Star Wars: Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith, Volume 3 – The Burning Seas

On October 12, 2018May 2, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Comics/Manga, Extended Universe, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Star Wars20 Comments

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Writer: Charles Soule

Artists: Giuseppe Camuncoli

Daniele Orlandini

David Curiel

Java Tartaglia

Publication Date – 11 September 2018

Amazon

I have previously reviewed the second volume of this series here:

Star Wars: Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith, Volume 2 – Legacy’s End

The creative team behind the amazing Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith series return with their third volume, The Burning Seas, which continues to follow the early adventures of one of fiction’s greatest villains, Darth Vader. This third volume contains issues #13-18 of what has to be one of my favourite current ongoing series.

This new volume is set one year after the formation of the Empire, and the Emperor is determined to show off the full military power he now commands. To that end, he dispatches Vader to the aquatic planet of Mon Cala, which has been resisting attempts to be completely incorporated into the growing Empire, and whose King appears to be receiving advice from a Jedi. However, this will not be Vader’s first journey to Mon Cala. Years ago, during the Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker and the Jedi saved the planet from a Separatist invasion and supported the young Mon Calamari king’s ascent to the throne.

Leading a force of his Inquisitors to Mon Cala, Vader attempts to investigate the potential Jedi influencer, but the situation quickly devolves into all-out war. With Governor Wilhuff Tarkin leading the Imperial invasion, Vader and his forces attempt to locate the Jedi behind the unfolding events. How will Vader’s return impact the planet of Mon Cala, and what events will the mysterious Jedi’s actions have for the future of the galaxy?

In additional adventures, Governor Tarkin finds himself in the unenviable position of owing Darth Vader a favour. Vader’s request is a hunt with a twist: the hunter will be Tarkin, while the hunted will be Vader himself. Bored by a lack of challenges, Vader has tasked Tarkin to provide him with some worthy competition. Will Tarkin earn Vader’s respect, or will he and his team of mercenaries be the next victims of Vader’s rage? In addition, Vader has been tasked to investigate sabotage around the construction of the Death Star on Geonosis. As Vader encounters the creators of the Death Star, Commander Krenik and Galen Erso, he uncovers not only the saboteurs but also the full potential of the Death Star and the impact it could have on Vader’s position.

Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith returns with another fantastic and captivating volume that not only furthers the adventures of Darth Vader but also ties the series into the wider Star Wars universe while fleshing out backstories and lore not explored in the movies. In this volume alone several minor characters’ pasts are shown, the history between Vader and Tarkin is explored and there is a particular focus on the events leading up to the Rogue One movie. Dedicated Star Wars fans will love that the main story of this volume is set on the planet of Mon Cala and introduces several key Mon Calamari characters. The readers are gifted with new origin stories for Admiral Raddus, who leads the Rebel fleet in Rogue One, and a young Commander Ackbar, famous for the line ‘It’s a trap’, which highlight their early abilities and show why they were so determined to fight the Empire. Fans of the Clone Wars television show also get an intriguing conclusion to the three-part Water War arc of the show’s fourth season. During this television arc, Anakin Skywalker and his allies helped save the planet from an invasion and helped the young Mon Calamari King Lee-Char ascend to the throne. Now, in a reversal of this arc, Vader returns as an invader and his main target is the Mon Calamari king he once protected with his life. It is a compelling switch that creates some terrific drama and emotion during this comic book arc. Surprisingly enough, there is also a focus on the Mon Calamari cruisers, the large imposing ships that become a fixture of Rebel Alliance and the subsequent Resistance. Several of the plans underway involve the future of these ships, and the twisted priorities of a Jedi regarding them are quite chilling to behold. In addition to the main story of this volume, one of the issues is heavily involved in the construction of the Death Star. As a result, Vader interacts with several characters who feature in the Rogue One movie, and the creative team are able to suggest he had a lot more to do with the events of Rogue One than shown in the movie. This issue also sees Vader return to Geonosis, the main setting for the latter half of the Attack of the Clones movie, and it is very cool to see him return to this important location in his previous life.

On top of the above insertions into the Star Wars universe, the creative team also spend a significant amount of time in this volume exploring the relationship between Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin. When both characters are introduced in A New Hope, Tarkin always appeared to be in command of Vader and appeared to be someone that Vader respected. It was an unusual relationship, considering Vader’s personality and his role as the Emperor’s apprentice. This volume creates a fascinating new narrative that shows when Tarkin was put in charge and why Vader allowed it to happen. This is first shown during the main story of this volume, when Governor Tarkin, who is leading the invasion of Mon Cala, requests Vader’s assistance to end the war quickly. Vader is shown in these issues to independent from Tarkin, who still shows the ability to get what he wants from Vader, even if it may cost him down the line. The creative team spend a good amount of time during the four issues that focus on the invasion of Mon Cala highlighting Tarkin’s tactical ability and ruthlessness, reminding the reader what a great villain Tarkin is in his own right.

The rivalry between Vader and Tarkin comes to a head in the sixth issue of this volume, when the two of them hunt each other on a wild planet. This is one of my favourite stories in the whole Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith series so far, as the two Imperial heavyweights go head to head in a true battle of the villains. This issue does an amazing job of highlighting the attributes of both characters. Tarkin’s cunning, intelligence and determination to win are in full display, while Vader is shown to be not only a destructive force but also a creative opponent who is able to surprise even Tarkin. The conclusion of this story is very clever and helps define the relationship these two characters have in the movie. The final issue of this volume finds Vader officially under Tarkin’s command, but shows that Vader is not as subservient as Tarkin would wish. The main focus of their rivalry in this volume is the Death Star, especially as Tarkin is convinced that his creation will make Vader obsolete. Soule laces some suggestions during this final issue that many readers will find extremely intriguing and puts a whole new light on Vader and Tarkin’s relationship, especially in the final exchange between the two, where Vader presents a prediction to Tarkin: ‘If you invest too much of yourself in this battle station – – it may end up your tomb.’ The exploration of the relationship between these two dynamic and iconic Star Wars villains is an exceptional part of this new addition to the fantastic series and a really cool feature for Star Wars fans.

For the first time in this series, the creative team tackle a large-scale Star Wars battle as the forces of the Empire attempt to invade or subdue the entire planet of Mon Cala. The battle sequences that are produced are breathtaking in their scope and execution, as the reader is treated to land battles, space fights, orbital bombardments, battles above, below and on the planet’s ocean surface and even a weaponised tidal wave which sweeps away masses of Imperial forces. The artwork of these battle scenes is really exceptional; especially the sequences set underwater, which offers an unique scenery backdrop not typically seen in other Star Wars comics. The creative team do a fantastic job showcasing the massive military capacities of the Empire and the pure devastation their newly created military machine can do. I also loved the clever and very entertaining way that the rogue Jedi Ferren Barr manages to use certain Imperial forces against Vader’s Inquisitors, in what has to be one of best examples of karma in the entire history of Star Wars.

As they have in the previous volumes, the creative team behind the Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith series go out of their way to showcase how much of a badass their titular character can be. In addition to the issue in which he powers through all that Tarkin can throw at him, Vader spends the rest of this volume cutting through opponents like they are nothing, including hordes of Mon Calamari and Geonosians. In addition to these fairly standard actions (standard, that is, for an all-powerful Sith Lord), Vader does some other extraordinary actions, whether it’s surviving explosive rock falls, attempting and nearly succeeding to push back a tidal wave, surviving at the bottom of the ocean and then subsequently taming and eventually killing a massive sea monster he encounters there using only the force, Vader appears like an absolute boss. He also has a fun reaction when his Inquisitors abandon their mission and attempt to save him from the bottom of an ocean, instead of being grateful, he calls them fools and makes it very clear that ‘I never need…RESCUE’. It is again captivating to watch how far Vader continues to move further and further away from the Jedi way, as even at the start of this series he had the potential to come back from the dark side. However, his actions in this book, such as the utter destruction of something significant and good that he previously created, re-imagining his previous battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi with devastating new details, and his slaughter of a whole brood of Geonosians that he compares to animals just like he previously did with the Tusken Raiders in Attack of the Clones, once again show how far he has fallen. I must also highlight the great artwork in this series when it comes to Vader. Not only are his exploits shown in full and exquisite detail but the artwork presents him in such a sinister light in every single scene he is in. This is another masterful portrayal of an exceptional fiction villain.

The third volume of the Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith, The Burning Seas, is another outstanding addition to one of this year’s most consistent and entertaining comic book series. This specific volume features massive and intense battles, an intense fight for supremacy between Vader and the ruthless Tarkin, and the continued outrageous and destructive adventures of one of the greatest villains of all time. This entire run of Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith is definitely worth getting into, and The Burning Seas is easily the best volume of this entire series so far. A must read that comes highly recommended.

My Rating:

Amazon

If you enjoy Star Wars fiction, check out some of my previous reviews:

https://unseenlibrary.com/2018/08/12/star-wars-thrawn-alliances-by-timothy-zahn/

https://unseenlibrary.com/2018/05/30/star-wars-last-shot-by-daniel-jose-older/

Star Wars: Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith, Volume 2 – Legacy’s End

On September 12, 2018May 2, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Comics/Manga, Extended Universe, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Star Wars17 Comments

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Writer: Charles Soule

Artists: Giuseppe Camuncoli

Daniele Orlandini

David Curiel

Publication Date – 12 June 2018

Amazon

Writer Charles Soule and artist Giuseppe Camuncoli return with an action-packed addition to the new and compelling series which follows the Dark Lord of the Sith in another sinister adventure in the newly formed Empire.

Legacy’s End is the second volume in the new Star Wars series, Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith, which observes the shadowy journeys of fiction’s favourite villain immediately after he turned to the dark side of the force. The first volume of this series, Imperial Machine, followed on directly after the events of the third prequel movie, Revenge of the Sith, and contained Vader’s initial mission for the Empire, acquiring the materials to forge his first red-bladed lightsabre. It also featured the formation of the Emperor’s Inquisitors, the group of force users who, while not quite Sith, have fallen to the dark side of the force and are now being used to hunt down the remaining Jedi.

Set immediately after the events of the first volume of this series, Legacy’s End continues to focus on Vader’s service to the Emperor and his multiple missions to obliterate all threats to the new Empire. Vader has begun his training of the Emperor’s Inquisitors and is using his destructive teaching techniques to turn them into dangerous hunters. Reviewing the list of Jedi whose destruction is a priority for the Emperor, Vader notes one name that stands out from the rest: Jocasta Nu, the former librarian of the Jedi Temple. Despite her minor powers in the force, the Emperor views her as one of the most dangerous threats in the galaxy. This is because Madam Jocasta has an unsurpassed knowledge of the hidden lessons of the force and the powerful secrets and weapons that the Jedi are protecting, which could be used by or against the Sith.

Teaming up with the Grand Inquisitor, Vader prepares to engage in the hunt for the elusive librarian. There is just one problem: Jocasta Nu is already on Coruscant and has managed to infiltrate the Jedi Temple. Perhaps the most important secret of the Jedi lies hidden in the archives, and Jocasta plans to ensure that the Sith will never have access to it. But when Jocasta is discovered by Vader, the two force users must engage in a desperate fight, with the future of the Jedi in the balance. While Vader has the pure power, Jocasta has plenty of tricks up her sleeve and her entire archive at her disposal.

In another adventure in this volume, Vader finds himself also being hunted by a mysterious foe. Someone wants him dead, and the trail leads straight to the top of the Imperial Navy. Who is trying to kill him, and how will Vader react when he finds the people responsible?

This is a fantastic second outing from the team of Soule and Camuncoli, who team up with new artists Orlandini and Curiel for Volume 2 of this fantastic series. Soule is an experienced comic book writer, with significant work for both DC and Marvel under his belt, and is actually the man responsible for recently killing off Wolverine and Cyclops in two separate X-Men storylines. Soule has also written several different Star Wars comics, including two limited series and the entire 31-issue run of Star Wars: Poe Dameron. Legacy’s End collects issues #7-#12 of the Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith series, with a third collected edition currently set to be released in the next few days.

This new Darth Vader series is an intriguing and entertaining series that takes place inside Disney’s new canon universe. This book contains elements from the movies, while also being strongly associated with the Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels animated shows. As a result, it is a perfect series for dedicated fans of the Star Wars universe, although more casual fans of the movies will also enjoy this series, especially if the prospect of seeing Darth Vader kicking ass and taking names appeals to them.

This series primarily focuses on Vader and chronicles his early rise in power following his conversion to the dark side of the force. Legacy’s End continues to examine his new role and position within the newly formed Empire. Not only is he leading the fight against the remaining Jedi; he is also brutally training the Emperor’s Inquisitors and taking a commanding role in the imperial military complex. Legacy’s End also does much to highlight Vader’s mindset in these days and to reveal the hateful creature that he has become. For example, the first scene shows him chopping off the arms of several of the Inquisitors as a training exercise in order to teach them about loss, a lesson he claims they will never forget. There are also several scenes where Vader is shown meditating, and the dark and twisted creature that appears as a representation of his inner self is an ugly and scary sight to behold. The team behind this series do a fantastic job showing Vader’s sheer power and anger in several devastating battle sequences where he powers through his opponents with the maximum amount of brute force and zero concerns about collateral damage. In these scenes his power is not limited to the destruction he causes with his lightsabre; it highlights the devastation he can unleash with the force and even with his fists. For example, there is one memorable scene in which he punches a powerful droid to death when his lightsabre proves to be ineffective. There are also several great interactions between Vader and the Emperor, and it is absolutely fascinating to see the twisted master-and-apprentice relationship that they have, especially as it is a major part of this series. Overall, this volume continues to highlight Vader as a powerful badass, as well as showing him as a complex character, in order to create a powerful and addictive narrative.

This volume also contains some interesting connections to the rest of the Star Wars universe. Not only are the early days of the Empire once again shown, but the series makes use of the Inquisitors, who were introduced in the Star Wars Rebel’s animated show as key antagonists. It is great to see the formation of this group, as well as their early interactions with Vader, as none of this was really shown in the animated show. However, the most intriguing part of this whole book was Jocasta Nu, the Jedi Temple’s librarian. The character of Jocasta is fairly minor one that hasn’t been explored much before in the Star Wars canon. She appeared briefly in the second prequel movie, Attack of the Clones, played by late Australian actress Alethea McGrath, and was a minor character in a few episodes of the Clone Wars animated show. It is therefore very cool to see her in action in this series, and curious fans will be able to see what she is capable of for the first time. The team behind this volume cleverly showcase her talents as a librarian and archivist rather than as a great Jedi warrior, and her methods of fighting against Vader are quite fun, involving several unusual Jedi weapons, such as a blaster powered by a lightsabre. These scenes are pretty awesome, and interactions with Vader once she knowns he is Anakin Skywalker are very intense, especially when she realises that the terrifying figure hunting her was once one of her former comrades. I also found the exchanges between Jocasta and the Grand Inquisitor to be quite intriguing, hinting at some more of the Grand Inquisitor’s past as a Jedi and Temple Guard, much of which has yet to be revealed in the extended Star Wars universe.

The overall story within this volume is fantastic and it is backed up with some spectacular artwork. The second part of this volume, which focus on Vader being targeted by assassins is incredibly fun, especially the battle scene in which mercenaries who believed themselves capable of defeating a standard Jedi are completely overwhelmed by Vader’s insane battle tactics. However, the main storyline with Jocasta is the most impressive part of the volume and contains some memorable scenes. The conclusion of this storyline is the best part of the entire entry, and it will ensure all Star Wars fans will respect the courage of the Jedi librarian.

Legacy’s Fall, the second volume of Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith is an amazing continuation of this outstanding series. Vader continues to shine as a sensational villain, and the creative team have done an excellent job showcasing this complex character as well as the sheer destruction and power that he possesses. If you love to see the antics of a great villain, this is the series for you, as the early and most destructive battles of one of fiction’s most popular antagonists are shown here with some breathtaking artwork and fantastic storylines. I have already ordered the third volume of this series and I cannot wait to see what happens next.

My Rating:

Amazon

If you enjoy Star Wars fiction, check out some of my previous reviews:

https://unseenlibrary.com/2018/08/12/star-wars-thrawn-alliances-by-timothy-zahn/

https://unseenlibrary.com/2018/05/30/star-wars-last-shot-by-daniel-jose-older/

Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames

On September 5, 2018February 27, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Five-Star Books, LGBT+3 Comments

Publisher: Orbit

Publication Date – 10 July 2018

Amazon

Sensational fantasy author Nicholas Eames follows up his exceptional debut with the five-star novel Bloody Rose, featuring an epic quest storyline which takes its protagonists through a series of wild adventures in a spectacular and large-scale fantasy landscape.

In the human lands of Grandual, mercenary bands hold a celebrity status among the people. Originally formed to help protect against the horrors of the world, most bands now spend their days touring from city to city, fighting monsters in arenas in order to gain fame, glory and money. The most famous of these bands is Fable, led by the notorious Bloody Rose, daughter of the land’s greatest hero, Golden Gabe. Years after her father led a mercenary army to rescue her from a horde of monsters, Rose has reformed Fable with the druin Freecloud, the shaman Brune, the Inkwitch Cura and their booker, the waggish satyr Roderick. With a massive chip on her shoulder, Rose is determined to take on the toughest jobs and challenges that she can find.

In the city of Ardburg, Tam Hasford is sick of her job slinging drinks at the local pub to the famous mercenaries passing through. As the daughter of two mercenaries herself, Tam craves adventure, and when Fable rolls into town looking for a new bard, Tam jumps at the opportunity to travel with Bloody Rose and her band. Gaining a well-deserved reputation for her singing and an accidental reputation as a fighter, Tam receives the moniker ‘The Bard’ and a crash course in the mercenary lifestyle of drinking, gambling, fighting and good times.

But while Tam is having fun in her new role, there is still work to be done. A massive monster horde has once again left the wilds and is threatening several human cities. All of Grandual’s mercenary bands are gathering to meet them, all except Fable. Rose is leading her band in the opposite direction and appears unconcerned with the potential devastation the monsters could cause. Has Bloody Rose lost her nerve or does she have a far more dangerous quest in mind? While Fable’s plan to become legends may prove to be successful, they will have far more destructive consequences than anyone could ever predict.

Bloody Rose is the incredible sequel to Eames’s 2017 debut, Kings of the Wyld, and forms the second book in Eames’s The Band series. Set several years after the events of the first book, Eames switches up the story, focusing on the adventures of Rose and her band of mercenaries, while telling the narrative through the eyes of new point-of-view character Tam. While there are many tie-ins with the first book, including several of the main characters, Eames has mostly shifted the focus onto a new generation of characters.

Although Bloody Rose is the second instalment in this series, curious readers can easily start their adventure with this book. This book’s point-of-view character, Tam, never directly experienced the battles of the first entry in the series, and she ends up having quite a few conversations that describe or dramatise the events of the previous novel. As a result, new readers who start with Bloody Rose will not experience any confusion and will be able to enjoy this story right off the bat. That being said, readers who start with this book will probably get a hankering to read Kings of the Wyld due to how amazing Bloody Rose is.

This is a substantial piece of fantasy literature with a powerful story that is guaranteed to draw the reader in from the first page. The huge scope of this story is just remarkable, as what begins as a simple adventure story transforms into an epic battle for the survival of all life in the world. Much of this scope is the result of the significant number of secondary characters and antagonists that are introduced throughout the book. It is a testimony to Eames’s skill as a writer that all these characters don’t overwhelm the story, and the reader finds themselves interested in seeing how each these characters ends up. The use of a brand new point-of-view character to tell this story is a clever move from Eames as it allows a fresh insight into this world of mercenary bands and monsters, moving on from the old veterans that were the focus of Kings of the Wyld.

The author has infused his narrative with a huge amount of humour, most of it quite adult and over the top in nature. This humorous tone infects quite a lot of the way that the book is told and makes it a very fun read. There are some extremely funny scenes through the book, from debates about fake cockatrices, to the antics of a drunken satyr, to discussions about the dietary requirements of minotaurs. While this humour is a key and overwhelmingly fun part of the story, Eames does get deadly serious in several parts of the book when the protagonists encounter dark days. These darker scenes are felt particularly hard by the reader, mainly due to the sudden shift away from the lighter tone of the rest of the book. While there are several examples of this throughout the story, I found that the final scenes of this book were particularly intense and had me absolutely captivated. This clever combination of the outstanding comedy overtones and the gripping dramatic moments works exceedingly well and turns Bloody Rose’s story into one of the best fantasy narratives I’ve had the pleasure of reading.

In addition to the great use of comedy, drama and story, Eames has also packed this book with a significant amount of action and adventure. The protagonists of this story essentially fight everyone as they adventure across the land, and participate in all sorts of combat, including arena battles with monsters, fights with titanic creatures, large-scale battles and even a few tavern brawls. All these action sequences work well with the book’s other elements. Not only do these battles result in some devastating moments but Eames also includes some comedy in these fight scenes, which can prove to be very entertaining. Readers should also keep an eye out for the fun and inventive combat tactics used throughout this book, which are not only destructive but creative. Never has red hair been used in battle so effectively. With as much conflict and combat as you’ll ever need in a book, this is a perfect read those looking for those looking for their next injection of thrilling action and adventure.

Eames has also created a vast world to be the setting for this story, filled with a huge number of fantasy creatures and massive amount of world building lore. Having such a large and well-established world is essential for a story of this magnitude. The protagonists do a substantial amount of travel from one end of Grandual to the other, exploring large cities, small towns, barren wastes, massive battlefields and dangerous forested areas. The author has also filled this story with every classic fantasy and mythological creature one could think of, as well as a few unique creatures from his own imagination. All these creatures are a great addition to the story, resulting in some very fun battle sequences throughout the book, especially when their a huge number of these creatures in action. One of the more intriguing races is the druin, the rabbit-eared humanoids created by Eames which used to rule all the humans and monsters of this fantasy world. There is some fascinating history around the druin which has some significant impacts on the story, as well as gifting these creatures with some cool abilities that come into play in a variety of great ways.

The author has also spent time developing a fantastic band of main characters for the reader to follow on their adventure. Using his new narrator, Tam, to full effect, the reader is given an introduction to every member of Fable and learns their history and motivations in significant and interesting detail. A decent amount of time is spent looking at all of the members of Fable and the reader is given a deep understanding of each of them. Each member of the band is a fairly unique fighter and character in their own right, but together they form a fun team. Eames really hammers home how close these band members become throughout the book, and the reader becomes attached to the characters as they grow closer together. This makes any potential harm or trauma they experience particularly hard for the reader to experience, and really adds to the books emotional depth.

With the follow-up to his epic debut, Eames has once again demonstrated why he is one of the freshest and most exciting new voices in fantasy fiction. This exceptional story is an action-packed bonanza that sees several compelling characters engage in a heroic quest across an impressive fantasy landscape. With the perfect blend of comedic adventure, epic fantasy storytelling and some dramatic character moments, Bloody Rose is an exceptional and excellent read that is guaranteed to become your new favourite story.

My Rating:

Amazon

Throwback Thursday: The Empire Trilogy by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts

On August 30, 2018February 13, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Fantasy, Throwback Thursday26 Comments

The Empire Trilogy Cover.jpg

Publishers: Doubleday, HarperCollins

Publication Dates:

Daughter of the Empire – 1987 Amazon

Servant of the Empire – 1990 Amazon

Mistress of the Empire – 1992 Amazon

Collected Volume – Amazon

Reviewed as part of my Throwback Thursday series, where I republish old reviews, review books I have read before or review older books I have only just had a chance to read.

If you are a fan of Raymond E. Feist’s books, check out my review of his latest work, King of Ashes: https://unseenlibrary.com/2018/05/30/king-of-ashes-by-raymond-e-feist/

Set in the same universe as fantasy author Raymond E. Feist’s legendary Riftwar Cycle is The Empire Trilogy, which serves as a fantastic companion series to his main body of work. This trilogy, made up of Daughter of the Empire, Servant of the Empire and Mistress of the Empire was written in collaboration with fellow fantasy author Janny Wurst and represents an intriguing piece of literature that shines not only as a side series to Feist’s first two books but also as a substantial and powerful standalone series.

I first came across this series during my school days, when I had to read Daughter of the Empire for a fantasy literature course (great book, terrible teacher). I was already very familiar with Feist’s massive fantasy universe, having read all the other books available in the series at that point, though in a somewhat eclectic order. I had not previously attempted to read The Empire Trilogy before this point, but I eagerly dived into Daughter of the Empire when I got my copy from the school library. I was immediately entranced by the story and read it several times in that semester, especially during the more boring classes. Upon completing the first book, I also sought out the second and third books in the series in order to see how the fantastic storylines continued. In recent years, I was lucky enough to find audiobook copies of the entire trilogy, and have since re-listened to it several times. These more recent perusals only confirmed my enjoyment of this series, as well as my love of Feist’s massive fantasy world.

The first book of The Empire Trilogy, Daughter of the Empire, was published in 1987, one year after the final book in The Riftwar Saga, the first trilogy in Feist’s massive Riftwar Cycle. In many ways, Daughter of the Empire and the second book, Servant of the Empire, serve as accompaniments to Feist’s original series, as both plots are set at the same time and events that occur in Magician and Silverthorn have significant impacts within The Empire Trilogy.

Daughter of the Empire Cover.jpg

The Empire Trilogy follows Mara of the Acoma, a young woman who becomes the Ruling Lady of her house after the sudden death of her male relatives. Through the course of this series, Mara must become a strong ruler to maintain the honour of her family and ensure the survival of all the people pledged to her house. Mara must use all of her cunning to overcome powerful opponents while adapting new methods and viewpoints that are uncommon in her regimented culture in order to survive.

This series is set in the world of Kelewan, a vast planet inhabited by several strange alien species, and mainly focuses on the inhabitants of the massive Empire of Tsuranuanni. The Tsurani were introduced in Feist’s first book, Magician, where they travel through a magical rift to the world of Midkemia and clash with the inhabitants of this new planet in an event known as the Rift War. The Tsurani are a race of humans based on a combination of real world cultures, such as the Japanese, Koreans and the Aztecs. For example, the overriding Tsurani ideal of honour, an exceedingly important concept in the books that strongly influences their culture and way of life, is very strongly based on feudal Japanese ideals of the samurai and bushido. Kelewan is explored within Magician through the eyes of Feist’s main protagonist, Pug. Midkemia is the main setting for the books in the Riftwar Cycle. While Kelewan is visited in later books of the Riftwar Cycle, most notably in Silverthorn, it becomes a more underutilised setting as Feist’s overall series continues, before eventually being destroyed in Wrath of a Mad God.

Each of the books in this trilogy contains epic and captivating stories that not only highlight life in these alien planets but also show a tale of survival and victory against all odds as the protagonist, Mara, faces and overcomes the superior forces arrayed against her. The first book in the trilogy is Daughter of the Empire, which introduces many of the series’ main characters and storylines. The protagonist and main point-of-view character is Mara of the Acoma, who is dramatically pulled from her peaceful life as a novice priestess into the deadly and treacherous world of Tsurani politics. Mara’s father and brother were killed during a battle on Midkemia because of treachery from the most powerful house in the Empire, the Minwanabi. As a result, Mara is forced to take on the role of Ruling Lady to save her house from being destroyed and her retainers taken as slaves or forced to become honourless bandits. With the vast majority of her soldiers killed in Midkemia, Mara must find creative ways to stop the Minwanabi and other rival houses from wiping her out.

Mara proves to be an effective leader, bending Tsurani traditions to her favour, recruiting talented followers and forming new alliances. Her machinations result in a political marriage to a brutal husband whom Mara must endure until the moment is right to remove him. Watching the protagonist rebuild her house through any means necessary is a fantastic focus of this book which really allows the reader to get a strong idea of Tsurani politics, ideals and culture, as well as Mara’s determination as the central protagonist. The climax of the book is set within the Minwanabi stronghold, which Mara has been forced to visit in order to attend a celebration for the Warlord (the Tsurani equivalent of a feudal Japanese Shogun). This final part of the book is filled with significant tension and fear, as everyone is well aware that the Minwanabi will murder Mara before she leaves the party. Mara must find a way to use the Tsurani honour system to prevent her own assassination while also striking a blow against her opponent. Daughter of the Empire is an exceptional introduction to this fantastic series, and is a spectacular novel in its own right.

Feist and Wurst followed up their first entry in this series with another sensational novel that doubles down on the action and intrigue and contains some of the best sequences in the entire series. Servant of the Empire directly follows on from the events of the first book and sees Mara and her house still in great peril. Mara may have overcome the previous ruling lord of the Minwanabi, but her enemies are still the most powerful house in the Empire. While the new lord is nowhere near as competent as his father was, he has called up the family’s most devious and destructive member, Tasaio, the man who organised the death of Mara’s father and brother. As the Minwanabi plot against the Acoma, Mara is distracted by her acquisition of a group of Midkemian slaves, especially the charismatic Kevin of Zūn. As Mara and Kevin fall in love, the Acoma are drawn into a series of battles on many different fronts, but Kevin’s alien way of thinking offers Mara a distinct advantage. But events completely outside Mara’s control may have the greatest impact on the future of her house. Both the magician Pug and the chaotic event of the Riftwar bring significant change to the Empire, and Mara and her enemies must seek new ways to turn these events to their advantage. While Mara’s relationship with Kevin provides her with strength, it also represents her greatest weakness.

Servant of the Empire Cover.jpg

There is a lot going on within this book, including a number of large-scale battle sequences, as well several scenes focusing on the Empire’s political intrigue. The standout scenes for me have to be either the extended sequence in the arena which features a different point of view to the chaotic magic unleased by Pug in Magician, or the sequences where the biggest houses in the Empire stage a night-time battle of assassins in the halls of the Imperial Palace. While this might be my favourite book in the series, I am not the biggest fan of the way the romance angle between Mara and Kevin is portrayed. Kevin, however, is a fantastic addition for this book, and it is intriguing to have a character that has a similar viewpoint as the reader to observe and comment on Tsurani honour, politics and culture.

The third book in the series, Mistress of the Empire, is set some years after Servant of the Empire and sees Mara and the Acoma once again up against a superior enemy. After their victories in the second book, the Acoma are now the most powerful house in the Empire, but Mara’s sins have come back to haunt her. When the Hamoi Tong assassins initiate a devastating strike at the Acoma, the Assembly of Magicians forestalls Mara’s vengeance against the house she holds responsible. The magicians, known throughout the Empire as “Great Ones” are determined to limit the Acoma’s influence, and Mara soon finds herself in a hidden war against the most destructive force in all of Kelewan. At the same time, her former brother-in-law, Jiro of the Anasati, seeks retribution against Mara, while her loyal Spy Master Arakasi seeks to find a way to finally destroy the Hamoi Tong. Travelling outside the Empire, Mara uncovers dark secrets about the Assembly, and her actions will have major impacts on the future of Tsurani life.

Mistress of the Empire is an excellent conclusion to this trilogy that not only provides a compelling story with exciting new additions but also neatly wraps up storylines from the previous two books. While this book probably has the least connections to the events of Feist’s main series, it dives deeper into the history and hidden lore of Kelewan and the Empire, including the Assembly of Magicians, a sinister and powerful group in Feist’s universe. Many of the main characters get satisfying endings to their storylines, and we get to see several chapters told from the point of view of the Spy Master Arakasi. Arakasi is one of the series’ best characters; however, due to the nature of his work, the readers usually do not get to see him in action, instead only hearing second-hand accounts of his missions. Readers get to enjoy scenes that focus on Arakasi’s investigations into both the Assembly of Magicians and the Hamoi Tong, which also serve to expand on Arakasi as a character. Readers will also enjoy the fact that, after two books in which the antagonists need to keep up the appearance that they are obeying the Tsurani code of honour in their battles with the Acoma, Mara is now forced to go up against an opponent outside the typical laws and practices of the Empire.

One of the most interesting aspects of this series is how the authors have tied the books into the events of Feist’s original trilogy. There are actually a few pre-emptive mentions of characters and events that become an important part The Empire Trilogy in Feist’s first book, Magician. For example, the Shinzawai, a major house, whose members become key characters in The Empire Trilogy, are first introduced in this book as friends of Pug. During Pug’s adventures in Kelewan, there is mention of a visit to the Lady of the Acoma, an event that subsequently occurs in Servant of the Empire. The Minwanabi betrayal of the Acoma forces is also described to the Midkemian protagonists of Magician by a former Tsurani slave in an attempt to highlight the Tsurani system of honour and politics. The first book in The Empire Trilogy, Daughter of the Empire is actually set in the time gap between the two halves of Magician, and takes a closer look at the impact that the Riftwar has had in Kelewan.

A more direct connection to the series is established in Servant of the Empire. As mentioned above, long-running Riftwar Cycle protagonist, Pug, makes several appearances in this book, mirroring events that occur in second half of Magician. Events that occur in Feist’s original trilogy have severe impacts on the plans of Mara and her enemies, such as the destruction of a huge number of Tsurani lords in the final battle of Magician and the death of the new Warlord in Silverthorn. All of these become significant plot points in Servant of the Empire, and it is absolutely fascinating to see the impacts of events in other books.

Mistress of the Empire Cover.jpg

The most spectacular crossover event comes about halfway through Servant of the Empire, which shows some of the cataclysmic events from Magician from a whole new perspective. In the second half of Magician, the powerful magician Pug unleashes his full fury on an arena full of Tsurani, sending wave after wave of magical attacks and disasters on the arena’s audience. The scene is very intense when told from Pug’s point of view; however, readers of the second book in The Empire Trilogy are shown the absolute terror and destruction that a member of this crowd experienced during these events. Mara, Kevin and a few Acoma retainers are present when the magical attack occurs and must flee through the panicking mob while also avoiding enemy assassins. The sheer chaos and dread experienced by these characters and the surrounding crowd is astounding, and turns an incredible scene from Magician into one of the most intense and memorable sequences Feist has ever written.

Throughout the series, the Mara and her house are engaged in significant conflict with other factions in the Tsuranuanni Empire. In the first two books, their opponents are primarily the most powerful house in the Empire, the Minwanabi, while the third book sees Mara in conflict with another influential house, as well as the Assembly of Magicians and the Hamoi Tong assassins. As a result, the main focus of these books is usually the battles for supremacy between the Acoma and their opponents. However, what sets these stories apart from other fantasy novels is the way that these battles are fought. While an all-out war would probably ensure a quicker conclusion to this struggle, the Acoma and their enemies are forced to fight within their nation’s rules of conflict and honour. As a result, the participants are forced to fight in a far more shadowy conflict. While there are battles between armies, often with one side in disguise, the participants also fight using economics, espionage and politics. Throughout the book, the protagonist makes alliances, build up her resources and use her influence to mould the politics of the realm to her advantage. The reliance on honour is a fascinating part of this battle, and the reader will enjoy seeing the protagonist use this concept of honour to manipulate her opponents. The real fun comes when the various participants are no longer bound by the rules and are able to unleash much more devastating and direct attacks on each other, such as the massive battle in the imperial palace that takes place in Servant of the Empire. The battles for survival and control of the Tsuranuanni Empire represent an absolutely captivating and exciting part of this series, especially when the Acoma spymaster Arakasi gets involved.

Readers of The Empire Trilogy are also gifted with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the people, races and culture of Kelewan. This world and some of its history was explored in Feist’s earlier books, including Magician, where an extended magical vision showed the reader key points in the planet’s history. However, for those readers who wish to have a truly deep understanding of life in Kelewan, and the Tsuranuanni Empire in particular, the books in this trilogy are the best things to read. Through the protagonist’s eyes the reader gets to explore the various pieces of land that make up the Empire, as well as the creatures that inhabit these lands. Feist and Wurst also spend significant amount of time looking at the Cho’ja, the ant-like alien creatures who were first introduced in Magician. Daughter of the Empire takes a very interesting look at the Cho’ja, especially as an early part of the book focuses on the protagonist’s attempts to win a Cho’ja colony for her land. In order to do this, she enters a hive and negotiates with a newly hatched queen in order to provide Mara with additional warriors and access to silk spinners. In order to gain an edge on her competition, Mara attempts to understand the cultural differences between her race and the Cho’ja, and is able to come up with some intriguing conclusions as a result. These initial and interesting observations of this race are then massively expanded upon in Mistress of the Empire when Mara, in an attempt to find out the secrets of the Assembly of Magicians, uncovers the true history of the Cho’ja and the ancient pacts they are bound to. Readers will be absolutely fascinated by the lore of these creatures, and there are some great scenes featuring Cho’ja economy and their skills in battle. In addition to the Cho’ja, Feist and Wurst also explore some of the human nations that exist in Kelewan, including the desert tribes of Dustari and the Thuril. These explorations aren’t as detailed as the authors’ look at the Cho’ja and the Tsurani, but are intriguing in their own right, as the authors create some unique cultural features for them.

While the examination of the Cho’ja and the other human races of Tsurani is an intriguing and detailed part of the books in The Empire Trilogy, it pales in comparison to the massive amount of time spent exploring Kelewan’s main civilisation, the Tsuranuanni Empire. The vast majority of the three books is spent within the Empire, with only a small portion of Mistress of the Empire spent outside. Feist introduced a lot of the elements of the Tsurani in Magician, but this is expanded on substantially in this series. Readers who read through these books will be left with an incredible amount of information about Tsurani politics, religion, culture, societal makeup and various other parts of day-to-day life in the Tsuranuanni Empire. The use and examination of Tsurani politics at many different levels is an extremely compelling part of these books, and the various meetings and manipulations that occur represent a very enjoyable part of the book. The concept of Tsurani honour is also explored in great detail. Honour is a massive and defining part of Tsurani culture, and the various characters risk everything to maintain it. Living or dying without honour is considered the worst thing imaginable as it will impact on the individual’s reincarnation in the next life. The concept of honour is particularly skewed towards the Tsurani nobles, and it often takes an outside perspective, like that of Kevin, to identify how unfair the system is. Mara becomes particularly adept at using this honour system to her own advantage. While absolutely devoted to maintaining her family’s honour, her interactions with Kevin lead her to try and make some substantial changes in Tsurani society. The books in the trilogy also reveal some deeper understandings about Tsurani history and the various secret organisations such as the Assembly of Magicians have been protecting. While physically reading these books allows the reader to absorb a lot of this lore, I would also suggest that people check out the various audiobooks that have been produced, which can help listeners to absorb more of these amazing story elements.

I do have a few minor criticisms about this series, but nothing that is really going to change my high regard for it. There are some unnecessary scenes where Mara is scolded and nagged by her nurse, Nacoya, who quickly becomes one of the series’ more annoying characters. I felt that some of the scenes featuring Nacoya’s constant criticism took away from Mara’s image as a skilful and intelligent leader, and just made her seem like a foolish girl. Luckily Nacoya is easily overshadowed by several of the other supporting characters, such as Keyoke, Arakasi and Lujan. I also found parts of the relationship between Mara and Kevin in Servant of the Empire to be very frustrating, especially as they seemed to keep cycling through the same problems and issues. Luckily, Kevin’s ‘barbarian’ insights and ideas more than make up for this, as he produces some excellent battle and political tactics throughout the book. Overall, these are some fairly minor criticisms from me, and I really love all three of these books.

The Empire Trilogy from Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurst is a spectacular fantasy series set in the same incredible universe as the Riftwar Cycle. This trilogy of books is an amazing series in its own right; however, it’s real strength comes from it being a clever tie-in to Feist’s main series of books. Featuring some incredible story elements, exceptional action-packed scenes and a detailed setting stuffed full of lore, The Empire Trilogy is some of these two talented authors’ best works, which still stand up to this day. The series is required reading for anyone who has read Magician and other books in the Riftwar Cycle, but it also comes highly recommended for those readers looking for that next fantasy series to fall in love with.

My Rating (Series and Each Book):

Four and a half stars

City of Bastards by Andrew Shvarts

On August 23, 2018August 22, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Young Adult11 Comments

City of Bastards Cover

Publisher: Hyperion

Australian Publication Date – 31 July 2018

World Publication Date – 5 June 2018

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Young adult fantasy author Andrew Shvarts has a dramatic return with City of Bastards, an explosive and incredible follow-up to his electrifying 2017 debut.

After her father’s declaration of rebellion against the crown, Tilla, bastard daughter of Lord Kent, turned against him by rescuing the king’s daughter, Princess Lyriana, from his clutches. Fleeing her father’s lands in the west of the Kingdom of Noveris, Tilla, Lyriana, and Tilla’s boyfriend, Zell, make the journey to the capital city of Lightspire, the opulent and magical city where Lyriana’s father reigns.

Attempting to put aside the horrors she experienced while fleeing from the west, Tilla settles down in a life of luxury as a student in the city’s prestigious university. However, not everything is as shiny and golden as Tilla had hoped it would be. She faces ostracism from the most of the city’s population as her father continues to wage war against the kingdom. On top of that, Zell appears unsatisfied with city life and is growing distant from her. Tilla and Lyriana are still mourning the death of Tilla’s brother, Jax, and not even their hard partying lifestyle is making them feel any better.

Their new lives are only destined to last for so long before disaster strikes. When Tilla finds her roommate dead, she knows that a mysterious mage she encountered is behind the death. But no-one seems willing to believe her, and the death is quickly ruled a suicide and pushed under the rug. When she is then attacked by the rogue mage, something considered impossible, Tilla begins to realise that there is something very rotten in the heart of the Lightspire. With her father apparently keeping the king’s invincible army of mages at bay, and shadowy cultists sowing chaos in the city, Tilla uncovers a terrible plot that could shake the entire foundation of the kingdom. With the king’s inquisitor hunting her as a traitor and the whole word turned against her, can Tilla and her friends stop the evil unfolding in front of them before it’s too late?

City of Bastards is Shvarts’s second book, and is the sequel to last year’s release, Royal Bastards. This is a fantastic new series of young adult fantasy books, with a third entry already planned for 2019. These books are marketed towards a young adult audience, but this is a series that will also prove to be massively appealing to older readers as well. Fair warning to parents: this is probably not the best series for younger readers, as the huge amounts of drugs, drinking, sex and teen angst make this books more appropriate for an mid to older teenage audience.

This novel contains a truly captivating story of intrigue and murder in the heart of a magnificent and magical city. Shvarts combines some excellent thriller and fantasy elements together to create a superb overall narrative, which includes a large-scale conspiracy that proves to be particularly impressive. There is a well-written and absorbing investigation angle getting towards the conclusion of this plot, and the full scope of this conspiracy is very elaborate and uses some intriguing magical elements. There are a number of surprising twists, betrayals and dramatic reveals that will hook the readers, while the conclusion of the story is epic in its size and consequences. Overall, this is an extremely compelling fantasy thriller story that has not been simplified for a younger audience.

Shvarts has also created an intricate and intriguing cityscape that serves as an excellent setting for the story. There are some memorable locations visited throughout the course of the narrative, and the author does a fantastic job showing the differences between the richer areas of the Lightspire and the districts where the everyday citizens live. Exploration through the city by the protagonist highlights this class difference and the corruption of the rich, all of which forms a significant story element later in the book. The author also introduces some fascinating fantasy elements, such as large-scale magical messages, unique methods of transportation, rebellious anti-magic fanatics, the kingdom’s hidden magical heart and substantial catacombs under the city that hold dark and powerful secrets. All of these elements play a significant role in City of Bastards’ story, and meld in perfectly with the protagonist’s investigation and the vast underlying conspiracy.

The entirety of City of Bastards is narrated by the book’s protagonist, Tilla. Shvarts does an amazing job of capturing the essence of a modern teenager in the book’s narration, and the reader really feels that they are accompanying a rebellious young woman on her quest throughout the city. As a result, the book is filled with sarcasm, funny jokes, humorous observations and a certain amount of complaining about the situation. The story is also infected with a bit of teen angst, which is amusing to see amongst storylines dealing with the future of a civilisation and will no doubt prove to be relatable to many readers. In addition to the humour, this narration also allows the reader to see the protagonist’s many vulnerabilities throughout the course of the story. Overall, the protagonist’s narration adds a lot to this book, and is definitely one of its more appealing features.

A highlight of the book has to be the realistic focus on trauma and the powerful consequences of the first book. Some of the very best young adult books are those which do not shy away from heavy topics, featuring gritty and realistic portrayals of trauma and PTSD as they try to highlight the often unseen or unconsidered costs of their character’s attempted heroism or battles for survival. In City of Bastards, Tilla, Lyriana and Zell spend a significant amount of time dealing with the terrible things the encountered in the first book, including the death of Jax, Tilla’s brother and Lyriana’s love interest. Lyriana’s transformation is the most dramatic, as is she suffering not only from Jax’s loss but also from the guilt and trauma following her decision to break her oath of pacifism and kill someone with her magic. As a result, she turns from the sensible and respectful character she was in Royal Bastards to a hard-drinking wreck who acts out in a number of different ways and has a hard time dealing with her feelings. Tilla is also traumatised by the death of Jax, and while at times she seems to be processing it better, her depression is compounded by the dramatic changes in her life and the outright disdain that many characters show her. Overall, this realistic portrayal of trauma and vulnerability in the characters is very well written and adds a real emotional edge to the story.

City of Bastards is an amazing piece of young adult fantasy that makes substantial use of its new setting to create an epic, conspiracy-laden storyline that proves to be exceedingly captivating. This is a powerful sequel to Andrew Shvarts’s first book, and fans of Royal Bastards will be entranced by the author’s focus on the first book’s devastating consequences. This is one of the best pieces of young adult fiction of 2018. I had a real hard time putting this book down, and it comes highly recommend.

My Rating:

Four and a half stars

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City of Lies by Sam Hawke

On August 16, 2018August 19, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Thriller15 Comments

Publisher: Bantam Press

Publication Date – 3 July 2018

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Poison, murder, conspiracy, and war are all on the way for readers of City of Lies, one of the best fantasy reads of the year from Canberra author Sam Hawke.

In the country of Sjona, the capital city of Silasta is a glittering beacon of culture and art. Young nobleman Jovan and his family serve a special role, subtly protecting Sjona’s ruler, the Chancellor, and his heirs from being poisoned. As a result of his training, Jovan is now capable of detecting and identifying poisons that could be slipped to his charges. While his uncle and mentor directly protects the Chancellor, Jovan serves the Chancellor’s carefree young heir, Tain.

When Jovan and Tain return to the city following a diplomatic journey, they are soon placed in a terrible situation. The impossible has happened: an unidentified poison has been slipped to the Chancellor, killing him and Jovan’s uncle. Without their respective mentors’ guidance both young men are thrust into new roles: Tain as an untested Chancellor, and Jovan now responsible for the safety of his nation’s ruler.

However, things can always get worse. A mysterious army has arrived undetected at the gates of Silasta, and the city, which has never known anything but peace, is soon besieged. The army appears to be made up of Sjona’s peasants and contains powerful individuals in control of spirits. With the majority of the military far away fighting in another conflict, few professional soldiers are left to defend Silasta, and Tain must lead a desperate defence against a superior force.

As the siege continues, it soon becomes apparent that not everything is as it seems. Why is the city being attacked, and how did no one see this coming? A deep conspiracy lies across the capital and no one can be trusted, not even Silasta’s ruling council. It also appears that the person who killed the Chancellor is still at large within the city and is aiming to poison Tain as well. As Jovan utilises all his skill to protect his friend, his sister Kalina searches for the traitors hiding inside their walls.

City of Lies is Australian author Sam Hawke’s debut novel and represents an outstanding first outing from a remarkable new talent. This ambitious book contains a fantastic plot, with some unique story elements and an elaborate thriller narrative that combines perfectly with the book’s overarching fantasy narrative. This is the first book in Hawke’s planned Poison War series, and is focused on two separate point-of-view characters, Jovan and Kalina, who each narrate around half the book.

This book contains an amazing and extremely compelling overarching thriller narrative that sees the protagonist attempt to unravel the conspiracies surrounding their city. Hawke has put a lot of work into creating an elaborate and multilayered plot that draws the reader in with its significant intrigue. The is so much for the reader to discover as the protagonists try to work out who the army attacking them is, what their motives are, and how the siege relates to the secrets of the ruling class. This intrigue-driven storyline is amped up even more once it is revealed that the person who poisoned the chancellor might not be a member of the army camped outside the city. Hawke presents the reader with a number of likely suspects, most of whom are on the city’s ruling council, as well as a range of interesting and plausible motives for the betrayal. The full extent of the interwoven conspiracies is quite impressive, and Hawke presents an extremely captivating storyline of the protagonists unravelling the plot that is guaranteed to pull in the reader’s full attention. This is definitely a high point of this fantastic book.

One of City of Lies’ standout features is Hawke’s substantial focus on poisons and role the main character plays in protecting the city’s ruler from harmful substances. At the start of the story, the Chancellor and the protagonists’ uncle are both poisoned and killed by an unknown toxin. Jovan, who already served Tain as his ‘proofer’, a combination food taster, poison master, and trusted personal chef, spends the rest of the book trying to defend Tain from a poisoner he knows is out there, who apparently has access to a poison he has no idea how to detect or cure. The battle of wits between Jovan and the poisoner is an intense part of the book’s narrative, and the reader can feel the desperation that Jovan feels trying to keep his friend and, by extension, his city alive. There are some great scenes throughout this book as Jovan attempts to work out how poison could be administered to Tain, as well as trying to work out potential cures and solutions to the poison’s victims.

In addition to examining the tension that the book’s poison elements elicit, Hawke also spends a significant amount of time exploring the various toxins of her universe and the techniques of the book’s poison ‘proofers’. The descriptions of these skills in training is utterly fascinating, and the author has come up with some amazing ideas that prove to be enthralling for the reader. In addition, Hawke has chosen to deepen the audience’s interest and knowledge of her universe’s poisons by including a page of the protagonist’s ‘proofer tome’ before each chapter in the book. These pages contain a description of the poison, what effects it has when administrated and what clues the proofer can use to identify the poison in food, such as taste or texture. This is a fun addition that also contains some information relevant to the book’s plot, and the readers will find themselves deeply exploring the lore being presented to them. Another cool feature was the way in which Jovan uses his knowledge and cache of poisons in an offensive manner against his opponents to compensate for his lack of martial skill. There are some fantastic scenes where Jovan uses a range of different substances in the middle of battles, as well as some excellent sequences where he doses potential opponents in advance of a confrontation.

Special mention should also be given to the wonderful fantasy setting that Hawke has created for City of Lies. The vast majority of the plot is set within the capital of Silasta, a large city that has a reputation and preference for culture and the arts, whilst viewing violence and warfare as a distasteful profession. The author does an amazing job describing this city’s many wonders, whilst at the same time creating a unique societal setup that plays brilliantly into the story’s intriguing elements. While the focus of this book is solely within the nation of Sjona, expect the sequels to follow adventures in other countries mentioned.

The siege elements of this book are also very enjoyable and offer another interesting point to this fantastic book. I’m always a fan of a good siege storyline, especially when it’s told from the point of view of the defenders. The parts of the book that focus on the siege are extremely well written and provide the book with some substantial action sequences. It is also fun to see how a city mostly made up of peace-loving artists and performers can defend itself without an army to help. Hawke produces some great ideas for her defenders, which also ties into the fantastic poison elements above, when the protagonists use their knowledge to create some defences for their city.

Overall, City of Lies is an intrigue-studded masterpiece of a fantasy novel that combines together a range or magnificent story elements with an excellent setting and an addictive overarching thriller narrative. Hawke’s use of poisons as a key plot point is just incredible and represents one of the most interesting parts of this book, and I am intrigued to see how she will continue to use poisons in future entries in this series. This is a five-star debut from Hawke, and I would wholeheartedly recommend City of Lies to any fans of the fantasy genre.

My Rating:

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Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio

On July 5, 2018August 20, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Five-Star Books, Science Fiction20 Comments

Publisher: Gollancz

Publication Date – 3 July 2018

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First time author Christopher Ruocchio boldly introduces himself with his five-star debut, Empire of Silence, an extraordinary and spellbinding science fiction epic.

In the far future, humanity has left Earth behind and made its home in the stars by colonising thousands of the planets. However, expansion was halted when the humans encountered the Cielein, the only other race in the galaxy with the ability to travel through space. For years, the humans and the Cielein fought a brutal and devastating war against each other, until one man changed everything.

That man is Hadrian Marlowe, who, for the best of reasons, destroys a sun and burns every last Cielein from the stars. This destruction also results in the deaths of four billion humans, including the Emperor of Sollan Empire. After this infamous act, Hadrian is considered throughout the galaxy as both humanity’s greatest hero and its most terrible villain, known as The Sun-Eater, Starbreaker, Palekiller and Deathless. But how did one man who was neither a soldier nor a hero seize such a responsibility and commit such atrocities? The Sun Eater series is the chronicle of Hadrian’s life, of which Empire of Silence is the first part.

Born the eldest son of a noble house, Hadrian fled his family and his overbearing father to escape his future as a member of the Chantry, The Stella Empire’s state religion. When the ship he chartered is mysteriously abandoned en route to his destination, Hadrian finds himself stranded on the wrong planet with no means of escape and none of his family’s resources available to him. Forced to fight his way up from the gutters, Hadrian attempts to survive on this strange new world by any means necessary. Starting out as a beggar and thief, Hadrian eventually embarks on a career as a gladiator in the hope of making enough money to buy a ship. But when his true identity is revealed, Hadrian must find a way to survive in a foreign court, where powerful enemies lurk around every corner.

However, all of Hadrian’s problems become immaterial when the Cielein arrive above the planet, searching for something. Drafted into a war he never wanted to be involved in, Hadrian seeks to understand the Cielein, but finds only mysteries and secrets. Hadrian’s path to becoming The Sun-Eater is set, and his journey begins here.

Empire of Silence is the first volume in Ruocchio’s incredibly ambitious debut series, The Sun Eater. Featuring fantastic storytelling and a galaxy-wide setting that is breathtaking in its scope and content, this is an outstanding first book and an excellent start to a series with real potential.

Many readers will be interested to know that Empire of Silence is already receiving quite a few comparisons to Patrick Rothfuss’s highly regarded fantasy epic, The Name of the Wind. It is an easy comparison to make, as there are a large number of similarities between the two books. Both books contain utterly compelling content designed to capture the reader’s imagination; however, the major similarity is the use of a chronicle format to tell their massive, character-driven epics. Like The Name of the Wind, Empire of Silence is told solely from the point of view of the protagonist, Hadrian, and takes the form of a written retrospective explaining the terrible act that makes him infamous throughout the galaxy. The series will completely explore Hadrian’s life, examining every action that leads up to this event.

The chronicle format is a superb choice for the Empire of Silence’s epic story. Not only does it allow the author to produce a complex and extremely detailed epic storyline but it also allows him to add to the story’s gravitas by having the narrator comment on and reflect on his actions in hindsight. This great format also allows the author to show off his protagonist in a range of different circumstances. Because of various science fiction elements, Hadrian is destined to have an extremely long life span and a great many opportunities for adventure. Within Empire of Silence alone, Ruocchio portrays Hadrian performing a range of different roles, including the presumed heir to a planet, a scholar, a fugitive, a beggar, a thief, a gladiator, a companion and tutor to noble children, an amateur archaeologist, a translator, a torturer, a negotiator and an irregular member of the military. Each of the different roles that Hadrian plays influences his mindset and viewpoint, which allows the reader to see him evolve in front of their eyes. It is also interesting to note that Ruocchio has not pre-emptively indicated how many books will be in his series, a mistake some other authors using a chronicle format have made before. This will allow him to tell the whole story he envisioned without compromising on pacing, world-building or character development in order to reach a hasty conclusion, and will no doubt result in a much more complete and enjoyable series.

The overall plot of Empire of Silence contains various storytelling elements that are masterfully combined throughout the book. It contains everything from science fiction elements and action sequences to long discussions of the history of the galaxy in which the series is set. There is also a series of significantly dramatic storylines, such as Hadrian dealing with the difficulties of having a self-interested and manipulative father and an uncaring family. There are some great coming-of-age moments within the storyline as Hadrian first seeks independence from his family and their history and then tries to find his own way on a new world where he has none of his power and influence. The reader gets to witness several powerful scenes in which Hadrian’s life changes dramatically and he desperately attempts to claim some sense of normality or sanity in this new world. Of particular note are some very emotional scenes during Hadrian’s first encounters with the Cielcin. In these scenes, Hadrian is forced to contend with his own curiosity, conscience and morality while stuck between his own species, represented by the cruel and domineering Empire, and the aliens that somehow appear to bear much more humanity. This results in some truly spectacular scenes that make this book impossible to put down.

One of the most impressive and enjoyable aspects of Empire of Silence is the vast and imaginative universe in which the story is set. Ruocchio has an extremely interesting vision of the future that readers will find quite intriguing. The entirety of the first book is set within the Sollan Empire, which represents the largest faction of humans in the future galaxy. This civilisation, whilst retaining some advanced technology, such as spaceships, has reverted socially and culturally following a catastrophic event many years before. There is a rigid class system, with the nobles wielding considerable power and disregard for the ordinary people. A religious organisation holds sway over much of the empire, using inquisitor-like tactics to control the population and prevent what they consider heresy, which includes an aversion to advanced technology. An interesting twist to this is the large number of cameras and drones that they and the nobles use to continually survey and intimidate the populace. The Empire’s culture appears to be strongly inspired by the ancient Roman and Greek civilisations, and their various influences can be seen throughout the book. This is an excellent setting for such an expansive story, and the reader gets to experience a unique and compelling combination of science fiction advancements and old school ideals.

Aside from the main setting of the Sollan Empire, Ruocchio has also stacked his universe with a range of characters, aliens, mysteries and side storylines that prove to be massively intriguing for the reader. Several of these of mysteries and side stories are explored to an extent throughout the book; however, many are left open and will carry through to later books in the series. The protagonist interacts with a massive of number of characters, which plays into the overall concept of him having a busy life. In order to assist the reader in keeping track of the cast of thousands, who sometimes have limited scenes within the story, Ruocchio has provided extensive indexes. Not only do these indexes contain details of all the characters the protagonist encounters but they also contain a huge amount of history, definitions and other useful information to help the audience absorb this massive new universe.

In one of the most impressive and elaborate science fiction novels of the year, first-time author Christopher Ruocchio has shown himself to be one of the brightest new stars in the science fiction genres. Empire of Silence contains an absolutely amazing story that makes full use of its original and immense overarching setting, and is guaranteed to capture the reader’s imagination. This is epic science fiction at its very best, and I cannot wait for the second book in Ruocchio’s The Sun Eater series.

My Rating:

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Word of Warcraft: Before the Storm by Christie Golden

On July 1, 2018October 18, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Extended Universe, Fantasy, Tie-in Novel4 Comments

Before the Storm Cover.jpg

Publisher: Titan Books

Publication Date – 12 June 2018

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War is once again coming to Azeroth in the brand new World of Warcraft novelisation from the queen of tie-in books and Blizzard Entertainment’s new in-house novelist Christie Golden.

The world of Azeroth is constantly at war, and for generations its inhabitants have known nothing but conflicts and threats. Perhaps the greatest enemy that the people of Azeroth ever faced were the demonic Burning Legion, who are the root of many of the world’s great conflicts. Now, after a devastating campaign, the Burning Legion has finally been defeated, although Azeroth’s victory came at a great cost. As his final act of destruction, the leader of the Burning Legion, the Titan Sargeras, struck a great blow against Azeroth, plunging his gigantic sword into the surface of the planet and leaving a gaping wound in the side of the world.

Now both factions of Azeroth, the Alliance and the Horde, can finally recover and come to terms with the destruction caused by their demonic foes and the dramatic changes that have rocked their hierarchies. Following the death of his father, young Anduin Wrynn has inherited the throne of the human kingdom of Stormwind, and serves as the new leader of the Alliance. At the same time, the Horde is now under the sway of its new Warchief, the banshee queen of the Forsaken, Sylvanas Windrunner. Both new leaders must come to terms with the running of their respective factions and the current peace blessing the land.

But there is always tension simmering between the Alliance and the Horde, and many predict that a new conflict is just around the corner, especially when both sides make a startling discovery: the blow from Sargeras’s sword has caused the very essence of Azeroth to bleed forth from the ground. This new substance, known as Azerite, is extremely powerful, containing the very strength of Azeroth, and with the potential to be used as a mighty weapon by whichever side controls it.

As both factions investigate the wound in Azeroth and this strange new material, King Anduin seeks to finally forge peace between the Alliance and the Horde. In order to achieve this peace, Anduin embarks on an ambitious plan to win the Forsaken to his cause and gain the trust of Sylvanas. But Sylvanas has her own vision for the future of Azeroth, and woe betide anyone who stands between the Dark Lady and her goals. Will peace finally be achieved, or will the discovery of Azerite result in a new war between the Alliance and the Horde? And what role will Calia Menethil, long lost sister of the Lich King Arthas Menethil, play in this new era? One thing is certain: the Battle for Azeroth starts here.

Before the Storm is the latest tie-in book to the massive Warcraft video game franchise. People who have never played these games may be surprised to know that this franchise has a rich narrative history. The original Warcraft games came with a substantial amount of lore and plot that were in some ways just as revolutionary as the game’s mechanics. This tradition of great storytelling has continued over the years, and every single one of the games has contained a range of intricate and compelling storylines. Many of these stories are incredibly elaborate and have great potential for future adaptations. For example, this reviewer would be especially keen to see the corruption of Arthas and the rise of the Lich King told on the big screen.

The game’s narrative tradition has also resulted in a huge number of tie-ins that are mostly targeted towards fans of the game. There are currently over 30 Warcraft books, as well as a number of comics and even some manga. The vast majority of these adaptations are considered canon, and have been subsequently referenced in the plot of the games, including the franchise’s main game, the MMORPG World of Warcraft. For example, in one of the previous novels, The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm, Cairne Bloodhoof a major character from Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and the leader of the Taurens in World of Warcraft, is killed off, and this carried through to the game in several different ways. Before the Storm is the latest book in this extended universe, and has been released as a tie-in for the upcoming Battle for Azeroth expansion, which is out in August.

The author of this latest novel, Christie Golden, has a bibliography of over 50 books, and has substantial experience writing tie-in books for big franchises. In addition to her debut Ravenloft trilogy, Golden has written 15 Star Trek novels, five Star Wars books, and a number of full-length and short story tie-ins for franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Invasion America, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Golden has also written a number of books for Blizzard, with five books based on Starcraft and 10 based around the Warcraft games. Her previous Warcraft novels include stories that help cement the franchise’s established lore, the official novelisation of the recent Warcraft movie, and novels that have established the plot prior to several of World of Warcraft’s expansions. For example, her 2014 novel, War Crimes, heavily set up the Warlords of Draenor expansion, while also presenting an elaborate novel that highlighted the crimes of the previous expansions main antagonist. Golden has incredible knowledge of Warcraft’s lore and narrative history, having provided significant contributions to it in the past, and readers will appreciate the way that this new book connects with several of her previous Warcraft novels.

Before the Storm is a fun and exciting fantasy novel that has been expertly set within the World of Warcraft universe. The narrators visit a number of key locations that feature within the games and Golden has done an amazing job of describing these distinctive and well-explored background settings. There are some great locations used within the story, including several of the game’s main cities, such as Stormwind, Ironforge, Orgrimmar and the Undercity. People familiar with the latest expansions will also love the addition of the Netherlight Temple, the priest class hall, as a key setting within this book, as it is such a unique and niche location within the game.

A large proportion of the novel is told from the perspectives of the leaders of the Alliance and the Horde, Anduin Wrynn and Sylvanas Windrunner. If the awesome trailer for Battle for Azeroth is anything to judge by, the next World of Warcraft expansion will focus heavily on these two characters as they lead their factions into a large-scale war against each other. Golden has made sure to explore both of these respective characters’ mindsets and examine potential future motives for the upcoming in-game conflict. Other parts of the story are told from the perspective of a range of minor characters, many of whom are actually interactable NPCs within the game. This range of perspectives gives a wide angle viewpoint of the story being told in both the book and the game, and allows the author to show off the different motivations and differences between the two rival factions. Players will also love to see this story woven around minor NPCs they may have interacted with in the game, especially as this book may explain why they may have moved or disappeared in future versions of the game. This is a great adaptation of the current World of Warcraft universe and Golden has successfully transplanted several key and iconic aspects of the game into this book, creating an excellent addition to this extended universe.

While a number of the different Warcraft races are featured within Before the Storm, many readers will enjoy Golden’s focus on the undead playable race, the Forsaken. While many of the franchise’s previous novels have featured Forsaken characters, Golden has chosen to do a deeper examination of this race now that their ruler is the Warchief of the Horde. There are some particularly interesting discussions about the role the Forsaken play within Azeroth and how the other races view them. Readers will be intrigued by the examination about their current level of humanity, and whether they can still maintain connections to the family they had before they died, and will be intrigued by Golden’s fascinating analysis.

As an official World of Warcraft tie-in, Before the Storm is naturally a desirable read for those who are familiar with the franchise and the game’s current storylines. As mentioned above, there are a ton of elements that will appeal to those gamers currently awaiting the next expansion, as this book ties in to its central storyline. However, Golden makes sure to elaborate on a range of prior events in the franchise and this will ensure that former players will be able to jump in and follow from when they were last familiar with the story. In addition, Golden’s writing is fairly accessible, and the game elements don’t massively overwhelm the story, ensuring that readers unfamiliar with the games will be able to enjoy this fantastic fantasy adventure without getting too lost.

Christie Golden has once again created a fun and electrifying novelisation of the Warcraft universe. Before the Storm is a great tie-in to the upcoming game release, Battle for Azeroth, and serves as an excellent precursor of the exciting stories that will feature within the new expansion. Making full use of the franchise’s significant lore and a range of iconic settings, Golden has produced a deep and thrilling fantasy tale that that will massively appeal to all fans of the Warcraft games.

My Rating:

Four stars

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The Greater Good by Tim Ayliffe

On July 1, 2018April 10, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller20 Comments

The Greater Good Cover

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date – 23 April 2018

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Australian author Tim Ayliffe presents a fantastic debut thriller set in iconic Sydney that delves into the heart of politics and the role of the media in the modern world.

John Bailey was a brilliant war correspondent for the Australian paper, The Journal. However, his life took a downward turn when he was kidnapped in Iraq and tortured for several months. Now, years later, Bailey is living a life of alcoholism and self-destruction, only occasionally contributing articles to The Journal.

However, when a prostitute is found murdered in her high-end Sydney apartment, his editor and old friend, Gerald Summers, sends him to investigate the crime, claiming that Bailey is the only person he trusts to report the story. The prime suspect in the case is an influential political advisor who had a close relationship with the victim. When Bailey encounters the advisor, he claims to have information that will clear his name, while at the same time implicating his boss, the defence minister.

After a run-in with an old friend in the CIA, Bailey soon realises that there is much more to this story than a simple murder. Investigating further, he soon discovers that the murder was committed to cover up a massive conspiracy that the defence minister is linked to. When witnesses to the crime start turning up dead and the police are pressured to drop their investigation, Bailey is determined to uncover the truth and publish the full story. But powerful people are invested in keeping this case quiet, and Bailey soon finds himself in their crosshairs.

This is an exciting and high-energy first book from Ayliffe, who makes full use of his journalistic experience and political insights to create a smashing thriller with a tangible Australian presence. The investigation into the conspiracy and its associated murders works well as the heart of this story, and readers are invited along on a wild thrill ride as the protagonists rush through this murky world of Australian politics and espionage in a quest to find the truth.

The character of Bailey serves as a great central narrator for this frenetic story, and readers will love the maverick approach he has to investigating the case and the lack of restraint of manners he has when it comes to dealing with Sydney’s political and financial elite. Ayliffe also spends a significant amount of time attempting to humanise his main character by examining his past as a prisoner and the effects his PTSD has had on his life and career. There are some great, emotional scenes as Bailey attempts to get over his problems with the help of other characters, and Bailey comes across as a much more grounded and damaged protagonist as a result. The other main narrator in The Greater Good is Sharon Dexter, who serves as the official police investigator and Bailey’s main love interest. Her investigation focuses more on cover-ups, sexism, and corruption in the police force, and these parts of the book serve as a great counterpoint to the sections featuring Bailey.

Ayliffe has made full use of his political knowledge and insight throughout this book. A large amount of the plot revolves around both Australian and international politics, and readers will be amazed at the potential conspiracy he is able to create. Various Australian political elements are dragged into the story and play a key part of the plot. These include discussions about pre-selections of federal seats, government spending and the role of several federal government agencies. World politics and the current status of Australia on the world stage are also examined within the story. There is a large focus on the expanding role of China, and the discussion about whether Australia should strengthen its relationship with this new world power or whether it should maintain its current relationship with the United States. This discussion is a key part of understanding the plot, and plays out in the book in a similar manner to current debates on the subject within Australia. This adds a real sense of realism to the story and makes readers, especially those familiar with current Australian news and politics, very thoughtful.

Throughout The Greater Good, the main characters are attempting to obtain evidence of a conspiracy so that they can print it in their newspaper, The Journal. As a result, the role of print media in keeping government’s honest and uncovering political corruption is examined in some detail. It is clear that Ayliffe, a career Australian journalist, is very supportive of the media remaining in this role, and many of his characters are quite critical of attempts to stall the publication of these stories. This allegorical analysis of the current role of media in politics and society is an intriguing part of the book and many readers will find this exceedingly relevant in light of recent world events.

Readers also need to keep an eye out for Ayliffe’s clever and entertaining inclusion of characters that are clearly based on real life Australian personalities. For example, the fictional Australian Prime Minister is described as an athletic man who is known for his fun runs and surfing, in a way reminiscent of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott. In addition, certain plot twists towards the end of the book will also remind the audience of another previous Prime Minster. Another example is a minor character who is introduced as a prominent talk show radio host. This character appears to be a composite creation of several of Australia’s right-wing radio commentators and comes across in a very similar manner to these real life presenters. These cheeky additions are a fun inclusion that will amuse readers with even a passing knowledge of these Australian personalities.

In many ways The Greater Good can be considered a love letter to the author’s home city of Sydney, as it contains a number of different locations and references that will be quite familiar to Sydneysiders. The narrator visits a number of different suburbs within Sydney, including Palm Beach, King Street, Finger Wharf at Woolloomooloo, Bondi and Chinatown, and also frequents some real life Sydney venues, such as Harry’s Café de Wheels. Not only is the food, geographical location and description of this Sydney café described in the text, but the author has also included a write-up of the restaurant’s owners and its history. In addition to furnishing the story with real life Sydney locations, Ayliffe also includes brief references to events and occurrences that Australians would recognise the significance of, such as Australian rugby, lockout laws and the current ice epidemic. While none of these locations or occurrences is essential to the plot, they do add a certain sense of reality to the entire novel, and Australian readers will enjoy seeing locations and scenarios that they recognise and understand.

Tim Ayliffe’s debut novel, The Greater Good, is a fun and exhilarating political crime thriller that is guaranteed to electrify and entertain in good measure. Making full use of Ayliffe’s extensive knowledge of Australian politics, culture and media, this very topical book is an excellent read for Australian audiences and those international readers keen to explore Australia’s potential for thrillers.

My Rating:

Four stars

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The Lace Weaver by Lauren Chater

On June 24, 2018August 15, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Drama, Historical FictionLeave a comment

The Lace Weaver Cover.jpg

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date – 19 March 2018

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Love, war, suffering, oppression, hope and lace all come together in this emotionally charged debut from Australian author Lauren Chater.

It has been two years since the outbreak of World War II. Following their respective expansions, Nazi Germany and the USSR now control much of Europe between them. The small country of Estonia, located on the border of the USSR, has been occupied by the Soviets and is now controlled by Stalin’s Red Army, who have brutally installed their communist ideals. Now all of Estonia’s resources are controlled by the Soviets and any signs of opposition are brutally cracked down on.

In the middle of this horrific occupation lives Katarina, a young Estonian woman whose family survives because their farm produces food for the occupying forces. While the Soviets are attempting to control all parts of Estonian life, Katarina works to preserve her family’s culture through their lace shawls, which contain intricate and unique patterns and stories. She must also deal with her feelings for her old friend Oskar, who is leading the revolution against the Soviets.

At the same time in Moscow, another young woman, Lydia, lives an ostensible life of privilege, but is really living in a gilded cage, controlled by her ruthless guardian. Fleeing to Estonia, the land of her mother, Lydia attempts to find sanctuary but finds out just how far her captivity truly extends.

When a Soviet crackdown forces Katarina and Lydia together, these two women must find a way to survive the horrors of the occupation. As they become part of Oskar’s resistance against the Soviets, Katarina and Lydia must learn to work together, even when Lydia falls for Katarina’s brother Jakob. But their situation is about to get even worse, with the forces of the Third Reich set to invade.

This is fantastic first book from Chater, who has woven together an amazing tale filled with great characters and an outstanding and underused historical location. This book is also an extraordinary piece of dramatic literature. All of the main characters experience significant loss, heartache and disappointment as they attempt to survive the most turbulent time in our world’s history. These heartbreaking losses of friends, family and other loved ones draw the reader in, while Chater’s fantastic writing makes them feel the character’s loss and grief as she highlights the brutal reality of those caught in the middle of war.

Perhaps the most memorable part of The Lace Weaver is the story’s central setting of Estonia. During World War II, Estonia was in the unfortunate position of being one of the countries that fell between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. Estonia was a significant theatre of war where many horrors occurred, and yet very few novels focus on this part of World War II. Chater’s decision to focus on this underused period of war history is intriguing, and she has done a commendable job of calling attention to the horrors experienced by the Estonians during the time that they were occupied by two of the world’s most brutal regimes.

Estonia was brutally occupied by the Soviets in 1940, and a large portion of this book is set during this period. Chater does an amazing job of describing this brutal period through the eyes of her Estonian characters. There is a serious sense of dread from these characters as they anticipate what horrible crimes might occur next. The descriptions of the Soviet soldiers’ brutality and contempt for the Estonians is at times harrowing, and there is one sequence describing a mass deportation that will stick in the reader’s mind. While the scenes describing the occupation of the Soviets are pretty distressing, one of the most disturbing parts of this story is that for much of the book many of the characters, especially Oskar and Jakob, believe that their salvation and freedom could be granted to them by the Nazis. Reading this can prove to be disquieting as you are forced to watch the characters help the Nazis occupy their country. The characters working out what they have let into their country is chilling to behold, and by this point readers will be desperate to see what happens next in Estonia.

In addition to focusing on the terrible occupations Estonia suffered during the war, The Lace Weaver also contains an insightful look into some aspects of Estonian culture. This is mainly shown through the use of the lace shawls, which are described as an important part of Estonian culture and history. Chater spends a large part of the book investigating these shawls, and the reader soon appreciates their importance. Katarina spends a significant part of her narration describing the significance of these shawls to her family, and her interactions allow the readers to see how vital they were to her social and familiar circles. These shawls are also very important to the story as they draw many of the characters together, especially the two main characters, Katarina and Lydia. The scenes in which the shawls are being worked can also be seen as an indicator of the periods when the characters are managing to survive and have some hope for the future, and are to be cherished, especially as the reader grows to care for these characters.

There are some great characters within The Lace Weaver that readers will find themselves deeply invested in. Narration of this story is split evenly between the two main characters, Katarina and Lydia, both of whom have unique stories to tell. Lydia’s transformation from a sheltered girl in Russia to a hardboiled Estonian survivor is particularly gripping, and revelations about who she actually is offer big thrills in the first part of the book and up her personal stakes. Katarina’s story of survival and her attempts to keep the cultural ways of life she inherited from her beloved grandmother are also heartfelt and compelling. The unique stories that these two characters have are deeply absorbing and emotional, and Chater does a masterful job of eventually combining these two stories together into one extraordinary and captivating tale.

The Lace Weaver is a deep and emotional wartime drama that makes full use of its dark setting, rare historical fiction location and amazing characters. Australian author Lauren Chater has produced a very impressive first book and readers will fall in love with this fantastic tale.