Укрощая хаос

The Chasing Graves Trilogy #3

by Ben Galley, Бен Гэлли, Михаил Головкин (Translator)

Игра подходит к концу.
Битва за императорский трон становится все более ожесточенной. Город бесчисленных душ скрывается за запертыми дверями, а прихоти угнетенных и сильных мира сего ведут великую игру к катастрофическому завершению.
С душой-клинком у бедра и магией свобода Келтро почти у него в руках. Но по мере того, как правление Темсы сталкивается с планами вдовы Хорикс, судьба замочного мастера все больше переплетается с требованиями Мертвых богов, мстительных правителей и культа.
В то время, как районы города погружаются в хаос, неоплаченные в пустыне долги преследуют Нилит даже после долгожданного прибытия в Аракс. На улицах за ней охотится новый враг, по силе соперничающий даже с Небесной иглой.
Однако все их трудности меркнут по сравнению с темным предзнаменованием, которое распространяется по империи, скрываясь под их ногами…
Священный Никс пересыхает.

Genres: Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Audiobook, Ghosts, Magic

608 pages, Hardcover

Published April 1, 2025

About the author

Ben Galley is a British author of dark and epic fantasy books who currently hails from Vancouver, Canada. Since publishing his debut Emaneska Series, Ben has released the award-winning weird western Scarlet Star Trilogy and standalone The Heart of Stone, the critically-acclaimed Chasing Graves Trilogy, and the new Scalussen Chronicles.

When he isn’t conjuring up strange new stories or arguing the finer points of magic systems and dragon anatomy, Ben explores the Canadian wilds, sips Scotch single malts, and snowboards very, very badly. One day he hopes to haunt an epic treehouse in the mountains.

Find all of Ben’s books or join his Discord and Patreon at: www.linktr.ee/bengalley

Reviews

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the signs of knowing that you’re reading good series is realizing how much your perception of it has changed over time. Chasing Graves introduced me to a world without hope, where the rich dine on the poor, and where death is no escape from an eternity of torture and indentured service. Grim Solace offered a shred of hope that there are still values worth fighting for, and people worthy of taking on that fight. Breaking Chaos is the payoff we’ve been waiting for. It is a cathartic release of all the angst and terror and scheming plots and secret vendettas, all tightly woven into a massively entertaining conclusion that far surpassed my expectations. It left me immediately wanting more stories from this world, as we leave Araxes in a perfect state of opportunity for more fresh stories to tell.

“Wealth was a never-ending mountain, littered with the bodies of fools craving a summit.”

One of the most enjoyable aspects of these books – or really, any of Galley’s stories -- are his vivid descriptions of the surrounding environments. At times, Araxes feels so real I could almost taste its foulness. Whether we are inside the city, the Outsprawls, the desert, or within the lavish towers of the elite, Galley’s carefully-worded depictions convey not only a visual sense of order, but also paints a clear picture of the socio-economic class divide that mirrors our own cities’ sufferings from similar bouts of urban decay.

I try to keep all my reviews as spoiler-free as possible, so I won’t delve too far into the plot. Grim Solace left our cast in a series of dire cliffhangers that was a substantial step up from the conclusion of Chasing Graves. I’m happy to report that these cliffhangers are dealt with in surprising and interesting ways. Some have perilous and lasting implications that carry through to the end of the story, and the final fates of our anti-heroes and villains kept me guessing. It’s hard to predict who lives and dies when half your cast is already dead!

Although Caltro and Nilith once again carry the weight of the story, it’s the supporting cast that really shines. A couple of minor characters get their chance in the spotlight more so than in previous books, and we learn a great deal more about the various machinations that have been driving some of the story’s greatest mysteries from the beginning of the trilogy. Galley’s dialogue remains sharp and self-aware, and its pace quickens with each chapter. Breaking Chaos is the longest of the three books, but I read it the fastest.

“Chaos is an art, seeming random but made of small and subtle changes.”

The only part of the story that felt ‘unrealistic’ (in a world full of enslaved ghosts and giant centipedes) was how often our main characters happened to run into each other in the street. This is a metropolis of untold millions, spanning hundreds of miles, yet there were a couple of instances that felt a bit too plot-convenient. However, Galley does address this issue late in the story, mentioning that the fates of these players might be tied to the whims of the gods. I’ll buy into that idea, but the chance meetings did feel a bit off at the time.

Breaking Chaos, at its heart, is a story about the choices we make -- especially under duress -- and how fighting against your instincts to make these tough choices help to define your true character. It is a genuinely thrilling conclusion to a series that gets progressively better with each book. The conclusion delivered far more than I had anticipated, and although Galley has an ambitiously full writing schedule ahead of him in 2019, I hope he returns to Araxes soon. The expansive world-building and rich environments are too compelling to stay away from for long.

[Terrible Timy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was written for Grimdark Magazine.

I've got an ARC from the author in exchange of an honest review.

The roads to Araxes' throne are painted by blood. The endgame has begun, secrets are revealed, allies turn into enemies, fates collide. Chaos breaks out (yes, pun intended) and until the very end it's hard to say who'll claim the title of Emperor or Empress. Breaking Chaos brings a satisfyingly bloody closure to the Chasing Grave trilogy, one which won't disappoint those who followed these characters’ lives up to this point.

I'd rather not talk much about the plot so I won't spoil it for readers who wait eagerly to finally sank their teeth into the final book of the trilogy. I'm not revealing secrets however, when I say all of the key characters have their own agendas regarding seizing the power for themselves. Sisine is still adamant to wreak some havoc in the city, sure in the support of the Court - namely that they will seek her help and counsel to save Araxes. All the while acting like the spoiled, bloodthirsty, narrow-minded Talin Renala she is. Widow Horix shows the white of her teeth and the old hag has a surprising vitality to her too. We finally learn what she spent decades on to help to fulfill her vengeance and some other well-kept secrets - one which I suspected from about halfway through Breaking Chaos. I would have given a lot to see the characters faces when they were revealed. And let's not forget about Shesh's followers, the Cult who won't stand by passively either.

"...Wherever there is something we don't have, we want it, and will do a great many things to get it. Better. More. Comparison is our great downfall, the mother of both envy and pride. Perhaps it's the same for the gods."
-Pointy

At the end of Grim Solace we left Nilith in a dire situation. I'm not going to lie, she is not going to have an easier time in Breaking Chaos than she had in the previous book. As much as I disliked her plotline in Chasing Graves, Nilith really had grown on me throughout the trilogy. She is relentless, fierce, and doesn't know how to lose or give up no matter how dire a situation is. Her strong feelings toward justice and passion to save Araxes are really infectious and it's hard not to root for her. Especially since her image of society is unlike anything the other players’ vision for themselves.

Scrutiniser Heles - as I predicted - gets her own role all right. I swear that women is invincible and, surprising as it is, she had grown on me as well. I actually liked these two strong, independent women a tiny bit more than Caltro himself and believe me, it doesn't happen often. Ben Galley has great skills to bring these women to life, making me to put aside my judgements.

"Weakness was a product of fear, and she refused to be afraid."

As for Caltro, well, I'm happy to report, his cheekiness didn't leave him. Nor his need for justice and freedom. As the endgame nears, he will have to make some choices which can decide the fate of Araxes, and the Reaches. But can a thief bear such a burden? Fortunately for him he's got some allies, Not that he listens to anyone outside of himself, but at least Pointy tries to be his conscience. As much as a strangebound sword can be anyway. I really would like to see a spin-off series or two where Pointy and Bezel get to be main characters of their own stories. Bezel might had become one of my favorite sidekicks too.

"In the City of Countless Souls, it pays to keep your friends as close as your enemies. They might be one and the same."
Common Araxes saying

Ben Galley didn't shy away from spilling as much blood as he could, throwing his characters from one nearly impossible situation into the next. And since we are talking about Araxes, the City of Countless Souls, even death doesn't mean the game is over. You can just never know who is going to die next and how will that affect the unfolding events. Thus, you can't help, but read on page after page, trying to guess what madness Galley conjured up for the finale and how the plotlines will entwine with each other. If one thing can be said about Breaking Chaos is that the tension never leaves the pages. You don't even have a moment of respite to catch your breath, because there is always something waiting on the next corner. Mostly death.

In Breaking Chaos and eventually throughout the whole trilogy events build up until the last, climatic fighting scene where the evil finally shows itself in its real from, making sense of the dead gods' words. If there is one thing I missed from this trilogy is a bit more world building - especially some more mythology to give a depth to the big evil character which didn’t really feel that evil and to the otherwise rich world habitated by magical creatures and interesting looking plants among other things.

"Heles looked around, noting the sand's rosy glow and the dew on a nearby spur of butchered cactus. Its marron, finger-like branches and scattered pale fruit, not dissimilar to eyeballs, shone with it."

If you already came so far, then don't hesitate to make the final steps to find out who will sit on the throne of Araxes. Nilith? Sisine? Widow Horix? Boran Temsa? Maybe Farazar as the first shade Emperor or someone else who fits into the games played by the Cult of Shesh? Will Caltro win his desired freedom? The table is set, events are in motion. All you have to do is enjoy this dark, bloody hell of a ride.

[Rusty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breaking Chaos is the third and final book in the Chasing Graves trilogy by Ben Galley. This is a non-spoiler review for those who have not read the first two books. (If you haven’t read the first two books, please, PLEASE do pick these up!!!)

The first two books introduced readers first to a thief and locksmith named Castro Basalt. He is a strangely loveable guy, especially in contrast to a whole litany of despicable, self-serving others, ranging from the nobility to the merchants and to the religious organization. Everyone wants power, except for poor Castro who finds himself repeatedly thrust into the center of action against his will.

The action is escalated to a fever pitch in this book, and the author doesn’t pull any punches. All of the major characters are back in this thrilling conclusion, but not all of them survive. Not to fear. As we learned in the first two books, death is not the end, and some of these personalities are converted to shades (for those who have not started the series, think ghosts and that will get you close). No one is safe, and this adds a bizarre twist.

The layers of intrigue and deceit are intricately revealed as the story unfolds. Some who had been acting as allies are shown to be backstabbing fiends. In other cases enemies team up to fight a common foe. There are shocking revelations and surprises aplenty. And we see that not is all as it seems (no surprise there).

But through it all, the book is full of heart and depth, primarily through the eyes of Castro. He is the star of the book. He is constantly forced to do the work of others. Other times, he is offered a possible chance at freedom but it seems too good to be true. Then there are times when he just wants to run, but questions why his whole life has been running away. Finally, when given a bit of power of his own, he must decide what he will do with that power.

This is an exciting and satisfying conclusion to a great series.

[Filip · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review originally appeared over at: http://booknest.eu/reviews/peter/1477...

Breaking Chaos is the brutal, climatic ending to one of the finest dark fantasy trilogies in recent memory. If you haven’t read the previous entries in the series, do yourself a solid – get them!

In this final volume of the Chasing Graves trilogy, Ben Galley sees each of the myriad plotlines built over Chasing Graves and Grim Solace come to their fruition: Caltro Basalt, thief, locksmith and body-hopper extraordinaire at long last comes to embrace the role he’s tried time and again to swerve away from. Not that it’s painless. So very close to gaining his freedom, Caltro is again forced into playing different sides, listening to all their promises and trusting none of them.

Nilith, too, shines, despite (or because of!) a brutal showdown with a bounty hunter and his pet dog. At least, I think it’s a dog. Okay, it’s definitely not a dog, but I’m riffing on popular media here, give me a break!

Breaking Chaos doesn’t pull any punches: the death tally runs high and while some characters go off to their deaths like lambs to the slaughter, others come off as a complete shock. Araxes is a city that feeds off on the lofty aspirations of its inhabitants, as we’ve seen from the previous two novels – in this one, however, it’s evident that the heart of the Arctian empire consumes the ambitious completely and to the bone. The City of Thousand Souls is torn apart at the seams, a victim of its own bloody appetites.

I felt that the resolution in the storylines of different major point-of-view characters were well earned; the phrase “just deserts” comes to mind. Metric tons of intrigue are laid bare, at long last the truth of the many questions this series has built up are answered – and to great satisfaction!

This final chapter is rich in beautiful, glorious combat! Action scenes, each more epic in scope than the last, written extremely well and chock-full of surprises were as gripping as anything I’ve read. The climatic last battle especially was incredibly well-earned, the pay-off to so much build-up over the past…three hundred and fifty thousand words or so. It’s an epic conclusion that held so many bitter-sweet surprises and saw my esteem of Caltro rise to hitherto unknown heights!

I also happen to adore the note on which Breaking Chaos closes! The ending comes full circle, which is pure cheek on Ben Galley’s part but I love him for it, I really do.

My score for Breaking Chaos is an unreserved 5/5 on Goodreads. I won’t do a full break-down of the different aspects of Ben’s style on account of the fact that I’ve spoken at length about his style and prose, the tone of this series and the quality of the worldbuilding and characters both. I will say this: Breaking Chaos justified the hopes I had for it, and more: It blew my bloody mind away!

I do hope we see the world of Araxes in the future, whether in a standalone, another trilogy or in some short story.

[Michael Sliter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The conclusion of the Chasing Graves Trilogy, Breaking Chaos was the strongest of the outings.

Finally, the threads of several storylines came together. Caltro makes some big decisions. Nilith FINALLY arrives at the capital and reveals her plan. Temsa continues to do crazy stuff. I'm not giving away spoilers, but I was happy with the ending. Not many series are able to wrap so neatly, but Galley pulls it off. I think the door is still open in case of a follow-up series.

If you've liked the other books of this series, you will like this one. It's not a huge departure in terms of tone, although it does trend toward action (which was a positive, for me. I felt like there was far too much description in the other books. I appreciate a flying donkey, but if the donkey doesn't fly back? I don't need him).

A solid four-star series--fans of Galley's, and of Grimdark, will enjoy this!

[Lukasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fitting end to the trilogy.

[Scott Hitchcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1: 4*
Book 2: 4*
Book 3 4.5*

Great series. If you're a fan of Blackwing or Low Town this is far superior IMO. I'd put it up there with Scourge of the Betrayer and the Bloodsounder's Arc series. Definitely a fan of Mr Galley and will read more by him.

[Laura Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A spectacular end to one of the darkest and funniest trilogies I've ever had the pleasure of reading. All hail Caltro Basalt!

[Justine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whys and what-ifs plague a soul throughout life and in death. It is human to mourn the past, and to curse the way time slips through our fingers like sand, impossible to catch or reclaim.

The City of Countless Souls holds its breath as is stands upon the precipice of chaos as factions war for power on all sides. With deceit and treachery leading everyone astray, and blood flowing freely throughout sprawling streets, the knotted mysteries buried under the sands of Araxes begin to unravel and finally rear their ugly heads. While petty greed reigns, a great unknown threatens the city and beyond, and all who inhabit it, living and dead alike. Locksmith Caltro Basalt seeks freedom. Empress Nilith Renala seeks change. Tal Horix seeks vengeance. Empress-in-waiting Sisine Talin Renala seeks the throne. Tor Boran Temsa seeks more. Although polluted with clouds of betrayal and lies, their fates are entwined, and the future of the Empire rests in their hands as the surging Flood aims to violently sweep them all away.

And so the struggle of Araxes comes to a close, and what a harrowing journey it has been. Breaking Chaos is a perfectly pertinent and wildly entertaining conclusion to The Chasing Graves Trilogy. It is a story of perseverance and sacrifice, and one that upholds the ideal that it only takes one person, one voice to power the machine of change. Submitting to the detrimental and blinding effects of the poisons of hatred and rage, true change will remain unattainable. It is a story of choice, believing in one’s intuition, and how the consequences of your choices solidify your fate. The first half of the book continues to build tension as each of the characters stumble their way towards the Core districts, but the last half is such a staggering reward for readers of the trilogy. Secrets unveil themselves, alliances are forged, and the true threat is presented in a blood-soaked and terrifying way. Once I reached the turning point, it was almost impossible for me to put this down.

We were all the sum of our years, but also the product of what we made of them. A life spent in hate will cripple any soul, wrap it in shadow and rot it from within.

There are many aspects of this story that are worthy of praise, including the complexity of its conflicts, the vivid portrayal of the sunbaked city with its alien soaring towers and deep Nyxwater wells, and its highly imaginative societal structure. However, I have to say the character crafting and development has to be the finest. We’ve already been introduced to bits and pieces of the histories of Caltro, Nilith, and Temsa, but there are plenty of jaw-dropping revelations that decide to blindside you when you least expect it. In addition to the several POV characters, auxiliary characters, such as Pointy, Bezel, and Ani Jexebel, are stunningly utilized to add rich depth and history to the Far Reaches. Galley’s ability to bring about sympathy for characters that shouldn’t deserve even an ounce of it is just incredible.

Throughout the series we’ve been involved in our fair share of nail-biting situations, but Breaking Chaos forcefully cranks up the action meter. From Temsa’s disorganized marches on Tors, Tals, and Sereks, to Nilith’s narrow escape from Chaser Jobey, there’s no shortage of edge-of-your-seat clashes and strife. The Battle of Araxes is one of the most impressively visceral and momentous pinnacle battles I’ve ever read - a chaotic whirlwind where Galley refuses you a single moment of rest. The ample buildup leads to intense moments, and nothing you’ve been introduced to is wasted. The final few chapters are just simply amazing and perfectly wrap up the series.

The Chasing Graves Trilogy is one of the most artistically unique and captivating series I’ve had the pleasure of reading. I cannot thank the author enough for providing me a complimentary copy of this book to bring my adventure across The Long Sands and through Araxes to a satisfying close. Breaking Chaos is a perfect example of what the dark fantasy genre has to offer, a tale drenched in hopelessness, yet set on a course that will guide you to the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s beautifully tragic with surprises at every turn. I highly recommend.

Nothing is certain in Araxes. Not even death.

[Darek Zawisko · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all I must say the chasing graves trilogy is an outstanding story. An Empire where being dead is only the beginning of your problems, where dead can be owns as property and thus as an value of power.
But alas the story has a few flaws , hard to be overlooked.
The main protagonist Caltro revealed himself as a fickle person who only part to the story was running everywhere and complaining a lot. I found difficult to stand him in the last book.
The plots were hard to understand and even blurred in their progress.
The books suffered too of a lot of lengths, more’s the pity.
Though I can recommend the trilogy because it was nonetheless quite enjoyable to worth the reading.

[Lynn K : Grimmedian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A crashing end to a fantastic trilogy. Concluding the battle for Araxes, this book is filled with plots upon plots in the vying for power of the City Of Countless Souls. When chaos erupts, we find both humor and determination within the story. Bloody, witty, and satisfying. Ben Galley has written an outstanding, action filled tale of death and justice.

[Paul Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cracking finish to the trilogy, brilliant world building and characters.

[Shane Shumaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third and final piece of Galley's newest story is by far the best piece of work he has written thus far. The pace is fast and addicting. The humor is subtle, but genius. There is action and betrayal on par with GoT. Breaking Chaos is the final nail in a coffin that redefines "Ghost stories", and it is one hell of a ride!

[Wolfmantula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Galley owned this finale!

There are endings that feel earned, and then there’s Breaking Chaos. An ending that straight-up murdered ‘earned,’ snapped its coin in half, and chucked the half-piece into the Nyxwell with a grin. This finale doesn’t just own the trilogy; it locks it in a copper coffin and absolutely claims it. What a ride this series was, and it was worth the re-read to be able to give it the review and extra love that it deserved, especially because I honestly didn’t remember much, and that’s a problem I found I had with audio only reads. This series will stick with me now.

While Chasing Graves and Grim Solace were heavier on the GrimDark tone, Breaking Chaos felt more in tune with GrimHeart. It delivered all the violence and chaos a reader could crave, but still wrapped up in a gratifying, heartfelt way that I suspect is Ben Galley’s calling card, since most of what I’ve read from him has that same vibe. I honestly love that style; it reminds me a lot of Ryan Cahill’s tone.

Caltro and Pointy are easily my favorite characters and a lot of it has to do with the banter they share, it makes every scene even better when they are together. With that said, Nilith is just awesome, I thought she was given a perfect opportunity to shine as much as Caltro despite him being the lead pov. The supporting cast in the story got to shine a little as well, as Horix, Sisine, and Temsa all made their ruthless plays for the throne, all while dealing with the scheming Cult/Church of Sesh. Heles dealing with repercussions of her investigation, and even Ani and Danib were given time to shine to splatter a little blood themselves.

“Each of us wears a veil. It is one of decorum and civilisation, and we drape it over the animal skin we wore for millennia before towers and cobbles.”

With delicious twists that came in like a wrecking ball, to deaths on a grand scale and a flying boat, this story had an incredible life of its own as it unfolded. Exciting fights, that I do wish lasted a tad longer, that were a bit anticlimactic, but exciting nonetheless. One scene stuck out to me the most and it was the most meaningful: the unlocking of the door by Caltro. This wasn’t just any locking picking scene, it was beautifully written as a sword duel, a battle of wits and minds, and an absolute chefs kiss where the master lock picker meets the master of all locks where only one survives.

The narration by Moira Quirk and Samuel Roukin was once again, flawless as they brought these characters to life. They worked off of each other to perfection, voicing a sprawling cast of scheming soultraders, murderous royals, and one very pissed-off locksmith. They don’t just read the book, they possess it.

Finishing the trilogy has also made one thing painfully clear: I’m hopelessly addicted to Ben Galley’s prose, it’s sharp, witty, and flows so effortlessly. Now that Chasing Graves is over, it makes me want to finish Scarlet Star (which needs narration, hint hint, wink wink). I also really need to start Emaneska and Scallussen… there’s a lot of Galley in my future, that’s for sure.

[Dimitris Kopsidas · Rating 4 out of 5]

With this third book The Chasing Graves trilogy cements it's place as one of the better and most unique grimdark series I've read.
The story of our protagonists reaches it's conclusion and it's one that doesn't disappoint. Galley does an excellent job with the dialogue among his characters and especially for me with Caltro, his sword and the falcon. Witty, sarcastic and full of well laid out motivations, all the character interactions were a joy to read. As this was the final book of the trilogy, there is some more action this time around. I wasn't a huge fan of the action scenes though cause they felt a bit too frenetic and I couldn't at all times follow what was happening.
The conclusion, though it didn't bring any huge twists and surprises, I thought it was satisfactory and I would love to see more stories in this world.
If you consider yourself a true grimdark fan don't hesitate and jump in this wonderful world!

7,9/10

[Marco Landi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tutta la trilogia è stata da cinque stelle, perfetta come poche altre.. e questo terzo volume non fa eccezione!
A livello di trama, ritmo, intrecci narrativi, Worldbuilding, personaggi, ogni cosa è stata perfetta, da manuale, emozionante!
Per essere un libro autopubblicato poi è davvero notevole la qualità del risultato finale!!
Non ho trovato un difetto!!
I continui colpi di scena, ribaltamento di trama e sviluppi improvvisi e inaspettati, ma coerenti e geniali hanno reso il tutto un finale davvero divertente e da cardiopalma!

[Vaelin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying conclusion to a highly enjoyable series that I think most grimdark fantasy fans would enjoy.

The ending leaves the door ajar for a return to this city/world. There are plenty more locations to explore and the possibilities for additional tales are plenty.

Bravo for Mr Galley in releasing the complete trilogy in a short space of time, without forsaking quality.

[BookishBenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This and more reviews can be found at my blog: https://bookishbenny.wordpress.com/

The endgame has finished but what did I make of it all?

There's something wholesome about coming to the end of a trilogy, even if that trilogy has a higher body count than The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. It means I've completed a story, and I can look back on it with fond memories. This is certainly the case with the final installment in the Chasing Graves trilogy by Ben Galley.

Breaking Chaos really had a lot of character's stories and other loose ends to tie up. I was worried as I entered the final third of this story that Ben had forgotten about certain pieces of bread he had left for me to find, that I would have to message him after and ask what happened to so and so but fortunately my fears were quelled as Ben ties up everything very nicely and even loops the story back around in a sweet circle moment in the last chapter (very much like Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee).

Caltro Basalt is still the only first person perspective character and that works well, albeit a little weird in the first story, because he is the main character. Poor Caltro has been pulled into every side quest possible and has come out the other side a... well I won't spoil that part for you but he is certainly a character who has grown and one who's journey is something that that you will enjoy reading. He is a unique character. On one side he is the land's best thief, able to pick any lock but on the other side he is lower than low and carries no actual authority unless he finds himself useful to someone more powerful than himself.

I really liked the supporting characters in this story, they all push the story forward in the pursuit for their own goals which are all very easily defined. I particularly enjoyed Pointy as a character. I felt a genuine connection for him by the end of the story. Considering he isn't an actual person, I thought that Ben had written him into the story very well.

I enjoyed the whole background of this trilogy actually, not just this third book and I guess that's what makes a final book review tricky because you want to reflect on the whole thing and tell people how much you loved it. The series, briefly for those who aren't aware is influenced by Egyptian gods/lifestyle and if you die someone can claim your ghost as their slave so you are dead but you can continue to exist. It's a really unique setting that was the sole reason I so desperately wanted to read it.

The worldbuilding is great, large grand ideas like pyramids are obvious but there are tons of little pieces of information that hint at an Egyptian influenced world that make you smile when you notice them. It's very easy to imagine the world, and the characters within it as you read through the pages.

This is a fantasy book, I'd personally lean a little towards grimdark because of the deaths, but there isn't any actual "magic". There is the indenture of people's ghosts or 'shades' as they're called but there isn't any magic wands, world-magic that exists or special incantations. There are dead gods and I would say that forms the basis of any kind of "magic" in this world which in turn has influenced other fantasy elements but I don't want to spoil anything.

The audiobook for this story is also really good to get through too. Narrators Moira Quirk and Samuel Roukin continue to do a great job voicing different characters and bringing Araxes to life. If you're into audiobooks then I'd recommend picking this trilogy.

Overall I really enjoyed Breaking Chaos. It was a great conclusion to the trilogy tying up all of the story strands into a neat bow. It has really great characters, a lot of interesting worldbuilding ideas and a great plot. Also, within that plot are a number of 'oh shit' moments that I guarantee at least one of which will have you sit up wide eyed. I'd recommend this series to you if you enjoyed First Law or A Song of Ice and Fire and wanted something slightly more traditional fantasy but still a little dark and inventive.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review is here, on my blog!~

Oh Caltro. What a fun character. In this last volume, Caltro is so, so near freedom, even if it’s dead freedom. Boss Temsa and the Widow Horix have had him bouncing back and forth between them, but the dead gods that have appeared to brighten his days every now and then to continue to tell him that he has an important job to do. So, he and his faithful (and mostly-inanimate) sidekick Pointy may have to save not only the day, but everyone and everything as well.

Meanwhile, Nilith has finally made it to Araxes across the brutal dunes, only to find that the Nyx river, the water needed to bind the dead, is drying up. Enemies she made on her journey are still chasing her, and it’s become a race to the end of her quest.

Sisine and her efforts to be the emperess-in-more-than-waiting is being met by defiance of the council of sereks, and more than ever she needs to get her father the emperor out of his sanctuary. Because he’s a crap emperor and she could do better, of course!

And the mysterious CultChurch of Sesh is planning and plotting in the background… but what is it that they are plotting towards? Dun Dun DUNNNNNN.

So, fun times & shenanigans! :D

I’ve really loved how fast paced and fun this series has been. It’s dark, when it needs to be. There’s all kinds of gruesome murder and what have you. I mean the entire premise of the thing includes a great deal of death in various forms, but it never takes itself entirely seriously, and that is what has made the whole story such a winner for me. Even the informational quotes at the beginning of chapters have a few laughs in them.

The writing was immersive and descriptive, with imagery that sometimes made my eyes widen with a bit of awe at the comparison. That said, I never found it overly descriptive, or to the point where it was boring or just gross. But using the image of a pomegranate thrown against a boulder as a simile for… well, something much grosser than that, was brilliant use of language. At least… I thought so. I can imagine the city of Araxes and its many denizens fairly well.

I love Caltro, and have loved him through this entire journey. He is snarky and usually has a comeback for anyone, no matter how above his station they may be, and he has the confidence he needs to be what he is. He is the best locksmith in the entire Reaches, goddamn it, and that makes him important! I also really liked Nilith. I wasn’t sure in the beginning of the series what I thought of her, but by the end of it, I was on Team Nilith 100%. She is snarky and full of wit at times too, and despite how arduous her journey has been, she’s never given up. Krass by name and crass by nature, these two were foul-mouthed and snarky enough for me to latch right onto.

Things wrapped up in an entertaining way, leaving me satisfied with the conclusion, but the hope that, perhaps one day, something else in this world will come forth. There’s room for more, under different circumstances perhaps, but room for more nonetheless!

All told, this was a very entertaining world to read about, with the idea of being bound as a ghost and a slave after death really, really well thought out and well executed. I had a great time with this series, and this final book was no exception!

Thanks to the author for the review copy!

[Thor Krarup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breaking Chaos is the culmination and last book of the trilogy, Chasing Graves by Ben Galley. It manages to wrap up the storylines from the two previous books and deliver a satisfying conclusion to the over-arching story.
What stood out to me in this book is how well written it is, the language is accessible, and it required very little effort to get immersed in. Ben Galley employs multiple different PoVs in order to tell his story. In my opinion this works because the PoVs have their own distinct voices, and we get a well-rounded mix of characters who both good, bad and morally grey. I like this because it keeps characters getting stale and it is just really intriguing to follow conflicts from multiple sides. In addition i think Ben Galley does a good job switching between the PoV characters at the right time, in order to show us the important story parts of the on-screen.

It is hard for me to separate Breaking Chaos from the Chasing Graves Trilogy as whole, therefore my rating for the two is combined. When I rate books i consider two criteria.
1. Enjoyment while reading the book,
2. Gut-feeling after finishing the book.
I read the whole series in a relatively short amount of time, which to me is always a good sign. I kept trying to sneak in a little bit of reading whenever possible throughout my day, as well as simply binge-reading huge parts of the book.
When i finished Breaking Chaos I had a feeling of general satisfaction. All the important plot-points gets resolved in a way that is surprising while also being foreshadowed at the same time, and it livse up to all the expectations that has been build up in the previous installments of the trilogy.

I rated Breaking Chaos a fully deserved 5 stars because it manages to be both enjoyable from start to finish as well as having a satisfying conclusion.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes good fantasy, but maybe wants something a little different while still having a well-structured story.

[OTAKU READS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chasing Graves Trilogy
Welcome to Araxes, where getting murdered is just the start of your problems. For in Araxes, the dead do not rest in peace in the afterlife, but live on as slaves for the rich. a new dark fantasy trilogy. Inspired by Egyptian mythology and packed with dark humour and action tale of ghosts, sorcery and meddling gods.

A person who longs to change the past will only see themselves as a product of what could have been. The longing changes nothing of the present”

Pros
1. Hard magic system - Soul binding - souls can be bound into a) ghosts called as shades b) objects c) animals
2. Complex plot we follow a locksmith who died in the first chapter and now the dead gods want him to save the world
3. Multiple POVs we follow a mercenary , empress ,princess, locksmith done well each character are developed so well
4. Politics of different faction - royals , noble houses , church , chamber are done so well that you dont know who to trust
5. Converging of all plots thread the hints through out the story done so well
6. Worldbuilding and the setting of the story -

“Every reason is a little story we tell ourselves to dress up our desires. We offer reasons to explain or excuse ourselves, to fit in. We do it every day. But these stories are dangerous. Cyclical and devious. We tell them over and over so many times we start to believe they’re true, when instead all along it is all just justification to hide what drives us: to have what we desire

Cons
1. Each book ended on a cliffhanger so you have to binge it so people who love binge reading need to check this out

Perfect for fans of Foundryside


link for bookstagram and blog

https://www.instagram.com/_.otaku.__....

https://tmgwrites.wordpress.com

[Jonathan Pembroke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breaking Chaos picks up with the three ostensible protagonists (frankly, the only three major characters in the books I could really stand) in dire straits, and proceeds with how they're going to work their way out of those dangers. Characterization and narrative continue to be the strong points here. Several characters earn their well-deserved fates, for better or worse.

I thought the pace of the first two books was uneven but this one had a rapid march to the bloody finish and tense action moments will keep you reading. While some of the particulars of the finale felt a bit squirrelly and predictable, I have to say that it was still a satisfying conclusion, right up to the very last scene.

This world has more tales to tell and the end definitely leaves an opening for adventure in the future, even if not with the same cast of characters.

I give this 4.5 but I'll round up this time. It's a solid, enjoyable finish for a solid, enjoyable series.

[RatGrrrl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've had some time to try and wrangle my thoughts. I think my overwhelming feeling is disappointment. There's so many things about this book and the series as a whole that are disappointing, specifically because Chasing Graves was such a fresh, original, and bloody brilliant book that took concepts and tropes in a genre utterly drowning in mediocrity and formulaic versions of versions of versions. I'm going to talk a bit about the first two books, but I'll do my best to keep them vague enough to mot be too spoilery.

Chasing Graves is acerbic, unsentimental, gritty, grim, and genuinely amusing in ways so many other fantasy books strive for, but in taking one or more of those elements more often than not they miss the mark and/ or plunge into cheap, problematic shortcuts that are so often ignorant, bigoted, and harmful. I was so here for this!

(I've not got my Goodreads wings yet, so just imagine the Tyra Banks 'We were all rooting for you' GIF here)

There was such rich worldbuilding and characters that emerged naturally through the story with the dual perspectives of the self-centred, unlucky master locksmith and the self-righteous, spiky Empress that begin to unfold the political intrigue, criminal enterprise, supernatural quandaries, and imperial (and family) divisions. Chasing Graves sets up this world, premise, and tone perfectly, but it's downhill from there.

I won't talk about Grim Solace too much, but it is very much the middle passage of the trilogy with our erstwhile locksmith being battered around like a political football and discovering a unique ability, which is fine, but stretched out to half a novel means it feels a bit like treading water, while the Empress continues her tiny Mad Max fury Road journey on a mission that the true impetus isn't revealed until most of the way through the next book. She's a sneering Furiosa with trials and tribulations aplenty, and I'm here for them. Unfortunately, these two storyline aren't enough or rather are filled with so much unnecessary dead air and repetition that I was starting to seriously zone out as I felt the wheels starring wobbles and the momentum starting to wane.

This brings us to Breaking Chaos and the culmination of this trilogy and the collision of the two protagonists and every other faction and player. We find out why a master locksmith was original sought out and so viciously fought over, which is a serious let down as the job was obvious from the start and we have known what is or isn't behind that door from book one. There's some reveals that aren't that interesting, although I do have to recognise a tower becoming an emergency steampunk airship is pretty cool, but nothing really comes of it. All the players converge with some fortuitous happenstances along the way that veer into deus ex machina territory a little too much for the overall tone of this series for the climax.

This is what this whole series of interesting characters, underhand dealings, mysteries and entreaties of the dead gods, and political machinations have been building to -- a big, generic, fantasy battle with the protagonists going beastmode, complete with the cavalry turning up on the darkest hour in a story element take directly from A Song of Ice and Fire with none of the very obvious and serious ramifications, and some unbelievably painful and hypocritical, extremely white 'Western' (read: unbelievably ignorant, problematic, centrist, and obscenely racist) perspectives and moralising that made me want to start eating my headphones.

I'm a big enough gal to admit it, Ben Galley fully Pierce Browned me, Chasing Graves into the cisheteronormative white capitalist death spiral of Red Rising. Dudes may rock, but they absolutely smash their hard work and talent to pieces with their ham-fisted, privileged, and dangerous world views. While Red Rising was a saga of exploited workers taking a stand to ultimately go full great man, war crimes are cool, former friends turned fascist are worthy of more respect than dead comrades and innocents, Chasing Graves went from greed, authority, slavery are bad to full fear of reprisals and retaliation fantasy with maintaining the oppressive systems, but maybe just a little bit nicer, and effectively genociding the oppressed it was worried were going to do a genocide. Not to mention, the heroic efforts of the nightmare capitalist slavers who have been trying to trap and kill a main character throughout the book saving the day, so another brave hero can disregard the agency and autonomy of countless others so they can go Super Saiyan!

I'll talk more specifically about my issues in a moment as they will need to be marked as spoilers.

I was so thankful to be back in this world after reading a bunch of other things in between and I loved being back in the bleak, sarcastic tone of these books that Moira Quirk and Samuel Roukin bring so perfectly to life with their narration. My first updates are so full of joy and hope. But then it dragged so much harder than the last book in the middle, before completely messing the bed with the ending, both in terms of the tone and vibe of everything that came before, and the repugnant events, motivations, and politics.

This story wasn't enough for three full novels and this is one of its major weaknesses. The dual narratives are great, but both end up having to tread water or dash forward at times to keep pacing and ultimately culminate together. One big book or being a much tighter duology would have really made the good parts of this series sing. Nothing short of a total rewrite, including plotting and changing the events, or at the very least the perspective with which they are shown can do anything to work as damage control for the ending.

Just like Red Rising, it was the best of times and then the worst of times that made me wish I had never has the good times to begin with and had either avoided these books entirely or just read the first one and pretended like it was just a stand alone brilliant book.

***Spoilers Ahead***

Okay, I've already spent way too much time thinking and writing about this book, so let's just hit some points that I hated:
- 'Good Cop' character seems like they are going to do the only good thing a cop can do - stop being a cop (ACAB), but instead they want to be an imperial cop and convince the Empress who wants to do good and then step down to be the Girlboss she deserves to be because she's the empress baybee!
- 'Good Cop' sacrifices themselves to a bounty hunter as the fake Empress and then manages to convince the Consortium of capitalist slavers to save the city because they can exploit it. Believable, but not shown as bad at all.
- Consortium of capitalist slavers are the cavalry, save the day, and are heroes with no discussion or criticism.
- The emancipation of the slave shades is used as an excuse for the dead to genocide all of the living, so our protagonist hero turns on his new friend without telling her or anyone of his plans, so it can be a dramatic reveal for the book, saying that actually maybe we need the slavery instead to avoid this. Presenting this binary is beyond disgusting and racist. This is the fear of reprisal that is a cornerstone of white supremacy and colonialism that is used as the excuse as to not give colonised and indigenous people autonomy to make decisions for themselves and the land Stolen from them. I actually thought Galley did quite well over the series to not make the enslavement of ghosts and their treatment as second class citizens too much of a racial allegory -- this could be my own ignorance and privilege for sure. It's definitely better than things like Detroit: Become Human. To throw that away with racist fears and a black and white approach is colossally disappointing.
- After having this moment of disgust at the potential genocide, our now morally upstanding hero proceeds to forcibly incorporate a bunch of shades into their body to power themselves up. This is described in detail as being against their will and them fighting as their selves are subjugated and their essence is subsumed. This is unbelievably awful and never portrayed as the horrific abuse and ignorance of consent or reflected upon in any critical manner. It's okay though because the people it happened to were baddies...
- Actions taken essentially lead to a lot of the shades being genocided - sent to the afterlife against their will. In a world where ghosts are people, especially one in which they are almost entirely slaves, a good ending would be them having some choice and agency, but nope that's only for important characters.
- They really wanted to do the whole 'person who holds the thing is in charge', after showing how gross it was that class and power were more literally tied to the weight of wealth a person has in this city than in real life? But it's turned down and we get the 'rightful' Empress for a new age of benevolent dictatorship...
- The series is book ended with a not very good prank. A literal poop joke. In the offing it was establishing character. In the end it is a metaphor for this book and the total vapid stagnation of authoritarian rule of the city and the total lack of character depth or development.

I never thought I would end up hating this book and series and much as I loved the first one. I didn't think I could be broken again so spectacularly as I was by Red Rising. Morning Star fully had me heartbroken fury sobbing, but Breaking Chaos just brought bitter tears to my eyes. At least I'm getting more inured to this BS.

Thanks, I hate it.

--

Original Review: 2/5

I will need to come back when I am capable of more cogent thoughts, but I am become Tyra Banks.

At first I was so happy to be back in this world I enjoyed some much.

Then I was drifting off and bored.

Finally, I was colossally disappointed and let down by an ending that was the novel equivalent of the trend of movies that all ended with a big blue light in the sky.

I am genuinely gutted and disgusted. It's not even the events, though they aren't great, but so much of the unchecked rationale, reactions, and reasoning for the actions taken that have left me feeling disappointed and sick.

I absolutely adored the first book. The second was a bit of a repetitive nothing burger, but the character stuff was good. This end of the trilogy threw character stuff away for a relentless series of events building to a ridiculous and 'epic' conclusion that lacked anything that made these books good.

I really didn't think this trilogy was going to Red Rising me, but dammit if Ben Galley hasn't absolutely Pierce Browned me.

Moira Quirk and Samuel Roukin's performances continue to be perfection. I honestly don't think I would have actually made it through without them. Nothing to do with them, but the audio quality and sound mixing really wasn't great for the audiobook, or, rather, it was fine for the most part, but the way parts were stitched together has wildly different sound and quality, so when bits has been redone or whatever really stood out in a bad way.

[Chip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben is slowly turning into one of my favorite authors. This was a satisfying conclusion to a really inventive trilogy. Lots of twists, turns and baddies. Very dark, but a decent level of humor.

Highly recommended!

[Nick Moraitis · Rating 3 out of 5]

the series started to drag for me by this book - definitely did not need to be a trilogy. a bit of a messy wrap up, which felt like it was always going to be the case, and left me a little unsatisfied after wading through three of these

[Майя Ставитская · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sacramental "Let's rest in the coffin" is not for the inhabitants of Arax, created by Ben Gally in the image and likeness of Ancient Egypt: practically the same pantheon with almost the same names of the gods, with the same difference. that Isis and Osiris, the resurrected god of life and rebirth with his royal consort, are missing. The place of the supreme deity with a cult with many adherents is occupied by Sesh, an analogue of the Tibetan Set, the god-killer. It is no coincidence that the opportunity to die quietly here is the greatest blessing. Araxians and guests of the capital should be prepared for the fact that they will be killed... to make them serve. The dead are a commodity, and a certain ritual can create a Shadow out of it - a creature capable of working without food or sleep, which is completely subordinate to a person who owns half a copper coin, a kind of long leash.

To help the fans, this is my review. Let me remind you: the woman who dragged the corpse of her murdered husband through the desert is Empress Nilit, she went in search of the irresponsible Emperor Farazar, who neglected his duty as ruler and went into all sorts of trouble in the brothels and brothels of a neighboring state, leaving a slave ghost for himself and making it look as if the ruler, paranoically afraid of assassination attempts, hid behind his family (literally) castles from all subjects. The "imperial" will was expressed through notes that Princess Sisin received from under the door, gradually beginning to replace it with her own instructions, and longing to occupy the empty throne, even if it meant giving up the anointed one. The problem is that he needs to be dug out of the shelter first. Well, that's what Keltro is for, a Master of locks.

Now you have remembered the exposition a little, it will be easier to navigate the story and enjoy listening!

Мир без смерти
Сакраментальное "В гробу отдохнем" не для жителей Аракса, созданного Беном Гэлли по образу и подобию Древнего Египта: практически тот же пантеон с почти теми же именами богов, с той разницей. что отсутствуют Исида и Осирис - воскресающий бог жизни и возрождения со своей царственной супругой. Место верховного божества с культом, имеющим множество приверженцев, занимает Сешт - аналог егопетского Сета, бога-убийцы. Не случайно, возможность тихо умереть тут величайшее благо. Араксийцы и гости столицы должны быть готовы к тому, что их убьют... чтобы заставить служить. Мертвецы товар, из него определенный ритуал может сотворить Тень - существо, способное трудиться без еды и сна, которое находится в полном подчинении у человека, владеющего половиной медной монеты, своего рода длинным поводком.

Если мертвое тело не позднее, чем через сорок дней после смерти погрузить в колодец с водой священного Никса (похоже на Нил, правда?) с особыми заклинаниями, то вышедший из него голу��оватый светящийся призрак станет собственностью совершившего ритуал. Та самая медная монета разламывается пополам по специальной бороздке. У кого половина, тот хозяин призрака, который может заставить этого последнего трудиться на себя без отдыха и сна, без еды и платы в режиме 24/7. "Как повезло яблоку" (перефразируя рекламный слоган) "И как не повезло вам". Герою, мастеру замков из Красса, Келтро не повезло быть убитым душекрадами в первые часы своего пребывания в Араксе, после чего он, оказался продан на Рынке душ некой вдове, злобной немыслимо богатой старухе, которая намеревается поставить себе на службу его навыки взломщика, в награду обещая освободить, вернув половину монеты. Вольные духи могут устроить себе вполне недурное посмертие.

"Укрощая хаос" третья, заключительная часть древнеегипетского гримдарка Chasing Graves, одной из самых интересных по концепции и исполнению историй последних лет. И это была хорошая новость для поклонников цикла,. Не то. чтобы плохая, но специфичная - читать/слушать нужно подряд, в идеале переслушивая предыдущие части прежде. чем приступить к заключительной. Фанзон выпустил книги трилогии с практически годичным интервалом между томами, за год успевают забыться и вещи попроще, чем затейливо устроенная здешняя вселенная.

В помощь фанатам аудиоверсия в озвучке Игоря Князева, прекрасной как всегда. И немного эта моя рецензия. Напомню: женщина, которая тащила через пустыню труп убитого ею мужа - императрица Нилит, она отправилась на поиски безответственного императора Фаразара, который пренебрег долгом правителя и пустился во все тяжкие в притонах и борделях соседнего государства, за себя оставив призрака-раба и обставив все так, словно параноидально опасающийся покушений правитель скрылся за семью (буквально) замками от всех подданных. "Императорская" воля высказывалась посредством записок, которые принцесса Сизин получала из-под двери, постепенно начав подменять на собственные указания, и страстно желая занять пустующий трон, даже если бы для того пришлось уконтропупить помазанника. Проблема в том, что прежде его нужно выковырять из убежища. Ну так, на то и нужен Келтро - Мастер замков.

Теперь вы немного вспомнили экспозицию, ориентироваться в истории станет легче Приятного прослушивания!

[Diogo · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride. What an ending. I wanted to get that out front and center in case it's the only thing anyone ends up reading. If you stick around for the next few lines I'll try to explain why.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, which follows, free of spoilers.

First off, it bears mentioning that the Chasing Graves Trilogy was never slow. The first volume begins with bloody murder and doesn't exactly ever apply the brakes. That means, of course, that Grim Solace begins with you being thrown into a snowball that is already halfway down a mountain. My question then, when I started Breaking Chaos, was simply "how far down does this mountain go?"

Turns out, pretty far. If you think you know how far down it goes, in fact, Breaking Chaos is here to teach you some humility. That said, it can be difficult to review the finale of a trilogy with a sense of utility - I suppose anyone reading this might be worried by the pace and scope of the two previous books, and wondering how it could be capable of delivering on the many promises of its predecessors. I'm here to tell you it delivers. It delivers in commanding fashion. It delivers in a way that, a third into the book, you wonder how can there be two thirds more. And then, two thirds in, you wonder how can there be only one third more. It doesn't waste a moment, down to the last sentences.

I'll begin with my biggest surprise - while I considered the plot secondary for my enjoyment in previous books -- Chasing Graves being mostly a setting up of pieces and events and Grim Solace their necessary continuation, a building up of momentum -- Breaking Chaos elevates the experience, partly through the bringing together of the several threads, bringing previously unconnected characters face to face, turning events to their inevitable conclusions, and partly through the sheer scope of it. I know I already said that the trilogy is never slow, but there's a sense of real urgency in Breaking Chaos, of things coming to their ends, and seing how it affects the characters, as you try to figure out their endgames (or their means to it) and watching as things start to slip makes for a pretty wild ride. And there are plenty of my favourite kind of surprise: the kind that when you look back, you feel like you should have been able to see it coming.

One other thing bears mentioning. The ending of this book pulls no punches whatsoever. Whatsoever. The word "epic" comes to mind.

One of the high points of previous books to me were the characters, and its very satisfying to see them come to their final evolutions. Some were desired but uncertain, some were predictable and rewarding, some were surprising. One of the characters I didn't care much about became one of my favourites in this book. And a certain scene in the rain has been so long coming that you probably had already convinced yourself it would happen - and then not happen - a few times over. Everyone is brought to their breaking point for different reasons - and with different outcomes. I was also glad to find out that even secondary characters get their moments, as I'd developed a soft spot for one or three.

Finally, the prose was always good, but in this book, for the first time, it is such that it knows when to stop not getting in the way of a pretty frantic pace, and to slightly seep from painting the background to infuse certain scenes with a sense of their own purpose. It's hard to describe the effect, but it's like a dimming or a focusing of the lights in a play, creating little islets for characters or situations to reveal themselves apart from the weight of circumstances. Perhaps it's the nature of endings, but it made me wonder if I'd missed this before, as the books kept leading me to turn the pages.

So, that's it. Go read it, if you can. I would definitely recommend Breaking Chaos, and the Chasing Graves trilogy in general. It's a breath of fresh air that invitingly picks you up, builds up to gale force winds and deposits you squarely in the middle of a storm to pick up the pieces of your free time... And leaves you wanting to go again.

[Dorian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author released all three books in this trilogy within a span of a few months, and perhaps that’s why I think of this series as one big story, rather than three smaller ones. That’s how I’m going to talk about them. Consider this a review of the entire series.

I was quite impressed with Galley’s standalone fantasy Heart of Stone, so I had high expectations for these. I’m happy to say that those expectations were exceeded in every way.

I’m a curmudgeon when it comes to prose quality, and I absolutely love the way Galley crafts his sentences, his images, his metaphors and similes. Every line was a joy to read, which for me just buoys my brain, enhancing my enjoyment of the plot and characters. I think I said this in my review of Heart of Stone, but I find Galley’s writing to be highly reminiscent of Josiah Bancroft, one of my absolute favorite authors.

As for the story itself, it’s enthralling. I’m not spoiling much to say that the main character, locksmith extraordinaire Caltro Basalt, is murdered almost immediately after the start of the book. But the world of Chasing Graves is one where the souls of the recently dead can be captured as ghosts and enslaved by the unscrupulous and/or powerful. As such, Basalt finds himself bound and conscripted, whereupon he becomes a pawn in a delightful game of power politics played by various nobles, merchants, bankers, and soul-stealers.

One of the great tricks Galley manages in this tale is giving Basalt just enough agency and personality to sustain him as the primary protagonist (and the only one whose chapters are narrated in first-person), despite that he’s seldom in control of his own fate or freedom. He falls into the “loveable rogue” archetype, constantly balancing an innate sense of justice against his own considerable greed and laziness.

There are other POV characters, most notably the enigmatic Nilith, first seen dragging both the corpse and the ghost of her dead husband across a desert. Her strong, no-nonsense approach to her situation (not to mention her martial prowess) give her chapters a much different feel than Basalt’s. For most of the first book the two narratives seem unrelated, but the connection, once revealed, is a wonderful moment. A handful of other characters get some POV time, but Nilith and Basalt are clearly the stars of the show, and I never tired of reading about what happened to them.

The world itself is an alt-history Egypt, and the huge city of Araxes, where most of the story takes place, is like a character unto itself. By the time the third book ended I felt like I had lived in it, the city having evoked the same strong sense of place as Scott Lynch’s Camorr and Terry Pratchett’s Ankh-Morpork. And as for world-building, the setting of Chasing Graves is of the sort I like to refer to as “relentless.” Every chapter, every scene, relies upon and is strengthened by the unique characteristics of this odd society, in which enslaved souls are both a currency and an indication of power. It’s a grimdark world out there, full of crime, slaves, and backstabbing, but it never gave me a feel of inexorable bleakness the way (for instance) Richard Nell’s Kings of Paradise did.

So… any caveats to all this gushing praise? Well, uh…I guess I should warn readers that there’s a bit of scatological humor. And the first two books feel very much like parts 1 and 2 of a 3-part story, without particularly strong wrap-ups of their own. But if you go into the series with that mindset, you’re in for a treat.

[Piotr Stasiewicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Galley asks for a review in his book, so here it is.

Let me start by saying that this is a review of the entire trilogy, not just a single volume. All three constitute a whole storyline and treating them separately makes little sense.

If I were to sum up the, Chasing Graves trilogy as briefly as possible, I would say that Ben Galley has created something that could be called a perfect fantasy trilogy. Every element of this book is very good, great or sensational, the whole thing gets better the further you read it, and the ending is one of the most satisfying I have ever read. If I had any reservations, it would be that, although this trilogy is sometimes referred to as grimdark, a better term would definitely be grimheart, because ultimately the story, which seems very dark, immoral and grim, in the third volume gains a decidedly epic perspective, and the characters, who we thought were insignificant individuals entangled in a vortex of events more important than them, eventually play a key role in a much broader perspective.

The greatest strength of Galley's novel, as in any good fantasy novel, is the characters and — oh my god — this element is the author's best. Caltro is a great protagonist, his interactions with the other characters, including primarily Pointy, are the strength of the novel. The other characters also come to life on the pages of the novel, they are flesh and blood characters who in a fantasy world have their own motivations, goals and their intertwining ultimately determines the development of the plot.

The worldbuilding is wonderful, even exemplary. The mechanics of the world have been very well thought out, the actions of the characters result directly from its laws and ultimately the plot conflict, which seems to concern a particular struggle for power, in the last volume decides the fate of the world — the life and death of people, the dead and long-forgotten gods. In this respect, Chasing Graves trilogy is a model fantasy novel.

Most importantly, however, it is a great read. Ben Galley writes in beautiful prose, leads the action brilliantly, doling out action points with perfect precision, creates great dialogues. The use of alternating first-person and third-person narrative makes this trilogy even more interesting. All of this is simultaneously captivating, funny and in the ending - you will be surprised - moving.

I highly recommend it!

Chasing Graves — ****1/2 stars
Grim Solace — ***** stars
Breaking Chaos — ***** stars