The Fires of Vengeance, by Evan Winter.
I picked up the previous book after watching a review by Daniel Greene. It turned out that the disheveled Goblin had it spot on for the brilliant first entry into the series by Evan Winter. To my great relief, this book continues that run brilliantly. The story picks up immediately from where the last one finished. Tau is now the Queen's champion and finds himself in a position no lesser had ever hoped to achieve. Now those loyal to the Queen face the challenge of dealing with a split amongst the Omehi and the potential for civil war, whilst the threat of the Xiddeen looms. This book centers more on the growing relationship between Tau and his Queen whilst keeping the narrative moving towards the inevitable conflict between Tsiora and her sister.
The story opens up mere hours after the attack. The Xiddeen have retreated in the face of the Guardians' wrath, and Tau is reeling from yet another loss. Jabari is now heavily burned and bedridden, the petty Noble horribly scarred by Dragon's breath. Here we see Tau make a choice that looks like it will come back to bite him, confessing things to Jabari in the belief that the other is unable to hear him. That is not the case, and this will play out further down the road. This story is very much a look at the bigger world of the Omehi and their history, Tau discovering more than he had imagined as he delves fully into his role as the Queen's champion. We continue to look at the disparity between Lessers and the Nobles, how the social standings work, and how Tau's placing challenges those long-standing ideals. I would like to say that our protagonist had a moment to catch his breath, but that is not so, from the outset he is faced with dealing with assassins, injured further, and then forced to give chase after the Xiddeen. Tau pushes himself further than he should be able, driven by that need to be better, to do more, and save those around him regardless of the damage he does to himself. Tau's time in Isihogo has changed him so utterly that he is a creature of pure will, even poisoned by Dragon's blood, he manages to remain one of the deadliest men in the Queen's army. It is Tau's actions that often lead to how the story unfolds, even his decision to save Kana comes back to bite him, and we watch how he continues to view himself as a failure. The strongest part of this book remains the relationship between Tau and his sword brothers, the bonds there are unbreakable, and without them, Tau would truly fall foul of his worst instincts.
The story largely follows the split in the Omehi people, the capital of their nation taken by general Odili with Queen Tsiora's sister now declared as Queen. The potential civil war sits at the worst time as the threat of the Xiddeen is never far away, though they believe they have bought themselves some time with the War Chief's demise. Determined to take back her capital, Tsiora, is willing to risk much, she demands that the fiefs support her and is willing to force them to comply if they refuse. Evan's political world feels real, with the social standings well defined and the views of the Greater Nobles feeling reminiscent of standings in the real world. The story moves at quite a fast pace, with Tau lurching from one challenge to the next. Again, Evan continues to create a world and characters that feel so real, fleshing it out so well that you are truly immersed in the story. He focuses on Isihogo more in this book as Tau has to utilize the demon prison far more than in the previous book, its dangers becoming more real in some ways, and yet a piece on the board of play that proves more important. The backstory of the Omehi is fleshed out through the discourse between Tau and his Queen, and we learn of where they came from and the threat that looms ever in the background.
What impressed me most was the choice Evan made around Tau's rage and his revenge. I had wondered if Tau would become totally lost to that rage, but throughout the story, he is pulled from it. It is not always easy, but the life he has now pulled him back from fully indulging in it. Events threaten to push him back to that familiar wrath, but he is never completely consumed by it in the way he had been in the first novel. This book looks at the destructive power of anger and the cost of it. Evan Winter is great at these themes, they are at the core of the book, but they never feel that they loom over everything to its detriment. The action scenes remain a highlight of the book. Evan's fight scenes are visceral and carry a weight to them, especially when they fight the demons in Isihogo. Tau still feels a mark above those around him, but that gap is narrowed in this book. I have to say that I am so glad that the dragons in this world are not real. They feel far more dangerous than many of their contemporaries in other works of fiction
This book is a brilliant continuation of the story that began in The Rage of Dragons. I would recommend that anyone give this book a look. This is a fully realized world with strong characters and brilliant action throughout. I hope that Evan's next entry keeps the momentum going, and I am excited to discover where the story will lead.
This is an easy 4.5 out of 5. Give this a look if you enjoy fantasy or just a damn good read. Evan Winter has rapidly become one of my favourite authors, and I can't wait to see what he will do next.
