Synopsis:
It is winter in the Empire of the Wolf, and the town of Eisbrück burns with plague.
Whilst physicians struggle to contain the pox, the atmosphere thickens with recrimination and rumour: talk of inauspicious constellations, and a demonic witch filling the streets with bodies and black magick. Amongst the chaos, Sir Konrad Vonvalt must recover a dangerous fugitive—a child murderer who has escaped from Blackmarsh Insane Asylum.
But with winter’s bite closing and plague spreading like wildfire, finding the killer may be the least of his problems…
Review:
My favourite novella of the year.
Sir Konrad Vonvalt must apprehend a dangerous fugitive – a child murderer who has escaped from an Insane Asylum.
Winter’s bite, accusations of witchcraft, and a plague spreading and killing like wildfire makes finding the killer more deadly than anticipated.
This had the gritty atmosphere of The Justice of Kings trilogy, a prequel that gives you a glimpse into Konrad’s calculating mind. The mystery and arcane hints will satisfy fans of The Tainted Cup.
The dialogue is sharp. The dynamics packed with history that we are privy to through interactions and what goes unsaid. Being able to portray characters’ personalities and relationships in such a short page count is talented indeed.
The mystery is well executed and layers intrigue with physical horrors, the spiritual, and accusations of witchcraft.
“Witnessing death bestirs the desire to create new life. Either that or the body cannot tell the difference between bloodlust and regular lust.”
The world building is lacking. It definitely throws you in the deep end and relies heavily on readers having knowledge of the trilogy, despite this being a prequel.
Ultimately, I would not recommend starting with this as your introduction to the Empire of the Wolf world. Unless you are aware you will be missing key information, but want a taste of the dark atmosphere, the complicated characters, and harsh Empire.
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