Synopsis

No Mercy, No Questions Asked.

Cork has quickly made a name for himself among the Kosellan mercenaries, but now his boss has come to him with an unusual job. Cork’s erstwhile countrymen, the Winn, have hired him to travel into the barren Frozen Lands and destroy a convoy, leaving only one survivor.

Cork isn’t sure he can trust the Winn. He feels like a pawn in their political game. However, his mother is sick and the Winn have promised to heal her if Cork does the job. And killing is what Cork does best.

To make matters worse. Cork’s crew has been decided for him: Arabella, an inexperienced and infuriating archer, and Nessa, a gloomy criminal with murder on her mind.

Cork will have to figure out how to complete the job, avoid Winn treachery, and manage conflicts with Arabella and Nessa along the way.

Quick Review

Once again, Dave Lawson balances action, humor, and a little romance in The Pawns of Havoc. This is a fun and bloody fantasy novella that hits the ground running.

Full Review

First, I’d like to explain how The Pawns of Havoc fits into the larger story of this fantasy series Dave Lawson has penned. Cork was a stand-out member of the supporting cast in Lawson’s first book, The Envoys of War, which this acts as a kind of prequel to. However, you can comfortably start your read of this series with either book. Lawson does a good job of explaining things as needed here, and although it’s a prequel the book really only hints at the events of Envoys.

I, however, did read the first book before diving into the prequel, and it was a fantastic time (my review of The Envoys of War). So, I came into The Pawns of Havoc expecting the same kind of lighthearted and slightly bloody adventure. And, well, that’s pretty much what I got.

Cork is a fun guy. He’s brutal, and genuinely enjoys crushing skulls with his axe, but he’s got a bit of a moral code. He likes helping people, his work just doesn’t always allow for that. Sometimes, to protect the people he loves, he’s got to be the bad guy—and he’s mostly comfortable with that.

His companions on this particular job push him in opposite directions, with Arabella encouraging him to do his best by others and Nessa pushing him to complete the mission. There’s also the looming threat of the Winn mages lurking about.

The bones are all here, all the makings for a brilliant little adventure, with Lawson’s signature dose of humor. Most of it works really well. Unfortunately, a few details left me wanting. 

Cork and Arabella’s relationship progresses more or less exactly how another duo from The Envoys of War did—to the extent where I almost felt as though I was re-reading that book. I did enjoy the first book, but I was just hoping for something a little different, or at least a little deeper.

Nessa was just not all that interesting. She serves almost a foil to Arabella’s more innocent nature, constantly craving violence. Later in the book, she reveals information about why she is that way, and it really didn’t land for me. I almost wish she wasn’t there at all, and we got to focus on just Cork and Arabella instead, giving them more time to form that deeper relationship I was looking for.

That said, these are nit-picks. I wanted to like The Pawns of War more than I did, but I did still enjoy it. Cork is a fun protagonist, and his character voice seems to compliment Lawson’s writing well. And although his relationship with Arabella isn’t quite what I’d hoped, what is in this novella is fun to read.

Lawson’s solidifying himself as a must-watch author for me, and I’m curious to see where things go from here. Between the events of Envoys and this prequel adventure… There are a lot of threads he can pick up for the sequel.

I recommend The Pawns of Havoc. Lawson knows how to write a fun and exciting story, and this novella is a great way to see if you’re interested in his flavor of fantasy.

I was also glad to see that, like the first book, this was narrated by Lawrence Stirling Knott. Once again, he did a great job with this story bringing each character to life. If you’re looking for a short audiobook to put on, The Pawns of Havoc is an excellent choice.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.