Brother Red

Selby (The Winter Road) delivers an action-filled grimdark fantasy following a newly promoted marshal on a mission to root out corruption at all levels of government. Driwna Bridche is a skilled fighter and negotiator who, like many soldiers of the Post, relies on a variety of drugs to enhance her strength and awareness in battle. After she discovers a dead body in a caravan, she’s catapulted into a larger mystery that sees her confronting nefarious officials who seek to undermine the king. Supporting her are allies Cal Rulger, her friend and lover, and Ufra, a warrior of the Ososi people, who are known for grafting plants into their bodies. While the battle scenes are engaging, Selby’s overreliance on invented fantasy vocabulary is often more cumbersome than evocative. The intricate political schemes will engage Selby’s fans, but, combined with the dizzying number of new characters, they become difficult to follow. Lovers of grimdark worlds will enjoy Selby’s unique setting and brutal action sequences; recurring scenes of slavery, torture, and rampant death mark this as not for the faint of heart. Agent: Jamie Cowen, the Ampersand Agency. (Jan.)