Tag: Fantasy Page 1 of 55

h2><img src=”http://www.hcnewton.com/irrreader/2026images/FirstMage.jpg” alt=”Cover of First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston” border=” />First Mage on the Moon

by Cameron Johnston

DETAILS:
Publisher: Angry Robot
Publication Date: April 14, 2026
Format: Paperback 
Length: 320
Read Date: July 9-15, 2026

He slid the paper across her workbench and stood there, waiting expectantly.

She sighed and glanced down, paused, then looked harder at the scrawl of handwriting. On the page was a circle representing their world, and another, smaller circle with a crude palace of the gods crowning it, depicting the moon. A straight dotted line ran from one circle to the other, surrounded by numbers and calculations, many scored out.

“What is this unholy mess?” she asked.

Jackan nodded at his workings. “You tell me, lass.”

She studied it, determining distance and speed and… “What is this number?”

“Weight,” he said.

She frowned, trying to fit it all together. “It looks like you are trying to figure out the speed you would need to achieve to get something the weight of a stone golem to the surface of the moon.”

He rocked backwards and forwards on his heels. “Mmmhmm. Thoughts?”

She looked up at him, eyes widening as she took in his sincerity and remembered an off-hand comment made the day before. “Why the moon? Is it just a thought experiment?’

He nodded. “Sure is.” Then, under his breath: “For now.”

What’s First Mage on the Moon About?

An accident triggered by lightning and experimental weaponry leads Ella Pickering to have a conversation or two with the engineer Jackan Grissom. Ella was a skymage, flying ships in the war—after a crash that landed her in a wheelchair, she’s been working in a weapons factory doing grunt work. She knows enough to see that Grissom’s weapon wasn’t really that much of a weapon.

It turns out that he’s actually trying to build something to reach the home of the Gods—the Moon. Ella is intrigued and gets herself assigned to his team. They recruit a couple of other people—actually, no. one person blackmails her way onto their team, and they get saddled with another. Their boss believes they are working on a revolutionary weapon—but that’s the last thing they want to do.

Essentially, they’re stealing money and resources from the government’s war effort to undertake a mission that is (or at least approaches) blasphemy. And anyone figuring out what they’re doing is going to lead to their demise.

The Little Touches

For recovering Space Race junkies like me, there are so many things to find joy in.

Johnston has worked in several—more than several—little Easter Egg-type things throughout the book. Allusions to Star Trek and Firefly, several names that make you think of Gemini and Mercury astronauts, there’s a very USSR-snooping-on-the-Mercury-Program feel to things, the alternative to Laika or Ham the Astrochimp is inspired—and only possible in a Fantasy novel.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

“Aye,” the old engineer said. “Most guild-taught mages think that every little problem can be solved by using the right magic, but there’s only so many arcane runes and enchantments you can add to something before they snarl each other up explode in your face. I was a stonemason and an engineer before I was an accredited mage, so I thought to myself ‘alchemy, now, that’s a different matter entirely’. If we use our brains as well as our aether, we are bound to improve the efficiency of both.”

I picked this up because The Last Shield convinced me that I want to read a lot more of Johnston (and I still do). Also—the idea of a magic user headed to the moon in a rocket-looking thing is just too great to pass up.

Why did I keep reading it? As much as I dislike an in medias res beginning and typically don’t find them that effective in getting me to answer something, this one had me invested. How do we get from the beginning (see my Opening Lines post) to this point?

Even without that, I’d have been in—watching a bunch of magic users function as engineers and scientists with their magic, rather than just muttering something and waving their hands to get a wonderful result—is such a great idea, and was fun to read. It’s possibly the best idea in the book, and the execution really makes you want to see other Fantasy writers take a stab at things along those lines.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

It’s very much in the spirit of one of Sam Seaborn’s better lines:

Mallory O’Brian: Do we really have to go to Mars?

Sam Seaborn: Yes.

Mallory O’Brian: Why?

Sam Seaborn: ‘Cause it’s next. ‘Cause we came out of the cave, and we looked over the hill and we saw fire; and we crossed the ocean and we pioneered the west, and we took to the sky. The history of man is hung on a timeline of exploration and this is what’s next.

At the core, this book is about a bunch of decent and smart people who are tired of a war that doesn’t seem to have an end, or much of a point. They’re tired of pumping out weapons and have found a way to use their magic and smarts for something positive. That human spirit that Sam puts into words permeates the novel, in the middle of everything else—these people want to take to the sky.

Not just among the team—but across borders.There’s a real international appeal to their efforts, but I’ll leave that for you to see.

So, what did I think about First Mage on the Moon?

“Up there, beyond this ball of rock, sea, and soil, is something humanity knows nothing about. We have so many questions without answers, and so many questions we don’t even know to ask.”

This wasn’t the book that I thought it was going to be—but I’m not complaining.

One thing that I’d have liked to see more of is the developing friendships among the team. There’s enough science and engineering, political maneuvering going on, espionage, and warfare that there really wasn’t room for it. But those little moments of conversation between them, collaboration, and growing bonds were the best parts of the book. The character work was very well done, but not the priority of the novel (and I wish it was).

This was, instead, a book about war, the costs of it (in many senses), hope, those who benefit from destruction, and the systems that encourage this behavior. What our astronauts learn about their gods is more than unexpected, but fits in with the overarching themes of the book.

I’m not entirely sure that I can say that I enjoyed this book—but I’m very glad that I read it. The ideas, the characters, and the execution were more than worth the investment of time. And the last page or so really just sealed the deal on this being a good read.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

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The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Fantasy

By HCNewton

On July 24, 2026

In Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated 7/24/26)

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility, and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears on to the page (paper or electronic). This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

As part of this week-long celebration, I’m continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years (or meant to blog about, but at least read)—just a sentence or two. Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Today I’m focusing on Self-Published Fantasy. These are some of the most imaginative, creative, and enjoyable Fantasy novels I’ve read since I started blogging. These authors approach this beloved genre in ways that surprise and inspire me. Check out these books, hopefully, you’ll find something good. This is the fastest growing of these lists I compile. For a good reason.

bullet Locks & Keys: A Fantasy Anthology edited by Bill Adams—ten fantasy short stories, most of them great–all worth reading. (my post about it)
bullet Healed by Carrie Alani—A tired and beleaguered nurse gains the ability to heal (my post about it)
bullet Nav’Aria: The Marked Heir by K.J. Backer—the heir to the throne of Nav’Aria is sent to Earth to hide until adulthood for his safety. When he returns, he finds himself in the middle of a battle for the future of his country (while he tries to understand his “new” world). Also, Unicorns are the dominant power amongst magical creatures, and they know how to use their horns offensively. (my post about it)
bullet The Grimdwarf: Cursed by JCM Berne—a seemingly impossible to kill dwarf with a short temper tries to escort a former slave back to her home and safety. It’s violent and funny–and even sweet. (my post about it)
bullet Partial Function by JCM Berne—a fun-as-all-get-out wuxia-inspired novel where a former legendary warrior has to try to rescue her kidnapped daughters, and who knows what wake of destruction she’ll leave along the way (my post about it)
bullet Of Honey and Wildfires by Sarah Chorn—Chorn’s Western/Fantasy about…I don’t have room here. It’s beautiful prose, heartbreaking stories, and a stellar example of writing. (my post about it)
bullet Oh, That Shotgun Sky by Sarah Chorn—the follow-up to the above. A handful of people trying to come to grips with the new world they find themselves in. (my post about it)
bullet Seraphina’s Lament by Sarah Chorn—A planet is dying, political upheaval, and the dawn of a new reality. One of the most brutal reads in recent memory (and one of the most disturbing covers!). I absolutely loved it and would be literally counting down the days until the sequel if I knew the date. (my post about it)
bullet One Man by Harry Connolly—A man hiding from his past becomes a one-man army trying to save a kidnapped mother and daughter. (my post about it)
bullet Buddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow by Peter David—A valiant teddy bear knight, who is devoted to protecting his Person from the monsters from The Realm-Under-The-Bed, has spent years defending a little girl named Mieya from these fearsome foes. He’s frequently assisted by his companion, a stuffed tamarin—a mandolin-playing bard. Esteban not only fights at Buddy’s side, but his songs frequently tell the tales of Buddy’s victories. These two (and allies they’re yet to meet) take on the ultimate foe. (my post about it)
bullet 1-800-CallLoki by Dawn Blair—a collection of novellas tracing Loki’s adventures in 21st Century America. (my post about it is forthcoming)
bullet Guard in the Garden by Z. S. Diamanti—an injured soldier takes up the role of neighborhood guard while he convalesces. For the first time in his life, he finds friendships–and maybe more–including a fresh purpose in life. (my post about it)
bullet Toby and the Silver Blood Witches by Sally Doherty—A young boy who takes care of his seriously ill mother, gets the surprise of a lifetime when a witch crashes into his attic and asks for his help! It’s a fun MG adventure. (my post about it)
bullet Haven by Ceril N Domac—a family in a slightly grimmer (and future) version of the U.S. has to go on the run to a safe settlement when they start to display signs of being more than human. (my post about it)
bullet The Hero Interviews by Andi Ewington—A Loremaster conducts a series of interviews with Fantasy heroes, and others, to find and describe the essence of heroism. A thoughtful look at the idea is buried under jokes that will appeal to Fantasy Readers and RPG Players in particular-but many others, too. I had a great time with this. (my post about it)
bullet Fairest Hunter by M. K. Felix—a gender-swapped Robin Hood/Snow White mash-up, with a good deal of clean-romance thrown in. It’s plenty of fun. (my post about it)
bullet The Story of Lucius Cane: Book One by Vanya Ferreira—a mildly atypical vampire goes up against a lycanthrope-ish rogue in 1794. (my post about it)
bullet Dogged by Michael R. Fletcher—a canine-humanoid warrior is on the hunt for revenge after her mate and the rest of her squad are killed in a magic attack. It’s one of my favorite fantasy novels of the last few years. (my post about it)
bullet Manitou by “>Glen Gabel—an alcoholic forest ranger has to track down a savage serial killer (or something even worse) and a load of missing cocaine after a drug-running plane crashes in the Idaho mountains. (my post about it)
bullet The Impudent Edda by Rowdy Geirsson—a brilliant retelling of Norse mythology set in the Boston area. (my post about it is forthcoming, was hoping for yesterday. Or back in April.)
bullet The Camelot Shadow by Sean Gibson—Victorian academics face off with druids (and others?) on a hunt for an Authurian artifact. Finding it will determine course of history. (my post about it is forthcoming)
bullet The Blackwood Saga by Layton Green—three brothers from New Orleans travel to a fantasy version of Earth and have to fight their way back home. (I haven’t finished this series yet, and it’s driving me crazy)
bullet The Brothers Three (my post about it)
bullet The Last Cleric (my post about it)
bullet The Spirit Mage (my post about it)
bullet The White Room by Pierce Taylor Hibbs—There’s a lot going on (visibly and invisibly) in this Pennsylvanian small town. (my post about it)
bullet The Knight Revenant by Adam Holcombe—this short story introduces Gam Gam the Necromancer in a fantastic way. (my post about it)
bullet A Necromancer Called Gam Gam by Adam Holcombe—a newly orphaned child finds refuge with a knitting Necromancer in a fun adventure, that isn’t afraid to explore other emotional environments. (my post about it)
bullet Nugget’s Tenth Life by Adam Holcombe—what was life (rather, were lives) like for Gam Gam’s cat before she brought him back? (my post about it)
bullet The Wishing Stone by Adam Holcombe—Gam Gam has a map that could get Mina what she’s looking for. If they can survive the attempt. (my post about it is forthcoming)
bullet Eternal Blades by Vlad V. Imakae—a high-schooler witnesses an epic fight between two super-powered and supernatural warriors and wakes up to find that he’s been chosen to replace one of them in an epic struggle between good and evil. (my post about it)
bullet Stone of Asylum by Hilarey Johnson—In the late 1800s, as the Gold Rush in the Northwest starts to die off, a Korean warrior, with particular magical abilities, tries to track down his missing sister.(my post about it)
bullet Sunbolt by Intisar Khanani—a street thief/revolutionary finds herself over her head after her latest mission. A fast and fascinating read. (my post about it)
bullet A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher—A 14-year-old young woman whose magic controls baked goods is the only thing standing between her city and an invading army. You know, that old yarn. It’s delightfully charming. (my post about it)
bullet Grave Cold by Shannon Knight—a mix of creepy fantasy and creepier SF in a dystopian future. (my post about it)
bullet The Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex: The Self-Proclaimed Greatest Dragon in the Multiverse by K.R.R. Lockhaven—A group of magic users summons a dragon into 21st Century U.S. and immediately lose control over it. Heroics and hilarity ensue. It’s part corporate-satire, part fantasy-trope satire, part celebration of those same tropes, and all very funny. (my post about it)
bullet Mrs. Covington’s by K.R.R. Lockhaven—This book about friendship and nachos describes a young man looking to get out from his weathly father’s shadow who ends up buying a capybara-themed pub and running it with his new friends. There’s also a treasure hunt. Warm fuzzies, kindness, and good times ensue. (my post about it)
bullet Zoth-Avarex’s Escape Plan: A Pick-Your-Own-Path Experience by K.R.R. Lockhaven—A short Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style sequel about what happens to the dragon after the novel. (my post about it)
bullet The Glass Frog by J. Brandon Lowry—an orphaned teen who has dreams beyond the village she was raised in gets the change to see the larger world when a stranger washes up on shore. A great mix of light moments and emotional depth. (my post about it)
bullet Bones & Betrayal: Silence of the Dead by Andi Ewington/Erica Marks—A necromancer and his partner are compelled to investigate a murder in a fairly typical Fantasy city. It’s a truly compelling mix of magic and mirth. Mystery and intrigue. And pie. Delicious, and sometimes deadly, pie. (my post about it)
bullet A Graveyard for Heroes by Michael Michel—the second Dreams of Dust and Steel novel. The story grows grander, our perspective enlarges—and assuming that the pre-series status quo was as good as it could be, this civilization is in trouble from many sides. Stunning work. (my post about it)
bullet Banners of Wrath by Michael Michel—In short, Namarr is at war—from within and, pretty soon, from without. Some characters are trying to stop the war (which, at this point, equals winning it before it gets worse), some are trying to take advantage of it, some are ignoring it in favor of their own concerns, and some are just trying to survive. (my post about it)
bullet The Price of Power by Michael Michel—the first novel in the Dreams of Dust and Steel series. We focus on four characters as their nation is on the verge of collapse–and get glimpses of the roles they can pay in keeping it from complete disunion (or their roles in pushing it toward the end). (my post about it)
bullet The Culling by M. T. Miller—a bleak fantasy world is beset by monsters, and The Culling is a committed group of warriors wandering the countryside to fight them. These are dark books, but so fun to read.
bullet Apex Predator (my post about it)
bullet Brotherhood of the Worm (my post about it)
bullet The City of Scales (I accidentally deleted my post when it was almost done, and I’m having a hard time replicating it. But it’ll be here soon)
bullet The Nameless Chronicle by M. T. Miller—humanity struggles in a desolate, post-apocalyptic world. One man rises to fight the despots ruling them. He suffers, he bleeds, he dies. He just can’t seem to stay dead.
bullet Ascent (my post about it)
bullet Bedlam (my post about it)
bullet Risen (my post about it)
bullet A Strange Chemistry (my post about it)
bullet Strife (my post about it)
bullet The Complete Nameless Chronicle—the series is now published in one “boxed set” eBook
bullet Curse of the Fallen by H.C. Newell—a woman whose magic has her marked for death and her closest friend journey to find a way to break the curse she’s under. (my post about it is forthcoming)
bullet Heart of Fire by Raina Nightengale—two young people surprisingly find themselves bound to dragons, and the world may soon change because of them both. (my post about it)
bullet Sir Thomas the Hesitant and the Table of Less Valued Knights by Liam Perrin—a wholesome and comedic Arthurian tale about knights not quite good enough for the Round Table (my post about it)
bullet Bizarre Frontier Omnibus #1 Brock Poulsen-a group of novellas following the adventures of a Wild West lawman cursed to never die as he takes on supernatural foes. (my post about it)
bullet Bard Tidings by Paul Regnier—a light-hearted Fantasy adventure about a bard who finds himself in the unlikely position to save a village from an invading army. He’s also strangely capable of it (with the right allies). (my post about it is forthcoming)
bullet Panacea by Alex Robins—in an alternate ancient Greece, the war between the gods comes to Earth. (my post about it is forthcoming, if I can ever figure out how to put what I want to say into words)
bullet Klone’s Stronghold by Joyce Reynolds-Ward—a temporary teaching job becomes so much more. (my post about it)
bullet Cursed Cocktails by S.L. Rowland—a battlemage tries to enjoy his retirement by relaxing and starting a business. If only the world would let him. A heart-warming cozy fantasy. (my post about it)
bullet Sword & Thistle by S.L. Rowland—an adventurer is sent on a near-impossible task. But the payoff will make the struggles worth it. Another heart-warming cozy fantasy in this series. (my post about it is forthcoming)
bullet An Unexpected Afterlife by Dan Sofer—wide-scale resurrection of the dead causes more than a few problems for everyone in modern Israel. (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

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Eternal Blades by Vlad V. Imakaev: A Tale of Wielders and Watchers

By HCNewton

On July 22, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction, Literary Locals, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, YA/MG/Children's Books

Eternal Blades

by Vlad V. Imakaev

DETAILS:
Series: Maks Kolba, #1
Publication Date: October 5, 2025
Format: Paperback
Length: 252 pg.
Read Date: June 20-22, 2026

What’s Eternal Blades About?

In the middle of a nasty snowstorm, Maks Kolba tries to drive home from work and comes across dragon and a winged warrior of some sorts in the middle of an epic combat. He can’t believe his eyes, but he also has to get out and see what’s happening. He perhaps got a little too close—but no matter.

He wakes up the next day in his room—completely unscathed, but with a voice in his head. He’s apparently replaced the winged warrior in their multi-dimensional war against that dragon and its ilk.

Poor Maks now has to get used to this seemingly-permament voice in his head (think Roen and Tao) as he tries to understand his new abilities and powers, learns to combat his foes, successfully get the police to stop asking questions about that night in the storm, and to try to figure out what he’s going to do after he graduates from high school.

Senior years are just never easy…

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I met Imakaev at the Nampa Library’s Book Fair and not only was it a fun chat, his book seemed like it’d be plenty of fun.

I kept with it because it was a fast and engaging read—it didn’t take itself too seriously and had some fun with things—but it still treated the stakes as important. It was just an entertaining read.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

One of the things I appreciated most was the way a bunch of people got together to address a looming calamity. These people had little in common (some were open antagonistic toward each other), not all of them believed in the supernatural forces before their eyes—or that there was anything good that possibly could come from them. But a threat was there, and obvious, and they were able to set all of that aside to work for a common goal, and form some sort of bond over it. Bonds that might be tested—probably will be—and some may not stand up to the pressure. But still—a common goal was faced.

It’s easy to focus on division right now. It’s nice to see an example of the alternative—and a nice reminder that humans frequently act that way.

So, what did I think about Eternal Blades?

This was fun! A solid action-adventure for younger YA readers* with some cool supernatural aspects.

It’s easy to like these characters—even those who are a bit prickly. The supernatural system is pretty cool. The action scenes are well excuted and will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can. It took me very little time to decide that I could’ve read this in one sitting if I just had the time.

It feels like I should have a lot more to say, but…I really don’t. It’s a great intro to this universe, we get just enough of the supernatural world to entice and satisfy for the purposes of this book and to still have questions, and, welllll…basically, I want more of these, and I want them soon.

* Or readers who don’t get hung up on that kind of thing.

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

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Cover Reveal: The Wolf in the Lantern by Iseult Murphy

By HCNewton

On July 22, 2026

In Fiction, Science Fiction

I’m very pleased today to welcome the Cover Reveal for Iseult Murphy’s The Wolf in the Lantern to The Irresponsible Reader today. Murphy was nice enough to schedule this reveal during Self Published Authors Appreciation Week, so I’m able to stay on-brand 🙂

Before we see the cover, let’s learn a little bit about the book and author, shall we? It’ll just take a moment, and then we can all take a peak at the cover.

About the Book:

Quick Stats / Facts

- Title: The Wolf in the Lantern
- Author: Nicholas W Fuller
- Cover Design: Fabled Beast Designs
- Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
- Length: 90k words

Blurb

A buried past, a dangerous future, a fiery destiny.

Orphaned at a young age, Simone has never felt she belonged to the Champion class of her parents, despite her ability to work fire that far surpasses her peers. When Simone’s best friend is killed by fearsome beasts, Pyra, a magical flame wolf, visits Simone with a request. The flame wall that protects the town of Ember is failing, and the Dimmers – terrifying creatures that dwell in the wasteland beyond the fires – are breaking through. Only by finding and reuniting the three keys to Pyra’s power will the flame wall be strong enough to once again protect Ember and its inhabitants.

To aid Simone on her hunt, Pyra nudges her towards the reclusive Champion, Fisher, with his knowledge of a forgotten past, as well as Robin, the daughter of the Champion of Champions, who has fallen into a dark world of artisans and freemen in her desire for revenge.

As the three unearth the secrets hidden in the heart of Ember, enemies gather around them. Their search brings them closer to those who want the flame wall to fail, threatening the lives of Fisher and Robin, and forcing Simone to confront her destiny.

An exciting new epic fantasy from the author of The Mountains of Sorrow and Snowmane.

Goodreads ~ ARC Sign Up Link

About the Author

Iseult Murphy is an Irish multi-genre author. Her writing combines dark themes with a dose of humor to entertain and bring a new perspective on the complexities of life. She loves to explore how the most dangerous monsters wear the most pleasing masks. Her experience with chronic illness and mental health issues inspires her stories. She is the author of 7 Days in Hell, which was a finalist in the IAN Book of the Year Awards. She has published eleven books, and her short fiction has appeared in over forty publications, including Your Flight Has Been Cancelled from Little Ghost Press, and Aurealis. Find out more about her and her writing at https://iseultmurphy.com/ or https://ko-fi.com/iseultmurphy.

Website ~ Ko-Fi ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Bookbub ~ Bluesky

Map of Ember

Click that map if you want a better look at the work of Adam Bassett, the illustrator. He can be found at his Website and Bluesky.

Character Art of Simone and Pyra

Character Art of Simone and Pyra
Illustrated by R. Blaylock, who can be found at Website and Bluesky.

and now…

The Cover

cover for The Wolf in the Lantern by Iseult Murphy

Kudos to Cover Designer Fabled Beast Designs, who can be found at their Website, Bluesky, and Twitter.

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Manitou by Glen Gabel: It Went Badly

By HCNewton

On July 21, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction, Literary Locals, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

Manitou

by Glen Gabel

DETAILS:
Publication Date: March 21, 2026
Format: Paperback
Length: 367 pg.
Read Date: June 23-25, 2026

Roy glanced at Tahney. He looked feeble in the firelight, but his eyes were sharp and knowing, flashing a final warning that gave Roy pause. Even with every assurance and every answer in place, an icy dread still pricked at him. As they slowly pulled away from the cabin in Jess’s jeep, he could hear Tahney’s final warning linger in his mind.

“It will go badly.”

What’s Manitou About?

A (mostly) functional alcoholic forest ranger interrupts his attempt at ending his life to go to the site of a small plane crash in the forest. What he finds when he gets to the crash site is a pile of cocaine and a severed arm from the pilot. It’s never easy to see a human like that—but something strikes Roy Farmer as odd about the scene.

It doesn’t matter, the local sheriff chases him off so he and his people can take care of things until the DEA shows up. Roy can’t let it go, though, he believes the sheriff is corrupt and that the drugs may not end up with the DEA. So he starts to do some unofficial digging by talking to a local drug dealer.

It turns out that there’s a local motorcycle club that seems to be trying to expand its business and take on partners from south of the border. But there’s another source for narcotics in the small mountain town, too.

And then more people start dying deaths as grizzly as the pilot did (if not more so). It almost seems impossible for a human to do what the killer is doing—but the only other option isn’t one that Roy Farmer is prepared to believe possible.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because I keep running into Gabel at local events and he seems like a good guy—one that I want to read. And he’s been talking about working on this since we first met, so when it was in front of me finally, I had to try it.

I kept at it because it moved fast and I couldn’t stop asking “what’s next?” Either one of those is generally enough to keep me invested—you add both together—along with a subtle garnishing of “is Character X going to make it?”—and of course I’m staying with it.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

I’m not sure it has a lot to say about humanity or the human condition, really. The book isn’t quite focused on that sort of thing.

But there is a strain of—where did it go wrong? (well, with a couple of the characters that’s not the question, they’re very aware). This marriage, that career, this lifestyle, this dream…something happened that turned it from something good, positive, successful into a struggle to keep going. Into crime, addiction, corruption, or something worse.

Something similar could be said of the small town that this all takes place in. Once it was a thriving—or at least healthy—community where people could raise kids, see them start their adult lives, maybe start families of their own—and so on. Now, it’s a place that kids want to leave when they can. It’s a place that adults want to leave if they could. Or just to wait until their eventual death, stuck in one place because of inertia or loss of hope.

I’m not going to say that anyone comes out of this book whole and ready. I’m not going to say that anyone comes out of this book at all. But somewhere along the line some of these characters realize that they need to make a change, they might even have a glimmer of an idea how to fill that hole in their lives that was created when things started to go wrong.

So, what did I think about Manitou?

This one is a little out of my genre-preferences. It’s near the border of Fantasy and Horror. I think maybe half a foot crosses the border into Horror (maybe more). But it also feels like something that someone trying to C.J. Box would come up with. Actually, replacing the Manitou with a drug-crazed serial killer (or cult of them) would make it look like someone trying to do Joe Pickett, but edgy.*

I joked in a WWW post that there were too many characters in the book, but given the mortality rate, I expected it to get to a manageable level soon. It’s actually not much of a joke—that’s a pretty good way to think of the book. It was too, too crowded with promising characters that would be killed shortly (or several chapters) after their introduction. Some took me completely by surprise when and how it happened. But most were clearly coming from miles away—that didn’t make them less horrific, it just made it easier to take.

I will note that there is one death that I think I understand the reasoning behind, but I will be chastising Gabel about next time I see him.

If the criminal activities in the book were more of a focus, I think I’d have a quibble or two about the depiction of it—it seems a little too easy and obvious. But given the role of them is just to propel certain characters along—and to provide a red herring (for the characters, not the readers) into what’s going on. I’m going to hold my fire on them. Again, if you take out the Manitou, there’s a decent crime novel here after a couple of editing passes.

From the beginning, Gabel focuses on two characters—and it’s pretty obvious that he’s doing so. They’re clearly the protagonists and are going to survive the novel—or at least up to the climactic scene so that you’ll be extra outraged when they meet a violent end. I’m not going to say which way(s) that Gabel goes with them in the end. But keep your eyes on them, everything that Gabel wants to say is there.

Well, at least everything he wants to say about people is there. The overall message of the book—be careful who you don’t give several pounds of cocaine to—comes through without them. And really, who doesn’t need to hear that? Yes, it’s stupid to feed a deer; it’s dangerous to feed a bear—but it’s asking for wanton destruction when you give coke to an unknown.

I’ve gotten off the path here—this is a solidly entertaining novel. The story moves quickly, the action is fierce, and the twists are enough to keep you near the edge of your seat.

* Actually, I think the book might belong in Horror if only because it violates a “rule” that I’ve heard even hard-core noir and/or serial killer novelists won’t touch.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

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Opening Lines: The Daughters’ War by Christopher Buehlman

By HCNewton

On July 16, 2026

In Fiction, News/Misc., Opening Lines, Quotations

We all know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover (yet, publishing companies spend big bucks on cover design/art, and we all do judge them that way). But, the opening sentence(s)/paragraph(s) are fair game. So, when I stumble on a good opening (or remember one and pull it off the shelves), I like to throw it up here (especially if I’m out of time to come up with a post that involves writing on my part).

from The Daughters’ War by Christopher Buehlman:

I saw my first goblin the same day I saw my first shipwreck.

I was under sail, on my way to war.

On my way to fall in love with death, and with a queen.

On my way to lose all of my friends, and two of my brothers.

I would see a great city fall in blood and fire, betrayed by a false god.

Later, I would be commanded to die on a high stone bridge, but I would fail in this.

The rest of the First Lanza of His Majesty’s Corvid Knights would not fail.

This is not a happy story, but it is a true one.

I have no time for lies, or for liars.

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The Devils by Joe Abercrombie: Sometimes It’s Difficult to Tell Who’s on the Right Side, and Who the Wrong—

By HCNewton

On July 2, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction

The Devils

by Abercrombie

DETAILS:
Series: The Devils, #1
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: May 13, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Length: 560 pgs.
Read Date: June 3-8, 2026

“The missions assigned to the Chapel of the Holy Expediency are like the members of the congregation–each awful in its own special way.”

What’s The Devils About?

So a monk is called to the Sacred City and is given a new assignment, to serve the Chapel of the Holy Expediency. This particular congregation is given special missions for The Church, typically of the supernatural variety. Oh, I should mention that the congregation is made up of a necromancer, a vampire, an elf, a warrior who is cursed to remain alive, and so on. The monk that “leads” the missions seems to be a rotating door, with few surviving long (Brother Diaz doesn’t really grasp this until he’s been on his first mission for a bit).

This is kind of a Suicide Squad of a congregation–sent to deal with the biggest threats facing The Church and the Western kingdoms. Although it could be argued that Amanda Waller’s penalty for disobedience is kinder–definitely quicker–than the Pope’s. Oh, right–when the members of the congregation are sent on a mission, a binding is placed on them to keep them on-task. The discipline that binding imposes is…disturbing.

The mission that this book centers around is taking a certain street thief to Troy. This thief, it turns out, is a long-lost princess and the rightful Empress of the Eastern Kingdom. The Chapel of the Holy Expediency is to escort her to Troy and get her enthroned safely, in the hopes that she’ll be more amenable to negotiations with the West than others there happen to be. She has several new-to-her family members who want her stopped (permanently) so they can get the crown, so it won’t be easy.

The Alternate History of it All

Ignoring the fact that vampires, elves, necromancers, and so on exist, this is very much our world. With a few differences–Troy won that particular war and is a dominant city in the region (poor Constantinople), Carthage is the dominant Western culture/city (even after its “fall”), and a few other things that I’ll leave you to find.

I (or someone with greater focus and better historical knowledge) could write an entire post or two about the Alternate History that Abercrombie creates here. This is a 1400s (or was it 1300s) Europe that is recognizable—but not. There are so many small, small details that he tweaks that have giant repercussions.

There’s an argument to be made that Abercrombie went too far with his Alternate version of the Church. The Western Church looks very much like our Western Church of the time, as does the Eastern Church. The schism between the two was similar, too. But there are significant differences—God’s Daughter was sent to Earth and was executed on the wheel. In addition to differences about the understanding of the Trinity (the third member of which was never mentioned), there’s a difference in the makeup of the clergy—only male priests or either male and female? Also, the Pope is a female.

And so on—there are other differences between our Church(es) and this book’s—but I’ll leave at that. For me, it became clear that not only is this a Fantasy world that looks a lot like ours, but isn’t. It’s a religion that looks a lot like ours, but really isn’t—in much the same way that the church of The First Law, A Song of Ice and Fire, or The Gentleman Bastards aren’t ours. If you can accept those—you should have no problem with this one.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I heard an interview or two with Abercrombie around the time this was released last year—before the first interview was over, I was more than ready to buy it. And I did—I just didn’t have time to get to it. And once I learned our Fantasy Book Club was going to be discussing it in June, I stopped trying and just waited.

Why did I stick with it? It was funny, intriguing, engaging…and all the other glowing things I’m probably going to say in the last section. You could ignore all that and just focus on the Alternate History of it all, and would find enough to keep going.

I can’t understand why someone wouldn’t keep going once they picked it up (although I’m sure it’s happened—tastes differ).

What does this book tell us about humanity?

“Tell me… the elves. Are they really as bad as they say?”

“I have come to think . . . that they are no worse than men.” Jakob took a long breath. “So . . . yes.”

Everyone we meet, and I mean everyone–if even for a half-page–is in some ways a monster. Or a devil, if you want to get titular about it. There’s not a single white hat to be found anywhere. Some hats come in shades of gray, with very dark patches–piebald, I guess.

This is a recurrent theme–recurrent seems to be putting it mildly. Think of Spidey’s “With Great Power…”–especially in some of the movie versions. You just get beat over the head with it. By the time we get to that quotation above, Jakob’s line lost a little of its punch because any semi-conscious reader would’ve come to the same conclusion.

But also–and this is the important thing–there’s hope for everyone to tame their monster, to mend their ways, to get their devil to repent. We see examples of that throughout the book–some in small ways, some larger. It’s nice to see that this isn’t completely bleak.

So, what did I think about The Devils?

You can stack your doubts high before. You can polish your regrets up after. But while the fight’s on, your purpose must be pure. Kill the enemy. Don’t die yourself.

It was better than I expected—and I had high expectations. Premise; tone; characters; humor; execution of the premise; fight scenes; setting up the series/sequel; satisfying turns in the story; twists you couldn’t (but arguably should’ve seen coming); twists you sort of expected but still rocked you when they came up; fight scenes; fun twists on fantasy races; cool magic; cool magic in fight scenes…check, check, check, check, and check. (Okay, I left out some checks there, but you get the point).

Abercrombie has well demonstrated his ability to give his readers a good battle scene. Granted, I haven’t read everything he’s written, so I could be disproven here. But I think he went above and beyond his standard. If only for length. I read one review that said the final battle went on for 80 pages. I didn’t go back to check, but that sounds right. And even if that writer was wrong–zowie, the fact that he could write that and be close to right says a lot about the sequence. And it was so, so good.

Abercrombie’s twisted brand of humor is on full display here–there’s plenty of low-brow jokes (the binding the Pope puts on the congregation has, um, intense intestinal feedback for those who attempt to stray from the task), some clever dialogue, some character moments that make you laugh out loud, and…a few other types of humor that I can’t remember.

The book club discussion about this book was one of the more united conversations that I’ve been around for in the meetings:

Person 1: “What did you think about X?”
Person 2: “Oh, X was so great because Y.”
Person 3: “Not only Y, but Z and W!”
Person 2: “Oh….right, W! And the way that W led to V? Come on…”
Person 4: “And then the joke that was there about U?”
[general chuckling]

Repeat that for about an hour. I mean, it’s a generally supportive and non-confrontational group in the first place. But this meeting was a love-fest. There was more picking at bits of beloved Legends and Lattes for crying out loud.

And honestly, I could go on and on along those lines. But no one wants to read that…and I’m not sure when I could get myself to stop. So, I’ll just try to sum it up here: if you’re a fantasy reader who loves a little snark, a good deal of violence, and fantastic characters, you want to read The Devils. End of story.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Quick-Take Catchups: The Leftovers from April

By HCNewton

On June 29, 2026

In Audiobook, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Non-Fiction, Science Fiction

Once again, I’m a few weeks behind on this, but that “To Write About” stack is still calling. Time for me to do a few more of these—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore

by Emily Krempholtz, Emma Ladji (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: November 18, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 11 hrs.
Read Date: March 31-April 2, 2026

A nice little story about a supervillain (however coerced into it she might have been) trying to go straight and live a quiet life. Naturally, it doesn’t go that well, people learn who she is/was and…things get dicey. It’s a very cozy little story with just a hint of danger. This is primarily a Romance with a streak of Fantasy. Not totally my cup of tea, but a very pleasant book.

Guns of Brixton

by Paul D. Brazill

DETAILS:
Publisher: Fahrenheit Press
Publication Date: November 15, 2025
Format: Paperback
Length: 181 pg.
Read Date: April 15, 2026

This is a dark noir full of insane comedy and violence. Peopled by characters you love reading about and never want to meet the likes of in real life. The various plotlines and character arcs overlap and weave together in a way that is really impressive–and is very typical for this kind of read. Just kick back and enjoy it.

It’s fast and furious read that will make you want more from Brazill. I have to leave it for a catch-up post like this, where I’m forced to be vague, I’d end up telling you too much about it in a full-length post.

My only complaint is that as an American with little (read: no) understanding of FIFA history, I had to hit up a friendly-neighborhood search engine to understand the ending. I’d be clearer there, but I don’t want to ruin anything. It’s worth getting to that point and then learning what it meant–the delayed gratification is still gratifying.

Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy

by Mary Roach

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: September 16, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobooks
Length: 8 hrs., 37 min.
Read Date: April 13-16, 2026

Overall, a really good look at the frontiers of human transplant technology—and other ways to replace broken/sick/malfunctioning human parts. Oh, and hair. There was a lot about hair replacement and the various technologies there.

As is typical for a book by Roach, there’s a lot of good information here. A couple of chapters that don’t seem worth it. Some jokes were winners. Some jokes didn’t seem worth the effort.

Frog and Toad Are Doing Their Best [A Parody]

by Jennie Egerdie, Ellie Hajdu (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Running Press Adult
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Format: Hardcover
Length: 96 pg.
Read Date: April 17, 2026

As I recall, I always thought that the Frog and Toad were pleasant enough, but needed something more to be something I’d read when there wasn’t anything else handy. Things were similar with my kids and the books. This is a little better—only because it’s updated and vaguely amusing to see the pair in 2020s mode.

The art is as perfect as it could be, like it was by the original artists.

It’s not a must-read, but it’s a quick shot of pleasure.

Worse than a Lie

by Ben Crump

DETAILS:
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: February 17, 2026
Format: Hardcover
Length: 368 pgs.
Read Date: April 16-17, 2026

I had huge hopes for this one, expecting that I’d read the series to follow. That is not going to happen. The dialogue is atrocious. The plot was…fine, but executed messily, yet predictably. The bad guys are as evil as evil can be—no subtlety to it at all. Actually, that was one of my notes about the book as a whole—there’s nothing subtle about it. The solution and the aftermath were practically a fairy tale. I really can’t think of anything positive to say. The promising premise deserved a whole lot better.

This Book Made Me Think of You

by Libby Page, Zadeiah Campbell-Davies (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: February 3, 2026
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 10 hrs., 26 min.
Read Date: April 16-20, 2026

Oh, golly, this book was so heartwarming and sweet. It’s also a great look at grief and the way it lingers in the lives of those affected by death. Primarily it’s a sweet book about a (dead) husband’s love expressed through his wife’s passion for reading. Each month, a book is waiting for her at a local bookstore.

Oh, yeah—this is also a tribute to local bookstores and what they can mean for a community.

Grief, books, love, and bookstores. What more could you want?

A Memory Called Empire

by Arkady Martine

DETAILS:
Series: Teixcalaan, #1
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: February 25, 2020
Format: Paperback
Length: 480 pg.
Read Date: April 20-24, 2026

Oh, there were just so many great ideas packed into this volume. Several layers of political machinations—with two cultures that are new to the reader. A mind-blowing technology that raises all sorts of questions about identity, memory, and life. A character death that makes me mad months later. And a looming threat that’s so far in the background that few characters realize it’s a thing.

I did enjoy it, I’m just not sure how much —but I’m so glad that I read it. I need to find time for book two.

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from any of them, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Quick-Take Catchups: The Leftovers from March

By HCNewton

On June 3, 2026

In Audiobook, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Urban Fantasy

I’m a few weeks behind on this, but that “To Write About” stack is still calling. Time for me to do a few more of these—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.

Rabbit Cake

by Annie Hartnett, read by Katie Schorr

DETAILS:
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Publication Date: March 7, 2017
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 7 hrs., 7 min. 
Read Date: March 9-13, 2026

This is told from the point-of-view of a very bright 10-12 year-old girl (named Elvis) grieving the recent death of her mother. She has an older sister who is having some pretty severe mental health challenges (likely inherited from the mother)—and it’s unclear about Elvis’s mental health, too.

This covers roughly a year in the life of the family—dad and the two daughters trying to deal with it (our protagonist has an internal calendar in her head for when she’ll be done grieving). There’s some mild comedy, some strong emotional moments–all learned.

I think I came into it expecting something different than what it was. I thought it was…fine? A little better than fine—I enjoyed it, and assume many people will click with it better than me.

The Cyclist

by Tim Sullivan, read by John Heffernan

DETAILS:
Series: The DS Cross Mysteries, #2
Publisher: W. F. Howes Ltd
Publication Date: November 4, 2021
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 7 hrs., 26 min.
Read Date: March 13-16, 2026

I think I read this too close to the previous one—it seemed to hit a lot of the same notes for the same reason. I get that we’re not going to see a lot of growth in DS Cross. That’s just not him. But it feels like the characters around him should be learning from their time with him—and how does his father not know how to introduce changes to him at this point in life?

The mystery felt a little more convoluted than complex—but the solution was pretty satisfying (although I was faster by a few chapters than our DS), as was the reveal.

Wholly satisfying and entertaining—just not quite what I was expecting. I’m hoping with a little more distance that the third mystery won’t be overshadowed by The Dentist the way this was.

Blind Date with a Werewolf

by Patricia Briggs, read by Holter Graham

DETAILS:
Series: Alpha and Omega
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: October 21, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 8 hrs., 5 min. 
Read Date: March 17-18, 2026

I’ve read one (maybe two) of these stories in various anthologies before—they’re all fine. Asil is a fun character to read, but I don’t know that he’s enough to sustain my attention for that long. Well, maybe if there was a novel-length plot—but this series of stories gets pretty redundant quickly. I think the gimmick turned me off a bit, too.

The characters that Asil interacts with are amusing enough, I suppose. Asil seems better as a supporting/secondary character. There’s some nice character growth for him, and I’m curious to see what that looks like in Briggs’ future works.

The Spellshop

by Sarah Beth Durst, read by Caitlin Davies

DETAILS:
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: July 9, 2024
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 12 hrs., 29 min. 
Read Date: March 18, 2026

You’ve got a librarian—with a sentient talking fern—who is chased from the Capitol city during a coup. She returns to the home her parents abandoned when she was a child and sets up a jam shop/black market potions shop. Adventure and found-family ensue.

Okay, this is technically (according to some, anyway) a romance. And I know some of my readers will be scared away by this. It’s pretty tame on that front—and I just don’t mean it’s PG. I mean, the love story is pretty tame and mixes in pretty well with everything else that one could be forgiven for not thinking of it as a Romance. Like I do.

I had a blast with it, and am looking forward to getting my paws on Durst’s follow-up.

Nav’Aria: The Marked Heir

by K.J. Backer

DETAILS:
Series: Nav'Aria, #1
Publication Date: January 18, 2019
Format: Paperback
Length: 390 pg.
Read Date: March 26-31, 2026

This is a fun, sort of porthole fantasy—Darion has been sent by his parents to Earth with some caretakers. He doesn’t know he’s from this different world—he just thought his parents had weird hobbies for him—martial arts, a lot of time in the forest, hunting, and so on.

There’s very little new or unexpected to this story—it doesn’t matter, it’s done well and is entertaining. It’s a very comfortable read in that sense. You’ve got a noble king and queen, a jealous upstart relative, loyal countrymen, oppressed citizenry…yada yada. We’ve all read it, we all like it (otherwise we’d find another genre). It’s in the telling, and some of the small touches. Backer shines there.

For example: The relation between dragons and unicorns—which we’re going to explore more in volume two—is pretty interesting. And unicorns at the top of the power structure? That’s cool.

And we’re not talking plush unicorns with rainbows and flowers. We’re talking big, strong animals who know that pointy thing can be used for. They have other cool magic abilities, too. Really, the unicorns alone are worth reading this.

My concern is that Darion seems to be shedding his Earth-ness for Nav’Arian as fast as Peter Pevensie did when he went back to Narnia in Prince Caspian, I’d like to see that hanging on a little longer. Otherwise, instead of Earth, he might as well have been sent to live in a hovel in a small town to hide. I’m back for more soon.

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from any of them, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson: Survive Long Enough to Gather Power. Gather Enough Power to Make a Difference.

By HCNewton

On April 24, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction

The Traitor Baru Cormorant

by Seth Dickinson

DETAILS:
Series: The Masquerade, #1
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: November 29, 2016
Format: Paperback
Length: 399 pg.
Read Date: April 10-13, 2026

“The tide is coming in,” he said. “The ocean has reached this little pool. There will be turbulence, and confusion, and ruin. This is what happens when something small joins something vast.”

What’s The Traitor Baru Cormorant About?

This is tricky…in brief, the Empire of Masks comes and (mostly peacefully) annexes the island of Taranoke. Social hygienists and others come in to help civilize and educate the inhabitants. Part of that involves teaching their children—Baru Cormorant is one of the (if not the) brightest of the students—and she is told that she can go far in the world. Perhaps even to be part of the Empire’s government. Which makes her study harder.

She knows that the Empire cannot be beaten—especially by her people—militarily. Any change will have to come from within, so she has to earn a position of influence.

After school, she’s sent to be the Imperial Accountant to a region annexed some time before her home was—but there are still many groups trying to rebel and a variety of methods being employed to keep them down.

Baru finds corruption and fraud on all levels—and comes up with a very clever way to throw cold water on the upstarts through a little monetary manipulation.

Then, she’s swept up in a movement on the other side—people from Aurdwynn tired of bowing the knee (literally and figuratively) to the Empire—they want their land back. And Baru ends up acting as one of their leaders in the effort. Maybe she couldn’t help her people, but maybe she can be of service to these?

Things get wild after that.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because it was the Fantasy Book Club pick for the month. I knew nothing about it beyond that.

Why did I stick with it? Well, for the most part, because it was the Fantasy Book Club pick for the month. The writing was good, Baru was interesting, I liked the opening pages. But honestly—economic manipulation, political games that don’t seem to matter, and auditing the finances of the territory and various Dukes/Duchesses is not my idea of a riveting read.

But somewhere after the halfway point (arguably too late, and this would’ve been a good DNF candidate), things started to pick up. And then the action got a bit brisker, the political maneuvering wasn’t just about backroom deals that added up to little victories—they became about life and death—and not just in a theoretical way. The book kept getting better and better—like the proverbial snowball rolling downhill, getting bigger and faster all the way.

And then Dickinson threw in his twists, and…oh, reader, I cannot tell you how hard I fell for this book.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

First, I’m going to lift two paragraphs from my post earlier this week about Adrian Tchaikovsky’s City of Last Chances (a book I thought about a lot as I read this one)

For one, there’s a great depiction of the utter lack of compassion and naked ambition that can befall those who are convinced they/their group are absolutely correct, the only determiner of what is right/wrong, as they try to elevate/educate/correct another group of people.

On the other side, we have a selfishness and greed that a resistance can give shelter to. “Yes, I want to push back against this oppressive regime—but not so much that it’ll interfere with my art/scholarship/business or cause me any more inconvenience than I’m currently experiencing.”

But that’s a cheat—also, it’s not the biggest thing that stands out to me about this book. This book is a fantastic depiction of vengeance and what it can do to a person. Time after time after time, Baru gets the opportunity to live a decent life, to take some pleasure in things, to trust people (at least some), to work for the betterment of someone—anyone. And she really can’t—at least not for long—because she’s so entirely driven by her mission to change the Empire from within. Nothing comes before that—nothing is equal to that.

This makes her life dark, unpleasant, and unfulfilling, sure. It also makes her a handy tool for those who recognize her single-mindedness. I won’t get into who uses her in this way (or tries to, or sets her on a path to being used this way)—but despite what she thinks—and she really can’t see how easily she lets them do it to her. (or does she?)

I think it’s easy to see Baru and her thirst for vengeance all around us—not to the same degree that often (thankfully). But it’s there. It’s one of the uglier sides of humanity (and there are more than enough of those). And the reflective reader is going to pick up on this.

So, what did I think about The Traitor Baru Cormorant?

Even for the 200 hundred or so pages that I really wondered about this book, I couldn’t deny that Dickinson had writing chops. He captured characters and little moments between them so well. His descriptions were vivid and brought this world to life. And there were just so many quotable lines throughout the book, things like “This is the truth. You will know because it hurts.”

But, the pacing…I just don’t know. I don’t know if enough readers will stick with the political posturing, the economics, the audits, and the like to get to the good stuff. Yes, in retrospect, it’s absolutely worth it. And I can make the argument for him pacing it the way he did. I just don’t know that he should’ve. At one point, he writes about Baru, “She accepted the bargain without understanding the price. A terrible mistake, for an accountant.” I similarly wonder if the price Dickinson asks readers to pay to get to the latter half of the book is a terrible mistake for a writer.

But the book as a whole is just brilliant. For all the twists, turns, and shocks that fill these pages, he plays fair with the audience. Towards the end, there are a few pages where Baru thinks back over what had happened, and Dickinson lays it all out for us so we can see where he’d told us everything we needed to know. He’s like a Golden Age mystery writer, putting all the clues right out in the open for the reader to put together.

I was blown away by this book. Baru is a fascinating character—as are so many others, but I can’t really get into the who and why I find them so fascinating without revealing too much about them. Maybe I’ll be able to write about the survivors after the next book—if more than one or two show up.