What do you think?
Rate this book
The Way of Unity
The Seven Lands of Velspar put their faith in the Intercessors, a psychic priesthood responsible for the purification of the spirit. Where passion flares, they soothe its intent. Those who cannot be soothed, are cast out, their spirits destroyed by fire.
The Intercessors are mystics of the highest order, but Velspar’s ruling Skalens believe their power has grown too great.
Surviving the Intercessor’s murder plot against her family, Sybilla Ladain rises to power. The Skalens come together under the banner of her grief, bringing the practice of Intercession to its brutal, bloody end.
Yet victory brings Sybilla no peace. In time, she will have to face the people of Velspar, forced to live in a psychically alienated world, and a band of rebels led by an escaped Intercessor set on her annihilation.
The Intercessors are mystics of the highest order, but Velspar’s ruling Skalens believe their power has grown too great.
Surviving the Intercessor’s murder plot against her family, Sybilla Ladain rises to power. The Skalens come together under the banner of her grief, bringing the practice of Intercession to its brutal, bloody end.
Yet victory brings Sybilla no peace. In time, she will have to face the people of Velspar, forced to live in a psychically alienated world, and a band of rebels led by an escaped Intercessor set on her annihilation.
- GenresFantasy
448 pages, Paperback
First published February 6, 2023
15 people are currently reading
309 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 25, 2024
My complete review is published at Grimdark Magazine.
Religion and politics collide in The Way of Unity, the dark fantasy debut from Sarah K. Balstrup and a semi-finalist in Mark Lawrence’s ninth Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO9).
A psychic priesthood known as the Intercessors oversees blood rites and spiritual purity in the Seven Lands of Velspar. The Intercessor priests can probe individual minds, leveling harsh punishment against those with sinful “red” thoughts. The unchallenged religious authority of the Intercessors leads to their heightened political influence, which puts them on a collision course with the elite Skalen families who rule Velspar.
The Way of Unity is built around a central event known as the Fire, a fateful attack by the Intercessors that leaves Skalen Sybilla of Vaelnyr as its sole survivor. Sybilla rises to power in the painful aftermath of the Fire, intent on religious reform and pursuing justice against the Intercessors. However, a rogue Intercessor is bent on Sybilla’s own destruction.
The Way of Unity is told from multiple points of view, but Sybilla steals the show as the most compelling and well-developed character in the book. She is emotionally complex and may be either lionized as Velspar’s great reformer or vilified as its worst heretic.
Sarah K. Balstrup excels in her nuanced worldbuilding. Of particular note is the Meridian, a magical headband that prevents intrusion into one’s thoughts and also hampers the wearer’s psychic vision and sensory perception. The Meridian is also used as a symbol of personal autonomy.
Balstrup’s prose is beautiful and well-polished, conveying a sense of gloomy mysticism throughout the story. Although The Way of Unity emphasizes religion as its main theme, there is also a touch of romance, which is tastefully done and helps in the development of Sybilla as a character.
On the downside, The Way of Unity is marred by overly stiff dialogue and a disjointed flow, with sudden jumps in time between chapters that make the plot confusing to follow in places. Overall, The Way of Unity would benefit by devoting more time to exposition and building smoother transitions between chapters. Notwithstanding these shortcomings, The Way of Unity offers grimdark readers much to love, especially with its dark worldbuilding and morally gray protagonist.
Overall, Sarah K. Balstrup shows great promise with The Way of Unity, a melancholic tale that explores the darker side of organized religion and its impact on the individual psyche. The series will continue with Balstrup’s second book, A Trail of Stars.
Religion and politics collide in The Way of Unity, the dark fantasy debut from Sarah K. Balstrup and a semi-finalist in Mark Lawrence’s ninth Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO9).
A psychic priesthood known as the Intercessors oversees blood rites and spiritual purity in the Seven Lands of Velspar. The Intercessor priests can probe individual minds, leveling harsh punishment against those with sinful “red” thoughts. The unchallenged religious authority of the Intercessors leads to their heightened political influence, which puts them on a collision course with the elite Skalen families who rule Velspar.
The Way of Unity is built around a central event known as the Fire, a fateful attack by the Intercessors that leaves Skalen Sybilla of Vaelnyr as its sole survivor. Sybilla rises to power in the painful aftermath of the Fire, intent on religious reform and pursuing justice against the Intercessors. However, a rogue Intercessor is bent on Sybilla’s own destruction.
The Way of Unity is told from multiple points of view, but Sybilla steals the show as the most compelling and well-developed character in the book. She is emotionally complex and may be either lionized as Velspar’s great reformer or vilified as its worst heretic.
Sarah K. Balstrup excels in her nuanced worldbuilding. Of particular note is the Meridian, a magical headband that prevents intrusion into one’s thoughts and also hampers the wearer’s psychic vision and sensory perception. The Meridian is also used as a symbol of personal autonomy.
Balstrup’s prose is beautiful and well-polished, conveying a sense of gloomy mysticism throughout the story. Although The Way of Unity emphasizes religion as its main theme, there is also a touch of romance, which is tastefully done and helps in the development of Sybilla as a character.
On the downside, The Way of Unity is marred by overly stiff dialogue and a disjointed flow, with sudden jumps in time between chapters that make the plot confusing to follow in places. Overall, The Way of Unity would benefit by devoting more time to exposition and building smoother transitions between chapters. Notwithstanding these shortcomings, The Way of Unity offers grimdark readers much to love, especially with its dark worldbuilding and morally gray protagonist.
Overall, Sarah K. Balstrup shows great promise with The Way of Unity, a melancholic tale that explores the darker side of organized religion and its impact on the individual psyche. The series will continue with Balstrup’s second book, A Trail of Stars.
March 2, 2023
This is one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read so far this year. Balstrup wrote descriptions that created the most vivid pictures in my head as I read. I marveled at the beauty at even some of the more graphic and intense scenes! I took my time reading this one because I would often reread a scene, oftentimes these were memories of different characters, or even just paragraphs here and there because I enjoyed the writing style so much.
Besides the writing style, I really enjoyed the struggle of religious beliefs - how they differed and were interpreted - as well as when the rose-colored glasses were fogged up due to revenge and ambition. The entire book I was trying to decide who I sided with: those who believed in the old gods as put forth by the Intercessors or those who thought the Intercessors were evil. It was a battle I fought with myself up until the last chapter. You just can never tell what a person will do, especially when it comes to religious beliefs and I am simply fascinated by it.
Intercessors were priests and priestesses who upheld the purification of the spirit, using psychic powers. Their methods were very questionable, but they seemed to help people. Well, the ones they didn’t execute for their “red thoughts” or “red deeds”. Velspar and its Seven Lands are ruled by the Skalen families. One family, the Ladains, believed the Intercessors were overreaching and began forming an alliance among the others to put an end to the so-called Holy Ones.
What comes next is the brutality of what happens when a religion is yanked up and burned to its very roots. The instability of what happens in the wake of that annihilation - rebellions form, some worship the old gods in secret and revenge is continuously sought after.
The world building was just plain amazing. Again, the descriptions by the author were largely responsible for my enjoyment here - Balstrup constructed this world chapter by chapter in my mind’s eye. I never got tired of trying to figure out who I thought was in the right. I loved any opportunity to learn more about the Intercessors and this world where everyone could connect telepathically, provided they removed their Meridian (headpiece with three stones used to shield your mind from psychic intrusion).
I loved the way it was narrated, told in three parts and told between the POV of Sybilla, Zohar and Ambrose. You could almost call this a coming-of-age story for all three of these characters as they are very young when we meet them and we follow them over the course of fifteen years as they grow up and learn to feel what the burden of being a Skalen is and deciding as individuals what they believed in.
I can’t say enough about this book - even with everything I’ve mentioned, there is still so much more that I haven’t touched on yet! Hopefully I was able to give you enough for you to know if this is one that you should be picking up to read for yourself!
Besides the writing style, I really enjoyed the struggle of religious beliefs - how they differed and were interpreted - as well as when the rose-colored glasses were fogged up due to revenge and ambition. The entire book I was trying to decide who I sided with: those who believed in the old gods as put forth by the Intercessors or those who thought the Intercessors were evil. It was a battle I fought with myself up until the last chapter. You just can never tell what a person will do, especially when it comes to religious beliefs and I am simply fascinated by it.
Intercessors were priests and priestesses who upheld the purification of the spirit, using psychic powers. Their methods were very questionable, but they seemed to help people. Well, the ones they didn’t execute for their “red thoughts” or “red deeds”. Velspar and its Seven Lands are ruled by the Skalen families. One family, the Ladains, believed the Intercessors were overreaching and began forming an alliance among the others to put an end to the so-called Holy Ones.
What comes next is the brutality of what happens when a religion is yanked up and burned to its very roots. The instability of what happens in the wake of that annihilation - rebellions form, some worship the old gods in secret and revenge is continuously sought after.
The world building was just plain amazing. Again, the descriptions by the author were largely responsible for my enjoyment here - Balstrup constructed this world chapter by chapter in my mind’s eye. I never got tired of trying to figure out who I thought was in the right. I loved any opportunity to learn more about the Intercessors and this world where everyone could connect telepathically, provided they removed their Meridian (headpiece with three stones used to shield your mind from psychic intrusion).
I loved the way it was narrated, told in three parts and told between the POV of Sybilla, Zohar and Ambrose. You could almost call this a coming-of-age story for all three of these characters as they are very young when we meet them and we follow them over the course of fifteen years as they grow up and learn to feel what the burden of being a Skalen is and deciding as individuals what they believed in.
I can’t say enough about this book - even with everything I’ve mentioned, there is still so much more that I haven’t touched on yet! Hopefully I was able to give you enough for you to know if this is one that you should be picking up to read for yourself!
March 3, 2023
The Way of Unity was a dark historical fantasy, rich in religious thematics which really made the reader think.
The Priesthood of the Intercessors has ruled for too long. Their message of purification has gone too far and various players across the land of Velspar are ready to rise against them.
Whispers of the first heresy spread throughout the ruling Skalens, who wish to end the blood rites, the burning of spirits and the mind games of the religious elite. But before they are able to start the rebellion, a fire takes everything from Sybilla Ladain. Her family and future, gone in an instant. Sybilla was only a child the first time heresy was mentioned, but under the rage of grief, she seeks to bring Intercession to its brutal, and bloody end.
Orchestrating a holy rebellion, was just the beginning.
There is so much to unpack in The Way of Unity. I will start off by saying, if you do not like or appreciate the deep exploration of the darker side of religion and faith, this will not be the book for you. Personally, it is one of my favourite themes explored in any fiction (and I find the nonfiction surrounding the topic utterly fascinating). Throughout this book the ideas of religion and the politics tied to faith dance around each other in an exploration of power.
Whilst there are a number of things I enjoyed throughout the story I will largely stick to the theme of religion and the discussions that The Way of Unity brings to the forefront. As the reader, we learn about the Intercessors who worship the Gods Siatka and Kahidol. These Gods demand sacrifices of their subject, in the name of the blood rites on the day of their birth. This poses the question, how much does one have to give of themselves to be considered faithful? When is enough, enough? Our characters go through this process, with some believing this is the way things are and there is no point changing course for the safety of themselves and their family. Others want the sacrifice to end, thinking it a barbaric way to experience love of a deity.
We also have the battle of the Intercessors and the Skalens themselves. Both parties desiring power, both parties throughout the book using fear, stripping subjects of power and taking away freedom of choice as means of control. Finally, I would be remiss not to mention the meridian, and the magic of the world that takes place through these headdresses. These bands were worn on the forehead, 3 blinding stones placed evenly across the head which invoked a kind of numbness, a softening of extreme emotion in which some came to rely upon. Particularly those wanting power for themselves as a tool of mediation. All of these elements opened up conversations surrounding the concept of religious ideation and who is in the right of two seemingly extremist ideals. It was utterly fascinating and I can’t wait to read this again to see what more I can get out of it.
I also quite enjoyed the flow and pace of the story itself. We follow Sybilla who grows with the story. The short chapters timed before and after the main event which will determine her life path, helps the reader make sense of her decisions. As the years progress, so to do the players in this political game underlining the story. We see characters as they start to question the why of the way things are, to start seeking knowledge from before they were born to make their own decisions and alliances in a way that felt natural to the world. By doing this we also get to see how people age and harden or soften to the past, to use the knowledge found along the way for the greater good or as a weapon. Not only were we experiencing some bigger themes and questions, but they were also timed well within the story in my opinion.
This was a no brainer 5 star read for me, but as I said it will not be for everyone. The Way of Unity had me putting the book down every 3-5 chapters to sit with the themes, and explore in my own head what I thought about them. I cannot wait to see how this story continues to unfold.
The Priesthood of the Intercessors has ruled for too long. Their message of purification has gone too far and various players across the land of Velspar are ready to rise against them.
Whispers of the first heresy spread throughout the ruling Skalens, who wish to end the blood rites, the burning of spirits and the mind games of the religious elite. But before they are able to start the rebellion, a fire takes everything from Sybilla Ladain. Her family and future, gone in an instant. Sybilla was only a child the first time heresy was mentioned, but under the rage of grief, she seeks to bring Intercession to its brutal, and bloody end.
Orchestrating a holy rebellion, was just the beginning.
There is so much to unpack in The Way of Unity. I will start off by saying, if you do not like or appreciate the deep exploration of the darker side of religion and faith, this will not be the book for you. Personally, it is one of my favourite themes explored in any fiction (and I find the nonfiction surrounding the topic utterly fascinating). Throughout this book the ideas of religion and the politics tied to faith dance around each other in an exploration of power.
Whilst there are a number of things I enjoyed throughout the story I will largely stick to the theme of religion and the discussions that The Way of Unity brings to the forefront. As the reader, we learn about the Intercessors who worship the Gods Siatka and Kahidol. These Gods demand sacrifices of their subject, in the name of the blood rites on the day of their birth. This poses the question, how much does one have to give of themselves to be considered faithful? When is enough, enough? Our characters go through this process, with some believing this is the way things are and there is no point changing course for the safety of themselves and their family. Others want the sacrifice to end, thinking it a barbaric way to experience love of a deity.
We also have the battle of the Intercessors and the Skalens themselves. Both parties desiring power, both parties throughout the book using fear, stripping subjects of power and taking away freedom of choice as means of control. Finally, I would be remiss not to mention the meridian, and the magic of the world that takes place through these headdresses. These bands were worn on the forehead, 3 blinding stones placed evenly across the head which invoked a kind of numbness, a softening of extreme emotion in which some came to rely upon. Particularly those wanting power for themselves as a tool of mediation. All of these elements opened up conversations surrounding the concept of religious ideation and who is in the right of two seemingly extremist ideals. It was utterly fascinating and I can’t wait to read this again to see what more I can get out of it.
I also quite enjoyed the flow and pace of the story itself. We follow Sybilla who grows with the story. The short chapters timed before and after the main event which will determine her life path, helps the reader make sense of her decisions. As the years progress, so to do the players in this political game underlining the story. We see characters as they start to question the why of the way things are, to start seeking knowledge from before they were born to make their own decisions and alliances in a way that felt natural to the world. By doing this we also get to see how people age and harden or soften to the past, to use the knowledge found along the way for the greater good or as a weapon. Not only were we experiencing some bigger themes and questions, but they were also timed well within the story in my opinion.
This was a no brainer 5 star read for me, but as I said it will not be for everyone. The Way of Unity had me putting the book down every 3-5 chapters to sit with the themes, and explore in my own head what I thought about them. I cannot wait to see how this story continues to unfold.
December 7, 2023
One of my favourite books of this year. Here's me chatting about it on Five Books (full list
here)
"The Way of Unity is from the perspective of a young woman called Sybilla, the daughter of a husband-and-wife pair of rulers called the Skalens. There are seven sets of Skalens around the seven-nation land of Velspar, which forms a religious confederation; and travelling around Velspar is a psychic priesthood called the 'Intercessors', who take away what they call ‘red thoughts’--criminal / negative thoughts. They also worship these animals (or rather the earthly incarnation of their animal gods) – in my head it’s a bit like a pterodactyl, but it probably isn’t, it’s probably like a massive eagle – that’s the god-father, Kshidol. Then they have Siatka, who’s the god-mother, and a sea serpent. They’ve taken these two real creatures and woven them into the story of their religion.
That’s the premise. Then, in about the first ten pages, the Intercessors burn down Sybilla’s house with her family inside and kill all of them. Sybilla manages to escape. Her father had been quietly planning to purge the Intercessors – which is probably why they got murdered, to be fair – so Sybilla takes up the mantle, and she leads a pogrom of the Intercessors, and they’re all butchered.
So this psychic priesthood evaporates. This all happens in the first twenty or thirty pages of the book. You don’t see this often in fantasy, because often what we’re concerned with is the big battle – especially in a series, you’ll have the antagonist and the good guys fighting and sparring and clashing and, eventually, you have the big denouement at the end in book three: the big climax. Then you always wonder, what happens after that? What happens after the big battle? Presumably, there’s a massive administrative burden that follows in the wake of it. What I really loved about this book was that we start at the end – they have this pogrom of all the Intercessors, it’s all very gruesome, and then suddenly they’re all gone. And what do we do now? Sybilla inherits this nation, which has hitherto had a very present, very visible priesthood, often close to members of the society or the village, who have performed acts of intercession and led them in worship. And people have gleefully slaughtered them. Everybody starts to think, “Oh… maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Actually, there are aspects of it I miss.” And of course, it’s all completely forbidden now on pain of death.
It’s such a brilliant examination of a post-religious society in which they’ve had a bloodbath, and now have all the festering pockets of resentment. The author is brilliant, she’s thought of everything. The trade suffers – because they’ve killed off the priests, but they’ve also killed off all the people who still believed in the religion as well – so it’s a hugely decimated population. Trade is down because all the farm labourers have been killed, because they wouldn’t renounce. It’s a really skilfully considered novel. It managed the topic of religion in such a clever and nuanced way, and also made aspects of the religion very real and tangible. It wasn’t all just based on faith. There was a very real element to it, obviously fantastical, but the Intercessors could literally read and extract thoughts – so it was both about that, and about the power of belief."
here)
"The Way of Unity is from the perspective of a young woman called Sybilla, the daughter of a husband-and-wife pair of rulers called the Skalens. There are seven sets of Skalens around the seven-nation land of Velspar, which forms a religious confederation; and travelling around Velspar is a psychic priesthood called the 'Intercessors', who take away what they call ‘red thoughts’--criminal / negative thoughts. They also worship these animals (or rather the earthly incarnation of their animal gods) – in my head it’s a bit like a pterodactyl, but it probably isn’t, it’s probably like a massive eagle – that’s the god-father, Kshidol. Then they have Siatka, who’s the god-mother, and a sea serpent. They’ve taken these two real creatures and woven them into the story of their religion.
That’s the premise. Then, in about the first ten pages, the Intercessors burn down Sybilla’s house with her family inside and kill all of them. Sybilla manages to escape. Her father had been quietly planning to purge the Intercessors – which is probably why they got murdered, to be fair – so Sybilla takes up the mantle, and she leads a pogrom of the Intercessors, and they’re all butchered.
So this psychic priesthood evaporates. This all happens in the first twenty or thirty pages of the book. You don’t see this often in fantasy, because often what we’re concerned with is the big battle – especially in a series, you’ll have the antagonist and the good guys fighting and sparring and clashing and, eventually, you have the big denouement at the end in book three: the big climax. Then you always wonder, what happens after that? What happens after the big battle? Presumably, there’s a massive administrative burden that follows in the wake of it. What I really loved about this book was that we start at the end – they have this pogrom of all the Intercessors, it’s all very gruesome, and then suddenly they’re all gone. And what do we do now? Sybilla inherits this nation, which has hitherto had a very present, very visible priesthood, often close to members of the society or the village, who have performed acts of intercession and led them in worship. And people have gleefully slaughtered them. Everybody starts to think, “Oh… maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Actually, there are aspects of it I miss.” And of course, it’s all completely forbidden now on pain of death.
It’s such a brilliant examination of a post-religious society in which they’ve had a bloodbath, and now have all the festering pockets of resentment. The author is brilliant, she’s thought of everything. The trade suffers – because they’ve killed off the priests, but they’ve also killed off all the people who still believed in the religion as well – so it’s a hugely decimated population. Trade is down because all the farm labourers have been killed, because they wouldn’t renounce. It’s a really skilfully considered novel. It managed the topic of religion in such a clever and nuanced way, and also made aspects of the religion very real and tangible. It wasn’t all just based on faith. There was a very real element to it, obviously fantastical, but the Intercessors could literally read and extract thoughts – so it was both about that, and about the power of belief."
March 24, 2023
If you loved 'Between Two Fires' unsettling world, dream-like sequences, and its faithful followers, then pick up this dark fantasy. Having recently finished both, I think this story will fulfill that need.
The Way of Unity was an excellent and compelling tale delivered from a variety of points of view that advanced the plot. Told through a mix of storytelling with great prose, Balstrup created an unsettling and bleak world that deals with beliefs, tradition, rebellion, and faith.
I liked the way the story was told, with a handful of the same points of view telling the story. I thought this fleshed out the characters and gave us direct insight into the faith and belief of these folks. The various settings felt vastly different in what I was imagining, and some locations emitted a tension that could be felt.
As a reader, I always find that when scenes are balanced with tension and risk, it’s much easier for me to become absorbed in the story. The pages fly by and next thing I know, I’m almost finished. That’s exactly how I felt reading this story. Whether it was the plotting or rebellion, or a ritual of faith, the risks could be felt and I was wrapped up inside.
I don’t want to say much about the plot because it would give away a lot of what I loved. I will say that if you read the synopsis then you’ll have a good idea. The pacing was done well. There was much originality here. Stories tend to end once the rebellion has been won. I loved that we see what happens afterwards to those who are still clinging to their faith. If you loved Between Two Fires‘s unsettling world, dream-like sequences, and its faithful followers, then pick up this dark fantasy. Having recently finished both, I think this story will fulfill that need.
I received a reading copy and this did not influence my thoughts or opinions. I did end up reading the story using kindle unlimited because I like to try helping out the authors whenever I can.
The Way of Unity was an excellent and compelling tale delivered from a variety of points of view that advanced the plot. Told through a mix of storytelling with great prose, Balstrup created an unsettling and bleak world that deals with beliefs, tradition, rebellion, and faith.
I liked the way the story was told, with a handful of the same points of view telling the story. I thought this fleshed out the characters and gave us direct insight into the faith and belief of these folks. The various settings felt vastly different in what I was imagining, and some locations emitted a tension that could be felt.
As a reader, I always find that when scenes are balanced with tension and risk, it’s much easier for me to become absorbed in the story. The pages fly by and next thing I know, I’m almost finished. That’s exactly how I felt reading this story. Whether it was the plotting or rebellion, or a ritual of faith, the risks could be felt and I was wrapped up inside.
I don’t want to say much about the plot because it would give away a lot of what I loved. I will say that if you read the synopsis then you’ll have a good idea. The pacing was done well. There was much originality here. Stories tend to end once the rebellion has been won. I loved that we see what happens afterwards to those who are still clinging to their faith. If you loved Between Two Fires‘s unsettling world, dream-like sequences, and its faithful followers, then pick up this dark fantasy. Having recently finished both, I think this story will fulfill that need.
I received a reading copy and this did not influence my thoughts or opinions. I did end up reading the story using kindle unlimited because I like to try helping out the authors whenever I can.
December 4, 2022
Interview with the author: https://jamreads.com/interviews/some-...
Full text review: https://jamreads.com/reviews/the-way-...
The Way of Unity is the debut novel from Sarah K. Balstrup. It is a really unique book, which I would say by setting it should be classified as fantasy, but that could also be considered as a literary study of what happens when a population is alienated from their own beliefs, when a sudden change is forced to happen. It's quite a mix between what is storytelling, and what becomes an investigative job, an effort to discern what's true and what's just a made-up.
We find ourselves in the land of Velspar, which is ruled by an elite called the Skalens. A religious cult, the Intercessors, is gaining power and threatening the authority of these called Skalens. Around a central event called the Fire, the narrative unfolds, showing us how Sybilla's family gets murdered in a house fire by the Intercessors. Sybilla escapes her family's fate, becoming Skalen, starting a path of revenge, trying to destroy the cult, and almost reaching her objective.
However, some Intercessors are able to escape, starting a plot to return to power, and becoming a small group of rebels, who see Sybilla as a heretic. Balstrup wovens a really complex world, which we get to experiment through the eyes of several characters, over multiple years. Sybilla's character by itself is probably one of the most interesting, as we get to observe her own crusade against the beliefs of the population, almost wiping them thanks to the power Skalens keeps; while at the same time, even in her power position, Sybilla is just a prisoner of her own prejudices, the one that appeared after the tragic death of her family.
We also get to observe how the group of rebels, these people who tried to keep their faith in the Intercessors and their religion behaves, plotting behind the scenes, seeking to restore the old beliefs. Doubts appear among them, especially as this implies a rebellion against what has become the established power.
Probably the highlight of this book is the writing style chosen by Balstrup. The prose has a great quality, transmitting the importance of what's narrated, giving great weight to the mystical experiences that the characters get to see. As said before, there are a great amount of work developing characters, so we can bond with them, even if their intentions sometimes don't feel clear.
From the start to the very end, this book manages to transmit the importance that religion has in the life of these characters, and how losing it impacted them. There aren't many elements to classify this book as fantasy outside of the world and certain creatures, as it feels more like a character study in a traumatic situation and the consequences of their actions. Still, the story is hooking from the start to the end, keeping some surprises to the very last arc of the narration.
The Way of Unity is a really strong debut. I think it will be a divisive book, as the narration style can alienate some readers, but at the same time, other readers will absolutely love how the weight of words can be felt; the quality of the craft is there. Personally, I enjoyed how the different plots get intertwined to give us a really satisfying end, one that makes you think about what you've seen in the rest of the book; and how sometimes what you got shown, might just be what one side wanted to show you. In definitive, a great novel that will be loved by those who want complex narrations, and books that make you think even after closing them.
Full text review: https://jamreads.com/reviews/the-way-...
The Way of Unity is the debut novel from Sarah K. Balstrup. It is a really unique book, which I would say by setting it should be classified as fantasy, but that could also be considered as a literary study of what happens when a population is alienated from their own beliefs, when a sudden change is forced to happen. It's quite a mix between what is storytelling, and what becomes an investigative job, an effort to discern what's true and what's just a made-up.
We find ourselves in the land of Velspar, which is ruled by an elite called the Skalens. A religious cult, the Intercessors, is gaining power and threatening the authority of these called Skalens. Around a central event called the Fire, the narrative unfolds, showing us how Sybilla's family gets murdered in a house fire by the Intercessors. Sybilla escapes her family's fate, becoming Skalen, starting a path of revenge, trying to destroy the cult, and almost reaching her objective.
However, some Intercessors are able to escape, starting a plot to return to power, and becoming a small group of rebels, who see Sybilla as a heretic. Balstrup wovens a really complex world, which we get to experiment through the eyes of several characters, over multiple years. Sybilla's character by itself is probably one of the most interesting, as we get to observe her own crusade against the beliefs of the population, almost wiping them thanks to the power Skalens keeps; while at the same time, even in her power position, Sybilla is just a prisoner of her own prejudices, the one that appeared after the tragic death of her family.
We also get to observe how the group of rebels, these people who tried to keep their faith in the Intercessors and their religion behaves, plotting behind the scenes, seeking to restore the old beliefs. Doubts appear among them, especially as this implies a rebellion against what has become the established power.
Probably the highlight of this book is the writing style chosen by Balstrup. The prose has a great quality, transmitting the importance of what's narrated, giving great weight to the mystical experiences that the characters get to see. As said before, there are a great amount of work developing characters, so we can bond with them, even if their intentions sometimes don't feel clear.
From the start to the very end, this book manages to transmit the importance that religion has in the life of these characters, and how losing it impacted them. There aren't many elements to classify this book as fantasy outside of the world and certain creatures, as it feels more like a character study in a traumatic situation and the consequences of their actions. Still, the story is hooking from the start to the end, keeping some surprises to the very last arc of the narration.
The Way of Unity is a really strong debut. I think it will be a divisive book, as the narration style can alienate some readers, but at the same time, other readers will absolutely love how the weight of words can be felt; the quality of the craft is there. Personally, I enjoyed how the different plots get intertwined to give us a really satisfying end, one that makes you think about what you've seen in the rest of the book; and how sometimes what you got shown, might just be what one side wanted to show you. In definitive, a great novel that will be loved by those who want complex narrations, and books that make you think even after closing them.
April 26, 2025
I found The Way of Unity a truly mesmerising and memorable read. What captivated me most was its dreamy, almost hypnotic atmosphere, where the lines between medieval fantasy and futuristic science fiction dissolve into something entirely unique (think about Dune or Anne McCaffrey's Pern dragons novels), although it is categorised as Grimdark fantasy.
The story unfolds in a society where religion is deeply fused with politics and memory, and where faith is used not just for spiritual guidance but as a powerful instrument of control. The exploration of confession, guilt, and manipulation through religious structures adds a dark, unsettling depth to the world.
I particularly loved how the novel is structured around a central event in time - early chapters are titled "one year before the X event", building a slow, suspenseful countdown. After the event, the narrative continues with "one year after" and "two years after the X event," allowing the reader to experience both the tension of anticipation and the emotional fallout. A technique which I've never seen before.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is its morally grey characters. Their actions are often driven by loyalty, fear, or survival rather than pure heroism or evil. This complexity makes them feel human and unpredictable, constantly challenging the reader’s sympathies.
The cover art, created by the author herself, beautifully captures the ethereal and haunting tone of the novel.
Sarah Balstrup has crafted a world that feels ancient yet strangely futuristic, and populated it with characters who leave you thinking long after you close the book. A beautiful, thoughtful, and unsettling read.
The story unfolds in a society where religion is deeply fused with politics and memory, and where faith is used not just for spiritual guidance but as a powerful instrument of control. The exploration of confession, guilt, and manipulation through religious structures adds a dark, unsettling depth to the world.
I particularly loved how the novel is structured around a central event in time - early chapters are titled "one year before the X event", building a slow, suspenseful countdown. After the event, the narrative continues with "one year after" and "two years after the X event," allowing the reader to experience both the tension of anticipation and the emotional fallout. A technique which I've never seen before.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is its morally grey characters. Their actions are often driven by loyalty, fear, or survival rather than pure heroism or evil. This complexity makes them feel human and unpredictable, constantly challenging the reader’s sympathies.
The cover art, created by the author herself, beautifully captures the ethereal and haunting tone of the novel.
Sarah Balstrup has crafted a world that feels ancient yet strangely futuristic, and populated it with characters who leave you thinking long after you close the book. A beautiful, thoughtful, and unsettling read.
November 28, 2023
The Way of Unity by Sarah Balstrup is one of the most ambitious fantasy novels I have ever read. The prose is some of the most beautiful you will find but the world, magic, religious and philosophical themes are incredible dense. I did find myself lost while listening to the audio version several times before it started to click. If you are looking for a series with big battles this is not that story. Sarah focuses on the personal struggle of people and the suffocating grip religion and beliefs can have on citizens if that feel into the wrong hands. The timeline starts in the past and works its way forward and the entire span of this debut novel last 20 years. An eye opening read for sure and one I look forward to continuing when the next novel in the series is published. Cheers!
April 4, 2023
It is a novel difficult to follow and the worldbuilding is mostly focus in religion. But I did like to know the path of the female characters, Sybille and Zohar are full of faults but are capable of love and do great things for their people. I did dispise the holy men, they thought that they can sacrifice all in the name of a god.
Sometimes it was too much hate and revenge. It was not fair that Zohar was manipulated like that. Did enyoy Sybille love story with her guardsmen and was sad with his end. Just like was so good to watch the strength of the two woman, help each other.
Sometimes it was too much hate and revenge. It was not fair that Zohar was manipulated like that. Did enyoy Sybille love story with her guardsmen and was sad with his end. Just like was so good to watch the strength of the two woman, help each other.
November 13, 2022
The Way of Unity offers something pretty unique to lovers of fantasy, because it isn't really about the fantasy at all. At heart, it's an exploration of what happens when an entire population is suddenly alienated from its own beliefs, history and culture. It reads a little like a comment on organised religion vs. individual connection to it, although Balstrup does a great job dancing across that line. The religion-snuffing Skalen, Sybilla, starts with purity of purpose before following something of a villain arc, and you'll spend much of this story unsure of who exactly to root for - the righteous but draconian Skalen of Velspar, or the rebels who cling stoically to their spirituality despite the punishments inflicted for doing so.
Although there is a fair bit of character hopping, Sybilla keeps her hands on the narrative reigns and without spoiling anything, her character arc is both satisfying and thought-provoking. The rest of the narrative cast sort of work together to offer different viewpoints on the state of affairs in the story, and this is one of the books real strengths - you can never say definitively who is right and who is wrong.
Balstrup has a meditative, almost ceremonial style that works well for both fantasy in general as well as the context of this specific story, and while it won't cut you to the bone like more intimate narrative styles, it's nonetheless colourful and effective in painting the world of Velspar. The worldbuilding is likewise very strong.
Apart from a few fantastical creatures that act as manifestations of some of the populace's beliefs, as well as the psychic connection shared between characters, there's actually very little in the way of fantasy here. There are no wizards, no dragons, no spell casting - it reminds me a lot of Kazuo Ishiguro's 'The Buried Giant' in that it uses the fantasy genre to explore a topic, rather than tell a story that's about the fantasy itself. I rarely read in this genre, and I found myself really engaged by what Balstrup has put together.
The meta rules as well as the in-book religion itself is all very consistent and has a lot of depth, helped by the number of characters who offer their own thoughts and personal beliefs. The overall effect is a world that feels very lived in and well thought out. Not every character is as memorable as the rest - the questions raised by the book will stay with you longer than those who raise them - but I think that's sometimes the nature of sprawling 3rd person stories.
Polished and written with clarity of voice and purpose, The Way of Unity is easily a four-star read. I've given it the extra star just for being something unique - a fantasy with literary depth that makes a real comment on an increasingly polarising aspect of the real world.
Although there is a fair bit of character hopping, Sybilla keeps her hands on the narrative reigns and without spoiling anything, her character arc is both satisfying and thought-provoking. The rest of the narrative cast sort of work together to offer different viewpoints on the state of affairs in the story, and this is one of the books real strengths - you can never say definitively who is right and who is wrong.
Balstrup has a meditative, almost ceremonial style that works well for both fantasy in general as well as the context of this specific story, and while it won't cut you to the bone like more intimate narrative styles, it's nonetheless colourful and effective in painting the world of Velspar. The worldbuilding is likewise very strong.
Apart from a few fantastical creatures that act as manifestations of some of the populace's beliefs, as well as the psychic connection shared between characters, there's actually very little in the way of fantasy here. There are no wizards, no dragons, no spell casting - it reminds me a lot of Kazuo Ishiguro's 'The Buried Giant' in that it uses the fantasy genre to explore a topic, rather than tell a story that's about the fantasy itself. I rarely read in this genre, and I found myself really engaged by what Balstrup has put together.
The meta rules as well as the in-book religion itself is all very consistent and has a lot of depth, helped by the number of characters who offer their own thoughts and personal beliefs. The overall effect is a world that feels very lived in and well thought out. Not every character is as memorable as the rest - the questions raised by the book will stay with you longer than those who raise them - but I think that's sometimes the nature of sprawling 3rd person stories.
Polished and written with clarity of voice and purpose, The Way of Unity is easily a four-star read. I've given it the extra star just for being something unique - a fantasy with literary depth that makes a real comment on an increasingly polarising aspect of the real world.
December 26, 2023
Stong themes!
Rigid belief & ideology fuel a deepening chasm. Spirituality darkens as animosity grows. Its ramifications spiralling suffering to those caught within self righteous fury.
Deep & thought provoking. A constant shift of perspective throughout. Engrossing! #spfbo9 semi finalist!
Rigid belief & ideology fuel a deepening chasm. Spirituality darkens as animosity grows. Its ramifications spiralling suffering to those caught within self righteous fury.
Deep & thought provoking. A constant shift of perspective throughout. Engrossing! #spfbo9 semi finalist!
April 9, 2023
The Way of Unity is nothing else if not singularly unique. Very few books in the indie space have attempted to write with such depth and curiosity about a fantasy religion, and especially not with Sarah K. Balstrup’s talent for writing emotionally sharp character introspection.
One of this book's most striking characteristics is probably also the thing that is most likely to turn people away, and that is the author’s elaborate wordplay. It walks an incredibly tight line between pure poetry and purple prose, and there was times when my opinion on it swayed from one extreme to the other.
You can expect to read half a page of glorious detail describing how a table is set up for dinner, and it won’t be entirely necessary, but good heavens, you’ll want to sit down and listen to Balstrup describe more dinner tables. And that’s where my opinion tends to land here, because while a different reader could fairly argue that segments of this book are overly wordy, the reward you get for entertaining it is just phenomenal. As merely one example, “The tears stole the image of him, submerging him in deep water” – I’ve never seen any other writer describe the simple act of crying with more beauty and tragedy than Sarah K. Balstrup, and I honestly feel blessed to have encountered her work as a result.
The Way of Unity is full of mysticism, religious dream states and psychosis, and so you can accurately guess how the writing is able to support these scenes in an exceptionally imaginative way. But it’s not just what the writing made me see that helped along my appreciation of the book, as underlining all of this is a story that details a lot of emotional trauma. Through the narrative, I found myself thinking a lot about how trauma can shape the person you are, and how external power structures can be responsible for perpetuating that harm in order to benefit from it. This all plays out through the eyes of some frankly young characters, and if you’re anything like me, your heart will ache over the festering pain and believable misunderstandings that sustain the conflict in The Way of Unity.
I think this is an interesting read, but it’s not without flaws. For every strength the author has as a writer, I wasn’t convinced that some of the characters had the romantic chemistry they were stated to have, and fundamentally I don’t see this book as approachable for a broad range of fantasy readers. But I also don’t see anything wrong with a niche book, it’s one of the many things that make indie publishing so special, and that’s why I have no qualms saying that The Way of Unity is an outstandingly worthwhile experience.
One of this book's most striking characteristics is probably also the thing that is most likely to turn people away, and that is the author’s elaborate wordplay. It walks an incredibly tight line between pure poetry and purple prose, and there was times when my opinion on it swayed from one extreme to the other.
You can expect to read half a page of glorious detail describing how a table is set up for dinner, and it won’t be entirely necessary, but good heavens, you’ll want to sit down and listen to Balstrup describe more dinner tables. And that’s where my opinion tends to land here, because while a different reader could fairly argue that segments of this book are overly wordy, the reward you get for entertaining it is just phenomenal. As merely one example, “The tears stole the image of him, submerging him in deep water” – I’ve never seen any other writer describe the simple act of crying with more beauty and tragedy than Sarah K. Balstrup, and I honestly feel blessed to have encountered her work as a result.
The Way of Unity is full of mysticism, religious dream states and psychosis, and so you can accurately guess how the writing is able to support these scenes in an exceptionally imaginative way. But it’s not just what the writing made me see that helped along my appreciation of the book, as underlining all of this is a story that details a lot of emotional trauma. Through the narrative, I found myself thinking a lot about how trauma can shape the person you are, and how external power structures can be responsible for perpetuating that harm in order to benefit from it. This all plays out through the eyes of some frankly young characters, and if you’re anything like me, your heart will ache over the festering pain and believable misunderstandings that sustain the conflict in The Way of Unity.
I think this is an interesting read, but it’s not without flaws. For every strength the author has as a writer, I wasn’t convinced that some of the characters had the romantic chemistry they were stated to have, and fundamentally I don’t see this book as approachable for a broad range of fantasy readers. But I also don’t see anything wrong with a niche book, it’s one of the many things that make indie publishing so special, and that’s why I have no qualms saying that The Way of Unity is an outstandingly worthwhile experience.
November 2, 2022
Immersive dark fantasy with mellifluous prose and rich worldbuilding. This world with its religion, traditions, history and magic feels like one the characters don’t just exist in, but sprang from and couldn’t exist without (Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast springs to mind). I loved getting to follow the determined Sybilla’s journey from childhood.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2023
The story is wonderful for being morally and emotionally complicated. The characters aren't cardboard cutouts of heroes and villains, and it is honestly difficult to say who you want to root for throughout, which to my mind is a wonderful thing.
The world gets stranger as it uncovers itself to you, absent of winding diatribes about how this or that works in the world (imagine a modern story going on for chapter after chapter about internal combustion engines or how electricity and magnetism intertwine). Balstrup doesn't follow the any of the usual tropes found within the genre, nor does she try to upset them, she just sends us down another path entirely to somewhere completely new. It will definitely benefit from further readings.
As a big fan of Gene Wolfe and Ursula K Le Guin I'm incredibly happy to know that there's still good sci-fi and fantasy being written. Do yourself a favor and give this one a whirl.
The world gets stranger as it uncovers itself to you, absent of winding diatribes about how this or that works in the world (imagine a modern story going on for chapter after chapter about internal combustion engines or how electricity and magnetism intertwine). Balstrup doesn't follow the any of the usual tropes found within the genre, nor does she try to upset them, she just sends us down another path entirely to somewhere completely new. It will definitely benefit from further readings.
As a big fan of Gene Wolfe and Ursula K Le Guin I'm incredibly happy to know that there's still good sci-fi and fantasy being written. Do yourself a favor and give this one a whirl.
February 24, 2025
Great debut fantasy novel with terrific world-building. The religion created for the story and the way belief and power are fleshed out is very clever. It gave me that wonderful confusion for the first few pages where you're dropped into a setting with very different rules, but you get at least a working grip on things relatively quickly (although I did go back and re-read the first part when I finished and understood a lot more).
The way it ends could stand as either a one-off or establish the foundation of a series, and I'm keen to know if there will be any more!
I received a review copy and as a former bookseller I've read a few proofs in my time. I was consistently surprised by how unbelievable tight both the writing and editing were.
The way it ends could stand as either a one-off or establish the foundation of a series, and I'm keen to know if there will be any more!
I received a review copy and as a former bookseller I've read a few proofs in my time. I was consistently surprised by how unbelievable tight both the writing and editing were.
November 27, 2022
I'm an infrequent visitor to the dark fantasy genre, which doesn't mean I don't enjoy it - I just don't go there often. When I do, I want something to immerse myself in, a world that's both vivid and believable in its creation. With her debut novel, Sarah Balstrup has achieved just that.
Set in the fictional lands of Velspar, The Way of Unity has the hallmarks of a fantasy novel, with a detailed world of ritual and tradition, magic, grandeur and heroes, heroines and villains. The scope of imagination blows my mind; just how you create all aspects of a world and keep them coherent throughout a story is a staggering accomplishment. The Way of Unity flows like the rivers of Velspar, with the chapters brief and focusing on different characters that you know will interweave but don't quite know how. There is depth to the characters and they are given time to grow, to display different sides, flaws and assets all on show.
Impressive though this is, the highlight for me is the quality of the writing. There are beautiful descriptions throughout this novel, from evocative scents, tastes and sights to tender moments of realisation. These help imbue the characters and their world with something we can recognise and bond with. The story has impetus and never gets bogged down. I recommend The Way of Unity to anyone keen to lose themself in a book for a while.
Set in the fictional lands of Velspar, The Way of Unity has the hallmarks of a fantasy novel, with a detailed world of ritual and tradition, magic, grandeur and heroes, heroines and villains. The scope of imagination blows my mind; just how you create all aspects of a world and keep them coherent throughout a story is a staggering accomplishment. The Way of Unity flows like the rivers of Velspar, with the chapters brief and focusing on different characters that you know will interweave but don't quite know how. There is depth to the characters and they are given time to grow, to display different sides, flaws and assets all on show.
Impressive though this is, the highlight for me is the quality of the writing. There are beautiful descriptions throughout this novel, from evocative scents, tastes and sights to tender moments of realisation. These help imbue the characters and their world with something we can recognise and bond with. The story has impetus and never gets bogged down. I recommend The Way of Unity to anyone keen to lose themself in a book for a while.
November 12, 2022
The Way of Unity is a dark and engaging fantasy with beautiful, lyrical prose. From the first page, I was immersed in the lives of the characters and the fantastic world building. Sybilla is a tortured woman and perfect anti-hero dealing with the complexities of her world and the once all-encompassing religion that has shaped her continent. The plot, while spanning over a dozen years, is tight and compelling, making for a read that was hard to put down.
The Way of Unity is perfect for fans of morally grey heroines. If you enjoyed The Jasmine Throne or Daughters of the Storm you will love this book!
I can't wait to see what Balstrup delivers next!
The Way of Unity is perfect for fans of morally grey heroines. If you enjoyed The Jasmine Throne or Daughters of the Storm you will love this book!
I can't wait to see what Balstrup delivers next!
November 28, 2022
In The Way of Unity, we find ourselves in a land called Velspar, ruled by an elite class called the Skalens. In this land, a religious sect called the Intercessors, fond of purifying sinners through fire, are gaining in power and threatening the authority of the Skalens. The narrative unfolds over many years, and is constructed around a central event called "the fire" which is when Sybilla's family is murdered in a house fire by the Intercessors. After that fateful event, Sybilla becomes Skalen and seeks revenge by eliminating the Intercessors and destroying their sacred animals, the Siatka and the Kshidol. However, in the following years all is not well and surviving Intercessors, who see Sybilla as a heretic, are plotting their return to power.
The world-building is fantastic. Through strange rituals and customs, we can almost smell and taste the fabric of that world. We are shown the characters' visions as well as their hopes and their fears.
The poetic prose is beautiful and it was a pleasure to read.
The world-building is fantastic. Through strange rituals and customs, we can almost smell and taste the fabric of that world. We are shown the characters' visions as well as their hopes and their fears.
The poetic prose is beautiful and it was a pleasure to read.
January 14, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! I liked its world building and felt that it defied expectations of the fantasy genre. The characters were rich and complex, especially the female protagonist. Balstrup’s exploration of the religious rituals of the Intercessors was particularly strong and fascinating to read, as was its exploration of the implications of rebuilding a society after removing its existing religious foundations. I highly recommend it.
October 16, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this, it was what I was hoping for in a fantasy novel. The characters were well done and did everything I was hoping for. I was invested in the plot and what was happening. I enjoyed the way Sarah K. Balstrup wrote this and look forward to more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 8, 2023
I have provided an honest review of this book below for purposes of the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO) Number 9 competition in which this book is entered, and assigned to Before We Go Blog for judging.
For my first read as an SPFBO 9 Judge, I selected The Way of Unity, by Sarah Balstrup. In the novel, Balstrup transports us to the Seven Lands of Velspar, where all sides of a revolution against the religious overseers in power suffer dire consequences.
In a clash of church and state, the ruling elites of the Seven Lands – known as Skalen – tire of the pervasive influence of the Intercessors. The Intercessors are a fervent and powerful clergy of mystics who worship the gods as manifested through sacred creatures, Siatka and Kahidol. The Intercessors also demand religious purity and secure the faithful’s adherence to dogma in blood rites. Additionally, those succumbing to sinful – “red” – thoughts can be summarily executed by the Intercessors.
Which, of course, many find abhorrent. While some ardently believe this is a necessary part of worship, and preserving faith to one’s gods.
Some among the Skalen believe the Intercessors are heretics who have perverted the original rectitude of the faith of Velspar. Of course, the Intercessors would find any such thoughts to be heresy. Not good for the supposed heretics, because the Intercessors have a penchant to purge apostates via flames.
“Because he had the courage to resist their advances, they silenced him with fire..”
But the Skalens are no pushovers, and with their authority in jeopardy from the Intercessors, they are determined to strike back. Hard.
Yet there will be catastrophic losses on all sides of the conflict between the Intercessors and the Skalen, including internal conflict among the Skalen themselves, divided between rising up against the Intercessors, or maintaining the status quo. The author, through the use of POVs on opposing sides, shows us just how wonderful and how terrible people can be when they are armed with self-righteousness, and a cause that can inflame them to act upon their ideals, no matter the cost to the other side.
Revolving around an inciting event, with looks both forward and in retrospect, this book is a marvellous effort to use deeply flawed characters whose actions appear “good” to their followers and supporters, while appearing horrible to their enemies .It may become hard to root for any of the characters (while I don’t require that in my books, many readers do), but one will fully understand their motivations and fret over the consequences to the greater land, and future generations.
Perhaps no character in the book exemplifies this more than the troubled Sybilla. Sybilla is the initial POV we are greeted with, and her father is the driving force behind the rebellion against the Intercessors.
A young girl at the start of the novel, she seems like a good person, noble, just, caring. But after tragic circumstances propel Sybilla to be one of the primary revolutionists, and she needs allies amongst the other Skalen families to achieve her goals, we see just how vengeful and ruthless Sybilla can be, and one might start to question if any new regime promises to be just as problematic – or even worse – than the old regime.
Later, the perspectives of Zohar and Ambrose, who are on another side of the conflict, as family of Skalens who did not support the rebellion against the intercessors, are presented. When Sybilla is examined from the lens of other characters such as these, her actions appear to be much more sinister and reprehensible. Then when we swing back to Sybilla, so much of what she does seems reasonable, even “just”.
It takes real aplomb to craft complicated, unlikable characters that are compelling, and Balstrup excels in this regard. You may not care about the characters much, but you will be fascinated by what they do, and how the results of what they do turn out.
The main characters age and evolve, and the author does a wonderful job with their evolution, as the religious conflict changes them, for better and for worse. There is some awesome character work here.
That said, there are times when the reader may feel somewhat emotionally distant from the characters, because of the style of narrative, despite the characters being so believable and well-fleshed out. It seems to be a choice by the author; a deliberate, impersonal touch, that manifests in the multiple, detached, third-person POVs.
The worldbuilding is wonderful in the novel. Centered around religion, tradition, varying, fascinating customs between the noble houses, and of course the Intercessors and their domination of public life, it is easy to become immersed in this world. There are diverting charts and images at the beginning of the novel to help explain aspects of the magic, the religion, and the noble houses which I thought lent a great air of authenticity to the world-building.
While, if you seek dragons, elves, and more traditional creatures and monsters, look elsewhere, I truly enjoyed the realistic, gritty world that Balstrup crafted. The religious and magic system are both centered around the use of the meridian, which was really interesting. These meridians, essentially a band worn on the forehead, carries stones that emotionally distance the wearer, blunting emotional extremity and perception, preventing invasion of thought, and protecting one from hostile magic and manipulation.
The complexity and relevance of the themes explored in The Way of Unity, and the way these themes are handled, are indicative of a brilliant writer who knows how to draw strong emotional reactions out of their readers, and leave the reader with plenty of things to ponder long after they’ve turned the last page.
Psychosis, mysticism, revenge, trauma, torture, murder, religious intolerance, bigotry and oppression, fanaticism, revolution, and more, are themes tackled in the novel. In The Way of Unity, the players are caught between two very extreme ideals of devotion to one’s religion.
The author poses a myriad of thought-provoking questions to which there are not many clear or easy answers.
What constitutes “true” faith? How does one know who and what one is worshiping is “the right faith”? Is something “wrong” just because it seems harsh or barbaric to the eyes of another? Could there be a lack of true enlightenment and understanding of what the gods require from their feal subjects?
Is individuality and autonomy more important than being devout? Who is “right”, who “wins”, and will anyone – any of the characters – believe in anything anymore when all they believe in is cast into doubt? And will vengeance, retribution, and lust for power ruin the endeavour to “set things right”?
This novel is about the malevolent side of religion and faith, which invariably becomes about the people who believe or don’t believe, and what they do to others who don’t feel the same, rather than any purity of a divinity.
While a god may or may not be pure, humans are subject to corruption and flawed logic when it comes to their worship. When persecution becomes the end result of divergence of opinion over religion, is it justified? Who, then, becomes the “infidel”?
Religions run deep into our psyche, and martyrs can inspire further revolution and upheaval, creating a cycle of continuous instability. When one version of the faith is cast down, another rises in its place, but often a faction wants the old faith back.
The author chooses the irony of calling the novel The Way of Unity, because there is little harmonious about what happens in the book, as religion and politics butt up against one another, with bloody results.
There are plenty of political machinations, back-stabbing, back-room dealing, and even a well done romantic element to the book. Therefore, plenty to keep the reader engaged, in the absence of larger scale battle sequences. Nonetheless, there are scenes of extreme violence, and they are blistering. There are some absolutely heart-rending scenes.
Prose is typically the one factor in a book that will sway me decidedly one way or another when I try to evaluate a book. In the case of this novel, the prose was scrumptious, and some of the best I’ve read in my time thus far as an SPFBO judge. Poetic, lugubrious, haunting, contemplative, the author’s way with words resonated deeply with me.
Other than some of the choices with respect to dialogue not living up, perhaps, to the marvellous exposition, and the narrative feeling a bit detached sometimes, as I noted above, this book was fabulous.
This dark, traumatic, intriguing, hypnotic, and poignant book, set in a harsh world, is truly a unique and bold work, that does not feel derivative of anything else I’ve read recently.
The best single word I can use to describe this book is “different” and I mean that as high praise.
My personal score for this book = 8/10.
I endorse "The Way of Unity" as a semi-finalist for SPFBO 9.
For my first read as an SPFBO 9 Judge, I selected The Way of Unity, by Sarah Balstrup. In the novel, Balstrup transports us to the Seven Lands of Velspar, where all sides of a revolution against the religious overseers in power suffer dire consequences.
In a clash of church and state, the ruling elites of the Seven Lands – known as Skalen – tire of the pervasive influence of the Intercessors. The Intercessors are a fervent and powerful clergy of mystics who worship the gods as manifested through sacred creatures, Siatka and Kahidol. The Intercessors also demand religious purity and secure the faithful’s adherence to dogma in blood rites. Additionally, those succumbing to sinful – “red” – thoughts can be summarily executed by the Intercessors.
Which, of course, many find abhorrent. While some ardently believe this is a necessary part of worship, and preserving faith to one’s gods.
Some among the Skalen believe the Intercessors are heretics who have perverted the original rectitude of the faith of Velspar. Of course, the Intercessors would find any such thoughts to be heresy. Not good for the supposed heretics, because the Intercessors have a penchant to purge apostates via flames.
“Because he had the courage to resist their advances, they silenced him with fire..”
But the Skalens are no pushovers, and with their authority in jeopardy from the Intercessors, they are determined to strike back. Hard.
Yet there will be catastrophic losses on all sides of the conflict between the Intercessors and the Skalen, including internal conflict among the Skalen themselves, divided between rising up against the Intercessors, or maintaining the status quo. The author, through the use of POVs on opposing sides, shows us just how wonderful and how terrible people can be when they are armed with self-righteousness, and a cause that can inflame them to act upon their ideals, no matter the cost to the other side.
Revolving around an inciting event, with looks both forward and in retrospect, this book is a marvellous effort to use deeply flawed characters whose actions appear “good” to their followers and supporters, while appearing horrible to their enemies .It may become hard to root for any of the characters (while I don’t require that in my books, many readers do), but one will fully understand their motivations and fret over the consequences to the greater land, and future generations.
Perhaps no character in the book exemplifies this more than the troubled Sybilla. Sybilla is the initial POV we are greeted with, and her father is the driving force behind the rebellion against the Intercessors.
A young girl at the start of the novel, she seems like a good person, noble, just, caring. But after tragic circumstances propel Sybilla to be one of the primary revolutionists, and she needs allies amongst the other Skalen families to achieve her goals, we see just how vengeful and ruthless Sybilla can be, and one might start to question if any new regime promises to be just as problematic – or even worse – than the old regime.
Later, the perspectives of Zohar and Ambrose, who are on another side of the conflict, as family of Skalens who did not support the rebellion against the intercessors, are presented. When Sybilla is examined from the lens of other characters such as these, her actions appear to be much more sinister and reprehensible. Then when we swing back to Sybilla, so much of what she does seems reasonable, even “just”.
It takes real aplomb to craft complicated, unlikable characters that are compelling, and Balstrup excels in this regard. You may not care about the characters much, but you will be fascinated by what they do, and how the results of what they do turn out.
The main characters age and evolve, and the author does a wonderful job with their evolution, as the religious conflict changes them, for better and for worse. There is some awesome character work here.
That said, there are times when the reader may feel somewhat emotionally distant from the characters, because of the style of narrative, despite the characters being so believable and well-fleshed out. It seems to be a choice by the author; a deliberate, impersonal touch, that manifests in the multiple, detached, third-person POVs.
The worldbuilding is wonderful in the novel. Centered around religion, tradition, varying, fascinating customs between the noble houses, and of course the Intercessors and their domination of public life, it is easy to become immersed in this world. There are diverting charts and images at the beginning of the novel to help explain aspects of the magic, the religion, and the noble houses which I thought lent a great air of authenticity to the world-building.
While, if you seek dragons, elves, and more traditional creatures and monsters, look elsewhere, I truly enjoyed the realistic, gritty world that Balstrup crafted. The religious and magic system are both centered around the use of the meridian, which was really interesting. These meridians, essentially a band worn on the forehead, carries stones that emotionally distance the wearer, blunting emotional extremity and perception, preventing invasion of thought, and protecting one from hostile magic and manipulation.
The complexity and relevance of the themes explored in The Way of Unity, and the way these themes are handled, are indicative of a brilliant writer who knows how to draw strong emotional reactions out of their readers, and leave the reader with plenty of things to ponder long after they’ve turned the last page.
Psychosis, mysticism, revenge, trauma, torture, murder, religious intolerance, bigotry and oppression, fanaticism, revolution, and more, are themes tackled in the novel. In The Way of Unity, the players are caught between two very extreme ideals of devotion to one’s religion.
The author poses a myriad of thought-provoking questions to which there are not many clear or easy answers.
What constitutes “true” faith? How does one know who and what one is worshiping is “the right faith”? Is something “wrong” just because it seems harsh or barbaric to the eyes of another? Could there be a lack of true enlightenment and understanding of what the gods require from their feal subjects?
Is individuality and autonomy more important than being devout? Who is “right”, who “wins”, and will anyone – any of the characters – believe in anything anymore when all they believe in is cast into doubt? And will vengeance, retribution, and lust for power ruin the endeavour to “set things right”?
This novel is about the malevolent side of religion and faith, which invariably becomes about the people who believe or don’t believe, and what they do to others who don’t feel the same, rather than any purity of a divinity.
While a god may or may not be pure, humans are subject to corruption and flawed logic when it comes to their worship. When persecution becomes the end result of divergence of opinion over religion, is it justified? Who, then, becomes the “infidel”?
Religions run deep into our psyche, and martyrs can inspire further revolution and upheaval, creating a cycle of continuous instability. When one version of the faith is cast down, another rises in its place, but often a faction wants the old faith back.
The author chooses the irony of calling the novel The Way of Unity, because there is little harmonious about what happens in the book, as religion and politics butt up against one another, with bloody results.
There are plenty of political machinations, back-stabbing, back-room dealing, and even a well done romantic element to the book. Therefore, plenty to keep the reader engaged, in the absence of larger scale battle sequences. Nonetheless, there are scenes of extreme violence, and they are blistering. There are some absolutely heart-rending scenes.
Prose is typically the one factor in a book that will sway me decidedly one way or another when I try to evaluate a book. In the case of this novel, the prose was scrumptious, and some of the best I’ve read in my time thus far as an SPFBO judge. Poetic, lugubrious, haunting, contemplative, the author’s way with words resonated deeply with me.
Other than some of the choices with respect to dialogue not living up, perhaps, to the marvellous exposition, and the narrative feeling a bit detached sometimes, as I noted above, this book was fabulous.
This dark, traumatic, intriguing, hypnotic, and poignant book, set in a harsh world, is truly a unique and bold work, that does not feel derivative of anything else I’ve read recently.
The best single word I can use to describe this book is “different” and I mean that as high praise.
My personal score for this book = 8/10.
I endorse "The Way of Unity" as a semi-finalist for SPFBO 9.
March 6, 2023
The Way of Unity is a dark fantasy of religion, belief and loss. An almost meditative examination on the importance of individualism and what happens when your core beliefs are stripped away. And what one will do to get it back.
Following three main POV’s, with the odd chapter from a side character, we see all the sides of this religious conflict, from the ruler who abolishes the religion, to the rebels fighting to reclaim their right to their beliefs.
The religion and magic are mostly tethered together and are based on psychic connection, like an empath, and a connection to the earth. To block these “powers”, people are forced to wear what is called a meridian, a sort headband with a magic stone. Once the religion is abolished, everyone is required to wear one at all times, cutting themselves off from every one around them. The consequences, both good and bad, I’ll leave for you to discover for yourself.
The main POV is Sybilla, who at first feels like a hero as you read her chapters in the first quarter or so. What Sarah K. Balstrup does so well is that once we switch to the POVs of Zohar and Ambrose, brother and sister with secret ties to the rebellion, you see a whole other side to this struggle that puts Sybilla in a more villainous light. But then you’ll go back to Sybilla and change your mind again. What I’m trying to say is there is no clear cut hero or villain and that is half the fun of this story.
As you can probably tell, this novel is very character driven. There is not a whole lot of action, but when it shows up, it makes an impact. The world-building is given in bite sized pieces and is never info-dumpy. You’ll see some names of things and words you don’t understand at first and then context will make it clear as you move through the story. To some, it may be frustrating, but for me it was just the hook to keep me coming back for more. Balstrup has earned my trust to know everything will make sense when it needs to.
The Way of Unity is a unique dark fantasy full of emotion and fully realized characters. If you like your heroes and villains ambiguous and deep, Sarah K. Balstrup has got you covered. Asking deep questions without an agenda, this novel poses many questions with no clear answers. Beautiful prose, deep characters, a splash of romance and political scheming, what more could you want?
Following three main POV’s, with the odd chapter from a side character, we see all the sides of this religious conflict, from the ruler who abolishes the religion, to the rebels fighting to reclaim their right to their beliefs.
The religion and magic are mostly tethered together and are based on psychic connection, like an empath, and a connection to the earth. To block these “powers”, people are forced to wear what is called a meridian, a sort headband with a magic stone. Once the religion is abolished, everyone is required to wear one at all times, cutting themselves off from every one around them. The consequences, both good and bad, I’ll leave for you to discover for yourself.
The main POV is Sybilla, who at first feels like a hero as you read her chapters in the first quarter or so. What Sarah K. Balstrup does so well is that once we switch to the POVs of Zohar and Ambrose, brother and sister with secret ties to the rebellion, you see a whole other side to this struggle that puts Sybilla in a more villainous light. But then you’ll go back to Sybilla and change your mind again. What I’m trying to say is there is no clear cut hero or villain and that is half the fun of this story.
As you can probably tell, this novel is very character driven. There is not a whole lot of action, but when it shows up, it makes an impact. The world-building is given in bite sized pieces and is never info-dumpy. You’ll see some names of things and words you don’t understand at first and then context will make it clear as you move through the story. To some, it may be frustrating, but for me it was just the hook to keep me coming back for more. Balstrup has earned my trust to know everything will make sense when it needs to.
The Way of Unity is a unique dark fantasy full of emotion and fully realized characters. If you like your heroes and villains ambiguous and deep, Sarah K. Balstrup has got you covered. Asking deep questions without an agenda, this novel poses many questions with no clear answers. Beautiful prose, deep characters, a splash of romance and political scheming, what more could you want?
March 14, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this story from start to finish! The book tells a very thought-provoking tale, subtly exploring the bones of connection, religion and society, through the eyes of a number of complex and evolving characters. It was also a good solid book to read!
August 13, 2024
The Way Of Unity is one of those rare literary dark fantasy books.
The story mainly follows Sybilla, whose home is ruined by the major force in her world: a group of psychic priests called the Intercessors. Her vengeance comes early in the first pages, but peace still eludes her. She'll have to grapple with the unintended consequences of her anti-religious purge and the surviving Intercessors' plot to overthrow her.
Sarah K. Balstrup has expertly weaved together the volatile combination of politics and religion to create a unique and frightening world that is simultaneously not devoid of hope. The prose is among the most beautiful and sharp I've ever read in a fantasy book. Vivid descriptions, especially the psychedelic and often shocking visions, are where Sarah's skills shine the brightest.
If you're into deep, thought-provoking and character-driven books, you must read this one.
The story mainly follows Sybilla, whose home is ruined by the major force in her world: a group of psychic priests called the Intercessors. Her vengeance comes early in the first pages, but peace still eludes her. She'll have to grapple with the unintended consequences of her anti-religious purge and the surviving Intercessors' plot to overthrow her.
Sarah K. Balstrup has expertly weaved together the volatile combination of politics and religion to create a unique and frightening world that is simultaneously not devoid of hope. The prose is among the most beautiful and sharp I've ever read in a fantasy book. Vivid descriptions, especially the psychedelic and often shocking visions, are where Sarah's skills shine the brightest.
If you're into deep, thought-provoking and character-driven books, you must read this one.
April 16, 2025
Sarah K. Balstrup's The Way of Unity is like stumbling upon a cult classic for the first time – you have no idea what a wild and mind-blowing ride you've signed-up for. The book plunges you into a vivid world where psychic priests (Intercessors) draw out people’s red thoughts (violent or other upsetting feelings), and where the gods (Kshidol and Siatka) are monstrous carrion birds and sea serpents. Everyone has a touch of telepathy, and only Meridians (headbands made with blinding stones) can shelter your thoughts from the prying minds of others.
The marriage of deep and unique worldbuilding with Balstrup’s vivid and visceral prose marks her as one of the most impressive writers I’ve been fortunate enough to read. Every scene is a vibrant play upon the reader’s five senses, and the intensity of every action is felt within one’s mind. Combined with the short and breezy chapters, The Way of Unity is an effortless, smooth read with a myriad of scenes that will continue to be memorable for years to come.
Two of the novel’s themes particularly resonated with me: cognitive dissonance and “what to do about red thoughts.” Regarding cognitive dissonance, Balstrup plays with the concept not only on the page but also with the reader’s own expectations all the way through to the end. This is not a story about villains and heroes; it’s about two philosophical approaches warring with each in a bid to reorganize the entirety of society.
On one hand, you have Sybilla who fights for people to keep their red thoughts to themselves and to keep them private. While red thoughts may lead people to horrendous acts of rape and violence, they also are the fire that gives way to love, passion, righteous anger, and more. They bring color and action into the world. On the hand, you have the philosophical approach of the Intercessors who seek to keep the populace dulled with Alma (essentially a very potent version of marijuana) and in a happy, neutral state free of red thoughts. In many ways, the Intercessor’s approach reminds me of Buddhism’s desire to shun attachments in order to achieve inner peace.
Given that religion forms the basis of governance in this realm, only one of these approaches may dominate. Balstrup does a fabulous job in showing us how this conflict plays out and how each side is forced to learn from the other. We are left guessing through to the end who is truly right – if anyone at all.
Overall, this novel is a great intellectual read for curious minds. It explores religious and political themes without ever drawing real world quibbles into its pages. It’s vivid, purposeful, and a spellbinding read. I highly recommend it, and I am looking forward to diving into it squeal (The Black Stream)!
The marriage of deep and unique worldbuilding with Balstrup’s vivid and visceral prose marks her as one of the most impressive writers I’ve been fortunate enough to read. Every scene is a vibrant play upon the reader’s five senses, and the intensity of every action is felt within one’s mind. Combined with the short and breezy chapters, The Way of Unity is an effortless, smooth read with a myriad of scenes that will continue to be memorable for years to come.
Two of the novel’s themes particularly resonated with me: cognitive dissonance and “what to do about red thoughts.” Regarding cognitive dissonance, Balstrup plays with the concept not only on the page but also with the reader’s own expectations all the way through to the end. This is not a story about villains and heroes; it’s about two philosophical approaches warring with each in a bid to reorganize the entirety of society.
On one hand, you have Sybilla who fights for people to keep their red thoughts to themselves and to keep them private. While red thoughts may lead people to horrendous acts of rape and violence, they also are the fire that gives way to love, passion, righteous anger, and more. They bring color and action into the world. On the hand, you have the philosophical approach of the Intercessors who seek to keep the populace dulled with Alma (essentially a very potent version of marijuana) and in a happy, neutral state free of red thoughts. In many ways, the Intercessor’s approach reminds me of Buddhism’s desire to shun attachments in order to achieve inner peace.
Given that religion forms the basis of governance in this realm, only one of these approaches may dominate. Balstrup does a fabulous job in showing us how this conflict plays out and how each side is forced to learn from the other. We are left guessing through to the end who is truly right – if anyone at all.
Overall, this novel is a great intellectual read for curious minds. It explores religious and political themes without ever drawing real world quibbles into its pages. It’s vivid, purposeful, and a spellbinding read. I highly recommend it, and I am looking forward to diving into it squeal (The Black Stream)!
Currently reading
March 11, 2024This is not a full review. I read through the beginning of all 300 SPFBO9 contest entries. This was a book I wanted to read more of.
"Gorgeous, vivid, enchanting, and dark" is an entirely apt summation of the opening of this fantasy swimming in visions and steeped in the oils and smokes of the religious order of the Intercessors.
I want to draw special attention, first and foremost, to the efficiency of Balstrup's prose. This does a wonderful job of cutting the fat out of moving her characters through physical spaces and time. The setting is expertly woven into the narrative.
We are immersed, always, in the story, even when that immersion is only darkly understood. The dialogue is dripping with worldbuildling, but leads always with character. It feels rich, but uncluttered.
We are introduced to the world of Velspar, but most of all to the visionary abilities of the characters & the Intercessors, a religious order that reminds me of the Dune's Bene Gesserit for their strangeness and the creeping malevolence I begin to fear from them.
All is not well. There is violence and madness in their secret initiations. I cannot tell if the monsters brought on by their rituals are real or imagined. There is too much for me to summarize here. The story is much too heady for that.
I am still working to understand all the things I am reading (or listening to, in my case) but, like some of the characters, I feel increasingly compelled to receive this story. It binds me tighter the deeper I go.
It is strange and wonderful and, most importantly, at its heart, human. Like Dune, a family is at the center of this story, at least for now.
Young Sybilla, unwilling to speak overmuch of her growing unease at a vision she cannot escape, becomes my anchor point early on, keeping me from losing myself in the swirling red feelings of this story.
Perhaps if I were reading the text instead of listening to the audiobook (which has a generously evocative performance), I could take my time reading back over the text to understand parts of it better, but I am holding on, and I am eager for more.
This was without a doubt a well chosen semi-finalist from Before We Go Blog. Semi-finalist at least for now, that is. Who knows. It's certainly like nothing else I have read this year in this competition or otherwise. I'm in.
"Gorgeous, vivid, enchanting, and dark" is an entirely apt summation of the opening of this fantasy swimming in visions and steeped in the oils and smokes of the religious order of the Intercessors.
I want to draw special attention, first and foremost, to the efficiency of Balstrup's prose. This does a wonderful job of cutting the fat out of moving her characters through physical spaces and time. The setting is expertly woven into the narrative.
We are immersed, always, in the story, even when that immersion is only darkly understood. The dialogue is dripping with worldbuildling, but leads always with character. It feels rich, but uncluttered.
We are introduced to the world of Velspar, but most of all to the visionary abilities of the characters & the Intercessors, a religious order that reminds me of the Dune's Bene Gesserit for their strangeness and the creeping malevolence I begin to fear from them.
All is not well. There is violence and madness in their secret initiations. I cannot tell if the monsters brought on by their rituals are real or imagined. There is too much for me to summarize here. The story is much too heady for that.
I am still working to understand all the things I am reading (or listening to, in my case) but, like some of the characters, I feel increasingly compelled to receive this story. It binds me tighter the deeper I go.
It is strange and wonderful and, most importantly, at its heart, human. Like Dune, a family is at the center of this story, at least for now.
Young Sybilla, unwilling to speak overmuch of her growing unease at a vision she cannot escape, becomes my anchor point early on, keeping me from losing myself in the swirling red feelings of this story.
Perhaps if I were reading the text instead of listening to the audiobook (which has a generously evocative performance), I could take my time reading back over the text to understand parts of it better, but I am holding on, and I am eager for more.
This was without a doubt a well chosen semi-finalist from Before We Go Blog. Semi-finalist at least for now, that is. Who knows. It's certainly like nothing else I have read this year in this competition or otherwise. I'm in.
March 16, 2023
Thank you to Booksprout, the publisher, and the author for an eARC of The Way of Unity so that I could leave an honest review. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a beautifully written book about rebellion against religion, but there are no wholly good or bad characters here. They're just people and they do both monstrous and wonderful things. They feel deep guilt and great joy. I did not like nor dislike any of them, but I felt for their plights and worried about their actions' consequences.
The story starts with Sybilla, the young daughter of a leader seeking rebellion against the Intercessor mystics. When her family is taken violently from her, she claims that cause for her own, and the Guards that protect her help her to seek revenge. She purges the religion from the land and the few priests left to flee to the wilds and the faithful hide their feelings behind obedience. Time passes, as it is wont to do and we get different points of view that are no less interesting.
This was both fascinating and difficult to read. I did not connect on a personal level with any of these characters. It felt as if I were watching from a distance, but the world itself was immersive. There are times when the visions were entirely over my head. Still, the author is very talented and this is a fascinating dark fantasy that reads like norse-inspired historical fiction. Those who enjoyed Rebecca Ross' Elements of Cadence duology will enjoy this one, but it is much darker.
This is a beautifully written book about rebellion against religion, but there are no wholly good or bad characters here. They're just people and they do both monstrous and wonderful things. They feel deep guilt and great joy. I did not like nor dislike any of them, but I felt for their plights and worried about their actions' consequences.
The story starts with Sybilla, the young daughter of a leader seeking rebellion against the Intercessor mystics. When her family is taken violently from her, she claims that cause for her own, and the Guards that protect her help her to seek revenge. She purges the religion from the land and the few priests left to flee to the wilds and the faithful hide their feelings behind obedience. Time passes, as it is wont to do and we get different points of view that are no less interesting.
This was both fascinating and difficult to read. I did not connect on a personal level with any of these characters. It felt as if I were watching from a distance, but the world itself was immersive. There are times when the visions were entirely over my head. Still, the author is very talented and this is a fascinating dark fantasy that reads like norse-inspired historical fiction. Those who enjoyed Rebecca Ross' Elements of Cadence duology will enjoy this one, but it is much darker.
March 25, 2023
The Way of Unity
by Sarah K. Balstrup
SarahKBalstrup.com
487 pages
Currently on KU in the USA.
Publication date February 6, 2023
I received an advanced reader copy of this book, and this is my honest review. Please, watch out for possible spoilers, including but not limited to, TW/CN/Etc.
Possible TW, Tropes, and Genres
Mature, Novel, Epic, Cosmic Horror, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Existential, Religion, Psychic, Tragedy, Gothic, Motherhood, Romanticism, Metaphysical Fiction, Metaphysical Fantasy,
This is the first book I have read by Sarah Balstrup, and I gotta say.. I would read more. I would read more about book/world as well. I am going to do my best to keep this short, or else I may end up spoiling the whole thing and I do not want to do that.
The way in which Balstrup describes things, just pulls you in. Not only do you see the world, but you can hear, smell, etc. it. I live for good descriptions in books, so this, chefs kiss.
I have had my own struggles with religion, and religious people, so I was a bit wary going into this story, but I enjoyed it. I enjoyed seeing the turmoil, and the struggles that happened, and how at times, I would go back and forth as to whom I was rooting for.
I would highly recommend this book.
4 / 5 stars
-Destynnee
by Sarah K. Balstrup
SarahKBalstrup.com
487 pages
Currently on KU in the USA.
Publication date February 6, 2023
I received an advanced reader copy of this book, and this is my honest review. Please, watch out for possible spoilers, including but not limited to, TW/CN/Etc.
Possible TW, Tropes, and Genres
Mature, Novel, Epic, Cosmic Horror, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Existential, Religion, Psychic, Tragedy, Gothic, Motherhood, Romanticism, Metaphysical Fiction, Metaphysical Fantasy,
This is the first book I have read by Sarah Balstrup, and I gotta say.. I would read more. I would read more about book/world as well. I am going to do my best to keep this short, or else I may end up spoiling the whole thing and I do not want to do that.
The way in which Balstrup describes things, just pulls you in. Not only do you see the world, but you can hear, smell, etc. it. I live for good descriptions in books, so this, chefs kiss.
I have had my own struggles with religion, and religious people, so I was a bit wary going into this story, but I enjoyed it. I enjoyed seeing the turmoil, and the struggles that happened, and how at times, I would go back and forth as to whom I was rooting for.
I would highly recommend this book.
4 / 5 stars
-Destynnee
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
November 12, 2024Editorial Reviews from Booklife, Aurealis Mag & The Prairies Review
BookLife *Editor's Pick, Publishers Weekly (Apr 2023):
Balstrup’s ambitious, accomplished debut brings rare imaginative power and rigor to religion, ritual, and holy war in fantasy, introducing a fascinating world of faith and fire while continually challenging—and rewarding—genre expectations. The story builds early to conflagration and revolution, with the holy order of Intercessors attacking a ruling family after its ruling head, who holds the position of Skalen, commits pointed heresy by urging rejection of the Intercessors’ authority. In one of Balstrup’s many bursts of rousing and inventive language, Reyan Terech thunders that the visions of the First Diviner said nothing about Intercessors, white-robed psychics who “purify” spirits through fire.
Taking on the fervent and psychically gifted, though, comes with a cost, and soon holy fire rains down. In the aftermath, it’s daughter Sybilla who is Skalen. Readers might expect that her efforts to avenge her family and end the rule of the Intercessors will drive the book, but Balstrup’s interest isn’t the usual heroic violence of epic fantasy—instead, it’s in rich questions of power and belief, the weight of leadership, and what comes after a hard-won victory that tears a civilization apart. The narrative vaults ahead in time as Sybilla faces hard choices, rebellion, and a faith that will not die.
The seriousness with which Balstrup presents that faith sets this singular series-starter apart just as surely as its polished prose, mature themes, and unconventional structure. Balstrup has conjured up gorgeous, creepy holy texts, chants, rituals, and prayers, the depiction attentive to how faiths adapt over time, how they draw from and distort older belief systems, and—crucially—what they mean in the lives of adherents. The Way of Unity boasts weird magic, original creatures, flights of horror and beauty, and a thirty-year sweep that builds to an enticing promise of more. The book’s long and sometimes demanding, but readers who favor fantasy of literary ambition with fully imagined lives and beliefs will find this a feast.
Takeaway: This standout dark fantasy debut takes on rich questions of faith, fire, rebellion, and power.
Great for fans of: Tamsyn Muir, Christopher Buehlman’s Between Two Fires.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Review by Michaela Teschendorff Harden, Aurealis Mag #161 (June 2023):
Religious conflict is a delicate topic, even in fantasy novels, but Sarah K Balstrup handles it with tact and depth in The Way of Unity.
In the lands of Velspar, the psychic priesthood called the Intercessors purge all who think ‘red thoughts’ the priesthood determines are a threat to stability. After surviving the Intercessors’ slaughter of her family, Skalen Sybilla rises to power and enacts brutal vengeance.
But once the Intercessors are gone, Sybilla turns her sights on eradicating all traces of their religion, becoming in the process just like her enemies. Now she forces the land to exist in a psychically- and religiously-alienated world, with a group of rebels out for her blood.
Balstrup’s prose is clean and elegant, constructing vivid imagery in few words. She creates a solid, immersive world, her attention to detail bringing Velspar to life. Balstrup’s knowledge of religion is also clear. The central religious conflict in this novel exposes the darkness and light of religion and rebellion. There are no true heroes or villains—each side of the conflict commits both heinous and sympathetic acts. It leaves the reader with a realistic sense of complexity that is rare in fantasy stories of rebellion.
Sybilla is the standout character of the novel. She perfectly represents the larger conflicts, equal parts sympathetic and disconcerting in her actions. Through Sybilla, Balstrup tactfully handles grief and trauma, showing a deep understanding of how these emotions can change people while highlighting the importance of not letting them govern one’s existence.
Other characters do not feel as realised, and major plot points appear in highly surrealist visions that are complex to follow, which may leave some readers feeling lost at points.
Overall, The Way of Unity is a moving, complex tale of religion and war. Readers will eagerly anticipate the next instalment of this fascinating series.
The Prairies Review (Dec 2022):
Gorgeous, vivid, enchanting; and dark.
A troubled woman rises to power to avenge her family in this impressive fantasy by Balstrup. The Seven Lands of Velspar, ruled by an elite class called the Skalens, have always put their faith in the Intercessors, the mystics of the highest order responsible for purification of the spirit. But with the Intercessors gradually gaining in power, the Skalens begin to feel threatened. When an unsettling event initiated by the Intercessors brings a great tragedy in the fierce Sybilla Ladain’s life, she knows she must gather her strength and fight the priesthood. This absorbing fantasy builds tension and suspense by alternating among the perspectives of several characters, with Sybilla at the center. Told in present tense with the hypnotic cadence of fairy tales, the carefully impersonal third-person narrative in alternating voices keeps readers invested. Establishing from the beginning that something tragic happened in Sybilla’s life elevates the overarching plot from a straightforward revenge tale into a complex intrigue about motivation and belief. Balstrup treats Sybilla’s troubled journey sincerely and sensitively. Though the fantastical elements remain vague, Balstrup ably conjures a magical world of rituals and traditions immersed in magic and her characters, among them the righteous but draconian Skalens, the ruler class, and the psychic priesthood, are skillfully sketched. There are many conflicts that shape the story but the most significant one is religion, with the relentless power game between the Skalens and the rebels at play. Foreshadowing sets up the heart-wrenching episodes later in the narrative along with the satisfying ending. Heartbreaking and yet heartening, this is a lush fantasy rooted in personal belief versus religion.
BookLife *Editor's Pick, Publishers Weekly (Apr 2023):
Balstrup’s ambitious, accomplished debut brings rare imaginative power and rigor to religion, ritual, and holy war in fantasy, introducing a fascinating world of faith and fire while continually challenging—and rewarding—genre expectations. The story builds early to conflagration and revolution, with the holy order of Intercessors attacking a ruling family after its ruling head, who holds the position of Skalen, commits pointed heresy by urging rejection of the Intercessors’ authority. In one of Balstrup’s many bursts of rousing and inventive language, Reyan Terech thunders that the visions of the First Diviner said nothing about Intercessors, white-robed psychics who “purify” spirits through fire.
Taking on the fervent and psychically gifted, though, comes with a cost, and soon holy fire rains down. In the aftermath, it’s daughter Sybilla who is Skalen. Readers might expect that her efforts to avenge her family and end the rule of the Intercessors will drive the book, but Balstrup’s interest isn’t the usual heroic violence of epic fantasy—instead, it’s in rich questions of power and belief, the weight of leadership, and what comes after a hard-won victory that tears a civilization apart. The narrative vaults ahead in time as Sybilla faces hard choices, rebellion, and a faith that will not die.
The seriousness with which Balstrup presents that faith sets this singular series-starter apart just as surely as its polished prose, mature themes, and unconventional structure. Balstrup has conjured up gorgeous, creepy holy texts, chants, rituals, and prayers, the depiction attentive to how faiths adapt over time, how they draw from and distort older belief systems, and—crucially—what they mean in the lives of adherents. The Way of Unity boasts weird magic, original creatures, flights of horror and beauty, and a thirty-year sweep that builds to an enticing promise of more. The book’s long and sometimes demanding, but readers who favor fantasy of literary ambition with fully imagined lives and beliefs will find this a feast.
Takeaway: This standout dark fantasy debut takes on rich questions of faith, fire, rebellion, and power.
Great for fans of: Tamsyn Muir, Christopher Buehlman’s Between Two Fires.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Review by Michaela Teschendorff Harden, Aurealis Mag #161 (June 2023):
Religious conflict is a delicate topic, even in fantasy novels, but Sarah K Balstrup handles it with tact and depth in The Way of Unity.
In the lands of Velspar, the psychic priesthood called the Intercessors purge all who think ‘red thoughts’ the priesthood determines are a threat to stability. After surviving the Intercessors’ slaughter of her family, Skalen Sybilla rises to power and enacts brutal vengeance.
But once the Intercessors are gone, Sybilla turns her sights on eradicating all traces of their religion, becoming in the process just like her enemies. Now she forces the land to exist in a psychically- and religiously-alienated world, with a group of rebels out for her blood.
Balstrup’s prose is clean and elegant, constructing vivid imagery in few words. She creates a solid, immersive world, her attention to detail bringing Velspar to life. Balstrup’s knowledge of religion is also clear. The central religious conflict in this novel exposes the darkness and light of religion and rebellion. There are no true heroes or villains—each side of the conflict commits both heinous and sympathetic acts. It leaves the reader with a realistic sense of complexity that is rare in fantasy stories of rebellion.
Sybilla is the standout character of the novel. She perfectly represents the larger conflicts, equal parts sympathetic and disconcerting in her actions. Through Sybilla, Balstrup tactfully handles grief and trauma, showing a deep understanding of how these emotions can change people while highlighting the importance of not letting them govern one’s existence.
Other characters do not feel as realised, and major plot points appear in highly surrealist visions that are complex to follow, which may leave some readers feeling lost at points.
Overall, The Way of Unity is a moving, complex tale of religion and war. Readers will eagerly anticipate the next instalment of this fascinating series.
The Prairies Review (Dec 2022):
Gorgeous, vivid, enchanting; and dark.
A troubled woman rises to power to avenge her family in this impressive fantasy by Balstrup. The Seven Lands of Velspar, ruled by an elite class called the Skalens, have always put their faith in the Intercessors, the mystics of the highest order responsible for purification of the spirit. But with the Intercessors gradually gaining in power, the Skalens begin to feel threatened. When an unsettling event initiated by the Intercessors brings a great tragedy in the fierce Sybilla Ladain’s life, she knows she must gather her strength and fight the priesthood. This absorbing fantasy builds tension and suspense by alternating among the perspectives of several characters, with Sybilla at the center. Told in present tense with the hypnotic cadence of fairy tales, the carefully impersonal third-person narrative in alternating voices keeps readers invested. Establishing from the beginning that something tragic happened in Sybilla’s life elevates the overarching plot from a straightforward revenge tale into a complex intrigue about motivation and belief. Balstrup treats Sybilla’s troubled journey sincerely and sensitively. Though the fantastical elements remain vague, Balstrup ably conjures a magical world of rituals and traditions immersed in magic and her characters, among them the righteous but draconian Skalens, the ruler class, and the psychic priesthood, are skillfully sketched. There are many conflicts that shape the story but the most significant one is religion, with the relentless power game between the Skalens and the rebels at play. Foreshadowing sets up the heart-wrenching episodes later in the narrative along with the satisfying ending. Heartbreaking and yet heartening, this is a lush fantasy rooted in personal belief versus religion.
February 9, 2025
This book seems to have a small but dedicated following and received some buzz with its lyrical, dreamlike setting. It's a very creative work of dark fantasy, but suffers like a lot of books written by an author who has painstakingly constructed a fantasy world completely unlike ours: the characters, the society, the world, the magic, are all so bizarre it takes a while to settle in and figure out what's going on. And after a couple of chapters of dense prose just beginning to skim the surface of the world, I... was not interested.
Sybilla is a young woman whose family was targeted by the priestly Intercessor class, whose objective seems to be to suppress anyone who is too emotional or passionate. There is a lot of psychic religious mumbo jumbo. Sybilla embarks on a revenge quest. I found it confusing and slow-paced. Maybe I didn't give it a fair chance; the story seems to have potential and probably deserves a more serious reading than a quick Kindle Unlimited skim, but my KU skims are like that: grab my attention quickly or I will move on.
Sybilla is a young woman whose family was targeted by the priestly Intercessor class, whose objective seems to be to suppress anyone who is too emotional or passionate. There is a lot of psychic religious mumbo jumbo. Sybilla embarks on a revenge quest. I found it confusing and slow-paced. Maybe I didn't give it a fair chance; the story seems to have potential and probably deserves a more serious reading than a quick Kindle Unlimited skim, but my KU skims are like that: grab my attention quickly or I will move on.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews