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No Man's Land
The Great War was supposed to be the war to end all wars-and maybe it would have been, had an even greater, otherworldly foe not arisen to extinguish the conflict. Overnight, as guns blazed away in France and Flanders, village after village in the quiet British countryside were swallowed by the Forest. And within the Forest lurk the Huldu ‒ an ancient fae race, monstrous in their inhumanity, who have decided that mankind's ascendency over the world can endure no longer.
Enter Duncan Silver. Scarred by the war, fueled by a rage deeper than the trenches in which he once fought, Duncan is determined to show the Huldu that the world is not theirs for the taking. Armed with a cut-down trench gun filled with iron shot and a deadly iron knife, Duncan will stop at nothing to return the children the Huldu have stolen from the arms of their families. No matter how many Huldu he may have to slaughter along the way.
But when he is hired by a mother to return her four-year-old daughter, Miriam ‒ taken by the Huldu six months past and replaced with a Changeling ‒ all hell breaks loose. Miriam is a pawn in a much bigger game for dominance than Duncan ever expected, and several long-buried secrets from his past are about to be violently resurrected.
Enter Duncan Silver. Scarred by the war, fueled by a rage deeper than the trenches in which he once fought, Duncan is determined to show the Huldu that the world is not theirs for the taking. Armed with a cut-down trench gun filled with iron shot and a deadly iron knife, Duncan will stop at nothing to return the children the Huldu have stolen from the arms of their families. No matter how many Huldu he may have to slaughter along the way.
But when he is hired by a mother to return her four-year-old daughter, Miriam ‒ taken by the Huldu six months past and replaced with a Changeling ‒ all hell breaks loose. Miriam is a pawn in a much bigger game for dominance than Duncan ever expected, and several long-buried secrets from his past are about to be violently resurrected.
478 pages, Hardcover
First published March 24, 2026
About the author
Richard K. Morgan
71 books5,732 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Richard K. Morgan (sometimes credited as Richard Morgan) is a science fiction and fantasy writer.
Richard K. Morgan (sometimes credited as Richard Morgan) is a science fiction and fantasy writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
April 20, 2026
I have read previous series by Richard K. Morgan and the series a Land fit for heroes is in my most favourite series of all time,so naturally i was hyped for this book.....sadly it didnt live up to my expactations.....
No Man's Land is a dark,gritty dirty filled with gore (sex as well), so something that usually,for a huge Grimdark fan like me, fits what i am used to reading, Richard K. Morgan, if you read some of his other work, is really great in creating atmosphare that holds your breath and makes you feel uncomfortable,while also having some great high level action scenes,which also again fits this book,BUT the whole book felt,at least to me, like a setup for the next book (while as far as i know this book is a standalone),the pace was all over the place,at times i felt like its dragging by trying to explain things that have nothing to do with what the scene is about,the characters,beside the MC, felt shallow to me,even the MC felt a bit hollow (if you have read the other series by Richard K. Morgan you will understand what i mean).
The writing and the Worldbuilding is,as expected, on a high level and i think i might have looked at this book differently, and maybe even enjoyed it more,without having read the previous series by Richard K. Morgan,because of my high expactations.
So if you want to try out this Author and dont commit to a full series (i would recommend it tho), this book is a good try out without having to commit to it, if after reading this book you wanted MORE, but you liked the premise of the book,jump into the series like A Land fit for heroes,that series is on whole different level!
No Man's Land is a dark,gritty dirty filled with gore (sex as well), so something that usually,for a huge Grimdark fan like me, fits what i am used to reading, Richard K. Morgan, if you read some of his other work, is really great in creating atmosphare that holds your breath and makes you feel uncomfortable,while also having some great high level action scenes,which also again fits this book,BUT the whole book felt,at least to me, like a setup for the next book (while as far as i know this book is a standalone),the pace was all over the place,at times i felt like its dragging by trying to explain things that have nothing to do with what the scene is about,the characters,beside the MC, felt shallow to me,even the MC felt a bit hollow (if you have read the other series by Richard K. Morgan you will understand what i mean).
The writing and the Worldbuilding is,as expected, on a high level and i think i might have looked at this book differently, and maybe even enjoyed it more,without having read the previous series by Richard K. Morgan,because of my high expactations.
So if you want to try out this Author and dont commit to a full series (i would recommend it tho), this book is a good try out without having to commit to it, if after reading this book you wanted MORE, but you liked the premise of the book,jump into the series like A Land fit for heroes,that series is on whole different level!
May 12, 2026
Filled with bone-crunching action, grit, and pathos in equal measures, this grimdark historical fantasy barely lets you catch your breath once it gets started. As I have come to expect from Morgan, the world-building and atmosphere are incredible. He has a way of describing a scene with vivid detail that still feels like it comes from the characters, never floating above them. For me this makes his environments feel immersive and real, jagged edges and all. The setting, a post Armistice England that had contact with and understanding of the fae world before the world but a relationship that has exploded with violence as a result of the Great War shaking something loose, was interesting and put to good use. This story didn't have to be a historical fantasy; more or less the same story could have been a second world fantasy and it would be details only to change… and yet the setting adds a whole lot. Firstly, it just imposes on the reader's sense of reality, which is always welcome. But more than that it adds an emotional tension to the characters that would be hard to do otherwise, gifting us a shorthand to understand the levels of desperation that people were feeling after the war. The main character, Duncan, felt a little anachronistic in just how rough around the edges he is, and his wildly graphic language, but most grimdark anti-hero protagonists don't fit quite right into the world they find themselves in, so this didn't bother me. Overall, the world and atmosphere and the writing style that forces you into these spaces are compelling and encompassing.
The writing is very muscular. It will lean into emotion and pathos as needed, often using flashbacks as a chance to insert emotional weight, and it also isn't afraid of thick description, flirting with the literary and poetic on occasion, but those both only serve to highlight how unrelenting it is overall. It has a destination and it is constantly plowing forward, and the reader gets to come along for the ride only if they can hold on. At least, that is how it feels. The writing is graphic, in describing both violence and sexuality, and doesn't turn away from the blood being spilled. All the characters feel like they have a depth to them, even if they are fitting neatly into expected roles in this kind of story. Morgan's protagonists are almost always antiheroes, only their level "anti" does change here and there, and Duncan has more of a heart than expected under his broken glass, bomb blast exterior. The various ancillary characters don't feel phoned in at all, all feel like they have rich histories and complicated realities, even if they serve convenient or expected narrative purposes. Duncan's anger and violence come from trauma, of course, but it feels earned here. His time in the war yes, but also his childhood before the war both serve as welcome depths to a character that responds with his fists first. None of his trauma is wildly inventive or unexpected, but again it is a place where Morgan uses the WW1 setting to really allow for a resounding characterization that feels grounded in a dirty, painful reality. None of the character work feels easy, and while nothing feels as cutting edge as some of the ideas you may find in some of Morgan's cyberpunk stories this tory still feels like it is pushing boundaries and wringing the most out of every character, every page, and it works for me.
I really enjoy the writing style and narrative style, though it is not any sort of wild departure for Morgan. The narrative is filled with broken histories, characters that are meta-human/augmented and then discarded by the powers who commissioned them, political intrigue and double-crosses, money and power serving o subvert the best interests of the public as it is a ravenous beast interested only in its own proliferation, and so on. The introduction of the fae world, and the various creatures that come from it, is inventive and definitely a different look for Morgan, but they really just serve as a different weapon, a different obstacle, for our protagonist to overcome. He is following similar narrative trajectories to what you will find in some of his other stand-alone works, but there is enough new and intriguing here that it doesn't feel repetitive, and it is definitely never boring. If you have read his other novels then you might be able to anticipate where things are going, but that doesn't take away from the quality of this book on its own, which is propulsive and hard to put down. There are a number of action scenes that are breathtaking, both in choreography and in brutality, which is on its own a delight to read. That they work as character moments as well, propelling the character and story forward in meaningful ways, is like icing on the cake. There is a relentlessness to the pacing, with the action set pieces serving to push it along, but there are a few moments of stillness, moments of observation and reflection, which work just enough to make sure there is more than just spectacle on these pages.
This story is gritty, vulgar, and violent. It has genuine emotional depths, but you have to wade through barbed-wire trenches filled with the blown-apart bodies of your comrades to get there. The story leans into conventional grimdark tropes and sentimentality, with sex and violence being the most common languages to express the brutal desperation and weary hostility of the world. The historical setting adds an interesting spin to those expected grimdark fantasy tropes, and the story feels fresh and inventive as a result. I enjoyed it from the very first page, and if vicious fae and sympathetic brutes with violence in their eyes and vulgarity in their mouths are in your literary wheelhouse then this novel is a wonderful feast.
(Rounded from 4.5)
The writing is very muscular. It will lean into emotion and pathos as needed, often using flashbacks as a chance to insert emotional weight, and it also isn't afraid of thick description, flirting with the literary and poetic on occasion, but those both only serve to highlight how unrelenting it is overall. It has a destination and it is constantly plowing forward, and the reader gets to come along for the ride only if they can hold on. At least, that is how it feels. The writing is graphic, in describing both violence and sexuality, and doesn't turn away from the blood being spilled. All the characters feel like they have a depth to them, even if they are fitting neatly into expected roles in this kind of story. Morgan's protagonists are almost always antiheroes, only their level "anti" does change here and there, and Duncan has more of a heart than expected under his broken glass, bomb blast exterior. The various ancillary characters don't feel phoned in at all, all feel like they have rich histories and complicated realities, even if they serve convenient or expected narrative purposes. Duncan's anger and violence come from trauma, of course, but it feels earned here. His time in the war yes, but also his childhood before the war both serve as welcome depths to a character that responds with his fists first. None of his trauma is wildly inventive or unexpected, but again it is a place where Morgan uses the WW1 setting to really allow for a resounding characterization that feels grounded in a dirty, painful reality. None of the character work feels easy, and while nothing feels as cutting edge as some of the ideas you may find in some of Morgan's cyberpunk stories this tory still feels like it is pushing boundaries and wringing the most out of every character, every page, and it works for me.
I really enjoy the writing style and narrative style, though it is not any sort of wild departure for Morgan. The narrative is filled with broken histories, characters that are meta-human/augmented and then discarded by the powers who commissioned them, political intrigue and double-crosses, money and power serving o subvert the best interests of the public as it is a ravenous beast interested only in its own proliferation, and so on. The introduction of the fae world, and the various creatures that come from it, is inventive and definitely a different look for Morgan, but they really just serve as a different weapon, a different obstacle, for our protagonist to overcome. He is following similar narrative trajectories to what you will find in some of his other stand-alone works, but there is enough new and intriguing here that it doesn't feel repetitive, and it is definitely never boring. If you have read his other novels then you might be able to anticipate where things are going, but that doesn't take away from the quality of this book on its own, which is propulsive and hard to put down. There are a number of action scenes that are breathtaking, both in choreography and in brutality, which is on its own a delight to read. That they work as character moments as well, propelling the character and story forward in meaningful ways, is like icing on the cake. There is a relentlessness to the pacing, with the action set pieces serving to push it along, but there are a few moments of stillness, moments of observation and reflection, which work just enough to make sure there is more than just spectacle on these pages.
This story is gritty, vulgar, and violent. It has genuine emotional depths, but you have to wade through barbed-wire trenches filled with the blown-apart bodies of your comrades to get there. The story leans into conventional grimdark tropes and sentimentality, with sex and violence being the most common languages to express the brutal desperation and weary hostility of the world. The historical setting adds an interesting spin to those expected grimdark fantasy tropes, and the story feels fresh and inventive as a result. I enjoyed it from the very first page, and if vicious fae and sympathetic brutes with violence in their eyes and vulgarity in their mouths are in your literary wheelhouse then this novel is a wonderful feast.
(Rounded from 4.5)
November 22, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC! All thoughts are my own!
This is going to be a DNF for me sorry. All the swearing and the writing style just isn't working for me and life is just too short to read a book I'm not enjoying. Also, it's oddly sexual and I've read in other reviews that it only gets worse so that's a no from me.
If those things don't bother you then this one could work for you!
🤍
This is going to be a DNF for me sorry. All the swearing and the writing style just isn't working for me and life is just too short to read a book I'm not enjoying. Also, it's oddly sexual and I've read in other reviews that it only gets worse so that's a no from me.
If those things don't bother you then this one could work for you!
🤍
May 30, 2026
Worthy of all of its award nominations, No Man's Land is the Fae "high" (sorta) fantasy I have always wanted. If there were a classification for medium fantasy, this would be an example. Much of it is nearly urban fantasy. Whatever the appropriate classification, it reads so smoothly--no overly complicated info dumps, no bizarre names you can't remember, beautifully sculpted prose and structure. The story is refreshingly original (not easy to accomplish with this subject), and the suspense never falters. Folks, this is literature.
As with many extremely well written books, you may encounter mixed reviews here simply because this one has no intention of spoon feeding readers. If you want a quick, thrilling fix for a plane ride (and yes, I read and enjoy those too as they have their place) this novel is not your jam. If you want to be submerged in a new fantasy world, not fully unlike our own, with fae mythology and high stakes conflicts with a hero to match, get it immediately.
The premise: In a world not entirely unlike our own, the wards which once held back the Fae have collapsed, and now their forests encroach on human cities. A well reputed "fixer" begins his journey to enter the fae woods to retrieve a stolen child who had been replaced by a changeling, but before his journey can get underway, he is pressed into service by a human army preparing for war. Oh the many complications which ensue as he attempts to meet both obligations!
What I love most is that this is a novel that explores fae mythology very seriously, dark and dangerously. I don't pretend to know for certain, but I would bet money on the fact that Mr. Morgan has probably read, internalized and been partially influenced Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind. There is a weightiness to No Man's Land--a sense that you are reading a definitive work on this subject matter. But the prose is actually quite reader friendly--it is not dense. There's no filler. I effortlessly got lost in this story, and I would have happily stayed there if only I could have read more slowly.
I sincerely look forward to more from Mr. Morgan! This is one of my favorite fantasies this year.
As with many extremely well written books, you may encounter mixed reviews here simply because this one has no intention of spoon feeding readers. If you want a quick, thrilling fix for a plane ride (and yes, I read and enjoy those too as they have their place) this novel is not your jam. If you want to be submerged in a new fantasy world, not fully unlike our own, with fae mythology and high stakes conflicts with a hero to match, get it immediately.
The premise: In a world not entirely unlike our own, the wards which once held back the Fae have collapsed, and now their forests encroach on human cities. A well reputed "fixer" begins his journey to enter the fae woods to retrieve a stolen child who had been replaced by a changeling, but before his journey can get underway, he is pressed into service by a human army preparing for war. Oh the many complications which ensue as he attempts to meet both obligations!
What I love most is that this is a novel that explores fae mythology very seriously, dark and dangerously. I don't pretend to know for certain, but I would bet money on the fact that Mr. Morgan has probably read, internalized and been partially influenced Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind. There is a weightiness to No Man's Land--a sense that you are reading a definitive work on this subject matter. But the prose is actually quite reader friendly--it is not dense. There's no filler. I effortlessly got lost in this story, and I would have happily stayed there if only I could have read more slowly.
I sincerely look forward to more from Mr. Morgan! This is one of my favorite fantasies this year.
Did Not Finish
March 15, 2026I was intrigued by the gorgeous cover, and the blending of noir elements with folklore was promising, but the grimdark mood & language, graphic violence, and casual sexualisation of the first female character to appear made me quickly realise this was not for me. Perhaps the protagonist has a redemption arc, but I'm not the reader to appreciate it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC.
April 2, 2026
A grimdark tale full of harrowing landscapes, flawed and plagued characters, and an ancient magic sweeping the countryside. Morgan’s prose will have you smelling the blood and earth, feeling the dampness of the forest, and craving more from the narrative. A fantastic story.
May 17, 2026
Alternate (post-)WWI with faeries? Sign me up! ...Or so I thought.
Sadly this is very dull, in a particularly masculine way -- big hero with big suppressed emotions, lots of action scenes, woman after woman after woman who can't stop begging this guy to fuck them even though he has little discernible personality. There are hints of a more interesting story toward the end, but that's not where any of the focus is, for 500 boring, grunting pages.
Sadly this is very dull, in a particularly masculine way -- big hero with big suppressed emotions, lots of action scenes, woman after woman after woman who can't stop begging this guy to fuck them even though he has little discernible personality. There are hints of a more interesting story toward the end, but that's not where any of the focus is, for 500 boring, grunting pages.
January 23, 2026
I love historical fantasy as a genre so the idea of one set in England in the bleak years directly after the First World War hooked me right away. In this strange alternative timeline the inhuman creatures of fairy tales, the Fae, have reemerged after centuries to conquer huge swaths of Britain, replacing human towns and villages with a giant, evil forest. The story follows Duncan Silver, a damaged WW1 veteran turned “woodsman” who ventures into these brutal woodlands to retrieve stolen children. The fae have a nasty habit of abducting infants to raise as slaves, it seems.
I really liked Duncan as a character. His grim backstory gave him a nice amount of depth and contextualized him into the story in an organic way. The action is terrific and the creepy fae elements are handled really well. It also feels like Morgan went to great lengths to depict the period vividly and that greatly helps to anchor this otherwordly story.
I did find it difficult to follow at times and may even need to re-read it at some point. Major plot points seemed to pass by without emphasis and I’m still unclear on several things. It also felt like the magical elements disappeared for a large part of the novel and my attention flagged a little at that point. There’s probably twice as much graphic sex as it needs and that may put off some readers.
Overall though this was a banger and if you like a little historical fiction with your dark fantasy it’s well worth your time.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
I really liked Duncan as a character. His grim backstory gave him a nice amount of depth and contextualized him into the story in an organic way. The action is terrific and the creepy fae elements are handled really well. It also feels like Morgan went to great lengths to depict the period vividly and that greatly helps to anchor this otherwordly story.
I did find it difficult to follow at times and may even need to re-read it at some point. Major plot points seemed to pass by without emphasis and I’m still unclear on several things. It also felt like the magical elements disappeared for a large part of the novel and my attention flagged a little at that point. There’s probably twice as much graphic sex as it needs and that may put off some readers.
Overall though this was a banger and if you like a little historical fiction with your dark fantasy it’s well worth your time.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
September 15, 2025
Quick very high level summary.
Post WWI Britain is overrun by the Huldu (ancient race of Fae). The Hudlu believe that humans have been in power for too long and wish to reverse that. Children start to go missing and return but do they really return or are they changelings. Our MC is on the hunt to get these children back and return the changelings.
My take.
I really wanted to like this story. The premise is super interesting but I just could not get into the authors writing style. The pacing is all over the place for me and in places is very slow and drawn out. The profanity at times seem misplaced and only added for shock value and trust me I cuss like a sailor at times so profanity is not an issue for me as long as it seems to fit with the flow and feeling of the story. I also had issues with aspects of the story, for example there is a part with an 11 year old boy and a fae woman that is sexualized. Not my thing at all. At that point I tried to continue with the story but I ended up DNF’ing the story at about 60%. Like I said this book was just not for me. Some will probably love it.
Post WWI Britain is overrun by the Huldu (ancient race of Fae). The Hudlu believe that humans have been in power for too long and wish to reverse that. Children start to go missing and return but do they really return or are they changelings. Our MC is on the hunt to get these children back and return the changelings.
My take.
I really wanted to like this story. The premise is super interesting but I just could not get into the authors writing style. The pacing is all over the place for me and in places is very slow and drawn out. The profanity at times seem misplaced and only added for shock value and trust me I cuss like a sailor at times so profanity is not an issue for me as long as it seems to fit with the flow and feeling of the story. I also had issues with aspects of the story, for example there is a part with an 11 year old boy and a fae woman that is sexualized. Not my thing at all. At that point I tried to continue with the story but I ended up DNF’ing the story at about 60%. Like I said this book was just not for me. Some will probably love it.
October 13, 2025
Post-WWI human destruction, disenchantment and rage, but with elf war and spooky forests added to the mix.
This is a dark, gritty fantasy for people who want graphic content. Harsh, furious and lascivious - and sadly I'm a little squeamish about that last one, so it wasn't so great for me.
I have tried to see Richard K. Morgan's "Altered Carbon" TV series and couldn't get past the first episode. There was just too many sex scenes getting in the way of the plot. I thought this might have been a TV thing, hyping the sensationalism... but turns out it's just the author's style.
This felt the same. The plot could have been good, but I just can't make myself pick up the book anymore, I just find it very off-putting. Not for me, which I was sad about as the voice is good, very vivid and more literary than most fantasies, and the world was very intriguing.
This is a dark, gritty fantasy for people who want graphic content. Harsh, furious and lascivious - and sadly I'm a little squeamish about that last one, so it wasn't so great for me.
I have tried to see Richard K. Morgan's "Altered Carbon" TV series and couldn't get past the first episode. There was just too many sex scenes getting in the way of the plot. I thought this might have been a TV thing, hyping the sensationalism... but turns out it's just the author's style.
This felt the same. The plot could have been good, but I just can't make myself pick up the book anymore, I just find it very off-putting. Not for me, which I was sad about as the voice is good, very vivid and more literary than most fantasies, and the world was very intriguing.
December 11, 2025
Review copy received from NetGalley
Consider, for a moment, the idea of a changeling. The child whisked away in the night by fae creatures, replaced by a manikin crafted in the child's image by supernatural means. Now imagine someone who's job it is to get those stolen children back, by any means necessary.
That is the protagonist of No Man's Land, Duncan Silver, woodsman and veteran of the War to End All Wars - which as we know did not, in fact, end all wars, and in the context of this book was quickly followed by the rapid and extensive expansion of faerie-infested forestry.
If you're familiar with the author's other works - Altered Carbon, Thin Air, Thirteen - then you know the drill; an experienced protagonist capable of and comfortable with extreme violence in a hyperspecialized profession at the lawless margins of society. I enjoyed it in those books, and while No Man's Land breaks from the sci-fi standard, I found I liked the divergence significantly more than I thought I would.
The Huldu, such as the fae are rendered here, are depicted as ancient and monstrous, the violence graphically descriptive, and the sexual commentary a bit excessive at times (at several points it felt more intrusive and unnecessary than in the author's other books), but all in all I enjoyed the book and felt it reliably delivered what I was hoping for.
Consider, for a moment, the idea of a changeling. The child whisked away in the night by fae creatures, replaced by a manikin crafted in the child's image by supernatural means. Now imagine someone who's job it is to get those stolen children back, by any means necessary.
That is the protagonist of No Man's Land, Duncan Silver, woodsman and veteran of the War to End All Wars - which as we know did not, in fact, end all wars, and in the context of this book was quickly followed by the rapid and extensive expansion of faerie-infested forestry.
If you're familiar with the author's other works - Altered Carbon, Thin Air, Thirteen - then you know the drill; an experienced protagonist capable of and comfortable with extreme violence in a hyperspecialized profession at the lawless margins of society. I enjoyed it in those books, and while No Man's Land breaks from the sci-fi standard, I found I liked the divergence significantly more than I thought I would.
The Huldu, such as the fae are rendered here, are depicted as ancient and monstrous, the violence graphically descriptive, and the sexual commentary a bit excessive at times (at several points it felt more intrusive and unnecessary than in the author's other books), but all in all I enjoyed the book and felt it reliably delivered what I was hoping for.
November 20, 2025
This is a really fun concept for a book and I was so excited to read it. There were parts of the story that were interesting and the mmc was well written but most of the plot didn't hold my interesting.
Want to Read
November 10, 2025Just got sent an unsolicited ARC of this so I will be reading it much, much sooner than planned!
October 6, 2025
No Man’s Land by Richard K Morgan is a dark fantasy set in an alternate Britain immediately following World War I. Written in third person with a singular POV, the story follows Duncan Silver, a former Captain in the British Army who now spends his days stalking the Forest to retrieve human children taken by the Huldu, a strange and savage race of Fair Folk who reentered the world with the Unbinding of the Great Forests.
Now the Forest covers all of the British Isles save for islands of human habitation carefully guarded by iron and fire, with armored trains the only means of safely traveling through the Forest to reach other cities. The Huldu emerge rarely from its eaves, but the Forest is always creeping forward.
Duncan is contracted to retrieve a young child taken into the Forest by its bereft mother, an event which kicks off various intrigues and danger, with multiple factions attempting to intervene. Duncan must rely on all of his skills as he gathers friends to save the child from the Forest, and shapes the future relationship of Britain and the Huldu in the process.
Sharp and well-written, this novel is a masterful
blend of folklore, history, and fantasy. I really enjoyed the atmosphere crafted by the author, full of dark forests and deep waters. There’s a lurking horror threaded throughout that amps up the tension. The world-building is fantastic, with an almost apocalyptic feel to it, and I would readily read anything set in it again. It is a nice change of pace to see a fantasy that doesn’t cast the Fair Folk as the heroes - there are no shadow daddies here, or fair otherworldly maidens. They are cruel, strange, and Other, and provide an excellent foil.
The characterizations are good, Duncan being the most fleshed-out with the Huldu Queen Mebhuranon coming in second. The side characters don’t have their own arcs, and are mostly one-dimensional, but there is enough meat on some of their bones to be interesting. Duncan’s arc is fantastic. Duncan’s history with the Huldu is hinted at throughout, with major reveals coming in the back half of the book - but the mystery is maintained by leaving some things unanswered or only half guessed. This is more of a reveal than a twist book.
The style of dialogue I didn’t always love, but I adjusted to it after a few chapters and it bothered me less as I went. This is not a spice book, but sex and sex-adjacent things are described. There were a few sections that yanked me out of the writing, and an odd emphasis on describing female genitalia where it could have been left off, but overall the sexual content was tolerable. I think the purpose was to add to the extreme otherness of the Huldu and build contrast, as the Huldu are unconcerned by the body in a way humans (especially Victorian era ones) are not, but it wasn’t my favorite approach. The female characters are mostly filling maiden/mother virgin/whore stereotypes, and the majority of the actions they take are sexual in nature. The plot did not need the content but it is there and it’s a take the bad with the good sort of situation, but be aware if you avoid those things in your reading. There are plenty of action scenes and detailed depictions of firearms/explosives/weaponry and their use, and gratuitous violence.
The pacing is relatively consistent and quick, and I felt engaged the entire time I was reading. I finished it in one day over several back to back reading sessions as I could not put it down, and then obsessed over it for several days after completion. The conclusion was full of reveals and emotion and I thought it was really well done. It left me with a combination of satiety of knowing how the story ended while still wanting more from the world. Alas, for brilliantly crafted standalone titles.
I’d highly recommend this to fans of dark fantasy or grimdark fantasy, and potentially to alternate historical fantasy fans as long as they enjoy a darker, grittier tone. I think the style of writing may not be for everyone, as the dialogue can be choppy and the language used coarse, but the story within is absolutely worth shunting aside annoyance at some of the phrasing. I have not read any other works by the author, so I can’t compare them (which I plan to rectify). If you like brash antiheroes, otherworldly villains, with dark woods and creeping fears bundled together, then this is the book for you. Despite my qualms about some of the phrasing and the sexual content, this is still a four star read for me and I can’t wait to grab a hard copy when it releases.
Now the Forest covers all of the British Isles save for islands of human habitation carefully guarded by iron and fire, with armored trains the only means of safely traveling through the Forest to reach other cities. The Huldu emerge rarely from its eaves, but the Forest is always creeping forward.
Duncan is contracted to retrieve a young child taken into the Forest by its bereft mother, an event which kicks off various intrigues and danger, with multiple factions attempting to intervene. Duncan must rely on all of his skills as he gathers friends to save the child from the Forest, and shapes the future relationship of Britain and the Huldu in the process.
Sharp and well-written, this novel is a masterful
blend of folklore, history, and fantasy. I really enjoyed the atmosphere crafted by the author, full of dark forests and deep waters. There’s a lurking horror threaded throughout that amps up the tension. The world-building is fantastic, with an almost apocalyptic feel to it, and I would readily read anything set in it again. It is a nice change of pace to see a fantasy that doesn’t cast the Fair Folk as the heroes - there are no shadow daddies here, or fair otherworldly maidens. They are cruel, strange, and Other, and provide an excellent foil.
The characterizations are good, Duncan being the most fleshed-out with the Huldu Queen Mebhuranon coming in second. The side characters don’t have their own arcs, and are mostly one-dimensional, but there is enough meat on some of their bones to be interesting. Duncan’s arc is fantastic. Duncan’s history with the Huldu is hinted at throughout, with major reveals coming in the back half of the book - but the mystery is maintained by leaving some things unanswered or only half guessed. This is more of a reveal than a twist book.
The style of dialogue I didn’t always love, but I adjusted to it after a few chapters and it bothered me less as I went. This is not a spice book, but sex and sex-adjacent things are described. There were a few sections that yanked me out of the writing, and an odd emphasis on describing female genitalia where it could have been left off, but overall the sexual content was tolerable. I think the purpose was to add to the extreme otherness of the Huldu and build contrast, as the Huldu are unconcerned by the body in a way humans (especially Victorian era ones) are not, but it wasn’t my favorite approach. The female characters are mostly filling maiden/mother virgin/whore stereotypes, and the majority of the actions they take are sexual in nature. The plot did not need the content but it is there and it’s a take the bad with the good sort of situation, but be aware if you avoid those things in your reading. There are plenty of action scenes and detailed depictions of firearms/explosives/weaponry and their use, and gratuitous violence.
The pacing is relatively consistent and quick, and I felt engaged the entire time I was reading. I finished it in one day over several back to back reading sessions as I could not put it down, and then obsessed over it for several days after completion. The conclusion was full of reveals and emotion and I thought it was really well done. It left me with a combination of satiety of knowing how the story ended while still wanting more from the world. Alas, for brilliantly crafted standalone titles.
I’d highly recommend this to fans of dark fantasy or grimdark fantasy, and potentially to alternate historical fantasy fans as long as they enjoy a darker, grittier tone. I think the style of writing may not be for everyone, as the dialogue can be choppy and the language used coarse, but the story within is absolutely worth shunting aside annoyance at some of the phrasing. I have not read any other works by the author, so I can’t compare them (which I plan to rectify). If you like brash antiheroes, otherworldly villains, with dark woods and creeping fears bundled together, then this is the book for you. Despite my qualms about some of the phrasing and the sexual content, this is still a four star read for me and I can’t wait to grab a hard copy when it releases.
Want to Read
May 7, 2023Why is this book listed but not available anywhere to purchase??
May 26, 2026
More of a 3.5 I think; curse Goodreads for its lack of half stars. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
This is quite good at the beginning and middle, but it does drag a bit by the end. There’s a lot of interesting theming around power and what it does to people, and that does hold throughout the novel. The wobbliness/blurriness of the line between faerie and human is also very tasty (said the guy who does early modern trans studies). I adore how utterly unhinged Duncan is for most of the book and how competent he generally is. No sitting through big chunks of planning! Just Duncan screaming obscenities at various people and acting like an action game protagonist! It’s a lot of what I enjoy about Hotspur. I also love his interactions with Mimi (spoilers I guess). Duncan’s backstory is very interesting, and his experiences as a WWI soldier are beautifully woven into the text. All of the scenes set in the Forest are so cool; I love it as a setting.
I don’t love how the majority of the women in the novel are written, I have to say. I’m a little leery of how sex-obsessed they all are (even if it does play into the lack of faerie/human hard line mentioned above) and how the majority of them are just things for the plot to happen around. Justice for my queen Niamh, she truly could have been a sexy lamp. I did quite like Wolfsbane Sal, but again, when every single adult woman in the novel is obsessed with jumping our protagonist’s traumatized bones, it starts to feel a little weird! There is a Watsonian explanation for this, but no man in the novel gets horny for him, so it feels bad in my humble opinion. The climatic battle sequence also wore out its welcome to me. It was all a bit too vague and rushed. I think introducing the specific stakes a little earlier would have helped immensely. It’s also far too similar to the other conflicts that happen in the back half of the book for its own good.
It’s a decent enough novel, and certainly one I would recommend to anyone who enjoys WWI speculative fiction, but it is not without its flaws.
This is quite good at the beginning and middle, but it does drag a bit by the end. There’s a lot of interesting theming around power and what it does to people, and that does hold throughout the novel. The wobbliness/blurriness of the line between faerie and human is also very tasty (said the guy who does early modern trans studies). I adore how utterly unhinged Duncan is for most of the book and how competent he generally is. No sitting through big chunks of planning! Just Duncan screaming obscenities at various people and acting like an action game protagonist! It’s a lot of what I enjoy about Hotspur. I also love his interactions with Mimi (spoilers I guess). Duncan’s backstory is very interesting, and his experiences as a WWI soldier are beautifully woven into the text. All of the scenes set in the Forest are so cool; I love it as a setting.
I don’t love how the majority of the women in the novel are written, I have to say. I’m a little leery of how sex-obsessed they all are (even if it does play into the lack of faerie/human hard line mentioned above) and how the majority of them are just things for the plot to happen around. Justice for my queen Niamh, she truly could have been a sexy lamp. I did quite like Wolfsbane Sal, but again, when every single adult woman in the novel is obsessed with jumping our protagonist’s traumatized bones, it starts to feel a little weird! There is a Watsonian explanation for this, but no man in the novel gets horny for him, so it feels bad in my humble opinion. The climatic battle sequence also wore out its welcome to me. It was all a bit too vague and rushed. I think introducing the specific stakes a little earlier would have helped immensely. It’s also far too similar to the other conflicts that happen in the back half of the book for its own good.
It’s a decent enough novel, and certainly one I would recommend to anyone who enjoys WWI speculative fiction, but it is not without its flaws.
Did Not Finish
March 22, 2026DNF’d @ 34% — I am calling this a soft DNF (aka: I might come back. Maybe.)
There was a lot I liked here — the premise sounded so cool, especially with very bloodthirsty & folklore-based fae meets post-WWI era England, and a WWI soldier (PTSD and all). There was intrigue building for what was going on with this missing child and Duncan’s past.
There was also a lot that I did not like. I was struggling to get through to 30% — there was a ton of world building but it felt like I was constantly waiting for something to happen at the same time? I am also not that big of a fan of how every female character we met ended up sleeping with the MMC/had some sort of sexual past with him/sexualization in his eyes. The writing style felt a bit…much. But at the same time, when there was action, I was really invested in it.
I think that this author’s writing style (at least for this book, because I have no read any of their other work yet) would lend itself really well to audiobook, and I might give this another chance in the future because of that. But that being said, I am soft DNF-ing for now, potentially coming back, because there were elements here that I think I would be really invested in.
Thank you very much NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC! All thoughts are my own opinions, and I will update all my reviews when/if I come back to this on audiobook.
There was a lot I liked here — the premise sounded so cool, especially with very bloodthirsty & folklore-based fae meets post-WWI era England, and a WWI soldier (PTSD and all). There was intrigue building for what was going on with this missing child and Duncan’s past.
There was also a lot that I did not like. I was struggling to get through to 30% — there was a ton of world building but it felt like I was constantly waiting for something to happen at the same time? I am also not that big of a fan of how every female character we met ended up sleeping with the MMC/had some sort of sexual past with him/sexualization in his eyes. The writing style felt a bit…much. But at the same time, when there was action, I was really invested in it.
I think that this author’s writing style (at least for this book, because I have no read any of their other work yet) would lend itself really well to audiobook, and I might give this another chance in the future because of that. But that being said, I am soft DNF-ing for now, potentially coming back, because there were elements here that I think I would be really invested in.
Thank you very much NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC! All thoughts are my own opinions, and I will update all my reviews when/if I come back to this on audiobook.
May 13, 2026
Richard K. Morgan's No Man's Land poses a question as old as the first axe laid to tree: can humans coexist with the mythic wild without ceasing to be human? Set in a gritty post-WWI Britain where ancient forests are reclaiming the countryside and the fae have returned with a vengeance, the grimdark tale follows Duncan Silver, a veteran whose war trauma proves to be the shallower of his wounds.
Morgan constructs his noir protagonist as a man of layered withholding — from the world, from the people who get close, and most devastatingly from himself. The Great War gives him a socially legible explanation for his damage, one that nobody in 1919 thinks to look beneath. But Duncan's real wound is older and stranger than any trench, and it has no name in the vocabulary of shell shock and loss. Morgan works in the classic mythic horror tradition — transformation is seeded long before it arrives. Imagery accumulates quietly, priming the reader's subconscious until the body confirms what the forest has known all along. The horror isn't a rupture. It's a recognition.
Duncan's answer to the novel's central question is neither comforting nor defeatist, but it will cost him something irreversible. Morgan earns that ending by making you wait for it — withholding, like his protagonist, until the moment the forest finally calls in its claim.
There is a lot to unpack with this book, in literary, mythological, and historical context. It's rather perfect that Duncan has Scottish roots. The audiobook narrator is Glasgow-born David Monteath, and he is excellent. A Scottish voice narrating a story about an ancient people reclaiming land stolen by encroaching civilization — the resonance is impossible to ignore.
One note: this book reads as written for men, and I don't mean that as a compliment or a criticism — just a heads up. Duncan's damage is masculine in a specific way, and the release Morgan builds toward has that same energy. Women readers absolutely can and will connect with it, but go in knowing whose skin you're primarily inhabiting.
[Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for an opportunity to read and share my opinion of this book.]
Morgan constructs his noir protagonist as a man of layered withholding — from the world, from the people who get close, and most devastatingly from himself. The Great War gives him a socially legible explanation for his damage, one that nobody in 1919 thinks to look beneath. But Duncan's real wound is older and stranger than any trench, and it has no name in the vocabulary of shell shock and loss. Morgan works in the classic mythic horror tradition — transformation is seeded long before it arrives. Imagery accumulates quietly, priming the reader's subconscious until the body confirms what the forest has known all along. The horror isn't a rupture. It's a recognition.
Duncan's answer to the novel's central question is neither comforting nor defeatist, but it will cost him something irreversible. Morgan earns that ending by making you wait for it — withholding, like his protagonist, until the moment the forest finally calls in its claim.
There is a lot to unpack with this book, in literary, mythological, and historical context. It's rather perfect that Duncan has Scottish roots. The audiobook narrator is Glasgow-born David Monteath, and he is excellent. A Scottish voice narrating a story about an ancient people reclaiming land stolen by encroaching civilization — the resonance is impossible to ignore.
One note: this book reads as written for men, and I don't mean that as a compliment or a criticism — just a heads up. Duncan's damage is masculine in a specific way, and the release Morgan builds toward has that same energy. Women readers absolutely can and will connect with it, but go in knowing whose skin you're primarily inhabiting.
[Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for an opportunity to read and share my opinion of this book.]
March 25, 2026
Soft DNF @ 30%.
The premise of this and everything the book promises on paper is right up my alley. I especially love how the fae and mythical creatures are depicted - a stark contrast to what is currently popular on the market.
The setting is also well done. I have been able to create an image in my head of where we are and where we are going with ease.
Where this has fallen flat for me is the pacing. I have reached a third of the way through the book and really do feel like the story itself has been meandering.
I think and hope I will return to this one at some point in time.
Thankyou to the publishers and Netgalley for an early copy of No Mans Land. this is my honest review and all opinions are my own.
The premise of this and everything the book promises on paper is right up my alley. I especially love how the fae and mythical creatures are depicted - a stark contrast to what is currently popular on the market.
The setting is also well done. I have been able to create an image in my head of where we are and where we are going with ease.
Where this has fallen flat for me is the pacing. I have reached a third of the way through the book and really do feel like the story itself has been meandering.
I think and hope I will return to this one at some point in time.
Thankyou to the publishers and Netgalley for an early copy of No Mans Land. this is my honest review and all opinions are my own.
Want to Read
November 10, 2025This cover is GORGEOUS! I can't wait to read it!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
June 11, 2026
Pretty good story. I really enjoyed the audio performance.
Did Not Finish
May 8, 2026By the time I got to 75% I really didn’t care anymore.
April 10, 2026
what a fun ride. I mostly outgrew fantasy, usually because of all its inconsistencies and, well, magical thinking. for some reason this story worked very well, even though it was set in an alternate timeline, another thing I really really don't like usually. furthermore, most explicit sex I just find usually very cringeworthy, hardly an author who manages to write sex without either going romantic or pornographic.
well, for some reason, here all this worked. okay, I must admit I was biased since I really enjoyed altered Carbon. but the whole depiction of magic and very not Tolkienesk fairies worked so well for me. the witches and their sex, what a delight. usually the domain of men, boy did they screw that picture. the protagonist being deeply traumatized from the trenches of world war 1, and carrying a far deeper and hotter anger, of which we will learn more some part into the story. and yet there was also lots of humanity, empathy, community. the characters were all very believable and complex and rich, and the whole world was written so dense I could almost taste it. I had some misgivings in the beginning, but they were quickly dispelled and I was drawn into the story. and that's after all for me what reading, or listening to an audio book, is all about - escape the drudgery of the here and now, and travel into another world, forget myself. for me personally, that is the main marker of a good book and a good storyteller: offer me a wild and entertaining ride, make me fear and hope for the characters. and when the story is nearing its end, a certain mournfulness arrives, knowing that this will end soon. by this measurement, this book was great. the prose was also in parts very well written, even though it was a very action centered tale. for some reason I just can't bring myself to give five stars for a fantasy book...
well, for some reason, here all this worked. okay, I must admit I was biased since I really enjoyed altered Carbon. but the whole depiction of magic and very not Tolkienesk fairies worked so well for me. the witches and their sex, what a delight. usually the domain of men, boy did they screw that picture. the protagonist being deeply traumatized from the trenches of world war 1, and carrying a far deeper and hotter anger, of which we will learn more some part into the story. and yet there was also lots of humanity, empathy, community. the characters were all very believable and complex and rich, and the whole world was written so dense I could almost taste it. I had some misgivings in the beginning, but they were quickly dispelled and I was drawn into the story. and that's after all for me what reading, or listening to an audio book, is all about - escape the drudgery of the here and now, and travel into another world, forget myself. for me personally, that is the main marker of a good book and a good storyteller: offer me a wild and entertaining ride, make me fear and hope for the characters. and when the story is nearing its end, a certain mournfulness arrives, knowing that this will end soon. by this measurement, this book was great. the prose was also in parts very well written, even though it was a very action centered tale. for some reason I just can't bring myself to give five stars for a fantasy book...
October 27, 2025
In post-WWII Britain, peace proves fleeting as an ancient and otherworldly threat emerges. The Huldu, a powerful Fae race, begin stealing children, casting a new shadow over an already fractured land. Duncan Silver, a hardened war veteran burning with anger, is hired by a desperate mother to find her missing daughter, Miriam. Armed with little more than his trench gun and old scars, he enters the Forest to retrieve her, but what starts as a rescue mission quickly turns personal, and perilous, when he crosses the wrong Fae.
This standalone grimdark fantasy marks a shift from the author’s usual works yet retains his signature hardboiled edge and gritty intrigue. Whether writing science fiction or fantasy, Morgan creates atmospheric, lived-in worlds with flawed, complex characters. Duncan Silver is a flinty and relentless protagonist, and through his brooding resolve, the story unfolds with unflinching violence and moral corruption. Though the pacing can be slow at times, the sleek prose and distinctive take on Fae mythology lend the tale a dark allure. An absorbing, brutal read perfect for fans of C. Robert Cargill.
(This review was originally written for Library Journal magazine.)
This standalone grimdark fantasy marks a shift from the author’s usual works yet retains his signature hardboiled edge and gritty intrigue. Whether writing science fiction or fantasy, Morgan creates atmospheric, lived-in worlds with flawed, complex characters. Duncan Silver is a flinty and relentless protagonist, and through his brooding resolve, the story unfolds with unflinching violence and moral corruption. Though the pacing can be slow at times, the sleek prose and distinctive take on Fae mythology lend the tale a dark allure. An absorbing, brutal read perfect for fans of C. Robert Cargill.
(This review was originally written for Library Journal magazine.)
May 31, 2026
Зазвичай Річард Морган (відомий українцям перекладом трилогії "Видозмінений вуглець") пише кіберпанк, але іноді він пише фентезі. Я, наприклад, в захваті від його трилогії Land feet for heroes. А нещодавно автор видав фентезі-роман No men's land, і я не втрималась.
Дуже люблю троп про фейрі і викрадених дітей - ченжелінгів. І от маємо Дункана Сільвера, ветерана Першої світової, який заробляє на життя тим, що повертає викрадених фейрі дітей їх безутішним батькам. Маленька ремарка - в цьому світі Війна, що мала закінчити всі війни, завершилася не поразкою Німеччини, а тим, що з лісів вийшли фейрі - huldu - і почали стріляти у всіх солдат без розбору. Післявоєнна Британія має економічну кризу, проблему з працевлаштуванням ветеранів і втратила значну частину пасовищ і ріллі, бо ліси розрослися буквально за одну ніч, знищуючи на своєму шляху маленькі людські поселення і будь-які сліди людської присутності. Одного разу Дункана найняли, щоб повернути 4-річну викрадену Мімі Раш, і завертілося ...
Land feet for heroes жанрово був темним фентезі, там було троє персонажів, які додавали різноманіття, а події виглядали збігом обставин. No men's land - теж фентезі, але темним воно лише невдало прикидається, тут лише один герой, один POV, одна дійова особа, навколо якої ніщо не відбувається випадково. Намагаючись виглядати темним, це фентезі насправді такий плюшевий ведмедик з нескінченними врятованими дітьми, безутішними матерями і героєм, який постійно когось б'є-вбиває, відрубує голови, вирізає серця, але все заради "сльозинки дитини", його вчинки, як правило, альтруїстичні ледь не до ідіотизму.
Це хороший розважальний роман, але він більше орієнтований на читачів, не читачок. Було 2 моменти, які страшно мене нервували всю книгу. По-перше, вже згадана "сльозинка дитини" в надмірній концентрації як рушійна сила всіх вчинків героя. По-друге, автор дуже хоче, щоб його герой був мачо. Десь на середині роману я порахувала, що герой переспав з 4 жінками, а ще 2 його "грязно домагівалісь" (одна з них, між іншим, тисячорічна богиня... но він їй відмовив. Так і сказав - "хочу до мами!")))). Сцена, де він нехотя, жаліючись на втому і незручності, займається сексом з повією-наркоманкою 3 рази (дякую, авторе, як би я без твого вміння рахувати))) зразу після того, як 3 дні лежав не при пам'яті після поранення, прям промовиста - самому героєві вже хотілося десь впасти і відіспатися. Но автор невблаганний, він бачить свого героя виключно як секс-гіганта, і місцями це прям смішно.
Читала англійською. Процес ускладнювали військові терміни, великий словниковий запас автора і мова декількох персонажів, яку автор намагався передати як мову неосвіченої людини із значними граматичними помилками.
6/10
Гарний пригодницько-розважальний роман, але логіку у вчинках героїв краще не шукати.
Чому не 10? Нелогічно. Схематично схоже на іншу книгу автора, яку я читала. Хотілося більшого!
Дуже люблю троп про фейрі і викрадених дітей - ченжелінгів. І от маємо Дункана Сільвера, ветерана Першої світової, який заробляє на життя тим, що повертає викрадених фейрі дітей їх безутішним батькам. Маленька ремарка - в цьому світі Війна, що мала закінчити всі війни, завершилася не поразкою Німеччини, а тим, що з лісів вийшли фейрі - huldu - і почали стріляти у всіх солдат без розбору. Післявоєнна Британія має економічну кризу, проблему з працевлаштуванням ветеранів і втратила значну частину пасовищ і ріллі, бо ліси розрослися буквально за одну ніч, знищуючи на своєму шляху маленькі людські поселення і будь-які сліди людської присутності. Одного разу Дункана найняли, щоб повернути 4-річну викрадену Мімі Раш, і завертілося ...
Land feet for heroes жанрово був темним фентезі, там було троє персонажів, які додавали різноманіття, а події виглядали збігом обставин. No men's land - теж фентезі, але темним воно лише невдало прикидається, тут лише один герой, один POV, одна дійова особа, навколо якої ніщо не відбувається випадково. Намагаючись виглядати темним, це фентезі насправді такий плюшевий ведмедик з нескінченними врятованими дітьми, безутішними матерями і героєм, який постійно когось б'є-вбиває, відрубує голови, вирізає серця, але все заради "сльозинки дитини", його вчинки, як правило, альтруїстичні ледь не до ідіотизму.
Це хороший розважальний роман, але він більше орієнтований на читачів, не читачок. Було 2 моменти, які страшно мене нервували всю книгу. По-перше, вже згадана "сльозинка дитини" в надмірній концентрації як рушійна сила всіх вчинків героя. По-друге, автор дуже хоче, щоб його герой був мачо. Десь на середині роману я порахувала, що герой переспав з 4 жінками, а ще 2 його "грязно домагівалісь" (одна з них, між іншим, тисячорічна богиня... но він їй відмовив. Так і сказав - "хочу до мами!")))). Сцена, де він нехотя, жаліючись на втому і незручності, займається сексом з повією-наркоманкою 3 рази (дякую, авторе, як би я без твого вміння рахувати))) зразу після того, як 3 дні лежав не при пам'яті після поранення, прям промовиста - самому героєві вже хотілося десь впасти і відіспатися. Но автор невблаганний, він бачить свого героя виключно як секс-гіганта, і місцями це прям смішно.
Читала англійською. Процес ускладнювали військові терміни, великий словниковий запас автора і мова декількох персонажів, яку автор намагався передати як мову неосвіченої людини із значними граматичними помилками.
6/10
Гарний пригодницько-розважальний роман, але логіку у вчинках героїв краще не шукати.
Чому не 10? Нелогічно. Схематично схоже на іншу книгу автора, яку я читала. Хотілося більшого!
April 22, 2026
This one was ok, I think the idea of this was fantastic but the execution was lacking for me. We follow our main character, a WWI veteran, on a mission to find a child abducted by fae. They have risen up after the war and decided that humans are beneath them and they will do anything to take over. I really loved the idea of a historical fantasy like this, something that’s able to blend just the right amount of historical facts with a fantastical world made up by the author, that immediately made me pick this one up shortly after release. What this author does well is actions scenes, making it so easy to picture exactly what’s going on during conflict. The whole book feels very dark and gritty with an overall feeling of forbidding that gives this book the perfect atmosphere for the time period and setting. With that said, there were a few moments I found myself chuckling about what our main character did/said which gave the bleak atmosphere a flicker of brightness. Our main character was also enjoyable with his dark backstory giving him good depth and the events that take place in this book give him a good amount of growth. Something I didn’t enjoy was the pacing, it felt a little all over the place and I struggled to stay fully engaged in the story during the low points. I also thought there were a lot of graphic spicy scenes that were completely unnecessary to the overall story and almost felt forced, just making it drag a bit more during certain points. I wish the almost romancey subplot wasn’t here, it would have taken a big chunk out of this read and made it feel more digestible. Overall, if you’re looking for a historical fantasy that’s rich in atmosphere and has plenty of action, this would be a good pick for you.
May 7, 2026
You gotta be aware going into a Richard K. Morgan book that's it's not always going to be a pleasant ride. Just sayin'.
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The premise of this book seemed right up my alley. The Great War (WW1) happened, and the violence was such that it kinda overthrew The Way We Thought Things Were. Giant forests popped up overnight. The Hulda/Fae/Elves came rushing back, and they're not noble and cute. They're more like Pratchett's elves in Lords and Ladies. They're angry and violent. Their steal children, apparently for fun and thralldom.
One of these stolen children managed to escape and tried to return home to his real parents. It didn't go so well. Between that and his experiences overseas in the war, Duncan Silver was left with vast wells of rage and violence. He decided he would become the woodman who retrieves these stolen children from the Hulda and returns them to their parents. But there are Complications.
The rest of the story is basically a series of violent encounters between Duncan and the Hulda, Duncan and the police, basically Duncan and almost everyone except Fiona, his "girlfriend" (sorta) and a couple of helpful witches and a few guy friends. The story is dark and grim and violent. It stutters a bit in the middle, I think, when we get hints of political machinations between government agents and the Hulda and some kind of psychic guy with aspirations for being something like a colonial governor for the Hulda? It was a little confusing, but not a lot of time is spent on it.
If you're good with fights and shootings and stabbings and such, this will be a good book for you. I got a little tired of it all. Duncan's not a safe man to be friends with either.
OTOH sometimes it's good if the trees are fond of you, I guess.
I recently learned that Richard K. Morgan has been transphobic in comments, so this will probably be the last one of his I'll read. Because nobody needs to support that bullshit. YMMV.
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The premise of this book seemed right up my alley. The Great War (WW1) happened, and the violence was such that it kinda overthrew The Way We Thought Things Were. Giant forests popped up overnight. The Hulda/Fae/Elves came rushing back, and they're not noble and cute. They're more like Pratchett's elves in Lords and Ladies. They're angry and violent. Their steal children, apparently for fun and thralldom.
One of these stolen children managed to escape and tried to return home to his real parents. It didn't go so well. Between that and his experiences overseas in the war, Duncan Silver was left with vast wells of rage and violence. He decided he would become the woodman who retrieves these stolen children from the Hulda and returns them to their parents. But there are Complications.
The rest of the story is basically a series of violent encounters between Duncan and the Hulda, Duncan and the police, basically Duncan and almost everyone except Fiona, his "girlfriend" (sorta) and a couple of helpful witches and a few guy friends. The story is dark and grim and violent. It stutters a bit in the middle, I think, when we get hints of political machinations between government agents and the Hulda and some kind of psychic guy with aspirations for being something like a colonial governor for the Hulda? It was a little confusing, but not a lot of time is spent on it.
If you're good with fights and shootings and stabbings and such, this will be a good book for you. I got a little tired of it all. Duncan's not a safe man to be friends with either.
OTOH sometimes it's good if the trees are fond of you, I guess.
I recently learned that Richard K. Morgan has been transphobic in comments, so this will probably be the last one of his I'll read. Because nobody needs to support that bullshit. YMMV.
April 22, 2026
Duncan Silver, former soldier, now woodsman, has made it his life’s work to return children stolen by the Huldu, and he’s not afraid to slaughter any Forest inhabitant or changeling that is in his way.
This wasn’t for me. I have never much cared for stories involving fae/faeries/the fair folk, nor do I particularly enjoy reading The Great War stories, and that is basically what this book boils down to. I’ve _really_ enjoyed previous Morgan novels, but the themes were more to my taste. The characters were fine, the writing is fine, I just wasn’t interested in any of it. I also found the combat scenes a little tedious, presumably because they involve more gun than swordplay. The ending felt very rushed, and a bit unsatisfactory to me. I’d forego reading a sequel in favour of rereading “The Steel Remains”.
This wasn’t for me. I have never much cared for stories involving fae/faeries/the fair folk, nor do I particularly enjoy reading The Great War stories, and that is basically what this book boils down to. I’ve _really_ enjoyed previous Morgan novels, but the themes were more to my taste. The characters were fine, the writing is fine, I just wasn’t interested in any of it. I also found the combat scenes a little tedious, presumably because they involve more gun than swordplay. The ending felt very rushed, and a bit unsatisfactory to me. I’d forego reading a sequel in favour of rereading “The Steel Remains”.
March 24, 2026
Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.25 stars.
In the years following World War One, a vicious race of Fae have taken over the countryside with their forests, stealing children and replacing them with changelings. Duncan Silver, who has faced his own demons in the trenches, now hunts down Fae and recovers stolen children, driven by his own personal vendetta.
I really liked the idea of historical fantasy set in this time period, and the cover caught my eye. Unfortunately this wasn't quite it for me. I enjoyed the historical elements but the fantasy didn't feel as strong. I did find the central character of Duncan and his experiences and motivations interesting though, and that kept me reading.
3.25 stars.
In the years following World War One, a vicious race of Fae have taken over the countryside with their forests, stealing children and replacing them with changelings. Duncan Silver, who has faced his own demons in the trenches, now hunts down Fae and recovers stolen children, driven by his own personal vendetta.
I really liked the idea of historical fantasy set in this time period, and the cover caught my eye. Unfortunately this wasn't quite it for me. I enjoyed the historical elements but the fantasy didn't feel as strong. I did find the central character of Duncan and his experiences and motivations interesting though, and that kept me reading.
June 28, 2026
A slow start so it took a while to fully engage with this book. Around the 25% mark it picked up, especially once we started learning about Duncan's childhood and his experiences in WW1 (both with traumatising events which explain why Duncan does what he does).
Could of done without the sex scenes but not really unexpected in a Richard Morgan book.
The regrowth of the forest and plants was an excellent bit of worldbuilding - the description of the train station and the nearby church (& Church bell ringer) is not something I'll forget in a hurry.
Could of done without the sex scenes but not really unexpected in a Richard Morgan book.
The regrowth of the forest and plants was an excellent bit of worldbuilding - the description of the train station and the nearby church (& Church bell ringer) is not something I'll forget in a hurry.
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