Review: Death’s Flow by Victor Klayin

Synopsis:

Sometimes, you’re your own worst enemy…
Zaleck, a young albino farmer’s son from a little backwater town, wakes up not to the comfort of his home, but to the confines of a prison cart. His limbs bound, his voice stolen by a gag, panic mounts as he contemplates his fate, unaware of why he even became a target.
Yet, amidst despair, fate — or perhaps something more arcane — intervenes as he’s freed with the help of two other captives: Arneth and Vellis. Arneth, a scholar belonging to an obscure order of master manipulators, who wields knowledge as well as a sword, and who seems to manipulate fate itself. Vellis, a master markswoman whose prowess with the bow is matched only by the shadows of her past. Her ties to the nobility are as complex as the web of secrecy around her. An ex-soldier, she carries the weight of her skills and the burden of her past, her eyes always on the lookout for the next threat, her hand always steady.
Pursued relentlessly by their captors, in service of a dark priest from the powerful “Death Kingdom”, the trio must fight not only to survive, but also learn to trust and work together, uncovering the true reason for their capture.
Soon, they find they might even be able to hide from the slavers, but they can’t ever outrun the consequences of their actions.

Favorite Lines:

“Lying is so classless. It’s much more fun having the truth work for you.”

“Blame and responsibility are different things, Vel. Maybe I’m not to blame, but I can stop this, so I choose to make it my responsibility.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story follows Zaleck who is stolen away from his family’s farm when he is captured by slavers. He teams up with Arneth and Vellis as they try to uncover the mystery of why they were targeted in the first place and attempt to escape the very slavers that captured them.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I decided to read this book but I can tell you that I was not disappointed in my decision. I found myself drawn in from page one with an excellent hook and was hardly able to put the book down until the last page because I needed answers!  Klayin did a great job at building an immersive world that made me feel like I was there right along with the characters; readers will even get a map at the start of the book to reference whenever they need. I also thought that the character development was very well executed. I really enjoyed reading about Zaleck, Arneth, and Vellis’ journeys not only in the outside world but also within themselves. I also just thought that the concept of flow was really interesting and how you can never do the same thing twice with it.

I don’t really have any complaints with this one. I thought the story was unique, the character writing was well done, and the pacing was just right. 

Summary:

This book has it all – adventure, suspense, mystery, magic, action, and fantasy. Klayin did a fantastic job of weaving these themes together into an addictive experience that will leave readers wanting more. I would recommend to anyone but especially those that have interests in one of the themes I mentioned previously. Happy reading!

Check out Death’s Flow here!