Just so you’re left in no doubt as to which way this review is going to go, I’ll kick things off with this opening declaration: stand aside JRR Tolkien, GRR Martin and Joe Abercrombie, for Chris Wooding. Was just reminiscing over The Braided Path Trilogy because I always used to listen to Coheed when I picked up those books. Grub worships the Skull God who seems to be a Crystal Dragon Odin; especially given he's seen as a judge of the dead and crows are sacred to him. The imagery of the world was incredibly real and I cannot wait for the next part of what is surely destined to be a breathtaking and record-breaking trilogy!

It’s all a bit like a snowball beginning to roll down a hill before you are seized by the collar and hauled along for such a fast and exhilarating ride that a huge novel suddenly seems far too short. This is really when the book begins to shine: the friendships feel natural and lifelike, but Wooding really excels at depicting broken relationships within the group. Man, just wanted to say how proud I am of and for you, that you’re gettin such sterling reviews – I just perused a few over on Goodreads. One of the more satisfying decisions I encountered was how Wooding sometimes chose to tell a chapter's story through the eyes of a secondary character, instead of the person who's is the central figure at the moment.

Even when the manuscript is done there will be a long wait for editing, so late 2021 is probably as early as we could make it. He also learned not so long ago that his family tree can be traced back to John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, which has no bearing on him whatsoever but it’s kind of interesting anyway. Eldritch Abomination: The Beast of Skavengard, and unholy mass of tentacles, eyes and mouths that is trapped on the island-palace of Skavengard.

He faithfully adopts their faith, manners, dress, culture and cuisine, while also enjoying a dalliance with a local Krodan girl, albeit against her family’s wishes.Rescued by a man who hates him yet is oath-bound to protect him, pursued by inhuman forces, Aren slowly accepts that everything he knew about his world was a lie.