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Dust of the Dead
DUST OF THE DEAD
In the peaceful decades since the Qalil War, Aakifah has gained a few pounds and taken a job as shairf of Basrah. Days from retirement, her plans for a quiet life are shattered when a local family is murdered, their daughters taken by pyumah, a race of ravenous predators.
Aakifah sets out with a handful of volunteers, including her lover, in what she knows to be a doomed rescue attempt. Even if the monsters haven't already devoured their prey by the time she finds them, a handful of farmers will be no match for the terrifying creatures.
Young Khayrat studies to be a lumin, speaking to the listening world to bring light to civilization. When her father is assassinated, she volunteers to learn the dark art of the unraveller. Like any act of imploratory, her studies come with a price. With each unravelling, her mind fragments, her sanity fraying as she forgets the peaceful woman she once was.
Khayrat travels with a band of hardened killers, intent on assassinating the foreign royal family. Driven by her need for vengeance, she swears to reduce her king’s enemies to dust.
EARLY PRAISE FOR DUST OF THE DEAD
“Michael Fletcher was a fine writer out of the gate, but with Dust of the Dead he’s hit a new level. It’s a wonderfully inventive tale with bags of imagination scattered in all directions, and exciting magic that manages to be both familiar and different at the same time. I expect excellent world-building from this guy but what really elevated it was the quality of the character work, tying everything together emotionally for a story I could really invest in on all levels. This is a tale that just works. Read it!”
–Mark Lawrence, author of Prince of Thorns
“Absolutely literally bloody superb!”
–Anna Smith Spark, author of Empires of Dust
“With Dust of the Dead, Fletcher has cemented his position as one of the most consistently brilliant must-read authors in the fantasy genre. This is an absolutely amazing fantasy adventure and among my top favorite fantasy reads ever.”
–Dyrk Ashton, author of the Paternus trilogy
“Fletcher’s best, most intense work so far, and I am desperate to see more!”
–Grimdark Magazine
“Heroic Fantasy with a protagonist my aching knees truly related to. I loved every page!”
–Rob Hayes, Author of The God Eater Saga
“Gritty in the same measure as it emotional, Dust of the Dead is a truly immersive and deliciously intertwined dark fantasy epic from a modern master of story craft. It’s highly unfair that Fletcher just keeps getting better and better.
—Ben Galley, author of the Emaneska Series
“Essential dark fantasy, unwavering in its humanity. I couldn't get enough.”
–Rob Leigh, author of Performances of a Death Metal Bard
“Heart and humanity. Dust of the Dead solidifies Fletcher on my list of all-time favorite authors.”
–Pete Reviews Books
“Fletcher weaves horror, heart, tragedy, and humor. One of my favorite reading experiences this year!”
–Z.B. Steele author of Whispers of the Storm
In the peaceful decades since the Qalil War, Aakifah has gained a few pounds and taken a job as shairf of Basrah. Days from retirement, her plans for a quiet life are shattered when a local family is murdered, their daughters taken by pyumah, a race of ravenous predators.
Aakifah sets out with a handful of volunteers, including her lover, in what she knows to be a doomed rescue attempt. Even if the monsters haven't already devoured their prey by the time she finds them, a handful of farmers will be no match for the terrifying creatures.
Young Khayrat studies to be a lumin, speaking to the listening world to bring light to civilization. When her father is assassinated, she volunteers to learn the dark art of the unraveller. Like any act of imploratory, her studies come with a price. With each unravelling, her mind fragments, her sanity fraying as she forgets the peaceful woman she once was.
Khayrat travels with a band of hardened killers, intent on assassinating the foreign royal family. Driven by her need for vengeance, she swears to reduce her king’s enemies to dust.
EARLY PRAISE FOR DUST OF THE DEAD
“Michael Fletcher was a fine writer out of the gate, but with Dust of the Dead he’s hit a new level. It’s a wonderfully inventive tale with bags of imagination scattered in all directions, and exciting magic that manages to be both familiar and different at the same time. I expect excellent world-building from this guy but what really elevated it was the quality of the character work, tying everything together emotionally for a story I could really invest in on all levels. This is a tale that just works. Read it!”
–Mark Lawrence, author of Prince of Thorns
“Absolutely literally bloody superb!”
–Anna Smith Spark, author of Empires of Dust
“With Dust of the Dead, Fletcher has cemented his position as one of the most consistently brilliant must-read authors in the fantasy genre. This is an absolutely amazing fantasy adventure and among my top favorite fantasy reads ever.”
–Dyrk Ashton, author of the Paternus trilogy
“Fletcher’s best, most intense work so far, and I am desperate to see more!”
–Grimdark Magazine
“Heroic Fantasy with a protagonist my aching knees truly related to. I loved every page!”
–Rob Hayes, Author of The God Eater Saga
“Gritty in the same measure as it emotional, Dust of the Dead is a truly immersive and deliciously intertwined dark fantasy epic from a modern master of story craft. It’s highly unfair that Fletcher just keeps getting better and better.
—Ben Galley, author of the Emaneska Series
“Essential dark fantasy, unwavering in its humanity. I couldn't get enough.”
–Rob Leigh, author of Performances of a Death Metal Bard
“Heart and humanity. Dust of the Dead solidifies Fletcher on my list of all-time favorite authors.”
–Pete Reviews Books
“Fletcher weaves horror, heart, tragedy, and humor. One of my favorite reading experiences this year!”
–Z.B. Steele author of Whispers of the Storm
- GenresFantasyDark Fantasy
356 pages, Paperback
Published May 23, 2026
About the author
Michael R. Fletcher
57 books1,401 followersMichael R. Fletcher lives in the endless suburban sprawl north of Toronto. He dreams of trees and seeing the stars at night and being a ninja. He is an unrepentant whiskey-swilling reprobate of the tallest order and thinks grilled cheese sandwiches are a food group.
His novels include the Manifest Delusions trilogy (BEYOND REDEMPTION, THE MIRROR'S TRUTH, A WAR TO END ALL), the Obsidian Path trilogy (BLACK STONE HEART, SHE DREAMS IN BLOOD, AN END TO SORROW), the City of Sacrifice trilogy (SMOKE AND STONE, ASH AND BONES, SIN AND SORROW), and the standalone novels, SWARM AND STEEL, GHOSTS OF TOMORROW, THE MILLENNIAL MANIFESTO, NORYLSKA GROANS (co-written with Clayton W. Snyder). He also has a short story collection A COLLECTION OF OBSESSIONS.
http://michaelrfletcher.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFlet...
Twitter: @FletcherMR
Instagram: fletcher_michael_r
His novels include the Manifest Delusions trilogy (BEYOND REDEMPTION, THE MIRROR'S TRUTH, A WAR TO END ALL), the Obsidian Path trilogy (BLACK STONE HEART, SHE DREAMS IN BLOOD, AN END TO SORROW), the City of Sacrifice trilogy (SMOKE AND STONE, ASH AND BONES, SIN AND SORROW), and the standalone novels, SWARM AND STEEL, GHOSTS OF TOMORROW, THE MILLENNIAL MANIFESTO, NORYLSKA GROANS (co-written with Clayton W. Snyder). He also has a short story collection A COLLECTION OF OBSESSIONS.
http://michaelrfletcher.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFlet...
Twitter: @FletcherMR
Instagram: fletcher_michael_r
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February 24, 2026I’ll call this one either “dark heroic fantasy” or possibly "Heroic dark fantasy."
Obviously, the difference is HYUGE!
The cover art, an acrylic painting, is the work of Adam Burke.
I’ve long dreamed of an old-school painted cover so this is scratching yet another delusion off my bucket list.
Obviously, the difference is HYUGE!
The cover art, an acrylic painting, is the work of Adam Burke.
I’ve long dreamed of an old-school painted cover so this is scratching yet another delusion off my bucket list.
August 5, 2026
Ah The Dust of The Dead. A book I can truly relate to.
As I make my way closer to retirement my feet ache, knees crack and shoulders hurt. So having a fantasy book written about two protagonists a little past their prime? Just perfect for me. 😉
And what a book it is.
There’s been a murder/kidnapping. The Sharif Aakifah is tasked with the safe return of those taken and bringing the perpetrator to justice.
Unfortunately for her, Pyumah are involved (these creatures are vicious and terrifying). Thus. it becomes the most dangerous assignment she’s ever been given.
The other character we follow is Khayrat. Fourty years ago undertaking a mission of vengeance. Her weapon the dark art of unravelling.
To say this unravelling is disturbing is an understatement. As cool as this magic is…it’s also quite haunting. With ash carried about by the breeze in its aftermath.
The build up for our two main characters to potentially intersect is excellently done. Was just glued to these pages in this deadly world. It plays out in perfect Grimdark fashion too.
A big fan of Fletchers work I’m once again singing his praises here. While there is some light humour it’s more sword and sorcery dark fantasy. I know dark heroic fantasy or heroic dark fantasy is its billing. So ya, it’s that too. In any description, I thought it was unsettling and mesmerizingly great.
Thanks to the author for providing this ARC.
As I make my way closer to retirement my feet ache, knees crack and shoulders hurt. So having a fantasy book written about two protagonists a little past their prime? Just perfect for me. 😉
And what a book it is.
There’s been a murder/kidnapping. The Sharif Aakifah is tasked with the safe return of those taken and bringing the perpetrator to justice.
Unfortunately for her, Pyumah are involved (these creatures are vicious and terrifying). Thus. it becomes the most dangerous assignment she’s ever been given.
The other character we follow is Khayrat. Fourty years ago undertaking a mission of vengeance. Her weapon the dark art of unravelling.
To say this unravelling is disturbing is an understatement. As cool as this magic is…it’s also quite haunting. With ash carried about by the breeze in its aftermath.
The build up for our two main characters to potentially intersect is excellently done. Was just glued to these pages in this deadly world. It plays out in perfect Grimdark fashion too.
A big fan of Fletchers work I’m once again singing his praises here. While there is some light humour it’s more sword and sorcery dark fantasy. I know dark heroic fantasy or heroic dark fantasy is its billing. So ya, it’s that too. In any description, I thought it was unsettling and mesmerizingly great.
Thanks to the author for providing this ARC.
August 8, 2026
When Fletcher publishes something, I read it. Dust of the Dead is no exception, and thankfully, I had a very good time with it.
Dust of the Dead is his take on heroic fantasy, which is an interesting change of direction. It’s still dark, violent, and occasionally horrifying, but there’s more warmth here than in some of his previous books. There’s also plenty of humor and banter, which helps keep the story from sinking entirely into misery.
The book follows two timelines and two very different protagonists. Khayrat is a young woman pulled into a war and trained in one of the most horrifying applications of magic imaginable. Aakifah, meanwhile, is a much older, war-weary shairf (sheriff) who would really rather retire, drink, eat well, and have absolutely nothing to do with heroism ever again. Naturally, this does not work out for her.
Aakifah is funny, grumpy, and she carries decades of trauma that haven't exactly disappeared just because the war ended. She's a strong lead, and it's refreshing to see an older woman who has already seen enough bloodshed being dragged back into danger because, despite everything, she can't quite bring herself to walk away when people need her.
Khayrat's story is much darker. Her journey into the role of an Unraveler is essentially a study in what happens when someone convinces themselves that terrible things are justified because they're being done for the right reason. Fletcher has explored similar territory before, but the consequences here are particularly effective because magic itself keeps forcing the question of what you're willing to sacrifice.
And the magic system is brilliant. In the Listening World, certain people can speak to reality. Through words, gestures and precise acts of Imploratory, they can make the world change. Build things. Alter bodies. Destroy. Unravel. The thing is the world listens, and it charges for the privilege. Or any mistake.
The price can be anything from relatively manageable consequences to catastrophic physical and psychological damage. The darker applications of magic are particularly nasty, but what makes the system work is that it isn't simply a collection of cool powers. Every use comes with a cost.
The world itself is also excellent. There are strange cultures, different peoples, bizarre creatures and some absolutely fantastic monsters. The pyumah are particularly great, and the giant spiders are exactly the sort of thing you'd expect from Fletcher if you've read him before and exactly the sort of thing you probably wouldn't want to encounter while hiking.
The post-war trauma is well-described, I think. Fletcher doesn't treat war as something that ends when the fighting does. Aakifah's story in particular is steeped in the memories of what she went through, and the contrast between the young people who entered the war and the people who survived it.
And yet, for all the darkness, this is a surprisingly fun read. The banter works. There are moments of genuine warmth between the characters. Fletcher knows how to make you care about people before inevitably putting them through something horrible. It's practically a contractual obligation at this point.
If I have any complaints, it's the ending. It felt rushed after everything that came before, and the epilogue didn't quite feel like an ending to this particular story. It felt more like the beginning of something else. Which, frankly, is a problem I can live with if Fletcher decides to write that something else from the pyumahs' perspective. I'm absolutely there.
That ending aside, Dust of the Dead is another very good Fletcher novel. It has an inventive magic system, memorable characters, excellent creatures, dark humour and a thoughtful exploration of what war leaves behind.
Dust of the Dead is his take on heroic fantasy, which is an interesting change of direction. It’s still dark, violent, and occasionally horrifying, but there’s more warmth here than in some of his previous books. There’s also plenty of humor and banter, which helps keep the story from sinking entirely into misery.
The book follows two timelines and two very different protagonists. Khayrat is a young woman pulled into a war and trained in one of the most horrifying applications of magic imaginable. Aakifah, meanwhile, is a much older, war-weary shairf (sheriff) who would really rather retire, drink, eat well, and have absolutely nothing to do with heroism ever again. Naturally, this does not work out for her.
Aakifah is funny, grumpy, and she carries decades of trauma that haven't exactly disappeared just because the war ended. She's a strong lead, and it's refreshing to see an older woman who has already seen enough bloodshed being dragged back into danger because, despite everything, she can't quite bring herself to walk away when people need her.
Khayrat's story is much darker. Her journey into the role of an Unraveler is essentially a study in what happens when someone convinces themselves that terrible things are justified because they're being done for the right reason. Fletcher has explored similar territory before, but the consequences here are particularly effective because magic itself keeps forcing the question of what you're willing to sacrifice.
And the magic system is brilliant. In the Listening World, certain people can speak to reality. Through words, gestures and precise acts of Imploratory, they can make the world change. Build things. Alter bodies. Destroy. Unravel. The thing is the world listens, and it charges for the privilege. Or any mistake.
The price can be anything from relatively manageable consequences to catastrophic physical and psychological damage. The darker applications of magic are particularly nasty, but what makes the system work is that it isn't simply a collection of cool powers. Every use comes with a cost.
The world itself is also excellent. There are strange cultures, different peoples, bizarre creatures and some absolutely fantastic monsters. The pyumah are particularly great, and the giant spiders are exactly the sort of thing you'd expect from Fletcher if you've read him before and exactly the sort of thing you probably wouldn't want to encounter while hiking.
The post-war trauma is well-described, I think. Fletcher doesn't treat war as something that ends when the fighting does. Aakifah's story in particular is steeped in the memories of what she went through, and the contrast between the young people who entered the war and the people who survived it.
And yet, for all the darkness, this is a surprisingly fun read. The banter works. There are moments of genuine warmth between the characters. Fletcher knows how to make you care about people before inevitably putting them through something horrible. It's practically a contractual obligation at this point.
If I have any complaints, it's the ending. It felt rushed after everything that came before, and the epilogue didn't quite feel like an ending to this particular story. It felt more like the beginning of something else. Which, frankly, is a problem I can live with if Fletcher decides to write that something else from the pyumahs' perspective. I'm absolutely there.
That ending aside, Dust of the Dead is another very good Fletcher novel. It has an inventive magic system, memorable characters, excellent creatures, dark humour and a thoughtful exploration of what war leaves behind.
June 15, 2026
To quote Mark Lawrence, this is indeed "a great book".
A brutal magic system that requires those wielding it to cannibalise their own bodies is just the start of the fun our dear author has in store for us. As you would expect from a Michael R Fletcher book this is a dark tale, a mystery with a backdrop of forty years of horrific war and two ageing protagonists who sacrificed their humanity in the course of that war.
Its these two central characters, Aakifah and Khayrat that for me are the stars of the story. Despite the ravages of war and toil their magic has taken on their bodies they will fight to the end for what is most important to them. Thrown in some brilliant creatures including the Pyumah (in my mind a cross between big cats and xenomorphs) and I guarantee you'll be as gripped by this book as I was.
A brutal magic system that requires those wielding it to cannibalise their own bodies is just the start of the fun our dear author has in store for us. As you would expect from a Michael R Fletcher book this is a dark tale, a mystery with a backdrop of forty years of horrific war and two ageing protagonists who sacrificed their humanity in the course of that war.
Its these two central characters, Aakifah and Khayrat that for me are the stars of the story. Despite the ravages of war and toil their magic has taken on their bodies they will fight to the end for what is most important to them. Thrown in some brilliant creatures including the Pyumah (in my mind a cross between big cats and xenomorphs) and I guarantee you'll be as gripped by this book as I was.
August 19, 2026
My GoTo author for serious Grimdark and he doesn’t disappoint here.
The plot has a framework constructed almost like a classical fantasy: several pseudo-medieval human kingdoms, some in conflict; non-human creatures elsewhere, made for dark fantasy; an intricate magical system with practitioners displaying different talents. Even detailed maps of this world plus a glossary.
I wondered for a moment if the author was going mainstream fantasy but the fascinating plot gets darker, slowly but surely, the further we move into the story.
It features two main characters, Khayrat and Aakifah, and their stories are told in parallel in alternating chapters.
Khayrat’s tale initially starts 40 years before where we eventually end up. A young magical practitioner is tutored for action in a war between two adjacent human kingdoms. Probably the grimmer life story of the two described as the talent she has to utilise is awful and takes her mentally and physically into dark places.
Aakifah’s tale opens for us at a point 40 years after that same war. She’s an elderly sheriff approaching retirement in a backwoods town where drunkenness is the main hazard. Her experiences as a Vet in that war have stayed with her, and we get glimpses of it as her chapters often start with a memory of her war experience. Her career as a soldier was driven by her magical talent of being able to enhance her strength (at some cost to herself) should warrior skills be required - which they haven’t been for almost 40 years! Aakifah is a more laid back character with some dry humour, fond of food, drink and sex despite her advancing years (I felt some affinity with her, especially aching joints!), but then she suddenly has to confront a very real danger appearing in her area.
No more on the plot - the storylines run in parallel, almost independently for much of the book. The climax is classic Michael Fletcher Grimdark. That’s a good thing, by the way!
It seemed to me the story was constructed with more detail and attention to character description than I recall in the previous novels I’ve read by the author. Not that it’s been particularly lacking in them but just a more intricate setup. If it didn’t have the occasional visceral action and slaughter it could have been a classic fantasy. Though I’m not sure it has the nightmare inducing potential of some of his others.
But the quality writing means this author is possibly the only one who can draw me back into Grimdark fantasy (though Mark Lawrence’s most recent novel which I enjoyed has also returned firmly into that sub-genre).
Recommended for Grimdark fantasy readers, especially because of its well developed plot. The story seems to finish ‘cleanly’ for the characters involved in this story but with the construction of such a detailed fantasy world I wouldn’t be surprised if more followed..
5*.
The plot has a framework constructed almost like a classical fantasy: several pseudo-medieval human kingdoms, some in conflict; non-human creatures elsewhere, made for dark fantasy; an intricate magical system with practitioners displaying different talents. Even detailed maps of this world plus a glossary.
I wondered for a moment if the author was going mainstream fantasy but the fascinating plot gets darker, slowly but surely, the further we move into the story.
It features two main characters, Khayrat and Aakifah, and their stories are told in parallel in alternating chapters.
Khayrat’s tale initially starts 40 years before where we eventually end up. A young magical practitioner is tutored for action in a war between two adjacent human kingdoms. Probably the grimmer life story of the two described as the talent she has to utilise is awful and takes her mentally and physically into dark places.
Aakifah’s tale opens for us at a point 40 years after that same war. She’s an elderly sheriff approaching retirement in a backwoods town where drunkenness is the main hazard. Her experiences as a Vet in that war have stayed with her, and we get glimpses of it as her chapters often start with a memory of her war experience. Her career as a soldier was driven by her magical talent of being able to enhance her strength (at some cost to herself) should warrior skills be required - which they haven’t been for almost 40 years! Aakifah is a more laid back character with some dry humour, fond of food, drink and sex despite her advancing years (I felt some affinity with her, especially aching joints!), but then she suddenly has to confront a very real danger appearing in her area.
No more on the plot - the storylines run in parallel, almost independently for much of the book. The climax is classic Michael Fletcher Grimdark. That’s a good thing, by the way!
It seemed to me the story was constructed with more detail and attention to character description than I recall in the previous novels I’ve read by the author. Not that it’s been particularly lacking in them but just a more intricate setup. If it didn’t have the occasional visceral action and slaughter it could have been a classic fantasy. Though I’m not sure it has the nightmare inducing potential of some of his others.
But the quality writing means this author is possibly the only one who can draw me back into Grimdark fantasy (though Mark Lawrence’s most recent novel which I enjoyed has also returned firmly into that sub-genre).
Recommended for Grimdark fantasy readers, especially because of its well developed plot. The story seems to finish ‘cleanly’ for the characters involved in this story but with the construction of such a detailed fantasy world I wouldn’t be surprised if more followed..
5*.
July 8, 2026
I mean, what can I say, I love everything Fletcher writes! This book is feminine rage personified, with a through line literally stating, “Remember your rage”. The dual time line leads the reader on a cerebral journey while trying to uncover the “why” of the various plots. Filled with action, humor, an incredibly unique magic system, and even romance, this book takes off immediately! I fear I already want more of this universe!
May 1, 2026
To quote the great Mark Lawrence “This is a great book!” Holly hell is this a great book! This stand out work will without a doubt cement MIchael R. Fletcher as a must read Grimdark author! The magic system and world building is second to none. I cannot wait to see what else he is able to do with this world and will be following along closely for the series to continue!
August 9, 2026
Well fuck my own creaking bones - what a ride this was 😭☠️ loved seeing women my age as the main POVs
August 17, 2026
Ogni volta che Fletcher scrive un libro, mi chiedo come sia possibile sia migliore del precedente!!??? È incredibile.. anche questo libro è spettacolare...
Stavolta Fletcher crea una storia Heroic Dark Fantasy piena di idee, di azione, di creature magiche, di umorismo nero e una dicotomia di spietatezza e umanità uniche..
Seguiamo due personaggi.. Khayrat un' "Imploratrice" durante la Guerra di Qalil.. quando suo padre viene ucciso deve prendere il suo posto, imparando la più oscura Arte di Implorare, quella di "Disfare".. in un mondo, Il Mondo che Ascolta, dove gli Imploratori imparano la grammatica del mondo, imparano a parlare al mondo stesso, modificando la realtà, Khayrat imparerà a Disfare persone e animali, in scene davvero uniche e 'gore'!
E poi c'è Aakifah, 40 anni dopo la fine della Guerra di Qalil, ex soldato "Aumentatrice", che può trasformare il corpo utilizzando le riserve di grasso per creare muscoli, ossa e tendini potenziati, sopravvissuta alla guerra, adesso Sceriffo di una cittadina, che si troverà invischiata in una caccia all'uomo, anzi alla Creatura.. Due ragazzine rapite da Pyumah, sorta di ferocissimi felini antropomorfi, a sei zampe e due tentacoli, una delle tante creature assurde create da Fletcher, che poi si riveleranno fondamentali e affascinanti, e che meriterebbero ancora più spazio nei prossimi libri.. La loro cultura matriarcale piena di peculiari stranezze merita di essere ampliata di sicuro..
Queste due trame, finiranno per convergere in un unica storia, umana, feroce e eroica, ma anche cruda, sporca e vile.. come sempre Fletcher crea personaggi profondi, unici, pieni di luce e ombre, di bene e di male.. anche in una storia non prettamente grimdark, l'ambigua moralità dei suoi personaggi rivela nobiltà d'animo e stronzaggine allo stesso livello, esattamente come nella realtà..
Per certi versi i personaggi ormai vecchi, a fine vita, ma che ancora possono servire, così come il finale, sono un bel tributo al fantasy nobile di Gemmell, qua declinato in modo più sporco e fletcheriano..
Un worldbuilding familiare e al contempo geniale, pieno di creature immaginifiche, si esseri dalle abitudini strane e misteriose, sull'orlo di epidemie apocalittiche, di guerre e stravolgimenti che in futuro possono dare vita a sequel pazzeschi..
Un sistema magico in effetti semplice, ma allo stesso tempo geniale, logico, tutto da scoprire, che da vita a azioni pazzesche, ma che costa caro a chi lo usa.. come sempre i risvolti irriverenti e assurdi non mancano, come le scene post-aumentazione con scariche di liquami!!
Insomma, un libro oscuro, e crudo (forse meno di altri), ma anche speranzoso e divertente (molto più di altri).. per me Fletcher si conferma come uno dei migliori autori fantasy di sempre!!!!
Stavolta Fletcher crea una storia Heroic Dark Fantasy piena di idee, di azione, di creature magiche, di umorismo nero e una dicotomia di spietatezza e umanità uniche..
Seguiamo due personaggi.. Khayrat un' "Imploratrice" durante la Guerra di Qalil.. quando suo padre viene ucciso deve prendere il suo posto, imparando la più oscura Arte di Implorare, quella di "Disfare".. in un mondo, Il Mondo che Ascolta, dove gli Imploratori imparano la grammatica del mondo, imparano a parlare al mondo stesso, modificando la realtà, Khayrat imparerà a Disfare persone e animali, in scene davvero uniche e 'gore'!
E poi c'è Aakifah, 40 anni dopo la fine della Guerra di Qalil, ex soldato "Aumentatrice", che può trasformare il corpo utilizzando le riserve di grasso per creare muscoli, ossa e tendini potenziati, sopravvissuta alla guerra, adesso Sceriffo di una cittadina, che si troverà invischiata in una caccia all'uomo, anzi alla Creatura.. Due ragazzine rapite da Pyumah, sorta di ferocissimi felini antropomorfi, a sei zampe e due tentacoli, una delle tante creature assurde create da Fletcher, che poi si riveleranno fondamentali e affascinanti, e che meriterebbero ancora più spazio nei prossimi libri.. La loro cultura matriarcale piena di peculiari stranezze merita di essere ampliata di sicuro..
Queste due trame, finiranno per convergere in un unica storia, umana, feroce e eroica, ma anche cruda, sporca e vile.. come sempre Fletcher crea personaggi profondi, unici, pieni di luce e ombre, di bene e di male.. anche in una storia non prettamente grimdark, l'ambigua moralità dei suoi personaggi rivela nobiltà d'animo e stronzaggine allo stesso livello, esattamente come nella realtà..
Per certi versi i personaggi ormai vecchi, a fine vita, ma che ancora possono servire, così come il finale, sono un bel tributo al fantasy nobile di Gemmell, qua declinato in modo più sporco e fletcheriano..
Un worldbuilding familiare e al contempo geniale, pieno di creature immaginifiche, si esseri dalle abitudini strane e misteriose, sull'orlo di epidemie apocalittiche, di guerre e stravolgimenti che in futuro possono dare vita a sequel pazzeschi..
Un sistema magico in effetti semplice, ma allo stesso tempo geniale, logico, tutto da scoprire, che da vita a azioni pazzesche, ma che costa caro a chi lo usa.. come sempre i risvolti irriverenti e assurdi non mancano, come le scene post-aumentazione con scariche di liquami!!
Insomma, un libro oscuro, e crudo (forse meno di altri), ma anche speranzoso e divertente (molto più di altri).. per me Fletcher si conferma come uno dei migliori autori fantasy di sempre!!!!
August 13, 2026
I loved this book and even writing this review conjured up emotion again. The first 30% had me guessing and making up conspiracy theories. Fletcher leaves enough unsaid that you can really fall deep into the rabbit hole. I devoured the rest of the book through teary eyes.
I do not think this book is grimdark. Dust of the Dead is a tribute to women. It says we see you old woman. We see what you’ve been through and we value you. Fletcher gives us his expansive world building and high cost magic system and yes it is dark, but it is not grim. I absolutely loved the magic system and I am hoping we get more of it.
Dust of the Dead follows two female main characters and in my opinion no male main characters. The secondary male characters were awesome (Zaid I’m looking at you) but there were no MMCs to steal the show from Khayrat and Aakifah. I connected to both these women so much. Khayrat’s struggles paralleled that of my late mother.
Both their life stories illustrate the painful cost of surviving as women in the midst of a horrific war. Not only is Fletcher letting womanhood shine in this book, but for most of the story our ladies are old! We get post menopausal women being badasses and I’m obsessed. We also get messages on aging, SA survival, motherhood, fertility struggles, protection of children and golden age love.
“You’ll remember your rage old woman.” is my new favorite quote and will follow me for the rest of my life.
As usual with my Fletcherverse reads, I’m still pondering the true villain, as the goal posts tend to be sneaky. But who doesn’t want to ponder a book long after reading?
I do not think this book is grimdark. Dust of the Dead is a tribute to women. It says we see you old woman. We see what you’ve been through and we value you. Fletcher gives us his expansive world building and high cost magic system and yes it is dark, but it is not grim. I absolutely loved the magic system and I am hoping we get more of it.
Dust of the Dead follows two female main characters and in my opinion no male main characters. The secondary male characters were awesome (Zaid I’m looking at you) but there were no MMCs to steal the show from Khayrat and Aakifah. I connected to both these women so much. Khayrat’s struggles paralleled that of my late mother.
Both their life stories illustrate the painful cost of surviving as women in the midst of a horrific war. Not only is Fletcher letting womanhood shine in this book, but for most of the story our ladies are old! We get post menopausal women being badasses and I’m obsessed. We also get messages on aging, SA survival, motherhood, fertility struggles, protection of children and golden age love.
“You’ll remember your rage old woman.” is my new favorite quote and will follow me for the rest of my life.
As usual with my Fletcherverse reads, I’m still pondering the true villain, as the goal posts tend to be sneaky. But who doesn’t want to ponder a book long after reading?
August 18, 2026
Essential dark fantasy. Unflinching in its brutality but unrelenting in its humanity.
Dust of the Dead is a wholly unique, gut-wrenching, exhilarating, and at times horrifying book that had me enraptured from the very first page. The world of this story is so deep, lived in, and gritty, that it's easy to imagine every nook and cranny. The descriptions weave into the scenes seamlessly, and fuel the reader's interest in the world and the characters.
Our two main POV characters are so distinct and so real, that it was impossible to pick a favorite of the two. Both are very different in their their Outlook and optimism as well as how they treat problems in the people around them. You get to see how this brutal world shapes them and turns them into someone else by the end of the story, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.
There was never a time when I switched from one perspective to the other and wished that I was still with the other character. The transitions between each POV chapter were done very well and in a way that not only left us hungry for the person we had just left, but wondering how the other perspective would eventually blend.
The story takes many twists and turns, a dark political fantasy with an absolutely wondrous magic system that has a horrific darker side. The way that magic is used in this book is incredibly unique, and when that darker side rears its head, it leaves the reader almost unable to hold on to their lunch.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I hope to see future stories set in this world.
*I received an early ARC of this book for an honest review*
Dust of the Dead is a wholly unique, gut-wrenching, exhilarating, and at times horrifying book that had me enraptured from the very first page. The world of this story is so deep, lived in, and gritty, that it's easy to imagine every nook and cranny. The descriptions weave into the scenes seamlessly, and fuel the reader's interest in the world and the characters.
Our two main POV characters are so distinct and so real, that it was impossible to pick a favorite of the two. Both are very different in their their Outlook and optimism as well as how they treat problems in the people around them. You get to see how this brutal world shapes them and turns them into someone else by the end of the story, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.
There was never a time when I switched from one perspective to the other and wished that I was still with the other character. The transitions between each POV chapter were done very well and in a way that not only left us hungry for the person we had just left, but wondering how the other perspective would eventually blend.
The story takes many twists and turns, a dark political fantasy with an absolutely wondrous magic system that has a horrific darker side. The way that magic is used in this book is incredibly unique, and when that darker side rears its head, it leaves the reader almost unable to hold on to their lunch.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I hope to see future stories set in this world.
*I received an early ARC of this book for an honest review*
Review of advance copy received from Author
"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here"???
Not quite, but...
You know the name, as well as you know that quote by Dante.
Michael R. Fletcher.
You know the acclaim.
Joe Abercrombie takes the moniker "Lord Grimdark." There is no denying how talented Abercrombie is, nor how dark his work is.
But, another renowned author who is known to write a dark thing or two himself, Mark Lawrence (he of "Broken Empire" fame), once jested that Fletcher's work "tops all the charts that rate books by grimdark content" and cautioned prospective readers regarding Fletcher's work to "open with tongs".
So if Abercrombie is "LORD Grimdark" what rank do we accord to Fletcher? Is he something higher, more akin to "emperor", or daresay "god" of grimdark?
You get the drift. To beat a dead horse (which fits right in with most worlds Fletcher creates) just read this: https://www.marklawrence.buzz/2017/08... .
OR, if you simply doubt that anyone could write THAT grimdark, just take Fletcher's most recent book, which I had the privilege (horror) of receiving an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the lovely author himself, entitled "Dust of of the Dead".
Spoiler - it's not quite as grimdarky grimdark as the other books Fletcher has built his reputation upon (as well as the bones picked clean of flesh), but it's pretty dark.
And it's great.
So...Fletcher welcomes the trepidatious reader, poised to turn the blood-soaked pages, to Malaga and Qina, two bordering realms. In this world, the use of magic brings absolutely brutal consequences, and words can be uttered that bend reality to the will of whoever speaks them.
Using epistles to convey a large portion of his tale, Fletcher wraps a clever and utterly compelling fantasy murder-mystery tale in a slightly (barely) less-darker shell than say "Beyond Redemption" (which he's perhaps best known for). Though, to be fair, in "Dust of the Dead", there's a horrific war ongoing between the two aforementioned realms, and plenty of barbarism abounds.
Fabulous characterization defines every Fletcher story I've read, and this one is no different. The author provides us with two timelines you just know are going to merge, but unsure just "how" in the beginning of the novel.
Khayrat's tale is set in the past. Her father is slain. She's training to speak to the world, in order to bring light, as what's called a "lumin". But after the death of her parent, she turns to the darkness, practicing the sinister art of the "unraveller", and vows revenge. She becomes a pitiless assassin. Her prime mission becomes killing her king's enemies: and that means wiping out an entire royal family.
Meanwhile, Aakifah's timeline is set in the present. She's a law enforcement officer, suffering from PTSD from the war, but literally about to retire to a peaceful life. Queue the "sorry, it's not gonna be that easy, love."
A family is butchered, their daughters abducted. The kidnappers are the "pyumah". Perhaps Aakifah should sit this one out. She's older now, and not in the shape she used to be. And with the un-dealt-with trauma she is coping with, she's not really mentally fit either to be taking on this quest. Especially when she's supposed to lead it.
But she's too principled, and heroism flows in her veins. Problem: the pyumah are horrifying, tentacled, apex predators who have acquired a discerning taste for human flesh. To face them is tantamount to suicide. Oh well. That retirement dream looked good while it lasted. Get the band together: her partner, a bunch of green volunteers who are untutored in the arts and predations of war. Off they merrily go to certain death, cheerio.
While we don't get the gaggle of adorable, dysfunctional psychopaths, thieves, and cutthroats we grow to know and love in "Beyond Redemption", per usual, the genius named Michael R. Fletcher makes us care about his characters, no matter how close to the line of wholly reprehensible they are. The main players of Khayrat and Aakifah in "Dust of the Dead" certainly aren't that.
They are good people at their core, with somewhat moral ideals (or at least some kind of motivation we can empathize with and understand) driving their actions. But there are some other characters in the book that hit closer to the familiar mark of "sociopathy" we're used to seeing from Fletcher. Enjoy them. They are marvellously (mostly) horrible.
Yet Fletcher, true to his grimdark brilliance, tends to dispense with norms of pure good or pure evil. Characters try to survive, and have personal justifications for what they do. It starts there, and sometimes it doesn't rise about that, but that's what grimdark is all about.
The world-building is fantastic. And of course, it has all the hallmark bleakness, oppressive atmosphere, and unrelenting danger all about. Here be dragons (!!!), very scary non-human sentient races, insectoids, and more. The bizarre monsters in the book will delight grimdark fans, though, per usual, it is the human villains who are the real monsters. Magic is wielded by "implorators" and, from a practical standpoint, eats the user alive. The cost of using it can be as low (but of course significant) as loss of memory, and as high as loss of sanity.
Speaking of the viscerally frightening creatures, both human and not, one of the primary themes evolves around price versus reward. Deploying magic, serving one's realm, being devoted to a skill or trade, all come with costs. Sometimes those costs are perhaps not worth bearing, Fletcher seems to imply. A secondary theme is that there are typically more commonalities than differences between and within species. Our own biases and prejudices, when looked at from the other side, look startlingly similar. We can all be kind, or monstrous, by degrees, and ultimately, while the reader monitors to what depths nominally good people will sink to, in order to survive, characters learn to look in the mirror, and see the reflection of those they abhor staring back at them.
Fletcher expertly contrasts Khayrat's bloodthirsty revenge for a seemingly righteous cause with Aakifah's equally bloodthirsty results as she tries to be a brave leader, also for a seemingly righteous cause. Both characters are desperate, both missions require embracing violence. But Aakifah tries to maintain her humanity at every turn. Can Khayrat do the same?
The pace is non-stop, and the action scenes - well you can guess. Bring on the beautifully written fights, gore, and unflinching numbness, helplessness, fear, tragedy and dark humour that comes with dirty grimdark deeds done dirt cheap.
Fletcher has plenty of accolades (multiple Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off - SPFBO - Finalist berths), and is highly lauded for the complex and fully-realized, but shattered worlds and broken characters he creates, with boundless imagination and panache. He deserves them.
"Dust of the Dead" is a fine example of why. It is a book that dazzles: original, gritty, blisteringly-paced, and puts Fletcher's immense craft on full display. No one-trick, nihilist grimdark pony here. I truly believe those who shy away from the more hopeless tone of Fletcher's bleaker works, but are still willing to indulge in darkness, will find this one to more to their tastes.
Fletcher deserves his ranking not only as one the best grimdark authors, but one of the best fantasy authors of his era.
Not quite, but...
You know the name, as well as you know that quote by Dante.
Michael R. Fletcher.
You know the acclaim.
Joe Abercrombie takes the moniker "Lord Grimdark." There is no denying how talented Abercrombie is, nor how dark his work is.
But, another renowned author who is known to write a dark thing or two himself, Mark Lawrence (he of "Broken Empire" fame), once jested that Fletcher's work "tops all the charts that rate books by grimdark content" and cautioned prospective readers regarding Fletcher's work to "open with tongs".
So if Abercrombie is "LORD Grimdark" what rank do we accord to Fletcher? Is he something higher, more akin to "emperor", or daresay "god" of grimdark?
You get the drift. To beat a dead horse (which fits right in with most worlds Fletcher creates) just read this: https://www.marklawrence.buzz/2017/08... .
OR, if you simply doubt that anyone could write THAT grimdark, just take Fletcher's most recent book, which I had the privilege (horror) of receiving an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the lovely author himself, entitled "Dust of of the Dead".
Spoiler - it's not quite as grimdarky grimdark as the other books Fletcher has built his reputation upon (as well as the bones picked clean of flesh), but it's pretty dark.
And it's great.
So...Fletcher welcomes the trepidatious reader, poised to turn the blood-soaked pages, to Malaga and Qina, two bordering realms. In this world, the use of magic brings absolutely brutal consequences, and words can be uttered that bend reality to the will of whoever speaks them.
Using epistles to convey a large portion of his tale, Fletcher wraps a clever and utterly compelling fantasy murder-mystery tale in a slightly (barely) less-darker shell than say "Beyond Redemption" (which he's perhaps best known for). Though, to be fair, in "Dust of the Dead", there's a horrific war ongoing between the two aforementioned realms, and plenty of barbarism abounds.
Fabulous characterization defines every Fletcher story I've read, and this one is no different. The author provides us with two timelines you just know are going to merge, but unsure just "how" in the beginning of the novel.
Khayrat's tale is set in the past. Her father is slain. She's training to speak to the world, in order to bring light, as what's called a "lumin". But after the death of her parent, she turns to the darkness, practicing the sinister art of the "unraveller", and vows revenge. She becomes a pitiless assassin. Her prime mission becomes killing her king's enemies: and that means wiping out an entire royal family.
Meanwhile, Aakifah's timeline is set in the present. She's a law enforcement officer, suffering from PTSD from the war, but literally about to retire to a peaceful life. Queue the "sorry, it's not gonna be that easy, love."
A family is butchered, their daughters abducted. The kidnappers are the "pyumah". Perhaps Aakifah should sit this one out. She's older now, and not in the shape she used to be. And with the un-dealt-with trauma she is coping with, she's not really mentally fit either to be taking on this quest. Especially when she's supposed to lead it.
But she's too principled, and heroism flows in her veins. Problem: the pyumah are horrifying, tentacled, apex predators who have acquired a discerning taste for human flesh. To face them is tantamount to suicide. Oh well. That retirement dream looked good while it lasted. Get the band together: her partner, a bunch of green volunteers who are untutored in the arts and predations of war. Off they merrily go to certain death, cheerio.
While we don't get the gaggle of adorable, dysfunctional psychopaths, thieves, and cutthroats we grow to know and love in "Beyond Redemption", per usual, the genius named Michael R. Fletcher makes us care about his characters, no matter how close to the line of wholly reprehensible they are. The main players of Khayrat and Aakifah in "Dust of the Dead" certainly aren't that.
They are good people at their core, with somewhat moral ideals (or at least some kind of motivation we can empathize with and understand) driving their actions. But there are some other characters in the book that hit closer to the familiar mark of "sociopathy" we're used to seeing from Fletcher. Enjoy them. They are marvellously (mostly) horrible.
Yet Fletcher, true to his grimdark brilliance, tends to dispense with norms of pure good or pure evil. Characters try to survive, and have personal justifications for what they do. It starts there, and sometimes it doesn't rise about that, but that's what grimdark is all about.
The world-building is fantastic. And of course, it has all the hallmark bleakness, oppressive atmosphere, and unrelenting danger all about. Here be dragons (!!!), very scary non-human sentient races, insectoids, and more. The bizarre monsters in the book will delight grimdark fans, though, per usual, it is the human villains who are the real monsters. Magic is wielded by "implorators" and, from a practical standpoint, eats the user alive. The cost of using it can be as low (but of course significant) as loss of memory, and as high as loss of sanity.
Speaking of the viscerally frightening creatures, both human and not, one of the primary themes evolves around price versus reward. Deploying magic, serving one's realm, being devoted to a skill or trade, all come with costs. Sometimes those costs are perhaps not worth bearing, Fletcher seems to imply. A secondary theme is that there are typically more commonalities than differences between and within species. Our own biases and prejudices, when looked at from the other side, look startlingly similar. We can all be kind, or monstrous, by degrees, and ultimately, while the reader monitors to what depths nominally good people will sink to, in order to survive, characters learn to look in the mirror, and see the reflection of those they abhor staring back at them.
Fletcher expertly contrasts Khayrat's bloodthirsty revenge for a seemingly righteous cause with Aakifah's equally bloodthirsty results as she tries to be a brave leader, also for a seemingly righteous cause. Both characters are desperate, both missions require embracing violence. But Aakifah tries to maintain her humanity at every turn. Can Khayrat do the same?
The pace is non-stop, and the action scenes - well you can guess. Bring on the beautifully written fights, gore, and unflinching numbness, helplessness, fear, tragedy and dark humour that comes with dirty grimdark deeds done dirt cheap.
Fletcher has plenty of accolades (multiple Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off - SPFBO - Finalist berths), and is highly lauded for the complex and fully-realized, but shattered worlds and broken characters he creates, with boundless imagination and panache. He deserves them.
"Dust of the Dead" is a fine example of why. It is a book that dazzles: original, gritty, blisteringly-paced, and puts Fletcher's immense craft on full display. No one-trick, nihilist grimdark pony here. I truly believe those who shy away from the more hopeless tone of Fletcher's bleaker works, but are still willing to indulge in darkness, will find this one to more to their tastes.
Fletcher deserves his ranking not only as one the best grimdark authors, but one of the best fantasy authors of his era.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This ARC review aims to be as Spoiler-free as possible.
Score: ☠️☠️☠️💀
The madman Michael R. Fletcher is back with another look into a brand new world, just as violent and insane as we have come to expect. Dust of the Dead is a standalone set in a new dark fantasy world known as The Listening World and is a tale of tragedy, destruction, and the spoken word made reality, with all the horrors that entails.
This is (very close to) grimdark.
Author Michael R. Fletcher has been the Crown Prince of Modern GrimDark (Mad Prince if you believe the voices) and his works have found a cult following in dark fantasy and grimdark spaces. Known for his gruesomely enjoyable Manifest Delusions and The Obsidian Path (among others) series, Fletcher doesn’t shy away from pushing the boundaries of the depravity of the human condition. His magic systems always open new opportunities of maniacal creativity, and Dust of the Dead proves to be a continuation of his deviant art.
Set in The Listening World with vaguely African/Middle Eastern analogs, especially with the character names, Dust of the Dead follows two timelines anchored around a war between two neighboring kingdoms, Malaga and Qina, following the two main POV characters, finally clashing together after suitably explosive revelations into the bloody crescendo.
The Listening World is full of non-human species, having their own impacts on the central conflict, while also filling out the world, its history, and its magic systems. One of the central external antagonists are the dreaded pyumah (no prizes for guessing the real world analog here), a gigantic predatory six-limbed feline warrior species, with their own tyrant Queen of Queens, ready to rid the world of the pesky bipeds. Along with the pyumah we have other arachnid-esque horrors and a lumbering-but-sophisticated species, very adept at Imploratory, Fletcher’s magic-system in The Listening World.
Fletcher has been known for his unique (by that I mean maniacal) magic systems. From his delusions-create-reality system in Manifest Delusions to the whole host of necromancy and inter-dimensional horror in his City of Sacrifice and The Obsidian Path trilogies, Fletcher has never shied away from pushing the envelope on dark fantasy magics to the very edge of belief. In Dust of the Dead, the world itself can “listen” to spells and incantations to create great structures by altering wood (Arkiteks) or stone (Masoniks) or wreak untold horror via fire (Infernik), or undoing the very structure of the living (Unravelers).
“I will learn how to do evil, so I can do good.”
In Dust of the Dead we follow Khayrat, a budding Malagan Lumin (light worker) drawn into the larger war when her father is killed and she is tasked to learn the darker art to become an Unraveler to wreak mass-destruction on the Qinan side. Through her eyes we get a glimpse into the present-day horrors of the war, where implorators on both sides cause wanton destruction, while Khayrat has to struggle with mastering, and using the darkest art of all, to win the war, and avenge her father’s death.
“I’m too old to die a heroic death”
Forty years after the war, we follow Aakifah, a war-jaded veteran, now a plump, hedonistic, and close-to-retirement shairf (village chief/sheriff) of Basrah, a podunk town on the edge of the larger war decades ago. Aakifah has survived the horrors of the war, a scarred Augmentor (body-enchancer) and wishes to spend the rest of her days buried in drink and sloth, happy to forget the past. When the dreaded pyumah abduct twins from the outskirts of her city, she is forced to band together a rag-tag group of unlikely heroes and give chase, knowing that it is a lost cause.
Dust of the Dead is a great example to illustrate the journey of an author’s craft. Having read most (if not all) of Fletcher’s major offerings through the years, I have watched his craft being honed into a sharpened voice in the genre. While Manifest Delusions felt special with its horrifyingly special magic systems and narrative choices, it was rough around the edges and held its raw beginner-author’s heart on full display. Now, several years and novels later, Fletcher has balanced his mania into a more mature offering. Moving away from “grimdark” (which Fletcher admits is a tacked on description), the author describes Dust of the Dead as “heroic dark fantasy”, or “heroic dark fantasy”, depending on the reader’s outlook.
While the overt, nigh-hysterical mass-destruction of The Obsidian Path does creep into certain sections, Dust of the Dead reads as more controlled, almost more restrained, even at its most violent moments. Fan of the author’s more pathological action set-pieces may be a tad disappointed by the reduced scale of wanton terror in this book, while others who brushed off his over-the-top ultraviolence with an eye-roll may find his newest offering to be more to their liking.
Dust of the Dead succeeds in the most unlikely ways… around the edges. Fletcher creates a robust backdrop to his world with lengthy epigraphs highlighting the histories of the world in Khayrat’s chapters, and the horrors of war told through those in Aakifah’s chapters. These open out the possibilities of more stories being told and I would hate to see Fletcher abandon this project. Everyone loves a good Die-Hard-ish grumbling old hero schtick, and Aakifah’s does it well. Khayrat follows a more tried-and-true “war destroys souls” motif of the grimdark genre, and follows and altogether predictable trajectory. Even though both the timelines showcase stereotypical aspects of the genre, Fletcher attempted to fuse them into something more novel. His new magic system felt like a near inversion of his delusions-based magic system, since the wielders had to be much more intentional with their magic, or face catastrophic consequences.
I enjoyed my time with Dust of the Dead, though I had my own quibbles. Fletcher has struggled with sticking the landings on his series in the past, and sadly Dust of the Dead proves to follow that unfortunate path, to some extent. The standalone format of this novel also doesn’t lend very well to fully exploring a fleshed-out plot, and Dust of the Dead was a very character- and world-driven book, with a traditionally predictable dark fantasy/grimdark plot highlighting the bog-standard “war is hell” “man is wolf to man” standards of the genre. The side characters show moments of spark but sadly get sidelined as plot-pushers, which I would attribute to the constraints of the standalone format.
I reckon that this standalone will be one of many anthology entries following different characters, set in The Listening World. I hope the author finds new delusional ways to spin new tales in this world, because we are all listening, lest our own sanity be truly unraveled!
Advanced Review Copy provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Michael Fletcher for providing a review copy.
Read this review and more on my Medium page: Distorted Visions
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Score: ☠️☠️☠️💀
The madman Michael R. Fletcher is back with another look into a brand new world, just as violent and insane as we have come to expect. Dust of the Dead is a standalone set in a new dark fantasy world known as The Listening World and is a tale of tragedy, destruction, and the spoken word made reality, with all the horrors that entails.
This is (very close to) grimdark.
Author Michael R. Fletcher has been the Crown Prince of Modern GrimDark (Mad Prince if you believe the voices) and his works have found a cult following in dark fantasy and grimdark spaces. Known for his gruesomely enjoyable Manifest Delusions and The Obsidian Path (among others) series, Fletcher doesn’t shy away from pushing the boundaries of the depravity of the human condition. His magic systems always open new opportunities of maniacal creativity, and Dust of the Dead proves to be a continuation of his deviant art.
Set in The Listening World with vaguely African/Middle Eastern analogs, especially with the character names, Dust of the Dead follows two timelines anchored around a war between two neighboring kingdoms, Malaga and Qina, following the two main POV characters, finally clashing together after suitably explosive revelations into the bloody crescendo.
The Listening World is full of non-human species, having their own impacts on the central conflict, while also filling out the world, its history, and its magic systems. One of the central external antagonists are the dreaded pyumah (no prizes for guessing the real world analog here), a gigantic predatory six-limbed feline warrior species, with their own tyrant Queen of Queens, ready to rid the world of the pesky bipeds. Along with the pyumah we have other arachnid-esque horrors and a lumbering-but-sophisticated species, very adept at Imploratory, Fletcher’s magic-system in The Listening World.
Fletcher has been known for his unique (by that I mean maniacal) magic systems. From his delusions-create-reality system in Manifest Delusions to the whole host of necromancy and inter-dimensional horror in his City of Sacrifice and The Obsidian Path trilogies, Fletcher has never shied away from pushing the envelope on dark fantasy magics to the very edge of belief. In Dust of the Dead, the world itself can “listen” to spells and incantations to create great structures by altering wood (Arkiteks) or stone (Masoniks) or wreak untold horror via fire (Infernik), or undoing the very structure of the living (Unravelers).
“I will learn how to do evil, so I can do good.”
In Dust of the Dead we follow Khayrat, a budding Malagan Lumin (light worker) drawn into the larger war when her father is killed and she is tasked to learn the darker art to become an Unraveler to wreak mass-destruction on the Qinan side. Through her eyes we get a glimpse into the present-day horrors of the war, where implorators on both sides cause wanton destruction, while Khayrat has to struggle with mastering, and using the darkest art of all, to win the war, and avenge her father’s death.
“I’m too old to die a heroic death”
Forty years after the war, we follow Aakifah, a war-jaded veteran, now a plump, hedonistic, and close-to-retirement shairf (village chief/sheriff) of Basrah, a podunk town on the edge of the larger war decades ago. Aakifah has survived the horrors of the war, a scarred Augmentor (body-enchancer) and wishes to spend the rest of her days buried in drink and sloth, happy to forget the past. When the dreaded pyumah abduct twins from the outskirts of her city, she is forced to band together a rag-tag group of unlikely heroes and give chase, knowing that it is a lost cause.
Dust of the Dead is a great example to illustrate the journey of an author’s craft. Having read most (if not all) of Fletcher’s major offerings through the years, I have watched his craft being honed into a sharpened voice in the genre. While Manifest Delusions felt special with its horrifyingly special magic systems and narrative choices, it was rough around the edges and held its raw beginner-author’s heart on full display. Now, several years and novels later, Fletcher has balanced his mania into a more mature offering. Moving away from “grimdark” (which Fletcher admits is a tacked on description), the author describes Dust of the Dead as “heroic dark fantasy”, or “heroic dark fantasy”, depending on the reader’s outlook.
While the overt, nigh-hysterical mass-destruction of The Obsidian Path does creep into certain sections, Dust of the Dead reads as more controlled, almost more restrained, even at its most violent moments. Fan of the author’s more pathological action set-pieces may be a tad disappointed by the reduced scale of wanton terror in this book, while others who brushed off his over-the-top ultraviolence with an eye-roll may find his newest offering to be more to their liking.
Dust of the Dead succeeds in the most unlikely ways… around the edges. Fletcher creates a robust backdrop to his world with lengthy epigraphs highlighting the histories of the world in Khayrat’s chapters, and the horrors of war told through those in Aakifah’s chapters. These open out the possibilities of more stories being told and I would hate to see Fletcher abandon this project. Everyone loves a good Die-Hard-ish grumbling old hero schtick, and Aakifah’s does it well. Khayrat follows a more tried-and-true “war destroys souls” motif of the grimdark genre, and follows and altogether predictable trajectory. Even though both the timelines showcase stereotypical aspects of the genre, Fletcher attempted to fuse them into something more novel. His new magic system felt like a near inversion of his delusions-based magic system, since the wielders had to be much more intentional with their magic, or face catastrophic consequences.
I enjoyed my time with Dust of the Dead, though I had my own quibbles. Fletcher has struggled with sticking the landings on his series in the past, and sadly Dust of the Dead proves to follow that unfortunate path, to some extent. The standalone format of this novel also doesn’t lend very well to fully exploring a fleshed-out plot, and Dust of the Dead was a very character- and world-driven book, with a traditionally predictable dark fantasy/grimdark plot highlighting the bog-standard “war is hell” “man is wolf to man” standards of the genre. The side characters show moments of spark but sadly get sidelined as plot-pushers, which I would attribute to the constraints of the standalone format.
I reckon that this standalone will be one of many anthology entries following different characters, set in The Listening World. I hope the author finds new delusional ways to spin new tales in this world, because we are all listening, lest our own sanity be truly unraveled!
Advanced Review Copy provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Michael Fletcher for providing a review copy.
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Review of advance copy
I want to thank Mr. Fletcher for being impatient and releasing the Paperback earlier on Amazon and my wallet for purchasing it.
This "Review" is written by a fanboy of the Prince of Grimdark who has consumed everything this genius madman has written.
Prince Grimdark´s Dust of the Dead dives into a new World "The Listening World", delivering a brutal tale of war, the spoken word, and tragedy. While this book leans more into dark epic fantasy,as the Prince of Grimdark himself says "Heroic dark fantasy" rather than the hyper delusional grimdark of Beyond Redemption, it still offers that unmistakable, blood soaked Fletcher flavor.
I don´t want to write an indepth review,since there are already enough reviews detailing the story,plot,characters etc. so what i want to do instead is,tell how i felt about the book as someone who read all the other books by Michael R. Fletcher and even recommended them to Friends who are not Grimdark fans.
For me this book is a 5 star, it is dark,it has insane monsters, great World building,broken characters,so everything you expect from a book by the Prince of Grimdark,BUT i feel "better" to recommend this book to "non grimdark" reading friends than the other ones,despite the book feels like a Fletcher book, and what i mean is reading it you can 100% associate it with Fletcher, it isn´t a worldbreaking mania like Beyond Redemption that friends of me DNF´d because it was to much even tho they wanted to see why and what i love about Michael R. Fletcher.
SO if you ever felt like trying out the Prince of Grimdark, but when you did it felt like you couldn´t sleep that night,this book will open the door a crack and show you the mysterious and genius world that you might have missed otherwise.
This "Review" is written by a fanboy of the Prince of Grimdark who has consumed everything this genius madman has written.
Prince Grimdark´s Dust of the Dead dives into a new World "The Listening World", delivering a brutal tale of war, the spoken word, and tragedy. While this book leans more into dark epic fantasy,as the Prince of Grimdark himself says "Heroic dark fantasy" rather than the hyper delusional grimdark of Beyond Redemption, it still offers that unmistakable, blood soaked Fletcher flavor.
I don´t want to write an indepth review,since there are already enough reviews detailing the story,plot,characters etc. so what i want to do instead is,tell how i felt about the book as someone who read all the other books by Michael R. Fletcher and even recommended them to Friends who are not Grimdark fans.
For me this book is a 5 star, it is dark,it has insane monsters, great World building,broken characters,so everything you expect from a book by the Prince of Grimdark,BUT i feel "better" to recommend this book to "non grimdark" reading friends than the other ones,despite the book feels like a Fletcher book, and what i mean is reading it you can 100% associate it with Fletcher, it isn´t a worldbreaking mania like Beyond Redemption that friends of me DNF´d because it was to much even tho they wanted to see why and what i love about Michael R. Fletcher.
SO if you ever felt like trying out the Prince of Grimdark, but when you did it felt like you couldn´t sleep that night,this book will open the door a crack and show you the mysterious and genius world that you might have missed otherwise.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow, that was absolutley grimalicious and mind blowing. Everything I have read from Mr Fletcher has been an absolutely roller coaster of Grim maddness, now I know why Michael R Fletcher is my favourite Indie Grim Lord of Grimdark.
If you ever had the pleasure of reading anything from Mr Fletcher you will know what I mean. His writing and storytelling has you hooked from the very first page with his dark characters, whether there doppelgangers, dragons or ferocious Insectoids. He creates beautiful dark worlds for us to get lost in and his world-building is just simply exquisite.
Dust of the Dead is a story of one characters revenge and another characters mission to find redemption in her old age. Dark magic plays a role in both their lives. One who unravels people and one who cannibalises their own body to make them and stronger and let me tell you the things that happen are very visceral in this book and not for the faint hearted.
If you love your dark fantasy, bloody, fast paced, A brutal magic system, good and dark humoured. Man eating Catlike humanoids with tentacles, yes tentacles. Mr Fletcher can really creat and write some fucked up creatures and I'm here for all of it. So if haven't read or checked out any books by the Indie Grimdark Lord himself. I very highly recommend you do you wont be disappointed...🔥
If you ever had the pleasure of reading anything from Mr Fletcher you will know what I mean. His writing and storytelling has you hooked from the very first page with his dark characters, whether there doppelgangers, dragons or ferocious Insectoids. He creates beautiful dark worlds for us to get lost in and his world-building is just simply exquisite.
Dust of the Dead is a story of one characters revenge and another characters mission to find redemption in her old age. Dark magic plays a role in both their lives. One who unravels people and one who cannibalises their own body to make them and stronger and let me tell you the things that happen are very visceral in this book and not for the faint hearted.
If you love your dark fantasy, bloody, fast paced, A brutal magic system, good and dark humoured. Man eating Catlike humanoids with tentacles, yes tentacles. Mr Fletcher can really creat and write some fucked up creatures and I'm here for all of it. So if haven't read or checked out any books by the Indie Grimdark Lord himself. I very highly recommend you do you wont be disappointed...🔥
Review of advance copy received from Author
A dark setting, relatable characters, multi POVs and timelines, unique superpowers and monsters..so many monsters. Is it too early to say that Fletcher is now an autobuy author just based off of this work?
Dust of the Dead was incredible!
Each chapter shifts between the POV of 2 FMCs - Khayrat and Aakifah - and transports you anywhere from weeks before a major war erupts, to 40 years after the war (And don't worry - you will see it all come together in the most spectacular way)
Both women are funny and clever in their own ways and so, so, very flawed and relatable. If anyone tells you that "men can't write women well" force them to read this.
Neither of them are your typical hero, in fact, they would much rather be left alone.
Even though they were the highlight of the story for me, there's also so much more to explore that I didn't get enough of!
Unsettling and intelligent monsters, who aren't what they seem to be, and horrifying battle scenes and just incredible world building overall!!
If you haven't read any Fletcher before, then let this be your sign. This book is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year!
Dust of the Dead was incredible!
Each chapter shifts between the POV of 2 FMCs - Khayrat and Aakifah - and transports you anywhere from weeks before a major war erupts, to 40 years after the war (And don't worry - you will see it all come together in the most spectacular way)
Both women are funny and clever in their own ways and so, so, very flawed and relatable. If anyone tells you that "men can't write women well" force them to read this.
Neither of them are your typical hero, in fact, they would much rather be left alone.
Even though they were the highlight of the story for me, there's also so much more to explore that I didn't get enough of!
Unsettling and intelligent monsters, who aren't what they seem to be, and horrifying battle scenes and just incredible world building overall!!
If you haven't read any Fletcher before, then let this be your sign. This book is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had a chance to read an advance copy of this book, and I’m glad I did.
I’ve been familiar with Fletcher since his Black Stone Heart days (a series I really enjoyed), and I had high expectations coming into this one. It reminded me a bit of Christopher Buehlman’s The Daughters’ War. The characters were clever, the dialogue was sharp, and the world had a pervasive and unsettling grittiness. I couldn’t put it down.
Great independently published fantasy is a rare thing, and Fletcher raised the bar for the rest of us. I’m excited for the next one!
I’ve been familiar with Fletcher since his Black Stone Heart days (a series I really enjoyed), and I had high expectations coming into this one. It reminded me a bit of Christopher Buehlman’s The Daughters’ War. The characters were clever, the dialogue was sharp, and the world had a pervasive and unsettling grittiness. I couldn’t put it down.
Great independently published fantasy is a rare thing, and Fletcher raised the bar for the rest of us. I’m excited for the next one!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I, truly, have nothing to say other than "READ THIS BOOK WHEN IT COMES OUT PLEASE!".
Amazing, emotionally devastating, great action, great magic, great world that I really want to get more of and the characters were great.
Amazing, emotionally devastating, great action, great magic, great world that I really want to get more of and the characters were great.
August 8, 2026
This one's an absolute banger, and I'm only slightly biased.
Expertly handles aging and some really heavy themes with care and style.
Great magic, terrifying monsters, and some very satisfying twists.
Highly recommend.
Expertly handles aging and some really heavy themes with care and style.
Great magic, terrifying monsters, and some very satisfying twists.
Highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Michael Fletcher was a fine writer out of the gate, but with Dust of Death he’s hit a new level. It’s a wonderfully inventive tale with bags of imagination scattered in all directions, and exciting magic that manages to be both familiar and different at the same time. I expect excellent worldbuilding from this guy but what really elevated it was the quality of the character work, tying everything together emotionally for a story I could really invest in on all levels. This is a tale that just works. Read it!
-- interesting to see how this review, with the most likes of any for the book, is dead last on the list of reviews ranked by "popularity" ... don't ever change, Goodreads :D
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-- interesting to see how this review, with the most likes of any for the book, is dead last on the list of reviews ranked by "popularity" ... don't ever change, Goodreads :D
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
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