Grave Empire

It's been far too long since I've read an epic fantasy with a world as wholly unique and refreshing as this one.

I was suckered in by the mere mention of epic fantasy with gun-slinging and mermaids all-in-one. What I did not expect to find was a highly complex steampunk eldritch borderline-horror fantasy complete with armoured sharks, zombie armies, and automaton demons.

It felt like every chapter introduced us to some new aspect of this world but it never felt overwhelming. Magic, histories, and characters all were woven in like they had been there all along and the world felt all the more believable for it. The sheer amount of detail made it a bit dense to begin with while I tried to wrap my head around everything but once I got my teeth sunk into it I was fully invested in this world and these characters.

I am impatiently awaiting the sequel.