Intrigued by the synopsis, I dove in and couldn’t put it down. The snarky necromancer Malfus is relatable, enduring the best he can. With each step I took with him in his story, more of Malfus’s realistic background drew me to liking him and wanting everything to work out. This is a big deal in a book, to care for the character- rooting for their success and getting nervous as more events and choices are added toward an unclear end.

The author’s voice is strong, and the word choice is excellent, really pulling you into the scenes. Plot pacing keeps everything moving forward, and the alternative character perspectives give depth to events. It also gave me a few surprises, real surprises I didn’t foreshadow. Warning it is violent (what else can you expect from necromancy?).

I so rarely give out 5 stars and am happy to say this is one of the rare ones.