REVIEW: Immaculate Scoundrels by John R. Fultz
Thold the scaleborn is a killer. A madman. The most accomplished thief in all Yhorom. Now god-touched, his divine vision reveals a lost treasure in the temple ruins of Asha-Khana. First, he must escape prison. Then trek across a desert overrun with cannibals and the supernatural. Each footstep brings bloodshed, but he cannot turn back. Death follows him. Death follows everyone in Immaculate Scoundrels by John R. Fultz.
Good men do not exist in Yhorom. There are corrupt politicians and murderers. There are thugs and brutes. There are plenty dead. Beneath them all, as the lowest caste, are the scaleborn. In Yhorom, those born with scales are either treated as slaves or abused as soldiers. Many scaleborn join the war legions to legally kill humans.
Immaculate Scoundrels follows the exploits of a few scaleborn; Thold, Yuhai, and Captain Niro Vont. As a scaleborn sorceress, Yuhai is a traitor. She serves the Celestial Empress by kidnapping other scaleborn magic wielders. Her schemes and craftiness make her POV a delight to read. Captain Niro commands the 51st legion. Having fought in three wars, Captain Niro is not driven by bloodlust but understands one truth; cruelty wins wars. Readers will not find heroes in Immaculate Scoundrels.
Immaculate Scoundrels embodies an elevated spirit of classic sword and sorcery fantasy. John R. Fultz brings dark magic and swift brutality with his The Scaleborn series. Readers seeking the fantasy adventures of the 70s will find much to love with the barbarians and straight up savagery of this world. The resurgence of sword and sorcery works like the new Conan the Barbarian comics and Lord of a Shattered Land have blended with or perhaps evolved into the Grimdark genre. Grimdark elements are seen in the complexity of Fultz’s characters and diverse setting.
Immaculate Scoundrels features an Asian-inspired world stocked with different cultures, religions, and landscapes. It is refreshing to have an expansive Asian-inspired setting. John R. Fultz takes readers through forests, cities, and desert. As the title of the series suggests, there is an emphasis on scaleborn and their culture. As readers, we are shown an oppressive world ruled by humans from scaleborn eyes. This focus does spark curiosity for the human perspective of this world.
John R. Fultz is the modern voice for traditional sword and sorcery tales. Immaculate Scoundrels is a must read for those looking for a barbarian-esque fantasy adventure with modern pacing and prose.
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