An intriguing fantasy that ultimately becomes scattered and plot heavy.
A dark elf vampire leader and his minions prepare for battle in this sword-and-sorcery novel.
In this tale, Wood Elves are attacked by strange white orcs of the west. But this isn’t the only threat the elves of the surface world must fear. Underground, the Illanni, the dark elves, have a new leader: Tibersu, a dark elf vampire. And while dark elves have been run by a ruling class of dark elf vampires for many years, Tibersu’s reign is a turning point. This is the first time the dark elves are united enough to attempt to retake the surface world. Tibersu is guided by the goddess Adois, who gives him a map to uncover a powerful treasure that will aid in her goal to not only conquer the surface world, but spread vampirism as well. To accomplish Adois’ wishes, Tibersu sends Martish, a dark elven military commander who secretly hates vampires, after this treasure. Meanwhile, the appearance of the odd white orcs is no fluke; in the shadows, the black witch has her own sinister scheme. The concept for this ambitious novel is a captivating blend of sword-and-sorcery fantasy and vampiric horror. On a basic level, the connection makes sense: Dark elves live underground, and vampires can’t tolerate the sun. But Stephenson doesn’t fully exploit the possibilities of this hybrid genre. Rather, the story is a fairly traditional fantasy in which the plot supersedes the characters. The tale opens with Wood Elves Tarquin and Ress being attacked by the white orcs. That scene ends with the two elves victorious, traveling home. There’s no time to get to know the characters or feel for them when Ress gets wounded. Since more and more players are constantly introduced, it will be difficult for readers to figure out whom to focus on. The betrothed Tarquin and Ress? The betrothed Eldahir, one of the Wood Elves’ greatest generals, and Morganna, a former Illanni magically transformed into a Wood Elf? Morganna’s vampire brother, Boltrein? Martish? Tibersu? The black witch? The narration treats all of these distinctive characters as if they are equally important. It’s not clear whose story this is or whom readers should pay attention to or root for.
An intriguing fantasy that ultimately becomes scattered and plot heavy.Pub Date: Aug. 12, 2021
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Manuscript
Review Posted Online: March 4, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Although the melodrama sometimes is a bit much, the superb worldbuilding and intricate plotline make this a must-read.
Using mystery and romance elements in a nonlinear narrative, SenLinYu’s debut is a doorstopper of a fantasy that follows a woman with missing memories as she navigates through a war-torn realm in search of herself.
Helena Marino is a talented young healer living in Paladia—the “Shining City”—who has been thrust into a brutal war against an all-powerful necromancer and his army of Undying, loyal henchmen with immortal bodies, and necrothralls, reanimated automatons. When Helena is awakened from stasis, a prisoner of the necromancer’s forces, she has no idea how long she has been incarcerated—or the status of the war. She soon finds herself a personal prisoner of Kaine Ferron, the High Necromancer’s “monster” psychopath who has sadistically killed hundreds for his master. Ordered to recover Helena’s buried memories by any means necessary, the two polar opposites—Helena and Kaine, healer and killer—end up discovering much more as they begin to understand each other through shared trauma. While necromancy is an oft-trod subject in fantasy novels, the author gives it a fresh feel—in large part because of their superb worldbuilding coupled with unforgettable imagery throughout: “[The necromancer] lay reclined upon a throne of bodies. Necrothralls, contorted and twisted together, their limbs transmuted and fused into a chair, moving in synchrony, rising and falling as they breathed in tandem, squeezing and releasing around him…[He] extended his decrepit right hand, overlarge with fingers jointed like spider legs.” Another noteworthy element is the complex dynamic between Helena and Kaine. To say that these two characters shared the gamut of intense emotions would be a vast understatement. Readers will come for the fantasy and stay for the romance.
Although the melodrama sometimes is a bit much, the superb worldbuilding and intricate plotline make this a must-read.Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2025
ISBN: 9780593972700
Page Count: 1040
Publisher: Del Rey
Review Posted Online: July 17, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2025
A delightful, genre-defying debut.
Historical horror? Dark fantasy? Queer romance? All of the above!
“I was hundreds of years old before I ever met him, but that day we were both young.” While visiting his Florence offices in 2013, attorney Sebastian Grave unearths a bloodstained lambskin glove that belonged to a past lover—a man he’d met in the 18th century. Nestled within this frame narrative is a tale of desire, werewolves, and the French Revolution. In telling his story, Sebastian introduces Sarmodel, the demon with whom he shares a body, and a succubus named Livia contributes chapters in which Joan of Arc, her notorious ally Gilles de Rais, and the archangel Michael all make appearances. First-time novelist Sullivan wields the tools of multiple genres deftly, but what really makes this book special is its central character. Sebastian has powerful magic at his disposal, but he’s also human enough to fall hard for a hot young nobleman. When Sebastian goes hunting for the Beast of Gévaudan, he’s not looking for adventure. The first time, it’s because he can’t resist Antoine Avenel d’Ocerne. The second time, it’s because he dreams of a reunion with his love—even though he knows this is a hopeless wish against the advice of Sarmodel. Using Sebastian as a narrator keeps things light, in part because he has a droll, contemporary voice and in part because it makes the worldbuilding feel natural. There are footnotes, but there are no infodumps. The fact that Sebastian doesn’t know exactly what he is sets the tone for storytelling that leaves a great deal unexplained while providing enough detail to keep the reader engaged. Deploying Sarmodel as a sort of alter ego and allowing Livia to offer her own perspective on Sebastian also adds both depth and charm.
A delightful, genre-defying debut.Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
ISBN: 9781250362766
Page Count: 544
Publisher: Tor
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
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