Welcome to Araxes, where getting murdered is just the start of your problems.“To say that the concept of Chasing Graves is grimdark would be an understatement… The world building is fantastic and reminiscent of Michael Moorcock’s Elric series.”- Grimdark Magazine“Chasing Graves might well be one of the best releases not only for December but for the entirety of 2018.”- BookNest“Galley has … of the best releases not only for December but for the entirety of 2018.”
– BookNest
“Galley has created a fascinating world that feels rife with stories… its history is rich with detail and there’s so many avenues to be explored.”
– Adam Weller, Fantasy Book Review
“Dark, tense and surprisingly hilarious.”
– Laura M. Hughes, Author of Danse Macabre
“With detailed characters, a twisting plot, and a heavy dose of gory darkness, Ben Galley has once again produced a fantasy you can sink your teeth into.”
– The Grimmedian
“There’s serious grounds here for building something spectacular.”
— Emma Davis, Fantasy Book Review
“A great first book to a series I sincerely can’t wait to complete.”
– Novel Notions
——–
Meet Caltro Basalt. He’s a master locksmith, a selfish bastard, and as of his first night in Araxes, stone cold dead.
They call it the City of Countless Souls, the colossal jewel of the Arctian Empire, and all it takes to be its ruler is to own more ghosts than any other. For in Araxes, the dead do not rest in peace in the afterlife, but live on as slaves for the rich.
While Caltro struggles to survive, those around him strive for the emperor’s throne in Araxes’ cutthroat game of power. The dead gods whisper from corpses, a soulstealer seeks to make a name for himself with the help of an ancient cult, a princess plots to purge the emperor from his armoured Sanctuary, and a murderer drags a body across the desert, intent on reaching Araxes no matter the cost.
Only one thing is certain in Araxes: death is just the beginning.
——–
From award-winning author Ben Galley comes a new dark fantasy trilogy. Inspired by Egyptian mythology and packed with dark humour, action, and intrigue, the Chasing Graves Trilogy is perfect for fans of Michael Moorcock, Brandon Sanderson, Scott Lynch and Joe Abercrombie.
——–
“Chasing Graves is a dark, compelling entry into a trilogy.”
– RockStarlit Book Asylum
“I enjoyed this book immensely, there rarely ever being a moment when I felt ready to put it down before I finished it.”
— Diogo Capelo, Goodreads Reviewer
“Chasing Graves, with its well paced and tight plot is complex, intricate and rewarding. I can’t wait to put my hands on the sequel.”
– Lukasz P, Goodreads Reviewer
“The characters are fantastic, colourful and well-rounded.”
– Al Burke
more
Any novel that begins with the violent murder of its protagonist is going to take you in intriguing directions, and Chasing Graves certainly does that. Said protagonist, too, is not some impossibly skilled warrior, mage or even Dungeon-and-Dragons type thief. Instead, he’s a potbellied locksmith. He’s got no magic weapons, no supernatural reflexes; he’s a man whose abilities we can believe in from the get-go. The fact that his story continues beyond his murder suggests he may seek justice, revenge or peace in the afterlife. Ah, but in Galley’s world, the ghosts of the dead are slaves to the living, which presents a host of problems for our protagonist — not counting the slight inconvenience of having been chosen by someone or something to start a revolution.
There is a secondary protagonist whose story is every bit as compelling and full of twists and turns that’ll keep you guessing until the very last page — whereupon, you’ll rush off to buy the sequel(s). This character is a middle-aged woman, whose story arc seems to be about survival and her odd relationship with her husband. I won’t say more, except that I really enjoyed this part of the narrative.
Additional characters are vivid and distinctive. You’ll have no trouble telling them apart and rooting for their triumph or comeuppance.
All in all, Galley has crafted a must-read for fans of dark fantasy.
4.5
Book source ~ Tour. My review is voluntary and honest.
This story starts out with a prologue where a woman is dragging a dead man through a desert. I have to say, quite intriguing. Then chapter one introduces a guy taking a shit in an old woman’s lockbox. Meet Caltro Basalt. Master locksmith extraordinaire and someone who thinks outside the box (or takes a big dump in one) when getting revenge on people. He’s received a job offer that originated from the Cloudpiercer in Araxes. His situation is desperate enough that he decides to chance going to the City of Countless Souls even though the chances of dying there are quite high. But dying there isn’t the worst part. Oh, no. Once dead, someone can claim your soul and when you come back as a ghost (known as shades in this world) they own you. Instant slave. Yeah, Araxes doesn’t appear to be a place that I’d want to visit, for any reason. But Caltro needs funds so off he goes – only to be murdered almost as soon as he sets foot off the docks. And then the book is off and running with several people on different roads set to converge. What in the Arctian Empire could dead gods, an anonymous woman, a dead and bound locksmith, the Empress-In-Waiting, and a soulstealer have in common? You’ll have to read to find out.
Told from several POVs this is one highly imaginative and deeply twisted tale. There’s Caltro’s experiences and the woman in the desert is Nilith who killed her husband Farazar, but the nuggets about them are dropped sparingly as they traverse the dangerous desert lands. The Empress-In-Waiting, Princess Sisine Talin Renala, has her own agenda as does the soulstealer , Boss Temsa. Each one goes about their business in this book, but as the pages fly by I could tell they were going to intersect at some point. Well-written and nail-biting this dark fantasy contains murder, slavery, power, and corruption in a uniquely built world. Luckily, there’s some humor thrown in to lighten it up just a tad. Two of our fellow journeymen’s stories end in a bit of a cliffhanger (and frankly a jaw dropper for one), but not such big ones that you want to toss a table. Or two. I can’t wait to see what happens in book 2, Grim Solace!
Chasing Graves
(The Chasing Graves Trilogy #1)
by Ben Galley
This is a book with a plot I just loved but felt the presentation of it was a bit brutus and rambling at certain times. I liked some characters but liked the idea of the characters in the book. I really wanted to like it more. It was an okay read.
A book about enslaving ghosts. So people would be murdered to be enslaved.