Solace Lost

Description

During times of war, no one goes unscathed. By Ultner, even in times of peace, few can escape suffering. Ardia is on the brink of civil war, though most citizens are woefully unaware of this fact. Fenrir de Trenton, a disgraced guardsman-turned-ineffective-criminal, is accustomed to taking orders. So much so that, despite the danger, he finds himself neck-deep in the politicking of his current superiors as well as the rulers of the country. The fact that Fenrir's father would rather see him show more dead doesn't help matters. Emma Dram, a handmaiden of the great Lady Escamilla, hates Fenrir with a fiery passion and with good reason: he lopped off most of her hand. Nonetheless, she finds herself in close proximity to her former lover as she seeks to serve her lady liege in fomenting her own rebellion. Hafgan Iwan is a Wasmer, a race reviled by humans, who serves the same masters as Fenrir. His efforts to assimilate with human culture only earn him the derision of his own race, and he seeks to find belonging amidst the escalating conflict. Meanwhile, Merigold Hinter, a serving girl with an unusual power, lives a simple existence, hoping for love, adventure, and to see the world. Her life should be untouched by political maneuvering and war. However, her world becomes a crucible; how much can one woman bear before breaking? A story of love lost and family destroyed, of bigotry and belonging, of suffering and strength, and of religion and magic, SOLACE LOST grows from a character-driven tale to something grand in scale, perhaps even involving the gods, themselves. show less

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1 review

whitewavedarling 2,020 reviews

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 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 show more 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

Apr 19, 2018

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