The brutal murder of Laval? fey Avecath, the King’s First Magistrate and advisor, interrupts Constable Inspector Reva Lunaria’s day off. The victim’s status makes this a high-profile investigation, bringing with it unwanted attention from Senior Inquisitor Ailan Malvace? of the Sucra, the King’s secret police. The manner of the victim’s death makes this case even more intriguing. A body cut … perfectly in half – from top to bottom – is a rare occurrence, even in a city filled with all manner of magic weapons. All of this would be challenging enough, but Inspector Lunaria must also deal with a new partner, Seeker Ansee Carya, who is clearly not up to her standards.
As Reva faces a growing body count, Senior Inquisitor Malvace? undertakes his own mission to find the same killer, but with a very different agenda. Reva’s investigation takes unexpected turns as wild conspiracies, hidden addictions, and Dark Elf soldiers all threaten to distract Reva from tracking down the killer. Reva’s only hope of stopping the serial killer from cutting more prominent citizens of Tenyl in half is to figure out how to work with Seeker Carya and overcome her own weaknesses.
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My first experience with author team Geoff Habiger and Coy Kissee came through Unremarkable, a period vampire thriller with lots of interesting twists. It did not take long to uncover their affinity for genre blends, which they brew quite well together. Thus, I felt appropriately prepared when it came time to read Wrath of the Fury Blade, their second outing.
This is the tale of Reva, a talented inspector who is yanked from her day off to investigate a high-profile murder. Ansee, her new partner, is a problematic bedfellow, the annoyingly stubborn “I’ll do it my way” type. The murder itself is as fascinating as it is unsettling. From there, they descend into a dark and expansive conspiracy.
In many ways, this book is a police procedural. In that aspect, it does not break any new ground, but that’s not the point. The story is largely about the world itself, a fantasy realm with elves, wizards, and a healthy dose of fascism. This is where the story shines, as an unexpected commentary through the eyes of fantasy creatures who are discovering their own influence.
Wrath of the Fury Blade reminded me a lot of Asimov’s Robot series, specifically the dynamic between Elijah Baley (the sleuth) and R. Daneel Olivaw (the complicated partner). They grow as individuals throughout the investigation while Asimov deftly unveils some glaring flaws in the system at large. This, in essence, is what Wrath brings to the table. Regardless of where your tastes fall on the genre spectrum, you will easily find someone or something to care about.
Following the story of Constable Inspector Reva Lunaria and her new partner, Seeker Ansee Carya, of the Royal Tenyl Constabulary, Wrath of the Fury Blade is a delightful mix of the traditional high fantasy and police procedural genres. It is a murder mystery set in the lovingly detailed elven city of Tenyl. Habiger and Kissee have crafted a city that feels authentic and vibrant, with a rich sense of history and all of the trappings of city life, down to the best spot in town for a cup of cacao.
Wrath of the Fury Blade is action packed, with enough swordplay to capture the attention of any lover of adventure fantasy, but also delves into more personal stories of being different in a place where harsh purity laws are forcing a greater degree of conformity on the population and of struggling with addictive personality issues.
One of the elements that I liked best about this novel was that each of the main characters is flawed in a way that makes them relatable to the reader. Reva is a bit suspicious and easy to anger and Ansee often lives up to his nickname, Antsy. The story of how they learn to trust each other and meld into a partnership is blended well into the more rollicking action sequences. I can’t wait to see how that relationship develops in future Constable Inspector Lunaria Adventures.
I whole-heartedly recommend Wrath of the Fury Blade to lovers of high fantasy and anyone who is willing to take a chance on an unusual blend of genres. Both the fantasy and police procedural halves of this blend are well-executed and fun to read. This is an excellent series beginning and I am excited to see future installments set in this world.