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Gunmetal Gods #4
Dark Drinker
Yes, it is true Micah the Metal reconquered the holy land for the Faith. It is true he buried the Shah’s children alive, then marched his army over them. And it is true he copulated with a Fallen Angel.
But what about the rumors of his death?
Most say he wandered the hollows of Labyrinthos until the skin withered off his bones. Others say he was shot by a mercenary boy no older than ten. Some even say he was hanged at the gallows by the Imperator himself.
But the truth, as always, is stranger than myth.
But what about the rumors of his death?
Most say he wandered the hollows of Labyrinthos until the skin withered off his bones. Others say he was shot by a mercenary boy no older than ten. Some even say he was hanged at the gallows by the Imperator himself.
But the truth, as always, is stranger than myth.
500 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2024
65 people are currently reading
593 people want to read
About the author
Zamil Akhtar
13 books468 followersThe Gunmetal Gods Ultimate Collector's Edition is launching from Nov 14 to Dec 5, 2023! Check it out here: https://bit.ly/gunmetalgods
Get your FREE copy of Death Rider, a standalone novella in the Gunmetal Gods series, by joining his mailing list at https://ZamilAkhtar.com
When Zamil was fourteen, he moved from the dry, dune-spotted Arabian peninsula to the hilly, arctic wasteland that is Western Massachusetts. He despises the cold, isn’t very fond of the sun, and prefers spending all day indoors mashing the keyboard in the hopes something great will come of it. When not dreaming up dark and fantastical journeys, he enjoys binging horror movies, wasting precious time arguing about international relations on Reddit, and occasionally traveling somewhere exotic. He currently lives in Dubai with his loving wife and his badly-behaved pet rabbit.
Get your FREE copy of Death Rider, a standalone novella in the Gunmetal Gods series, by joining his mailing list at https://ZamilAkhtar.com
When Zamil was fourteen, he moved from the dry, dune-spotted Arabian peninsula to the hilly, arctic wasteland that is Western Massachusetts. He despises the cold, isn’t very fond of the sun, and prefers spending all day indoors mashing the keyboard in the hopes something great will come of it. When not dreaming up dark and fantastical journeys, he enjoys binging horror movies, wasting precious time arguing about international relations on Reddit, and occasionally traveling somewhere exotic. He currently lives in Dubai with his loving wife and his badly-behaved pet rabbit.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 2, 2025
4.5 out of 5 stars!
Please see below the link to my interview with the author, where we chat about the book, including my thoughts on 'Dark Drinker'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCCgs...
Please see below the link to my interview with the author, where we chat about the book, including my thoughts on 'Dark Drinker'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCCgs...
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August 17, 2024The most METAL book in the series ;)
November 10, 2025
I loved book 1 of this series, but I'm starting to have so much more mixed feeling the farther I go. I was really really excited for this volume because it was the return of a character I really liked after having new characters and storylines in the past 2 books. This raised my expectations a bit which lead to the let down.
And that leads me to what I find most frustrating about this series. Each book has introduced really interesting elements and lore and hinting at something much bigger and then it never goes further into what is going on with all of that. Instead each book is mainly focused on the standalone plot of the book with different characters and locations than the previous entry. That is in an of itself not a bad thing. But I just am not finding those plots with new characters, locations, and political maneuvering that interesting. I want to know about the bigger story, the through line that hooks it altogether and I'm not getting much of that. Also, I thought this book's plot was the weakest on its own merits. It's a redemption arc for a character which is cool, but why he's doing what he's doing doesn't really feel natural for the character also the plot is pretty thin and basic without a lot to sink your teeth into. And again it introduced some new cool lore and/or magic elements that I want to know more about and didn't do much with them. I'm not sure if I'll be reading the next book or not. I need to know if it's going to start having some kind of payoff first before I jump in.
And that leads me to what I find most frustrating about this series. Each book has introduced really interesting elements and lore and hinting at something much bigger and then it never goes further into what is going on with all of that. Instead each book is mainly focused on the standalone plot of the book with different characters and locations than the previous entry. That is in an of itself not a bad thing. But I just am not finding those plots with new characters, locations, and political maneuvering that interesting. I want to know about the bigger story, the through line that hooks it altogether and I'm not getting much of that. Also, I thought this book's plot was the weakest on its own merits. It's a redemption arc for a character which is cool, but why he's doing what he's doing doesn't really feel natural for the character also the plot is pretty thin and basic without a lot to sink your teeth into. And again it introduced some new cool lore and/or magic elements that I want to know more about and didn't do much with them. I'm not sure if I'll be reading the next book or not. I need to know if it's going to start having some kind of payoff first before I jump in.
July 20, 2025
I'm a HUGE fan of this amazing saga. Dark Drinker doesn't follow the chronology of the rest of the series; instead it takes a bizarre side trip that can be a little jarring at first to readers of the story so far. But it's a trip well worth taking. Don't expect the conventional in this book: all conventions are twisted beyond recognition.
The story focuses (mostly) on Micah the Metal, one of the principal adversaries in Gunmetal Gods (Book 1), but it shows him in a far different light because he has become a far different person. (At one point, Micah consumes a potion that actually transforms him into his hated rival, Kevah, but it's a Kevah in an alternate reality pointedly different than the one we've been following. It's a psychedelic experience that significantly alters Micah's perception of himself and the world he lives in.)
One of the things this story makes clear is that it is the supernatural entities--angels, jinns, devs, and whatever might be behind them all--that pull all the strings, and arrogant humans are merely their ignorant tools.
The Gunmetal Gods saga is wildly creative, and Dark Drinker is, in my opinion, the most creative chapter of the series. Forget about good and evil: the lines between heroes and villains in this story (even more than in the series as a whole) are so thoroughly blurred that they lose all meaning. Don't even try to figure out where the story is headed, because that's not where it's going to go. Just sit back and take it as it comes. This is the kind of book that has to be self-published because traditional publishing companies wouldn't know what to do with it. If you like mind-blowingly original dark fantasy inspired by Middle Eastern cultural motifs (and you wouldn't have read the first three books of the series unless you do) then take a deep breath, leave your expectations at the side of the pool, and dive right into the deep end. Try not to let the reality-twisting floating letters touch you, but be comforted by the fact that you won't know it if they do.
The story focuses (mostly) on Micah the Metal, one of the principal adversaries in Gunmetal Gods (Book 1), but it shows him in a far different light because he has become a far different person. (At one point, Micah consumes a potion that actually transforms him into his hated rival, Kevah, but it's a Kevah in an alternate reality pointedly different than the one we've been following. It's a psychedelic experience that significantly alters Micah's perception of himself and the world he lives in.)
One of the things this story makes clear is that it is the supernatural entities--angels, jinns, devs, and whatever might be behind them all--that pull all the strings, and arrogant humans are merely their ignorant tools.
The Gunmetal Gods saga is wildly creative, and Dark Drinker is, in my opinion, the most creative chapter of the series. Forget about good and evil: the lines between heroes and villains in this story (even more than in the series as a whole) are so thoroughly blurred that they lose all meaning. Don't even try to figure out where the story is headed, because that's not where it's going to go. Just sit back and take it as it comes. This is the kind of book that has to be self-published because traditional publishing companies wouldn't know what to do with it. If you like mind-blowingly original dark fantasy inspired by Middle Eastern cultural motifs (and you wouldn't have read the first three books of the series unless you do) then take a deep breath, leave your expectations at the side of the pool, and dive right into the deep end. Try not to let the reality-twisting floating letters touch you, but be comforted by the fact that you won't know it if they do.
September 19, 2024
Anche questo quarto libro della saga è oltre le 5 stelle come tutta la saga, che ormai credo sia insieme a Malazan, nella vetta delle mie preferenze!!
Un quarto libro singolare, diverso dai precedenti.. come fanno intuire anche i colori freddi della cover rispetto ai toni caldi delle precedenti, siamo lontani dalle terre deserte e torride già esplorare.. l ovest è più freddo, ricco di foreste, laghi e ghiacciai.. è diverso anche per la struttura.. torniamo indietro nei tempo, alla fine esatta del primo volume.. emergiamo dai Labirinti assieme a Micah The Metal e scopriamo cosa gli è accaduto.. con un secondo POV del tutto nuovo, Vasco, Capitano, Inquisitore e molto altro.. l'intreccio di questi due POV assieme a tutti i caratteri secondari, ci aiuteranno a scoprire cosa succede a ovest, e quale minaccia sta giungendo proprio da ovest che minacciava Kevah al termine del terzo libro..
Rispetto agli altri tre è forse quello meno ricco di azione vera e propria, anche se sul finale non manca, con un po' più di descrizioni, ma non manca di avvincere e affascinare.. la folle creatività di Zamil riempie ogni pagina, il mondo creato in stile ottomano ma pieno di esseri di ispirazione Lovecraftiana, è così ben fatto e stratificato da essere tra i migliori letti.. per vastità, culture create, complessità e profondità, è l'unico che raggiunge similitudini con quello di Malazan..
La scrittura resta ricca e vivida, con un'originalità unica.. questo volume, ma come tutta la serie, è imprevedibile, magica, mai banale, ricca di sense of wonder, di originalità e creatività.. dain Vermi del Marciume, alle lettere che possono riscrivere la realtà, dai mondi paralleli, alle diverse realtà.. introduce nuove idee e concetti, come i Migranti del Mare di Anime, una nuova magia, dopo aver approfondito Starwriting e Bloodwriting, questa volta è il turno del Sungorging.. niente da dire, semplicemente spettacolare.. non vedo l'ora di scoprire quale sarà il nuovo aspetto che si svelerà nei prossimi capitoli..
I capitoli in cui Zamil gioca con la realtà, su come alcuni poteri possono riscrivere la realtà e le persone, con pesanti conseguenze su memoria, destino, e avvenimenti, beh, sono semplicemente un mind fuck totale!!!!
Così come i vari e misteriosi dettagli del Pantheon che via via vengono scoperti.. da brividi!!
Un volume ricco anche di amore, famiglia, sentimenti, affetto, amicizia, che trovano il posto accanto all'oscurità e alle bassezze degli uomini.. tra pathos e momenti toccanti, Zamil si conferma uno dei miei autori preferiti!!!
Non resta che aspettare il quinto volume, per scoprire cosa succederà, adesso che le due storie sono allineate...
Un quarto libro singolare, diverso dai precedenti.. come fanno intuire anche i colori freddi della cover rispetto ai toni caldi delle precedenti, siamo lontani dalle terre deserte e torride già esplorare.. l ovest è più freddo, ricco di foreste, laghi e ghiacciai.. è diverso anche per la struttura.. torniamo indietro nei tempo, alla fine esatta del primo volume.. emergiamo dai Labirinti assieme a Micah The Metal e scopriamo cosa gli è accaduto.. con un secondo POV del tutto nuovo, Vasco, Capitano, Inquisitore e molto altro.. l'intreccio di questi due POV assieme a tutti i caratteri secondari, ci aiuteranno a scoprire cosa succede a ovest, e quale minaccia sta giungendo proprio da ovest che minacciava Kevah al termine del terzo libro..
Rispetto agli altri tre è forse quello meno ricco di azione vera e propria, anche se sul finale non manca, con un po' più di descrizioni, ma non manca di avvincere e affascinare.. la folle creatività di Zamil riempie ogni pagina, il mondo creato in stile ottomano ma pieno di esseri di ispirazione Lovecraftiana, è così ben fatto e stratificato da essere tra i migliori letti.. per vastità, culture create, complessità e profondità, è l'unico che raggiunge similitudini con quello di Malazan..
La scrittura resta ricca e vivida, con un'originalità unica.. questo volume, ma come tutta la serie, è imprevedibile, magica, mai banale, ricca di sense of wonder, di originalità e creatività.. dain Vermi del Marciume, alle lettere che possono riscrivere la realtà, dai mondi paralleli, alle diverse realtà.. introduce nuove idee e concetti, come i Migranti del Mare di Anime, una nuova magia, dopo aver approfondito Starwriting e Bloodwriting, questa volta è il turno del Sungorging.. niente da dire, semplicemente spettacolare.. non vedo l'ora di scoprire quale sarà il nuovo aspetto che si svelerà nei prossimi capitoli..
I capitoli in cui Zamil gioca con la realtà, su come alcuni poteri possono riscrivere la realtà e le persone, con pesanti conseguenze su memoria, destino, e avvenimenti, beh, sono semplicemente un mind fuck totale!!!!
Così come i vari e misteriosi dettagli del Pantheon che via via vengono scoperti.. da brividi!!
Un volume ricco anche di amore, famiglia, sentimenti, affetto, amicizia, che trovano il posto accanto all'oscurità e alle bassezze degli uomini.. tra pathos e momenti toccanti, Zamil si conferma uno dei miei autori preferiti!!!
Non resta che aspettare il quinto volume, per scoprire cosa succederà, adesso che le due storie sono allineate...
October 22, 2024
Another fantastic entry in a world of Jinn and Angels - this time taking a large step back to revisit some familiar faces and introduce a few new shadier ones. It suffers slightly from a slower pace and not advancing the main narrative too much due to being a “side story” of sorts - but the magic and the brutality continues to ramp up to new incredible heights.
I cannot wait for Book 5 - quickly one of my favourite series.
I cannot wait for Book 5 - quickly one of my favourite series.
January 7, 2025
This book really did answer some satisfying mysteries while also carrying over some of the larger ones that will be handled in the next book.
Zamil Aktar’s prose again was wonderful to behold and I very much appreciate how he tells his stories.
There were some really tough moments that pull on your heartstrings in here, as well as action packed, adrenaline pumping moments too.
A grand speech here or there before a big battle, which I always appreciate, and lots of lovecraftian entities.
5 stars all around!
Zamil Aktar’s prose again was wonderful to behold and I very much appreciate how he tells his stories.
There were some really tough moments that pull on your heartstrings in here, as well as action packed, adrenaline pumping moments too.
A grand speech here or there before a big battle, which I always appreciate, and lots of lovecraftian entities.
5 stars all around!
October 7, 2025
Book 4 of Gunmetal Gods actually takes us back in time to pick up where book 1 left off, this time we follow my favorite character in the series Micah the Metal, who apparently survived his fate. I am glad to see him back, and I enjoyed the explanation of his "death". This time around, he's on a redemption arc and instead of Kevah, this time he faces off against a new character named Vasco dei Cruz.
I like the idea of a redemption story for Micah, and while he does a lot of good things in this book, some of it doesn't quite feel like him. I was expecting more "crisis of faith" moments or him struggling not to revert back to the person he used to be, but we don't get much of that. Because of that, it kind of lessens the impact of his character for me. Luckily, we do have Vasco. His character is full of depth and intrigue. I really hope he takes up a big part of the story going forward.
The story itself is pretty straightforward with the exception of this one weird part involving Micah and Kevah. I'm not a fan of this part at all, and it just threw me out of the story. Luckily, it doesn't last very long. What I am a fan of, however, are the worms. These things are straight out of a body horror movie and are one of the more grotesque things in the series so far.
Overall, I did enjoy this book more than Elder Epoch but still not as much as the first two. I'm interested in seeing where everything goes from here.
I like the idea of a redemption story for Micah, and while he does a lot of good things in this book, some of it doesn't quite feel like him. I was expecting more "crisis of faith" moments or him struggling not to revert back to the person he used to be, but we don't get much of that. Because of that, it kind of lessens the impact of his character for me. Luckily, we do have Vasco. His character is full of depth and intrigue. I really hope he takes up a big part of the story going forward.
The story itself is pretty straightforward with the exception of this one weird part involving Micah and Kevah. I'm not a fan of this part at all, and it just threw me out of the story. Luckily, it doesn't last very long. What I am a fan of, however, are the worms. These things are straight out of a body horror movie and are one of the more grotesque things in the series so far.
Overall, I did enjoy this book more than Elder Epoch but still not as much as the first two. I'm interested in seeing where everything goes from here.
November 19, 2025
At this point, Akhtar has my unwavering trust in his ability to deliver a hard-hitting, wonderfully written, and completely engrossing story… one that blends heavy themes with deep character investment and masterful execution.
Within this series, there seems to be no limit to the captivating magical and theological concepts at play, each offering a unique twist on familiar ideas. Akhtar also weaves in political and cultural parallels with sharp insight and seamless precision. Fans of history will catch plenty of moments that bring a knowing smile.
In Dark Drinker, we follow characters haunted by past sins and traumas as they navigate a tumultuous political landscape and fight to achieve their ambitions. Some seek redemption or forgiveness even when they know it’s hopeless. Others are driven by far murkier motivations, caring little for the cost. Either way, the result is a tapestry of relentless intrigue and visceral emotion—prime fuel for binge-reading and for stoking anticipation for what comes next.
Overall, Dark Drinker is a powerful entry in what I consider a top-tier epic grimdark fantasy and cosmic-horror blend. The horror elements are once again amplified, and I find myself increasingly drawn to the series’ ominously gripping aesthetic. The stage has now been set for an epic showdown between formidable forces and for an expansion into corners of the world we’ve yet to explore. I eagerly await the next book!
Within this series, there seems to be no limit to the captivating magical and theological concepts at play, each offering a unique twist on familiar ideas. Akhtar also weaves in political and cultural parallels with sharp insight and seamless precision. Fans of history will catch plenty of moments that bring a knowing smile.
In Dark Drinker, we follow characters haunted by past sins and traumas as they navigate a tumultuous political landscape and fight to achieve their ambitions. Some seek redemption or forgiveness even when they know it’s hopeless. Others are driven by far murkier motivations, caring little for the cost. Either way, the result is a tapestry of relentless intrigue and visceral emotion—prime fuel for binge-reading and for stoking anticipation for what comes next.
Overall, Dark Drinker is a powerful entry in what I consider a top-tier epic grimdark fantasy and cosmic-horror blend. The horror elements are once again amplified, and I find myself increasingly drawn to the series’ ominously gripping aesthetic. The stage has now been set for an epic showdown between formidable forces and for an expansion into corners of the world we’ve yet to explore. I eagerly await the next book!
August 21, 2024
Book recieved as an ARC reader. Thanks for allowing me to read it before release!
Dark Drinker is the fourth installment in the Gunmetal Gods saga. And Zamil keeps the level of masterful storytelling, character writing and horror. It is not easy achievement, but Dark Drinker is as good as the previous books. It expands the characters , locations and mithology of an already rich world. The whole saga is taking an amazing shape, an equal to the great fantasy epics.
This said, I don´t think Dark Drinker is as good as the previous book, Elder Epoch, but we`ll get to that.
The structure of the book is similar to the prevous Gunmetal Gods stories: two people have a conflict between them, and they decide to make it everyone`s problem. And in the process, destroy one or two kingdoms. This time the conflict is between Micah the Metal, one of the main characters in book 1, and Vasco dei Cruz, a new character.
The conflict starts small, as a personal fight between Micah and Vasco, but it quickly scalates until it engulfs Crucis itself, the homeland of the two main characters. Dark Drinker 500 pages are a thrilling journey packed with action, terror and ridiculously badass powers.
And i have to say, changing completely the location and the characters in a fourth book is a bold move, i respect that. Except for Micah and a few appearances of Kevah, there are almost no characters from previous books. But Zamil manages to make them as compelling as his other characters. Special mention for Vasco, the new POV character. He is a complex and intriguing character, and can`t wait to see what will he do in following books.
And of course this would not be a Gunmetal Gods book without a healthy dose of pants-soiling terror. Aside from the expertly written cosmic horror, Zamil delights us with some visceral, gory, worm-filled horror. We have both scenes with eldritch abominarions that defy description, and scenes so nauseating, they make you want to schedule a doctor appointment.
All these aspects considered, i can say i have enjoyed Dark Drinker as much as any other installment of the saga. 4.5/5
However, there are a few flaws that, in my opinion, prevent it from reaching the level of Elder Epoch. Mild spoilers below!
In the first place, Micah`s character development feels a little off. His journey during the whole book is one of redemption, trying to be better than the abusive, child-murdering tyrant he was in the first book. During the story, he genuinely tries to make amends for the things he has done. Yet it feels he starts the book already changed, instead of being a gradual process. He begins the book saving a bunch of people he doesn`t know, risking his life to protect them. So, i feel this makes his redemption story lose weight.
Second i`m not thrilled about the new eldritch phenomenon introduced in this book, the flying letters. Their ability to rewrite anything in a person is fascinating, but i find it frustrating to read. Apparently there is no limit of what they can do, which i don`t think that goes well with the alredy introduced magic systems, all of them having well defined limits and conditions.
And this leads me to the ending. Major spoilers from here, duh.
I felt that the letters thing worsened what could have been a very powerful ending. That suddenly Vasco forgets about the bad blood between him and Micah... does not feel right after all that had happened. It`s still a good ending though, and maybe the next book will justify those narrative decisions.
And speaking of endings and bold moves, i have to say: spoiling the ending of your book in the prologue, even without much context, shows an amazing confidence in your writing skills. I take my hat off to that
Dark Drinker is the fourth installment in the Gunmetal Gods saga. And Zamil keeps the level of masterful storytelling, character writing and horror. It is not easy achievement, but Dark Drinker is as good as the previous books. It expands the characters , locations and mithology of an already rich world. The whole saga is taking an amazing shape, an equal to the great fantasy epics.
This said, I don´t think Dark Drinker is as good as the previous book, Elder Epoch, but we`ll get to that.
The structure of the book is similar to the prevous Gunmetal Gods stories: two people have a conflict between them, and they decide to make it everyone`s problem. And in the process, destroy one or two kingdoms. This time the conflict is between Micah the Metal, one of the main characters in book 1, and Vasco dei Cruz, a new character.
The conflict starts small, as a personal fight between Micah and Vasco, but it quickly scalates until it engulfs Crucis itself, the homeland of the two main characters. Dark Drinker 500 pages are a thrilling journey packed with action, terror and ridiculously badass powers.
And i have to say, changing completely the location and the characters in a fourth book is a bold move, i respect that. Except for Micah and a few appearances of Kevah, there are almost no characters from previous books. But Zamil manages to make them as compelling as his other characters. Special mention for Vasco, the new POV character. He is a complex and intriguing character, and can`t wait to see what will he do in following books.
And of course this would not be a Gunmetal Gods book without a healthy dose of pants-soiling terror. Aside from the expertly written cosmic horror, Zamil delights us with some visceral, gory, worm-filled horror. We have both scenes with eldritch abominarions that defy description, and scenes so nauseating, they make you want to schedule a doctor appointment.
All these aspects considered, i can say i have enjoyed Dark Drinker as much as any other installment of the saga. 4.5/5
However, there are a few flaws that, in my opinion, prevent it from reaching the level of Elder Epoch. Mild spoilers below!
In the first place, Micah`s character development feels a little off. His journey during the whole book is one of redemption, trying to be better than the abusive, child-murdering tyrant he was in the first book. During the story, he genuinely tries to make amends for the things he has done. Yet it feels he starts the book already changed, instead of being a gradual process. He begins the book saving a bunch of people he doesn`t know, risking his life to protect them. So, i feel this makes his redemption story lose weight.
Second i`m not thrilled about the new eldritch phenomenon introduced in this book, the flying letters. Their ability to rewrite anything in a person is fascinating, but i find it frustrating to read. Apparently there is no limit of what they can do, which i don`t think that goes well with the alredy introduced magic systems, all of them having well defined limits and conditions.
And this leads me to the ending. Major spoilers from here, duh.
I felt that the letters thing worsened what could have been a very powerful ending. That suddenly Vasco forgets about the bad blood between him and Micah... does not feel right after all that had happened. It`s still a good ending though, and maybe the next book will justify those narrative decisions.
And speaking of endings and bold moves, i have to say: spoiling the ending of your book in the prologue, even without much context, shows an amazing confidence in your writing skills. I take my hat off to that
September 28, 2025
As in Book 2, this novel sidelines Kevah in favor of pitting two other characters against each other. The first is our old friend Micah the Metal, last seen dying from a bullet wound at the end of the first book. Surprise! He didn't die. But he's had religion quite snuffed out of him, so now he aims his sight (and gunmetal hand) much lower: to save and protect a woman and her two children.
Going up against Kevah is a new character, Vasco. He's the leader of a mercantile empire, but secretly he's an Emigrant: a person whose soul is destined to reincarnate over and over. This makes him different from most people, whose souls are lost when they die. Vasco believes that some sort of calamity is coming, and he's determined to save all the Emigrants he can find from it. He cares nothing for non-Emigrants (including his daughter), so his plan includes war and conquest.
The people that Micah is trying to help are Vasco's would-be wife, his daughter, and an adopted son who is really Kevah's son. While Vaso tries to get them, Micah is trying to get them away.
The second half of the book involves a war with a barbarian war chief, in which Micah and Vaso take opposite sides.
There's a chapter in which Micah experiences an alternate world. He lives as Kevah, but in this world the wars turned out differently than in ours (well, the book's); Kevah's (and Micah's) daughter lived; and Kevah lived a full life, coming to be known as the "Man of Peace". This was a great interlude.
The prose is as good as the previous books in this series. Perhaps there was a touch too much philosophizing, but it's still very strong. The plot is the weaker part of this book. Although it's good by most standards, it's weaker than the previous entries in this series. One reason is that Micah's goals are so modest, whereas the previous books were on a grander scale. And as for Vasco, his goals aren't really clear to me even after I've finished the book. Again there's talk about some "cosmic egg" and a calamity to come, but it's all too vague to make sense. So I had to enjoy the moment-to-moment action rather than follow the overall plan, which is inscrutable. Oh, and the eldritch horrors in this book aren't as horrible as the blood-cloud demons in the previous book. I did like the idea of magic letters that rewrite a person's life, though.
Going up against Kevah is a new character, Vasco. He's the leader of a mercantile empire, but secretly he's an Emigrant: a person whose soul is destined to reincarnate over and over. This makes him different from most people, whose souls are lost when they die. Vasco believes that some sort of calamity is coming, and he's determined to save all the Emigrants he can find from it. He cares nothing for non-Emigrants (including his daughter), so his plan includes war and conquest.
The people that Micah is trying to help are Vasco's would-be wife, his daughter, and an adopted son who is really Kevah's son. While Vaso tries to get them, Micah is trying to get them away.
The second half of the book involves a war with a barbarian war chief, in which Micah and Vaso take opposite sides.
There's a chapter in which Micah experiences an alternate world. He lives as Kevah, but in this world the wars turned out differently than in ours (well, the book's); Kevah's (and Micah's) daughter lived; and Kevah lived a full life, coming to be known as the "Man of Peace". This was a great interlude.
The prose is as good as the previous books in this series. Perhaps there was a touch too much philosophizing, but it's still very strong. The plot is the weaker part of this book. Although it's good by most standards, it's weaker than the previous entries in this series. One reason is that Micah's goals are so modest, whereas the previous books were on a grander scale. And as for Vasco, his goals aren't really clear to me even after I've finished the book. Again there's talk about some "cosmic egg" and a calamity to come, but it's all too vague to make sense. So I had to enjoy the moment-to-moment action rather than follow the overall plan, which is inscrutable. Oh, and the eldritch horrors in this book aren't as horrible as the blood-cloud demons in the previous book. I did like the idea of magic letters that rewrite a person's life, though.
August 4, 2025
"No matter how much we cherish something, we always feel its loss as it slips away. Mourn today, but tomorrow, cherish what remains."
I don't know if Zamil Akhtar considers his own work to be grimdark fantasy, but I certainly feel like it fits that genre. The cosmic horror present in some of the earlier Gunmetal Gods books isn't as present here, which is always something I look forward to, so not seeing it as much as it was present in Elder Epoch was a little bit disappointing. The story more than made up for the lack of said horror, however, this comes with another "but." I was very much looking forward to a progression of the story and Dark Drinker is more of a companion novel to Elder Epoch much in the same way that GRRM's "A Storm of Swords" and "A Feast for Crows" are to each other. The biggest difference here is that Zamil Akhtar uses a well-known character to go off on this adventure, whereas in the ASOIAF books, "A Feast for Crows" are mostly B-List characters I couldn't have cared less about what they were doing during "A Storm of Swords."
The plot and character development are impeccable as always. Without spoiling the ending too much, I did feel like with the way this ended that I felt like my time was taken advantage of a bit. I'm hoping there's more in store for the way things end for a certain character, as it seems almost anything is possible in this world. The ending *was* very grimdark though, so I just have to live with it and trust Zamil Akhtar is taking this in the best possible direction.
I don't know if Zamil Akhtar considers his own work to be grimdark fantasy, but I certainly feel like it fits that genre. The cosmic horror present in some of the earlier Gunmetal Gods books isn't as present here, which is always something I look forward to, so not seeing it as much as it was present in Elder Epoch was a little bit disappointing. The story more than made up for the lack of said horror, however, this comes with another "but." I was very much looking forward to a progression of the story and Dark Drinker is more of a companion novel to Elder Epoch much in the same way that GRRM's "A Storm of Swords" and "A Feast for Crows" are to each other. The biggest difference here is that Zamil Akhtar uses a well-known character to go off on this adventure, whereas in the ASOIAF books, "A Feast for Crows" are mostly B-List characters I couldn't have cared less about what they were doing during "A Storm of Swords."
The plot and character development are impeccable as always. Without spoiling the ending too much, I did feel like with the way this ended that I felt like my time was taken advantage of a bit. I'm hoping there's more in store for the way things end for a certain character, as it seems almost anything is possible in this world. The ending *was* very grimdark though, so I just have to live with it and trust Zamil Akhtar is taking this in the best possible direction.
September 3, 2024
Zamil Akhtar is back with a new entry in his Gunmetal Gods series and it's a keeper! The author graciously provided me with an advance ebook copy, but I could have gladly waited longer to read it.
Akhtar has developed an elaborate universe and magic system and has been wisely saving new wrinkles to add to it. Dark Drinker is as much character study as action, adventure, and war, and man does he excel at characters. He eschews the notion of antagonists versus protagonists - the characters, like real people, display shifting allegiances and even principles, so the reader may find themselves sympathizing with a character they've learned to hate, or vice versa.
As deft as he is at character work, his plotting and worldbuilding are just as good. This is the fourth entry in the series, with at least one more planned, which gives Akhtar room to weave elaborate storylines around those beautifully written characters.
I long ago reached a point where I'm pretty sure I'll read anything this author puts in front of me, so I'll be snapping up that next/last volume and anything else he cooks up in the meantime and after.
I imagine as this is a fourth book in a series I'm likely preaching to the choir, but if you just happened to click on my notes without having read Akhtar, give Gunmetal Gods a try, or sign up to his newsletter to grab a free copy of the associated novella Death Rider to sample his writing and this world. [Edited to fix incorrect novella title!]
Akhtar has developed an elaborate universe and magic system and has been wisely saving new wrinkles to add to it. Dark Drinker is as much character study as action, adventure, and war, and man does he excel at characters. He eschews the notion of antagonists versus protagonists - the characters, like real people, display shifting allegiances and even principles, so the reader may find themselves sympathizing with a character they've learned to hate, or vice versa.
As deft as he is at character work, his plotting and worldbuilding are just as good. This is the fourth entry in the series, with at least one more planned, which gives Akhtar room to weave elaborate storylines around those beautifully written characters.
I long ago reached a point where I'm pretty sure I'll read anything this author puts in front of me, so I'll be snapping up that next/last volume and anything else he cooks up in the meantime and after.
I imagine as this is a fourth book in a series I'm likely preaching to the choir, but if you just happened to click on my notes without having read Akhtar, give Gunmetal Gods a try, or sign up to his newsletter to grab a free copy of the associated novella Death Rider to sample his writing and this world. [Edited to fix incorrect novella title!]
July 17, 2025
After the first three books in this series kept me on the edge of my seat by building up two fascinating charcaters and pitting them against one another, this fourth entree in the series was a bit of a let down. Jumping back in time to flesh out a new player on the board while bringing back an old favorite is a really interesting idea, but a lot of this one began to feel repetitive of things we had seen before and with how it ultimately ends, I was left feeling like very little of this books events mattered when all was said and done. If a fundamental aspect of a character changes near the end of a story through no action of their own, did the old version of the character matter to begin with?
Getting to explore Crucis was a lot of fun and had it's own distinct feeling, especially in Hyperion. It was cool to see how the reprecussions of book one were effecting the Ethosian side of the conflict.
Still very excited to see how this series will wrap up in the fifth book when we get back to the meat of the story with Kevah and the Eastern side of the map.
Getting to explore Crucis was a lot of fun and had it's own distinct feeling, especially in Hyperion. It was cool to see how the reprecussions of book one were effecting the Ethosian side of the conflict.
Still very excited to see how this series will wrap up in the fifth book when we get back to the meat of the story with Kevah and the Eastern side of the map.
June 21, 2025
This series has quickly jumped to my top 5 list, despite it being fairly dark, it's an amazing world with wonderful lore and unique magic systems. I've been thoroughly impressed by every book in this series but the one character I've been missing the POV of was Micah. This book really does him justice, at least in my eyes, and it's a good redemption arc for one of my favorite characters. On the other hand, I absolutely hate Vasco, the second POV character. This guy had me wanting to murder him and he is a fictional character. He made me irrationally mad at times, but honestly, that's a testament to Akhtar's writing.
On a side note, books like this make me wonder what the hell is going on in publishing. This, The Bound and the Broken, Cradle, and The Echoes Saga were all self published and are easily in my top 5 or 10 series of all time.
On a side note, books like this make me wonder what the hell is going on in publishing. This, The Bound and the Broken, Cradle, and The Echoes Saga were all self published and are easily in my top 5 or 10 series of all time.
November 14, 2024
It's funny how a future book can make you sympathize with the villain of an earlier one. Micah certainly doesn't become good by any stretch, or even redeemed or vindicated in any way. But there's a bit of insight as he goes head to head against another bastard, while both are unwittingly pawns of more sinister powers.
December 21, 2024
Love the series
This is the 4th book. It's good and fun and spooky and sometimes confusing, such is art.
I'm really just throwing words here so I can post the review. If you, for some reason, are on the fence about reading the 4th book in a series you're already 3 books invested into... idk, bit odd? Give this bad boy a read.
This is the 4th book. It's good and fun and spooky and sometimes confusing, such is art.
I'm really just throwing words here so I can post the review. If you, for some reason, are on the fence about reading the 4th book in a series you're already 3 books invested into... idk, bit odd? Give this bad boy a read.
February 21, 2025
Curious and curiouser
To quote Alice. It is a bit like a dark ‘Wonderland’ always wondering where the story is heading to - thought I had an inkling and then I read ‘Dark Drinker’!
Not complaining, I really enjoy the twists and turns of this most excellent epic - not sure I want it to end anyway :-)
To quote Alice. It is a bit like a dark ‘Wonderland’ always wondering where the story is heading to - thought I had an inkling and then I read ‘Dark Drinker’!
Not complaining, I really enjoy the twists and turns of this most excellent epic - not sure I want it to end anyway :-)
July 26, 2024
DISCLAIMER: I was a Beta Reader for this book, assuming it didn't change much (& probably even if it did! haha) this is my short & spoiler-free review.
It was Solid!
I can highly recommend this next installment in this epic series, well done Zamil!
It was Solid!
I can highly recommend this next installment in this epic series, well done Zamil!
October 2, 2024
3.5/5 Solid book the wormrot is cool and the new magic system is interesting but this book really just feels like setup for the next as most of this book is basically a flash back of what is happening in other parts of the world
January 12, 2025
Couldn't put it down!
This book series is going from strength to strength, I can't wait for the next chapter. The setting really sets this apart from other fantasy, excellent world building.
This book series is going from strength to strength, I can't wait for the next chapter. The setting really sets this apart from other fantasy, excellent world building.
September 22, 2024
Beautiful and intriguing
October 6, 2024
Excellent.
This was really good. The Gunmetal Gods Saga has really hit it's stride in this novel. I'm looking forward the next book.
This was really good. The Gunmetal Gods Saga has really hit it's stride in this novel. I'm looking forward the next book.
Read
December 5, 2024good book, would like to see a reunion or second battle of micah and kevah
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2025
A good continuation of the series and the new characters introduced are great. I did feel it was a little disconnected from the previous books.
February 25, 2025
Review to come
April 8, 2025
I love this series so much. Every book adds a new layer to this world. Akhtar is the master of creating monsters.
4.5 Stars
4.5 Stars
July 28, 2025
My favorite of the four! You can read how much better Ahktar has gotten at pulling us into this world. I’m
Excited for GMG 5.
Excited for GMG 5.
November 4, 2025
I just loved this series with dark drinker be one of the best so far,I can't wait for book five.
September 12, 2025
This book focuses on the crucian side of the story and lore, which I loved as I sorely missed that aspect in books 3 and 4. The main character is quite entertaining to read about, and I think this book does the eldritch horror aspect of the series the best out of all 4 books.
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