November 9, 2020
Three unlikely characters land in the midst of political intrigue in this fun fantasy from Deas (The Silver Kings). Myla is a former sword-monk in training now just trying to keep her head down. Seth, a former novice driven out of the priesthood, and his close friend Fings—who took Seth in to help him survive the streets—only want warm food and to get through another horrific winter in the Empire of Aria unscathed. All three are approached by a man they call the Murderous Bastard about joining a heist with the promise of great riches, and they dubiously accept. The promised riches are real—but the heist throws the scrappy trio into the middle of a conspiracy involving the recent assassination of the emperor. It also drops the Moonsteel Crown into their hands. Each of the many contenders for the throne wants the crown, but in the wrong hands it could spark a devastating war. Deas punctuates the sometimes frustratingly slow-burning plot with great character moments, like Myla’s internal conflicts over using her training to kill and Seth learning sigils to make the dead speak. This will most appeal to fantasy readers who love seeing everyday characters caught up in sweeping events.
January 8, 2021
This first book in a projected series features a band of misfits who find themselves in way over their heads once they discover that the spoils of the barely competent theft they just carried out may have something, perhaps too much something, to do with the recent and extremely suspicious death of the Emperor of Aria. As rival gangs, old and new enemies, and imperial agents lock down their city in an attempt to flush them out of the alleys and sewers, this mismatched trio; a failed paladin, an excommunicated cleric, and a superstitious thief. They all show how the fall of empires looks when you're on the lowest rung of the social ladder but know entirely too much about terrible things really are-- because you're pinned at the center of the mess. VERDICT This dark and gritty fantasy is recommended for readers wanting the scope of an epic with the grittiness of grimdark urban fantasy. It will be loved by those who are looking for stories that exhibit all the darkness at the heart of "Game of Thrones" set in the mean streets of the grittiest of fantasy cities, and/or those who like antihero protagonists stuck in a morally gray area.
Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2021
Seth, Fings, and Myla are part of a band of petty thieves called the Unrulys. They work for Blackhand, who arranges to have them rob a barge on the river with his friend, the archer Sulfane. Fings is assigned to take a wooden box and give it to Sulfane. But the wooden box contained the Moonsteel Crown of the Emperor who had just been murdered. This plunges the Unrulys into the midst of political and religious intrigues in a power struggle for the throne. Convinced that the crown should be returned to the rightful heir, Myla, Fings, and Seth go in search of it. However, others are searching for the crown and will do anything to get it. After a series of adventures, the Unrulys are captured by Sulfane, and Seth resorts to arcane means to rescue his friends. Deas' fantasy debut looks at religious doctrine, heresies, faith, commitments, and friendships. Readers who like their high fantasy laced with revenge and political intrigue will find this tale of interest.
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