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The Swordmaster
Not yet published
Expected 8 Sep 26304 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 8, 2026
About the author
Kate Heartfield
37 books392 followersKate Heartfield is the author of The Embroidered Book, a Sunday Times bestselling historical fantasy novel published in 2022, which was shortlisted for the Ottawa Book Award. The Valkyrie, published in 2023, is a retelling of Norse and Germanic legends. The Tapestry of Time, published in 2024, is about four clairvoyant sisters fighting the Nazis for control of the Bayeux Tapestry in 1944. Her Alice Payne time travel novellas were published in 2018 and 2019. Her debut novel Armed in Her Fashion (2018) was re-published in a revised edition in 2023 as The Chatelaine. She also writes interactive fiction, including The Road to Canterbury, and The Magician's Workshop, published by Choice of Games. She has published two Assassin's Creed tie-in novels: The Magus Conspiracy and The Resurrection Plot. She has won the Aurora Award for Best Novel three times, and her short fiction has been shortlisted for the World Fantasy, Nebula, Locus, Aurora, Sunburst and Crawford awards, and her journalism for a National Newspaper Award. Her short stories have appeared in Strange Horizons, Lackington's, Podcastle and elsewhere. A former newspaper journalist, Kate lives near Ottawa, Canada.
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April 30, 2026The Swordmaster by Kate Heartfield | Pub Date: 8 September 2026 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
The Swordmaster is a richly imaginative and fiercely compelling blend of historical fiction and dark fantasy, delivering a story that is as atmospheric as it is exhilarating. Kate Heartfield crafts a world where intrigue, danger, and the supernatural intertwine seamlessly, pulling the reader into a narrative that feels both expansive and intensely personal.
At the heart of the story is Françoise de Montesquiou d’Artagnan, a protagonist whose journey is as captivating as the world she inhabits. From the moment she wakes—quite literally—from death, her path is defined by resilience, curiosity, and a quiet but unwavering strength. Her search for the mysterious voice that saved her becomes more than a quest; it is the thread that draws her into a hidden war that exists both within dreams and the waking world.
The concept of the Benandanti and the spirit realm is handled with remarkable creativity. Heartfield builds a layered mythology that feels original yet grounded, weaving together shapeshifters, vampires, and historical elements in a way that never feels overwhelming. Instead, the world unfolds naturally, inviting the reader deeper with each chapter.
What truly elevates this novel is its atmosphere. There is a constant sense of tension—of something lurking just beneath the surface—whether in the dreamlike sequences or the political undercurrents of Paris. The pacing is carefully controlled, balancing moments of action with quieter, character-driven scenes that allow Françoise and her allies to fully develop.
The writing itself is elegant and immersive, with vivid descriptions that bring both the spirit world and historical setting to life. It captures the romance of swashbuckling adventure while maintaining a darker, more dangerous edge.
The Swordmaster is a standout read for those who enjoy historical settings infused with supernatural intrigue, strong character arcs, and intricate world-building. It is gripping, original, and leaves a lasting impression—an unforgettable beginning to what promises to be an exceptional story arc.
The Swordmaster is a richly imaginative and fiercely compelling blend of historical fiction and dark fantasy, delivering a story that is as atmospheric as it is exhilarating. Kate Heartfield crafts a world where intrigue, danger, and the supernatural intertwine seamlessly, pulling the reader into a narrative that feels both expansive and intensely personal.
At the heart of the story is Françoise de Montesquiou d’Artagnan, a protagonist whose journey is as captivating as the world she inhabits. From the moment she wakes—quite literally—from death, her path is defined by resilience, curiosity, and a quiet but unwavering strength. Her search for the mysterious voice that saved her becomes more than a quest; it is the thread that draws her into a hidden war that exists both within dreams and the waking world.
The concept of the Benandanti and the spirit realm is handled with remarkable creativity. Heartfield builds a layered mythology that feels original yet grounded, weaving together shapeshifters, vampires, and historical elements in a way that never feels overwhelming. Instead, the world unfolds naturally, inviting the reader deeper with each chapter.
What truly elevates this novel is its atmosphere. There is a constant sense of tension—of something lurking just beneath the surface—whether in the dreamlike sequences or the political undercurrents of Paris. The pacing is carefully controlled, balancing moments of action with quieter, character-driven scenes that allow Françoise and her allies to fully develop.
The writing itself is elegant and immersive, with vivid descriptions that bring both the spirit world and historical setting to life. It captures the romance of swashbuckling adventure while maintaining a darker, more dangerous edge.
The Swordmaster is a standout read for those who enjoy historical settings infused with supernatural intrigue, strong character arcs, and intricate world-building. It is gripping, original, and leaves a lasting impression—an unforgettable beginning to what promises to be an exceptional story arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
🏰 Historical fantasy loosely based on Dumas
🧛 Vampire court intrigue
🕯️ Slow burn political plotting
🌹 Late-arriving romance
💭 Personal Reflections
I came to this book as a Dumas reader of exactly one novel — The Three Musketeers — and I came in hot with expectations. That's on me. This book isn't swashbuckling, or jovial which is what I was expecting, but it is great if you are coming for political intrigue and the slow simmer of court drama.
This novel is a slow, careful political intrigue set in 16th century Paris, where vampires have embedded themselves in the French court and a small community of dreamwalkers called the Benandanti are trying to survive under the radar. Françoise de Montesquiou d'Artagnan — whose son will eventually become the d'Artagnan of Dumas legend — arrives in Paris after being disowned by her family, not exactly by choice. Convent or Paris. She chose Paris.
Heartfield's prose is assured and the historical texture is inviting and detailed. If you love courtly maneuvering, careful strategy, and a world where everyone is watching everyone else and nobody can afford to make a move without thinking three steps ahead, this will scratch that itch well.
I am not that reader, unfortunately, so the pacing and lack of character development was a no go for me. I spent most of this book waiting for something exciting to happen or for the characters to get a bit deeper. The characters, including Françoise, are written at a slight distance. I often struggled to understand what she wanted, what drove her, what she was afraid of. Secondary characters remained fairly one dimensional in my opinion.
The plot itself is loose in a way that's hard to describe. There isn't much tension building toward a climax because it's not entirely clear what the goal is meant to be (other than "kill vampires").
For readers who are drawn to historical fiction with deep political texture, who don't need a lot of external action because the internal chess game is enough, this is for you.
🌈 Representation
Implied historical queerness appears in the margins — the kind that 16th century France wouldn't have named directly. It's understated enough that it didn't register as a significant rep moment, more a period-accurate nod than a meaningful thread. Characters are white Eueopean or race is not noted.
🔍 Tropes & Power Lens
The book is largely careful about power dynamics. The fade to black romance that develops in the second half arrives consensually and between adults.
The vampiric power structure is genuinely interesting as a metaphor for how institutions protect themselves and consume the people inside them. That's the book's sharpest theme in my opinion and it could have been pushed further.
⚠️ Content Warnings
Content warnings are non-exhaustive and reflect what stood out to me as a reader.
Violence, blood, death of people and animals, period-typical treatment of women.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐ rarely reviewed
⭐⭐ hard to recommend
⭐⭐⭐ worth recommending to the right reader
⭐⭐⭐⭐ recommending with confidence
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ the kind of book that stays with you, that you'd buy or reread
BookShrink star ratings begin with books read in 2025. Earlier ratings on this profile reflect personal reading history rather than a consistent critical framework.
Thank you to Solaris for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
🧛 Vampire court intrigue
🕯️ Slow burn political plotting
🌹 Late-arriving romance
💭 Personal Reflections
I came to this book as a Dumas reader of exactly one novel — The Three Musketeers — and I came in hot with expectations. That's on me. This book isn't swashbuckling, or jovial which is what I was expecting, but it is great if you are coming for political intrigue and the slow simmer of court drama.
This novel is a slow, careful political intrigue set in 16th century Paris, where vampires have embedded themselves in the French court and a small community of dreamwalkers called the Benandanti are trying to survive under the radar. Françoise de Montesquiou d'Artagnan — whose son will eventually become the d'Artagnan of Dumas legend — arrives in Paris after being disowned by her family, not exactly by choice. Convent or Paris. She chose Paris.
Heartfield's prose is assured and the historical texture is inviting and detailed. If you love courtly maneuvering, careful strategy, and a world where everyone is watching everyone else and nobody can afford to make a move without thinking three steps ahead, this will scratch that itch well.
I am not that reader, unfortunately, so the pacing and lack of character development was a no go for me. I spent most of this book waiting for something exciting to happen or for the characters to get a bit deeper. The characters, including Françoise, are written at a slight distance. I often struggled to understand what she wanted, what drove her, what she was afraid of. Secondary characters remained fairly one dimensional in my opinion.
The plot itself is loose in a way that's hard to describe. There isn't much tension building toward a climax because it's not entirely clear what the goal is meant to be (other than "kill vampires").
For readers who are drawn to historical fiction with deep political texture, who don't need a lot of external action because the internal chess game is enough, this is for you.
🌈 Representation
Implied historical queerness appears in the margins — the kind that 16th century France wouldn't have named directly. It's understated enough that it didn't register as a significant rep moment, more a period-accurate nod than a meaningful thread. Characters are white Eueopean or race is not noted.
🔍 Tropes & Power Lens
The book is largely careful about power dynamics. The fade to black romance that develops in the second half arrives consensually and between adults.
The vampiric power structure is genuinely interesting as a metaphor for how institutions protect themselves and consume the people inside them. That's the book's sharpest theme in my opinion and it could have been pushed further.
⚠️ Content Warnings
Content warnings are non-exhaustive and reflect what stood out to me as a reader.
Violence, blood, death of people and animals, period-typical treatment of women.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
⭐ rarely reviewed
⭐⭐ hard to recommend
⭐⭐⭐ worth recommending to the right reader
⭐⭐⭐⭐ recommending with confidence
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ the kind of book that stays with you, that you'd buy or reread
BookShrink star ratings begin with books read in 2025. Earlier ratings on this profile reflect personal reading history rather than a consistent critical framework.
Thank you to Solaris for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Swordmaster has two clear strengths: its worldbuilding and its political tension. The setting is unique and built with a lot of care — from the supernatural elements and vampires to new, unusual kind of shapeshifters who fight them while sleeping. These details make the world feel genuinely fresh. All the political intrigues - constant scheming, maneuvering, and betrayals give the story a solid backbone. The plot is steady and coherent, with several genuinely unpredictable turns. The pacing was sometimes way too slow for me, but the story stays focused.
The YA tone that bothered me in the first half never fully disappears. It shows up mostly in the dialogue and in certain character interactions — especially mentor‑type exchanges where emotions are stated too directly, lessons are spelled out, or conversations lean toward simplified moral clarity. Some scenes resolve emotional beats too quickly, which gives them a YA‑adjacent feel even though the book is positioned as adult fantasy. This tone becomes less intrusive in the second half, but it never goes away completely.
The characters themselves didn’t fully work for me. They remain fairly shallow, without emotional depth or internal layers, which made it difficult to connect with them or care about their decisions.
The writing style caused the most issues for me. The book reaches for an archaic or elevated voice, but the phrasing frequently lands as artificial rather than atmospheric. Certain expressions read awkwardly — “she wanted to skip with elation as she went” being a clear example. It’s neither convincingly archaic nor natural in contemporary English, and moments like this disrupt the tone instead of enhancing it. Some sentences were simply difficult for me to understand.
The book would benefit from additional rounds of revision. There are clear mistakes, including mid‑sentence pronoun switches (“he” suddenly becoming “she” and vice versa”). Since Solaris clearly states this is an uncorrected proof, these issues did not influence my rating.
Thank you to Kate Heartfield, Solaris, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The YA tone that bothered me in the first half never fully disappears. It shows up mostly in the dialogue and in certain character interactions — especially mentor‑type exchanges where emotions are stated too directly, lessons are spelled out, or conversations lean toward simplified moral clarity. Some scenes resolve emotional beats too quickly, which gives them a YA‑adjacent feel even though the book is positioned as adult fantasy. This tone becomes less intrusive in the second half, but it never goes away completely.
The characters themselves didn’t fully work for me. They remain fairly shallow, without emotional depth or internal layers, which made it difficult to connect with them or care about their decisions.
The writing style caused the most issues for me. The book reaches for an archaic or elevated voice, but the phrasing frequently lands as artificial rather than atmospheric. Certain expressions read awkwardly — “she wanted to skip with elation as she went” being a clear example. It’s neither convincingly archaic nor natural in contemporary English, and moments like this disrupt the tone instead of enhancing it. Some sentences were simply difficult for me to understand.
The book would benefit from additional rounds of revision. There are clear mistakes, including mid‑sentence pronoun switches (“he” suddenly becoming “she” and vice versa”). Since Solaris clearly states this is an uncorrected proof, these issues did not influence my rating.
Thank you to Kate Heartfield, Solaris, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Swordmaster is a gripping mixture of historical fantasy, dark magic, and gothic mystery that utterly entranced me from start to finish. From its opening lines, Kate Heartfield creates a haunting world filled with vampires, werewolves, and dream walkers, lurking just below the dazzling veneer of 18th century France.
Françoise de Montesquiou d’Artagnan is an interesting protagonist. She is strong, fragile, and relentless in her search for the truth behind the mysterious powers inside her. It was fascinating to watch her go from a ‘corpse’ that awakened to the horrors of the world into a brave young girl who enters into a covert war against the monsters occupying high places. The scenes in the spirit world were very interesting and captivating.
But what really impressed me was the amazing atmosphere and the swashbuckling feeling that permeated the entire novel. Those who love gothic fantasy, politics, and morally ambiguous stories involving supernatural elements will definitely enjoy reading this novel.
Thank you so much to Solaris Books and Kate Heartfield for gifting me this amazing book in advance of its release! I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in this mysterious world in advance of the release date!
Françoise de Montesquiou d’Artagnan is an interesting protagonist. She is strong, fragile, and relentless in her search for the truth behind the mysterious powers inside her. It was fascinating to watch her go from a ‘corpse’ that awakened to the horrors of the world into a brave young girl who enters into a covert war against the monsters occupying high places. The scenes in the spirit world were very interesting and captivating.
But what really impressed me was the amazing atmosphere and the swashbuckling feeling that permeated the entire novel. Those who love gothic fantasy, politics, and morally ambiguous stories involving supernatural elements will definitely enjoy reading this novel.
Thank you so much to Solaris Books and Kate Heartfield for gifting me this amazing book in advance of its release! I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in this mysterious world in advance of the release date!
May 9, 2026
Copy received through NetGalley, thank you for Solaris Books for a copy.
The concept of this book really intrigued me - vampires embedded within 16th-century royal Paris, while spirit walkers try to counterbalance. (Also known as the Benandanti)
The plot was a little slow at times, and occasionally it felt like I was just waiting for the next major plot point to happen. That said, the writing was beautiful, and I still felt completely pulled into the world. Our FMC was also a bit of a bad ass.
If you enjoy historical settings with fantasy elements, I’d definitely recommend this one.
The concept of this book really intrigued me - vampires embedded within 16th-century royal Paris, while spirit walkers try to counterbalance. (Also known as the Benandanti)
The plot was a little slow at times, and occasionally it felt like I was just waiting for the next major plot point to happen. That said, the writing was beautiful, and I still felt completely pulled into the world. Our FMC was also a bit of a bad ass.
If you enjoy historical settings with fantasy elements, I’d definitely recommend this one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved this book! You are immediately dropped into the story where a girl is a asleep for a few days and wakes up in her grave. We learn quickly that she can become something else in spirit form. We follow her along the way finding out who and what she is. It is a story of spirit (animals) and vampires and the tensions between them.
I would like to thank the author and netgalley for sharing the ebook with me.
I would like to thank the author and netgalley for sharing the ebook with me.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews