I tried to classify this book according to usual fantasy subgenres but I wasn’t able to match to any and decided that it belonged to the “Kept me hooked on a very hot summer afternoon”. This means I loved this book because I kept on reading even if my body was sending me messages like “Stop and go nearer to the fan” and I did it even if I kept on reading.
So this unclassified fantasy book is a page turner that starts slowly and introduce you to a complex world on the brink of a catastrophe and epochal changes.
The religion of the God Mountain is split between reformist and conservative, they were told to stop performing human sacrifice and they are divided. Anton is one of the Blade Priest in charge of the sacrifice and he’s very happy because he didn’t want to become the one who performed the sacrifices and gives the Gift. But he would prefer not to be involved in politics even if those playing political games are happy to involve him.
Inari is a builder, he’s enrolled by the League, a nation that just conquered his country.
And there’s the Elves, some very strange elves who are considered the villains.
There’s a lot of players, a lot of world building, and this is one of the few fantasy book I read where a religion is playing a relevant part not only as something part of the background.
The author is an excellent storyteller who delivers a fascinating and complex world building and well-developed characters.
Even if the story is told by Inari and Anton POVs there’s two female characters who plays a relevant role: Anzola and Duna. Anzola is a strong willed and powerful member of the League elite and I liked her since the beginning, Duna is a sort of mystery and we get to know her as the story evolves.
I wish there were some maps because sometimes my mind wasn’t able to imagine the distances and the terrain, trust me it plays a role.
I appreciated how the author took some classic fantasy tropes and made them new and how he was able to develop a story where there’s violence but the gore is never in eccess.
I think this is the first in a series and I hope there will be a follow up soon as I’m still suffering from book hangover and want to travel back to this world.
I had fun, enjoyed it as it’s gripping and highly entertaining.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Angry Robots and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine