Dream of Death City is a dark fantasy based in a world once ravaged by a war which resulted in total allegiance to the Red King. The people belong to houses within a culture founded on a class system and a religion revolving around death. On the frontier of this empire, a young girl of a noble has vanished, and the Investigation House have been asked to investigate matter. Heavy lifting of the detective work falls to Thora, a slave who dreams of being something more, while working alongside Diem an investigator from the House.

It was an interesting take on the dystopian story, with the new society not quite settled against the old. Giant death gods wander hidden paths in the sea between the islands, and citizens still follow the superstitious old ways. Unfortunately, I found this world building a little too detailed and rushed in the early stages meaning the story didn’t flow as it should and left me confused.

That said, I found the characters compelling enough to keep reading. They were realistic and flawed. It was good to see a female main character whose strength isn’t based on increasing magic or power, but on their experiences and understanding of the world, using it to their advantage. Thora manages to make a lot of mistakes and struggles to come out of top, but her actions meant I wanted to see what she would do next.
I did find her overall relationship with Diem a bit lacking, but this might have been down to the fact I have not read the previous novellas, where more of their world and their relationship is explored.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a digital arc to review.

Wow, what a story. I throughly enjoyed this book. A great take on the fantasy genre. The world building and character construction was full to the brim with great detail and feeling. I very rarely cry reading books but I did shed a few tears. I would definitely recommend this book. Thank you for allowing me to read this arc. I look forward to seeing what happens next!

I want to be honest and say I’m not really sure what to think of this book. One big prop to it is that I really had no idea what was about to happen half the time. I would think I had something figured out, then come to find out that’s not what the author had in mind. Another pro for this book is that it was very realistic. Things that occurred weren’t always happy, but were definitely something that would happen in a real-world situation. I guess I was just a bit disappointed that some of the outcomes weren’t more gripping? That is totally my personal opinion, and not a negative about the book; maybe I’m just a bit jaded from what other books I’ve been reading lately. I may come back and decide to rate this higher, but right now I’m in the “what” phase after finishing a book! I do have a suspicion that this tome is a jumping off point for the author and is more setting the stage for future installments.

Also, I want to make clear that this is low-fantasy, and leans more toward a dystopian world than a world with actual magical people. Hopefully that makes sense and helps when you’re reading expecting someone to have powers like I did!

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

I cannot get over the amount of times “reckon” is used in this book. It’s kind of ridiculous and takes me out of the story every time.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this story.

I'm sorry...I didn't like this book. The characters were meh, the vocabulary was..weird. the world building was ok but it felt like the author had an idea in their head and rushed it. The details honestly just left me confused. This could have been a great story but it just feels like the author was trying to meet a deadline and rushed through important aspects of the book. The synopsis sounded so cool...and it just fell flat. The book was just meh and I honestly don't understand all the 5 star ratings, I'm so sorry, but I don't.

I didn't enjoy this book. However, literally everyone who has reviewed it before me gave it 5stars, so I'm not sure if you should take my word for it.

This book follows Thora, a slave with aspirations of becoming an investigator. She and her friend Diem get shipped off to solve a mystery and play the game of politics.

I think the greatest falling of this book was on a nuts-and-bolts level. I was constantly confused. Like, I think the character is alone, but then it turned out they were in a crowd. I didn't understand what Thora's short term objectives were. I couldn't feel time passing due to the transitions often being minimal.

The worldbuilding felt like it wasn't really rooted. People have an interesting vocabulary, where they say certain words (reckon, true) a lot. Where did this come from? The religious culture is obsessed with death. Does this really come into play when actual death is taking place? Not really. It's mostly just a mantra and artistic style.

And don't even get me started on the winter hat. I get that it's a symbol of romantic commitment and rebellion against the caste system, but do we have to flip flop how we feel about it 3 times in the end of the book alone?

Thanks to Netgalley and Small Heart Press for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

First off, this is a wonderful fantasy story. The writing style perfectly compliments the world building and characters’ life stories which are at the heart of this book. This is a story founded in the murk of a caste based society. A story of people; some just trying to survive, some looking for escape, some looking out for themselves and some who offer a hand to those who have no power at all. And then those for whom the search for truth, as they see it, means more than the consequences that that search brings. A story of women finding a way to show strength in the face of subjugation, of wanting more for themselves. A story of choices and of impossible love. I had the pleasure of reading the Red Kingdom novellas that PJ Nwuso published in the run up to this book’s release. They are equally captivating. Whilst this book can be read as a complete, separate entity the novellas help set the scene for this story. (One is free if you sign up to the author’s news letter). Thank you to PJ Nwuso, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, Small Heart Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

This story is simply amazing! The plot was very well developed, the structure and the events present in Ii is what makes the narrative so intriguing. This feels truly engaging and not generic at all, since is original from beginning to end, which is such a refreshing thing in the contemporary publishing scenario.
The characters are presented in a excellent way, making the readers really connect to them, the pacing was comfortable and the world building was also nice.
Definitely recommend this book!

"“What’s dead is dead and all shall die”

PJ Nwosu was kind enough to send me an ARC of Dream of Death City after reading and reviewing the novellas and I was genuinely surprised at how enjoyable this was. Not because I didn't expect much but because it exceeds expectations and was an incredibly thought-out and intense story.

Pale moths haunt an icy frontier. Beneath the shadow of a drowned death god, a frozen body is unearthed from the snow.
Investigators arrive to a superstitious island to solve a brutal crime. Among them is a lowly slave desperate to prove her worth and a soldier with dark dreams. Neither are prepared for what they find.
Death City is a strange and violent frontier, and no one who survives comes back clean.
First though, Thora and Diem must survive.
Welcome to the Red Kingdom.

This was a story, much like the novellas, that yearns for more. There is a talent evident in Nwosu's writing that suggests this is a carefully constructed piece filled with grey characters, a dark fantasy world and monsters. Nwosu has built an enforced empire that matches the plot itself. Cohesive and brutal, there is a thrust of importance and elegance in its writing that helps visualise the impact that Nwosu has taken us on. The writing here reeks of poetic realism filled to the brim with fear, understanding and morality.

This was an incredible debut for PJ Nwosu that has me invested for the future. Thank you again for sending me a copy.

Book 1 of the Red Kingdom is an epic fantasy in a dark war destroyed land where towered cities rise from the earth controlled by strict laws demanding total obedience to the Red King. The people live in a caste/class system in Houses that they serve and who ensure their people uphold the Red Reform laws. The main character, Thora is Dust Caste, the lowest, who serves the Investigation House, a slave who has dreams above her station. She and her Moon Caste (a free man) Diem, are sent to a far off city to find a kidnapped Sun Nobles daughter. The world building is detailed and weaves throughout the story, the characters are interesting and well developed. The land is menacing, mysterious and dangerous. The story is dynamic and the atmosphere is one of impending doom both to individuals and places. It is a crime thriller in a fantasy world and I for one have never read anything like it. I immersed myself in this world, enjoyed it immensely, it would make an incredible movie and look forward to the next book in the series.
“What’s dead is dead and all shall die” Above review also on TikTok @sharronjoy69

Nordic Noir in a Fantasy Setting

In the oppressive Red Kingdom, society is organized along strict caste lines and Thora knows her place: at the bottom. As a Dust Caste slave belonging to Investigation House, she can expect her days to be filled with laundry, cleaning floors, chopping vegetables, and similar chores. But Thora knows she is capable of much more and when she’s chosen to accompany an investigator looking into the disappearance of a Sun Noble girl, she’s determined to use this opportunity to prove herself, no matter the cost, even as it becomes clear there are more things wrong in Death City than a single missing girl.

I loved this book. Thora is an engaging character, one you sympathize with and root for, through all her plans, hopes, fears and mistakes (and she makes some big ones). Diem, by contrast, is drawn more in outline, but his history makes him sympathetic and his support for Thora makes him likeable. Her hope and his cynicism made a satisfying contrast.

The book is well plotted, with enough information given that you have a good idea of how things are going all along, instead of relying on a big reveal at the end. It starts with a bang in chapter one, then settles into a slow burn that gradually grows as the investigation builds, and leads to a satisfying ending.

The world building was deftly done. Enough background is given to understand the society, bleak and oppressive though it is, while the fantasy elements (death giants, crooked beat) added enough awe and uncanniness to suggest that the Red Kingdom is not as completely in control as they try to pretend.

Highly recommend this book to those who enjoy dark fantasy, or Nordic noir or hard boiled detective novels in fantasy settings.

I will definitely be reading book two, whenever it comes available.

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and P.J. Nwosu for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved the visual guides and artwork with this story. I always feel like little touches like this truly add to the story.

Really good world building combined with lots of details makes for a really good story.

Would recommend

I have just read the previous reviews on this book and they all wax lyrical about the story the style of writing etc etc so I am not going to bore you to tears like those reviews, did I enjoy this book? Absolutely, would I read it? Absolutely

Dream of Death City by PJ Nwosu is a dark mystery set in a fascinating fantasy world.

The way Nwosu describes the world and setting is in such a masterful way. I could picture everythig so vividly in my head.
The world building is described beautifully and finding out more about what's going on in this dark fantasy world definitely has me wanting more of this series.
PJ Nwosu developed a backdrop that felt so realistic even though it's fiction...
She has created a
The author has created a hair-raising, dark fantasy world that I became so engrossed in.
The characters were brought to life in a way that captivated me and hooked me.
This is series is fun and I can't wait to read book two.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Small Heart Press
Thank You for your generosity and gifting tme a copy of this amazing eARC!

5 out of 5 stars.

<i>"Death had crept nearby but missed them in the waves."</i>

Special thanks to Victory Editing, NetGalley and, of course, the author, PJ Nwosu, for allowing me the opportunity to read this book pre-release, in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who was always considered an avid reader as a child (and an overachiever in the department to boot), I feel that my adult life has been spent constantly chasing that feeling I was so used to back then. When a book could capture my imagination from the very first line; when nothing and no-one could pull me away from a story, no matter the time of day or the appointments already arranged. It's not often that I find such a tale now. This is one of those.

I devoured this book in one sitting, something I don't believe I've done for a few years, and even after finishing it, I am not satiated. I'm hungry and impatient for the next book in the Red Kingdom series, which I already know will become a favourite of mine.

If you're looking for an easy, simple read, this is not the story for you. If you're looking for a dark fantasy world filled with morally grey characters, monsters that also come in the form of humans, and a world built from the ground up with the undeniable talent of the author - you're going to want to pre-order this one immediately. (Not to mention, a touch of romance).

The plot itself contains elements that have been seen before, but somehow brings them together in a cohesive and entirely original manner. Think Six of Crows meets The Handmaid's Tale meets 1984 meets The Alienist. The author does an incredible job of worldbuilding - which is an imperatively important skill to have when it comes to fantasy, in my opinion - and the reader is able to visualise it all, and be swept away in it. Further, the added addition of illustrations and a map (!!!) are a beautiful bonus.

Nwosu is able to describe things and people in a way that is poetic but realistic. You fear what the characters fear, and you understand what they feel; what they see. A truly fantastic debut into dark fantasy that makes me excited for Nwosu's future, and for us, as readers, knowing that there will be at least one more tale of the Red Kingdom to explore.

Read. This. Book. That's all.

<i>"If he loved her less, it wouldn't have mattered quite so much."</i>

Posted to Goodreads here (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5034611786). Will also be reviewing/promoted on instagram @lazysundaysbookclub and tiktok @lauraelizabeth_xo

A Pale Box on the Distant Shore by the same author was one of my favorite mystery novels to begin with. So I was excited to continue this series and other books from the author. This had what I enjoyed from the previous books, and the characters were just as real and written well as the first books characters. I'm so glad I was able to continue this series.

"The woman laughed. A croaking sound. Was she sick with the black lung? It travelled round the Red Kingdom every winter and took the elderly one by one. Thora had seen it many times before. That yearly wave of elderlies who were drowned by black water in their own lungs. Blood, it was. Except it looked black when it overflowed."