian bargain they have struck.  After deciding to live with King Sorrow and his desires, the group have primarily decided to use the dragon to punish the worst of humanity around the world, by setting him on murderers and terrorists.  However, thanks to the entertaining machinations of King Sorrow, many of these kills have unexpected consequences, forcing the protagonists to react in different ways, and bringing new characters into the group’s orbit.  Highlights include a particularly intense extended sequences, where two members of the group try to save a passenger jet containing one of their intended targets, which King Sorrow wants to burn as collateral.  Another harrowing part of the book sees twin protagonists Donna and Donovan McBride kidnapped and held hostage by a government organisation with knowledge of their actions, a course of action that goes well for nobody.  At the same time, Hill throws in some fascinating interludes that provide greater depth for some of the book’s more interesting characters, while also providing glimpses at a long-term threat that is coming for the main cast.

The author effectively keeps up the drama much of King Sorrow’s plot, and you are constantly on the edge of your seat as you attempt to guess where the story will go next.  However, even I was really thrown by the great antagonistic curveball that Hill threw in about three-quarters into King Sorrow, that really adds in some substantial drama and provides some fascinating revelations about previous adventures in the plot.  With one of the protagonists brilliantly taking on a far more villainous role, the surviving characters are constantly thrown through a loop as they attempt to find a way to end their bargain.  However, nothing goes the way anyone anticipates, with tragedy, more betrayals and dark moments consuming the entire cast.  Everything leads up to an excellent full-circle confrontation with the beast that shaped all of them, with some heartwarming final encounters and resolutions to the plot.  Hill wraps everything up perfectly, and you come away from King Sorrow extremely satisfied, especially after getting so wrapped up in the author’s elaborate, character-driven plot.

I must admit that before I read King Sorrow, I didn’t know quite what to expect from Joe Hill as a writer.  However, his style really resonated with me, and I ended up being quite blown away with the elaborate nature of this book when I got the chance to read it.  Set up as a complex character-focused book with a layered narrative, King Sorrow was a particularly powerful epic that covered decades of several brilliant characters.  Featuring an exceptional use of multiple character perspectives and interludes, King Sorrow was a cleverly and intricately written story that examined so many points of human nature and compelling character development throughout its near 900-page run.  Despite its length (it’s one of the longer physical books I’ve ever read), there was never a second that I was bored with King Sorrow, and I honestly powered through it in a relatively short amount of time.

Much of this addictive edge is because Hill effortlessly blended a great mixture of genres into this plot, with horror, fantasy and thriller elements all working well together.  Setting a terrifying and vengeful dragon spirit against the worst of humanity makes for some interesting contrasts, and I rather enjoyed seeing how normal criminals and even intelligence organisations would react to a magical dragon occasionally terrifying the world.  There are also some entertaining historical elements to King Sorrow, as the author cleverly ties the plot of this book into certain real-world events, with the actions of the protagonists often leading to some major tragedies.  I really enjoyed the unique feel that this gave the book, especially when combined with the certain gothic edge of the more supernatural scenes, especially the multiple varied depictions of the crazy occult ceremony that first summoned King Sorrow.  Hill maintains these elements for the entirety of the book, and I have a lot of appreciation, for the elaborate way he tied his cast together with tragedy and bad decision.  The result was an incredibly well written novel from Hill, who emulated aspects of his father’s style while also providing his own distinctive feel.

Another outstanding highlight of King Sorrow that I must mention are the incredible and complex characters loaded into the plot.  This includes its six main characters, whose inadvertent summoning of King Sorrow sets the dark events of the book in motion.  While I don’t want to go into too much detail about these characters to avoid spoilers, I will say that Hill does an amazing job introducing and exploring their experiences throughout the course of the novel, and you really get caught up in their specific arcs as a result.  Hill really dives into the dark choices surrounding their deadly bargain, and I found it fascinating to see how the impact of their decisions hit each of them differently, with each reacting in a fantastic manner.  There is some real tragedy involved with these characters, and you really fall in love with most of them (with one or two exceptions), even if it hurts to do so.

The character I will go into a little more detail about is the titular dragon, King Sorrow.  A malevolent, supernatural figure, King Sorrow is a haunting presence in the novel, stalking both the protagonists and their victims and revelling in their fear.  Thanks to his vindictive and manipulative nature, King Sorrow proves to be one of the more entertaining figures in this novel, and I loved the multitude of ways he messed with the protagonists, especially when it forces them to make hard decisions.  I really loved the various scenes King Sorrow was in, and he matched the main cast so perfectly, especially as he slowly brought out the worst in several of them.  Throw in an array of intriguing side characters, including several criminals whose actions haunt the group for decades, and the cast of King Sorrow was something special, especially once you get drawn into this novel’s outstanding narrative.

With a truly remarkable story, some amazing characters, and a brilliant writing style that sets him apart from other authors, Joe Hill’s latest novel, King Sorrow, was truly impressive and an exceptional novel to check out.  A sprawling epic with so many complex layers to it, King Sorrow was so damn addictive, and I still cannot believe how quickly I powered through it.  A highly recommended read that lives up to all the hype surrounding it, King Sorrow was Joe Hill at his finest, and I cannot wait to see what he writes next.

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Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy2 Comments

Publisher: Daphne Press (ebook – 25 November 2025)

Series: What We Eat – Book One

Length: 480 pages

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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In the mood for a tasty fantasy debut? Then look no further than the clever and distinctive 2025 release, Seven Recipes for Revolution by talented new author Ryan Rose.

Plot Synopsis:

The Bear meets Attack on Titan in this exhilarating, food-based epic fantasy filled with high stakes and monster steaks, perfect for fans of Pierce Brown and Jay Kristoff.

Seventeen-year-old Paprick is a common butcher, carving slabs of meat from gargantuan monsters so elite chefs can prepare magic-granting meals for the rich. But Paprick’s true passion is cooking, and if he can learn the secret art, his dreams of liberating his people and sharing the monsters’ magic with the world could come true. He steals the precious ingredients needed to practise recipes at home, but if he’s caught, he’ll be executed.

As his desperation grows, he ventures into the black market and uncovers a spice imported from unknown lands. Combining it with the last of his stolen meat, he cooks a dish the world has never tasted before, with side-effects he couldn’t have foreseen.

The dish’s magic grows Paprick to kaiju-size, and legends of his powers spread among the people. Immediately, the rulers arrest him, but Paprick convinces them to make him a chef’s apprentice―if they ever want to learn his Recipe. However, his exposure to the world of high cuisine reveals the rot at its centre, and with his new power, rebellion is only a few recipes away…

Seven Recipes for Revolution was a particularly awesome book that really showcased Ryan Rose’s excellent imagination and ability to craft a compelling story around his unique food-based magic.  The first book in Rose’s What We Eat series; Seven Recipes for Revolution was an outstanding read that greatly impressed me with its clever story and unique ideas.

Rose produced a delicious story for Seven Recipes for Revolution, which quickly grabs the reader’s attention.  Primarily told in a chronicle format from the perspective of a future Paprick before his execution, you are soon transported to the protagonist’s early days as a common butcher in a segregated society of magical foodies.  This early part of the book serves as an excellent introduction to the protagonist and the larger world the series is set in, as you soon learn about the food magic of this nation, as well as the magical beasts whose meat give them power.  It doesn’t take long for Paprick to find himself in the middle of a deadly revolution when, after stealing magical meat from his job, he is able to create a new recipe that allows him to grow to massive size.  Able to leverage his discovery with the rulers of the city, the Rares, Paprick is allowed to become an apprentice chef, which leads him into even greater trouble.

What follows is an interesting centre to the narrative as Paprick enters a whole new world of cuisine in an excellent magical school narrative as Rose provides some compelling looks at the city’s main chef school.  I loved the mixture of interesting classes, which feature both cool magic and awesome-sounding food, and it serves as a great background to the rest of the plot as Paprick gets further involved with the revolution, as well as a bloody conspiracy lurking underneath the surface of Rare society.  The last third of the book is a fantastic blur of action and intrigue, as various secrets come to light and the protagonist faces some very dark choices and challenges.  The build-up to these events in the main story is well supported by the sequences occurring in the present day, as the future Paprick messes with the mysterious chronicler recording his story, while also providing some interesting hints of events to come.  All this leads up to a great conclusion, and I loved the fun twists that emerged as you get towards the end.  Readers come away very satisfied from Seven Recipes for Revolution, and you are left wanting to find out what happens next.

I really enjoyed how Rose pulled together his first book, and the unique fantasy story he came up with was particularly inventive and well-written.  Rose really showed off his creative style early, quickly introducing readers to a cool new fantasy realm where magic resides in the meat of gigantic beasts, known as emphon, and the way you prepare the food grants different abilities and powers.  It was really fascinating to see a complex and segregated fantasy society built around this magical cookery, and the resulting obsession with cooking and food that the characters gave Seven Recipes for Revolution a distinctive and complex feel.  Rose made full use of these creative elements throughout his story, and the resulting training, battles and intrigues related to secret recipes and culinary abilities was quite spectacular.

In addition to the amazing worldbuilding , I must compliment the way that Rose set out the story using the chronicle method, which shows the older Paprick telling his narrative to an initially unnamed archivist who has history with the protagonist.  Having a character retell the story of their life as narrative tool doesn’t always work, but I think was particularly effective in Seven Recipes for Revolution, especially as it added some fun uncertainty and visions of the future to the mixture.  Much of this is done through various interruptions from the archivist as they refute parts of Paprick’s story and claim that he is either embellishing or adding in material to make himself look better.  I liked how this established the protagonist as a bit of an unreliable figure, and you’re never quite sure where his story will go next.  The conversations about the future Paprick and the archivist give each other also adds to the anticipation of the main plot, and you are always waiting for the events they hint about to drop.  This cool style works so well with the combined fantasy and intrigue elements of Seven Recipes for Revolution’s plot, and you really get stuck into the food-based carnage and complex betrayals that emerge both in the main story and the plot surrounding the future recording of Paprick’s tall tale.

Thanks to his outstanding imagination and excellent storytelling ability, Ryan Rose’s debut novel, Seven Recipes for Revolution, was a particularly awesome read, and it’s one I’m glad I checked out last year.  Loaded with cool food-based magic, duplicitous characters and some amazing action, Seven Recipes for Revolution was addictive fun from start to finish, and I really enjoyed how it came together.  Seven Recipes for Revolution ended up being one of my favourite debuts of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how Rose continues his series later this year with his upcoming book, Eight Tastes of Treachery.

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Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Murder Mystery3 Comments

Publisher: Orbit (Trade Paperback – 29 April 2025)

Series: Fetch Phillips – Book Four

Length: 381 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Australian author Luke Arnold delivers another incredible fantasy hit with his deeply impressive fourth novel, Whisper in the Wind.

In recent years, one of my favourite fantasy series has been the underrated but always amazing Fetch Phillips Archive.  Written by Australian actor Luke Arnold, who has very successfully transferred to a whole new career, the Fetch Phillips series is a clever and memorable urban fantasy series with an amazing, if dark, twist to it.  Primarily set around the fantasy metropolis of Sunder City, the Fetch Phillips books showcase the aftermath of a worldwide catastrophe that destroyed all magic and permanently warped the various magical citizens of the city into disfigured mortal beings.  Following titular investigator and odd-job man Fetch Phillips, a human partially responsible for the disaster, the books see Fetch attempt to solve unique crimes in the ruined city, while also looking to bring back magic in the face of human technological progress.  All three previous books in the series have been very impressive, including The Last Smile in Sunder City (one of my favourite debuts and Australian novels of 2020), Dead Man in a Ditch and One Foot in the Fade (one of my favourite Australian novels of 2022).  I have been eagerly awaiting this fourth book for a while, and Whisper in the Wind really did not disappoint.

Plot Synopsis

The fourth instalment of Luke Arnold’s Fetch Phillips series, Whisper in the Wind, takes readers to a very different Sunder City. One where government corruption is rampant and tensions are rising.

Fetch is done being a hero. Once a detective, all he wants now is to run his cafe in peace. Sunder City is still recovering from the sudden and violent end of magic, and if one man can’t solve all its problems, he can at least stop some people going hungry. But when a kid on the run shelters in Fetch’s cafe, and a chain of gruesome murders begins among Sunder’s high and mighty, trouble is brought to Fetch’s door.

There’s a word whispered on the wind, and that word is revolution…

Whisper in the Wind was another exceptional novel from Luke Arnold, who is very clearly getting better as an author with each new book he writes.  Bringing his damaged protagonist back into action, Whisper in the Wind was another extremely clever and impressive fantasy crime novel that makes full use of the author’s exceptional imagination and world-building.

I really enjoyed the new story that Arnold came up with for Whisper in the Wind, which, thanks to its great combination of a complex mystery, compelling characters and some ongoing storylines about changes to a former magical land, is probably the author’s best work yet.  Arnold starts the story off very effectively by showcasing returning protagonist Fetch Phillips as a changed man, no longer obsessed with trying to return the magic he helped destroy.  Managing his friend’s café in peace, Fetch is dragged back into the chaotic life when one of the city’s police officers is murdered after talking to him.  Initially trying to stay out of it, Fetch is blackmailed into investigating some additional killings plaguing the city, seemingly caused by acts of magic.

Arnold sets up this early part of the story extremely well, and you are once again dragged into Fetch’s often unsuccessful attempts to make his city a better place.  Things get very intense as the story continues, especially as it becomes apparent that the murderer has started targeting the city’s elite who are responsible for handing effective control of Sunder City over to a ruthless corporation that Fetch has long opposed.  Caught between various big players, Fetch tries to find the killer and uncover the latest corruption besetting his city from those in charge.  There is a great mixture of compelling investigation which dives into some outstanding character arcs and some fantastic action as the protagonist gets closer to his goal.  Arnold throws in some amazing and powerful twists as the reader gets towards the end of Whisper in the Wind, and the dark revelations play into the author’s long-term storytelling extremely well.  I loved the complex revelation about who the killer was and why they were doing their crime, as well as final big moments of the plot as Fetch shows the reader what kind of hero he really is.  Ending the book on a fantastic cliffhanger that brings back some interesting moments from the very first book, the entirety of Whisper in the Wind’s narrative was extremely awesome, and I honestly could not get enough of it.

As I have mentioned above, Luke Anrold has really gotten better as an author since starting the Fetch Phillips series, and I think that Whisper in the Wind showcased how good an author he really is.  Perfectly continuing the series from the turbulent conclusion of One Foot in the Fade, Arnold once again paints a compelling picture around a despondent former hero who is only now finding his way again.  This book’s mystery is probably one of Arnold’s best, as he presents an excellent conspiracy laden plot that presents as much tragedy as possible.  The author also once again expertly utilises his chaotic setting to really enhance his narrative, forcing the protagonist to deal with his past mistakes as well as the pliable nature of people.  A lot of the story revolves around a focus on how the wealthy and powerful manipulate the working classes through lies, fear and promises of safety and comfort, which has a certain real-world resonance to it, especially after the last year.  Arnold handled these elements extremely well, especially as it provided extra despair to his already damaged protagonist in a particularly relatable way.  The result is a particularly powerful read, that provides an exceptional balance of mystery, character growth, and a focus on the author’s unique fantasy elements.

While Whisper in the Wind would likely work well as a standalone novel for new readers, especially as Arnold is able to provide useful in-text recaps of the relevant prior books, this book is probably best read by those who have enjoyed the previous Fetch Phillips novels.  The author brings back a lot of ongoing storylines from these books, especially those involving the human corporate takeover and modernisation of a formerly magical city, which is quite fascinating.  In addition, reading the other Fetch Phillips books allows readers to get a lot more emotional impact from Whisper in the Wind, especially as you get some much better insights into the protagonist’s growth as well as his ongoing trauma and despair.  I personally also loved seeing more of the world that the Fetch Phillips books are set in, especially the changes around the main setting of Sunder City.  It has been fascinating to watch Arnold’s continued world-building since the first book, and he has turned this setting into some unique and distinctive.  I honestly cannot wait to see what changes come to this world next, and Arnold has some interesting avenues when it comes to continuing his current storylines.

A lot of Whisper in the Wind’s strength, and indeed that of the whole series, lies in the excellent portrayal of the titular protagonist Fetch Phillips.  Arnold has done an exceptional job turning Fetch into a highly tragic and repentant figure who was manipulated into betraying the magical races and taking away their power.  Fetch’s growth from the first book has been very impressive, especially as he spent much of that time trying to undo the damage he did, before he was worn down by hopelessness and the machinations of the powerful who like the new status quo.  This new book sees a somewhat healed Fetch who has managed to find a more peaceful life and has become an impromptu mentor to several younger characters.  However, the spectre of his past and his frustrations with the world around him keep coming back to haunt him, and he finds himself in the fight again, although this time in a more thoughtful and less emotional way.  I enjoyed the compelling and understandable changes to Fetch’s personality in this novel, playing off his prior failures extremely well, and his genuine attempts to stay out of trouble this time allowed for a refreshing change in narrative focus.  Despite his best efforts, Fetch once again has his life unravelled, and his attempts at being a hero backfire on him again.  Still, there was some genuine growth here, and I really appreciate the compelling way Arnold explores and enhances this great protagonist as the series continues.  Throw in an excellent collection of supporting characters, as well as some wonderfully despicable corporate adversaries, and the cast of this book was extremely awesome, and added a lot to both the story, and the emotional impacts of Whisper in the Wind.

Luke Arnold continues to impress as one of Australia’s more captivating current authors of fantasy fiction.  His fourth Fetch Phillips novel, Whisper in the Wind, was so damn good, and I honestly could not get enough of his elaborate and addictive plot, loaded with clever mystery and complex characters, all set in a unique fantasy world.  I must give Whisper in the Wind a full five-star review, and this ended up being one of my favourite books of 2025.  A highly recommended read, if you are a fantasy fan and you haven’t tried the Fetch Phillips series yet, you are missing out.

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The Strength of the Few by James Islington

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books6 Comments

Publisher: Text Publishing/Audible Studios (Audiobook – 11 November 2025)

Series: Hierarchy – Book Two

Length: 31 hours 8 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Australian author James Islington continues his Hierarchy series in epic form with the incredible and complex novel, The Strength of the Few, an outstanding and highly addictive fantasy novel that I had an incredible time getting through.

Back in 2023, I had the pleasure of reading the outstanding novel, The Will of the Many from James Islington, which I very quickly fell in love with.  Following a fugitive prince who finds himself enrolled in an academy for the children of the elite members of the nation that conquered his homeland, The Will of the Many had an intricate plot that forced the protagonist to deal with elaborate ancient puzzles, the unique magic of his world, unlikely friendships, deadly rebels, and all his hidden secrets potentially becoming uncovered.  I had such an amazing time reading The Will of the Many that it got a very easy five-star rating from me, and it ended up topping several of my end-of-year lists for 2023, including my favourite book, audiobook, new-to-me author and Australian fiction lists.  Unsurprisingly, I have been keen to see how the series would continue ever since I finished the final page of The Will of the Many, and the long-awaited sequel, The Strength of the Few, was one of my most anticipated novels of 2025.  I started reading The Strength of the Few the second I could, and it turned out to be another captivating read, with a plot that goes in some captivating and intense directions.

After infiltrating the Academy and running the mysterious Labyrinth, the man known to the Catenan Republic as Vis Telimus thought that he would finally understand some of the secrets of the nation that destroyed his people.  However, his encounters within the Labyrinth have instead resulted in the impossible and placed him in the firing line of an ancient evil determined to destroy his world.

While the original Vis continues to live in the Catenan Republic, attempting to avenge the massacre of his Academy classmates and friends at the Iudicium, he is unaware that the ancient devices within the Labyrinth replicated him across three separate words.  Mirrors of each other influenced and altered by different history, the worlds of Obiteum, Luceum and the world Vis already knows as Res, are divergent places, each with their own troubles, rulers and chaos.

Now one of the few beings existing across all three concurrent realities, Vis stands as the only person who can stop the upcoming Cataclysm that will burn away all he loves.  But first he needs to face the different challenges each world has for him, especially as he truly belongs in none of them.  Forced to fight, to learn how to control the unique powers his situation has granted him, and to understand the different worlds they find themselves in, all three versions of Vis will be pushed to their limits as they try to prove themselves and understand the secrets behind their unlikely journey.  If any version of Vis fails, then all their chance to stop the Cataclysm are finished.  But can Vis really survive in three separate realities, each of which is filled with beings who desperately want him dead?

Well damn, now that’s how you do a sequel.  The Strength of the Few was an incredible novel as James Islington expertly continued the elaborate and ambitious narrative of his epic Hierarchy books.  Featuring a layered story loaded with complex world-building, intricate story details and compelling characters, The Strength of the Few was an exceptional novel that gets a very easy five-star rating from me.

Islington came up with an especially complex and powerful story for The Strength of the Few, which served as a very worthy follow-up to the compelling events of the previous Hierarchy book.  Right out the gate readers are treated to an intricate plot, with the protagonist from The Will of the Many split into three different versions of himself in three separate mirror worlds.  Each version has its own very distinct narrative that revolves around that specific Vis trying to overcome the challenges of that specific world.  For example, the version of Vis on Res, the world that The Will of the Many was completely set in, continues to endure the politics of the Hierarchy, while also attempting to uncover those responsible for the massacre of his classmates at the end of the previous book.  The storyline set on Obiteum is a bit of a post-apocalyptic narrative, as Vis is forced to survive a broken world ruled by the enemy responsible for several previous Cataclysms, and must try to find a way into a forbidden city, half staffed by the living dead.  The final storyline set in Luceum offers a much more adventurous narrative, as a version of Vis that is completely unaware that he is in an alternate world, is forced to explore a new culture and attempt to survive amongst people who have no idea of his past or his destiny.

These three separate and very distinctive storylines each go in some interesting directions as the book continues, and the result is a very impressive and compelling overall narrative, especially as Islington expertly sets up necessary details in the early stages of the book and cleverly builds from there.  For most part, each of these storylines stay isolated, although some key details from each bleed into the wider narrative, and you can appreciate the significance of certain events or revelations in one storyline better thanks to the events in one of the other worlds.  Each plot line goes in some very interesting directions, with the dark politics of Res forcing Vis to engage in some complex schemes and deceptions, the struggles of Obiteum slowly getting to an isolated version of the protagonist, while positive character interactions in Luceum turn that Vis into a completely different person.  Islington starts to enhance the tension of all three storylines in the second part of the book, and there are some very amazing scenes that completely change the tone of each of the main storylines.  I felt the political instability of Res allowed for some particularly powerful moments, especially after a shocking scene about two-thirds of the way through book.  A growing war in Luceum also provides some compelling drama for that storyline, as Vis must decide what he wants in life, while the continued threat of discovery in Obiteum proves to be particularly draining.

The final third of the book contains some of the best scenes of The Strength of the Few, as Islington builds on all the novel’s great storytelling and complex worldbuilding to bring forth an epic conclusion.  Thrusting all three versions of Vis into mortal danger, the tension is particularly thick, as the protagonist and much of the supporting cast are in constant risk.  This includes a final desperate attempt to achieve his goal of killing a god in Obiteum, which hits a range of snags amongst the ancient city Vis has spent most of the book infiltrating.  At the same time, the Vis in Leceum finds himself in the middle of a deadly war, where his unique abilities and the unlikely rewards of a deadly ceremony weigh him down.  However, the most intense is the narrative set on Res, where Vis finds himself attempting to save who he can from the chaotic events brought on by those manipulating him.  Islington probably throws the book’s most shocking moments into the Res storyline, which nicely builds on a lot of the drama and intrigue from the first novel, and forces the protagonist to make some dark decisions, out of both vengeance and necessity.  One scene where the title of the book is quoted by an antagonist really sticks in the mind, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to forgive Islington with the dark bait-and-switch there.  All three of these storylines end on an interesting note that hint of destructive events for the future, and it is going to be fascinating to see how Islington continues the Hierarchy series going forward.

Thanks to the elaborate ideas that Islington had for this epic sequel, The Strength of the Few turned out to be an exceptionally written read, which provides an intense and compelling fantasy narrative, filled with some great emotional depth.  The inventive way that the author splits the book to follow three separate versions of the same protagonist worked surprisingly well, and it allowed for quite a unique character-driven story, which really showcases Islington’s writing ability.  I felt that the split between the three distinctive storylines was very well done, and these separate narrative threads each stood on their own merits, provide a distinctive experience in each.  I loved how there was something special in each of the storylines, and you got some interesting interactions, world building and different focuses with each of them.  All three were very well written, and there were honestly no weak links with any of the storylines, which is always a risk when you split the narrative like this.  I will say that the intrigue-laden narrative on Res was a particular favourite of mine, but both other storylines were also quite exceptional, and they balanced each other nicely with their alternating themes and varied character growth.  Throw in some creative expansion of the universe the narrative is set in, with its cool Will-based magic system, and three worlds each inspired by different ancient cultures (Roman, Egyptian and Celtic), and this was a very well written book, and I really appreciate how effectively Islington builds up his different worlds and showcases them to the reader.

The Strength of the Few proved to be an impressive continuation of the Hierarchy series, and I felt that Islington did an outstanding job building on the impressive fantasy elements and storylines of the first book.  However, the complex narrative split and the way that Islington dives immediately into the story does mean that The Strength of the Few is probably best enjoyed by those readers who have already gotten through The Will of the Many.  While Islington does re-examine key elements of the plot from the first book as The Strength of the Few continues, it is a very gradual process, and new readers trying to read the sequel first are likely to get confused if they don’t know some necessary details from the first book.  The Strength of the Few might have benefited from a good summary or recap at the front of the book to remind readers of some key details, especially if they haven’t had a chance to read re-read The Will of the Many since its 2023 release.  Still, for the most part, all readers should be able to follow and appreciate The Strength of the Few, especially once you get drawn into the three compelling storylines, and people who love extremely elaborate fantasy narratives with a lot of intricate detail are going to have an outstanding time.

I was once again impressed with Islington’s great characters in The Strength of the Few, as this book has a massive cast, made up of an interesting combination of figures from The Will of the Many, and new characters from the three separate worlds of the setting.  However, most of this book naturally follows the young protagonist from the first book, who is primarily known as Vis Telimus.  A studious and damaged figure who had already gone through a lot before the events of this novel, Vis has rather a unique experience in this sequel, as unbeknown to him, there are now three separate versions of him concurrently existing in the mirror worlds of this setting.

Islington perfectly sets up and utilises this three-way split of his protagonist, and readers are soon treated to three distinct variations of the protagonist, each of whom are altered by their experiences and losses, especially the two versions of Vis who lose their left arm.  It was fascinating to see how each of the Vises are influenced and changed by their respective traumas, and how their adventures are altered by the different information or people that they meet.  For example, the Vis in Res, who is essentially the same protagonist from The Will of the Many, finds himself longing for vengeance after the events of the Iudicium, and spends much of the book angry and forced to endure politics and lies.  The version of Vis on Luceum, while feeling lessened by the loss of his arm, soon finds peace in his new setting, and his eventual motivations for fighting and living are very different from his other incarnations, especially as he finds friends he can trust completely.  Finally, the Vis on Obiteum is one of the more confident incarnations of the protagonist, having full knowledge of the upcoming Cataclysm and his place in the three worlds explain early in the book.  As such, he soon becomes the most competent at utilising his Will talents and appears the most undamaged of the three due to not losing his arm.  However, in many ways the Obiteum Vis is the worst off out of all versions of the protagonist due to his isolation, the desolate surroundings, and the early expectations of murder and potential death that are thrust upon him.  I really cannot emphasise just how clever the split between these different variations of the protagonist is, especially with the subtle differences and alternate reactions to similar events or situations. It really makes for quite a distinctive and moving read, especially as all three versions of Vis experiences even greater trauma and damage as this sequel continues.

While Vis is the obvious focus of The Strength of the Few, there is a huge supporting cast utilised throughout this book, including various characters only found on each distinctive world.  Indeed, each version of Vis picks up its own supporting cast, which allows for some very different interactions in each of the major storylines.  Highlights include many of the recurring characters from the first book who serve as Vis’ friends and mentors in Res.  There is a particular focus on Eidhin and Aequa, who have an expanded role as Vis’s main confidants in this novel, and I liked some of the powerful storylines that formed around them.  Other major supporting characters from the first novel are showcased to a lesser extent in this sequel, primarily due to the book being split into three separate parts, although many of these characters still got a notable role in this sequel.

The cast supporting Vis on the desolate world of Obiteum is a lot more limited, mainly to emphasise the protagonist’s loneliness, although he does find a compelling mentor in Caeror, his adoptive uncle, who the protagonist was hunting for in the first book.  A couple of other native characters from Obiteum gain prominence later in this storyline as Vis attempts to complete his mission, and it is fascinating to see how their experiences living on a dead-world, impact their interactions with the protagonist.  Finally, the cast of the Luceum plotline represent a compelling counterpart to the supporting characters of the rest of the book.  While Vis has enemies in Luceum, he also finds several true friends who he can trust with all his secrets.  It was interesting to finally see Vis truly open up to other people, and it allowed for some very different interactions to the secrets and lies that define the protagonist in the other two storylines.  Throw in a compelling array of antagonists, as well as an entertaining manipulator who keeps chucking Vis into the deep end on Res, and this was an impressive cast for this great sequel.  It honestly was an extremely intriguing experience to have three separate casts of characters set around different versions of the protagonist.  While this narrative split did result in some restrictions when it came to character depth or a full exploration of relationships, I think the overall extended length of the book overcame this and allowed the reader to grow close to the supporting characters.  I will warn readers not to get too attached to the extended cast though, as Islington does get a little murderous as the book continues, however, all these characters are impressive while they last.

While I was lucky enough to receive a physical copy of The Strength of the Few, I ended up holding out for a little bit to listen to the audiobook version of this book instead.  I’m a big fan of audiobooks when it comes to ultra-elaborate fantasy narratives, as I tend to absorb and retain more of the details that way, and this worked out well with The Strength of the Few.  I felt that Islington’s complex story came across very effectively when read out, and all the elements, including the elaborate worldbuilding and the great character work, were well translated to the reader.  I also appreciated how the switches between the three different versions of the perspective protagonist, was easily discernible, and this was a very easy story to follow on audiobook.  The Strength of the Few audiobook saw the return of Euan Morton for narrator, who previously read out The Will of the Many, and who I quite enjoyed as a narrator of the Star Wars audiobook, Tarkin.  Morton has a very interesting cadence to his voice as a narrator, which provided a very unique edge to this audiobook.  While Morton’s narration style might not appeal to everyone, I felt that he did a good job voicing this compelling story, especially through the eyes of the complex protagonist, and his unique narration on this elaborate story worked extremely well.  I also felt that Morton excelled at pronouncing all the different names and titles that Islington featured in his plot, no matter their Roman, Celtic or Egyptian inspiration, and the characters of all three different worlds had a subtly different cadence and accent that helped to distinguish the separate storylines from each other.  As such, I really got stuck into this audiobook, powering through it quickly, even with its 31-hour runtime.  This was probably one of the more intense and moving fantasy audiobooks I had the pleasure of listening to in 2025, and I cannot recommend this format enough.

James Islington does it again with his incredible second Hierarchy novel, The Strength of the Few.  Brilliantly continuing his elaborate narrative from the first novel in a unique manner, The Strength of the Few was an ultra-addictive read, that really showcased Islington’s writing ability and imagination.  Clever, powerful and easy to get addicted to, The Strength of the Few was one of my favourite books of the year, and I cannot wait to see how Islington continues the series going forward.

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Katabasis by R. F. Kuang

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy3 Comments

Publisher: Harper Voyager (Trade Paperback – 26 August 2025)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 549 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Acclaimed author R. F. Kuang produces one of the more distinctive and intelligent fantasy novels of 2025 with her elaborate and compelling Katabasis.

Rebecca Kuang, who mostly goes by R. F. Kuang, is a very interesting author who has been making a big impact on the fantasy scene in recent years.  Known for her elaborate and dark fantasy novels that often feature strong Chinese inspiration, Kuang has written some intriguing novels over the years, including her bestselling Poppy War trilogy, as well as the standalone novels Babel (also released as Babel, or the Necessity of Violence), and her contemporary satirical novel Yellowface.  I have been meaning to read something from Kuang for a while, especially after seeing a lot of love for her works online, so I made sure to seek out a copy of her 2025 release, Katabasis.  An intricate read with some excellent academic twists, Katabasis was a compelling novel with a very unique plot.

Plot Synopsis:

Dante’s Inferno meets Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi in this all-new dark academia fantasy from R. F. Kuang, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Babel and Yellowface, in which two graduate students must put aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul—perhaps at the cost of their own.

Katabasis, noun, Ancient Greek:

The story of a hero’s descent to the underworld

Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality: her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world.

That is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.

Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams….

Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the very same conclusion.

With nothing but the tales of Orpheus and Dante to guide them, enough chalk to draw the Pentagrams necessary for their spells, and the burning desire to make all the academic trauma mean anything, they set off across Hell to save a man they don’t even like.

But Hell is not like the storybooks say, Magick isn’t always the answer, and there’s something in Alice and Peter’s past that could forge them into the perfect allies…or lead to their doom.

Katabasis was an outstanding novel from Kuang, who presents a highly academic and moving journey into the underworld.  Featuring a very distinctive style, Katabasis was a thoughtful and intricate fantasy read with some outstanding character moments, which really draw you in with its drama and complexity.

Kuang envisions a compelling standalone narrative for Katabasis, which combines an intelligent adventure into the afterlife with some great character-driven story elements.  Following protagonists Alice and Peter as they journey together into Hell to recover the soul of their recently deceased professor, Katabasis has a bit of a slow start to it, primarily due to the highly theoretical nature of this world’s magic system and the various ideas of Hell.  Kuang is forced to explore a lot of this in the early part of the book, but it serves as an excellent basis for the rest of the novel, especially when combined with hints at the troubled relationship between Alice and Peter, as well as their own dark histories.  Once the story gets going in earnest, it proves to be a lot more exciting, especially when exploring the different planes of Hell, and Kuang soon adds in some other dark threats that further imperil the protagonists.

The second half of Katabasis is particularly good, as the protagonists continue their journey down the various levels of Hell, now being hunted by murderous constructs and their sinister masters.  Kuang really amps up the risk factor for this part of the book, and there are some great scenes here, including one that completely changes the trajectory of the narrative.  At the same time, the author fully reveals the traumatic pasts of both protagonists, which really alters the way you see them and their motivations for undertaking this adventure.  Following some dark tragedy and excellent searches for self-discovery amongst the other trapped souls in Hell, the big threat of the story is eventually resolved, and the goal of the protagonists is reached.  Kuang does an excellent job wrapping the book up, with the final decision of the main protagonist serving as a great full-circle moment for the entire proceeding plot.  I quite liked the hopeful note that the author left her fantastic novel on, which I felt was quite fitting and allowed the reader to come away very satisfied and moved.

I felt that Kuang utilised a very distinctive, and personal style for Katabasis, that really helped her to make the classic journey into Hell story her own.  A powerful, character-driven book, Kuang brings together a great adventure narrative that is constantly enhanced by a range of academic elements and the author’s own complex magick system.  There is a substantial dive into both the concept of Hell, and the study of the novel’s archaic magick, and Kuang cleverly dives into the deep detail of both as the book continues.  Fans of Dante’s Inferno and other classic texts about Hell will love the constant references and comparisons that occur throughout the course of the story, and it was fun to see the differences between what the protagonists expect and what they experience.  I felt that this mixture of homages and the author’s own imagination was very impressive, and the author went above and beyond to set up this setting and her magick system, including with several great maps of Hell that appear in the version of the book I got.  I also felt that the author’s compelling dive into the torture that is advanced academia and the various pressures, lies and rivalries that formed was particularly gripping.  Kuang clearly adds a lot of her own experiences with academia, especially in the elite British universities, into the protagonist’s past, and it gave a gritty bit of academic realism to the plot.  It does need to be said that Kuang made her novel a little too complex at times, and there are a few sections which drag as the protagonist’s dive into obscure lore, elaborate equations, or complicated logic.  Still, for the most part Katabasis was a well-written and addictive standalone read, that will really appeal to established fans of the author.

I think that another major highlight of Katabasis was the excellent character work that Kuang featured throughout the plot.  Focused primarily on the main characters of Alice Law and Peter Mudoch, both protagonists are initially portrayed as brilliant and highly ambitious academics whose journey into Hell only seems to enhance their own rivalry.  However, as the book continues, Kuang does a masterful job of diving deeper into their backstories and showcasing more of their pasts to give their current adventure and motivations more meaning.  It turns out that both characters are a lot more damaged than you’d initially realised, due to their own experiences in academia, their interactions with their supervisor, and the crippling rivalry that has formed between them.  The slow reveal of the full extent of their damage, which also includes both characters reevaluating previous information and conclusions they’ve made, is very impressive, and each revelation adds some greater emotional heft to the plot.  Combine that with the gradual evolution and repair of the relationship between Alice and Peter as the book continues, and this was quite a powerful journey for the two protagonists, especially as they experience even more tragedy, betrayal and uncertainty in Hell.

While most of the book is focused on Alice and Peter, I do have to also highlight how well Kuang set up supporting character Professor Jacob Grimes in the Katabasis.  Despite being dead and appearing mostly in flashbacks and the memories of the protagonists, Professor Grimes serves as an influential figure in the plot, primarily for the impact he had on his various students.  Initially shown as a brilliant and supportive academic, the flashbacks shown throughout the course of Katabasis soon reveal a more malicious side to Grimes, which really changes your view of the protagonists’ journey to save him.  Kuang’s slow burn reveal of all of Grimes’s flaws and manipulation was just perfect, and I loved how your perception of this shadowy figure the plot is chasing changes the more honest and open the protagonists become.  The full extent of Grimes’s actions, and his students’ complicated feelings for him, is such a compelling part of the Katabasis’s plot, and I liked how well it’s tied into the larger problems with academia.  I really do appreciate how well Kuang set up Professor Grimes as a dark supporting figure in this book, whose influence has major implications to the story, even if he only actually appears in the present adventure once.  Throw in some other intriguing denizens of Hell, including a twisted family doing their own dark experiments on the dead in brutal fashion, and Kuang really showcased her ability to write complex and damaged characters in Katabasis.

Overall, Katabasis was a highly compelling and deeply intricate fantasy novel that was a distinctive highlight of the 2025 reading year.  I certainly got the full experience of Kuang’s intriguing imagination with this elaborate book, and the resulting story was an interesting take on dark academic fantasy.  Clever, moving and full of some unique features, Katabasis was an outstanding read that is really worth checking out.

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Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Five-Star Books9 Comments

Publisher: Head of Zeus (Audiobook – 5 December 2024)

Series: The Tyrant Philosophers – Book Three

Length: 21 hours and 39 minutes

My Rating: 5 out 5 stars

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One of the current top authors of all things fantasy and science fiction, the improbably imaginative Adrian Tchaikovsky, continues to greatly impress with his outstanding and epic early 2025 novel, Days of Shattered Faith.

I think it is fair to say that few fantasy and science fiction authors are as consistently prolific and entertaining as the relentless Adrian Tchaikovsky, who has been continuously putting out clever books over the last few years.  While he has written many intriguing series and standalone novels throughout his career, I am more familiar with some of his more recent works, including the novella Ogres, the gripping interstellar novel Alien Clay, one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Day of Ascension, and the hilarious and insightful robot apocalypse novel, Service Model (one of my favourite books of 2024).

While the above books are all quite exceptional, my favourite body of Tchaikovsky’s work has so far been The Tyrant Philosophers series.  A gripping, brilliant and highly amusing series, the Tyrant Philosophers novels are set in a cool fantasy world filled with magic, gods and demons, all with a fun Tchaikovsky twist to them.  With the first two books, City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds, both of which were amongst my favourite books of 2023 (with City of Last Chances being one of the best audiobooks of 2023) the series has really grabbed my attention over the last couple of years.  Much of it is down to the author’s clever narratives that work to expand this intriguing fantasy world through some interesting overlapping characters and events.  In particular, the series examines the dark impact of the Palleseen, a conquering army of fanatics who violently supress superstition and belief in the gods in the name of expanding their own worldview of perfection and correctness.  Both the previous books in this series were quite impressive, and I was very eager to read Days of Shattered Faith when it first came out.  While I have been delayed in writing a review for this book, it proved to be an outstanding read, especially with its rich and powerful narrative.

Plot Synopsis:

Welcome to Alkhalend, Jewel of the Waters, capital of Usmai, greatest of the Successor States, inheritor to the necromantic dominion that was the Moeribandi Empire and tomorrow’s frontline in the Palleseen’s relentless march to bring Perfection and Correctness to an imperfect world.

Loret is fresh off the boat, and just in time.

As Cohort-Invigilator of Correct Appreciation, Outreach department, she’s here as aide to the Palleseen Resident, Sage-Invigilator Angilly. And Sage-Invigilator Angilly – Gil to her friends – needs a second in the spectacularly illegal, culturally offensive and diplomatically inadvisable duel she must fight at midnight.

Outreach, that part of the Pal machine that has to work within the imperfection of the rest of the world, has a lot of room for the illegal, the unconventional, the unorthodox. But just how much unorthodoxy can Gil and Loret get away with?

As a succession crisis looms, as a long-forgotten feat of necromantic engineering nears fruition, as pirate kings, lizard armies and demons gather, as old gods wane and new gods wax, sooner or later Gil and Loret will have to settle their ledger.

Just as well they are both very, very good with a blade…

Wow, what an incredible read.  Adrian Tchaikovsky continues to deeply impress with his elaborate and intense narratives, especially as he expertly continues his Tyrant Philosophers series in his distinctive and creative way.  Featuring a complex plot that follows various damaged and self-serving characters as they navigate the attempts to influence and control a mighty city, Days of Shattered Faith was an addictive read from start to finish, and I loved how the entire novel came together.  A very easy five-star read, Days of Shattered Faith was one of my favourite books and audiobooks from the first half of 2025, and I had such an exceptional time getting through it.

I really loved how Days of Shattered Faith’s story turned out, especially as Tchaikovsky managed to turn this into both a powerful standalone novel as well as a moving entry in the larger Tyrant Philosophers series.  This book has quite a complex and layered narrative to it, as it follows multiple intriguing characters through chaotic events that are about to overtake the city of Alkhalend.  Initially focusing on the two Palleseen characters, Sage-Invigilator Angilly and Cohort-Invigilator Loret, Days of Shattered Faith sees them as unlikely ambassadors in a city that mostly hates and fears the Palleseen and their attempts to subvert and control the world.  When the sudden death of Alkhalend’s ruler results in a brutal civil war, Angilly and Loret attempt to help the Palleseen supporting heir to retain the throne following a coup from his brother.  At the same time, various other figures in the city, including a familiar former priest and several unconventional doctors, attempt to survive the chaos engulfing their home.

Tchaikovsky does an excellent job building up a lot of complex storylines, details of the main setting, and character arcs in the first half of Days of Shattered Faith, all of which came into play in fantastic ways as the novel continued.  Following a large collection of complex character-driven storylines throughout the novel, Tchaikovsky moulds these together into a compelling overarching narrative, with these protagonists impacted by various major events.  This includes the brutal civil war at the centre of the novel, which completely changes the course of the narrative and sets several major characters down some compelling and dark spirals.  Due to the appearance of more Palleseen influence in the second half of the book, things in Alkhalend naturally go to hell in a variety of ways, especially when all the unconventional and imperfect methods of Angilly and her unusual Palleseen colleagues in Outreach are questioned and changed by her more by-the-book superiors, who also drop the subtle tactics when it comes to controlling the city.  This results in a darker, more intense second half of the novel, where every protagonist makes mistakes or experiences greater tragedy.  The author perfectly builds up the tension and suspense before leading up to the big revolution sequence where all the separate character arcs converge for the last time, which was as devastating and crazy as you would expect from Tchaikovsky.  Everything ends on a satisfying, heartbreaking note, especially as several characters find themselves in worse positions then when they started.  It will be very interesting to see where the wider narrative of the series goes from here, especially for the series’ recurring protagonist, but it’s clear that the events of Tchaikovsky’s universe can only get sadder from here.

Tchaikovsky has a very distinctive and compelling writing style for the Tyrant Philosophers novels that coveys his elaborate and entertaining narrative in some unique ways.  Once again relying heavily on multiple perspective changes to tell his layered story, Tchaikovsky embarks on providing a deep and personal story, set around a large collection of compelling supporting characters.  The author excels at creating elaborate and complex backgrounds for the various characters, which are worked into the larger plot extremely well, especially as each character has their own unique motivations and damage.  All these varied story elements are well woven together into one complex story, and it was fascinating to see all the different figures react to the continually changing events.  As with the previous books, Days of Shattered Faith has a range of tones within it, as Tchaikovsky works hard to produce the right balance of intrigue, action, world building and dramatic and moving character moments, all of which are done perfectly and work to create an impressive novel.  The elaborate battle sequences pair well with the subtle and often forced betrayals of the various characters, while deeper personal troubles and dark histories lurk just beneath the surface.  All these sequences are well laced with the excellent and often cynical humour of the author, which really ties the entire thing together quite nicely.  I loved how so many complex scenes were made better by the sarcastic and realistic commentary of either the characters or the narrator, which worked to highlight the dark, and often absurd nature, of so many of the fantasy elements of the story.

As with the last two books in the series, Days of Shattered Faith works well as both its own distinctive, standalone narrative and as a continuation of elements and character-focused storylines from the previous books.  Due to how it initially focuses on an original group of central characters navigating an unfamiliar setting in the series’ wider world, new readers can easily come into this series without any real pre-knowledge of the other books.  However, as the story eventually grows to focus on several major characters from the first two novels, I think those readers who know the full story of these figures and the complex events they’ve had to navigate will end up appreciating the plot of Days of Shattered Faith a little more, especially as Tchaikovsky continues to torture a certain former priest with even more tragedy and hardship.  The author also features references to events from the previous books throughout Days of Shattered Faith, and readers will find it fascinating to see how certain decisions or plots from the recurring characters, such as some vengeful religious conversion in House of Open Wounds, had larger, devastating impacts on the wider world.

Tchaikovsky once again pulls together an elaborate setting for his compelling narrative, as while Days of Shattered Faith is set in the same fantasy world as the other Tyrant Philosophers novels, much of the action occurs around the newly introduced complex city of Alkhalend.  Loaded up with cut-throat politics, various conflicting religions, distinctive magic, and various otherworldly beings who have migrated from other realities, Alkhalend is an exceptional focus for much of the plot.  Tchaikovsky excelled at introducing the various unique elements of Alkhalend and its surrounding nations in the early part of the book, and it was fascinating to see how they impacted the plot going forward.  Alkhalend honestly had so many fun and quirky unique fantasy features, and this had to be one of the more memorable settings I have had the pleasure to see in fantasy figure.

Of course, as this book is set within the Tyrant Philosophers universe, Tchaikovsky had to once again include the Palleseen, who serve as the main antagonistic group in the series.  Ideological zealots often bound by their own rules and processes as they slowly and greedily try to take over the world, all the books in this series are dedicated to examining their methods and serves as a humorous critique of militarisation and empire building.  While the previous books have either looked at the Palleseen as an occupying force or at their weaponisation of magical medical practices, Days of Shattered Faith focuses on their diplomats and how they influence conflicts in lands outside their empire.  This ends up showcasing a new side to the Palleseen machine, especially as the empire’s diplomatic department, Outreach, is made up of more fluid personnel, willing to go outside of standard practices to achieve their goals.  It was quite entertaining to see the differing methods of this empire conflict with each other, especially when it brings some conflict between the various Palleseen characters, and it added some great drama to the second half of the book.  I loved once again seeing the dangerous bureaucracy and insatiable desire for more magical material turn the Palleseen from reasonable allies to controlling occupiers as the plot continued, especially as it perfectly influenced various characters to take a new course of action.

As I have mentioned a few times above, Tchaikovsky loaded this novel up with an outstanding array of complex or damaged characters who are the true highlight of the plot thanks to their collective dark histories and layered motivations.  The sheer range of different characters in Days of Shattered Faith is very impressive, featuring a great mixture of locals of Alkhalend, Palleseen visitors, and other memorable figures seeking refuge in the sandy city.  Much of the plot was focused around the two members of Palleseen Outreach in the city, Sage-Invigilator Angilly and Cohort-Invigilator Loret, whose unique take on diplomacy often causes more chaos.  Angilly was a great lead for much of the plot as a pragmatic Palleseen operative, who finds her loyalty compromised by her romantic connection to the city’s crown prince.  This doomed romance leads to all manner of trouble for both characters, and the various betrayals and eventual end resulted in some of the author’s more tragic writing.  Loret, on the other hand, was a great fish out of water in this novel as she attempts to learn the rules of diplomacy and understand the many facets of Alkhalend, all while keeping her troubled past a secret.  I felt that Tchaikovsky used Loret well as a good stand in for the audience to showcase his new city setting in more detail, while her eventual development and tragic past connected to the events of the previous book proved to be a particularly compelling, if bloody, part of the plot.

The rest of the cast are also impressive, including a couple of opportunistic Palleseen operatives who have less issues with exploiting the people of Alkhalend for their own means.  I also personally enjoyed the return of several familiar figures from the previous Tyrant Philosopher novels, including the unusual batch of former military doctors who made their escape in the previous novel.  While given less focus in this novel, Tchaikovsky still makes excellent use of these fugitive doctors, and it was interesting to see how the most junior member of the troupe got upgraded to a major character now he’s a little older.  Accompanying the doctors is character now known as Happy Jack, who readers of the series may recognise as the priest of small gods from the first two novels, Yasnic.  Now bereft of his original petty deity, Jack has now found happiness and contentment in Alkhalend, especially thanks to an unlikely doomed romance.  Of course, that happiness can’t last too long, and Tchaikovsky soon returns to torturing one of his best characters, ensuring he’ll be even more compelling in the next book of the series.  Throw in the many other unusual denizens of Alkhalend, which includes pirates, necromantic priests, scheming nobles, and even a giant frog god, and the cast of Days of Shattered Faith is impressive, especially as the author carefully balances the many alternating character storylines to create an overall outstanding narrative.  I cannot wait to see what awesome characters Tchaikovsky comes up with in the rest of the series, but I’m expecting some truly fascinating figures going forward.

While I did end up buying a physical copy of Days of Shattered Faith, I ended up listening to its audiobook format instead, mainly because I had such a good time with the City of Last Chances audiobook.  Days of Shattered Faith also proved to be an incredible listen, with the audiobook format deeply enhancing the complex plot and showcasing all the excellent fantasy elements in even more detail.  Coming in with a notable runtime of nearly 22 hours, I was able to get through Days of Shattered Faith quickly, especially with the outstanding David Thorpe narrating the story.  A veteran narrator who has lent his voice to many of Tchaikovsky’s audiobooks, Thorpe did an excellent job bringing Days of Shattered Faith to life, especially as his tones and voices matched the style of the author’s writing.  Thorpe really dives into the various unique characters loaded into Days of Shattered Faith, coming up with a range of fun and fitting voices.  I felt that these voices, as well as his excellent narration of the complex fantasy plot details of this novel, turned Days of Shattered Faith into a very enjoyable audiobook, and it was such a good format to enjoy this unique story.  Easily one of the top audiobooks I have so far enjoyed in 2025, Days of Shattered Faith comes highly recommended in this format, and you are guaranteed to have an amazing time listening to it.

With even more crazy characters, distinctive fantasy elements, and a twisty and captivating plot, Days of Shattered Faith was another exceptional novel from Adrian Tchaikovsky.  A perfect continuation of the incredible Tyrant Philosophers series, Days of Shattered Faith had so many awesome elements to it, and I loved its complex story and compelling protagonists.  An outstanding read I loved so much, Days of Shattered Faith is one of the best fantasy novels of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how the rest of the series unfolds.  Indeed, the fourth book in the series, Pretenders to the Throne of God, is out in a few months’ time, and it is already shaping up to be another epic read.

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The Witcher: Crossroads of Ravens by Andrzej Sapkowski

On By The Unseen LibraryIn English Translation, Extended Universe, FantasyLeave a comment

Publisher: Gollancz (Trade Paperback – 30 September 2025)

English Translator: David French

Series: The Witcher – 0.1

Length: 310 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Legendary fantasy author Andrzej Sapkowski returns to the epic world of The Witcher with the outstanding and awesome prequel novel, Crossroads of Ravens.

I doubt anyone familiar with fantasy fiction is unaware of the cultural juggernaut that is The Witcher franchise.  An exciting and intense fantasy series revolving around Geralt of Rivia, a wandering, monster hunting witcher who finds himself drawn into chaotic events that threaten the entire world.  The initial series birthed seven original novels that were released in Poland the 1990s (later released in English), as well as a series of short stories.  However, The Witcher novels would gain prominence around the world after they were used as the inspiration for an incredible video game series, as well as a later Netflix television show.  I personally have enjoyed several excellent pieces of The Witcher fiction over the years, including the previous novel Season of Storms.  As such, I was very happy when I received an early copy of the new prequel novel from the series, Crossroads of Ravens, which proved to be a gripping read.

Long before the events that would make him a legend, grant him the sobriquets of the White Wolf or the Butcher of Blaviken, or even before he claimed to be from Rivia, Geralt was a young, recently graduated witcher.  Descending from the witcher stronghold of Kaer Morhen for the first time, Geralt soon discovers that the world is a harsh place where ideals of heroism only get you into trouble, and that the entire continent holds nothing but disdain for his kind.

Swiftly finding himself on the wrong side of the law and a noose, Geralt is only saved by the intervention of grizzled veteran witcher Preston Holt.  An enigmatic and damaged figure with his own agenda, Holt takes the young Geralt under his wing, teaching him the true reality of being a witcher and honing the important skills that the future White Wolf needs to survive. 

Emboldened by this training, Geralt soon begins to gain fame as a witcher, serving the people previously protected by the ailing Holt.  However, as Geralt wanders the land, he finds many eyes on him, including those who hold a grudge against his order.  As new adversaries and dangerous secrets from the past are uncovered, Geralt will have to decide whether to become the noble hero he always envisioned himself to be, or the monster the world believes all witchers are.

Andrzej Sapkowski continues to expertly expand the lore of The Witcher universe with this exciting and action-packed prequel.  Crossroads of Ravens was an amazing novel that takes the readers on a series of intense adventures, loaded with intrigue, conspiracy and death that all fans of the franchise are going to have an outstanding time with.  I ended up powering through this novel in less than a day, and it proved to be a very impressive read.

Crossroads of Ravens was an outstanding and very exciting novel that piled on the action, intrigue and adventure in its fantastic story.  Starting off with an effective bang that sees a young Geralt in trouble during his first foray out as a witcher, Sapkowski does an excellent job of quickly setting up the scenario and introducing Geralt, and the reader, to a new mentor figure with the entertaining Preston Holt.  What follows is a series of compelling adventures, as Geralt initially learns from Preston, before journeying off into the wilds, facing off against various monsters and the even more troublesome human population of the land.  Sapkowski has fun placing Geralt into a new, mostly self-contained adventure each chapter of Crossroads of Ravens, the events and characters of which may reappear later in the book.  This allowed for a quick-paced and very interesting overall narrative, and it was entertaining to see the young Geralt in action.

While there is a good focus on Geralt’s independent adventures, Crossroads of Ravens has a larger, overarching narrative, that sees Geralt seeking knowledge of a historical attack on Kaer Morhen many years earlier.  Thanks to hints revealed in some of the earlier adventures, a run-in with a complex secondary antagonist, and in-universe notes from intelligence officers keeping watch on Geralt and Preston, readers get the general shape of this matter in the first half of the book, and it lies like a dark shadow over Geralt’s main adventures.  Everything comes to a head perfectly towards the last quarter of the book, as Geralt fully understands the threat towards him and those he cares about, and decides to act.  This leads to a tragic series of events, especially as Geralt faces the consequences of his action and his order’s history, while also trying to determine whether he should stay as a selfless witcher or become something far more vengeful.  Sapkowski makes sure that several open story threads from the protagonist’s previous adventures are also tied together by the end of the book, and it was interesting to see how certain plot elements from these earlier chapters came into play in the conclusion.  The result was an excellent and highly enjoyable story that serves well as both a standalone adventure and a prequel to the rest of The Witcher series.

I rather enjoyed how this great prequel Witcher novel came together, as Sapkowski imbues Crossroads of Ravens with his usual flair and wry humour.  Loaded with action, quick-paced stories and an array of unique monsters, Crossroads of Ravens was very reminiscent of early Witcher novels, especially as containing certain adventures to a specific chapter is very similar to the series’ original short-story format.  Naturally, this novel will be best enjoyed by those established fans of The Witcher franchise, especially readers of Sapkowski original novel series.  Crossroads of Ravens features various references to future events or characters in its pages, which long-running readers of the series will enjoy, and there is some great early characterization of the protagonist as well.  There are also interesting alternate versions of events readers might have seen in other media, including the historical attack on Kaer Morhen, which was featured in the Nightmare of the Wolf anime film.  While older fans will get the most of this book, anyone with any knowledge of the franchise will be able to enjoy Crossroads of Ravens to a great degree, especially as it is the earliest book in the current canon of The Witcher series.  As such, this novel will have a lot of appeal to wide array of readers, who will be in for a great time with the action and adventure.

As with all The Witcher books, Crossroads of Ravens features an excellent array of characters, including a great supporting cast around protagonist Geralt.  I very much enjoyed Geralt in this novel as Sapkowski features a young and inexperienced version of his iconic protagonist.  It was fascinating to see Geralt’s initial forays into both the world of ignorant humans, and monster hunting, especially as his reactions to both are different at a young age.  A great example of this can be seen in one adventure where Geralt attempts to save a girl turned into a striga, which parallels The Witcher short story, which is the first entry in Sapkowski’s original novel/short story collection, The Last Wish.  This adventure in Crossroads of Ravens goes very differently from the author’s original story, and it was fascinating to see how a younger, less confident Geralt dealt with the same situation.  I also quite enjoyed seeing Geralt, upon experiencing loss, go on a mission of vengeance, which threatens his previous attempts to be a respected hero rather than a monster.  I felt that Sapkowski cleverly balanced Geralt’s conflicting emotions in these sequences, and the end scene where he makes a choice about what sort of witcher he is, was a great finish to his story.  Throw in an array of excellent additional characters, including a wise, vengeful mentor, a dedicated investigator, a kind healer and many other fun figures, and Crossroads of Ravens proves to be an awesome book for fans of Sapkowski’s entertaining characters.

With another fun and captivating adventure, Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher series continues in all its monster-hunting glory with Crossroads of Ravens.  An outstanding prequel novel that features an array of fantastic storylines and characters, Crossroads of Ravens serves as a highly entertaining entry in this acclaimed series that will appeal to a wide audience of fantasy fans.  I had a great time reading Crossroads of Ravens, and it’s worth checking out for anyone in the mood for fun action and an interesting narrative from an excellent established series.

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