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Grimm White-Eyes is on the run after he killed King Uthredd’s brother. He needs to get out of the Northern Islands, but with his former employment making his face and distinctive eyes well known, he’s struggling to find anyone to take him. He’s accompanied by a stubborn Dwarven girl, a slave he inadvertently rescued. But is he leading her to a much more dangerous life? Anna is 14, and lives deep in the forest surrounding Winterhelm, the capital of Artanzia. She’s taught by her father how to survive in the frigid cold and how to kill the monsters who inhabit the forest. Except, one day, she accidentally leads her fathers old comrades to their secluded hut, and disaster falls. Now she must try to navigate the woods alone and reach the capital – except she has no idea how to act around many other humans, having been raised alone. Elbert is the second son of the King. He’s spoilt, ambitious and will do everything in his power to ensure that he brings Artanzia back to its former glory. When his father dies, his brother is to be named King by the council; he’s more palatable than Elbert. The night before he’s due to be crowned, the prince mysteriously dies, falling from the battlements of the castle. Elbert is to be King – but he’ll soon discover, it comes at a very high price. The three main characters in Season of Kings, all of whom are separated by either huge distances or experiences. Eventually they will come together in a climatic ending, that none of them would have ever seen coming.
If you’re a fan of incredibly graphic violence and high, epic fantasy, then Season of Kings will most definitely appeal to you. Every single scene in this book is written in minute detail – not a single thing is left out of the gore fest. While I enjoyed it, for some, it might be a bit too graphic, and so for that I would suggest only those of strong constitutions read this book.
It’s not all blood and guts, though. There are flashes of brilliant humour, especially with the epic tantrums thrown by Elbert. He’s written in such a way that he’s immediately unlikable and is on a path that seems it’s unlikely there will be any redemption. It’s refreshing to see a main character be so inherently awful; they’re often given a slim lifeline to be better.
While Season of Kings is a very good read, the violence is somewhat stomach churning. Trigger Warnings should be taken into account; child abuse, animal abuse, graphic detail of violence, gore and death.
S. A
First published on Reedsy Discover via their ARC program. You can read the original review here.
Season of Kings is available to buy if you click on its name.. You can also read it for free via Kindle Unlimited