Forty years after abandoning her bloodthirsty generals to follow a path of quiet obscurity, the retired Black Magician Blackened Blade Magni is forced back into a life of violence. To save her village from a crusade of holy warriors and their god, she reassembles her former subordinates: a vampire lord, a mad alchemist, a god-blooded shapeshifter, an orc captain, a necromancer, and a demonologist. These aging war criminals must overcome mutual hatred and past betrayals to hold a single fortification against an overwhelming army of light.
Fans of grimdark fantasy and unconventional hero tropes find value in this subversion of the traditional quest narrative. The book serves readers who prefer morally gray protagonists and visceral combat over idealistic legends. It provides a technical look at how different magical disciplines—from flesh-crafting to soul-binding—function in a siege setting. Readers finish the story with a perspective on the logistical challenges of commanding a defense and the reality that systemic evil is often the only effective weapon against fanatical righteousness.
- Published
- 2021
- Language
- EN
