The Path of Anger
David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy Fiction, 2014
There will be blood. There will be death. This is the path of anger.
Dun-Cadal has been drinking his life away for years. Betrayed by his friends – who turned their back on their ideals in favour of a new republic – and grief-stricken at the loss of his apprentice, who saved his life on the battlefield and whom he trained as a knight in exchange, he’s done with politics, with adventure, and with people.
But people aren’t finished with him – not yet. Viola is a young historian looking for the last Emperor’s sword, and her search not only brings her to Dun-Cadal, it’s also going to embroil them both in a series of assassinations. Because Dun-Cadal’s turncoat friends are being murdered, one by one … By someone who kills in the unmistakable style of an Imperial assassin …
Dun-Cadal has been drinking his life away for years. Betrayed by his friends – who turned their back on their ideals in favour of a new republic – and grief-stricken at the loss of his apprentice, who saved his life on the battlefield and whom he trained as a knight in exchange, he’s done with politics, with adventure, and with people.
But people aren’t finished with him – not yet. Viola is a young historian looking for the last Emperor’s sword, and her search not only brings her to Dun-Cadal, it’s also going to embroil them both in a series of assassinations. Because Dun-Cadal’s turncoat friends are being murdered, one by one … By someone who kills in the unmistakable style of an Imperial assassin …
Newsletter Signup
By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Reviews
Rouaud has a talent for character depiction.
A club sandwich of present-day action and flashback explainers that blend into each other to keep the pacing brisk.
The Path of Anger has outstanding writing style - I would say arguably better than anything in contemporary secondary world fantasy genre - superbly drawn characters and narrative momentum.
Rouaud's slow reveal of the backstory promises intriguing future volumes of fantasy noir with a distinctly continental sensibility.
The Path of Anger is a much richer, darker and subtler story than a mere quest novel.