Dust of the Darkness

The Riven Realm #2

by Deck Matthews

Fleeing the ruins of his broken life, Caleb Rusk arrives in the sleepy village of Timberford. But when a series of brutal and vicious attacks stir the community into a terrified frenzy, Caleb and his friends must join with his bond-brother, Carvesh Tarne, a Cinderborn healer and a reclusive trapper to defend the village from the swarm of shadowbeasts that threatens to destroy them.

In the city of Taralius, a high ranking abbot is butchered in the heart of his cathedral. With evidence pointing to the involvement of the notorious assassins known as the White Glove, Second Corporal Avendor Tarcoth finds himself faced with the spectres of a past he thought he'd left behind. Meanwhile, the blind old sage, Tiberius Alaran, tracks down a lead that could help explain why Hearthborn are suddenly burning out in the city—all while trying to protect secrets of his own

But unbeknownst to either Avendor or Tiberius, a new player is sent to join the game—and her's is a kiss of death.

Genres: Fantasy

147 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 15, 2019

About the author

Deck Matthews is a pseudonym for one particular Matthew Ward. He is a life-long reader who fell in love with writing and fantasy in middle school. He remains an avid reader, a casual gamer and a dabbler in the visual arts. He has worked as a designer and currently spends his days neck-deep in code as a front-end web developer.

He also holds a Master’s degree in English Literature and currently resides in Ottawa, Canada with his wife, two daughters and one little fluff ball of a dog named Wicket.

Reviews

[Hamad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 Stars

I won't do a full review of this one, simply because I have the same thoughts about it as in book one except that it got better!

[Nick Borrelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deck Matthews has delivered another winner of a fantasy book with his second installment in The Riven Realm series, DUST OF THE DARKNESS. This book picks up immediately following the events that concluded book one, The First of Shadows. Caleb Rusk is aboard the vessel Zephyr's Song fleeing from the evil menace that is hunting him while at the same time searching for answers that could help him defeat the monstrous evil that has been unleashed.

Caleb has some help this time around as he is accompanied by his friends Palawen Ty and Captain of the Song, Shevik Den. Caleb and his companions escape to his sister Anya's home in the quiet and unassuming village of Timberford both to regroup and to inform his sister of the many troubling events that have recently occurred. But when Anya and her husband Carvesh reveal to Caleb that Timberford has experienced some brutal attacks of its own perpetrated by dark creatures the likes of which have never been seen in those parts before, Caleb realizes that he has just traded one deadly threat for another. And this threat may be even more daunting than the one he fled from.

Meanwhile, the blind sage Tiberius Alaran continues to pursue clues to revealing the old magic that might assist him in finding who is responsible for the murders that have occurred in and around the city of Taralius. The mystery of these deaths still ways heavily on the old man and the deeper he gets enmeshed in finding the secrets he wants more than anything to uncover, the more he finds his life is in grave danger. For there are those who would kill to protect what is hidden. There will be much to account for and many will not emerge unscathed when all is said and done in this action-packed fantasy story.

I was extremely impressed by DUST OF THE DARKNESS and it really solidified my feeling that The Riven Realm is one of my favorite new fantasy series in quite some time. I liked book one a great deal but this one took the series to another level entirely. I enjoyed seeing Caleb grow as a character and we really get a sense that he is feeling more comfortable in his own skin so to speak. He is way more assertive in this book and in one particular instance in the story where he is describing his disability to his nephew, you could absolutely feel through the tone of his words to the young boy that he refuses to let his physical challenges define who he is. It was such an inspirational moment and one of my favorite parts of the book to be honest.

There is also a new character introduced in this book named Shade, who I thought was quite intriguing and added a significant amount of mystery to the story. We get little hints as to whose side she is on but she remains somewhat a mysterious figure for a while. I enjoyed her character immensely and was happy to see the cast expanding and even more depth and layers being added to the story. This series really keeps you guessing and I like that a lot, so finding out her motives as this book progressed kept me turning the pages and wanting to know even more about her both now and in future books.

All in all, DUST OF THE DARKNESS was a very entertaining read filled with amazing action, a few heartbreaking moments along the way, an increasingly realized world where magic exists, and a looming mystery at its heart that powers the story and keeps the reader fixated on every word of dialogue and every action of the characters. If you are looking for a new fantasy read that will delight you and doesn't sugarcoat anything in the process, you need to read this series right away. Deck Matthews has succeeded in penning a series that has all the hallmarks of a potential blockbuster. Hopefully more people will get exposed to the The Riven Realm series as it gradually gains more notoriety. It definitely deserves every bit and then some. For now, I'll be jumping immediately into book three, A Shattering of Glass, which was just released on October 15th.

[E.B. Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid sequel to The First of Shadows! Loved the addition of the shadow beasts. Deck Matthews continues to expand his world and his plot in true Deck Matthews style. We learn a bit more about the royal family, the burnouts, the cadres, and the League.

I would have preferred more time in Timberford, as that is where I am most emotionally invested and where the heart of the story lies: with Caleb, Palawen Ty, Carvesh, and Tanner. While I would have liked Caleb's role to be bigger, it makes sense why it is not, and I have a feeling my patience will pay off in the long run.

There is so much going on with multiple subplots and characters in multiple locations, I kept forgetting names and little pieces of information, but the author gives you just enough context for the scene that you can piece together what is important and how it impacts the characters.

I still haven't fully pieced together how the religion(s) work in this world, but I like how natural it feels. But I have many questions...particularly about the angry little dragon creature and the lone warrior at the end??! I feel like this story is barely getting started.

[Page Grey (Editor) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Dust of the Darkness. I won't leave a long review because this is a middle book of a series and I rarely review middle books. But below are some of my thoughts about Dust of the Darkness.

The story starts right from where the last book ended. Caleb, Tanner and Palawen arrived in Timberford where Caleb's sister, Anya, and her husband, Carvesh, and children live. They realized that they escaped a threat only to run into another. On the other side, Tiberius is getting nearer to the truth of who's responsible for the murders.

For me, this is more action-packed than the previous book and the threats are more frightening. And all the gore-y details of ape-like shadows that leave their victims in such a horrendous state are provided. But anyway, the characters have grown and despite the danger, are ready to do their part to save others.

There are several additional characters and for me, they're all interesting. My favorite is Carvesh. It's not hard to guess who he really is but I admire him. Another one is Shade. I like her because of how mysterious she is. I wasn't sure what to make of her.

Overall, this is a great addition to the series and I'm more than ready to read the next book.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! This is a fantastic sequel and excellent second book in a trilogy. It depends an already intriguing story, develops and widens the world and delivers some fantastic battle scenes. Coupled with Decks brilliant world building and character driven story, this easily gets my seal of approval and I cannot wait for the third book!

[Deborah Kelty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon...

[Julia Sarene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dust of the Darkness by Deck Matthews

Quick, sharp, and bigger than its page count. Dust of the Darkness keeps the pace fast, the magic intriguing, and the characters growing.

This second installment keeps the same strengths that made me enjoy *First of Shadows*: quick to read, tightly written, and yet it feels bigger than its page count. Matthews manages to pack in action, mystery, and worldbuilding without ever slowing the pace.

The story follows Caleb and his companions to Timberford, where his sister’s quiet village turns out to have its own share of dangers. Brutal attacks by strange creatures make it clear that Caleb hasn’t escaped anything at all, only stumbled into another deadly situation. Meanwhile Tiberius, the blind sage, continues his hunt for secrets behind the rising darkness. His perspective is still the most unique part of the series for me, pulling me into scenes with sound, touch, and atmosphere in a way most fantasy never does.

I really liked seeing Caleb step into himself a bit more this time. He is still marked by his limp, but he refuses to let it define him. There is one scene where he explains his disability to his nephew, and it stood out as a moment of quiet strength in the middle of all the chaos. Tiberius, on the other hand, grows more desperate as he digs deeper into old magic and hidden dangers, and I enjoyed how different his thread felt from Caleb’s.

There are new faces too, with Shade being the most interesting. Mysterious, slippery, and with unclear motives, she adds another layer to the cast. It is the kind of character who keeps you second-guessing, and I liked the tension that brought to the story.

The downside is still the brevity. With so many POVs and such an epic scope, there just is not quite enough room for each character to develop fully. Some viewpoints only get a few chapters, which left me wanting more depth. But the trade-off is relentless pacing and compact storytelling. These books read fast, and that is a big part of the appeal.

All told, this was another strong entry in the series. Exciting, sharp, and with just enough new magic and mystery to keep me hooked. It is not flawless, but it delivers exactly what I wanted: fast-paced adventure that feels much larger than its word count.

Fast to read, full of action, with Caleb and Tiberius continuing to shine. Not perfect, but a solid, highly entertaining slice of epic fantasy in a small package.

[Jacob Rasmussen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Dust of the Darkness in return of an honest review.

This review will hold mild spoilers of Book one, The First of Shadows.

I read the last half of The First of Shadows and the entire Dust of the Darkness in one day and was enjoying both all the way through. I gave The First of Shadows a 4.5 rating, for its imaginative world, for the characters, and for the great story. What I loved about the first is heightened here. We learn more of the characters, who they are, and what is going on, which is written masterfully across the different POVs. I liked the tie in between the storylines, although they are far apart across many miles of land.
The mysteriousness of the burnouts was taken further, and I even found myself preferring that storyline compared to Caleb’s story. And even then, Caleb’s story was taken many places I like. We met new characters, like Tarvesh, a farmer living with his wife and kids in a peaceful town. His backstory was interesting, and the reveal of who he was made his character even more awesome. Again, Caleb and his new friends face off against monsters of shadows, which was fine, although I find some issue in how easily they were turned to dust.

Again, the prose is near perfect, and I found very few typos.

If you liked The First of Shadows, you should read Dust of the Darkness.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book picks up right were 'The First of Shadows' left off and with a little introduction throws the reader head long into an epic adventure of magic, demons, politics and conspiracies.

I don't know what I like more, the epic flow of Matthew's narrative and his very cool characters, or the thrilling unveiling of the world of Varkas and its nuanced construction. As a world-builder myself I want to know EVERYTHING about it, as a reader I CANNOT WAIT for the next book!

I honestly can't say enough about the talent of Deck Matthews.

From the first sample I read on his website back at the start of the year he has captivated my reading imagination and - having read everything he has produced to date - I have little hesitation in saying that if he continues on this track he will easily take the place as one of my favorite fantasy authors.

If you haven't started the Riven Realm saga yet, and you are a fan of Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, then do yourself a favor and start today.

[Mary Emma Sivils · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot thickens in book 2 of the Riven Realm series! The blood flows a bit more freely, too.
No, really. I'm starting to realize characters aren't safe here. 😳
I feel like I've gotten to know some of the main characters better now, but not to the degree I'd like. It's a little frustrating how short these books are. Just when I'm getting into them, they end!
But there's a good amount of action and mystery to keep me intrigued. I'm looking forward to the next one!

[Calvin Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readers who enjoy fast-paced, action-packed, magic-fueled adventures will find a great deal to love in Deck Matthews’ Dust of the Darkness, the sequel to his The First of Shadows. The action picks up right where the first book left off and doesn’t let up until the final pages. There is a large ensemble cast, plenty of mystery, and piles of action all crammed into a small word count.

I enjoyed the characters in Dust of the Darkness a great deal. In particular, both Caleb and Tiberius stand out to me. Both have varying disabilities—Caleb has an injured leg that gives him a limp and makes him slow, while Tiberius is blind. While not allowing those disabilities to entirely define them, Matthews does an excellent job of allowing those disabilities to influence their character, reactions, and arcs. He also does a superb job of writing Tiberius’ perspectives, describing sounds and touch that help to paint the picture without ever describing sight. It’s very well done. The plot is also unique, partly because it is every bit as sprawling and large as what you’d find in a thick tome, but it’s delivered in very small, bite-sized episodes. This helps to keep things very fast-paced, with very little down time. This keeps you on the edge of your seat for the entire novel. Those who love fast-paced adventure will adore what Matthews’ has crafted with these series so far, and particularly with this entry. Helping this along is the very compact writing style the author uses, well written with no filler. Another aspect of the novel that I couldn’t get enough of was the various ways of doing magic. There are people who can control the wind, people who conjure fire, people who have totems—a sort of familiar—and even a mysterious old magic hanging out that we don’t know much about yet. It’s a great deal of fun and I can’t wait to learn more about the magic.

My complaints all boil down to a single essential issue: this is a short book, just crossing the line into novel territory. There is nothing wrong with this in and of itself. However, because the plot is so epic and sprawling it’s hard to get everything into such a small package. There is a viewpoint character we only see in two, fairly short, chapters in this book. While the characters are interesting, we don’t see much development within this book for them because there just isn’t enough time that passes for them to develop. The brevity of the book aids in its pacing and action-packed feel, but it also contributes to its weaknesses. Those are little time for character development and enough viewpoint characters that you never quite feel like you settle into any single one. There are just so many viewpoints that in such a short book it feels like maybe they get a little diluted.

Dust of the Darkness is epic fantasy in the style of Brandon Sanderson, but written in small, episodic doses. I’m looking forward to the next entry in the series and what is sure to be another action-packed adventure.

8/10

4/5 stars.

5 – I loved this, couldn’t put it down, move it to the top of your TBR pile
4 – I really enjoyed this, add it to the TBR pile
3 – It was ok, depending on your preferences it may be worth your time
2 – I didn’t like this book, it has significant flaws and I can’t recommend it
1 – I loathe this book with a most loathsome loathing

[Antonis · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 / 5

This is the second book in the Riven Realm series. It continues exactly where the first book stops and as such this should be considered as the middle part of a 3-part story. All three books are relatively short at about 150 pages each so one could consider it a big book split in 3 tomes.
Now on to the review. This book is an improvement compared to the first in most aspects. Both the writing style and pace seem to be written in a more experienced and confident way. A few new characters are introduced, a fact that makes the "page-time" split a bit more but it works. Plot-wise, the story is still divided between two main threads: the wilderness one and the city one (I'm avoiding spoilers here so bear with me). As with the first book, I preferred the thread that takes place in the city much more than the other one, mainly due to deeper intrigue, way more interesting characters and less cliche fantasy tropes.
All in all, while not being one of the greatest stories told in fantasy literature, this book series is turning out to be very easy and fun to read. I liked this second book a lot and I will definitely continue straight on with the third and final book of this story.

3.5 / 5

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun, action-packed addition to the series! I find myself totally immersed in this story. The world-building is beyond phenomenal and the character development is perfect! I am invested in all of them and we were even introduced to a few more badass characters this time around. Carvesh and Shade are amazing new additions and I can't wait to get to know them more. What I love about Deck Matthews' writing is it is straight to the point. No inflating the story with nonsense just to make it a 500 page novel. It keeps it fast paced and hard to put down! I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys classic fantasy that doesn't overload the brain. I'm jumping right into book 3 next!

[Alex (Spells & Spaceships) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant novella!

Another brilliant novella!
Dust of the Darkness builds on everything that made The First of Shadows great, further pulling you into the world.

New character introductions kept things fresh, while the 4/5 day time span made events feel immediate and fast paced, like a TV serial.

Matthews' Riven Realm series is the perfect go-to when you want a shorter read while experiencing all the magic, intrigue and excitement of a bigger book. Looking forward to the next one.

[Jordan Short · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dust of Darkness picks up right where book one left off, and takes us on another whirlwind adventure. Once again Deck Matthews has packed a story into a sleek mold, making for a fast-paced and overall enjoyable read. If you liked the First of Shadows you’ll definitely appreciate the continuation of the Riven Realm series.

Full review at Booknest.eu

[L.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another incredible volume of the Riven Realm series!

I finished this book in three days--I couldn't put it down! Every bit as thrilling as the first installment, it kept me riveted! Gritty action, battles, blood and gore, intrigue, mystery, and more! I can't wait to read the next book!

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid second story of the Varkas Chronicles. This book had great action scenes and more mysteries of the world were revealed. Really liked the parts with Tiberius & Avendor and Shade. A great continuation of the story that started with First of Shadows.

[Sibil · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Nancy Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, I wish to thank the author for an ARC copy!

The sequel continues right where the first book ends into separate storylines: Caleb and the blind sage Tiberius from book 1, and two new POVS: Carvesh (Caleb's brother-in-law) and Captain Avendor who takes a more important role in this book from the first.

The eccentric white haired sea captain Sherik Dev accomplished his part of the deal of delivering Caleb and his new friends safely to Timberford, only to discover the peace in the village has been ruined by the looming threat of dangerous supernatural beings that have killed some of Carvesh's cattle last night for no apparent reason. It seems like trouble only follows Caleb who takes a mostly supporting role in this book.

Meanwhile, captain Avendor is given a lot more screen time in the book and we start to learn a few things about his murky past while he continues to research the Soulblaze murders alongside Tiberius and a very nasty man known by everyone as The Questor Navarus. Not every detail about Avendor's past life is revealed, just enough to pique your curiosity and see if he can use his resourcefulness to locate clues to solve the crime despite lacking enough personnel... and awful tasting brandy. I personally enjoyed Avendor's chapters a lot, along with Carvesh's own voyage of self-discovery that was so reminiscent to Caleb's personal growth we saw in the first novel.

An additional POV is briefly offered: the mysterious assassin Sheev. Hired to murder a prominent merchant, things go a bit wrong, and now she ends up accepting a too-good-to-be-true job that could make her filthy rich. The only problem is that the object she has promised to steal is in the city where Avendor and Tiberius live...

The book is very, very well edited, and if there was only one real fault with it, I think it would be for the fact that it feels more like a connect-the-dots type of book. A huge portion of the book is about solving the mystery of the shadow monsters that have attacked Timberford, but the other part of the story regarding Avendor's mission to solve the Soulblaze murders only offers a few clues without resolution.

It is possible the shortcoming of being unable to truly fulfill a mission for this book lies in the fact that at less than 150 pages and 5 POVs to focus on, the book focuses more on the characters while the voyage takes on a supporting role. In a strange sort of way, I feel like focusing the book on Carvesh and Avendor makes it a stronger and better read because both characters are quite interesting, but many readers may feel like the book could have been 30 pages longer and solved a few more of the many mysteries along the way.

All in all, the series continues to be quite enjoyable to read and I am curious to know where it is heading. Oh, I would have liked it if the nation's map had been at the very start of the book instead of the end.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthews continues his style of shifting the focus to other narrative threads in the overall arc. Tiberius the blind sage is thick in his detection of a series of murders. And there’s two underground jobs out there that may surface in the long run… a thief hired to procure a “little bauble” and a group of assassins who are out for political mayhem.

‘The more connections that reveal themselves, the more difficult it was becoming to cling to the explanation of coincidence.’

A great continuation of the stories in The First of Shadows. They are not directly connected at first, but there is a sophistication in the dovetailing of the narratives. The descriptions of the beasts and the awful fighting are palpable in their gore and point of view. And there were several minor characters that Matthews takes the time to flesh out just enough to create the reader’s buy-in. It’s most important in text of this length.

My review of the first book (The First of Shadows) was glowing and I can only add to that praise in this follow up. The third book will be released in only a couple weeks, so get on this series now!

For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2019/09/29/du...

For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog

[Deston Munden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dust of the Darkness, the sequel to The First of Shadows, is yet another amazing fast-paced entry to the Riven Realm series. I’ve come to call it a bite-sized epic fantasy. Before you even know it, you’re at the end of the book, devouring it in one session and wishing that you had more. Matthew’s reintroduces characters and conflicts from the last book while weaving in new characters subtlety related to the previous cast in new and interesting ways. From the mysterious elements of Tiberius, the classic fantasy hero who happens to be disabled of Caleb, to the action of my favorite character Palawen Ty, it kept me drawn into it with every point of view character. Don’t let the length fool you. Each of the characters has an amazing arc in an easily consumed package.

If you’re a fan of classic fantasy like Brooks and Jordan, you will find a certain similarity within these pages. Matthew’s knows how to tell his story, obviously well-versed and well-read in his genre of choice. From his well-developed magic system, amazing action sequence, horrifying (and I mean horrifying) monsters, it’s easy to get hooked on this series.

If you haven’t already picked up these series, give it a try! You won’t be disappointed!

[Ben Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is certainly one to watch! Go read The First of Shadows then read this immediately. A unique story, fun characters, and Deck also accomplishes one of the hardest things in fantasy - writing believable combat. Your only complaint will be that you'll wish the book was longer!

[Peter Hartog · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid follow up that maintains the same high fantasy intensity from Shadows. Excellent world development in what is clearly evolving into a story rife with character, charm, depth and adventure.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story.
Most of the characters were already developed in volume 1 so this story just jumps right in! I couldn’t put in down.