Wow. Just, wow. I don’t even know what I just read. It’s fantasy, it’s horror, it’s supernatural, it’s steampunk, it’s insanely, scarily, good. I don’t even like the horror genre and typically can’t read it because I’m a big scaredy cat, but Swan lulls me into a wonderful fantasy haze and then BAM. Horror. Lots and lots of horror. Not gonna lie. Scared the crap outta me. And yet. I can’t stop reading.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I enjoy his writing style. This book develops more slowly than I normally enjoy, but the narrator did such a great job that I found myself just going with it. Initially the book focuses more on character development, worldbuilding, and political intrigue rather than the typical fantasy elements, but the author eventually gets there. I appreciated the author incorporating the world building through conversations and observation throughout the book rather than a big info dump. It made it much easier understanding the world and how the various characters fit into it.
Book 2 of the trilogy starts shortly after the Battle of Galen’s Vale. Justice Vonvalt returns to capital city Sova to find seeds of rebellion stirring. Senators openly speak against the Emperor and fanatics preach vengeance in the streets. Vonvalt returned to deal with traitors amongst the Justices, but before he can get a handle on it all, the Emperor’s grandson is kidnapped and Vonvalt is ordered to drop everything to find him. He and his allies Helena, Bressinger, and Sir Radomir, are forced to go to the southern frontier, where they once again run into Claver and his templar knights.
This is a fantastic new book in an exciting new fantasy series that picks up right after the last book in The Firemane Saga. I’m so excited to revisit Pug, Magnus, Nakor and Midkemia in this next installment. Hatu, Hava and Donte are whisked away to Sorcerer’s Isle where Hatu is provided guidance and instruction to help harness his ever-evolving magical power.
Today is my stop on TBR and Beyond Tours book tour for this new adult fantasy book. The cover is so cool and the concept sounds unique.
TOP FIVE REASONS TO READ THIS BOOK:
The Witcher meets Naomi Novik. What more needs to be said?
New, creative monsters
An ex called the “Tsar of Monsters”
Shadows are the source of magic
FMC teaming up with the law to reclaim her magic
Synopsis:
The Witcher meets Naomi Novik in this fast-paced fantasy rooted in Slavic folklore, from an assured new voice in genre.
As a witch in the walled city of Chernograd, Kosara has plenty of practice taming rusalkas, fighting kikimoras, and brewing lycanthrope repellent. There’s only one monster Kosara can’t defeat: her ex the Zmey, known as the Tsar of Monsters. She’s defied him one too many times, and now he’s hunting her. Betrayed to him by someone close to her, Kosara’s only hope is to trade her shadow―the source of her powers―for illegal passage across the Wall to Belograd, where monsters can’t follow.
This is a great conclusion to this series, and sets the scene nicely for what I hope will be a new series with some of these characters. This book picks up right after the events of the second book.
This is a very good first book in a new fantasy series. It has it all – Kings and Queens, swords and fire, fighting, court intrigue, heroes, villains, dragons, magic, ancient beings, and a fickle god. C’mon, what more could you want in an epic fantasy?
Book Blurb
Two continents at war, the Three Kingdoms and Ishara, are divided by past bloodshed. When an outside threat arises—the reawakening of a powerful ancient race that wants to remake the world—the two warring nations must somehow set aside generational hatreds and form an alliance to fight their true enemy.
Wow. What a fantastic first book in a new, exciting epic fantasy series. It’s got everything you want in an epic fantasy; Norse mythology, gods, monsters, dragons, swords, battles, mercenaries, stupid and/or evil rulers, skilled fighters, cowards, plucky former slaves out for vengeance, quests, and much more. The book ends on a great cliffhanger and I can’t wait to see what the author will bring us next.