A Taste of Darkness and Life

by Jason Bustard

Amandine is settling into her position as Chef Brutsche’s apprentice at Manor L’Eau and living in the Gold Hills with her new parents. She has her friends, a job she loves, and a real home for the first time. There’s even a hint of magic, perhaps a remnant of Hemm’s spell, that lingers around her. It’s not all sugarsap, though. Sister Corbin won’t go away, working in a noble’s kitchen can be stressful, and Fredderick is, well, Fredderick. Despite it all, life is luminous. The kettle gets tipped, however, when blight strikes the food reserves of the Gold Hills just before the Shiv, and throws everything Amandine has gained into question. Now she must take on new responsibilities, solve difficult problems, and make a choice about where she needs to be. In addition to that, the strange lingering enchantment around her seems to be growing stronger, not fading. The dwarves of the Seven Hammers may have at least some of the answers to the troubles facing Amandine and the Gold Hills, but to reach them, she’ll have to leave her newfound place of comfort and go on a journey that will change her life forever.

493 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

Jason grew up (mostly) in central California, surrounded by rolling hills, wheat fields and grapevines. He has been creating worlds for himself and his friends for decades, and is a gigantic nerd for everything sci-fi and fantasy related. Role-playing games, board games, video games and cooking are just a few of his many hobbies. He currently lives near Portland, OR, in a muli-generational home with his wife, two kids, two inlaws, and a neurotic bernadoodle.

Reviews

[A.E. Stueve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I jumped into Bustard's A Taste of Darkness and Life without having read the first in the series but could nevertheless enjoy the story. I think mostly this is due to protagonist Amandine who is a very relatable character. I may not be from the magical kingdom or know much about cooking and baking or any of the more magical elements of Amandine's life. Despite that, her struggles, her fears, her mistakes, and her desires are just as human and natural as mine. I can't help but root for her because I feel I "get" her and that she would "get" me too. But that is not all. I always fear information dumps when I read any type of fantasy or sci-fi. I know a bit of it is necessary when creating a world from scratch, but Bustard describes his locales, his characters, and his creatures in such a way as to not slow the narrative. I am certain that when I go back and read book one, I will return to A Taste of Darkness and Life with a greater understanding of Amandine and her world and enjoy the book all the more because of it.