Book Review for Death’s Reckoning by Quinn Thomas
I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.
Death’s Reckoning, by Quinn Thomas, is a dark, high fantasy about the lengths that people will go to secure freedom, even if it means succumbing to another oppressive regime, or lose themselves in their own pride. Micol is a former soldier who decides to join Death as a way to bring social upheaval to a world dominated by the corrupt elite. Tarana, also known as a Calamity, is a princess on the run after learning of a plot to kill her, during which she is forced to learn auto survive without her usual recklessness. Meanwhile, Itan, a priest of Mirao, is assigned to Jarano, where he meets a young boy who could very well be his undoing. Each narrative showcases a part of what it means to carry on a piece of an immortal, as well as how easily broken humans can become after being exposed to that power.
The storylines intertwined perfectly. For Micol, it was going through the motions of being a soldier, and then feeling like life stripped you of your purpose. Suddenly he’s being thrust into a revolution in which the commoners supposedly take control of the power taken by the nobility. And the more power Micol’s wolves accumulate, the more is taken away from Tarana and her family. And while I appreciated this dichotomy, I also loved how Thomas showed that commoners will still fight amongst themselves, especially when cornered. It demonstrates that, even though Micol and Tarana believe they’re fighting on the side of justice, at the end of the day it’s still Pestilence and Calamity, aspects that can (and will) cause havoc). Then of course, there’s Itan, who, despite his calm and gentle demeanor, and carried the kindest of hearts, still fell prey to his own greed. He’s a hidden force no one could’ve seen coming; hell, the only reason he went to Jacano was because of his own fuck up. Overall, Thomas demonstrates just how far reaching human imperfections are; it doesn’t matter if you’re an aspect or not, a citizen, a noble, or even a priest. Death comes for everyone.
It begs the question, then, what the sect of Solus wants. Because while it may sound like something my fiancé and I will fight for, it doesn’t take a genius to see the greed behind the ideology. I feel that Death would like to believe that his vision is different, and in a way it is; after all, Death comes for everyone equally. Still, aspects are only people, and in Death’s thinking, it reminds me of the angels who fell from heaven solely because of their hubris. What’s worse, people like Visala are easy to take advantage of; she’s desperate for change, and will stop at nothing to see it through, despite the destruction it brings. It’s the same thing for Ponto; although he did what any child would do, trusting the adults in his life, in the end it’s what ultimately brings his ruin. It’s the blind leading the blind in that sense. There is no such thing as innocence in this world, and should it be found, it would either be twisted into something malevolent, or would be snuffed out completely.
The book isn’t perfect. While all the narratives were incredibly compelling, I would’ve preferred Thomas stick with just Micol, Itan, and Tarana’s. Moreover, I felt that Thomas could’ve used more descriptive language to envelop me in the atmosphere, although I did appreciate him showing me the psychological state of the characters, rather than just telling me. As such, because of it’s compelling themes and unique blending of storylines, I would give this book a 4 stars out of 5.
