Expected publication: July 13th 2017 by Michael Joseph

MY REVIEW: 4*

Darien is a city in the new fantasy series by Conn Iggulden.  He is more known for his historical fiction books.  This is his first journey into fantasy and is aimed at Teen and YA readers, but also works very well for adult audiences as well.

Darien is ruled over by Twelve families, with overall control lying with the King.  He is only a weak figurehead, with all the decisions being made behind the scenes by the Families.  The main characters are Elias Post from the village of Wyburn, he is the main food hunter of the village.  When the plague arrives he decides that he needs medicine for his family, along with Vic Deeds they make their way to the city.  Vic Deeds has his own reasons for accompanying Elias.  Daw and Nancy are associates of sorts, their own paths meet and events occur that require a special kind of partnership.  Tellius and his group of ragged boys, who work their own trade for the benefit of Tellius and their group, he is a very likeable Fagin type character.  Then there is Arthur, a boy who does not speak.  They all have their own reason for being in the city.  There are a couple of the characters who have an ability, or a knack.  This becomes more apparent as the story unfolds.

The author has created some great characters, as well as the ones previously mentioned, there are also ones who I feel will make themselves known more in future books.  The emphasis for this book seems to be more on the characters than on the setting.  With this being the first in a series, the foundations have been set,  I would like to think more detail about the history of this world will be explored in future books.  The writing is a bit disjointed at times with character changes mid chapter, but not so much as to lose track of the story.  Once the stories of the individuals start to merge, towards the latter half of the book, it really does becomes a brilliant, imaginative and action packed read.

I will be keeping my eye out for further books in this series and will definitely be reading more.

I would recommend this book to more mature YA readers as well as Adult fantasy readers.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Penguin UK – Michael Joseph and also C.F.Iggulden for my ARC of this book, for my honest and unbiased opinion

THE BLURB:

From acclaimed historical novelist Conn Iggulden, DARIEN is an epic new fantasy series of spellbinding imagination.

TWELVE FAMILIES. ONE THRONE. WELCOME TO THE EMPIRE OF SALT.

Twelve Families. One Throne. Welcome to the Empire of Salt.

The city of Darien stands at the weary end of a golden age. Twelve families keep order with soldiers and artefacts, spies and memories, clinging to a peace that shifts and crumbles. The people of the city endure what they cannot change.

Here, amongst old feuds, a plot is hatched to kill a king. It will summon strangers to the city – Elias Post, a hunter, Tellius, an old swordsman banished from his home, Arthur, a boy who cannot speak, Daw Threefold, a chancer and gambler, Vic Deeds, who feels no guilt – and Nancy, a girl whose talent might be the undoing of them all.

Their arrival inside the walls as the sun sets will set off a series of explosive events. Before the sun returns, five destinies will have been made – and lost – in Darien.

BOOK DETAILS: