Synopsis
The Osseomancer is finally vanquished, but the work has only just begun.
For a quarter-century, the dark wizard and his undead hordes raged across Jenor, leaving all in terror. Only the combined forces of men, dwarves, and elves, united by their desperation, were able to defeat him and his horrific magic.
Now, the world is battered and broken. Much needs to be rebuilt. And without a common foe, how long can all remain united?
Hoping to maintain such unity, the mage Snorri and his aide Nauveena invite all to a council at the magic academy Athyzia. Nauveena expects such a council to be easy, especially compared to years of war. But soon enough, she learns that politics are more difficult than magic… and more dangerous.
Nauveena assists Snorri in presiding over the council, but soon finds herself bartering votes and forging alliances to protect an already-fragile world. How the council votes will reshape everything, and possibly not for the better…
Review
The Council of Athyzia by DH Hoskins is a political fantasy that I never expected to be invested in, but has changed my view on those types of stories. This is a brilliantly crafted, unique story about the council of Athyzia working to forge a path together after years of brutal war.
I really enjoyed how Hoskins was able to build such deep lore through conversation. Each dynamic was carefully written so that we knew exactly where they were from and more about their history. This was a creative way of showing how diverse this world is. I was hooked in finding out parts of information this way which is different what I normally read but just as engrossing.
The themes that Hoskins has written here are complex. We see fragile nations, people trying to work together who would never do so. Having a POV character trying to work these out and witness this happening, mirroring us as the reader, was remarkable and I’m thoroughly impressed with how this played out. I couldn’t help but imagine them sitting round a table, like we see in media, and discussing these.
This was an entertaining read and something out of my comfort zone that really challenged my own reading habits. Hoskins novel should be on your radar.
Leave a Reply