Annis.

by Mathew McCall

In the harsh Dark Age world of Anticthon, Annis, a reviled sorceress, is sent beyond the Collie Mhòr, the Great Forest, by King Cathail to aid the defenders of his most northerly bastion, the grim fortress of Creag an Eagail.
In this bleak and savage land, in the grip of winter, Annis and her companions aid the local Laird in his forlorn task of holding back armies of creatures they once believed were simply the stuff of nightmares.
Once the battle is joined, all begin to understand that far more powerful and sinister forces are gathering.
Into this chaos is inexorably drawn Andreas Corvidious, the man known as Corvus, a warlord who once conquered these desolate lands in the name of a far-off Empire. Why has he returned? For good or ill?
As the battle against impossible odds rages, Annis must face the dreadful force within her that strives to consume her soul, and Corvus is compelled to confront the truth of his past and his own inner demons.

Paperback

Published November 2, 2021

Reviews

[Deborah Lightfoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This remarkable book swept me up and held me enthralled. Everything about it is epic. The setting: A somber, harsh, frigid North of vast forests, dark lochs, and grim crags. The conflicts, of which there are too many to name here: the characters fight battles within themselves, even as they engage in brutal warfare on fantastic battlefields. Those characters are the real driving force of this story: They are complex, compelling individuals (some human, some very definitely not human) who are fully realized beings with detailed personal histories. I loved how the characters’ backstories are revealed gradually and naturally during the course of events. There’s never a feeling of info-dumping, and despite the multiple points of view, the narrative skillfully avoids the sin of “head-hopping.” We meet each character, each in their own time and place, and we gradually learn how they’re being drawn into the extraordinary events that will change all of their lives, and shake the very foundations of their worlds. This imaginative and deep-rooted story would benefit from a basic but thorough copyedit. Having enjoyed a long career as an editor, of everything from newspapers to book-length fiction and nonfiction, I can’t help but notice errors of spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Normally I haven’t the patience to read a book that has not been copyedited. But this epic story is so engrossing, so richly detailed, so vibrant with characters who live and breathe, that I silenced the editor half of my brain so the fantasy fan within me could lose myself in this Dark Age world of sorcery, supernatural creatures, and sinister forces. Because it needs a thorough copyedit, I can’t in good conscience give this book more than 4.5 stars. But I’m fine with knowing that 4.5 will generally round up to 5. Every lover of high fantasy should treat themselves to this book. One caveat: It ends on a cliffhanger. I have it on good authority, however, that a second book is in the works. As soon as you finish “Annis: The Goddess of Sorrows,” you WILL want to continue this saga. I can hardly wait. (Regarding the Goodreads metadata: I purchased the Kindle edition of this book, in English. I've no idea why Goodreads is listing a French paperback as the only edition. The metadata here is also missing the cover, which is beautiful. See it at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KYHGJQF)