Revenant Winds by Mitchell Hogan
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Tainted Cabal #1
Publisher: Self-Published (September 5, 2017)
Length: 440 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
My Rating: 3 stars
Revenant Winds is an epic fantasy filled with ancient demons, sorcerous cabals, and a group of unlikely heroes attempting to thwart the rising of an age-old threat. While it starts off slow, setting the table with heavy world building and characterization, this novel takes off around the halfway point, rushing forward to an epic conclusion.
Myths tell of a time long in the past when demons roamed the world and elder beings of great power walked its length and breadth before monstrous cataclysms destroyed everything, leaving only ruins behind to stand testament to its existence. But one thing which did survive the chaos was sorcery – though it isn’t well understood. Godly sects having arisen to control and harness the power of those gifted (or cursed) individuals; these religious groups using their acolytes in an eternal struggle against one another for supreme power!
In this world, several people now find themselves drawn together. One is Niklaus, a mercenary, who is on a quest for his goddess to obtain the power of a god himself so he can serve at her side forever. Another is noblewoman turned thief Kurio, who has become the bearer of information she was not suppose to ever learn. And, lastly, there is the healing priest Aldric, who has been given a secret quest by his church, one that will bring him and his companions into a confrontation against an evil thought long dead!
Obviously, this tale is a quest narrative. Each of these people bound together by a common cause or circumstances, yet also on their own unique missions. Here, our companions eventually find themselves drawn into a confrontation with the minions of a dark and vile power, which they must vanquish back to the abyss before it destroys their world. It is a familiar, fun, bloody, action-adventure tale which will both comfort and exhilarate fantasy fans in equal measure.
What Hogan does a great job of doing here is populating this well known landscape with a range of characters you understand and empathize with. Each of these people fully created through their adventures, exhibiting a wide range of emotions from fear to bravery, loyalty to betrayal, doubt to dedication. Niklaus, Kurio, and Aldric quickly turning into people whom you love, hate, or just wish to understand even more. Their continual evolution adding a unique dimension to the familiar narrative.
My only complaint with Revenant Winds is the pacing of the first half of the novel. It was slow, really slow at times. The introduction of characters, lore, and general world building taking up the majority of page time, leaving little room for epic action, bloody adventure, or vicious intrigue. All of that comes in the later parts of the tale, but I just wish there had been a bit more of those in the opening chapters of this one.
All in all, Mitchell Hogan has created a familiar yet entertaining fantasy tale with Revenant Winds. There is a huge world with ancient myths, gods, religious sects, and powerful magic. The cast of characters here is unique, interesting, and draw a reader into their world, their problems, and their daring adventures. So while this one didn’t send me into the fanboy stratosphere, it definitely was a good read, and I will be awaiting the sequel to see where the author goes with this story.
I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank him for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
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