*I received a free copy of this book, with thanks to the author. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: Isolde is a warrior haunted by vengeance. When she senses a dark corruption seeping into the lifeblood of Valhaven, she sets out to hunt those responsible.
But she’s not the only one who sees the signs. Aidan, a druid scarred by past battles against the monstrous demon Lysander, recognises the threat for what it is. And Jen, a brilliant but reckless hacker, stumbles onto a digital trail leading straight into the heart of the city’s growing nightmare.
Their paths collide in a tangle of myth, magic, and conspiracy—because something far older and far more dangerous than they imagined is stirring. A goddess is bound in chains, and the darkness feeding on Valhaven is only the beginning.
To break the cycle and stop the city’s fall, they must unravel the mystery of the Three Faces of Fate. If they don’t, the forces of oblivion will swallow them whole.
Their fight for survival has only just begun.
Review: I loved Richard Parry’s Splintered Land series of fantasy books and so jumped at the opportunity to review this first book in his new urban fantasy series. And while completely different, this story is shaping up to be just as good!
Set in the city of Valhaven, which has managed to free itself of werewolves and vampires pre-storyline only to now find itself stalked by even darker monsters, from Celtic mythology – including redcaps, banshees and even a goddess or two – we follow a powerful quartet of heroes as they join battle in a shaky alliance in the name of redemption, vengeance, saving the environment and (apparently) sheer unfettered curiosity.
On the plus side, Isolde, Aidan, Jen and Cassius have an array of powers and skills, from martial arts and weapon training and cyber-insecurity prowess, to druidic nature powers and shadowy demonic strength. They’re pretty powered up from the get-go. But against them are a seemingly never-ending stream of redcap blade-fodder and an actual deity or two. Plus their own insecurities, unacknowledged trauma damage and uncertainty about what is behind the sudden monster flood.
Combining Celtic mythology with an urban techno-punk aesthetic, you can expect A LOT of fighting action here… redcap after redcap is dispatched in increasingly inventive ways, in a parade of violent efficiency that would put the average action movie in the red on their blood-effects budget. But, as usual, what really drew me in was the outcast found family dynamic of the team and their interesting individual backstories that still have plenty left to explore. And let’s just say the Morrigan isn’t the only character with more than one face/aspect!
If you love superhero kick-ass action on dark, monster-ridden city streets, then this is definitely the book for you. If, like me, you’re not here for the fisticuff side of things, this is still a promising series starter, with engaging characters and an intriguing mystery behind the monsters.
“Go home,” said the warrior. “Never come back here. It’s not safe for you.”
“Will it be yourself that’s coming to do us in if we don’t?” Aidan, near as Jen could tell, hadn’t pissed himself, nor had he run away. His voice was calm, as if he spent a lot of time facing ‘redcap bastards’ on a Monday evening, and had this all under control.
The mask turned towards him. Jen could see the wet red of it, and nothing of the eyes behind. “She said you were a professor. Professors are supposed to be smart.”
“Oh aye, but not every last one of them. Some of them have tenure, you see?”– Richard Parry, The Three Faces of Fate
About the Author
Richard Parry grew up on a steady diet of cartoons, observed around the edges of his parents’ watchful gaze. He started writing bad fiction at an early age, but has had 30 (…plus) years to think about the error of his ways.
He’s worked as an international consultant in one of the world’s top tech companies, which sounds cool, but it wasn’t all cocaine parties. Richard’s managed to wrangle “Best Novel” and “Best New Talent” shortlistings from the Sir Julius Vogel Awards. He specialises in stories where heroes save the world/universe (hey, why limit yourself?) through action scenes and clever dialogue. His latest series starts with Tyche’s Flight, an action-packed space opera where humans fight against evil mind-reading aliens.
Richard lives in Wellington with the love of his life, Rae. They have a dog, Rory, who chases birds. The birds, who have the power of flight, don’t seem to mind.
Website: https://parrydox.com/
Roll for Narrative: https://rollfornarrative.parrydox.com/
Substack: https://substack.com/@parrydox
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/parrydox.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@parrydigm
You can check out my reviews of other stories by the author here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. Or pop here to find Richard’s thoughts on writing continuity and here for an interview with the man himself!
