Splinters of Heaven by Theo Tsirigotis
Blurb:
Souls fuel the Empire, magic arms the legions, and the end is always coming. The cycle has repeated for millennia: heroes rise, cataclysms are delayed, civilization survives another generation. But every salvation comes at a cost…and the bill is overdue.
Syl is a battle-worn Vigil Hunter whose faith in the Empire and in his own revenge begins to fracture after an unexpected act of mercy. His job might be to ask questions, but there are some answers that he should know better than to pursue.
Vali is a young soldier from the provinces hungry to prove himself in a system that barely sees him as one of their own. Becoming a hero of the Empire will cost him more than the stories promised, but what hero would be dissuaded by that?
Darya is a survivor from the frozen wastes, caught between desperate tribes pushing south and an Empire that suffers no encroachment. Sent on a mission to find new allies, she discovers something far older stirring within her and realizes survival may demand she become something else entirely.
When a new Riftgate tears open in the north, they must each decide what they’re willing to become to change their world—breaking it free of its endless cycles, or damning it forever.
A necro-industrial dark fantasy for fans of The First Law, The Black Company, and The Witcher.
Review:
In a world where souls feed the empire, magic arms armies, and the end of the world draws nigh, three extraordinarily unique, conflict-riddled characters come together to face the threats of their falling world. Soldiers and survivors, they must decide whether they will pursue their lifelong goals to their own doom and potential demise, or achieve a higher, more worthy cause for their skills and tormented pasts.
Set after revenge, proving themselves, and acquiring prestige, Syl, Vali, and Darya’s plans are upset when something called a Riftgate tears apart their world and threatens to destroy everything they know. They must decide whether they will change to save the world…or let it fall.
Splinters of Heaven was a novel I requested as an ARC from the SFF Insiders submissions catalogue because, to be frank, it simply sounded amazing. It held all the trappings of what I love in a good epic fantasy: unique magic systems, dark atmospheres, high stakes, action sequences, and much more. It’s always a high ask for an author to write a satisfying, pungent novel in the epic fantasy genre, but Theo Tsirigotis pulls it off perfectly.
I love the world in which this book takes place. Equal parts dark and epic, it combined extensive worldbuilding with dangerous threats in a way I look forward to in my favorite dark epic fantasy novels. I particularly enjoyed the soul worldbuilding and the complex elements of the magic system, which made the action sequences even more visceral and the storyline even more gripping.
I sometimes fear the oversaturation of classic-driven plots in fantasy novels, but Splinters of Heaven proves that with enough ingenuity and plenty of originality, anything old and overdone in fiction can be done in a new, refreshing way. That was particularly obvious in the characters introduced throughout the novel. Particularly in the case of Syl.
Rather than starting out with a revenge plot that consumes the entire narrative, Syl begins questioning his revenge and what it might cost him after an act of unexpected mercy. This is also evident in Vali and Darya, whose character archetypes are turned on their heads to create immersive, intriguing characterization. As a connoisseur of well-written, exponentially interesting, and likable (even if they’re evil!) characters, the characterization in Tsirigotis’s novel is a real treat.
This novel was compared to The First Law and The Witcher in its blurb online, and I couldn’t agree to those comparison titles more! I’d also say that Splinters of Heaven also compares well to Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard due to its expansive, sprawling world and intricate worldbuilding, and The Bone Shard Daughter for the high stakes and textile action sequences.
