Eyes Last Seen Dying by Colin Adams

A vibrant and fully imagined new fantasy world springs to life in Eyes Last Seen Dying by Colin Adams, a visionary and violent fantasy adventure.

Subtly weaving YA themes into this detailed and masterfully designed world, Adams heads this fantasy action adventure with a powerfully relatable young protagonist. Lena is fast and fiercely independent, but far from invincible, even if the worst enemies emerge from her own mind. Forced to grow up at an impossible pace after accidentally nudging the world towards chaos and ruin, she must sharpen her skills to protect against mounting enemies on all sides.

Steeped in its own mythology and martial arts traditions, the action sequences of the novel are visceral and cinematic, though there are plenty of narrative aspects that make the world of Ithander ideal for the big screen. As is often true of sword and sorcery stories, there are some common tropes – unsuspecting protagonist forced into being a hero following a great tragedy – but the setting, characters, and plotline are entirely unique. The prose is also lyrical and smart, boasting clever turns of phrase and unexpected syntax, allowing even the most procedural narration to surprise and engage readers.

There are occasional grammatical errors and typos, but these can be excused in the face of immersive dialogue, consistent colloquial speech, and skillful storytelling. With a sprawling map and the potential for endless stories ahead, Adams and the mystical realm of Ithander deliver in a major way.

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