The throne is bloodied. The city is empty. The kingdom beyond is dead and quiet. A peasant thief creeps forth from where she has been hiding, bitter and determined to survive. A young nobleman sets out, with plots and secrets as his armor, to save what is left of his family. A holy knight burdened by failure descends from the mountains to defend the realm. And all across this land so dark and full of nightmares, monstrous things watch from the shadows.
A very engaging read! The characters really stood out to me. They were well-developed, complex, and the author did an excellent job exploring their motivations.
The story is fast-paced but still features beautiful prose.
The story takes place in a fictional world that is well established and full of it's own mythology.
This novel explores themes of politics, family, and societal hierarchies, with a good dose of fantasy mixed in.
I look forward to reading more from this up and coming author!
A truly "Good Read"! While I was reading it, I had family visiting but read around our activities and just couldn't wait to get back to the book. The characters are so engaging and developed. Their internal struggles are realistic and refreshing. The effective POV provides both back story and an interesting shift in the lens of the plot. The plot was richly developed and had me constantly engaged and wondering what would happen next. Command of language, sentence structure, voice are all impressive. Looking forward to Evan Sullivan's next "Good Read".
Deathless is no doubt an amazing read from beginning to end. With its detailed world building, relatable and well developed characters, and captivating storyline - you became part of Talrien and the other characters' journey right from page one. When I started reading Deathless, it became clear this was a book I wouldn't be able to put down. There were some spelling errors and spacing mistakes, but it didn't break the immersion of the story. If you like epic fantasy with dark undertones and great characters, this is the book for you.
If you're looking for a great summer fantasy read, this is the book for you. The unfolding narrative made it hard to put it down, each chapter building effortlessly upon the previous and expanding the world (much like his prior book, Starless). The cast is well-rounded and written, each of their struggles and internal dialogues excellently captured from their unique perspectives. Mr. Sullivan has proven again that fantasy is a natural art to him, and I'm excited to see where he goes next.
An excellent choice for those looking for a more grounded dark fantasy novel that easily captivates you into its world. The characters, setting and plot are all carefully thought out, well rounded and genuinely enjoyable to read about, while putting a new original spin on the dark fantasy genre. Fans of Game of Thrones and Dungeons and Dragons may very much enjoy this read, as it depicts a similar medieval fantasy setting.
An great read, and a breath of fresh air. An interesting story, engaging characters, and well-constructed world all come together beautifully. A dark, apocalyptic take on the fantasy genre, it at times feels like a cross between something like The Last of Us and George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. Well-written and with scenes as haunting as they are beautiful, I had a hard time putting it down. Stays with you long after you've finished it.
This book was unlike anything I've read. The world is so fascinating and complex, the characters are dynamic and interesting, and the story takes so many unexpected turns. I love how there were no truly good or bad actors, but were so much more nuanced! It's a book I haven't stopped thinking about since I put it down. I really hope the author takes us back with more stories from this captivating world.
The characters are diverse and engaging. I often felt like I was there with them as the world is cohesive and well described. The pace of the plot ensures that the book is always interesting. All in all, a good read.
Another great read by Mr. Sullivan. Again a quick rapport with interesting characters that take you with them. Really enjoy this new author, he definitely leaves you wanting more.
*I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. *
If you're looking for a happily ever after, this book is not it. If you're looking for an epic journey full of character development and lyrical writing, then you're in the right place. This book is a dark fantasy. It doesn't contain any romance, and your favorite character isn't guaranteed to last til the end of the story. But, the writing is fantastic and the storyline is entertaining.
This book reminded me of Game of Thrones, but without the romance. If you take all the plot and darker imagery from GOT and compile it into a story, I feel like you would get Deathless. It is definitely not the same plotline by any means, but it has some parallels. I really enjoyed GOT, so I enjoyed Deathless as well.
It took me a little bit to get into this story, because I just wasn't sure what had happened in the Kingdoms. It took a little bit of back and forth between POVs and timelines, but the story was pieced together eventually. These peeks back in time also gave the characters more depth, so I was able to appreciate their backstory's and personalities more. I actually loved all the characters equally, and there were parts of the story that broke my heart. I was really rooting for all of them. But, not everyone can survive these dark times, just like in real life. I was really hoping they were just near misses or they would recover.
Overall, I would recommend this to any dark fantasy lover. There's intrigue and suspense and wonderful descriptive writing. It really does draw you into the story.
As a fan of the Game of Thrones books, Deathless stirred similar feelings. The world-building is exceptional, the characters are well-developed, and the plot keeps the reader turning the pages.
The story started a bit slow, but that is probably on me as I sometimes take a bit to switch worlds. Once I settled in, I became immersed in the tale.
This medieval dark fantasy is full of political intrigue, layers of mystery, and societal hierarchies similar to many of the great books in this genre.
I was impressed by the author's writing style. The pace was perfect for keeping the reader engaged and looking forward to what would happen next. There was enough closure to the book with room left for a sequel.
I recommend Deathless to all readers who enjoy dark fantasy with horror overtones.
I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
I received this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Well, I enjoyed this quite a bit, despite it being about war and undead things and lots of sad/angry people. Just goes to show that enjoyment can stem from sorrow. Seriously, though, this was written well, evoked a lot of emotion, and kept me turning pages. It was very much my kind of big fantasy with a world that feels expansive beyond the page, characters who grow and change while staying true to themselves, and a magic system that seems like it could be more than it is but doesn’t have to be. It took me a bit to really get into the story, but once I did, I was off and running. I think my initial hesitation had to do with seeing a lot of angry characters but not the events that made them so angry. I heard a lot about the abuse that went on toward the lower classes before the book started, but I never saw any of it. So I spent some time wondering if it really was as bad as the characters made it out to be or if it was one of those “it was so terrible…except now is way worse, so maybe we overreacted” things. By the end, I definitely saw where the anger came from, but it would have been nice to get more of a sense for that earlier on. Despite this one thing, I was hooked. The ending left room for a sequel, so if there’s more, I’m game. If not, I’m interested to see what else the author cooks up.
This was a brilliant dark fantasy. The characters had amazing depth, and the world was very well-developed. Sullivan has a wonderfully unique voice, and I enjoyed exploring the world and learning more about each of the main characters. There's plenty of twists and nuance to keep you reading, and you'll be reluctant to put the book down for even the shortest of breaks. Perfect for anyone looking for a dark fantasy where there are no clear heroes waiting in the wings to save the day.
Deathless is told from a diverse set of characters’ points of view as each of them embarks on their own separate journeys. Each character is unique in their own way.
Just to name a few of those wonderfully unique characters.
• Odenica is a homeless thief.
• Talrien is Odenica’s sister.
• Romaerus was born of high nobility.
• Taevun is a criminal.
• Bya is a cousin of Romaerus.
Talrien meets Romaerus and Bya after she is beaten and left in the middle of the street all alone after she and Odenica go their separate ways. Romaerus and Bya help Talrien out of the street and sort of taking her under their wing so to speak. Romaerus wanted to leave her lying there in the middle of the street but Bya would not hear of it. She had to save her.
Deathless is like an apocalyptic world where food and other supplies are very hard to come by for the lower class. Nothing really belongs to anyone I guess you could say. One person is out scavenging for food and other supplies but the thing is unless you are on your toes and stronger than the next person then someone is more than likely going to come along and take everything you have away from you.
Deathless is a very dark and cruel world filled with the most notorious characters. But I do see them as just trying to survive the only way they know how for their time and world.
Once you pick up Deathless you will not want to lay it down until that last page is read leaving you with no choice at this point. The characters draw you into their stories from the beginning seeking their claws in taking you for a ride right into their world of darkness and despair.
Deathless was well written and very descriptive making it so easy to picture the world and the characters in all their glory as if you were right there with them. It all seemed so real and it felt like I was watching a movie instead of reading a book.
I would recommend Deathless to anyone who likes dark and evil worlds or fantasy stories. One-click your copy of Deathless and enter this dark fantasy world today for a thrilling ride!
Deathless was well written and very descriptive making it so easy to picture the world and the characters in all their glory as if you were right there with them. It all seemed so real and it felt like I was watching a movie instead of reading a book.
I would recommend Deathless to anyone who likes dark and evil worlds or fantasy stories. One-click your copy of Deathless and enter this dark fantasy world today for a thrilling ride!