Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Vultures by Luke Tarzian Real Shit and Book Shit: An interview with Luke Tarzian. Did you hear Vultures is out in hardback? Yeah, well maybe you should buy it then! Links at the end of the interview. Real Shit and Book Shit with Luke Tarzian. In which I talk life and books with indie fantasy writer Luke Tarzian. CW: vulgarity, mental illness, and probably some inappropriate comments by Luke. This interview was conducted via Google Docs, and it was fun to see what Luke was typing, thinking he was finished, then I would start answering, then he would go off on another tear. If anyone reading wants to join me for the next one, I’m here for it! Dan: How’s your mental health these days? Luke: It’s absolutely all over the place; depends on the day, time of day, and whatever else is going on. I’ve been dealing with a lot of chaos externally on my end and having been more or less used as a rung on a ladder by someone I considered a close friend really hasn’t helped either. Dan: Fuck, that sucks ass. What keeps you from going off the deep end right this second? Luke: Whiskey and a hot bath. But also reflecting on how much I’ve worked to improve my character the last several months. Years, even. I wrote a train of thought essay a couple months back for the VULTURES book tour in which I basically acknowledged a lot of previous faults but also how I hadn’t realized just how badly my mom dying almost three years ago fucked me up. Dan: How much of that comes out in your writing? Is that where the darkness comes from? Or part of it, anyway? Or was it always there? Luke: I’ve always liked stories with a darker edge to them, but I’d be lying to myself if I said that my mother’s death didn’t have an impact on the way I write now. I went to therapy after she passed, was given meds for anxiety, depression, and OCD—and they’ve helped. But going through all of that sort of shifted my focus in terms of what I wanted to say with my writing. I wanted to tackle really touchy subjects like mental health because it’s something I’m familiar with and believe should not be stigmatized; it’s important to talk about it. I wanted to write about death and loss and grief because that’s what was familiar to me at that point. A lot of my focus to writing is based on the idea that the darker the story is, the stronger those small moments of hope and light are going to be. Dan: I totally agree. I’ve been lucky enough not to have been hit too hard with mental health troubles personally, but I lost my father to depression, and almost my sister, so I definitely want to talk about it, and I want your voice and all the other voices to be heard. Is writing dark fantasy cathartic in this respect? Like, do you feel better after locking down some super dark shit on the page, or does it not impact your mental well- being? Luke: Depression is definitely no joke. As far as the writing goes, I think it’s mostly cathartic for me, though sometimes I definitely need a break from writing about it. With my current WIPs, I had to step away and kind of slow down on the drafting because it was affecting me in a really not so fun way. Dan: Tell me how having twins fits into this equation. Like, when you’re sitting there watching your toddlers roll around on the floor is your mind being pulled toward this dark writing space or do you have like a riot shield keeping that shit separate? Or do they somehow pull you out of the dark place at times? Speaking as someone with 13 year old twins, I remember those days! Luke: They keep me floating. Without a doubt. I try to keep those spaces separate, but it can be a challenge at times. Dan: Generally speaking, when it comes to mental health, what pushes you toward the edge, and what pulls you back from the brink? Or is it totally unpredictable? Luke: That’s a tough one. I think a lot of what nudges me toward the edge is the feeling of invisibility or feeling like I’ve been taken for granted. My biggest fear is being alone, so obviously when people aren’t talking to me for whatever logical reason, my brain likes to play a really shitty game. Lately, meditation and ice cream and Netflix seem to have done the trick as far as keeping me centered. And listening to a lot of nonfiction audiobooks. I think this year alone I’ve listened to The Four Agreements six or seven times, plus a couple of other books by Don Miguel Ruiz and his son, and i just finished Neil Gaiman’s The View From the Cheap Seats and Russell Brand’s Revelation. There’s definitely something about listening to other people talk about their lives and struggles that makes it easier to examine yourself. Dan: That’s wild--I am just now getting into audiobooks a little but the thought of listening to the same one 7 times is mind-blowing. But I have been listening to literally the same album for the entire fucking pandemic, so maybe that’s a thing. Luke: It helped it’s only a few hours long. Dan: You mentioned meditation. Let’s talk about that a bit. I do yoga, but I really struggle with the meditation/mind-clearing aspect of it. When I’m there doing my stretches and poses, my brain does not want to stop, and it takes a good long while before I can get out of my thoughts. Should I be trying straight meditation, taking classes, that kind of thing? What does it bring you? Luke: Honestly, however people approach meditation or centering themselves or whatever is purely personal preference. I picked up meditation several years ago because it’s something my dad is super into. It’s something I look forward to, being able to turn off the lights, crawl under a weighted blanket, and turn on the YouTube channel I use. It definitely brings a feeling of relaxation, especially when you lean to focus on your breath. Obviously I’m still pretty new to it, but I’ve found it’s done wonders for me. Dan: I hear intrusive thoughts can be the worst part of mental illness, and I imagine meditation helps with that. I have your garden variety intrusions, but seldom to the extent I hear people talk about. Does meditation help curb those thoughts? Luke: I’ve found my intrusive thoughts don’t play by any rules—I don’t think anyone’s do. Mine tend to mostly be self-worth, feeling useless, and imposter syndrome as far as writing goes. I’m by no means suicidal, but having to listen to yourself tell you you’ve not done anything impressive is pretty shitty. Dan: I don’t imagine it will help, but when I first got on Twitter you were one of the writers I saw and thought, damn, I need to be more like that guy. There were a handful of indie authors who really impressed me--you, and Devin Madson, and Zack Argyle, and a few others. You just have this mojo that has always impressed me. Luke: Haha, immensely appreciated. Flattered even. I’ve always been a bit self-deprecating. Maybe it’s part of my charm, haha. I don’t know. It used to be a defense mechanism but it’s just sort of, uh. a part of my character, I guess. I write seriously dark shit, but I’m a huge whacko and I really make it a point to make new authors feel welcome in the community. Self-publishing is scary enough without the whole networking part. Dan: No doubt! Speaking of which, I have a really unfair question, but here it is: Sum up your feelings about self-publishing in less than a paragraph. (sorry!) Luke: Self-publishing is basically perfect if you want to have fun while also causing yourself pain. And I mean that in the best way. It’s a weird beast, publishing. Dan: I literally spit out my spicy cashews just now. Luke: Interactions with me should also come with a disclaimer. Nick over at Out of This World SFF can attest to that. Dan: Yeah Nick is super tolerant of your shenanigans. There are some well-known fantasy writers who started self-pub and went trad (KS Villoso and Devin Madson come to mind, and their books are freaking awesome). I don’t know how that process worked, and I’m sure it wasn’t this simple, but if Orbit or Tor called you and was like yo, we want to publish your next book, how would you react? Luke: Fuck, I don’t know, honestly. I think I’d have to consider it, sure, especially from a marketing perspective and the fact I really respect both houses, but on the flip side, I really like having creative control over my own product, and I like being able to tell my stories the way I feel works best. Dan: How much do you enjoy cover designing? It’s no secret you’re a beast at it. Do you sometimes enjoy it as much as or more than writing, or is it always second fiddle? Luke: I enjoy it immensely, sometimes more than writing. Art was my first passion; I’ve been at it since I was six years old. I didn’t start writing until my junior year of high school. But yeah. I really enjoy it, and I think what makes it so rewarding to me now is a) seeing MY WORK on MY BOOK and b) working with self-published authors who dig my style and trust me to represent their books. I like making people happy. Dan: Speaking of your books, care to mention what’s coming next for you, or is that top-secret shit? Luke: I’m working on two different books right now. The first is A SYMPHONY OF BROKEN DREAMS which is a direct sequel to THE WORLD MAKER PARABLE. The second is the sequel to VULTURES, entitled HOUSE OF MUIR. I honestly don’t know if either are coming out this year—it would be great if they did, but I’m also trying to keep myself from burning out, so I’m writing at my own pace. I will say they will definitely be out by sometime next year at the latest. Dan: I hear that shit loud and clear. Finding that pace for writing and publishing is a serious challenge. I’m in a little groove right now but I know anything could derail that, so I’m holding onto the oh-shit handles every day. On a related but slightly unrelated note, I have a question about Vultures. I gotta ask, and I’m going to admit being a little dense here, but I read a bunch of reviews and no one seemed to mention it--why is the title of your first book Vultures? Luke: I’ve mentioned it a few times, but it’s pretty obscure. The novel was originally called Shadow Twins, but when I was doing the whole revising and turning a stand-alone into a trilogy thing I somehow managed to do, I realized the original title didn’t necessarily work. The title VULTURES came from an Asking Alexandria song of the same name and was inspired by one line in particular: “These vultures burn the life right out of me.” It clicked pretty quickly that was what the title would be, especially looking at what Serece, Theailys, Cailean, and Behtréal deal with. Luke: Just as a fun fact, A SYMPHONY OF BROKEN DREAMS and THE LAUGHING HEART also came from songs of the same name. Dan: Fun facts indeed. It’s evocative af, and now I understand it a little better. Speaking of Vultures and presumably your other books, one of which is sitting on my rather disorderly bedside table, what is it about mindfuckery you find so appealing to write? I mean, I get it, I write a bit of it too, but you’re next-level with that shit. Luke: I think it’s interesting from a reader’s perspective but also a writer’s. I like the idea that dreams have deeper meanings sometimes and I think mindfuckery done right can be a great vehicle for propelling a story forward. I think the most unsettling, the most profound things in fiction are psychological, and it’s something I like exploring. In a way, I’m having several strange conversations with different aspects of myself. I’m also not a fan of traditional narratives. Give me the weird, the unpredictable, the bold. Dan: Excellent explanation, and it defines your fiction to a T. Can I ask you a couple of non-book-related questions? Luke: Please do! Dan: Do you cook? And what do you love to eat? Luke: I cook occasionally. I’m decent enough that I wouldn’t starve if I lived alone, but my wife is the real cook in the house. I’m from New York originally, so I’m a huge pizza snob (Fuck off, Chicago), but I also loooooove Chinese food. Dan: I think “Fuck off, Chicago” is going to be the tagline for this interview. Re: Chinese food: Szechuan or nah? We have this ridiculous Szechuan place in DC called Panda Gourmet, which is in a shitty little motel in a shitty corner of the city, but godDAMN they put the numbing goodness into my mouth. Luke: Absolutely. Honestly, I’ll eat anything spicy. I live in Southern California so of course there’s plenty of excellent food. Especially Mexican. I really want a burrito now. Dan: I’m so fucking hungry right now. My mom’s visiting and we ate at like 6 pm and now it’s 10 and I need a whole nother meal. :( Luke: I have the horrible habit of late-night snacking that I’ve been trying to kick for years, but I think at this point it’s a coping mechanism for boredom and stress, lol. Dan: Are you an outdoorsy person? Any pastimes that don’t involve page or screen? Besides meditation, hot baths, and whiskey, which you’ve already mentioned. Luke: Not as outdoorsy as my wife, but I do love going for long walks and listening to a book or music. I find it helps me zone out in a good way. I also played basketball religiously up until the end of high school; now I just scream at the TV. Dan: Since we talked about some seriously dark shit, can you tell me if there’s any one thing that always, without fail, brings you joy before we close out and I drag my raggedy ass to bed for the 6 am wake-up call? Luke: Dogs. I would like 37, please. Dan: Shit, I forgot to ask you one more question. What are you reading right now? I just started Legacy of the Brightwash, by Krystle Matar, which is darker than I usually go, but it’s really fucking good. Luke: I’m listening to the audiobook for Shadows Rising by Madeleine Roux and I’ve just finally started the ebook for Of Honey and Wildfires by Sarah Chorn, who is an absolutely BRILLIANT writer and an even better person. Dan: Ooh I wanna read OH&W next! How chonky is it? That’s my issue--these 500+ books fucking kill me, as I’m a slow reader. Luke: 300-something, I think. I feel you on the CHONK. I’m super selective about the longer books I read. Dan: Sweet. Any closing thoughts for the people out there? Luke: Thanks for reading, it’s immensely appreciated, and I take zero responsibility for any sexual urges my ass-pear gif evokes. Dan: I was going to say you’ve been far tamer than expected, but that may be the best reason to read the interview. I have one last closing thought: Cover Reveal: Vultures (Shadow Twins #1) by Luke Tarzian – HC ed. Welcome to the hardcover cover reveal for Luke Tarzian’s Vultures (Shadow Twins #1) – which release on March 19th, 2021. I’m so excited to help host this reveal because Luke has a PHENOMENAL artist and it truly shows here. What you can expect from the hardcover edition: -Exclusive cover / hardcover case -Updated map of Ariath -The Laughing Heart Interlude, originally published in the Dark Ends anthology - Exclusive preview of Shadow Twins: House of Muir. You can also check out the reveal on these other fine blogs who just so happen to be on this little blitz as well: Are you ready? Are you sure? Positive? Positively sure? Ok… Fine. You twisted my arm. Front Cover. Back Cover Blurb. AN ENEMY SLAIN IS NOT A CONFLICT WON… After decades of war the demon Te Mirkvahíl is dead. But its progeny endure, spilling from the Heart of Mirkúr, sowing death across the land of Ariath. If the people are to finally know peace, the Heart must be destroyed. Theailys An believes he can do just that with The Keepers’ Wrath, an infamous power focus wrought in Ariath’s yesteryears–but the weapon first must be reforged. WAR SPARES NO ONE… Serece never intended to get involved in Ariath’s war. But history and demons have a way of pulling strings. When she learns Theailys An, a man whom she abhors, bears striking similarity to the first creator of The Keepers’ Wrath, Serece departs her mountain world for Ariath to ascertain the truth. FROM PATIENCE, HOPE… For millennia Behtréal has walked the world alone. Rewriting history to resurrect his people is easier said than done. But Ariath holds the key– soon The Keepers’ Wrath will be remade. TRUTH FROM MADNESS… As paths converge and a shadow falls across Ariath, one thing becomes increasingly and horrifyingly clear–these events have played out many times before. Vultures by Luke Tarzian review. Welcome to the latest review on the blog, westu hal to you! I am delighted to be partnering with Justine and Timy from Storytellers on Tour for an incredible book! Welcome to my review of Vultures by Luke Tarzian, a grand example of how to knock the ball out of the cricket pitch, into another place and then take you through one of the most intriguing fantasy worlds on the written page. Before I go anywhere, I want to give a big shout to Justine and Timy for organising this tour and please check out all the other amazing bloggers and bookstagrammers taking part in this one via this link. Now on with the show. An enemy slain is not a conflict won… After decades of war the demon Te Mirkvahíl is dead. But its progeny endure, spilling from the Heart of Mirkúr, sowing death across the land of Ariath. If the people are to finally know peace, the Heart must be destroyed. Theailys An believes he can do just that with The Keepers’ Wrath, an infamous power focus wrought in Ariath’s yesteryears–but the weapon first must be reforged. War spares no one… Serece never intended to get involved in Ariath’s war. But history and demons have a way of pulling strings. When she learns Theailys An, a man whom she abhors, bears striking similarity to the first creator of The Keepers’ Wrath, Serece departs her mountain world for Ariath to ascertain the truth. From patience, hope… For millennia Behtréal has walked the world alone. Rewriting history to resurrect his people is easier said than done. But Ariath holds the key– soon The Keepers’ Wrath will be remade. This is such a unique novel, running in at 300 pages Luke has created a story where you enter a surreal and dreamlike world, brimming with compelling and complex characters. This is very much a multilayered book, there are multiple plots occurring across different times. What I admire the most is Luke keeps the plot flowing smoothly and I never felt confused or lost, particularly at this is a world where balance and chaos are most important. The characters we follow also embody this theme, for example Serece has a violent rage within her, believed to be evoked by a Goddess. Thaeilys An has something akin to an Angel and a Devil on his shoulders, both rivalling to take over his head but the dark manifesting in such a way that he blacks out and has no memory of the carnage. Perhaps one of the best aspects of the novel is how Luke explores the Human psyche. The POV characters feel genuine remorse for the people they have wronged and killed, they just cannot forgive themselves. This leads them both down a path of redemption that leads to the brink of insanity, it is this that makes Luke one of the best and most interesting writers at work today. You are never quite sure what has happened, where these acts committed by these characters, a dark force, a mental illness or is history simply repeating itself. The narrative twists and turns skillfully leading the reader to the answers that you will desperately seek. Now the worldbuilding is wonderful, I will say this is one of most skillfully created secondary worlds that you can read about. Ariath is a diverse, beautiful but bleak place, and the place where we spend much of the time Helvenden as much so. Aside from the human characters, this world is populated by strange and wondrous creatures, Loykyns, shapeshifters, Phalantaxians who have some form of plague and my personal favourite Illurmigists who can delve in to dreams. The other very cool part of the world is the magic system, a light magic system of light and dark, Illum and Murkir which certain characters can wield. What I would love you to do when you read this is to have faith in Luke’s narrative style, there is a lot to comprehend in this book and it may be frustrating to some when reading it. However the skillful way Luke leads the reader will show you the way, a story is awaiting that jumps from the past, present and future. You will have many questions, some will be answered and I realised that you as the reader are not meant to know, even after the understanding comes to you, you may feel as uncertain as the characters do, it will hopefully leave you wanting to read more. I mentioned in my initial reaction that this was a refreshing and surreal novel, it’s prose is beautiful and atmospheric. It leads you so easily down the path Luke is showing, enter this world where dreams and their interpretations lead characters down paths they could never imagine. I will admit that the final was a jaw droppingly incredible moment or several as I read, it was fantastic and easily makes this one of the best books that I have read this recently. Finally, this is a wonderful book and for a debut novel it is incredible with some of the most amazing prose, world building at its most intricate and dare I say beautiful. A story which crosses time and planes of existence and characters that are not so sure of their grip on reality, it’s safe to say that I loved this! Particularly as yet again the most enigmatic of characters appears, Equilibrium….read the books and find out. I am so glad that I have read another or Luke’s books “The World Maker Parable” and “The Laughing Heart” in a short story collection, all I was say is that it helped me in my understanding of this world and story. Take my word for it that this a book, a world and an author that you will want to get into as it is a real experience! That’s all from me, I hope that my review has inspired to pick up a copy of the book, westu hal and stay safe. Further information about Luke. Luke Tarzian was born in Bucharest, Romania until his parents made the extremely poor choice of adopting him less than six months into his life. As such, he’s resided primarily in the United States and currently lives in California with his wife and their infant daughters. Fascinated by psychology and the work of Edgar Allan Poe, and inspired by his own anxieties, his character-driven fiction functions as a meditation on emotion, most commonly grief. His debut novel, Vultures , introduced a surreal, demon-ridden world where dreams are sometimes more than dreams and magic, memories, and misery are heavily entwined. Vultures is the first book in the Shadow Twins trilogy. Book Tour | Vultures by Luke Tarzian. It's my turn on the Blog Tour for Vultures by Luke Tarzian. The tour has been organised by the fabulous Storytellers on Tour. So far there have been some fantastic bloggers involved in this tour and I hope you can check out their reviews too. Today, Dark Side Reads are also reviewing VULTURES as well, so if you want to have a look at theirs follow the link. Before I get on with the Review, I would like to mention that there is also a giveaway run by Storytellers on Tour for this book. However, please be aware that this is a US only giveaway. There's a giveaway too! To enter just click the Link. Two lucky winners will be chosen at random. The giveaway closes on Sunday February 14th at 11.59pm. So if you are not familiar with the book, here is a bit about it. Book Blurb. An enemy slain is not a conflict won… After decades of war the demon Te Mirkvahíl is dead. But its progeny endure, spilling from the Heart of Mirkúr, sowing death across the land of Ariath. If the people are to finally know peace, the Heart must be destroyed. Theailys An believes he can do just that with The Keepers’ Wrath, an infamous power focus wrought in Ariath’s yesteryears–but the weapon first must be reforged. War spares no one… Serece never intended to get involved in Ariath’s war. But history and demons have a way of pulling strings. When she learns Theailys An, a man whom she abhors, bears striking similarity to the first creator of The Keepers’ Wrath, Serece departs her mountain world for Ariath to ascertain the truth. From patience, hope… For millennia Behtréal has walked the world alone. Rewriting history to resurrect his people is easier said than done. But Ariath holds the key– soon The Keepers’ Wrath will be remade. Truth from madness… As paths converge and a shadow falls across Ariath, one thing becomes increasingly and horrifyingly clear–these events have played out many times before. Luke Tarzian's wonderfully complex book is an ambitious and mesmerising read. I have read a lot of reviews about Vultures and wondered what I was getting myself into. I had read that it was difficult. That it required thought and concentration. Was I ready for this? Well the answer to this was yes! I think I was! Now I had this book before I was accepted on the blog tour and was always immensley interested about Luke Tarzian's debut. The blog tour just solidified my resolve to actually get on with it. So with a deep breath, I plunged into the book. I have to say that I didn't know what I was expecting at first, but suffice it to say the book confounded all my expectations and pulled me along breathlessly towards the end. One of the things that I like about Luke Tarzian's writing is that it places an incredible amount of faith in the reader, in that you are going to go with the flow of the story. That you are willing to enter into this world and trust that, whilst at times you may not understand it all, you are willing to suspend your preconceptions and follow the tale regardless of where it goes. Whilst the structure of the book does not follow conventional rules, the actual plot does have sembelences of epic fantasy. We have the dark force - Te Mirkvahil. We have the chosen hero - Theilys An and we have the hunt for the weapon that will destroy the said dark force. However, it is what Luke Tarzian does with these conventions that makes the book something else. The book reminds me of a dry stone wall, in that there are solid foundations, but how the hell is the rest of it going to stand up? Somehow, as if by magic, it does. And the reason for this is because Luke Tarzian uses words like stones to create something magical. The story takes place in a world where everything has been devastated by Te Mirkvahil, who has unleased a hoard of demons to ravage the land and the people. There are many different characters, but the narrative centres on three main points of view, Theilys An, a demon posessed warrior who dissacociates when the demon inside him takes over to destroy the Lokyns (the nasty evil types), and when he wakes he usually wakes to find scenes of devastation . Serece, a plague infected phantaxian, who may or may not be posessed by a goddess, and Behtreal, a mysterious figure trying to resurrect a lost people, who again may be possessed by a demon. However, there other characters and points of view that add to the story and bring different perspectives. With any fantasy book, you have to mention the magic systems and the world building, and again Luke Tarzian's magic systems are orignal and complex. There's Mirkur, which is a power that was used by Behtreal and Thealys An, which seems to be a power borne of darkness, and then there's Illum which grants the user the power to interpret dreams and premonitions. And then there's Yssa which is the dreaded power of the phantaxians which when used can have a disasterous effect. On top of that, the world building is beguiling, it flits between the real and unreal, the corporeal and the incorporeal seamlessly. Sometimes, I wasn't entirely sure of where I was, but once I learnt that this was the structure of the book, I just went with it. Added to this are the characters. At times I found them likeable and understandable, other times they frustrated me. At other times, I didn't know what I thought. But one thing is for sure is that Luke Tarzian certainly writes characters with depth. Ultimately, I found Vultures to be a compelling read that I will need to revist at some point and get the full effect of Luke Tarzian's dreamlike writing, and knowing that there is more to this story fills me with longing for the next one. Luke Tarzian was born in Bucharest, Romania until his parents made the extremely poor choice of adopting him less than six months into his life. As such, he’s resided primarily in the United States and currently lives in California with his wife and their infant daughters. Fascinated by psychology and the work of Edgar Allan Poe, and inspired by his own anxieties, his character-driven fiction functions as a meditation on emotion, most commonly grief. His debut novel, Vultures , introduced a surreal, demon-ridden world where dreams are sometimes more than dreams and magic, memories, and misery are heavily entwined. Vultures is the first book in the Shadow Twins trilogy. So, as always, thank you for visiting the site and if you want to look at the others and what is coming next on the tour, here's the schedule. Review: Vultures (Shadow Twins #1) by Luke Tarzian. After decades of war the demon Te Mirkvahíl is dead. But its progeny endure, spilling from the Heart of Mirkúr, sowing death across the land of Ariath. If the people are to finally know peace, the Heart must be destroyed. Theailys An believes he can do just that with The Keepers’ Wrath, an infamous power focus wrought in Ariath’s yesteryears–but the weapon first must be reforged. War spares no one… Serece never intended to get involved in Ariath’s war. But history and demons have a way of pulling strings. When she learns Theailys An, a man whom she abhors, bears striking similarity to the first creator of The Keepers’ Wrath, Serece departs her mountain world for Ariath to ascertain the truth. From patience, hope… For millennia Behtréal has walked the world alone. Rewriting history to resurrect his people is easier said than done. But Ariath holds the key– soon The Keepers’ Wrath will be remade. Truth from madness… As paths converge and a shadow falls across Ariath, one thing becomes increasingly and horrifyingly clear–these events have played out many times before. Review. I’ll admit that I am a little unsure how to approach this review. Vultures was one of the most unique approaches to storytelling that I have ever experienced. It was complex, dark, emotional, and raw. The characters are all nuanced and they practically bleed pathos. In many ways this was not an easy read. I was challenged as a reader in ways I haven’t been since Erickson’s Gardens of the Moon . In no way do I want to discourage you, dear reader, from picking up Vultures for yourself; I loved the story I found within, but I was forced to work for it. We are on your doorstep, monster, and we will see your end. The light is darkest just before the dawn, and when we finally meet, it will be my blade that sets the fire in your eyes and wipes you from this world. From the beginning, readers are dropped into a world which is seemingly ruled by dualities. Good and evil, light and shadow, law and chaos, truth and madness; all of these things play a part in the narrative and the balance rests on the end of a knife. It is a world plagued by loss (and a literal plague) and the three characters that we follow are each at the edge of defeat when we meet them. A war has been waged between the demon Te Mirkvahíl and the denizens of the world for decades and it has taken its toll on the land. Mirkúr, a sort of dark energy, has been spreading across the land and with it are the lokyn, monsters born of pure evil. It sounds cheesy, but Tarzian’s execution is everything but. This world is dark like no other I have read before. Bleak is an apt descriptor, I think. Mix in the influences of gods, a magical plague, wielders of both light (illum) and shadow (mirkúr) magic, shapeshifters with a few different planes of existence and you have one hell of a creation. Despite the massive undertaking this book is, Tarzian handles the minutiae with care and small worldbuidling tidbits are speckled in over the course of the novel. Our main cast, Theailys, Serece, and Behtréal, are all utterly broken people dealing with past traumas and, in the case of at least one of them, a possible haunting. Theailys appears to have a literal devil on his shoulder, a manifestation of Te Mirkvahíl, the supposed cause of all the world’s evil. Whether or not that is what it really is or if it is just a figment of his broken psyche, or something else altogether, is never made entirely clear. It’s these little mysteries sprinkled in that made me want to keep reading even when it was hardest to do so. The feeling of hopelessness and madness is pervasive. And, because of the winding narrative and the unreliable narrator, I was often left wondering whether what I had just read was real or not (within the context of the story, obviously. I didn’t actually go insane while reading it.) Time has little meaning to forever people. The most impressive thing about Vultures is how fantastically well-plotted it is. I have mentioned this being a difficult read and I stick by that, but not in the way that I mean I did not enjoy it. I did! What I mean is that it took work. The plot is complex and often winding. We are dealt multiple plot lines and narratives from the start and, because of some of the characters’ mental health, we’re not even sure we can trust their point of view. On top of that are the dream sequences! This is where it dips into the realm of the surreal where I was unsure several times whether something was actually happening or if it was just a dream. Because of the often nonlinear way in which the narrative was delivered, we jump back and forth through time, too. This lead to a few confusing moments where I was a little lost in the narrative. Still, Tarzian always managed to carefully bring me back in, more often than not with a huge bomb being dropped in my lap. Not many books force me to go back and reread passages, but it was all the more rewarding when something finally clicked for me. Overall, Vultures is fantastic and I highly recommend it. It is not an easy read and you should expect to be challenged along the way, but I promise that if you put in the effort you will be rewarded. It is expertly plotted, with twists and turns at every other corner. Vultures is a book that I expect will stick with me for some time. With an ending like that, I cannot wait for the sequel to arrive. The bold may wisely cage a wolf that wields the power to raise an army, Betréal thought, but it is the arrogant, the ignorant who reach between the bars to slay the wolf’s cubs.