I have to admit that I have been wracking my brain all weekend trying to figure out how to write a review of this book. Not because it's not a good book, mind you. It is! Rather more so because it feels like a dark fantasy version of a David Lynch movie, incorporating alternate timelines and realities that deliver a plot consisting of a healthy dose of philosophical theory. So can you see where I might have a hard time describing that in a review? Be that as it may, I will attempt to do just that.
VULTURES is told through three separate points of view. The first is Theailys An, a man whose major goal in life is to once and for all eradicate the demon hordes who continually pour out from a place called the Heart of Mirkur. These creatures should have been all but destroyed following the great battle that supposedly killed the evil demon lord Te Mirkvahil and his minions. Yet they persist infecting the land around and leaving corpses in their wake. Theailys believes his only shot is to reforge a weapon of legend that will end the menace and save the people of Ariath.
The second POV character is Serece, an unwilling participant in Ariath's troubles but at the same time thrown into these events due to a premonition that she feels regarding Theailys and his true identity. She finds herself both repulsed and drawn to this man in some inexplicable way and simply can't find a way to let things go without first finding out the deeper ramifications and meaning behind what Theailys is ultimately up to.
The last POV is the enigmatic Behtreal, committed to walk this world in solitude forever with the hope of bringing his people back to their former glory. His means of doing so may bring him, like the other main characters in this story, to the brink of madness. And as we realize that their storylines will at some point inevitably converge, we are also left knowing that something otherworldy and catastrophic may be at hand that could change the history of this world forever.
As I turned the final page of VULTURES by Luke Tarzian, I felt utterly exhausted for a couple of different reasons. The first was an unbelievably powerful and amazing ending, but also the entire reading journey that it took to get me to that point. This isn't a book that you can just skim through and get the gist of. It takes your full time and attention with every page and chapter to appreciate that final payoff. Tarzian asks you to put in a little work for your enjoyment. Frankly these are the types of books that are the most rewarding to me as a reader.
Expounding on that, this isn't so much a fantasy book as it is a multi-level reading experience. The alternating timelines are a fantastic vehicle which convey the crucial events that are what make up this incredible dark fantasy tale. Luke's writing is beautifully evocative and part of what also makes this such a strong story as a whole is his ability to paint wondrous pictures with words. Often times these pictures are stark and ominous but they are described so vividly and in such great detail that you savor every bit of it and then want more.
Lastly I have to commend Luke Tarzian on his magical world-building. I'm at a loss to try and figure out how he came up with this astonishing setting in his head. It reminded me a little of Peter Newman's Vagrant series but with a great deal more texture and complexity. I was stunned by the beauty of VULTURES and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a dark fantasy book that challenges you at every turn but also really entertains you at the same time. It's also a book that you want to reread immediately after finishing it to see if you missed anything the first time around.
I am eagerly anticipating the next book in Luke Tarzian's Shadow Twins series. If it is anything close to VULTURES, I know that I'm going to be in for one heck of a ride. Pick it up if you have the chance, I guarantee that you won't regret it. An engaging and thought-provoking read to say the least.
(My Rating: 9/10)
Great review x
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