Synopsis:
Remember the wolf.
Remember what’s out there in the dark.
Valdaris was a middling artillery captain before his people fell to a conquering rival.
Then he fell further still, snatched from the battlefield by a ruthless cult and cast into the depths of ultimate evil.
Transformed by powers he can’t begin to understand, Valdaris seeks revenge on those who tried to destroy him. Instead, he’ll face monsters beyond his most terrifying nightmares. He joins with allies caught in the chaos of his war with evil, oblivious to his true nature and the darkness closing in on their world.
Full of dragons, monsters, found family, magical weapons, intense duels, and epic battles, The Fall of Selvandrea follows a vigilante’s quest against malice, greed, and the shadow within. Heroes and villains join against the rising dark, and against a tyrant whose schemes may destroy them all.
And from calamity’s ashes, a new power shall rise.
Review:
The Fall of Selvandrea by T.J. McKay. This was a whirlwind of action, a deep dive into some amazing characters, and a mind-blowing magic system. This story is definitely one you have to pay attention to, every single detail, which makes it an immersive read.
McKay’s prose is brilliant, every detail painted before you without sounding laundry-listed. He blends colors with smells and sounds and feelings until a wondrous mosaic of an epic fantasy world is laid out before you.
The characters are quite unique in speech, action, and ambition, making it easy to root for some and easy to hate others. However, as the plot progresses and more is found out about the characters and the decisions they make, alliances may be swayed in different directions.
My favorite character by far was Rhyn, a young, spirited girl who must be protected at all costs. McKay does an excellent job writing her innocent, whimsical mindset, and I could not get enough. She is so funny and curious and has absolutely no filter.
This story certainly starts out disorienting, but not without intent. The opening scenes introduce us to Valdaris Drascar, who has found himself trapped in an otherworldly place, adjusting to a power none has ever known.
What follows is a masterful plot that I’m afraid to even get into for fear of spoiling the beautifully interwoven events that unfold. Rest assured, this tale has all the staples of a fantasy novel: dragons, magic, and unfathomable war. And, bonus, it has some aspects of sci-fi as well, such as time travel and cybernetics. Except that what McKay does with these typical things is quite atypical.
This is a story for those who do not like their fantasy delivered in easy-to-swallow doses. While it can take a bit longer to digest, the result is a flavorful story that will live on in the mind long after it is over.
I had the pleasure of listening to this on audio, which is narrated by the author himself. The quality is clean, McKay does a fantastic job with pacing and tone, and gives each character a distinct voice without overdoing it.
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