The First Casualty

The Sharp Places #1

by Qwame C.S. Skinner

It’s always clay and dust in the end.

Niaz Ahktar, known across the Sharp Places as the Devil of the Clay, has lived in infamy. Trying to stand on the right side of things just seems to result in new enemies. All he wants now is to earn enough coin to start over and live an honest, quiet life.

But when he's given the opportunity to finally make up for his past and be a hero, he can't pass it up. If he can rescue Raiza, a Zurun girl kidnapped because of her rare magic, he can help spark a rebellion and leave a better world than the one he was born into.

Faolan Vonungr wants what's rightfully his: the Sharp Places. He's the spitting image of his father, as determined as his mother, and has a much different idea than Niaz of what the Sharp Places need. After the two cross paths, it becomes clear that only one of them is making it out alive.

They'll have to overcome betrayal, their pasts, and their inner devils if they want to be on the right side of history, but in The Sharp Places, it's usually just steel that decides the heroes and the villains.

386 pages, Hardcover

Published September 2, 2025

About the author

Qwame Carell Shakur Skinner is an author and sportswriter from Columbus, Ohio. He enjoys traveling and can speak Spanish conversationally. Unfortunately, every single one of his sports teams stinks out loud. The Sharp Places is his debut series

Reviews

[Qwame Skinner]

Wow. Super unbiased reader here. What a good book. 👍🏾 Wow

[Marson]

My feelings on this book were pretty mixed. I enjoyed the world building, I really did love a lot of themes discussed throughout this book, and I thought overall it was written very well. Personally, I just didn’t find myself connecting with the characters as much as I prefer to. I also found occasional moments where I had trouble following along, though this may have fallen more on me than the book, so please take that with a grain of salt. Overall, I think this was a well-written book that just maybe wasn’t a perfect fit for me. Regardless, thank you to the author and BookSirens for my copy of this book.

[McKenzie Yates]

From a bird's-eye view The First Casualty is a well-paced, action-packed adult fantasy novel following multiple complex characters who each present their own set of seemingly insurmountable challenges. The rich, illustrative writing immerses you directly in The Sharp Places. As the plot develops and deepens, so does the reader's understanding of the characters. Skinner's impressive ability to intertwine action and exposition allows you to understand their habits and motivations. I felt fickle and confused why I found myself rooting for characters I would despise in real life. Which leads to the deeper view - The First Casualty is a story of contradictions - and feels like an appropriate juxtaposition to human nature. The hypocrisy, the existential and philosophical questioning, all feels relevant to any timeline. The story challenges the reader to question the value of intentions especially in the context of the resulting actions and aftermath - all while integrating entertaining, fantastical elements. I really enjoyed the book and I'm excited to eventually read again to catch any details I may have missed the first pass!

[Kat M]

I was hooked from the cover and description and once I read this I was so glad it was so well written. I was engaged from start to finish and thought worked in this epic fantasy world and how the characters were written. It was a strong start to the Sharp Places series and enjoyed how everything worked overall. Qwame C. S. Skinner has a strong writing style and am excited to read more like this and from the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Debra Nappier-Hardaway]

Niaz’s journey made me pause and consider how someone can reflect upon and change their

I appreciated how relatable all of his characters were but became invested in Niaz as he rediscovered his new direction/purpose.

The ending won’t hit everyone the same, but for me it was grounded and left me anxious to read the next books of the trilogy.

[Brendan Lamb]

I love this book. Great book. One of the best books. Simply no other books come close to it. Many people are saying “this is the best book thats ever been written” and I agree. It is.

Seriously good books 10/10

[Nicole Dellarmo]

I was so excited to read The First Casualty and it did not disappoint. I was completely engrossed in the world building and found myself rooting for characters that aren’t normally ones I would sympathize with. I can’t wait to see where Qwame takes this series after this!!

[Carell V.]

I enjoyed reading this book so far. I like wording and the way the story is constructed. I’ll keep reading until the end. I can’t wait for book #2.