This adventure begins at the conclusion of Bellona’s arduous tour of Thunder Valley, a choice that creates the impression of coming in at the end of another story and having missed out on the development of the slow-burning romantic situation between her and Luta, an episode with little relation to the s’orne-centric drama that follows. That shifting focus carries through the rest of the narrative, as Ramirez introduces numerous characters—both primary and supporting—only for many to meet their end in the rampage of the s’orne, leading much of this story to feel like false starts and dead ends.

There’s a lot of potential to this story, injecting zombie apocalypse tropes into an epic fantasy setting and creating a life-or-death situation where no one is safe. Colorful characters, such as the foul-mouthed, rebellious Princess Dorinda liven things up. The story’s scope is epic, and the world building is impressive and detailed, though it’s often revealed through exposition rather than action or character, as when Bellona learns the true history of the s’orne in a lecture-like manner. This tale of survival against overwhelming odds, where no character’s safety is guaranteed, is ideal for fantasy fans as invested in imagined worlds as characters.

Takeaway: An audacious apocalyptic fantasy with a serious body count.

Great for fans of: Robert R. McCammon’s Swan Song, A.G. Riddle’s The Atlantis World.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: B