Piper is a lich-doctor, a physician who works among the dead, determining causes of death for the city guard's investigations. It's a peaceful, if solitary profession…until the day when he's called to the river to examine the latest in a series of mysterious bodies, mangled by some unknown force.
Galen is a paladin of a dead god, lost to holiness and no longer entirely sane. He has long since given up on any hope of love. But when the two men and a brave gnole constable are drawn into the web of the mysterious killer, it's Galen's job to protect Piper from the traps that await them. He's just not sure if he can protect Piper from the most dangerous threat of all…
"Maybe a hero is just what we call someone who doesn’t have the sense to stop before they destroy themselves."
T. Kingfisher's Paladin's Hope is a fantastic adventure set in the author's World of the White Rat, a series of interconnected series, and while it's the third in the Saint of Steel series and references many other works, it's a perfect standalone or entry point. Starting off as a cozy mystery with mild horror vibes, it quickly turns into a survival game in a death trap, and even deals with the aftermath while delving into issues of racism.
Running parallel to the mystery is the romance subplot between an honorable warrior with a dangerous problem and a bone-doctor who thinks he can't have nice things. The tension can be cut with a knife, and the resolution of their relationship isn't so clear-cut, adding some very good conflict to the mix.
The worldbuilding is incredible, touching on many mysteries and vestiges of times long past while giving away few answers and pulling in the reader for more. We have various god-touched Paladins and an overarching mystery that doesn't get resolved, and a whole race of badgerlike sentient beings with a complex cast system and language; the gnole Earstripe is an excellent coprotagonist, with some real depth and great one-liners.
Paladin's Hope is a delightful read.
✨ 4 stars
No comments:
Post a Comment