The Dark of Letum by Julianne Kelsch

Book one of the Countess of Letum series.

 

Synopsis:

Her world has fallen to the Master of darkness, the souls of men consumed by death. Now, death wants her.

It began with rumors whispered in secret and carried on the wind. The whispers spread, gaining power, until they became desolate houses with dark, wide-eyed windows and doors hanging agape, bewildered at their sudden emptiness.

The rumors grew. The villages bled. The darkness spread.
Then, it was too late.

The night she realized her life was over was the night her mother died at the hands of a monster. One look at him and Kyra knew: this was the demon that fueled nightmares.

Years later she’s trained, she’s skilled, and she’s ready to fight.
She finds other refugees like herself. She forms partnerships and joins alliances. Some will betray her. Others, defend her. All of them have their own goal – to bring about the world they desire.

But the darkness has its own agenda, and humanity has already fallen.

Death secures the bait and sets the trap. When Kyra finds herself ensnared by its grasping claws, can she stand against the darkness that destroyed humanity or will she succumb to the destruction of her soul?

Rating:

Thoughts:

I thought there was a really good story to tell here, but the way the story was laid out for me made it very difficult to follow. The mulitude of short chapters that went back and forth in time were very jarring. I had a hard time settling into this story because the narrative felt like it was constantly getting interrupted.  This book wasn't very long but it felt like I took me forever to get through it because of these interruptions. 

I also felt like the characters were very superficial. I was never able to feel any connection with them, or their relationships to each other. This book felt like a list of events, instead of immersive story-telling. This is the first book in a series, so I'm hoping this book's purpose was to lay out a plot for further books ahead.  

If you're looking for a dark fantasy read, that keeps you on the edge you might enjoy this book!

The Dark of Letum is available on Amazon.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book free for review.  This however does not affect my opinions, as I do not leave a review for each book I receive. There are links to Amazon, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!