Michael Sliter

Michael Sliter has fast become my favorite writer of grimdark fantasy with his Pandemonium Rising series, and this novella in the series is a fantastic installment.

Ferl was one of my favorite characters in the first book of the series especially, and so I was thrilled to see Sliter put out a novella focused on his life leading up to the major books in the series. The attention the author brings to world-building and character is something special, and what's more, this little novella will be show more a great read for readers who are venturing into the series anew or discovering the novella after reading the fuller books. It's got the adventure and the humor that follow this character throughout the larger series, as well as the seriousness and the detail that make these books so special.

Truly, my only complaint is that I'd love to see novellas for all of the characters, or see longer works of them--because I hated to finish this one, and it felt like it ended nearly as soon as it began. That's not to say the book isn't what it needs to be; truly, it is. But the story and the writing are that good, you just don't want it to end.

Absolutely recommended for readers of grimdark, as well as epic and dark fantasy. show less

In creating the cast for Solace Lost and this world of epic fantasy, Sliter managed to bring to life a cast of characters that are worlds apart, and wonderfully believable. As their stories interweave and the world they live in itself comes to life, this is one of those books that gains its own sort of building inertia--in the beginning, I didn't want to put it down, and is it continued, I couldn't. Sliter's seamless writing and striking narrative pull together into a book that is the reason show more I seek out fantasy like this to begin with, and it's wonderful.

This book delivers on everything it promises, from drama and intrigue on to humor and suspense and action. Yet, for me, it's the characters--Fenrir, Merigold, and Emma, especially--who keep the tale fresh in my mind, and make it hard to wait for the sequel. There's no doubt that this tale will stay with me, and that I'll continue to think of the characters as more real than created while I wait for the next installment.

Absolutely recommended. show less

While Solace Lost was a powerful and brutal introduction to this gorgeously written series, Wisdom Lost picks up where it left off without leaving behind any of the desperation or character-driven drama that made the first book so impressive. Carrying on with the POVs introduced in the first installment of the series, Sliter's talent and careful world-building holds the whole of the narrative together so that there's none of the fracturing which sometimes occurs in mutli-POV works of this show more nature. Instead, what builds up through the work is a gorgeously crafted tapestry that is both cohesive and complicated. Somehow, however, it all fits together in such a masterful fashion that it's hard to believe this is only the author's second novel.

Fans of epic fantasy and grimdark, and perhaps fans of fantasy in general as long as they can take some darkness in turn, should start with Sliter's Solace Lost and plan to dive immediately into this follow-up. It's beautifully written, fast-paced, and fairly fantastic.

Absolutely recommended. show less

This latest book in the Pandemonium Rising series doesn't disappoint. Sliter's nuanced characters and fantastic world-building are on full display as the characters brought to life and developed in earlier books continue to fight for their future. At every turn in this series, there's something new to be impressed by, and I honestly can't wait for the story to be continued. All readers of Grimdark should love this series, and I think Sliter's writing and story-telling are enough to win over show more plenty of Epic Fantasy and Dark Fantasy readers to the cause of Grimdark--this series is that good, and that addictive.

Absolutely recommended. show less