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The Jantakai Saga #1
Demon's Tear
No prophecies
No destiny
The new heroes of our time shall choose themselves
The Jantakai, the lands of the Twin Swords, are divided. War threatens every border, crime infests countries like a disease, and the gods themselves have faded away. Beneath this turbulent arena an ancient, malicious power begins to wake. The whole world is like dry tinder, waiting for a spark.
Old friends Ellyah and Nastja must rediscover how to trust one another as they navigate the underworld of Anish. Eain is a young soldier of Banahgar, whose dreams of glory turn out to be a nightmare. Driven by necessity, their quests will force them to travel further and through more dangers than they could have imagined.
At the heart of it all, a blood-red ruby gleams, sending out a siren call. A frantic chase begins, those who would possess it unaware of the danger it holds. Glory and riches await the victor, and for the losers the only prize will be death.
Who will claim the Demon’s Tear?
No destiny
The new heroes of our time shall choose themselves
The Jantakai, the lands of the Twin Swords, are divided. War threatens every border, crime infests countries like a disease, and the gods themselves have faded away. Beneath this turbulent arena an ancient, malicious power begins to wake. The whole world is like dry tinder, waiting for a spark.
Old friends Ellyah and Nastja must rediscover how to trust one another as they navigate the underworld of Anish. Eain is a young soldier of Banahgar, whose dreams of glory turn out to be a nightmare. Driven by necessity, their quests will force them to travel further and through more dangers than they could have imagined.
At the heart of it all, a blood-red ruby gleams, sending out a siren call. A frantic chase begins, those who would possess it unaware of the danger it holds. Glory and riches await the victor, and for the losers the only prize will be death.
Who will claim the Demon’s Tear?
- GenresFantasy
553 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2024
6 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
R.E. Sanders
5 books43 followersR.E. Sanders is a fantasy author based in the UK. A degree in archaeology and a fascination with British history has led him to create a world of his own in which to spin tales and create adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 6, 2024
Immersive Traditional Fantasy, on a Truly Epic Scale
I received this book as an ARC, and these are my honest thoughts.
In this first novel in the Jantakai saga, we follow two weaving threads. First, the dark and lonely tale of Eain, a warrior desperately seeking honour to atone for two counts of cowardice, both his own and that of his forebears. The story opens with him, declaring him the de facto ‘main’ character, but his spotlight is quickly eclipsed by the pursuit of the Demon’s Tear. This is told primarily through the eyes of the thieves who have stolen the jewel, without knowing its true value or nature, and less frequently through the servant of Desya who hunts it remotely.
This is a book about journeys, rather than destinations. It’s fast-paced with frequent action and constant evasion, especially when following our sharp trio of thieving women. Eain’s storyline is, by comparison, more of a self-reflective journey, but the slower pace of his chapters in the mid-section is a welcome reprieve from the constant scarpering of the others.
The (huge) world feels lived in, the cultures feel distinct, and the cities feel like you could step straight into them. The cast of people and places might be a little TOO vast in this opening book, with new information and world-building up to the very last pages, but no one can come away from this book without a distinct appreciation of its epic scale.
One of Sanders’ greatest strengths is his immersive way of describing place. There are some beautiful turns of phrase around settings and particularly city scapes.
If the thieves' tale is the lungs of this story, breathing vitality and energy into the story, Eain’s story can be seen as the slow beating heart of Demon’s Tear. Where the story will go next is anyone’s guess, but R. E. Sanders has built a world you can’t help but sink into, with characters who feel guided by actions and choice, rather than luck.
I received this book as an ARC, and these are my honest thoughts.
In this first novel in the Jantakai saga, we follow two weaving threads. First, the dark and lonely tale of Eain, a warrior desperately seeking honour to atone for two counts of cowardice, both his own and that of his forebears. The story opens with him, declaring him the de facto ‘main’ character, but his spotlight is quickly eclipsed by the pursuit of the Demon’s Tear. This is told primarily through the eyes of the thieves who have stolen the jewel, without knowing its true value or nature, and less frequently through the servant of Desya who hunts it remotely.
This is a book about journeys, rather than destinations. It’s fast-paced with frequent action and constant evasion, especially when following our sharp trio of thieving women. Eain’s storyline is, by comparison, more of a self-reflective journey, but the slower pace of his chapters in the mid-section is a welcome reprieve from the constant scarpering of the others.
The (huge) world feels lived in, the cultures feel distinct, and the cities feel like you could step straight into them. The cast of people and places might be a little TOO vast in this opening book, with new information and world-building up to the very last pages, but no one can come away from this book without a distinct appreciation of its epic scale.
One of Sanders’ greatest strengths is his immersive way of describing place. There are some beautiful turns of phrase around settings and particularly city scapes.
If the thieves' tale is the lungs of this story, breathing vitality and energy into the story, Eain’s story can be seen as the slow beating heart of Demon’s Tear. Where the story will go next is anyone’s guess, but R. E. Sanders has built a world you can’t help but sink into, with characters who feel guided by actions and choice, rather than luck.
November 7, 2024
Immediate spoilers: There is a tear-shaped jewel.
Wow. This story is ambitious. It takes its time to set the scene for all POVs (some more immediately tense than others) with confident prose and worldbuilding on a scale reminiscent of classical fantasy series.
Our cast was diverse, with different cultures, locales, and peoples. Numerous side characters helped elevate and add to the POV characters and the few times the separate plot threads came together, it felt rewarding. (Even if it took some time to get there.)
There is some magic, but it's executed on the more subtle side. Truly has a classic fantasy feel and touches on trauma and recovery in a well-executed way. It never felt forced.
This rating is rounded up. While some meandering moments built character without obviously driving the plot, I enjoyed my time in this setting with these characters and look forward to the sequel.
Wow. This story is ambitious. It takes its time to set the scene for all POVs (some more immediately tense than others) with confident prose and worldbuilding on a scale reminiscent of classical fantasy series.
Our cast was diverse, with different cultures, locales, and peoples. Numerous side characters helped elevate and add to the POV characters and the few times the separate plot threads came together, it felt rewarding. (Even if it took some time to get there.)
There is some magic, but it's executed on the more subtle side. Truly has a classic fantasy feel and touches on trauma and recovery in a well-executed way. It never felt forced.
This rating is rounded up. While some meandering moments built character without obviously driving the plot, I enjoyed my time in this setting with these characters and look forward to the sequel.
September 1, 2024
Epic Fantasy Adventure!
Demon's tear is the first book in a larger series, so the main thing it does is set up the scene for later books (for most of the novel, the two main story threads are completely separate). Though the scope is epic, the focus is very character-based--something I always enjoy--focusing on Eain, a young man who continues to have horrible things happen to everyone around him, and two thieves, Ellyah and Nastia, who have stolen the Demon's Tear gem and are on the run from several nefarious groups.
Sanders does very well with descriptive writing and the world is very well-built. I enjoyed my time amongst the characters, especially Ellyah and Nastia. Eain's story began to drag in the middle for me, but things heated back up toward the end.
All in all, an enjoyable book, and the start of a promising series!
I recommend you check this one out if you're a fan of traditional epic fantasy!
Demon's tear is the first book in a larger series, so the main thing it does is set up the scene for later books (for most of the novel, the two main story threads are completely separate). Though the scope is epic, the focus is very character-based--something I always enjoy--focusing on Eain, a young man who continues to have horrible things happen to everyone around him, and two thieves, Ellyah and Nastia, who have stolen the Demon's Tear gem and are on the run from several nefarious groups.
Sanders does very well with descriptive writing and the world is very well-built. I enjoyed my time amongst the characters, especially Ellyah and Nastia. Eain's story began to drag in the middle for me, but things heated back up toward the end.
All in all, an enjoyable book, and the start of a promising series!
I recommend you check this one out if you're a fan of traditional epic fantasy!
May 26, 2024
(Thanks for the ARC Rob!)
I am Claihed.
It's all been building to this. With his previous entries Tanns Last Stand and A Path of Blades, R.E. Sanders brings us the first in his new epic fantasy series.
Now your first book in a fantasy series tends to go down a fairly well trodden path. A young hero, normally a farm boy, must go from A to B to get X to stop the evil dark Y from doing Z. Then book 2 onwards is when you get into the unique meaty stuff.
Well Demon's Tear just isn't that kind of book; If anything it has an anti-hero's journey. We have Eain, a disgraced soldier looking to escape his failure who unfortunately finds danger more often than one would want.
We have Ellyah and Natsja, two thieves who have managed to get their hands on a blood red ruby; The Demon's Tear, pursued by its relentless owners through a treacherous land.
Their POVs happen pretty much entirely independent of one another, and bring very different styles and stakes to the table.
In all this, you have a huge fantasy world with pepperings of different races, creeds and political intrigue. The World is doing its own thing while our MCs are doing theirs. Jantakai feels alive and takes central stage as its own character.
Sanders greatest strength is in his fight scenes. He writes them with such accuracy as if he was once a valiant Knight himself. Each swing of a sentence strikes with precision, and the fight scenes never over stay their welcome.
While there are big world ending stakes hinted to, DT's drama is focused almost exclusively on its characters, how they interplay with each other, with a key theme of 'regret' shadowing the entire journey.
The ending teases bigger stakes, bigger swords and bigger characters. I am excited to see them all. With Demon's Tear, Sanders has solidified himself as one to watch (and read) in the indie SFF arena.
I am Claihed.
It's all been building to this. With his previous entries Tanns Last Stand and A Path of Blades, R.E. Sanders brings us the first in his new epic fantasy series.
Now your first book in a fantasy series tends to go down a fairly well trodden path. A young hero, normally a farm boy, must go from A to B to get X to stop the evil dark Y from doing Z. Then book 2 onwards is when you get into the unique meaty stuff.
Well Demon's Tear just isn't that kind of book; If anything it has an anti-hero's journey. We have Eain, a disgraced soldier looking to escape his failure who unfortunately finds danger more often than one would want.
We have Ellyah and Natsja, two thieves who have managed to get their hands on a blood red ruby; The Demon's Tear, pursued by its relentless owners through a treacherous land.
Their POVs happen pretty much entirely independent of one another, and bring very different styles and stakes to the table.
In all this, you have a huge fantasy world with pepperings of different races, creeds and political intrigue. The World is doing its own thing while our MCs are doing theirs. Jantakai feels alive and takes central stage as its own character.
Sanders greatest strength is in his fight scenes. He writes them with such accuracy as if he was once a valiant Knight himself. Each swing of a sentence strikes with precision, and the fight scenes never over stay their welcome.
While there are big world ending stakes hinted to, DT's drama is focused almost exclusively on its characters, how they interplay with each other, with a key theme of 'regret' shadowing the entire journey.
The ending teases bigger stakes, bigger swords and bigger characters. I am excited to see them all. With Demon's Tear, Sanders has solidified himself as one to watch (and read) in the indie SFF arena.
May 15, 2024
Sanders returns to the world of Tann's Last Stand and A Path Of Blades.
I love the way the story is initially introduced through the viewpoints of a number of different characters, many of whom become key players throughout the book. As ever, Sanders' descriptive prose is evocative without being overly flowery, and there were several moments where I genuinely laughed out loud.
Sanders obviously knows his sword-fighting and there are numerous exciting fight scenes, but there's a real heart to this book as well. The characters are well-written and I found myself getting very involved; I was really rooting for some and looking forward to their chapters while also finding one of the other characters quite irritating (as I suspect the author intended!). Sanders doesn't limit himself to the usual fantasy character tropes but has included a neurodivergent character as well as one who's suffered from a terrible personal loss, a usually taboo issue that the author deals with sensitively and well.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm very much looking forward to seeing what happens in the sequel.
I was provided a copy of this book as an ARC reader interested in fantasy, and have received no other compensation or encouragement for this review. My comments and opinions are my own.
I love the way the story is initially introduced through the viewpoints of a number of different characters, many of whom become key players throughout the book. As ever, Sanders' descriptive prose is evocative without being overly flowery, and there were several moments where I genuinely laughed out loud.
Sanders obviously knows his sword-fighting and there are numerous exciting fight scenes, but there's a real heart to this book as well. The characters are well-written and I found myself getting very involved; I was really rooting for some and looking forward to their chapters while also finding one of the other characters quite irritating (as I suspect the author intended!). Sanders doesn't limit himself to the usual fantasy character tropes but has included a neurodivergent character as well as one who's suffered from a terrible personal loss, a usually taboo issue that the author deals with sensitively and well.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm very much looking forward to seeing what happens in the sequel.
I was provided a copy of this book as an ARC reader interested in fantasy, and have received no other compensation or encouragement for this review. My comments and opinions are my own.
April 2, 2025
Demon's Tear is the first book in The Jantakai Series and is filled with adventure, war, and quest for riches in every corner, and I had a fun time with it. Its action packed, a little bit of magic, and an awesome friendship.
You have 3 main pov's and some smaller side pov's. Where you follow old friends Ellyah and Nastja, as Nastja gets dragged into Ellyah's troubles after stealing the red ruby and gets hunted down by someone much worse that's wants it back.
In another corner, you follow Eain, who is a soldier with deep problems after he gets dragged into the war. And struggles with the memories afterward while finding his place.
Sanders did a great job with his character, i found almost every character so intriguing to read from the main characters to the smaller ones. The only one I'm gonna be honest I struggled with was Eain. Not because he was a bad one, just that i didn't seem to be able to connect with him.
The book is splitted into parts where you most of the time go one by one pov's each part. Which personally was a bit heavy for me when coming to Eain's parts. For me, it would probably have been easier flow if it was rotating with chapters instead of parts. But that's only a personal preference than a problem.
I think the character with the biggest change from start to finish is Eain, and even if he's not a personal favorite. I can't wait to see what will happen with him and the rest of the characters in Demon's Rise, which will be the next installment in this series.
You have 3 main pov's and some smaller side pov's. Where you follow old friends Ellyah and Nastja, as Nastja gets dragged into Ellyah's troubles after stealing the red ruby and gets hunted down by someone much worse that's wants it back.
In another corner, you follow Eain, who is a soldier with deep problems after he gets dragged into the war. And struggles with the memories afterward while finding his place.
Sanders did a great job with his character, i found almost every character so intriguing to read from the main characters to the smaller ones. The only one I'm gonna be honest I struggled with was Eain. Not because he was a bad one, just that i didn't seem to be able to connect with him.
The book is splitted into parts where you most of the time go one by one pov's each part. Which personally was a bit heavy for me when coming to Eain's parts. For me, it would probably have been easier flow if it was rotating with chapters instead of parts. But that's only a personal preference than a problem.
I think the character with the biggest change from start to finish is Eain, and even if he's not a personal favorite. I can't wait to see what will happen with him and the rest of the characters in Demon's Rise, which will be the next installment in this series.
July 2, 2024
ARC provided by the author.
Demon's Tear is a solid start to a new fantasy series. The prologue immediately drew me with scenes of a great war and a pair of swords with unknown powers. The main story begins with two POV's, Eain and Ellyah, one a soldier and the other a thief. Each of the POV's is set in a different part of the world, and as events unfold the two threads come together and Eain and Ellyah seem destined to battle the forces arrayed against them together.
The world created here is rich and it was easy to get drawn into what was happening in the story. Eain is very relatable, and likable character, but is not the traditional hero. He has to make choices at times which force him to do things that he never thought he would as he tries to find he way in this ever-changing world. Ellyah is someone who knows what she wants and is not afraid to do whatever is needed to accomplish her goals, no matter how much trouble it gets her in. She is strong, determined and loyal to her friends who are always there to help her out. Evane is a fascinating character who is willing to do anything to achieve her ends, including animating a corpse....yikes!! Can't wait to see where her arc goes, does she blindly continue to along her path or will events show her a different way. This is definitely a series that I am looking forward to continuing and would certainly recommend to all fantasy fans!!
Demon's Tear is a solid start to a new fantasy series. The prologue immediately drew me with scenes of a great war and a pair of swords with unknown powers. The main story begins with two POV's, Eain and Ellyah, one a soldier and the other a thief. Each of the POV's is set in a different part of the world, and as events unfold the two threads come together and Eain and Ellyah seem destined to battle the forces arrayed against them together.
The world created here is rich and it was easy to get drawn into what was happening in the story. Eain is very relatable, and likable character, but is not the traditional hero. He has to make choices at times which force him to do things that he never thought he would as he tries to find he way in this ever-changing world. Ellyah is someone who knows what she wants and is not afraid to do whatever is needed to accomplish her goals, no matter how much trouble it gets her in. She is strong, determined and loyal to her friends who are always there to help her out. Evane is a fascinating character who is willing to do anything to achieve her ends, including animating a corpse....yikes!! Can't wait to see where her arc goes, does she blindly continue to along her path or will events show her a different way. This is definitely a series that I am looking forward to continuing and would certainly recommend to all fantasy fans!!
June 3, 2024
The tl;dr: Reminiscent of those classic fantasy epics while still feeling fresh, Demon's Tear is a book with a massive scale with impending war, elves, dwarves, magical jewels, necromancy, political strife, heists, and more. It is everything epic fantasy readers love lovingly tied together in a monster of a novel. The world is well-developed and lived in, and the characters shine through the epic qualities of the book. Due to its epic nature the actual overarching plot fails to really shine through, but Sanders is definitely planting a lot of plot seeds to harvest in future books!
My full review:
There have been several conversations recently about epic fantasy being "dead", and while this may have some truth of it in traditional publishing, epic fantasy is alive and kicking in indie spaces. Demon's Tear is another compelling and chonky book with a massively epic scale, numerous POV characters, magical and deadly objects, elves, dwarves, thieves, and rogues. Demon's Tear reads as a fresh, modern book that will delight fans of The Wheel of Time and other classic epics, without the sluggish pacing.
Like with many epic fantasies, writing a quick summary of this book is nearly impossible. There is brewing hostility between two nations in an uneasy cold war, two young thieves who steal a magical jewel, and a lot of bad guys who are after them. The plot is much better and much more intricate than what I am saying here, but suffice it to say that if you like a bit of politics, a splash of battle scenes, a dash of evil mages, and a sprinkle of good old heist thievery, this book will delight you in spades.
With this massive epics with multiple storylines, I tend to find that a lot of the whether I like the book falls to the details. All epic fantasies hit similar-ish plot beats, so it comes down to how immersed in the world, characters, and plot I feel. Luckily, most of the elements of Demon's Tear just work so well.
Demon's Tear took me a minute to warm up to. The prologue/first chapter didn't immediately grab me because we were introduced to a slew of new characters (including a supporting character having nearly the same name as the main character) doing not-so-interesting things. Very quickly, however, the book finds its rhythm, opening into a fantasy world that is fully fleshed out and lived in. Demon's Tear follows the modern trend in epic fantasy of not spelling out every little detail about the world to you (you won't get descriptions of every cultural group's preferences for clothing, food, etc.), but this is a world with a deep history and long-standing sociopolitical and inter-species relationships. When we get glimpses of different nations and cultures, small details slowly emerge that enrichen and liven up the reading experience. It has been a long time since I have read a book that has elicited the same feelings as the world of the 80s and 90s have, but Demon's Tear definitely did that.
The book's locations even work really well on the more micro-level. Much of the second half of the book takes place in a single city that immediately has its own unique character and internal politics. It is kind of like an adult, serious Rogueport from Paper Mario and the Thousand Year Door - a city of underground crime that controls the city's inner workings. This book will utterly sweep you away into another world.
The worldbuilding is definitely helped out by the characters in this book. There are a lot of characters in Demon's Tear (would it be epic fantasy without them?), but unlike most other books of this scale I never had a hard time remembering who everyone was. Each character has their own distinct arc and personality, and even the POV characters with relatively small "onscreen" time (including one necromancer) are instantly recognizable. Sanders expertly makes sure there are enough characters for the epic scale he is going for in Demon's Tear without ever feeling like he is just adding extraneous characters for the heck of it. The book is both huge in scale, while never forgetting the more human and intimate scale that emotionally engage the reader.
I also really liked how Sanders organized the book, which made me connect with the characters even more. Rather than cycling through the POV characters at a fairly regular rate, he divides the chapters in several core sections. Each section focuses on one major storyline, and only cycles through the POV characters directly related to that storyline. This means that you spend a lot of time with a small set of characters with a small-ish goal before you rotate out (and then they'll rotate back in later in the book). This made the characters instantly more memorable, and I much preferred to this more common way of just instantly rotating between all of the characters.
The one major thing that let me down in this book is that even by the end the overarching plot is still pretty hazy and fuzzy. The importance of the titular "demon's tear" and where the story is going is remains nebulous...and in a bad way. Like many readers, I love the thrill of the unknown and being surprised by where a story is taking me - but only if I am comfortably aware what the overarching stakes are for the characters. Sanders falls a bit into the epic fantasy trap of throwing a lot of balls in the air, but not making it clear what this specific story is really about. A deadly gem, an impeding war, and thieves on the run are all fantastic and well-realized elements to this book, but they never clearly gel together to an overarching story, even when all of the main characters come together in the same physical place by the end of the book. I'm still excited to dive into book two whenever it comes out because of the emotional connections I've made with these wonderful characters, but I'm not necessarily excited for what happens next because I don't know what I should be looking forward to (if that makes sense).
But this doesn't take away from the fact that this was an absolute blast of an epic fantasy experience, and fans clamoring for that feeling of those massive epics should definitely pick this one up.
My full review:
There have been several conversations recently about epic fantasy being "dead", and while this may have some truth of it in traditional publishing, epic fantasy is alive and kicking in indie spaces. Demon's Tear is another compelling and chonky book with a massively epic scale, numerous POV characters, magical and deadly objects, elves, dwarves, thieves, and rogues. Demon's Tear reads as a fresh, modern book that will delight fans of The Wheel of Time and other classic epics, without the sluggish pacing.
Like with many epic fantasies, writing a quick summary of this book is nearly impossible. There is brewing hostility between two nations in an uneasy cold war, two young thieves who steal a magical jewel, and a lot of bad guys who are after them. The plot is much better and much more intricate than what I am saying here, but suffice it to say that if you like a bit of politics, a splash of battle scenes, a dash of evil mages, and a sprinkle of good old heist thievery, this book will delight you in spades.
With this massive epics with multiple storylines, I tend to find that a lot of the whether I like the book falls to the details. All epic fantasies hit similar-ish plot beats, so it comes down to how immersed in the world, characters, and plot I feel. Luckily, most of the elements of Demon's Tear just work so well.
Demon's Tear took me a minute to warm up to. The prologue/first chapter didn't immediately grab me because we were introduced to a slew of new characters (including a supporting character having nearly the same name as the main character) doing not-so-interesting things. Very quickly, however, the book finds its rhythm, opening into a fantasy world that is fully fleshed out and lived in. Demon's Tear follows the modern trend in epic fantasy of not spelling out every little detail about the world to you (you won't get descriptions of every cultural group's preferences for clothing, food, etc.), but this is a world with a deep history and long-standing sociopolitical and inter-species relationships. When we get glimpses of different nations and cultures, small details slowly emerge that enrichen and liven up the reading experience. It has been a long time since I have read a book that has elicited the same feelings as the world of the 80s and 90s have, but Demon's Tear definitely did that.
The book's locations even work really well on the more micro-level. Much of the second half of the book takes place in a single city that immediately has its own unique character and internal politics. It is kind of like an adult, serious Rogueport from Paper Mario and the Thousand Year Door - a city of underground crime that controls the city's inner workings. This book will utterly sweep you away into another world.
The worldbuilding is definitely helped out by the characters in this book. There are a lot of characters in Demon's Tear (would it be epic fantasy without them?), but unlike most other books of this scale I never had a hard time remembering who everyone was. Each character has their own distinct arc and personality, and even the POV characters with relatively small "onscreen" time (including one necromancer) are instantly recognizable. Sanders expertly makes sure there are enough characters for the epic scale he is going for in Demon's Tear without ever feeling like he is just adding extraneous characters for the heck of it. The book is both huge in scale, while never forgetting the more human and intimate scale that emotionally engage the reader.
I also really liked how Sanders organized the book, which made me connect with the characters even more. Rather than cycling through the POV characters at a fairly regular rate, he divides the chapters in several core sections. Each section focuses on one major storyline, and only cycles through the POV characters directly related to that storyline. This means that you spend a lot of time with a small set of characters with a small-ish goal before you rotate out (and then they'll rotate back in later in the book). This made the characters instantly more memorable, and I much preferred to this more common way of just instantly rotating between all of the characters.
The one major thing that let me down in this book is that even by the end the overarching plot is still pretty hazy and fuzzy. The importance of the titular "demon's tear" and where the story is going is remains nebulous...and in a bad way. Like many readers, I love the thrill of the unknown and being surprised by where a story is taking me - but only if I am comfortably aware what the overarching stakes are for the characters. Sanders falls a bit into the epic fantasy trap of throwing a lot of balls in the air, but not making it clear what this specific story is really about. A deadly gem, an impeding war, and thieves on the run are all fantastic and well-realized elements to this book, but they never clearly gel together to an overarching story, even when all of the main characters come together in the same physical place by the end of the book. I'm still excited to dive into book two whenever it comes out because of the emotional connections I've made with these wonderful characters, but I'm not necessarily excited for what happens next because I don't know what I should be looking forward to (if that makes sense).
But this doesn't take away from the fact that this was an absolute blast of an epic fantasy experience, and fans clamoring for that feeling of those massive epics should definitely pick this one up.
July 8, 2025
Ok. First things first. Are you a fan of maps at the beginning of your book? Throughout your books? If so, we're off to a winner already! There’s nothing I love more at the start of a book than a good map. Something I can refer back to, to know where the characters are and how far they travel.
The world-building is top tear. The way each place is described, makes you feel like you’re the one making the journey across this land.
Being the first book in what is clearly going to be an epic saga, the author uses this first book to set up the scene for all of the main characters. We have Nastja and Ellyah, two clearly very strong female characters (the feminist in me approves)!
We also meet Eain, a young soldier who has been through so much, had horrible things happen to the people around him.
The journeys these characters embark on has you not wanting the story to end. Also, if fighting is more your thing, there is just the right amount of action in the book to keep you invested.
I’m now very impatiently awaiting the sequel!
The world-building is top tear. The way each place is described, makes you feel like you’re the one making the journey across this land.
Being the first book in what is clearly going to be an epic saga, the author uses this first book to set up the scene for all of the main characters. We have Nastja and Ellyah, two clearly very strong female characters (the feminist in me approves)!
We also meet Eain, a young soldier who has been through so much, had horrible things happen to the people around him.
The journeys these characters embark on has you not wanting the story to end. Also, if fighting is more your thing, there is just the right amount of action in the book to keep you invested.
I’m now very impatiently awaiting the sequel!
August 5, 2025
Demon’s Tear by R E Sanders reminded me of a successful blind date on a runaway train. It took some risks, I wasn’t sure where it was going, but it all came together beautifully and now I want more.
It begins as a fairly standard military epic fantasy with a compelling set up: the country of Banahgar, one of the many varied kingdoms in the Jantakai, or Land of the Twin Swords, is isolated from the rest, and living its best life with a sort of Gaelic/Scandinavian-inspired people. It has a military whose different divisions have glorious names like Claihedehmore and Claihed and Sverlaeggare, and the people really like their swords, and I mean really like their swords. The warriors all have “Sword-Names” like The Dusk Wolf and The Bear’s Claws and The Moon’s Balls (one of which I might have made up). The author is clearly obsessed with swords, and this comes across brilliantly on the page, with move-by-move sword fights that you suspect the author could pull off in real life and characters described as changing their hold on a greatsword so they can wield it more effectively in a small room.
Into this sword-loving mix comes Eain Connow. Currently in charge of shaping up new recruits to be hardy warriors, but plagued by his family legacy of his grandfather being a traitor, he’s faced with the ultimate challenge when Banahgar is invaded by their old foes down south, and he must escort his charges up north to warn the country. At this point I thought I knew what I expected: a Bernard Cornwell-style entertaining romp in a high fantasy land. Eain would prove himself against the invaders! Banahgar would prevail (eventually).
But then… Sanders does something interesting. He goes wide, and switches narrative, not once but over and over again, showing us many of the other countries of the Land of the Twin Swords, and many of its characters, interweaving plots left, right and centre, and building up a larger Wheel of Time-esque plot involving (among others): the eponymous Demon’s Tear, a powerful gem an ancient demon needs to cement its comeback; the thieves who’ve stolen the gem; the heroes who will eventually come to protect them; and a whole other bunch of characters who they all encounter on their journey (and that’s not to mention the occasional scenes back in Banahgar of course).
It’s a bold choice—especially as, although this is not his debut, he’s still very early career—and in the hands of a less confident author, it would have ended up messy and convoluted, and wishing we’d stayed with those sword-loving folk in Banahgar. But you know what? I absolutely loved it. For three main reasons.
First, this is a fascinating world. Across the varied country alliances that make up The Land of the Twin Swords, Sanders inserts wild elves, dwarves, forest people, giants, and just enough mythology around them to make us desperate to find out more, and then in human terms paints some very distinct lands, including one which I’m pretty sure (note: not that sure) is meant to be Welsh-inspired, which you don’t see that much.
Second, Sanders doesn’t just take risks with the jumping around, he takes risks with the pace; for a long segment of the book the action just stops completely so a main character can get over their post traumatic stress in a farmhouse full of disparate folk; fifty pages of cosy fantasy just randomly inserted, but it works.
Third, Sanders is just a great storyteller. Whether it’s the frequent tales of the world characters tell round a campfire or the small scenes of characters who don’t appear much but you feel will appear a lot in subsequent books, Sanders is never boring, at once economical with the prose so the pace is fast but also able to focus on a character’s development beats when he needs to. It’s a great balance.
And then, just as I wondered if we weren’t bouncing around a bit too much, he brings many of the threads together in a fun ending involving a town ruled by gangs and the thieves attempting to play them off against each other, completing the book’s move from military fantasy to magic fantasy all the way to Locke Lamora. Let’s get this straight, this is clearly a first book in a series setting up the bigger plotlines for the next one. But when it’s this much fun? I’m fine with that.
Overall, this is a devilishly ambitious sweeping fantasy epic, part Wheel of Time, part Bernard Cornwell, whose numerous moving parts are kept from collapsing by Sanders’ secret weapon: he’s a seriously great storyteller. An addictive start to a promising series.
It begins as a fairly standard military epic fantasy with a compelling set up: the country of Banahgar, one of the many varied kingdoms in the Jantakai, or Land of the Twin Swords, is isolated from the rest, and living its best life with a sort of Gaelic/Scandinavian-inspired people. It has a military whose different divisions have glorious names like Claihedehmore and Claihed and Sverlaeggare, and the people really like their swords, and I mean really like their swords. The warriors all have “Sword-Names” like The Dusk Wolf and The Bear’s Claws and The Moon’s Balls (one of which I might have made up). The author is clearly obsessed with swords, and this comes across brilliantly on the page, with move-by-move sword fights that you suspect the author could pull off in real life and characters described as changing their hold on a greatsword so they can wield it more effectively in a small room.
Into this sword-loving mix comes Eain Connow. Currently in charge of shaping up new recruits to be hardy warriors, but plagued by his family legacy of his grandfather being a traitor, he’s faced with the ultimate challenge when Banahgar is invaded by their old foes down south, and he must escort his charges up north to warn the country. At this point I thought I knew what I expected: a Bernard Cornwell-style entertaining romp in a high fantasy land. Eain would prove himself against the invaders! Banahgar would prevail (eventually).
But then… Sanders does something interesting. He goes wide, and switches narrative, not once but over and over again, showing us many of the other countries of the Land of the Twin Swords, and many of its characters, interweaving plots left, right and centre, and building up a larger Wheel of Time-esque plot involving (among others): the eponymous Demon’s Tear, a powerful gem an ancient demon needs to cement its comeback; the thieves who’ve stolen the gem; the heroes who will eventually come to protect them; and a whole other bunch of characters who they all encounter on their journey (and that’s not to mention the occasional scenes back in Banahgar of course).
It’s a bold choice—especially as, although this is not his debut, he’s still very early career—and in the hands of a less confident author, it would have ended up messy and convoluted, and wishing we’d stayed with those sword-loving folk in Banahgar. But you know what? I absolutely loved it. For three main reasons.
First, this is a fascinating world. Across the varied country alliances that make up The Land of the Twin Swords, Sanders inserts wild elves, dwarves, forest people, giants, and just enough mythology around them to make us desperate to find out more, and then in human terms paints some very distinct lands, including one which I’m pretty sure (note: not that sure) is meant to be Welsh-inspired, which you don’t see that much.
Second, Sanders doesn’t just take risks with the jumping around, he takes risks with the pace; for a long segment of the book the action just stops completely so a main character can get over their post traumatic stress in a farmhouse full of disparate folk; fifty pages of cosy fantasy just randomly inserted, but it works.
Third, Sanders is just a great storyteller. Whether it’s the frequent tales of the world characters tell round a campfire or the small scenes of characters who don’t appear much but you feel will appear a lot in subsequent books, Sanders is never boring, at once economical with the prose so the pace is fast but also able to focus on a character’s development beats when he needs to. It’s a great balance.
And then, just as I wondered if we weren’t bouncing around a bit too much, he brings many of the threads together in a fun ending involving a town ruled by gangs and the thieves attempting to play them off against each other, completing the book’s move from military fantasy to magic fantasy all the way to Locke Lamora. Let’s get this straight, this is clearly a first book in a series setting up the bigger plotlines for the next one. But when it’s this much fun? I’m fine with that.
Overall, this is a devilishly ambitious sweeping fantasy epic, part Wheel of Time, part Bernard Cornwell, whose numerous moving parts are kept from collapsing by Sanders’ secret weapon: he’s a seriously great storyteller. An addictive start to a promising series.
June 6, 2024
War, cursed gems, thieves and a demon lord all make an appearance in R.E. Sander’s new book Demon’s Tear.
Eain has been training as a warrior since he was a child, but when war comes, disaster strikes and he finds himself in a foreign land, fleeing from the land he knows and loves.
Ellyah, along with her friend Nastja and strange companion Luara have just done the heist of the century. Stealing a mysterious red jewel, Ellyah hopes that the when she fences it, she will be lifted from the clutches of poverty and never have to steal again. What she doesn’t know is that dark forces are aware of the jewel and have designs on it.
In a frantic race to sell the jewel and escape from the clutches of the gangs who are chasing them, Ellyah and co end up in the crime infested city of Ben Gedrin.
Demon’s Tear is the first instalment in The Jantakai Saga, an epic fantasy set in the Lands of the Twin Swords. The book is split into two points of view, but rather than alternating to each character after a chapter or two, it is split into novelette components, with each part centring on either of the two main characters.
To be fair, this works rather well as you get an elongated stint with each of the characters until the end of their section.
The book is a solid introduction to the world, especially for a new reader. However, the one thing that I found a little difficult was the initial introduction. There is a lot of opening world building that means that the reader has to familiarise themselves with various aspects of the world, which I felt hampered the pace a little at first and whilst it sets the scene, I thought it broke the initial pace of the book.
As usual when you have a multi – pov led book, you do tend to gravitate towards certain characters, and I must admit that my favourites were Ellyah and Nastja, despite their faults.
In addition to this, Sanders gives a different perspective on familiar fantasy races and I liked how he had subverted them to make them very individual to the world, particularly Elves who he gave a totally upended view, and rather than them being the usual wispy beings that readers are generally familiar with they are quite muscular and wild.
On the whole though, I enjoyed the book, and liked the idea that whilst there are certain fantasy tropes present, they are not relied upon and the decisions that the characters make themselves impact on the outcomes rather than it being a pre-ordained destiny.
Eain has been training as a warrior since he was a child, but when war comes, disaster strikes and he finds himself in a foreign land, fleeing from the land he knows and loves.
Ellyah, along with her friend Nastja and strange companion Luara have just done the heist of the century. Stealing a mysterious red jewel, Ellyah hopes that the when she fences it, she will be lifted from the clutches of poverty and never have to steal again. What she doesn’t know is that dark forces are aware of the jewel and have designs on it.
In a frantic race to sell the jewel and escape from the clutches of the gangs who are chasing them, Ellyah and co end up in the crime infested city of Ben Gedrin.
Demon’s Tear is the first instalment in The Jantakai Saga, an epic fantasy set in the Lands of the Twin Swords. The book is split into two points of view, but rather than alternating to each character after a chapter or two, it is split into novelette components, with each part centring on either of the two main characters.
To be fair, this works rather well as you get an elongated stint with each of the characters until the end of their section.
The book is a solid introduction to the world, especially for a new reader. However, the one thing that I found a little difficult was the initial introduction. There is a lot of opening world building that means that the reader has to familiarise themselves with various aspects of the world, which I felt hampered the pace a little at first and whilst it sets the scene, I thought it broke the initial pace of the book.
As usual when you have a multi – pov led book, you do tend to gravitate towards certain characters, and I must admit that my favourites were Ellyah and Nastja, despite their faults.
In addition to this, Sanders gives a different perspective on familiar fantasy races and I liked how he had subverted them to make them very individual to the world, particularly Elves who he gave a totally upended view, and rather than them being the usual wispy beings that readers are generally familiar with they are quite muscular and wild.
On the whole though, I enjoyed the book, and liked the idea that whilst there are certain fantasy tropes present, they are not relied upon and the decisions that the characters make themselves impact on the outcomes rather than it being a pre-ordained destiny.
July 15, 2025
This one has been on my TBR for a long time, and I am so glad I decided to take the shot!
Demon's Tear is classic and modern, but not too modern to turn away lovers of the classic fantasy books.
With multiple points of view, Rob weaves a story of self-discovery and growth for some of the characters, while others are in the look for a brighter future.
The Banahgar people live a cloistered life like frogs in a well. In a sense ignorant of their own destiny and position in the World.
Eain's story mimics that perfectly, but he is the frog that escaped the well and for that his path changes abruptly and with it, comes an adventure that takes us to a sprawling, incredibly intricate and vivid world.
Rob's sense of grandiosity and epicness shines throughout his Worldbuilding. You can bask in his description of the mountains, the peaks, deserts, valleys and cities. You can get lost there, if not for his firm pen, keeping you tightly glued to the story.
One other aspect to highlight in Demon's Tear is his skill in creating very believable, human characters, ones you can easily get invested and root for.
Except for one, that one I can totally yeet into the fires of Mount Doom. 🤣
This is a story where there are no magical solutions, where the characters get out of problems by their own hands and smarts, and that's a very cool aspect. Despite the existence of omens and portents, none of the main characters are aware of them, and they through by bravery and smarts.
Not without pain, though, you feel the weight of their choices pulling them down and raking at their inner selves, but it also shows them growing through those and becoming bigger than they started being.
You feel the vast array of threads Rob is weaving here, the grandiosity of his tapestry. There are countless nods and nudges to the bigger story, and he places them masterfully, never as a blunt instrument with an "Aha!" moment, or a BIG REVEAL scene, but just as natural parts of the story's progression, making you feel and live it as the characters do.
I had a grand time reading Demon's Tear, and I think any lover of classic stories with a modern voice and feel will too.
I am incredibly excited to be starting Demon's Rise! The second book in the series. Stay tuned!
4.6⭐️
Demon's Tear is classic and modern, but not too modern to turn away lovers of the classic fantasy books.
With multiple points of view, Rob weaves a story of self-discovery and growth for some of the characters, while others are in the look for a brighter future.
The Banahgar people live a cloistered life like frogs in a well. In a sense ignorant of their own destiny and position in the World.
Eain's story mimics that perfectly, but he is the frog that escaped the well and for that his path changes abruptly and with it, comes an adventure that takes us to a sprawling, incredibly intricate and vivid world.
Rob's sense of grandiosity and epicness shines throughout his Worldbuilding. You can bask in his description of the mountains, the peaks, deserts, valleys and cities. You can get lost there, if not for his firm pen, keeping you tightly glued to the story.
One other aspect to highlight in Demon's Tear is his skill in creating very believable, human characters, ones you can easily get invested and root for.
Except for one, that one I can totally yeet into the fires of Mount Doom. 🤣
This is a story where there are no magical solutions, where the characters get out of problems by their own hands and smarts, and that's a very cool aspect. Despite the existence of omens and portents, none of the main characters are aware of them, and they through by bravery and smarts.
Not without pain, though, you feel the weight of their choices pulling them down and raking at their inner selves, but it also shows them growing through those and becoming bigger than they started being.
You feel the vast array of threads Rob is weaving here, the grandiosity of his tapestry. There are countless nods and nudges to the bigger story, and he places them masterfully, never as a blunt instrument with an "Aha!" moment, or a BIG REVEAL scene, but just as natural parts of the story's progression, making you feel and live it as the characters do.
I had a grand time reading Demon's Tear, and I think any lover of classic stories with a modern voice and feel will too.
I am incredibly excited to be starting Demon's Rise! The second book in the series. Stay tuned!
4.6⭐️
July 1, 2025
Eain is a young soldier, given hints of responsibility that he doesn't understand. Ellyah and Nastja have stolen a gemstone, with dreams to sell it and start new lives. But when war arrives at the shores of Banahgar and word of the theft gets to the gangs, each are chased from their homes and pushed into adventure.
I absolutely loved how Demon's Tear starts with a prologue structured like The Poetic Edda. Sanders nailed the flow and wonder from the old Norse poems.
The prose of Demon's Tear was a perfect fit for me. Descriptive, yet approachable. With most of the focus on the characters and their actions.
Ellyah and Nastja's relationship and their struggle with how to sell the gemstone was my favorite part of the story. Their situation was tense at times with a constant pressure to escape their deserved fate. Hints of mental disorders gave a nice complexity to each interaction and I felt were handled with excellent representation.
Eain's tale is a tragic one. It feels like everything that could go wrong in his life does. To me, his story has only just begun by the end of Demon's Tear, so I'm excited to see where he goes from here.
All that being said, I was a touch let down by the ending. It's clear that this story was intended as a series, but I was hoping for more plot points and character arcs to be resolved within this book, but most of them were left open. I guess I'll just have to excitedly wait for book two.
If you like epic fantasy that feels traditional like Tolkien but updated with more complex characters, I recommend Demon's Tear.
I absolutely loved how Demon's Tear starts with a prologue structured like The Poetic Edda. Sanders nailed the flow and wonder from the old Norse poems.
The prose of Demon's Tear was a perfect fit for me. Descriptive, yet approachable. With most of the focus on the characters and their actions.
Ellyah and Nastja's relationship and their struggle with how to sell the gemstone was my favorite part of the story. Their situation was tense at times with a constant pressure to escape their deserved fate. Hints of mental disorders gave a nice complexity to each interaction and I felt were handled with excellent representation.
Eain's tale is a tragic one. It feels like everything that could go wrong in his life does. To me, his story has only just begun by the end of Demon's Tear, so I'm excited to see where he goes from here.
All that being said, I was a touch let down by the ending. It's clear that this story was intended as a series, but I was hoping for more plot points and character arcs to be resolved within this book, but most of them were left open. I guess I'll just have to excitedly wait for book two.
If you like epic fantasy that feels traditional like Tolkien but updated with more complex characters, I recommend Demon's Tear.
May 31, 2024
Path of Blades and Tann's Last Stand set the scene, now Demon's Tear fully immerses the reader in the Jantakai, the land of the Twin Swords. It's a strange yet familiar world, where the main characters make their own choices without being driven by destiny.
It's also just the start of an epic saga. We meet people struggling with honour, fear, greed, guilt. Friendships and loyalties are tested. An underlying power weaves through the narrative.
The story is a character-driven great read, whether you like evocative landscapes or technical swordplay. The chapter heading pictures are beautifully drawn and hint at the contents with. Many of the usual fantasy tropes have been omitted, making the characters seem more real. You can see them in your friends around you, be they athletic, driven, funny, neurodiverse, annoying, faithful, sneaky, or just trying to get along in life when it appears that their world has been shattered.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, laughing out loud at moments while getting genuinely concerned for the main characters at times.
Another reviewer wrote that it was like Guardians of the Galaxy if written by Bernard Cornwell. I second that.
It's also just the start of an epic saga. We meet people struggling with honour, fear, greed, guilt. Friendships and loyalties are tested. An underlying power weaves through the narrative.
The story is a character-driven great read, whether you like evocative landscapes or technical swordplay. The chapter heading pictures are beautifully drawn and hint at the contents with. Many of the usual fantasy tropes have been omitted, making the characters seem more real. You can see them in your friends around you, be they athletic, driven, funny, neurodiverse, annoying, faithful, sneaky, or just trying to get along in life when it appears that their world has been shattered.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, laughing out loud at moments while getting genuinely concerned for the main characters at times.
Another reviewer wrote that it was like Guardians of the Galaxy if written by Bernard Cornwell. I second that.
June 21, 2024
The Demon's Tear by @RobSanders56
What a ride! An epic hide and seek chase mixed with lord of the rings, a battle of kingdoms and greed chasing the Ruby, that if anyone touches it...dies. incredible.
👇
No prophecies
No destiny
The new heroes of our time shall choose themselves
The Jantakai, the lands of the Twin Swords, are divided. War threatens every border, crime infests countries like a disease, and the gods themselves have faded away. Beneath this turbulent arena, an ancient, malicious power begins to wake. The whole world is like dry Tinder, waiting for a spark.
Old friends Ellyah and Nastja must rediscover how to trust one another as they navigate the underworld of Anish. Eain is a young soldier of Banahgar, whose dreams of glory turn out to be a nightmare. Driven by necessity, their quests will force them to travel further and through more dangers than they could have imagined.
At the heart of it all, a blood-red ruby gleams, sending out a siren call. A frantic chase begins, those who would possess it unaware of the danger it holds. Glory and riches await the victor, and for the losers, the only prize will be death.
Who will claim the Demon’s Tear?
What a ride! An epic hide and seek chase mixed with lord of the rings, a battle of kingdoms and greed chasing the Ruby, that if anyone touches it...dies. incredible.
👇
No prophecies
No destiny
The new heroes of our time shall choose themselves
The Jantakai, the lands of the Twin Swords, are divided. War threatens every border, crime infests countries like a disease, and the gods themselves have faded away. Beneath this turbulent arena, an ancient, malicious power begins to wake. The whole world is like dry Tinder, waiting for a spark.
Old friends Ellyah and Nastja must rediscover how to trust one another as they navigate the underworld of Anish. Eain is a young soldier of Banahgar, whose dreams of glory turn out to be a nightmare. Driven by necessity, their quests will force them to travel further and through more dangers than they could have imagined.
At the heart of it all, a blood-red ruby gleams, sending out a siren call. A frantic chase begins, those who would possess it unaware of the danger it holds. Glory and riches await the victor, and for the losers, the only prize will be death.
Who will claim the Demon’s Tear?
July 2, 2024
As the start to a series, set in a world the author has previously established in other content, I found this novel to be a solid start to more content to come. There are a variety of unique and interesting characters, both on the “good” and “bad” side of the morality spectrum, yet even amongst those descriptors there was plenty of realistic grey. I appreciated the plot that showed us initial layers while slower revealing greater depth. I also valued Sanders’ choice to respect the reader, not spoon-feeding us disposition but rather allowing us to discern for ourselves what’s going on.
Why only four stars? I found the dialogue to be just a bit shallow at times, too artificial, particularly when trying to discuss things of emotional depth. It took me out of the story when it would occur. I’ll hope to see this writing skill develop further.
Two thumbs up for the action sequences! Sanders writes fighting and combat quite well!
Why only four stars? I found the dialogue to be just a bit shallow at times, too artificial, particularly when trying to discuss things of emotional depth. It took me out of the story when it would occur. I’ll hope to see this writing skill develop further.
Two thumbs up for the action sequences! Sanders writes fighting and combat quite well!
February 6, 2025
From the outset of Demon’s Tear, you know you are about to embark on something epic. The scope of the world-building is superb and is vital to the structure of the book and the plot rather than the ‘backdrop’ that can happen in many traditional fantasies. Sanders has woven a tale full of rich language that draws the reader in and immerses them in the lives of the main POV characters, and as such, you can be swept up in the decisions they make along their respective story arcs rather than everything being predictable or preordained. Fallibility, and indeed, believability, are key as the ominous twists and turns take them down difficult and dangerous roads. I loved the feel of this book, the time taken by Sanders to craft each element. There are times it can meander, but these are rare, and to be honest, the prose and description is so good that it carries you along. I now need to check out the prequels!
February 3, 2025
The epic start for an epic adventure!
Sanders’ detailed worldbuilding creates an immersive experience to the reader as you quickly see yourself travelling on the same roads and visiting the same cities and busy markets while we follow the characters as they take decisions – good and bad – which will set them on a much sinister path than they had expected. Sometimes they are lucky, sometimes they are not, but everything moves the plot ahead until paths meet. Sort of…
With a detailed lore and a rich variety of peoples, fans of epic fantasy will not be disappointed by this fast-paced tale that includes battles, intrigue, shady pasts, magic foreshadowing and of course, a demon.
Looking forward to reading the next instalment in this saga!
Sanders’ detailed worldbuilding creates an immersive experience to the reader as you quickly see yourself travelling on the same roads and visiting the same cities and busy markets while we follow the characters as they take decisions – good and bad – which will set them on a much sinister path than they had expected. Sometimes they are lucky, sometimes they are not, but everything moves the plot ahead until paths meet. Sort of…
With a detailed lore and a rich variety of peoples, fans of epic fantasy will not be disappointed by this fast-paced tale that includes battles, intrigue, shady pasts, magic foreshadowing and of course, a demon.
Looking forward to reading the next instalment in this saga!
June 25, 2024
I received an ARC copy of this book.
This is the opening novel of a new series by RE Sanders, and I had previously read "A Path of Blades" by Sanders also.
There is lots to like about this book, a wide well developed world, story told from multiple characters viewpoints, war, capers, and some magical elements.
The characters are all mostly interesting and well developed, with their own flaws and foibles, the events that formed them driving their future decisions. Personally I didnt really get on with Eain and his story, always looking forward to the thieves chapters instead. Eain felt a little hollow and vanilla, an incredible fighter (depsite being a mostly disgraced junior from his Claihed army), and he lacked any charisma that usually endears you to a lead character. Sanders did do a great job with his supporting characters though (Tann, Luara, Holt, Claes), infusing them with a lot of interesting elements despite them only having short scenes. Hopefully we see more of them in future books in the series!
All in all I enjoyed my read through and would recommend.
This is the opening novel of a new series by RE Sanders, and I had previously read "A Path of Blades" by Sanders also.
There is lots to like about this book, a wide well developed world, story told from multiple characters viewpoints, war, capers, and some magical elements.
The characters are all mostly interesting and well developed, with their own flaws and foibles, the events that formed them driving their future decisions. Personally I didnt really get on with Eain and his story, always looking forward to the thieves chapters instead. Eain felt a little hollow and vanilla, an incredible fighter (depsite being a mostly disgraced junior from his Claihed army), and he lacked any charisma that usually endears you to a lead character. Sanders did do a great job with his supporting characters though (Tann, Luara, Holt, Claes), infusing them with a lot of interesting elements despite them only having short scenes. Hopefully we see more of them in future books in the series!
All in all I enjoyed my read through and would recommend.
February 21, 2026
An enjoyable, epic saga that sets the scene strongly for the sequels. Some truly fantastic worldbuilding. The author has put a lot of thought and effort into building a world on a large scale!
I fear it suffered for having multiple POVs (including several short sections from minor characters), though I enjoyed Eain's POV the most as it felt the most realistic and fleshed out!
The ending - whilst well thought-out - struggled to capture the chaos and danger that the protagonists were in.
Overall: very fun and enjoyable, and I would recommend to anyone wanting to take a chance on an indie author.
I fear it suffered for having multiple POVs (including several short sections from minor characters), though I enjoyed Eain's POV the most as it felt the most realistic and fleshed out!
The ending - whilst well thought-out - struggled to capture the chaos and danger that the protagonists were in.
Overall: very fun and enjoyable, and I would recommend to anyone wanting to take a chance on an indie author.
May 24, 2024
A genuinely exciting first part of what promises to be an epic new series.
The story has a very addictive blend of adventure, horror, humour and suspense. Characters and relationships all feel very real and the plot is full of twists and surprises.
Very much looking forward to part II.
The story has a very addictive blend of adventure, horror, humour and suspense. Characters and relationships all feel very real and the plot is full of twists and surprises.
Very much looking forward to part II.
February 20, 2025
A fantasy of classical beginnings. Lots of sword action, some inner turmoil. An interesting structure of 'Parts' being solely about a set character(s). Absolutely, fully invested in Ellyah/Nastja's character arc!
Longer review to come
Longer review to come
March 13, 2025
I was really impressed with this book! It definitely felt “epic”, in the spirit of WoT, with a large ensemble of characters and taking the time to tell the story “right”. The world-building is excellent—this series has so much potential. I can’t wait for book two!
July 6, 2025
It's like a spider web where we are following different povs from different directions towards the middle. It's a great start to what I expect will be an even greater adventure in the upcoming books. I can't wait!
July 30, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this for a first book in a series, perfect for fans of John Gwynne.
I love a multi pov epic fantasy but I love it even more when the plots and timelines come together amazingly.
I love a multi pov epic fantasy but I love it even more when the plots and timelines come together amazingly.
March 18, 2025
Great story, well written. Kinda sad I have to wait for more, but I’m excited to see where it will go. Very promising indeed!
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