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A Day for Dead Saints
When the world forgets you're dead, remembering becomes an act of rebellion.
Veynar’s sister is dead, yet no one remembers her death the way he does. When he refuses to let her be erased, his family, mentors, and friends insist that grief has fractured his mind. They tell him memory cannot be trusted—and that questioning the past only deepens the wound.
Driven by a truth no one else will acknowledge, Veynar begins to uncover what his sister stumbled into before she died. Ancient gods still walk among mortals, shaping belief, bending memory, and settling old rivalries through human lives. Their influence is quiet but absolute, and the city of Brenwick has become a gathering point for their long-simmering conflict.
As Veynar presses deeper into their designs, he learns that memory itself can be rewritten, that devotion is enforced as often as it is chosen, and that defiance carries a cost no one escapes unchanged. Each step toward justice tightens the gods’ attention on him, forcing him to confront how much of his grief is his own—and how much has been shaped by powers that do not care who they break.
To uncover the truth and protect those he loves, Veynar must hunt his prey beneath the notice of living gods, knowing that the price of remembering the dead may be more than he is willing to pay.
A Day for Dead Saints is an epic fantasy grounded in emotional consequence, where grief is not a weakness but a force powerful enough to challenge gods. With its mythic scope, morally complex choices, and deeply personal stakes, Ryan Kirk delivers a story that lingers—inviting readers into a world where memory itself becomes an act of resistance, and the cost of defiance is measured in what the heart refuses to surrender.
Veynar’s sister is dead, yet no one remembers her death the way he does. When he refuses to let her be erased, his family, mentors, and friends insist that grief has fractured his mind. They tell him memory cannot be trusted—and that questioning the past only deepens the wound.
Driven by a truth no one else will acknowledge, Veynar begins to uncover what his sister stumbled into before she died. Ancient gods still walk among mortals, shaping belief, bending memory, and settling old rivalries through human lives. Their influence is quiet but absolute, and the city of Brenwick has become a gathering point for their long-simmering conflict.
As Veynar presses deeper into their designs, he learns that memory itself can be rewritten, that devotion is enforced as often as it is chosen, and that defiance carries a cost no one escapes unchanged. Each step toward justice tightens the gods’ attention on him, forcing him to confront how much of his grief is his own—and how much has been shaped by powers that do not care who they break.
To uncover the truth and protect those he loves, Veynar must hunt his prey beneath the notice of living gods, knowing that the price of remembering the dead may be more than he is willing to pay.
A Day for Dead Saints is an epic fantasy grounded in emotional consequence, where grief is not a weakness but a force powerful enough to challenge gods. With its mythic scope, morally complex choices, and deeply personal stakes, Ryan Kirk delivers a story that lingers—inviting readers into a world where memory itself becomes an act of resistance, and the cost of defiance is measured in what the heart refuses to surrender.
265 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I read this in one sitting as it's a real page-turner! Great characters, smart plots and detailed action! One of the author's best books so far! Can't wait to read the next one! Thank you!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 3, 2026
An excellent start to a new series - highly recommended
Ryan Kirk is one of my favourite fantasy authors, and this book has further cemented that position in my mind. In this story a young boy called Vaynar is our hero, who gets a message to get to his sister urgently. When he gets there he sees her dead, murdered, but then he passes out and when he wakes up the body is gone. He goes to the town to see the body, but is told that she died of natural causes, and when he sees the body he cannot see any evidence of the murder he knows has occurred. He finds out what she had been trying to get to him, and retrieves it. This starts him on a dangerous path to try to find out what really happened and to avenge the death of his sister.
Ryan's books are always very well written, and this is no exception. It is gripping, exciting, and challenging at times. Fast paced most of the time, I found it difficult to put down. I recommend this book highly, and I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is going to be a difficult one to express. I gave the novel 4 stars for content, characters, action, and--why this review is difficult to pin down--potential. Premise: Veynar's sister is murdered before his eyes, but everyone else insists she died in prayer from exhaustion. "To uncover the truth and protect those he loves, Veynar must hunt his prey beneath the notice of living gods, knowing that the price of remembering the dead may be more than he is willing to pay." A very compelling back jacket made me request an Advanced Copy. Thanks to Booksprout for agreeing.
Gods once ruled the world, but now there are merely people that follow the teachings of a specific diety. Caelen watches over a tribe of proud warriors. Brennor watches over a city of builders. Or that is how Veynar was raised. This tension made the plot move along at a good clip, but the writing lacked emotion. Scenes moved along without building an intricate world. But my curiosity was piqued enough I want to continue with the series.
Content warning on violence level. It's up there. Lots of murder going around. Gore stays mid level, but it is pushing the boundary for my taste. Hope the second novel is a little more political tense then vengeance tense.
Gods once ruled the world, but now there are merely people that follow the teachings of a specific diety. Caelen watches over a tribe of proud warriors. Brennor watches over a city of builders. Or that is how Veynar was raised. This tension made the plot move along at a good clip, but the writing lacked emotion. Scenes moved along without building an intricate world. But my curiosity was piqued enough I want to continue with the series.
Content warning on violence level. It's up there. Lots of murder going around. Gore stays mid level, but it is pushing the boundary for my taste. Hope the second novel is a little more political tense then vengeance tense.
March 16, 2026
Action-Packed Fantasy
Veynar’s sister is murdered—or at least, that’s what he believes. Everyone insists he’s wrong, that her death was natural, and that his grief is clouding his memory. Refusing to let the truth be buried, he sets out to uncover what really happened—but deadly assassins and hidden powers will do anything to stop him. How do you survive a game where gods themselves are players? Will Veynar discover who killed his sister—and can he survive the cost of remembering?
I really enjoyed this fantasy and am looking forward to the next book in the series. If you like fast-paced, high-stakes adventures where gods and mortals collide, this one’s worth diving into.
Veynar’s sister is murdered—or at least, that’s what he believes. Everyone insists he’s wrong, that her death was natural, and that his grief is clouding his memory. Refusing to let the truth be buried, he sets out to uncover what really happened—but deadly assassins and hidden powers will do anything to stop him. How do you survive a game where gods themselves are players? Will Veynar discover who killed his sister—and can he survive the cost of remembering?
I really enjoyed this fantasy and am looking forward to the next book in the series. If you like fast-paced, high-stakes adventures where gods and mortals collide, this one’s worth diving into.
February 22, 2026
This book is fast paced and completely un-put-downable. As with all of Kirk’s books the world building is fantastic.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 6, 2026
A well written fantasy and totally engaging throughout. The pages are filed with magic, death, deceit, loss, fighting and action. Highly recommended. I received an ARC from Booksprout and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews