REVIEW: The Exile by Ryan Cahill

After introducing Dayne, and the region of Valtara, in Of Darkness and Light, Ryan Cahill offers us insight into his years spent away from his homeland in The Exile. This novella, while set largely before the events in Of Blood and Fire, is best read between books two and three.

The Exile begins on the night Dayne’s life is irrevocably changed, the night his parents and their nascent rebellion against the Lorian empire are betrayed. Assassins are sent to kidnap Dayne’s younger siblings, and through chance, he spots them just in time to intervene. The night quickly descends into a chaotic, bloody scramble to escape before his entire family, and all their warriors, are killed. His father is head of House Ateres elite fighting force, the Andurii, and his mother is a renowned wyvern rider; both unwilling to lay down and let the empire roll over them.

Tragedy after tragedy befalls the Ateres family and Dayne and parents are captured, taken by sea to watch as Dragonguard mercilessly burns an entire city of innocents before them. Dayne escapes and is cast into exile, vowing to hunt down every person who played a key part in his parents’ death and the decimation of his home.

Dayne is able to wield the Spark, and uses this to his advantage in his brutal quest for revenge. Along the way, he meets Belina, a Hand Assassin trying to get out from the organisation that has kept her beholden to them for her entire life. She offers Dayne a path to find the Dragonguard who gave the order to burn Valtaran souls. This takes both characters to some dark and unsettling places, both figuratively and literally.

You may be wondering, is this an optional companion novella, or required reading? Personally, I’m inclined towards the latter. You don’t need the additional context, backstory and information that The Exile offers in order to move forward and read Of War and Ruin – but there will be some moments you might not fully appreciate, characters you won’t immediately know or interactions you won’t understand if you haven’t read The Exile.

The Exile fleshes out Dayne’s backstory, but also provides a lot of deeper context for Belina, Valtaran history, Lorian depravity and how Dayne became part of Aeson’s trusted network. The story spans over a decade but never feels rushed in this shorter form. It keeps Cahill’s signature blend of gritty violent scenes, dark flashes of humour and heartbreaking agonies. It will make you mad, sad and hopeful, just as a good grimdark tale should.

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