Blurb:

With the realm falling apart, the fate of a people falls upon Laoch and Sura’s shoulders and the Gods’ weapons they now bear ‒ a thousand years of faith and lies reconciled in a single moment of hope and redemption.

For Laoch, the Crusades never ended, yet the embittered Ranger finds hope in his love for the dishonoured elven warrior, Sura. Together, they must face a new conflict when a powerful enemy crashes into a Meister’s alchemical experiment, setting off a wave of fear that ripples through the realm.

With the secrets of the Gods’ scripture exposed and whispers of an ancient evil’s return, Laoch and Sura are left reeling by the power their enemy wields when an even larger threat rises from the forest depths. One even the Gods’ weapons fear.
In a world no longer devoid of magic, a thousand years of secrets and lies spill out, and cracks form in the last bastion against an ancient foe.

For cast in iron and spiritfire - here be dragons.

Review:

It is hard to keep up with Nick Snape. You read one of his books, blink, and there are a couple more out already.

I recently had the pleasure of reading his novella–The Scorching: The World in My Hands, which I enjoyed thoroughly and reviewed here. So when I heard Indyman raving about his dark fantasy series–Warriors of Spirit and bone, I jumped in to explore that too. And what a ride it has been!

“The Wyrm Ship Captain glanced at the bone compass once again.”

The thing that stood out to me the most was the expansive world building. The intriguing opening line above is the perfect gateway to a deep, layered and complex world which we simultaneously explore from the point of view of a captain from another world seeking refuge, and the natives caught in a precarious balance between science and religion.

“Hiding from knowledge and science isn’t going to change the past, but it could change the future.”

The initial part of the story may look like a stereotypical science vs religion conflict in a medieval society, but it gradually evolves into a more intricate situation as we continue to get glimpses of the cosmic threats that this pocket of civilization has managed to avoid so far only through a carefully controlled deception.

While the veils may have kept the world hidden until now, the last-ditch gamble of a visitor from beyond threatens to change that. The rupture caused by their intrusion manifests as a “soul tear” and is noticed not just by the human inhabitants, but also ancient beings who have been slumbering in silence for ages.

“As here I am, a harbinger for these people we once called friends. What will we bring down upon them as we attempt our own survival?”

There is a lot packed in this relatively small book, and the author doesn’t hand-hold you all the way. The reader is expected to discover and connect the nuggets of insights spread throughout the story, and the presentation demands a hundred percent of your attention. 

Among the characters, I found Lord Penance to have the most dominant presence - so much so that he outshines even the protagonists. Very reminiscent of Sand dan Glokta from Abercrombie’s First Law, he initially comes across as an over-zealous inquisitor past his prime. But as the story progresses we begin to better appreciate, perhaps not his methods, but certainly, his perspective, and his sacrifices.

“He must forever be held in fear, be seen as the wielder of the scourge. The one to keep humanity in line to the rules set down by the Seven.”

That is not to imply that the other characters aren’t interesting. Laoch is not your typical protagonist - the aging ranger has pretty much given up all hope, but twists in life keep pulling him back to the forefront of adventure.

“A man who’d drowned his own heroism in drink and self-pity.”

He also happens to be caught in a quirksome situation between Gowan and Sura. I did feel the two of them had more potential, and deserved a little more screen-time. Perhaps in future books we will get to know them better.

“She was in the middle of a real-life ghost story, though this tale was not being told by the fire with a warmed jug of rum.”

Action and political intrigue go hand in hand and the many factions involved add a great deal of color and depth to the story.

While there is nothing particularly gory or gruesome in the book, the pervasive sense of melancholy, impending chaos and foreboding justifies the “dark fantasy” tag. The looming threat of soul eaters from beyond the veils aside, there are plenty of threats close to home as well. As the leadership slowly begins to unravel the layers of myths they have been spoon-fed for centuries, there are those for whom the sweeping tide of changes presents unique opportunities.

“A sense of dread washed over her as the door opened slowly, exposing the void behind. Ancient air blew across her face, musty, cold and damp – how she imagined a burial chamber to be.”

Readers of Nick’s sci-fi thriller series - Weapons of Choice will likely enjoy discovering some parallels in the plotlines of the two books. If you enjoy themes of first contact and near future military sci-fi, I recommend trying out that series as well. I, personally, enjoyed this one more.

Because this is the first book of a series, the ending is less of a conclusion, and more of a new beginning leading towards a more epic adventure. There are many unresolved tangents, and I am eagerly looking forward to exploring more about Constructors, the trapped spirits of Schenterenta, and the worshipers of the Eighth in the next books.