SWORDSLINGER

An epic fantasy follows a young man’s quest for revenge after his entire clan is slaughtered.

A group of younglings sits around the bonfires, waiting for its clan’s rite of passage to begin. The first born is Kriepr va sin Sturnfut, who heads the young band. His own passage to manhood means he will become the next khuvn, the clan’s eternal elder, a role he is destined to inherit from his father. Tragedy strikes when, at the end of the ceremony, the clan members are attacked by a group of masked men who kill all but Kriepr. Now, he is khuvn to no one. Ashamed and plagued by survivor’s guilt, Kriepr yearns for death but is granted by his god the will to embark on a self-imposed hunt for vengeance. During this journey, he searches far and wide for the mysterious killers and, in the process, turns into the man and the “swordslinger” he never dreamed he would be. The quest also comes with a larger knowledge of the world, encounters with other religions and peoples, a found family in a group of newly made friends, and the love of Amoalíc Rosethorn of Klov Dün. Amoalíc’s own story starts with tragedy and the urge for revenge. The narrative then follows both characters, with a strong focus on Amoalíc in the novel’s second half, as it chronicles her experiences with a sinister and dangerous religious cult. While the worldbuilding at times feels underdeveloped—there are vague reports of an evil emperor and the mention of fairies—this strategy ultimately suits Kriepr’s and Amoalíc’s character arcs and their restricted worldviews. Mesantos’ well-written, slow-moving fantasy blends a coming-of-age tale, an adventure, and a romance to tell a story that explores the meaning of life. At one point, Kriepr muses: “Kin is more than blood. It is the thread of a passion, the passion of…preservation. I am not khuvn of my people any longer, since they are dead. So I must be a khuvn of others.” The engaging tale also skillfully examines whether the pursuit of vengeance is the one thing worth living for.

A compelling fantasy about the struggles of two lovers seeking retribution.