Heretic: A Prelude to the Testament to Broken Gods

The Testament to Broken Gods #0

by Noah Isaacs

"Reminiscent of Mark Lawrence's Nona Grey and George R.R. Martin's Arya Stark ." - FanFiAddict

A lord. A lady. A priest or even a bishop. At times, a queen.

These are the people Varre has killed.

And next, an emperor.

Years now Varre has served the realm, devoting herself to the common folk who go without justice at the hands of those driven mad by power. Yet these same people fear her. Curse her. Spit at her deeds as if she should not to them be a saint.

Unlike them, her Faith lies in the dark, where the world passes unseen to most and the drivel of blasphemers is seldom heard over the wails of the damned.

Before, a single death unburdened the lives of so many. The emperor’s might condemn untold more. She used to tell herself these deeds were a necessary evil. Life for death. Death for life.

But now, as the mortal realm is to be cast asunder by her own blade, she must decide if a righteous future is worth attaining when there are none left to witness it.

Genres: Fantasy, Adult

163 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 5, 2026

About the author

Noah Isaacs is an American fantasy and science fiction author of the TALES OF AERYM. He currently resides in Tokyo, Japan, where he received an MSc in astrobiology, and pursues a PhD in the same field.

Reviews

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

As a serial series starter, I always love prequel novellas as a low-commitment way to get a little taste test of a new world, but Noah Isaacs surprised me by delivering a whole damn meal instead in Heretic. And honestly, it might not be the easiest to digest at times, but I still ate it up. I mean, it’s giving Arya Stark meets Nevernight meets Red Sister, and it’s got sapphic assassin vibes, so yes, of course all my buzzwords were buzzing.

So, when you’ve got a story with the title Heretic: A Prelude to the Testament to Broken Gods, you can expect things to get dark in a very religious, morally messy way, and that immediately had me hooked. We follow Varre, a genuinely deadly assassin who has killed lords, priests, queens, and now is aiming for an emperor, which should not be a problem for her hardened heart, except it is. She tells herself she is a saviour but she can’t deny that she feels more and more like the monster everyone says she is, so hello inner turmoil, we love to see it.

Now, I genuinely liked Varre and her tumultuous journey, especially because we get to see the softer, vulnerable side hiding behind her tough, gritty, morally gray mask. See, she might be a badass, independent woman, but she’s fiercely loyal to the people she cares about, and I really appreciated how her relationships, especially the sapphic romance subplot with the nun Esobel, added a bit of warm heart to Heretic that balanced out all the blood and violence. Also, she’s got a tiger cub companion, how can you not love that?!

And yet, for some reason I never fully connected with her, even though she’s doing everything right on paper. To me, the third person narration just felt a bit detached, which is strange for a story that is otherwise so intense and personal. Like, the internal conflict is there, the tragic backstory is there, the moral questioning is there, but I kept feeling like I was just slightly outside of her head, looking in, instead of being dragged down with her. There were moments where I felt like I should be a lot more impacted and invested than I was, and sometimes the scene transitions felt a little abrupt, which pulled me out of the flow.

Still, Isaacs makes up for that lack of character connection with his incredibly immersive worldbuilding, and I am honestly amazed by how much he was able to pack into just a little novella. Heretic is absolutely brimming with lore, religious systems, political tension, and mystical magic, and the fact that roughly 15 or so of its 160 pages are glossary material should prepare you well enough for what exactly you are getting into here.

Even though I was overwhelmed at times, I did really like the addictive air of mystery and intrigue, especially with the little oddities like the use of firearms in what otherwise feels like a more traditional fantasy setting and the weird dystopian undertones around the threatening weather patterns and the limited water supply. And if you’re a fan of epigraphs, you are in for a treat here, because each new chapter provided some new information that made the world just feel like it’s living and breathing outside of the page, and I loved that.

Overall, Heretic might sacrifice a bit of its own narrative focus and character depth in favour of setting up the larger series, but ultimately, it still impressed me and made me want to come back for more. So yes, if you are okay with a novella that throws a lot at you and expects you to keep up, this is a really solid dark fantasy adventure. It’s a quick read, but not a light one, and I have a feeling it’s going to stick in my head for a while, if only because I’m still trying to piece together everything it threw at me.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Heretic is scheduled for release on April 5th.

[Max Alvarado · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Indie Press, and Noah Isaac for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3⭐️ | 1🌶️

This one had such a strong premise and immediately pulled me in. A sapphic romance between a nun and an assassin? Add in a brutal, water-starved world and I was ready.

Varre is a morally gray assassin who believes she’s doing the right thing, even if it costs her pieces of herself along the way. I really liked the contrast between who she was and who she’s become.

There are some really cool elements here. The world, the faith themes, the baby tiger 🐅 (obsessed)… it all should’ve been a knockout for me.

But the pacing felt uneven, and I never fully connected on an emotional level the way I wanted to.

Overall, a solid start with a lot of potential. I didn’t love it, but I’m curious enough to see where the series goes next.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5-5⭐️

A promising prequel novella (~160 pages) for what I imagine is going to be a sweeping fantasy series.

The story flowed really well and immediately hooked me in. In the best way, this story felt much longer than 160 pages, immersing me with plenty of fantasy world building and action. The author has such a way with words, his writing was descriptive and the prose was perfect for the start of an epic fantasy book/series.

The author did a good job of setting up the world and main character(s) in such a short period of time. As I said above it flowed well, the pacing seemed natural for the story being told and I actually liked its faster pace of seeing the climax act itself out in a shorter amount of pages.

I immediately felt a connection/understanding towards Varre (the main character) and I think that is always a challenge in any book, regardless of the page count. But I seriously loved her, she was complex, hardened yet still had an ability to find forgiveness. Varre is a total badass and I totally see the Arya Stark comparison, though at times she gave me slight Gerald vibes too (okay but lowkey she was a fantasy John Wick??). She felt like the fantasy assassin FMC that books are trying to write, but never succeed, she made intelligent decisions and was an actual badass with skills, who knew her shit.

Action scenes can be hit or miss in books but they thrived here! I could feel the suspense and tension in each fight, could follow along with the descriptions and was rooting for Varre the whole time.

This also includes also LGBTQ+ rep (sapphic) but if you’re not looking for anything with romance don’t worry, it’s not the focal point, I actually think it adds to Varre’s character as she truly is more than a murderous assassin.

I will 100% be waiting for when book 1 drops :)

I think the only criticism I could really give was at times it could have used a bit more editing, some sentences not flowing as well or some unnecessary stative verbs. But I mean it’s an ARC so really that didn’t bother me too much.

(idk why i love the cover so much too? maybe reminds me of older fantasy books?)

*ARC courtesy of netgalley*

[sffwithpops · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heretic: A Prelude to the Testament to Broken Gods is a dark fantasy novella about a morally driven assassin whose actions are justified by her belief in creating a better world. The story explores justice, faith, and moral ambiguity, often questioning whether violence can ever be righteous. It also hints at strong underlying lore, with a wider world of fractured power, religion, and political tension that feels rich even in its brief presentation. Its fast pacing keeps things engaging, but limits deeper worldbuilding and character depth. Overall, it’s a compact, thought-provoking read best suited for fans of philosophical, lore-rich dark fantasy.

[Emmanuel]

I enjoyed reading "The Tales of Aerym" duology; I'm glad to see the author trying new things.

However, "Heretic" does things with its characters and worldbuilding that did bother me a lot. The narrative especially felt distant and cold, far from the warmer tones that made "Memories of Tomorrow" so memorable to me. From what I took from the synopsis, it seems to be precisely what the story is aiming for; which is why I won't be finishing it.

Regardless, I thank the author for the ARC.

[Jake Theriault]

This review was originally published on Off The Shelf .

“…why kill a peasant when you could kill a king?”

Heretic is a prequel novella to Noah Isaacs’ soon-to-be-expanded Testament to Broken Gods series, and I’ll begin with what is probably the most relevant information for those seeking to understand if this is a book they’d like to explore: reading Heretic is like jumping into the late seasons of a long-running TV show. It’s a good show, it’s interesting; but there is clearly a lot you’ve missed in the meantime. All that to say, if you’re looking for something dense (but short!) in a world full of myriad little details for you to dig in to, Heretic is probably it! The story is a mere 139 pages, and then the following 14 pages are a Glossary of important people, places, and things. Likewise each chapter begins with an epigraph revealing some bit of the history of the world, one of which I was particularly interested to learn more about: the recorded words of one “Nameless,” supposedly spoken “in the seconds between his birth and death.” Clearly Noah has put a lot of thought into this world, so it's no surprise he announced the first proper book in this series—the upcoming Ascendant—before Heretic was even released.

So, as mentioned, the story of Heretic begins quite clearly in media res. Our story follows Varre, an assassin in the employ of the mysterious Shadowmonger, on her biggest assignment yet: killing Emperor Naal of Luxia. But Varre, like many similar characters within the genre, has begun to question her role as executioner of Shadowmonger’s enemies, even as she rationalizes her work as that of “taking one life [to save] five more.”

“Every queen killed was a bastard saved. Every lord and lady knifed in their sleep was a chance for their subjects to be treated like human beings by whomever came next.”

Through the course of the story, Varre assembles for herself a small entourage, the connections with which provide the greatest stakes to the narrative. I don’t know if Varre or her companions will feature at all in Ascendant, but I would desperately like more of Varre and Esobel’s story.

I will say little else about the plot (which is short enough that any further summation of the plot could likely be considered a spoiler), and because I think I will likely have a lot more to say about this book and Isaacs’ Testament to Broken Gods series once I’ve got the upcoming Ascendant under my belt; especially given the in-universe theology at work within the narrative, which I am giddy to explore more deeply. But have a couple more thoughts that don’t really fit into the flow of this “review” and so warrant a lightning round discussion here:

Firstly, one character remarks that “Beasts and birds should not be punished as we are. Not when they do not sin as man does.” This passage called to mind C.S. Lewis’ essays “Vivisection” from 1947 and “The Pains of Animals” from 1950, the latter of which elaborates on this exact topic. It’s an interesting idea I’d like to see explored more in fiction!

Secondly, the topic of regicide is certainly not foreign to the past hundreds of years of human storytelling, but it does have a certain eerie quality to read about whilst attempts at it are happening contemporaneously in our own world. (This too, I imagine, as a topic will warrant greater exploration and discussion as Isaacs’ series expands)

Thirdly, the aesthetics of magic + guns in this setting kept making me think about Dishonored. Any work of fiction that reminds me of Dishonored should be celebrated.

In conclusion: with Heretic, Noah Isaacs introduces us to a dense, complex world that fans of the fantasy genre will surely love to explore; and which I’m keen to dive back into later this year.

[Mick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity!

Isaacs has created a world that seems rich with lore along with a deep and mystic history. The environment has a spiritual, or almost supernatural, element to it and there’s a clear impact on the land and the characters. We have here the classic start for a fantasy story; the small-town character will go on to do more than what’s expected of them. Ultimately, however, it felt like way too much was packed into what is too short of a story.

I will say that overall, I did like this story, and there is a lot that has been done well. As I touched on above, the world-building is well done. The land is plagued by severe, over a decade-long, droughts. These drought cycles end with a Harvest rain that’s brought about by the Dawnmother, this story’s prominent religious icon. I enjoyed learning about the religion, the different apostles and the depth to which devotion and faith are explored in Heretic.

As our characters travel the world, we see glimpses of interesting cities, landscapes and societies. We have wild sea voyage where the climate and surroundings play havoc with the journey, along with an insight into how slavery plays a part in the world, and we are given an insight into the depths to which a seemingly sinister network of spies, assassins and magicians(maybe?) operate under the watchful eye of Shadowmonger.

With everything that I have mentioned though, I found myself wanting more. That is ultimately the issue with this story; nothing actually feels like its fully fleshed out. The religion is given a cool set up – but what is it all about? The world is hindered by the weather-patterns and water supply – but why is it that way? The epilogue ends on a cliff-hanger – but why is that never touched back on later? The main character is going through an internal struggle with identity and purpose – but what is supposed to make me care about the decisions she makes?

That last question is my main gripe with this story. I honestly did not care about the main character (the only POV). She’s an assassin, but she does it for the “right reasons”. It feels like such a cheap excuse and makes the character just seem melodramatic. I couldn’t bring myself to root for her triumph but didn’t care enough about her to hope that she succeed. She claims to kill people to make the world a better place and to rid society of the injustice caused by those in power, but yet again, I don’t know why she is motivated by this. Maybe it has something to do with how the prologue ended, I don’t know, but I feel that we should have been given more of a backstory here.
Heretic is the bones of a satisfying fantasy tale, but as a reader I need more flesh on those bones to truly enjoy a story. It’s ambitious, I’ll give it that! Maybe an extra 50 pages could have helped to bulk out one of the topics, storylines or characters, but fundamentally it’s an anticlimactic story that bit off more than it could chew.

Favourite quote: “A story full of woe? The two are one and the same. They are what makes us, yes? A woman does not lurk in the shadows because she likes the dark, but because others fear them. A woman brings peace to those that have no need for it, if only so those that come after may know nothing else. What would that be called if not noble?”

[Shattered Anthologies · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella offers a rather intriguing approach to classic fantasy. It blends religion, political tension, and moral dilemmas into a dark and unforgiving world where belief seems to influence nearly everything. It’s the kind of setting that feels rich with history and hidden depth, and Noah Isaacs clearly has a vivid imagination when it comes to building worlds.

One of the strongest elements here is the atmosphere. The world feels harsh and often brutal, shaped by faith, power, and conflict. The story follows Varre, a protagonist who is far from perfect. She’s tough, damaged by her past, yet still carries a hint of humanity beneath the armour. Seeing glimpses of her earlier life helps to add some emotional depth, suggesting there might still be hope for her despite everything she has been through.

The world-building is ambitious and detailed, filled with religious ideas, political tensions, and even touches of firearms within a traditional fantasy setting. It’s a combination that gives the story its own identity. At times, though, the amount of information can feel overwhelming. There are many terms, locations, and references introduced quickly, and I occasionally found myself struggling to keep track of what was most important to the story.

Because of that, it sometimes felt like the narrative focus was a bit lost among all the details. While the setting is clearly well thought out, a little more clarity around the main stakes and conflicts would have helped me stay more connected to the plot. I also felt that some smaller details could perhaps have been trimmed in favour of expanding on the core elements of the story.

Varre’s personal storyline is interesting, but the ending leaves quite a few questions unanswered, especially regarding her past. The prelude, in particular, felt like it ended rather abruptly, which made the conclusion feel slightly incomplete.

That said, the foundations of the world and characters are very promising. Knowing the author’s work, it feels like this setting could truly shine in a longer format where there’s more space to explore the ideas and give the story room to breathe. I’d definitely be curious to see where the series goes next.

Verdict: A dark and thoughtful fantasy novella with strong world-building and an intriguing protagonist, though the dense details and slightly unclear stakes made it harder to fully connect with the story. Still, it shows a lot of potential for future instalments.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review. I truly appreciate the opportunity to read this book ahead of release.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I will say thank you to Netgalley for this arc!

I really enjoyed this prelude, I thought it was a great way to ease into this extremely complex world.

Here are some of my main notes I wanted to give:

-The glossary NEEDS to go in the front. I was SO lost with a lot of terms and didn't realise there was a glossary in the back. User error perhaps, but your book should be formatted to help your reader.

-On that point, the world building could have been fleshed out a bit more. I felt a little thrown into the deep end and was a little unsure of exactly what was going on. Reminder: you know the world, your reader does not. Explain it to them as if it's their first time encountering it, because it is.

-The romance between Varre and Esobel felt a bit rushed. I didn't even realise Esobel was important to Varre, especially considering they barely have any non-sexual intimacy. It felt more as though being introduced to a fling who suddenly ran away with Varre.

-I felt there were a lot of places, locations, details and such mentioned that could have been omitted. I hope this makes sense and isn't contradicitng to wanting world bulding. I appreciate all the details noted but sometimes it's better to focus on giving attention to what is there, rather than detailing what is minor/barely mentioned.

-My biggest note of this whole prelude: it starts with a really interesting prolouge and then... doesn't resolve it? I was waiting the whole of Varre's story for some resolution from her childhood. Ignore me if this comes in later books, but I did want more of that, even just a mention.

Things I loved:

-I Varre's character arc. It's very well done and I can feel her emotions and internal struggles with her decisions.

- I particularly liked the Waterwell storyline, a clever idea and great plot device!

- The writing is superb, everything is clearly stated and the overall storyline is intruiging and clear.

-I really like the way religious themes are used in this, I thought it was a beautiful blend of fantasy and faith.

-This was a great prelude and I can't wait for book 1!

[jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
A sword is not judged on how many lives it saves, but how many it takes.

As this is a prequel, I rolled with most of the punches and consulted the glossary as much as I could during times where the worldbuilding got too intense — which, for this book, was often. Since that was the case, it took a while to really get into the groove of reading as the main elements of conflict were really missing, while the world around our Varre blossomed.

A dark and gritty read with such an ambitious world, Heretic is a promising start to a series I am very excited to read. It has such a rich environment, the world holding on heavily with their religions. It felt like a very intricate homebrew session, as all the facets of the world was covered—religion, art, politics. However, I think it would have been best to have had released the first book first prior to releasing the prequel. That way, the lack of true explanations would make sense as we are assumed to have read book 1 already and are only reading this to give more background and depth for the world. That is my biggest issue for this book, as the shrouded information isn't held back on purpose, but with the assumption that we already know about it and are just discovering more. It becomes frustrating when Varre is talking about quitting in Mallauros for the upteenth time yet we are still not privy to her misadventures there.

That being said, I really liked Varre, that despite how broken the world has left her, she finds small ways to give back to the people. Sure, a little pouch of coins may not matter when the kingdom fell to her blade, but for that moment, a family was able to have a meal and have some light. And I think that speaks well of her character.

Other than a few typos throughout the work, this was a great fantasy read. Hoping that book 1 releases soon so that the tonnes of information we were presented would bear fruit.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing me this ARC via NetGalley. This does not in any shape or form influence my review on this book.

[Zarigüeya _Galáctica · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Gracias a NetGalley por la copia avanzada. ¡¡¡¡¡Es mi primera copia avanzada!!!!!
Bueno, esta es la precuela de una saga de fantasía que pinta bastante bien. Aquí tenemos a Varre, que es una asesina del reino que justifica sus acciones con su fe y la idea de que le está haciendo un bien al mundo, sin embargo, viene su trabajo más difícil: matar al emperador.
Es una idea muy interesante, sobretodo me gusta mucho el personaje de Varre, quien es sumamente gris y complejo, por un lado es una asesina implacable, sin misericordia con sus victimas, pero que aún tiene algo de humanidad que la hace preocuparse por los suyos. Su relación con Esobel se me hizo muy linda, aunque no veamos tanto de ellas en la segunda mitad del libro.
Como este es un libro corto y, que encima es una precuela, no se nos cuenta mucho del mundo, aunque este en verdad se ve muy interesante y me dan muchas ganas de descubrirlo. Y con esto es que vendría lo malo del libro y es que muchas cosas no se explican, por ejemplo, ¿cómo Varre pasó de ser la niña que veíamos en el prólogo a la que es en el resto de la historia? La respuesta obvia es que se verá en las siguientes novelas, pero en la nota del autor al final dice que Varre no será el personaje principal, así que no sé cómo va a ser.
Otra cosa es que a pesar de que me llama la atención el mundo y su lore, estas son más como las expectativas que tengo de lo que podría llegar a ser una buena historia, pero hablando solo de la historia de esta precuela, si que me hizo falta algo que me enganchara. La primera mitad del libro es sobretodo diálogo y no pasa algo que me haya resultado emocionante, esto mejora un poco en la segunda mitad, pero algo que me sorprendiera y me dejara al borde del asiento, no. Me dio más emoción pensar en lo que puede llegar a ser que lo que ya está escrito y pos eso si es un problema. La historia no es mala, solo le falta un poco más de emoción.

Gracias otra vez al autor Noah Isaacs y a Netgalley por el ARC :3

[Bill Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heretic: A Prelude to the Testament to Broken Gods is a hectic novella about an assassin finding her faith, and not necessarily faith as in Capital F 'Faith' despite the heavily religious world she inhabits.

Varre is the Shadow of Rellor, a famed assassin who has killed more people than she can count, but her latest target is the loftiest of all: an emperor. For years, she's been one thing and one thing only, a weapon that must remain sharp, but her edge is in threat of being dulled by a nun, a slave boy, and a baby tiger. The job pits her against herself, against her beliefs, and whether she completes the task, she will be forever changed.

In such a small number of pages, Isaacs creates one hell of a world, one I cannot wait to see expanded in a full series. A really cool concept of fresh water and deities is the basis of this world and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this in action, it gives a real-life consequence everyone must live with. Getting rations of drinking water, with the mysterious Wellheart contraption was just awesome, hope this continues to play a big part in the series to come.

Varre as the central protagonist is your Arya Stark level of badass but she also possesses a lot of grit and tragic history. She's fierce and loyal to certain people. I really enjoyed her romance with Esobel, the nun who constantly challenges her to find her faith. Again, not Capital F 'Faith' but someone more moral.

The action is pretty action-y, the plot tight. There were a few places that the prose could have explained things a bit better and where some deus ex magicka came into play, but that never spoiled any enjoyment from this story.

A quick read, can't wait to see what the rest of the series brings!

*Thank you to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Piper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the eARC!

Heretic is unfortunately short. The writing is imaginative and clever, but in all honesty, my favorite parts were the epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter, which receive no explanation nor factor into the story in any meaningful way. I assume they are relevant to the series this is a prequel to, but that means they don’t make any real sense now.

I feel like this story started at the wrong point to stand on its own. Varre is a seasoned assassin who believes what she’s doing is for the betterment of the world (I have no idea how this betters the world). Her partner, a nun named Esobel, does not know her profession but makes Varre doubt her motivations. Varre agrees to assassinate an emperor while Esobel tries to convince her to make it her last and run away with her. I don’t really know what made this job different from the others. Esobel asks to tag along, to which Varre agrees, and I guess her presence makes Varre doubt herself, as well as the target being not a wholly incorrigible person? But a single speech from the emperor makes Varre think he’s a good person, did no one ever talk before she killed them? And she does not question if she should not have killed her other targets, which is where my mind would go.

I think if this had been more like vignettes of her missions, with most of the focus being on her changing perspectives over time, the arc would have been much more effective for me. That said, I understand that this is a prequel and is therefore setting up the relevant things for the series. If Varre isn’t an important player in the story at large, dedicating this story to fleshing out her motivations vs. focusing on the assassination of the emperor, might detract from the overarching story.

[Harold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just over 4 stars for me, maybe 4.2

Many thanks to Noah Issacs for the ARC which was supplied in exchange for an honest review

As an introduction to the world and the series the book does a good job, but as with a lot of novellas my issue with it is I want more, the story feels a little rushed, and while the world building is admirable, I'd love more background around the whole well and wellheart side of things

I enjoyed the premise of the book, I mean a lesbian assassin taking on the world, whats not to like, and the fact that it was filled with political intrigue, a complex narrative with a moral dilemma playing out, and all set i a world with deeply religious overtoes

I enjoyed the prologue, learning about the village Varre grew up in, but we have references like 'Tideborn' without an explanation, until you get to the Glossary at the back of the book, thats fine but when you're on an e-book it's not as simple to go back and forth, please put the glossary at the front of the book

Also the prologue ends with the line 'thats was the last time she saw them alive' or something similar but we never really find out what happened to them, it's intimated but not fully explained or resolved, it may be in Book 1 but if this is an introduction to the world which is meant to get you started on a journey in the world I feel it should be self contained

Having said all of this the prose is wonderful, the writing style is one I really enjoyed and probably means I will have to try and fit Noah's other books into my already squeezed TBR list and I would happily recommend this to anyone that enjoys darker fantasy

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I must acknowledge this book cover! It is stunning, with a "classic" fantasy feel, and beautiful colors and artwork. It seems like the same fantasy authors get recommended over and over again (thanks to social media, I think), so supporting indie authors is very important. I am glad to have found Noah Isaacs!

I can tell the author dedicated considerable time to his worldbuilding, themes and writing style. He used my favorite writing style in the fantasy genre: descriptive (but not pretentious) language and a slightly archaic tone. A "name-it-and-drop-it" technique was also used, planting seeds of information that may not have had an immediate explanation but eventually resolved and made me think, "OH! Now, that makes sense..." As a massive A Song of Ice and Fire fan, I definitely felt this story took inspiration from Arya Stark and the Many-Faced God. That was so much fun for me to read! Even some of the setting's descriptions reminded me of Braavos, or even Dorne!

Considering this is an ARC, I am curious to see what edits are made in the final copy. There are places where the writing could be structured better to read more cohesively. The book isn't very long, so if this series continues, there is room left for development. Overall, I can tell the author put a lot of time, thought and effort into this story. I will definitely be following for more books in the series!

[Karci Feldner · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Review of advance copy received from NetGalley*

Rounded Average: 3.25⭐️

Characters: 3⭐️
Setting: 5⭐️
Plot: 3⭐️
Themes: 3⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 3⭐️

This novella-length story follows Varre, an assassin on a quest to kill an emperor.

The most intriguing element of the story was its setting: a traditional fantasy world that integrates firearms, enduring years-long droughts and a strictly rationed water supply.

While the world-building shines, the plot sometimes feels like an after thought. Varre sets off on a seemingly impossible task, yet the steps to get there were quite straight forward.

I was most intrigued by her childhood, but the time jump leaves gaps in her backstory. We miss out on how she came to be an assassin, with her motivation merely explained as the desire to do "what's right". She's confident her mission serves the greater good, but it's unclear why she believes this. More clarity surrounding the main conflict and stakes would have strengthened the story.

After reading the synopsis for book one (set to release in October), I was surprised to find that it will not include the same characters. This leaves me feeling unsure what the goal was in beginning the series with this installment, though I remain intrigued by the universe the author has created.

Overall, I feel confident in Isaacs' writing ability and am curious enough to continue the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Noah Isaacs for this eARC!

[Mike Voss · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Heretic, a prequel novella to Ascendant, the first book in his Testament to Broken Gods which releases in October, Noah Isaacs tells the story of a veteran assassin tasked with killing an emperor. As one might expect, this will become a far more complicated task than her previous kills, even if one of those was royalty too.

Isaacs tells her story in a well written narrative with evocative prose and little handholding, so the glossary at the end is a welcome addition in learning the ins and outs of a fascinating world.
While Heretic scratches the itch of the "troubled assassin" trope quite nicely, Isaacs pushes the boundaries a little with a prominent homage to George RR Martin's Faceless in drawing parallels with Varre and Arya Stark, distracting a bit from Varre's depiction. But it wasn't a deal breaker and unlike Arya, Varre enjoys a sapphic romance (with a nun!).
In the end, her tale left this reader thinking October is a long way off as Isaacs atypically pubs his prequel first instead of after the main entry as the trend seems to be. Make no mistake, this is no newsletter magnet story but a well developed opening shot that fleshes out the world just enough to draw readers in, although some minor characters lack the development they might find in a full length novel.

My thanks to the author for the opportunity to read Varre's story via an advanced reader ebook. But now the long wait for October!

[Carrie Spangler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to Indie Press for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this because the "Arya Stark" comparison had me hooked from the start, but I ended up DNFing at about 50%. I love high-concept world building, but this felt like a mystery I had to solve just to understand the basic physics of the world. By the time I started to piece together how things like the "well-hearts" or the "teers of God" actually worked, I realized I didn't actually care about the characters.
The story felt a bit rushed to me. I saw the protagonist as a child and then skipped 12 years to her being a cold assassin, but I never felt like I got to see the cost of that change or the work that went into it. Even the romance felt like a footnote. There was an intimate scene that was basically one sentence long, which made it hard for me to feel any real stakes or connection.
I grew up on sailboats, so I usually enjoy nautical themes, but the dialogue here was just frustrating to get through. Phrases like "water fair as a bitch" felt like jargon used just for the aesthetic, and it made the reading experience feel a bit clunky. I usually adore novellas by authors like Nghi Vo because they manage to make complex worlds feel thoughtful and human even in a short span. With this one, the friction of trying to translate the jargon and the magic system became too much, and I didn't have enough of an emotional pull to the characters to keep going.

[Josinho · Rating 2 out of 5]

HERETIC - NOAH ISAACS

Varre es una niña que acaba siendo una asesina para la Religión oficial del reino, relacionada con el acceso limitado al agua y unos pozos que se crean a voluntad de los dioses (Waterwells). Sale de viaje con Esobal y.... hasta ahí puedo leer.

El 40% masomenos del libro. Ahí decidí que la historia pede tener mucho potencial, pero el escritor no ha sabido explicarme nada.

Hay libros que juegan al show, don't tell. Pero es que este libro te deja huecos en blanco y ni se molesta en rellenarlos. Ni en darte pistas.

La prota pasa de ser una niña adorable y lela, a ser una presuntamente misteriosa asesina del reino. No sabe por qué hace lo que hace, o no es capaz de explicarlo, y, aun por encima, pretende que te emociones de su profundidad, como hace Esobel. Inverosímil y poco creíble.

El worldbuilding promete mucho, pero no es nada, salvo muchas palabras molonas y una orden de gente que anda por ahí con pozos. Pero tienen que ser guays, porque no se para de hablar de ellas dos, de ser monjas, pero sin explicarte nada. Aburridísimo.

Colega, si tienes una asesina misteriosa y poderosa y que la llaman LA SOMBRA, tienes que demostrarme ALGO de lo que hace. No puede ser que una novela de acción con una asesina, no tenga acción. Decepcionante.

Pues eso. Un chasco como una catedral.

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGally, for the arc
This navella definitely showed some potential. My rating is 3.5 Stars, mainly due to my own personal views of the religious aspects of the world. I felt that the characters were among the standout best things that kept this rating so high for me.

Characters first. I loved Mark Lawrence's Book of the Ancester, and this felt right in line with those characters. I feel that the book sets them up for more stories to come, but if you are looking for a complete story arc, you might feel a need for more. My only issue I could think of is the unclear stakes Varre faces. It was hard to feel fully connected to the character with the short length.

Now I won't bash the book too hard, but I feel like religion is handled poorly in a lot of fantasy, and I feel the same way here. It is hard for me to see how people follow a religion that does the things that they do in this book. But I digress. I feel the world was well set up, and I would be interested in reading more about it in the future.

Heretic, by Noah Isaacs, would definitely get my recommendation.

[ada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the arc copy!

First off I have to say I absolutely adored our MC, Varre! She was so Arya Stark coded to me, and instead of feeling like a poor clone, it left me so tenderly nostalgic. And as much as she reminded me of Arya in a lot of ways, she is still very much her own character and is utterly splendid! I wanted more of her and her story and didn't want the novella to end.

If you want a fantasy female assasin mc that is written well, a sapphic love story (not the main focus but a lovely aside), and the start to an exspansive fantasy world, politics, and religions, then this is for you.

The writing itself is also exceptional, a perfect blend of action, thought, and poetic. Just how I like my fantasy prose.
This novella gave me hope for the modern fantasy genre, and I'm going to be eagerly awaiting the next book. I think Isaac's is going to become a really special writer in the world of fantasy, so keep an eye out and support them where you can!

(Also this cover is stunning!)

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

There is no doubt whatsoever that Noah Isaacs poured his whole heart into creating this world and its characters. He managed to fill this book with a complex religion that I am eager to learn more about, as well as many different regions each controlled by their own ruling family. Thank goodness for the glossary in the back of the book.

This is a very intriguing introduction to a world that I would love to learn more about. That was actually probably my biggest take away from this book. Tell me more! I will definitely be picking up the next book when it comes out.

Varre was an interesting character who had to deal with many internal struggles throughout the story. She was by no means a perfect woman, but she tried to do what she felt was right, even when she didn't have any good options. However, I do wish we got to see more of her backstory. I sometimes struggled to understand her motivations and decisions, and I think having more backstory would have helped with that.

[Adriana · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, thank you to the author and Netgalley for the eARC.

I will keep this on the short side, as the book unfortunately didn't resonate with me, as much as I had hoped. I appreciate the complexity of the world that Noah has created, and I really enjoyed the prologue, which kicked things off so well. I do think there's so much potential to the story and we only saw a glimpse of everything the author has in store.

However, I really struggled with the writing that just wasn't flowing for me and felt pretty dense. I had to reread sentences and paragraphs multiple times to figure out what was being conveyed. I also didn't connect to the main character and couldn't understand her motivations. I don't expect all her secrets to be revealed right away of course, but I just couldn't place her.

It felt like a story that had too much and too little in it at the same time. But again - I do think it deserves a chance, and I'm glad to see others have enjoyed it.

[Dadreadsanreviews (james) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks netgalley for the arc!

Heretic is a very interesting take on a fantasy tale. It brings together in depth religion, moral quandaries, and political intrigue. Isaacs paints a vivid world and characters. I unfortunately struggled to connect to the story. I caught my attention slipping past sentences as I was unsure what was important to the story and what was detail. I also felt unclear in the stakes of the conflict. The character work was wonderful and the world building was intricate and expansive, but some of the plot and story telling energy was lost in those positive elements.

I am intrigued to see what comes next in the series. There is a solid classic fantasy world with unique hints at magic and religion as well as adding firearms. I’m hoping following volumes sharpen the story focus because that would make it a 5 star read for me.

[Janna Felix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heretic delivers a gripping, morally complex tale that will immediately resonate with fans of high fantasy. Varre is a compelling and ruthless protagonist, part assassin, part zealot, whose internal conflict adds real weight to every life she takes in the name of justice. The premise is strong, and the writing effectively builds a dark, atmospheric world where faith and violence intertwine in unsettling ways. While the pacing occasionally lingers and some emotional beats could have been explored more deeply, the story’s philosophical edge and high-stakes tension keep you hooked. This story is a bold and thought-provoking read that doesn’t shy away from asking whether the ends can ever truly justify the means.

[Manda Simas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gritty, provocative, and thought provoking, Heretic drew me in. There's a satisfying discomfort in this story as we follow our antihero assassin. The religious and political tensions paired with the unreliable perspectives we navigate them with makes for a thrilling experience. Isaacs perfectly balances the brutality of Varre's chosen path with the heart and desperation within her. The world whispered its secrets as we traveled through it, rather than revealing its full self, and I'm left longing for its next installment. A brilliant nailbiter you can't help but turn the pages for.

CW: Mild Spice, Mild Gore, Moderate Swearing, Religious Subversion, not a complete list.

[Joshua Guarasci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice little prequel. It does the job of what every starting novella should do. It gets you initially hooked on the world and the characters without telling you too much. For what worldbuilding was included, it got me interested in what could be explored in the first main novel of the series and beyond.

After reading the author's note and hearing what he has planned for the rest of the series, it has me alot more excited to continue on. The glossary was a nice addition aswell

Thank you to NetGalley, Indie Press and Noah Isaacs for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review

[Carina_inkdrinker · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

And he has done it again! With another delightful new series, where you can feel and see how much time and passion he has put into this new world. Where you will fall right into his comfortable writing style, which you are familiar with if you have read The Tales of Aerym

The characters are just as exceptional as they always are, and I can't get enough of them. This time you will find that he has crafted an awesome female assassin character.

As a novella it has done its job incredible and makes me curious for more of the story of this world. With this being the 4th book I read from Noah I can safely say that this is gonna be an auto buy author.

[Noah Isaacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been a long time coming, but honestly, what can I say at this point?

So much time has passed since Heretic first came into existence to now, that its almost (it pretty much is) a totally different book. But its all that time that makes it feel exceptionally rewarding.

Certainly my best work yet (in my not so biased opinion), Heretic is compact, far more character driven, and does not hold your hand. For fans of gripping, gritty stories that throw you in the deep end like Game of Thrones, Malazan, and Promise of Blood, this is one you won't want to miss.

To all the people that haven't, thank you so much. Without you, none of this would be possible.

[Rumeysa Dogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I really want to thank the author and NetGalley for providing an ARC. I loved this book. The world-building was great. Since it’s not a long book, I was a bit suspicious at the beginning about whether the world-building and character introductions would be done successfully, but they were handled very well. It was fast-paced, so you never get bored or feel like putting it down. As someone who has a hard time focusing, I finished it in one sitting. I will definitely be following up with the upcoming books in this series.