To Ride Hell’s Chasm

by Janny Wurts

An epic fantasy standalone novel from the author of the stunning Wars of Light and Shadow series.

When Princess Anja fails to appear at her betrothal banquet, the tiny, peaceful kingdom of Sessalie is plunged into intrigue. Two warriors are charged with recovering the distraught king's beloved daughter. Taskin, Commander of the Royal Guard, whose icy competence and impressive life-term as the Crown's right-hand man command the kingdom's deep-seated respect; and Mykkael, the rough-hewn newcomer who has won the post of Captain of the Garrison – a scarred veteran with a deadly record of field warfare, whose 'interesting' background and foreign breeding are held in contempt by court society.

As the princess's trail vanishes outside the citadel's gates, anxiety and tension escalate. Mykkael's investigations lead him to a radical explanation for the mystery, but he finds himself under suspicion from the court factions. Will Commander Taskin's famous fair-mindedness be enough to unravel the truth behind the garrison captain's dramatic theory: that the resourceful, high-spirited princess was not taken by force, but fled the palace to escape a demonic evil?

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Mystery, Adult

704 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Janny Wurts is the author of War of Light and Shadow series, and To Ride Hell's Chasm. Her eighteen published titles include a trilogy in audio, a short story collection, as well as the internationally best selling Empire trilogy, co authored with Raymond E. Feist, with works translated into fifteen languages worldwide. Her latest title in the Wars of Light and Shadow series, Destiny's Conflict, culminates more than thirty years of carefully evolved ideas. The cover images on the books, both in the US and abroad, are her own paintings, depicting her vision of characters and setting.

Through her combined talents as a writer/illustrator, Janny has immersed herself in a lifelong ambition: to create a seamless interface between words and pictures that will lead reader and viewer into the imagination. Her lavish use of language invites the mind into a crafted realm of experience, with characters and events woven into a complex tapestry, and drawn with an intensity to inspire active fuel for thought. Her research includes a range of direct experience, lending her fantasy a gritty realism, and her scenes involving magic crafted with intricate continuity. A self-taught painter, she draws directly from the imagination, creating scenes in a representational style that blurs the edges between dream and reality. She makes few preliminary sketches, but envisions her characters and the scenes that contain them, then executes the final directly from the initial pencil drawing.

The seed idea for the Wars of Light and Shadow series occurred, when, in the course of researching tactic and weapons, she viewed a documentary film on the Battle of Culloden Moor. This was the first time she had encountered that historical context of that brutal event, with the embroidery of romance stripped from it. The experience gave rise to an awakening, which became anger, that so often, our education, literature and entertainment slant history in a manner that equates winners and losers with moral right and wrong, and the prevalent attitude, that killing wars can be seen as justifiable solutions when only one side of the picture is presented.

Her series takes the stance that there are two sides to every question, and follows two characters who are half brothers. One a bard trained as a master of magecraft, and the other a born ruler with a charismatic passion for justice, have become cursed to lifelong enmity. As one sibling raises a devoted mass following, the other tries desperately to stave off defeat through solitary discipline and cleverness. The conflict sweeps across an imaginary world, dividing land and people through an intricate play of politics and the inborn prejudices of polarized factions already set at odds. Readers are led on a journey that embraces both viewpoints. The story explores the ironies of morality which often confound our own human condition - that what appears right and just, by one side, becomes reprehensible when seen from the opposite angle. What is apparently good for the many, too often causes devastating suffering to the nonconformist minority. Through the interactions between the characters themselves, the reader is left to their own discretion to interpret the moral impact of events.

Says Janny of her work, "I chose to frame this story against a backdrop of fantasy because I could handle even the most sensitive issues with the gloves off - explore the myriad angles of our troubled times with the least risk of offending anyone's personal sensibilities. The result, I can hope, is an expanding journey of the spirit that explores the grand depths, and rises to the challenge of mapping the ethereal potential of an evolving planetary consciousness... explore free thought and compassionate understanding."

Beyond writing, Janny's award winning paintings have been showcased in exhibitions of imaginative artwork, among them a commemorative exhibition for NASA's 25th Anniversary; the Art of the Cosmos at Hayden Planet

Reviews

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great fantasy standalone that will make you know how it feels to live for five days in a fantasy world.

This is the first time I read Janny Wurts’s solo work; prior to this, I’ve read The Riftwar: Empire trilogy that Wurts co-write with Raymond E. Feist within this year. The Riftwar: Empire trilogy, to me, has become one of my favorite trilogies; I am stunned that it took me this long to finally get around to reading that trilogy. Janny Wurts is often well known for her work on Riftwar: Empire trilogy and her magnum opus: Wars of Light and Shadow. I’m fully intended to read her magnum opus but before I get around to reading Wars of Light and Shadow, I thought it might be better for me to read her standalone novel first. The reason behind this is that many fans of her works have mentioned that it’s better to read To Ride Hell’s Chasm first to get an idea of Wurts’s prose, which is significantly more difficult than the one in The Riftwar: Empire trilogy, and they’re not wrong on this. I will talk about this more in the review below.

“It’s tragic how the lack of imagination so often shapes our defeat.”

When Princess Anja fails to appear at her betrothal banquet, the tiny, peaceful kingdom of Sessalie is plunged into intrigue. Two warriors are charged with recovering the distraught king's beloved daughter. Taskin, Commander of the Royal Guard, whose icy competence and impressive life-term as the Crown's right-hand man command the kingdom's deep-seated respect; and Mykkael, the rough-hewn newcomer who has won the post of Captain of the Garrison – a scarred veteran with a deadly record of field warfare, whose 'interesting' background and foreign breeding are held in contempt by court society. Mykkael’s investigations are the main plot of the novel, and on its own, that’s a simple premise that may not sound captivating enough. There’s more to this novel. One of the things that made To Ride Hell’s Chasm more intriguing to me, as I said earlier, is that the entire story takes place within five days. Other than The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie, I haven’t read many fantasy novels that encompassed this relatively short time in a single book. By doing this, it really felt like no scenes were ever skipped here. Readers get to FULLY witness this adventure about responsibility, duty, death, magic, and mercy.

“I am the weapon a king has taken to hand, yet am not his to possess. My power to act in his name is not his. I know this. He may not. Or he might forget, at his peril. Therefore, the gift of my oath to serve enacts the potential for dangerous consequence. If I misuse his majesty’s trust, the earned debt is entirely mine. If he misdirects me, there could be a dreadful cost. The balance becomes mine to guard, do you see? I choose when to strike or when to stand upon mercy.”

The characters in To Ride Hell’s Chasm were well-written. Mykkael, Taskin, Vesnic, Jussoud, and many other characters here felt well-realized. I think that’s an incredible feat considering that Wurts has spent a relatively small number of pages on the character’s background, but they were certainly enough. The tension in the story constantly escalated, and sometimes seemingly simple things could disrupt Mykkael’s investigations critically. Blind prejudice is one of the key themes explored in the novel; Mykkael’s investigations are constantly halted and disturbed by people’s stupidity and racism towards him due to the color of his skin. It can get infuriating to read, and I think it’s meant to be that way. The stupidity and awfulness of these people felt so real and believable to me. And I loved seeing how Mykkael, despite his strength and skill in battle, continuously wants to be merciful as best as he can.

“Death has no repeal. It is a brute ending that leaves us the legacy of an inscrutable silence. Therefore, I understand the voice of mercy very well.”

I do, however, have to give some advice before reading To Ride Hell’s Chasm, and quite likely Wars of Light and Shadow even if I haven’t read it. Janny Wurts’s prose is beautiful, and every word felt like they’re intentionally and carefully chosen. But it will take some time getting used to it, and it’s definitely far from being accessible, in my opinion. Wurts’s works, especially Wars of Light and Shadow, have frequently been compared to Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. Just from reading this standalone novel, I can already see why. The prose is heavy, dense, and packed with a lot of information. This isn’t a bad thing, but in a similar way to Malazan Book of the Fallen, reading the novel felt slower than usual, and I assume this will be even more evident in reading Wars of Light and Shadow. It honestly took me about 150 pages before I felt like I’m used to the prose. There’s just so much world-building integrated into To Ride Hell’s Chasm that it could’ve worked as a duology or even a trilogy. I knew about all of these before I started this book, and I’m grateful. I doubt I would be able to enjoy To Ride Hell’s Chasm if I didn’t come prepared with the right expectation.

Picture: To Ride Hell’s Chasm by Janny Wurts



To Ride Hell’s Chasm is an immersive epic fantasy standalone filled with intrigue, magic, and actions. I did feel that one more chapter about the people of Sessalie at the end would’ve made the ending more satisfying, but as a good one-off standalone novel, this is totally worth a try. Lastly, I think it’s pretty cool that Janny Wurts did the cover art and maps for To Ride Hell’s Chasm herself. I look forward to attempting Wars of Light and Shadow in 2022.

You can order the book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)

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[seak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey, I have a booktube channel (youtube for book reviews, etc.), and I include To Ride Hell's Chasm in my Top 10 Standalone books list here. Please subscribe if I've earned it!

In the land of the 10 volume monster-epics of fantasy, the stand-alone is a much rarer beast, so many preferring to take a concept and bludgeon it to death. Not that I'm complaining, it's just nice to have a book that you know will run its due course in one, single volume.

To Ride Hell's Chasm takes what seems to be a simple concept, but combines it with the Wurts-effect to become a much deeper and resonating piece than I ever imagined it could be.

The princess, Anja, of the remote kingdom of Sessalie has disappeared and on the same night as her betrothal banquet. Being such a small kingdom, Sessalie rarely if ever succumbs to the problems of the outside world, and such a disappearance is a more than momentous occasion.

The king, in his wisdom or possibly oncoming dementia, tasks his household guard commander, Taskin, with the responsibility of finding her, but additionally puts the new lower gate captain and foreigner, Mykkael, to oath to find her as well.

Mykkael, having one the rights to his position in the annual tournament takes on the duty, much to the chagrin of the ruling class who have become comfortable in their ways and supremely prejudiced against outsiders.

What follows is a story about prejudice and trust, overcoming incalculable odds, and what it really means to be loyal. Add sorcery and Mykkael's style of fighting, barqui'ino, that's like Jui-Jitsu's version of the Gun Kata (Equilibrium)...



...and you're in for a real treat. The passion with which Wurts writes is unprecedented in my reading experience.

Sessalie is a small place, as has been mentioned, and Wurts plays on the inherent biases that such a place will produce. Anything out of the ordinary or different would naturally cause such a sequestered people to feel threatened. At the same time, it is completely unwarranted, you know, the usual when it comes to prejudice. Mykkael is of a much darker skin tone than those in Sessalie and therefore, an immediate prejudice is built up, but what has he done to deserve such treatment? Nothing.

Without even needing a "bad guy," the odds are already stacked up against Mykkael.

Every ounce of pain, nobility, love, you name it, is felt as you get to know the characters and see their actions. I have to admit to wondering at the level of detail at points, especially when the characters' interactions were explained to include every minute component of their relationships. But in the end, you find that it was well worth it because you glory in their triumphs as much as suffering their pains.

What I guess is that I'm implying that this book is no walk in the park. It's very dense and probably took me twice as long to read as most other books of its size. But again, it's well worth it, just make sure you're in the right mood.

For a fantasy treat that will stick with you long after you read it and that inhabits the remote and distant country of StandAlone, To Ride Hell's Chasm is one of the best reads I've had all year.

4.5 out of 5 Stars

Ps. I always wondered why this book was called "To Ride" Hell's Chasm. I thought, why not just "Hell's Chasm?" Believe me, it deserves the title it already has, it is more fitting than I would ever have guessed in more ways than I would have guessed.

Pps. I don't care what anyone says about Equilibrium, it's the best movie ever created. :D

[Mayim de Vries]

I have wanted to read Janny Wurts forever in my quest to discover all the hidden gems of fantasy. I have discovered a fantasy goddess. Dare I say it: she writes better than Kay, I kid you not! Her plot is exquisite. Her characters more alive than some real people I know.

I have enjoyed every page. If you don't have this book on your TBR, put it there immediately.
FRTC

First sentence: "In the long shadow of the mountain spring twilight, under the glow of a thousand lanterns, Anja, Crown Princess of Sessalie, failed to appear at the banquet to celebrate her official betrothal."

[mark monday · Rating 3 out of 5]

To Ride Hell's Chasm is a passionate and thoughtful high fantasy about a despised soldier and his assignment to track down a runaway princess on the eve of her nuptials. the novel is roughly split into two parts: the first describes Mykkael's attempts to gather information within the virulently xenophobic city he has made his home while dealing with the constantly shifting relationship with his stiff-necked commanding officer; the second portrays the detailed flight of Mykkael and the surprisingly brave princess in question as they run the ferocious, terrifying natural gauntlet known as Hell's Chasm. the narrative takes place all during the course of one very intense week.

SOME SPOILERS AHEAD

Wurts writes adult fantasy. this is not to mean that the book is filled with sex and gore but rather that it is concerned with tackling serious topics in a serious way - one that does not pander to the reader. this is not a gee whiz adventure full of flights of fancy or bright & shiny bits of colorful fun. it is a serious novel and Wurts' intelligence as a writer is consistently displayed. overall i really appreciated the formality of the prose, the seriousness of the themes, the depth of Mykkael's characterization, and especially the empathy towards animals. her underlying anger is clear in the depiction of all the extremely unreasonable barriers put up by racist idiots that her hero is forced to surmount. watching Mykkael deal accordingly with such loathsome attitudes is one of the joys of the first half. the second half is genuinely thrilling. Wurts has a firm grasp on how threatening the uncharted wilderness can be, and the passage through Hell's Chasm is very well done. i felt like i was there - and it was a horrible experience! at times the latter parts of the novel were hard to put down because everything was conveyed so viscerally and in such grueling detail - the reader gets to feel each and every pang of fear, bout of anxiety, each bruise and cut and stab of pain, every stumble and every panicky rush forward. it was gratifying to realize that i was in the hands of a masterful writer during the trek through this nightmare terrain. and as far as the ending goes: satisfying and well-earned.

taking everything above into consideration, this would easily be a 4-star novel. unfortunately, To Ride Hell's Chasm has some substantial flaws. there are some breakdowns in logic (soldiers who sass back at their commanding officer like they are teenage girls in a reality tv show; a princess who constantly accuses her insanely brave rescuer of cowardice). there are some strange missed opportunities (a swordfight between two major characters in the middle of swirling & magic-laced mists, the flight of a king and his retinue through sewers while strapped to wine casks, a bloody fight between society matrons & soldiers & demonic shapeshifters... all described secondhand). but the most distancing problem is that this novel is often genuinely overwritten. it's perplexing - Wurts is a writer with real skills and when she reins herself in, she is capable of creating many stunning and beautiful moments with prose that sings off of the page. but the sheer repetitiousness of various phrases is a real turn-off ("hag-ridden" pops into mind - and my God if i never see the word "haze" again i will be delighted). even worse is the feeling that Wurts does not trust her readers to remember key details about her characters - almost as if they are children who have to be reminded again and again about various character traits and Important Issues. i had the same feeling when reading Cherryh's unfinishable Foreigner. what this translates to is (1) when a character is described as sharp and knife-like, we will see this description repeated over and over again, ad nauseum - sweet Jesus i got it the first time! my memory is fine! - and (2) the aggravating tendency to sum up the feelings or rationale for why a character said or did this or that. it may be too late to provide constructive critique because Wurts is a justifiably popular and prolific author, but i really wish in the future that she would put more faith in her adult reader's ability to remember things and to understand the logic behind certain words and deeds without being told, over-explicitly, what that logic may be.

okay enough with the critique, there's more positive things that i want to say about this worthy novel.

the magic system was exceedingly well-done. i loved how the reader is forced to figure things out slowly and i loved just how smart the depiction of curses, cold & hot magic, lines of magic, shapeshifting, demonic intelligences, shamanism, etc turned out to be. kudos! Mykkael's fighting style ("barqui'ino") was intriguing and his troubled engagement with his own fighting style was layered and compelling. kudos! Mykkael himself is thoroughly memorable. the tragedy of his life is related in bits and pieces, all accumulating to create a flawed yet entirely heroic individual who will stay in my memory. and an uplifting character in that he defines all that humans should strive towards without ever coming across as corny or hand-wringing. kudos! the cover art and the interior illustrations are quite nice (and i think all done by the author). kudos! the novel's mythical beasts ("kerries") were phenomenal - fascinating, threatening, truly real monsters that felt alive. kudos! the horses' personalities were wonderfully differentiated; the death of Fouzette was wrenching and the return of Stormfront was amazing. kudos! the brilliant yet nauseating way that Mykkael decides to get the princess free of Hell's Chasm was like nothing i've read before. kudos! and i loved the ending. sometimes a sentimental and emotional ending is just what the doctor ordered - especially after so many trials and tribulations. kudos!

[Library of a Viking · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much better than I anticipated.

This book probably deserves a long, thorough review, but unfortunately I don't have the energy.

In short, To Ride Hell's Chasm is a brilliant, standalone, murder-mystery fantasy with some really grim elements as well. It reminded me a lot of The Justice of Kings in some parts.

It is worth noting that Wurts has a very distinct and unique writing style that makes this book quite challenging to recommend. I am definitely intrigued to read more by Wurts now!

4.5/5 stars

[Matt's Fantasy Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique and fun book that suffers from a disappointing ending.

Watch my video review by clicking here.

[Edward Gwynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My brother and I now have a booktube called The Brothers Gwynne. Check it out! The Brothers Gwynne

A truly mesmerising read that had incredibly drawn characters, so many rich details and an ending that was superb. I think this is a commonly used sentence but I NEED TO READ MORE WURTS! I really love the style of writing Janny uses and her eye for character flaws and motivations is sharp indeed. It's a slow-burn fantasy standalone that emphasises relationships and backgrounds and it turns so many ideas on their heads. I loved it.

[Andrews WizardlyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book from Janny wurts. I felt rocky on this story in the first half but LOVED the second half. A masterful fantasy standalone.

[Kaora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death has no repeal. It is a brute ending that leaves us the legacy of an inscrutable silence. Therefore, I understand the voice of mercy very well.

Easily my favorite read this year.

This was originally recommended to me by someone who knew of my love of horses. The person who recommended it was not a horse person, but this book stood out in his mind as being one where the author did a great job of portraying the horses as characters.

I have to agree with his assessment that this book does a lovely job of showcasing the author's knowledge of horses, and of portraying them as heroic, brave and selfless creatures, something that I know from my own experience to be true.

The book focuses on Mykkael, a foreigner in a city that is distrustful of those with dark skin. A Captain of the Guard, placed there by winning a tournament, he is a man with a dark and troubled past. When the Princess disappears at her betrothal banquet, the King recognizes Mykkael as one of the few who can save her, and he is brought into service to find and protect her.

The author's writing is lovely and complex, incredible in its detail, but I found it difficult at first to get into. I was forced into reading quite slowly as the author, while writing from third-person omniscient following Mykkael, also switches to follow other characters sometimes bouncing back and forth in several paragraphs. I had to take great care in order to understand who it was that was the observer, and who they were observing, as characters were also named using details that were used to describe them previously, such as their title, rather than naming them outright more often than not.

However, as I started getting into it, I found fascinating characters with an incredible amount of depth, reminiscent of another author I adore - Robin Hobb. Wurts also does a great job of building tension so much so that I found myself unable to put the book down, as the rich world she has created unfolded.

It does take some work, but it was well worth it.

[Alissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

2016 reread: This is an enticing, entertaining, thought-provoking and unpredictable adult fantasy story, brought alive with poetic prose and driven by unforgettable characters. This hidden gem, which I discovered thanks to the wonderful Goodreads Community, is also my entry point into the work of Janny Wurts who has fast become my favourite epic fantasist.

Her novels helped me define what kind of story truly resonates with me. I used to equate epic fantasy with Lord of the Rings, which I loved, but I didn’t want to invest my time in read-alikes and so my preconceptions led me to disregard a great genre. Today some of the authors I admire, along with Wurts, are Erikson, Kay, Berg and Martin, all great adult novelists -- mostly of epic fantasy.

I love complex, sweeping stories with both global stakes and personal drama. I revel in Machiavellian intrigue and guarded secrets. I want engaging plots and believable twists. I delight in detailed and realistic battles. I like inference and foreshadowing. I enjoy witty humor and harrowing choices. I want interesting, well-rounded and memorable characters. I want carefully-planned stories which are consistent and layered. I want top-notch storytelling and a prose that goes beyond decoration. I want an immersive experience where the story doesn’t lack internal logic and where my assumptions are upended most often than not. I want to feel, to think and be surprised, to be challenged and entertained.

Yeah, I’m an easy reader. I like several genres and I love light or tawdry reads as well, but the stories that hit me hard emotionally and intellectually are, invariably, epics with many of the above characteristics. Such stories are normally served in series format because “slow-burning and clever”, possibly with quite a number of characters to manage effectively, involves several volumes and a generous time span.

However, Anja’s, Mykkael’s, Taskin’s tale and Sessalie’s plight prove that all I love in fantasy can also fit a standalone book with a five and one-half day plot.

One of the first things you notice about To Ride Hell's Chasm is its unique prose. You either hate or love Wurts’ style, which is so her, I would recognize it anywhere. She fleshes-out her adult novels with depth and scope of language, daring the reader to dive in for an intense emotional rollercoaster of high visual impact.
This tale is no exception, and it is there, in every paragraph, in every chosen word that lay all the subtle nuances and clues which bring the story forward so richly. The first time I read it my attention was initially divided between understanding and events. The second time I simply fell into the rhythm of the storytelling and I became totally caught up in the tale.
Diversity, clash of cultures, the conflict between prejudices and effective listening, between principles and personal moral codes are some of the absorbing themes so originally (book published in 2002, when you rarely found dark-skinned protagonists) and seamlessly woven into the story.

I appreciated again the world-building and the magic system. As I followed the two unlikely investigators, I thought about tiny Sessalie’s and its citizens’ reasonable fears, about cooperative efforts and integration. I smiled at Jussoud’s patient understanding of both the strong-headed protagonists. I felt frustrated at their stubbornness and at Mykkael’s aggravating behavior, noticing how well it bears testament to the worldly experience of a scarred, foreign veteran who had an idea about the dire threat behind a seemingly mundane problem.
I liked again the second part of the book, set in the wilderness, action-filled and relentless. I loved that well-developed protagonists with personalities and attitudes don’t necessarily need a human-like ability to speak.
When I reached the powerful denouement, this time I enjoyed it unconditionally because it was so natural, I would not have wanted a different outcome. I also came to realize, contrary to my first impression, that while this tale is resolved, the setting has sequel potential.

Okay, this is probably part review, part love letter to my favorite literary genre and part shout-out to the incredibly eclectic author who triggered (and nurtured) it all.
To Ride Hell's Chasm is an innovative and forward-thinking book which holds a special place in my heart, the more so because by revisiting I recognized resonances and implications which I had missed before. While savoring again the events and developments I was better able to piece together the whole picture, and what was love with some minor gripes two years ago, has now turned into awe. The planning behind this story is impressive, every dialogue counts and not one member of the cast is willing to break character or compromise individual integrity to cater to the reader.
I had fun and knowing where this was going was just an afterthought. This, I think, it’s the power of a story which gets better every time you read it.

Warmly and forever recommended.


‘Death has no repeal. It is a brute ending that leaves us the legacy of an inscrutable silence. Therefore, I understand the voice of mercy very well.’

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 brilliant stars

Because this is
THE all-time favorite book for me!

"It’s tragic how the lack of imagination so often shapes our defeat."


To Ride Hell's Chasm is a story about human beings and our tendency to focus on our own specific viewpoints. It clearly points out that no one person has all of the vision needed to answer a question, and no one person is the 'hero' at all moments. People tend to do their best on what limited platforms they stand on, but inevitably lack of knowledge, prejudice, and lack of imagination and inability to see past or biases create faults in response during a crisis.

This story focuses primarily on how a large scale crisis impacts a small, very isolated, very limited society - hit by a big problem that is outside its normal scope - how will the people involved respond to the crisis, and how will that play against strengths and shortfalls.

The characters are central to it, their plight, their story. But intersectional themes pile up very fast and cover a lot of ground.

How are outsiders regarded and received and prejudged - both for their foreign roots, their race, their alternate education?

What happens in a society that has little differences when outside points of view become critical and distrust of differences can run rampant?

What happens when you stand the trope of the 'arranged marriage' on its head - because here we don't get the princess being pressured as a political pawn avoiding escape - but a coup in progress....

What happens when human beings are not the only heroes - when reliance on the stamina or the attributes of INDIVIDUAL animals are a factor in saving the day?
We've relied, historically, on the gifts of other species, but how often do we acknowledge them as the individual heroes they are?

How do very fair minded people react when all is on the line? In a law and order country, where does the letter of the law compound - or even confound - the problem at hand? And when does the spirit of the law matter more? Janny Wurts probes this question here, with scorching results.

Who is responsible, truly, bottom line: the man who gives the orders OR the man who wields the sword?
This book stabs straight in and stares down the bore hole - where lies the ethical truth?

If we fail to acknowledge the individuality of our animal allies, do we also fail to acknowledge the clean instincts of the predator - or do our fears and our prejudices play there, as well?

When is the human killer innocent, or when is the wild predator innocent - or vice versa?

This novel starts as a complex political intrigue, passing the torch into an all out thriller. But the players are all necessary to the end result, and no hero or protagonist every truly stands alone.

This is a favorite theme of the author - to play diverse view points and experiences off each other and reshuffle opinions. Who emerges at what moment as the unlikely savior, and who crumples when a strength becomes a weakness?
There is no straightforward answer - no matter whether we as human beings like to simplify and accept the surface take without troubling to look deeper until we are in crisis and forced to change our established view point.

I've read this book for the first time in a very difficult period of my life and connected with it, at a very deep level. It's characters and the themes it focuses on made me get back on my feet and face the troubles head on, with the unflinching courage of a simple man beset by a difficult quandary the less stout-hearted must name impossible.
Mykkael, who lived as himself, without arrogance, and even with scars and shortfalls in plain view, he was whole.
Moment to moment, he surmounted his impaired strength through trained skill, and the unshakable trust of a man who had been put to the extreme test and who had won triumph through the unflagging use of his wits.’
A warrior ‘wracked and riddled by mishap and wounds, and the dross of his unshed tears.’

To Ride Hell's Chasm is one of those rare unforgettable books that will hit you hard and stay with you long after you finished reading!

So go ahead and give it a try!

Check out this review and more over at The Magic Book Corner

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Janny told me the story got really exciting during the last half. Wrong! It was really exciting all the way through. If there is any fault at all in the book, it is that the excitement NEVER slacks off & it's really hard to put down. That's not really fair when it is so long - yet seems not long enough. I'd love to read more about this world & its characters.

The plot is beautifully crafted, lovingly revealed & the resolution left me gasping (& a bit teary eyed). The characters are amazingly human, yet heroic, each in their own way. The prose is a bit dense at times. Each word was obviously chosen with professional care, so be warned if you like to quickly skim a novel - don't do it. You might get away with it with this one, but you don't want to. The description is too acute, the world perfectly formed & a quick read will simply dim it.

My highest praise is reserved for her handling of the horses. Obviously, she KNOWS horses. She knows their strengths, weaknesses & personalities. Yes, each horse has a personality. They're not simply hooved cars. They're not cutsey, caricatures, either. There is no anthropomorphism here. They're every bit as 'real' as the fictionalized humans. If you don't know horses, there may be a few terms that could use some definition, but not many. Most are well enough described. The 'near' side of a horse is the left side, for instance. It is a proper equestrian term.

Anyway, it's a fantastic read & I highly recommend it. I've yet to be disappointed by one of her books & this one just raised my esteem for her writing another notch.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Death has no repeal. It is a brute ending that leaves us the legacy of an inscrutable silence. Therefore, I understand the voice of mercy very well.’

This epic fantasy standalone definitely goes on my all-time favourite list!

My entry point into Mrs. Wurts’ work was Daughter of the Empire she wrote with Raymond E. Feist. The beauty of that book made want to explore more of her works and I decided to appease my curiosity with To Ride Hell’s Chasm. And I wasn’t disappointed. To Ride Hell’s Chasm is a fantastic read!

It is a little difficult to get into at first, but as the story starts to unfold I found myself not being able to put it down.

The difficulty lies in the prose, which is unique!
It is lovely and elegant as well as complex and incredible in its detail.

‘The sun, angle shifting, sparkled off the polished glove of a flag spire. The slate and lead roofs of the palace precinct dropped in gabled steps downwards, in cool contrast to the terracotta tile of the merchants' mansions, crowded in rows like boxed gingerbread above the arched turrets of Middlegate. There, the tree-lined streets ran like seams in patchwork, jammed by the colors of private house guards helping to search for the princess. Their industry seethed past the courtyard gardens, scattered like squares of dropped silk, and stitched with rosettes where the flowering shrubs adorned the pillared gazebos.’
‘The crossroads market outside the town wall was a noisy, sprawling event that bloomed on a patch of packed earth with each dawn, and melted away every sundown.’
‘The fading grip of night still cloaked the valley outside the citadel. The misted tree limbs shed their burden of dew in a whispering patter of droplets.’

I would compare this writing with that of Guy Gavriel Kay, who can at times mesmerize the reader with his descriptions of places, customs and people. I love Kay’s writing but find that of Mrs. Wurts even better.
That may be due to the fact that it is a lot more detailed and complex. Every paragraph and almost every other word is laden with subtle nuances, meanings and clues that meticulously describe every emotion, every action and every visual detail.

This is not a book for those who like to read fast or skim. You cannot do any of these with To Ride Hell’s Chasm!

The entire story unfolds over a period of around 5 days with multiple POVs, while only the events of the first 2 days take over the full first quarter of the book. So you can imagine the complexity! All the characters ‘interactions are detailed to the minute in a beautiful rich prose, the result being an absolutely clear view of all the their experiences. And I have to say, despite all this, the story isn’t slow at all! It is just dense and intense!

What it is about?

When Princess Anja fails to appear at her betrothal banquet, the tiny, peaceful kingdom of Sessalie is plunged into intrigue. Two warriors are charged with recovering the distraught king's beloved daughter. Taskin, Commander of the Royal Guard, whose icy competence and impressive life-term as the Crown's right-hand man command the kingdom's deep-seated respect; and Mykkael, the rough-hewn newcomer who has won the post of Captain of the Garrison – a scarred dark-skinned veteran with a deadly record of field warfare, whose 'interesting' background and foreign breeding are held in contempt by court society.


The princess and her 2 protectors

As the princess's trail vanishes outside the citadel's gates, anxiety and tension escalate. Mykkael's investigations lead him to a radical explanation for the mystery, but he finds himself under suspicion from the court factions. Will Commander Taskin's famous fair-mindedness be enough to unravel the truth behind the garrison captain's dramatic theory: that the resourceful, high-spirited princess was not taken by force, but fled the palace to escape a demonic evil?

What follows is a complex sweeping story of overcoming impossible odds with a wild Ride through Hell’s Chasm. And ‘No one has ever lived through Hell’s Chasm!’

With demon spawn, sorcerer’s minions and shape shifters hard on their trail and hunted by ravenous winged beasts (kerries), a princess with a relentless tough spirit and her scarred warrior have to brave both harsh nature and danger after danger to bring salvation to all they hold dear.


Kerries attack

And the story doesn’t stop at that. Mrs. Wurts masterfully weaves within personal drama, intrigue and guarded secrets, prejudice and moral principles, clash of cultural beliefs, loyalty and trust and sweeps the reader up into an emotional roller-coaster.

Her characters are all amazingly crafted. But if I had to choose a favourite, that would be Mykkael.

‘Not as a hero, not as the paid captain of Sessalie’s garrison, but as a man beset by a difficult quandary the less stout-hearted must name impossible. He stood guard for her fate, and his own, without arrogance. Even with scars and shortfalls in plain view, he was whole.
He lived as himself. Moment to moment, he surmounted his impaired strength through trained skill, and the unshakable trust of a man who had been put to the extreme test and who had won triumph through the unflagging use of his wits.’
A warrior ‘wracked and riddled by mishap and wounds, and the dross of his unshed tears.’

And let me not forget the horses! It is after all, a RIDE through Hell’s Chasm!
If you’re one who loves horses, you’re going to love this book! Because Mrs. Wurts gives us superb horses! She describes their individual strengths and weaknesses giving a wonderful insight into the animals’ character and heart. She really knows horses! Proper equine terms are used which lets us know the writing was not done without research. And she really loves them! Her descriptions are an ode to the wonderful character traits of these amazing animals.

I am gushing! I know. Please forgive me! But I fell in love with this story, with its characters and with the writing!

This is one of those rare unforgettable books that will hit you hard and stay with you long after you finished reading!

Check out this review and more over at The Magic Book Corner

[Kat Hooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

To Ride Hell's Chasm was my first Wurts novel. I actually have a copy of the first book of The Wars of Light and Shadow saga which I started (and liked so far), but I got a bit intimidated by the time commitment (and the fact that WoLaS is unfinished...), so I decided to try this stand-alone first to get a feel for Janny Wurts' style before I leapt into a mega-epic. Along that line, I was also interested to see how she would affect an actual ending, since WoLaS doesn't actually have one yet (at least not in print).

It took me a while to get used to Ms Wurts' style. I haven't had a lot of reading time lately, so the last several things I've chosen to read have purposely been a bit...light. Like chocolate mousse. Wurts is not light. The prose is, in fact, heavy:

"Only small details bespoke the grave trouble slipped in through the well-guarded gates. Taskin's patrols came and went, double-file rows of neat lancers threading through the carriage traffic in the broad avenues above Highgate. In the queen's formal gardens, amid lawns like set emeralds, two dozen tiny surcoated figures enacted the midday change of the guard.

The sun, angle shifting, sparkled off the polished glove of a flag spire. The slate and lead roofs of the palace precinct dropped in gabled steps downwards, in cool contrast to the terracotta tile of the merchants' mansions, crowded in rows like boxed gingerbread above the arched turrets of Middlegate. There, the tree-lined streets ran like seams in patchwork, jammed by the colors of private house guards helping to search for the princess. Their industry seethed past the courtyard gardens, scattered like squares of dropped silk, and stitched with rosettes where the flowering shrubs adorned the pillared gazebos.

Farthest down, hemmed by the jagged embrasures of stone battlements, the lower town hugged the slope like a rickle of frayed burlap, the roofs there a welter of weathered thatch, and craftsmen's sheds shingled with pine shakes. Mykkael's garrison troops kept their watch on the outermost walls, the men reduced as toys, bearing pins and needles for weaponry."

When I first started reading, I felt like my dainty dish of chocolate mousse had suddenly been replaced by a 20 oz sirloin, and I had some initial trouble digesting it. It probably didn't help that I wasn't finding the time to sit down with the book before midnight. By the time I got to it, I was about as alert as if I actually had consumed that 20 oz sirloin. But, I liked the story and characters immediately, so I started reading earlier in the day, and by the time I was about 1/3 of the way through the book, my pace had picked up significantly. By the time I was 1/2 way through, the language was no longer a barrier and the story was so gripping that I actually could stay up past midnight and read. In fact, I stayed up reading until 2 am for the last two nights without any trouble at all. I actually had to force myself to go to bed. At first I thought that as the pace of the story got faster (it flies for the second half of the book), Ms Wurts writing had become more succinct. But, I went back and read some of the first half again to check my theory: No. It hadn't changed -- it was me. I just got used to the writing style and had learned to appreciate it. Ms Wurts is an artist (she does her own cover art and maps) and she uses words like she uses her paint. They put us in the scene; they show rather than tell.

This book is finely crafted in other respects, too. The plot is interesting, original, and tight. There are moments of horror, grief, and humor. There are no clichés, unbelievable romances, plot holes, stereotyped characters, or deux ex machina. The plot is unpredictable, too. In fact, there were a few times that I thought "how are they going to get out of this mess?" and I had no clue, and even if I'd had a clue, I would have been wrong. The ending, also, is unexpected, realistic (realistic for a fantasy novel, that is), and satisfying. And, importantly, Ms. Wurts writes knowledgeably about all those little details of ancient lifestyles that we love to read about in high fantasy -- sword fighting, horses, war strategies, servants, weird food, boiling laundry, dressing wounds -- at no time did I suspect that she was bluffing.

The system of magic that Janny Wurts creates is unique and fascinating. There's an explanation of it at the back of the book that I wish I had seen before I finished the novel. And, speaking of the actual physical book, it was well-crafted, too. There's a glossary and maps, nice cover and interior art, and I found NO spelling or other editorial errors in this edition. It's too bad the publisher -- Meisha Merlin -- has gone under. (And too bad I dropped this copy in a puddle when I jumped up to pull my 2 year old out of the pool.)

So, now that I've finished To Ride Hell's Chasm, I think I have a small idea of what I've been missing by not reading The Wars of Light and Shadow. A long epic by Janny Wurts sounds like a very good thing.


Read more Janny Wurts book reviews at Fantasy literature.

[Shreyas Deshpande · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best stand-alone fantasy novels that I have read in a long time. The action was crisp and detailed, the characters were well-drawn and sympathetic, and the plot was creative and well-connected, with a satisfying ending.

Ratings:- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[P.L. Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading "To Ride Hell's Chasm", the feeling I had upon completion of the first book I read by the iconic writer Janny Wurts (recently nominated for yet another award, this time a Reddit Fantasy Stabby for Best fantasy contributor of 2021) - "The Curse of The Mistwraith" - remains. In fact, that feeling is only accentuated, after reading this wonderful stand-alone novel. 

That feeling can be best defined by a question. Why is this author, who has published internationally best-selling books, over 20 of them, has been a fantasy mainstay for several decades, who has penned the "Wars of Light and Shadow" Series (a millenia-spanning, completely sweeping tale spread over 11 books, that competes more than favourably in terms of scope and depth with ANYTHING of its kind, including "ASOIAF", "Malazan", ANYTHING like it), so criminally underappreciated?

I don't have the answer to this question, only speculation. Regardless, "To Ride Hell's Chasm" was simply fantastic, and I hope my review, and others like it, will continue to encourage readers to check out this legendary author, and her phenomenal books. Now, let's get into my review. 

PLOT SYNOPSIS
I'm onto Janny Wurts now, and one of the cleverest features of her writing. The hearts of her plots, including "To Ride Hell's Chasm", are simple, and seem straightforward. But they are anything but. In the kingdom of Sessalie, the beautiful, spunky, and beloved Princess Anja is about to be betrothed to who seems to be the perfect mate: the handsome and dashing High Prince of nearby realm Devall. The dynastic match also seems to be a love match, with both parties besotted with one another.

Yet, incomprehensibly, the Princess disappears the night of her betrothal banquet. Foul play is quickly suspected. The King of Sessalie was once sharp, and capable, but is descending into dotage. The Crown Prince, Anja's elder brother, himself charismatic and attractive, is a bit of a slacker and carouser. There are some capable lords and ladies in the court, but there are, as typical to such environs, a lot of sycophants, incompetents, and more self-absorbed nobles, only out for self-serving means, who look to profit from the Princess' disappearance. 

But never fear, one steely-eyed general, Lord Commander Taskin, is on the case of Anja's vanishing. Taskin is supremely competent, fair, and though aging, a brilliant warrior. The King wants more than just Taskin leading the search for his daughter. He wants the assistance of one of Taskin's subordinates, the Captain of the city garrison, Mykkael, to also take up the trail, before it goes cold. 

Mykkael, like his superior, is impeccably competent. But he is also a foreigner, hailing from desert-like regions of the world, Black, in contrast to the fair-skinned inhabitants of Sessalie, and a former mercenary, who won his crown commission by merit, not birth or connections.  The haughty, upper-crust court, as well as many of the commoners in Sessalie, snob Mykkael, are suspicious of him, and don't want him entangled in the disappearance.

Taskin does not completely trust Mykkael either. But with his legendary objectivity and fairness, the commander is willing to give enough rope for Mykkael to potentially hang himself. For Taksin, Mykkael will either prove himself to be completely trustworthy, and dedicated to finding the Princess, or an outright traitor,  actually involved in the plot to abduct her. 

Then murderers strike. Their identities unknown, Mykkael's foreign breeding and unparalleled martial skills, and of course the prejudice of the populus against him, make him an immediate suspect. Taskin's hand may be forced to shut Mykkael and his investigation down, permanently, as political pressure mounts to take the beleaguered captain off the board. 

But is it all because the captain is the only one with the skills, and the magic, who can save the Princess? And precisely who is behind the disappearance? Is some greater evil at play that threatens far more than Anja's life?

A complicated conspiracy, involving possession, dark magic, and evil of enormous proportions, awaits behind what seems to be initially, more of a straight-up fantasy mystery-thriller.

CHARACTERS
In a book which has so many superlative things about it, count Wurt's characterization as one more thing that is magnificent. Taskin, Mykkael, Anaj, Vesnic, Jossoud, Bennett, and all the main and supplementary characters were fully realized, and drawn in exemplary fashion by Wurts. They are laid bare for all their positive and negative traits, complexities, and motivations.

The realism of the characters is a thing to behold, and Wurts makes us feel the pain, and the joy of the characters, physical, mental, emotional, in a way that we weep and laugh with them. While the secondary characters were amazing, I need to speak about the two primary ones. They were brilliant.

Mykkael is one of the most memorable characters, for me, in fantasy fiction. He is a man out of place, and under siege, constantly dealing with the ill-will of others directed towards him, all the short-sightedness and small-mindedness, the bigotry, that interferes with everything good he tries to accomplish. He constantly is demanded to prove himself, knowing it is unlikely anything he does will ever suffice. Yet he is so certain in his convictions, so superbly skilled, and so brave, the reader will be rooting for him to overcome all the odds, and demonstrate all the animosity towards him was so misplaced, and wrong.  

Taskin impresses too, as an unlikely ally of Mykkael, due to his exacting nature, his own natural sense of suspicion and political acumen, and his unwavering loyalty and long history of service to the royal family. I loved Taskin's character as well, and found him to be refreshingly honest, principilled, and also worth cheering for.

Wurts was brilliant in conceiving these two contrasting leads (Taskin the insider versus Mykkael the outsider), and all the book's characters, and the amazing characters make the novel completely unforgettable.     

PACING
Definitely a character-driven novel, Wurts drives the plot forward at a steady pace, not too leisurely, nor too quickly. She builds a complete picture of the characters, the setting, and the problems or issues that drive the action.This book is my second read from Wurts, and I am noticing she does something interesting with her work. In "To Ride Hell's Chasm", just like when I read "The Curse of The Mistwraith", there is this juncture where the reader will likely think they've reached the defining moment or climax, and it's really just the beginning of the action, and the best parts of the book. It's at that point that one will be completely unable to put the book down at all. 

WORLDBUILDING
The worldbuilding in this book is, as I expected, astounding. It is even more astounding when one considers it is a stand-alone novel. Everything feels so complete, as if one is reading a ten book series. Backstory, history, lore, geography, present setting, it was all so vivid. It's woven seamlessly into the plot, and feels so organic. Wurts painstakingly created, for a single novel, several detailed maps, including a map of the principal city, a map of the immediate environs around Sessalie, and a map of the surrounding realms.

There is also a glossary of characters. No stone was left unturned, in an effort to completely absorb the reader in a five-day escapade journeying through Sessalie and beyond. The reader will feel they are walking the exalted halls of the Sanctuary Pinnacle, or hanging out with the soldiers in barracks of the Garrison Keep, or facing the horrors of Hell's Chasm. Wurts puts you right there, in the moment, all senses engaged, with all the sights, sounds, hearing, taste, and smells. It is simply glorious worldbuilding. The magic system is wonderful, wild, mysterious, foreboding, and thoroughly constructed.  

PROSE
I have said in a previous review, I do comprehend why Wurt's prose might not be for everyone. Many readers want some humour, some action, some drama, and a plot that barrells forward relentlessly to the conclusion. For those readers, the words, how they are said, and what they say, are less important.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to read books that don't require the level of attention to the words that books by Wurts do. To be clear, Wurts writing is not like a nesting egg doll, though reading it can make one feel like that, sometimes. She won't take you down continual rabbit holes, to get to the heart of the book. EVERYTHING is related back to the main plot. The words are not there to overwhelm the reader with detail for the sake of detail itself, but instead to immerse the reader completely in the story. 

For me, Wurt's writing is unparalleled, and quintessential. There is so much nuance of meaning to every single word, so many layers of complexity, in a line of words, so many emotions, details, plot revelations, in every paragraph. The book is approximately 650 pages, however it feels like it is over 1000, while never being boring, too verbose, or having the plot drag. To be able to pack that much meaning into those few words, is a skill Wurts possess to a degree that, in my opinion, is unmatched. 

THEMES
There are so many engaging themes I could discuss that this book explores. However, let's talk about racism. Racism is the one theme that for me was front-and-centre in "To Ride Hell's Chasm". Mykaeel is Black, a foreigner to Sessalie, and denigrated with such terms as "desert-bred cur".

Throughout the book, the prejudice, mistrust, and disdain - even outright hatred - for Mykaeel because primarily of the colour of his skin. The aplomb and grace, and frankly bravery, with which Wurts deals with the bigotry against Mykaeel is astounding. She should be highly commended for this, and, as with the author in general, I am unsure if she has ever been properly recognized for how courageously and unflinchingly she tackled this very sensitive topic. She should be praised, without question, for what she has done in this regard in "To Ride Hell's Chasm".

Some of the passages were so moving, so authentic, in its representation of how one feels when one is the subject of racism, and what racism LOOKS LIKE, that it brought me to tears.There is one part in particular of the book that will be with me forever.  It was by far, NOT the most harsh example of racial slurs or animosity towards Mykkael that appears in "To Ride Hell's Chasm", yet perhaps it was the saddest for me. 

"'Who's lost their beer to the rumour I can't ride?' Both men looked sheepish. The garrison captain was quick to commiserate. 'I'd buy you a brew to remedy your loss, if I had any loose coin myself.' Yet the prospect of such camaraderie with a foreigner made the guardsmen more uncomfortable still. Mykkael's grin widened, a flash of white teeth under the cloak just raised to mask the embarrassment of their origins. 'Think well on that,' he murmured in the same tone used before on the gelding."

So much of the book is about Mykkael's overall nobility, and his dogged determination to succeed and save the Princess, despite all the opposition to his involvement, largely because of prejudice. At times, it can be heart-breaking to read, but so worthwhile to read. 

CONCLUSION
Time to gush, unashamedly. Janny Wurts was well on her way to becoming my absolute favourite fantasy author, only after me reading ONE of her books, "The Curse of the Mistwraith". Consider, amongst my favourite fantasy authors are luminaries such as N.K. Jemisin, J.R.R. Tolkien, John Gwynne, Mark Lawrence, Joe Abercombie, P. Djèlí Clark, and G.R.R. Martin. "To Ride Hell's Chasm" confirmed Wurts is definitely my favourite.

Having a favourite, of course, is all about personal taste. My rationale for Wurts becoming my favourite, is that all of the other writers I have mentioned are incredible storytellers, can create unforgettable characters, have outstanding prose, and a distinctive writing style. The difference for me with Wurts is that she is at least the equal of all those other great writers in all those categories (yet she is the most under-appreciated, in my estimation), save for the prose. 

In the aspect of prose, no other writer I have ever read writes in a manner that forces you, as the reader, to read EVERY word. It is simply the most lush, most COMPLETE prose one can find anywhere in fantasy, perhaps in literature. 

I would also submit that Wurts brings the additional skill of being a world-class illustrator of her own books, to the equation. The pictures of the characters on my beautiful copy of To Ride Hell's Chasm, truly bring those characters to life.      

"To Ride Hell's Chasm" is to-date my favourite standalone fantasy book and, while I never say never, I don't believe anything is ever going to come close.  

[Stefan · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the start of To Ride Hell's Chasm, an outstanding standalone fantasy by Janny Wurts, Princess Anja of the tiny isolated kingdom of Sessalie has gone missing on the eve of the ceremony for her betrothal to the Crown Prince of Devall. Since Anja is beloved by her people, and the alliance with Devall represents potentially big trade increases, it doesn't take long for many people to be involved in the search, from Mykkael, a foreign-born former mercenary now in charge of the city's garrison, to Taskin, the military commander for the kingdom.

Over 650 pages covering about 5 days, Janny Wurts delivers a story filled with almost non-stop action that's at times impossible to put down. One of the odd and wonderful things about this novel is the contrast between the tight pacing and the lush language. Again, that's 650 pages cover just a handful of days - the first day alone takes about 200 pages, because every emotion, every visual detail, every nuance of meaning is hammered down in the most meticulous, rich prose you could hope find in the genre. As a result, one moment of realization can be dissected over several paragraphs, but amazingly, there's rarely an unnecessary word in those descriptions. It all works together to drive the full experience of the characters home in unmistakable clarity. To Ride Hell's Chasm never feels like a slow book - just a very intense one.

The novel is filled with several fascinating characters, but the most memorable one has to Mykkael, the "desert-bred" foreigner, reviled by many, always placing honor first, and simply unstoppable. One of the highest compliments I can give a fantasy character: he wouldn't look amiss in one of Guy Gavriel Kay's books. From the moment he is first introduced, through the heart-pounding conclusion of the adventure, to the emotionally gripping wrap-up, this is an unforgettable character.

It's hard for me to express accurately how much I enjoyed and admire To Ride Hell's Chasm. Standalone fantasies are already a rare beast in this time of endlessly meandering series. To read a story so meticulously crafted, contained in one cover, is a real pleasure. This novel is easily going on my all-time favorite list of fantasy novels.

[Jon]

5 stars

[Jeff Salyards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the Empire trilogy by Janny Wurts and Raymond Feist ages ago, and loved it. They did a wonderful job collaborating. But for unknown reasons, I didn't dig into a lot of Janny's solo efforts after that. I knew they were out there, and heard plenty of good things, but as happens with so many great books/writers on my TBR pile, they got buried in an avalanche and disappeared from sight.

But I just finished To Ride Hell's Chasm and it was fantastic. For me, good fantasy has compelling characters moving through a fully-realized world. A great plot helps too, but if the characters and setting are compelling enough, I'm usually hooked, even if the story meanders or takes a while to develop.

To Ride Hell's Chasm is a great blend of a wonderfully rendered world, down to the tiniest details, and a great story about bigotry, betrayal, staunch loyalties, and some unusual and interesting magic.

In some ways, the approach is "old school"--Janny takes her time with each and every scene, not overwhelming with unnecessary detail, but including so much layering and rich description you can really immerse yourself in this world. It feels alive and lived in; pretty gowns and filthy gutters; beautiful horses and ugly sorcery. It's obvious Janny took a tremendous amount of time thinking through every little thing included, how it contributed to the whole. Exposition and description can turn into quicksand sometimes in some books (passages upon passages of adoring attention to every frond in the forest), but it all feels artfully placed here, necessary, thoughtful. And I really appreciate that. It's incredible hard to do, but great writers make it look effortless.

But the most wholly-developed world is nothing more than pretty backdrop and landscape if the characters and their conflicts aren't engaging, and Chasm presents lively, believable characters driven by bigotry, prejudice, fear, love, fierce loyalty, rotten betrayal. I don't want to spoil the plot for anyone, but the characters seemed really grounded in this world, shaped by it, wrecked by it in some ways, and again, conveyed in a way that fit the setting.

The book feels exceptionally thoughtful and measured, like a fusion of Jane Austen and "Ellis Peters" with some extra blood splatters and grime for realism. Those who prefer hard and fast fiction like Abercrombie might not love the deliberate pace and delivery here, but for those looking for a well-crafted book that takes its time immersing you fully, To Ride Hell's Chasm is a treat and half.

[Alissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came as a surprise. As always, praise be sung to the Goodreads community for their recommendations. This is the first book I've read by Janny Wurts and I'll surely look for more of her works. in less than one year, I've savored The Wars of Light and Shadow, a stunning epic fantasy series, her other standalones, the The Complete Empire Trilogy co-written with Raymond E. Feist and I'm currently reading The Cycle of Fire.

To Ride Hell's Chasm is uniquely written, and at first I struggled with the complex phrasing, the subtle choice of words, and the masterful descriptions. Yet the plot, carefully unwinding in the first part of the book, and the compelling characters, fully rounded and intriguing, did not fail to make me feel for this great book, and devour page after page, craving more.

The book opens with the sudden disappearance of the princess of a small and sheltered kingdom on the night of her betrothal party, and the captains of the city garrison and the royal guards are tasked with the investigation. The first is Mykkael, a mysterious foreigner and an unrelenting commander burdened by a heavy past, whose fighting prowess and integrity of character divide the opinions of both his men and his employers. The second is Taskin, the long-serving right-hand of the king, just, stern and stalwart, a warrior a man born and breed to serve justice in his homeland. The world-building is powerful, truly evocative in both the urban and the wilderness backdrop, and the fascinating, multifaceted magic system plays an important part in the story.

The carefully tended cast of characters is a real gem. I absolutely loved the main characters interaction, they take center stage so smoothly that I think I related to the investigation through them, and got frustrated along with them at the inevitable clash of cultures and prejudices.
Taskin didn't despise or destroy what he could not understand and I think his reliance and growing relationship with Jussoud (or the fact that he acknowledged the qualities of a foreigner in the first place) is a consequence of that: he cannot understand Mykkael but he perceives honesty behind his behavior and cannot blindly dismiss him; even when the evidence seemed to prove him differently, Taskin coherently keeps probing, and he starts to change by small degrees during the story as reaction to the events and to Mykkael's unyielding convictions. He's solid and loyal and very human: his stubbornness and hesitations were aggravating but greatly in-character for a man whose core beliefs were being so badly shaken, all things considered he behaved admirably.
I resonated with them and the secondary characters, while the mystery tightens and the tension grows, and then when I thought all the carefully laid details and pieces were going to click into place I was in for big surprises instead, as Taskin and Mykkael get entangled by more layers of intrigue, collisions and sudden turns of events.
The whole story unrolls in a few days, the first part set in the city and immediate surroundings, the second mainly set outside the capital city of Sessalie, and it is indeed a race against impossible odds, where there is no hewn line of action and the reader is thrown off-balance in his certainties.
I was engaged in reading about both the princess and the warrior riding in Hell's Chasm and the warded in the castle growing to realize the truth behind the disappearance of Anja, and slowly coming to the understanding that only concerted efforts can save the kingdom from doom.
I couldn't help comparing the differences in the story as the main setting changes from urban to wilderness, but I enjoyed every page of the book, and most importantly, the epilogue with its intensity, its coral quality, the possibility that selfless courage and acceptance still retain the power to redeem a tormented soul in a intense denouement. Personally I would have liked that things could have gone differently, but as they were coherence demanded no less and I appreciated the author didn't offer a complaisant solution; endings are a vital linchpin of a good story and can make the difference between a book I like and I book I love thru and thru and which will always be a favorite, like To Ride Hell's Chasm. I was left with a bitter sense of void when I reached the last page, and a slight vexation at knowing the story had truly reached its end.

I empathized with Taskin and Mykkael as they tried to delineate the circumstances of the princess disappearance and the suspects parties; I enjoyed the second part of the book as well, more action-packed and fast paced, and the denouement, which, while entirely coherent, left a bit of hurried aftertaste and a longing for a less steep epilogue, particularly after the care deployed in the urban-set part of the book. I liked the princess as well, and she is not wanting for intensity, but I missed the balance of uncertainties and the keen undertones of the Taskin/Mykkael conflict.

Janny Wurts' writing style features an incredibly focused vocabulary and she literally paints the story with carefully evocative words and studied linguistic structures. Her deep poetic style is of great emotional impact, and for me it became an element in its own right, which added an uniqueness to the events narrated, the pace set and the characters portrayed, and was not only a medium of ancillary importance to convey plot and images. That's what I felt with Hell's Chasm and that is probably why I related so strongly at once, to that engaging complexity that just pulls you in and doesn't let you go (also, being English a second language, had I found this choice a simple exercise of style I would have had no motivation to go on: the language must needs fit the story). I agree it is a matter of taste and expectations, and this kind of writing may not be to everybody's taste, but I was glued to this book from start to end, and the style enhanced my reading experience.

Adult fantasy at his best, wonderfully written, thought provoking, with unforgettable characters, involving, entertaining and unpredictable. Warmly recommended.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-stars out of 5 for this standalone book.

This author has a great amount of knowledge and talent and I will be reading more of her work in the future.

As it says in her bio: She is a horsewoman, offshore sailor, a musician, and is also a talented artist who illustrates many of her own book-covers.

The only reason that this isn't a 5-star review is because I found her style of writing a bit too "wordy" for me, but most other people will call that "wonderful prose".

Definitely one to read.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy read over at Fantasy Buddy Reads.

Wurts is the ideal author to buddy read, so many layers, so much to discover. She crafts her plots with so much love and attention to detail, and that love spills from every page. The pieces of the puzzle are revealed in a slow manner alongside wonderful characters. Wurts takes her time, and if you're not a fan of slow, she might not be the writer for you.

Wurts' prose is dense, especially for non native speakers, but I feel like I've learned a lot about writing just by reading her books.

I recommend Wurts' entire bibliography to fans of high and epic fantasy.

[Tori Tecken · Rating 4 out of 5]

A blistering sword and sorcery standalone written by a master of prose, To Ride Hell's Chasm is a masterpiece for any reader with an affinity for stories told by writers who wield the fantasy genre like a sharp blade.

A princess has gone missing before her betrothal feast, and the threat of a dark and sinister sorcery looms over the kingdom of Sessalie. Captain Mykkael, a lower city officer with foreign origins, is called upon to assist in the search and eventual rescue of Princess Anja. Battling the prejudice of his fellow officers and the general public, he relies on the unwavering loyalty of his few staunch friends, arming himself with a painfully personal knowledge of the sorcery at large and his legendary skills as a warrior to face the danger.

Mykkael is not the only perspective in the story, despite his position as the primary protagonist. We also follow Taskin, a straight-laced high-ranking commander and protector of the royal family. He is Mykkael's commanding officer, begrudgingly respectful of his subordinate's value when it comes to saving the princess from a threat he does not truly understand.

Princess Anja herself also supplies a perspective in the story, which stands in stark contrast to the two veteran soldiers who have sworn to find and protect her.

This book was my first foray into Janny Wurts' prolific career. I picked it up because it was a standalone, and I wanted to get a glimpse into the storytelling prowess I'd heard so much about from other readers. I went into this story with a small amount of trepidation. Proclaimed masters of prose often stray into the realm of dense, word saturated storytelling that finds the characters drowning somewhere in the current.

What I found here, in my opinion, was something very rare. A command of the English language that awed me, but didn't leave me behind. Characters that lived and breathed and stepped out of the page, refusing to be hidden in poetic structure. This is not a book that you can read quickly, but it is meant to be savored.

Janny's understanding and portrayal of the natural world, ancient healing practices, and the nature of horses, in particular, were poignant and impressive. Every detail is placed with ultimate care, each word woven into the tapestry of prose with razor sharp precision.

The story begins with a fair amount of set up as Wurts divulges bits and pieces, filling in the puzzle until the history of the characters and the truth about the sorcerous threat are revealed in an intense build to the fever pitch that is the finale of this story.

My concluding opinion is that this book is for anyone who is looking to read a complexly written classic fantasy that will leave them thinking long after the last page is closed.

[Chris Haught · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though it starts off somewhat slowly, TRHC builds up to a peak and never lets go. This is certainly not a light read, but one that takes time and diligence to properly absorb. Richly told in a beautiful language, the imagery is fantastic. The characters will have readers aching for their plight.

The world is very well detailed, and I really like the connection from demon to sorcerer to minion. The shapeshifters are pretty ominous too.

Don't want to give away too much and spoil, but will say that this is one of those stories that sticks with you long after you're done reading it.

Bravo...

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this one four stars instead of five only because I just completed Janny's Mistwraith series and was so enthralled by that story that this one wasn't quite as intense for me. Still, it is beautifully written with a truly unique hero whose character unfolds slowly as the story progresses. The horses in the book are characters unto themselves. Another story that made me cry and also made my heart pound as well as be glad in the end. A very satisfactory ending, a tightly wound plot, a well conceived world, and memorable characters. What more can you ask for in a book?

Reread 10/12. Just as good as the first time. Love those horses.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the full review here: https://www.bookwormblues.net/2023/11...

Janny Wurts is a hugely inspirational author for me. Not only is she a strong, female voice in the genre, but her books are so intricately crafted, every word perfectly placed for maximum impact, every element of character and plot precisely developed. Reading her books isn’t just entertaining, it’s also educational and something I recommend everyone experience.

There is absolutely nothing like sitting at the feet of a master and studying their art.

To Ride Hell’s Chasm was a book I was very excited to read, and I was even more excited to receive a signed copy of it, which I have put next to my Tad Williams signed books.

This is a standalone, which is something I’ve discovered I tend to enjoy in fantasy, and something we don’t see a whole lot of in this genre. Fantasy is full of series, duologies and trilogies, and Wurts herself has penned a massive epic fantasy series (It is absolutely amazing, by the way. One of the best series out there, full stop, and if you have not read it yet WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?). So this standalone felt like a true switch of gears for this author. I was excited to see what a writer of this caliber could do with less space to work with.

Wurts is a writer who puts herself on the page. Her books are layered and passionate, with deep explorations of characters and cultures, of the way people work both together and against each other. Here, in To Ride Hell’s Chasm, she pushed herself to a whole new level. Her passion and care for the story she’s telling positively shines. A book has a certain magic when you can tell the author loved the story they were telling, and I felt that here, in every word and on every page. Wurts is such a passionate, visionary, artistic person and that’s felt, profoundly, in this book.

And perhaps that is one reason why this book felt a bit personal. I could feel Wurts throughout the story, her hand carefully moving characters, pushing events, exploring ever deeper layers and themes, delicately touching the nuances of human nature. With raw honesty she crafts her characters and with a precise, goal-focused eye she writes her story. Like the finest dark chocolate, this is a book I advise you savor. Trust Wurts to take you where you need to go. She is a master of her craft and you are in good hands.

The plot of To Ride Hell’s Chasm is deceptively simple (pay attention to the word “deceptively”).

Princess Anja of Sessalie has disappeared on the night of her betrothal feast. The king assigns his guard commander, Taskin, to find her. Then also adds the new gate captain, a foreigner named Mykkael to find her as well. The story looks simple enough on the surface, but Wurts quickly subverts any idea that this will be simple or straightforward. The mystery went in a direction I didn’t expect almost instantly. There were numerous times when I could not fathom how characters would get out of certain situations and plenty of plot twists that had me reeling.

Yes, this book is fantasy but it is also shockingly human, driven by characters who live and love, who laugh and are betrayed, making this book feel both fantastic and relatable all at once.

To Ride Hell’s Chasm is an incredibly dense book. It’s not one you can sit back and let happen, but will require some focus and you’ll likely need to be in the right mood (Or maybe that’s just me? I’m a mood reader.). However, in my estimation, the effort it took to fully grasp all the layers and depth, the nuances and detail of this story made the experience (and that fantastic ending) even richer. In truth, Wurts’s best traits as an author are her dense prose and plots. She does nothing in half measures. I love that she’s not afraid to reach for the heart of every part of her story, and then carefully examine what makes it beat.

There is a painting technique called Pointillism.

If Janny Wurts’s books were paintings, I’d think of them as a perhaps more fluid pointillism. The stories are meant to be viewed both from a distance and up close. There is both forest and trees and all of it is important.

I say this because it’s an important factor in this story. To Ride Hell’s Chasm was a book that required me to carefully examine all of its parts to fully grasp the whole. The story covers only five days, but it’s spread out across over 600 pages. The first day takes almost 200 pages, because every element, every emotional nuance is explored. Now, this might seem overwhelming, but it never felt so. This level of detail made the story so much more rich and vivid, so much more intricate.

Do not mistake this to mean the book is slow, because it’s anything but. There is so much relentless forward motion throughout, it was hard to find a place to pause my reading. And the action is both frequent and gripping, written with just as much detail as everything else, making me feel as though I was immersed in it. I will say, however, that the density of this book is something to consider before diving in. It’s a unique style which I love, but it’s not going to appeal to everyone (but nothing ever does).

I am frankly surprised by how much Wurts managed to pour into this one volume, and it’s all because of that depth, those layers, the incredible prose. All elements of her execution work together to create a nuanced tale, from mystery to action to raw moments of humanity, I was constantly engaged. There was something happening at every moment. The plot was tight and paced with precision. The book felt like a well-oiled machine: storytelling at its finest. No word wasted.

The world is stunningly well built. Every element has been crafted with care and an eye toward how it impacts the whole. Every detail is described with rich words and richer colors and contrasts. It feels lived in, with all social strata and cultural pressure points you’d expect in something that well-realized. Readers who love details will find a haven here: Wurts spares none and her world is so textured because of it. Everything from boiling laundry to dressing wounds and strategy and horses are intricately covered, and all written with such precision it makes me wonder how much research she did while drafting this book. It’s these details that I love though, because it makes the world blaze with such glorious realism.

And these strengths in her worldbuilding bleed into the characters, each of them exploring and experiencing the world in different ways, each of them just as vivid, messy, textured, and nuanced as the world they inhabit. Here, you will find the book grounded by the happiness, joy, grief, sorrow, worry, loss, and mystery. Moments that pull us into the story, make it relatable, help us see a bit of ourselves in what we’re reading.

I realize I am saying a lot here without saying much. I tend to try to avoid specifics in a book review, but I am trying doubly hard in this one, because I think half the joy of reading a Janny Wurts book is the experience of diving in and realizing you’re getting so much more than you expected.

What you need to know is that this was an incredible book, written by a master of her craft.

Standalone fantasy at its finest.

[Blaise · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://undertheradarsffbooks.com/202...

I recieved a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Written in 2002, To Ride Hell’s Chasm has not received in the book community the admiration and support it deserves. Written as a standalone novel and covering several relevant topics affecting our society today, I am once again speechless to what Janny has presented to us. A bit of a slow burn to start but by the halfway point you will be thrusted into a nonstop action adventure that had me up well into the morning sun. To Ride Hell’s Chasm is the best standalone epic fantasy novel I have ever read and the ending sequence will stay with you forever.

Princess Anja of Sessalie has gone missing right at the time when she is supposted to be married to the High Prince of Devall. The leaders put Commander Taskins in charge of recovering Anja safely but Taskins realizes that he will need more help. Taskins enlists the help of Mykkael, a desert-bred foreign mercenary and captain of the Lowergate Garrison at Sessalie. Mykkael walks around with a limp leg as a battle injury from his past life and he is always in some level of pain when going about his duty. Mykkael also possess an untrained type of magic where he see’s visions of people when given either a piece of clothing or picture of the person in question. This will prove vital in the search for Anja. The more time that passes by, the more the royal leaders are suspicious that Mykkael has something to do with Anja’s disapearance and it is right at this point where the story goes wild. I will end my discussion here about the plot as to not ruin anything.

What Janny was able to compact into a six hundred page novel is nothing short of astonishing. Mykkael will be a fan favorite as the layers are peeled including: his history as a mercenary in another country and the battles scars he carries with him (both phsyically and mentally), to his fighting techniques and how it is used, to the relationships he had and lost. Mykkael is a prideful lion who will do everything to keep his oath even if those choices might be hard for others to stomach.

The themes Janny touches on in this book are relevant to our society today. Janny dives into the issues of law enforcement as it pertains to following the letter of the law as opposed to the spirit of the law. How do you balance these real issues in a short time span when a persons life is one the line? Racism and bigotry are themes in this book as well. Sessalie is an isolated northern city and they don’t get many outside visitors. Mykkael has to always battle these obstacles and even more so when he is asked to find the missing Princess. Political influence plays a huge role as Taskins has to always play a middle man between the royals who want Mykkael questioned but Taskins will not do it without proof first. Finally PTSD is a crucial element to understanding Mykkael and the horrors of his past. Little by little you will start to see flashbacks to his past and how it has turned Mykkael into the warrior he is today. Don’t sleep on the emotion turmoil you will feel when reading these scenes.

As a bonus for you lovely readers, I was able to do a livestream with Janny Wurts, Philip Chase and Johanna where we give a two hour discussion of this epic standalone volume! I will leave the link below should you be interested in viewing it.

To Ride Hell’s Chasm has everything you could ever want in a standalone volume. I am happy to say that it is the perfect stepping stone for readers interested in reading Janny’s The Wars of Light and Shadow series. Janny will forever be among my favorite authors and for those of you new to her work, buckle up!

Cheers!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKCv8...

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stand-alone novel - written by Wurts while taking a break from the mammoth Wars of Light and Shadow series - this rollercoaster of intrigue and mystery is not a book you could call a light read. Set over the period of one week, so much happens in this novel that you question just how much you can fit into one day! The Kingdom of Sessalie is a land-locked mountain Kingdom that longs for an outlet to the sea. To this end, its King and Chancellor have arranged a marriage for Princess Anja with the High Prince of Devall, which will give Sessalie access to Devall's seaport, as well as offer a Royal Alliance between the realms. As Devall's High Prince arrives for his upcoming nuptials, the city opens its arms in welcome and wild celebration. But when Princess Anja suddenly disappears before her betrothal banquet, King Isendon assigns the task of recovering his missing daughter to two men - and for them to determine if she has been kidnapped or has simply run off.

The warriors charged with recovering the kingdom's beloved daughter are Taskin, Commander of the Royal Guard, and Mykkael, Captain of the Garrison. As the Crown's right-hand man, Taskin's competence and lifelong record of service to the Kingdom has earned him the respect and support of the court. Mykkael, though, is a stranger. He is unproven and new to the post of Captain and to the Kingdom itself; though he is a veteran soldier with a legendary reputation in the field of combat, his foreign breeding is held in suspicion by court society. As the princess's trail vanishes outside the citadel's gates, anxiety and tension escalate. Wurts' masterful use of language, rhythm and pace grabs hold of the reader and doesn't let go! Mykkael's investigations lead him to a radical explanation for the mystery, but he finds himself under suspicion from the court factions. It remains to be seen whether Commander Taskin's famous fair-mindedness will be enough to unravel the truth behind the garrison captain's dramatic theory (that the resourceful, high-spirited princess was not taken by force, but rather fled the palace to escape a demonic evil?)

Wurts writing is always multi-layered. On the surface, you have the intriguing mystery and the engaging adventure, as well as vivid descriptions and superb characterisation that create a real world and believable characters. Every character you encounter has their own insight and vision. Limited or experienced, their passionate views and choices are woven seamlessly into the tale, with high-stakes action and more than survival set on the outcome. Below the surface of this high fantasy adventure, there is the opportunity for the reader to explore - in as little or as much depth as they wish - larger questions that are as pertinent to our own society today as they are in this medieval fantasy setting: Where does the right and true course of the warrior lie, when the man bearing both sword and responsible knowledge must tread a collision course between the ethics of human justice and law, when not all things are as they appear and the disappearance of a young princess catapults a small kingdom into a crisis beyond precedent? This book is a fantastic read. Each time I re-read it, I pick up more. It is also the perfect place for anyone new to Wurts writing to jump on board.

Enjoy the ride!

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be very much a book of two halves.

The first part drove me insane - not because it was bad, but because the characterisation was so well done that everyone's behaviour frustrated me terribly. People acted according to the character and background the author had created for them, even when I wished they wouldn't.

Then we got to halfway and the story changed from politics to action. That should have been good, but I felt the realism suffered. Mykkael went from strong protagonist to Energizer Bunny who just keep going and going and going, no matter what injury, insurmountable challenge or problem of honor faced him. And he always came out on top. It began to really annoy me.

Then everything came magically together in the end. On one level I rather liked the ending. It was nice seeing everything turn out okay. But at the same time it all felt a bit too pat after the gritty and uncompromising first half of the book. Anja makes the perfect choice and while we're told she agonising about it, I didn't really feel it. Then all Mykkael's issues are resolved. He even gets the girl who was supposed to be irrevocably lost.

It felt like this was three books all in the same binding. And I'm not convinced those three books worked well together.

I know lots of people love this book, but it just wasn't the right book for me.

[arwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

wurts has the ability to communicate a chapter's worth of detail and intrigue through a single paragraph, and at times even a single sentence. each word is placed with such intention and care, this is not a story that will suffer being skimmed through. you could read the same page over and over and discover new information with each read. it is pure sorcery how she writes the way she does without making it tedious for the reader.
I won't say much about the plot or the characters except that they will not disappoint!