Witchsign by Den Patrick
Jun. 22nd, 2025 10:57 pmThe Blurb On The Back:
Do you bear the sign of the witch? Because if you do, gods help you.
It has been seventy-five years since the dragon’s rule of fire and magic was ended. Out of the ashes, the Solmindre Empire was born.
Since then the tyrannical Synod has worked hard to banish all manifestations of the arcane from existence. However, children are still born bearing the taint of the arcane, known to all as witching. Vigilants are sent out across the continent of Vinterkveld to find and capture all those bearing the mark.
No-one knows when the Vigilants of the Synod will appear and enforce the Empire’s laws…
But today they’re coming …
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Den Patrick’s fantasy novel (the first in a trilogy) has interesting world-building that incorporates Norse and Russian history and tries to subvert the tropes of normal ‘young people discover magical powers’ fiction. Unfortunately the pacing is slack, the storytelling doesn’t stand on its logic and the characterisation - particularly of the antagonists - is rarely above the superficial, meaning I won’t be reading on.
Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.
It has been seventy-five years since the dragon’s rule of fire and magic was ended. Out of the ashes, the Solmindre Empire was born.
Since then the tyrannical Synod has worked hard to banish all manifestations of the arcane from existence. However, children are still born bearing the taint of the arcane, known to all as witching. Vigilants are sent out across the continent of Vinterkveld to find and capture all those bearing the mark.
No-one knows when the Vigilants of the Synod will appear and enforce the Empire’s laws…
But today they’re coming …
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Den Patrick’s fantasy novel (the first in a trilogy) has interesting world-building that incorporates Norse and Russian history and tries to subvert the tropes of normal ‘young people discover magical powers’ fiction. Unfortunately the pacing is slack, the storytelling doesn’t stand on its logic and the characterisation - particularly of the antagonists - is rarely above the superficial, meaning I won’t be reading on.
Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.