INFERNO'S SILENCE

In a land of monsters and magic, rebels rise up against a city’s totalitarian leaders in this debut dark fantasy.

Ex-militia member Ehrkon seeks revenge against Arguth, the powerful figure called “His Holiness” responsible for the deaths of his wife and son. With Ehrkon’s newfound ability to conjure blue flames (courtesy of a witch), he encounters others with the same goal as his. He gradually recruits individuals into an alliance that becomes an enemy to the city of Khurmal’s militia (the same one Ehrkon once belonged to). Elsewhere, 9-year-old thief Tren, who roams the “rough-and-tumble” Fifth Sector of Khurmal, hears of an imminent insurrection. He works for the Boss, a woman who’s not above using intimidation to coerce him into taking a job. His latest assignment is infiltrating the Tower in Khurmal to “off” someone there. In this same world is teen Ynka, who suddenly awakens one morning having undergone a visceral overnight transformation. Her loved ones don’t recognize her and effectively cast her out, forcing her to survive on her own and discover whatever she is slowly becoming. Meri’s story overflows with vibrant beings, both humans and creatures. Many have claws and fangs, but not all are monstrous; some sport humanoid features and intelligence, like the scaly-bodied, fur-faced T’yari that aid Ehrkon in building the alliance. Magic is a riveting, integral part of the story, as Ehrkon’s, Ynka’s, and Tren’s abilities are all fairly new. Tren can summon dual-sword tattoos on his back, which inexplicably appeared a year ago, as tangible weapons (“I could sneak in anywhere, fully armed, and no one would know”). Those three characters cover most of the alternating first-person narrations. While Ehrkon’s and Ynka’s stories are steeped in tragedy, Tren’s is a touch more lighthearted (throughout, the wisecracking thief refers to his swords as “the righty” and “the lefty”). Still, violence and profanity abound, as the mostly dubious characters threaten, betray, and kill one another. While this book can surely spin off into a sequel, it satisfies as a standalone as well.

A compelling, otherworldly tale of rebellion and retribution.