Publishers Weekly
01/27/2020
Dalglish broadens the scope of his Keepers series with this impressive, no-holds-barred high fantasy. The city of Londheim is in turmoil following the events of Soulkeeper as the goddess-worshipping humans struggle to adjust to dragon-sired monsters, creatures they believed to be blasphemous myth, awakening from 800 years of sleep. Militant dragon-sired factions launch attacks to reclaim their former city, and fearful, ignorant humans respond with violence toward all monsters, leaving little hope for those who seek peaceful coexistence, among them good-hearted warrior priest Devin; fierce former sex slave Jacaranda; onyx fairy Tesmarie; and adorable firekin Puffy. When an especially violent dragon-sired sect retakes the city’s poorest district, aided by poisonous mushrooms and human cultists, Devin, Jacaranda, and friends work to protect their home. Meanwhile, Devin’s sister, Adria, a religious leader, has developed the power to perform miracles. But the more wonders she enacts, the more her faith in the church waivers. Through myriad perspectives, Dalglish weaves a complex political web, raising moral questions about war, religion, and land rights and eschewing easy answers. The philosophical strains are tempered with plentiful action sequences and sweet romance, keeping the pace up and the pages turning. This smart epic fantasy promises more good things from the series to come. Agent: Michael Carr, Veritas Literary. (Mar)
From the Publisher
"Impressive, no-holds-barred high fantasy...this smart epic fantasy promises more good things from the series to come."—Publishers Weekly on Ravencaller
"With strong world building, imaginative monsters, and a capable system of magic, this series will please readers who enjoy dark epic fantasy with engaging characters."— Booklist on Ravencaller
"The plot rockets along from one magical battle to the next, but Dalglish deftly weaves in rich character development alongside all this action. Fans will love the second installment of this dark fantasy about very human characters beset by inhuman dangers."
—Kirkus on Ravencaller
"A dark and lush epic fantasy brimming with magical creatures and terrifying evil....Dalglish's world building is subtle and fluid, and he weaves the history, magical workings, and governance of his world within the conversations and camaraderie of his characters. Readers of George R. R. Martin and Patrick Rothfuss will find much to enjoy here."—Booklist on Soulkeeper
"Soulkeeper is a fast-paced, page-turning ride with a great, likeable main character in Devin Eveson. It's the definition of entertaining"—John Gwynne, author of Malice on Soulkeeper
"Dalglish manages to combine familiar elements in exciting ways... that's sure to keep readers turning pages."—Publishers Weekly on Soulkeeper
"Dalglish has created a rich and intriguing world."—Kirkus on Soulkeeper
Kirkus Reviews
2020-01-27
When the world changes, will you change with it?
A boy who takes pleasure in causing pain meets a monster who can teach him to do much more. A Soulkeeper puts his reputation on the line to stop the abuse of soulless humans—while concealing his relationship with an "awakened" formerly soulless woman. A religious woman given unimaginable power over human souls by a monster struggles to determine right from wrong, faith from blasphemy. In a world where mountains walk, prayers can change the physical world, and magical creatures like talking rabbit-soldiers have awoken from a centurieslong slumber, no choice is simple. The Soulkeeper Devin has chosen to befriend creatures like the faery Tesmarie while his spellcasting brother-in-law, Tommy, believes the newly awakened magical creatures have as much right to the land as humans do. In a time when most humans are reacting with fear and anger to their changing world, seeing the world in shades of gray can be dangerous. Meanwhile, Devin’s sister, Adria, finds that her new powers are testing her faith and bringing up questions she’d rather not confront. As new magical threats to the human population arise, all of these characters will be pushed to their limits, and the decisions they make may determine the fate of humanity. Picking up where Soulkeeper (2019) left off, this second book in a planned trilogy raises the stakes for every character, complicating the moral choices they face. The plot rockets along from one magical battle to the next, but Dalglish deftly weaves in rich character development alongside all this action.
Fans will love the second installment of this dark fantasy about very human characters beset by inhuman dangers.
