Book Review - A FOOL'S HOPE by Mike Shackle

(Title: A Fool's Hope / Author: Mike Shackle / Publisher: Gollancz / Publication Date: December 3, 2020 / Page Count: 594)

Mike Shackle's first book in his The Last War series, We Are the Dead, was my favorite read of 2019 and turned me into an instant fan.  It somehow managed to convey the violence and heartbreak of war while also showing how a determined few can tenaciously grasp onto hope even in the darkest of times.  I found myself going through so many emotions while reading it and although exhausted and somewhat broken, I knew that I had read a special book that would fast track the sequel to the top of my must read list.

Now that I have finished the second book A FOOL'S HOPE, I'm not sure that I can fully articulate how different, yet equally remarkable it truly is in comparison to WAtD.  By different, I mean that some of the viewpoints have changed in book two.  For instance, we get to see things from the enemy Egril side much more here.  It's not a flattering portrayal to say the least, but it provided a better framing of the motivations driving those attempting to conquer Jia.  I enjoyed getting that perspective even if I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room in anger a few times.

One of the Egril perspectives in particular that made quite an impact on me was of the young military recruit Mateon.  Raised from birth to be the perfect soldier and killing machine, he believes that war is a glorious thing that brings honor to himself in service to the all-powerful Egril god Kage.  It isn't until he is enlisted in the Imperial Majesty's Army that he sees the reality of what this war with Jia has brought about.  We sense his struggle to reconcile what he has always been taught with what he is seeing with his own eyes and it is some of the most powerful stuff I have ever read.

This book deals a lot more with how war effects the everyday citizen and not just the military combatants involved.  The actual horror of war and those who are caught in the middle is a big theme running throughout and Shackle definitely doesn't pull any punches when it comes to the ghastly details.  In the hands of a lesser writer this story would come off as just another grimdark bloodfest with no depth beyond that.  But Shackle gives us much more than just gore and intense battles, he also brings those dedicated to the resistance to life in such a way that we feel their pain, sympathize with their plight, and cheer them on as they fight against astronomical odds.

I was more than delighted to discover that the incredible magic that makes this a standout fantasy story is even more present in A FOOL'S HOPE.  Everything from dark sorcery, magic grenades, travelling portals... it is all here and it is glorious to behold.  I love a story with cool magic so to see it taken to an even higher degree in book two was a treat for sure.  If you enjoy books that explore new and inventive magic systems, then this is definitely the series you should be reading.

I had extremely high expectations for A FOOL'S HOPE based on my outright adoration of book one.  I realize that this can be somewhat unfair and it often subconsciously sets the next book up for failure.  Well, this book obliterated that within the first 50 pages and then continued to leave me in awe at how much the stakes were raised and how the characters stepped up to face the challenge.  They don't always win but they never fail to inspire.  I feel I am physically embedded with so many of these characters.  That truly is the mark of a talented author who can breathe life into the individuals that he is writing about.

Ultimately, A FOOL'S HOPE is an unforgettable book that builds successfully upon the first in so many ways.  If you are looking for a gritty dark fantasy read that doesn't cede any ground in the areas of raw emotion and heart, then you should really check out The Last War series by Mike Shackle.   Beautiful world-building, inventive magic, deep characters, and bone shattering battles are just some of the elements that make up this remarkable reading odyssey.  It has firmly entrenched itself as my favorite fantasy series right now and I am not ready to let it go anytime soon.  So please keep them coming Mike and I will gladly devour each breathtaking chapter.

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