Araxes is a city full of ghosts. Not the figurative kind mind you, and also not the playful and prankster kind that you see on certain paranormal television shows. These ghosts have been ripped from their formerly living bodies, often through brutally violent murder, and then are subsequently bonded as slaves to serve whichever masters are the highest bidders. It's not called the City of Countless Souls for nothing.
This is also not a city that you want to be walking around in alone, but that's just the situation that petty thief and locksmith Caltro Basalt finds himself in after being summoned to do a job by an anonymous employer residing in a large tower known as Cloudpiercer in the heart of the city. Caltro simply can't resist the possibility of a huge payday and so he disembarks a ship into the dangerous streets. His mission is to seek out the enigmatic occupant of Cloudpiercer and find out what he may be offering.
It's not surprising though that immediately following his entry into Araxes, Caltro is jumped by a gang of soulstealers and killed in a vicious and horrific way. He soon finds himself just another soul in the countless masses of shades and ghosts who roam the city to perform laborious tasks for their wealthy masters. Caltro can't believe his misfortune and how suddenly his life was extinguished. He is determined to figure out a way to free himself from the bond he is now forcibly committed to.
In this city of the undead we also find Nilith, an embittered woman who murders her husband in a fit of rage after she discovered his frequent infidelity. The opening pages describe her dragging his soul across the desert in the hopes of binding his body and collecting on the huge inheritance that she will receive as a result of his death. It's the ultimate case of payback for an unfaithful and lecherous husband.
Araxes however, is a city that may be about to experience a change in the usual running of things. There are rumors of an ancient cult that is bribing local soulstealers and amassing a ghost army for purposes that are as of yet unknown. Then there's the ambitious princess who has her sites set on the Emperor's throne, thrusting the future of the city into further uncertainty. The ultimate outcome of all of this instability and treachery will be set against the backdrop of a city where the dead don't stay dead for very long and supreme power lies with the richest and most willing to commit murder for their own benefit.
I was absolutely haunted (no pun intended) by CHASING GRAVES from first page to back cover. This book is a wonderfully unique blend of dark fantasy, horror, paranormal fiction, and ancient mythology that is driven by an incredibly suspenseful and gradual convergence of storylines. I'm ashamed to admit that this is the first Ben Galley book that I've had the opportunity to read, but after this experience I will definitely be picking up more books of his.
The premise of CHASING GRAVES is such a unique one, involving bonded ghosts forced into servitude against their will. When I first read the synopsis I originally thought that it sounded like a cool idea, but after reading the book I have to say that Ben delivers on that cool idea even more than I ever even imagined possible. The story is told through a few POVs, but it never gets confusing and every time the book changes perspectives it just builds on the story and pushes it to what you know is going to be an amazing conclusion.
I thought the character of Caltro was very well done and he perfectly embodies the helplessness and anger that many of the bonded souls feel as they had their lives snuffed out simply so that a rich aristocrat could have free labor that they don't need to pay or feed. He's an often snarky character who is constantly searching for a way out of his predicament. And the supporting characters, while not as deep or complex as Caltro, are still compelling enough to make you care about their individual stories as well.
I loved CHASING GRAVES and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a different kind of fantasy with great world-building and awesomely creepy ghosts. This really is one of the most original fantasy books I've read in quite some time. Pick it up and read it. The pages and all of your free time will fly by but you will relish every minute of it. The good news is that there are also two more books after this one that round out the Chasing Graves Trilogy.
You can purchase a copy of CHASING GRAVES on Amazon by clicking (here)
About the author:
Ben Galley is an author of dark and epic fantasy books who currently hails from Vistoria, Canada. Since publishing his debut The Written in 2010, Ben has released a range of award-winning fantasy novels, including the weird western Bloodrush and the epic standalone The Heart of Stone. He is also the author of the brand new Chasing Graves trilogy.
This story, pardon the pun, killed it.
ReplyDeleteHaha, Yes it did Beth!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Great review, as always ;)
ReplyDelete-Scarlett
Thank you Scarlett! That's very nice of you to say.
ReplyDelete