Review by Booklist Review
Dead Country launches the new Craft Wars trilogy and continues Gladstone's (Last Exit, 2022) story of Tara Abernathy, a Craftswoman who fights shadow and curse with magic forged from logic, will, and soul energy. She's encountered all kinds of epic adventures, but somehow none have been so hard as the simple act of going home to mourn her father's death, of returning to the village she once ran from and facing her mother again. And on arrival, she finds that the Raiders of the Badlands have turned deadly. With childhood friend Connor and unexpected new apprentice Dawn, Tara has to use everything she has to save the town she loves, even if it doesn't love her back. Gladstone's world is intricate and fascinating, and newcomers to it will get enough exposition to be able to enjoy this new trilogy. While the pacing of the narrative is slow, Gladstone's rich, poetic writing, compelling place making, and convincing characters make this a great read, somehow both intensely expansive and satisfyingly contained within a character-based growth narrative.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
New horrors join familiar problems in the taut, densely packed fantasy that launches Gladstone's Craft Wars trilogy, part of his Craft Sequence universe. When storied Craftswoman (or magic user) Tara Abernathy returns to her hometown, a small farming community near the edge of the Badlands, for her father's funeral, several surprises await her: incursions by Raiders--undead beings carrying a curse created during the God Wars--have become increasingly frequent and brutal, and the curse itself appears to be evolving. Despite her contentious relationships with many locals, Tara still feels driven to protect the community against encroaching calamity. While the intricate, logic-based magic system still plays a significant role, this tale moves away from the corporate realm of the prior series to delve into an exciting new facet of the Craft Sequence world. Though the density of information sometimes overwhelms, the story is simultaneously intimately personal, as Tara works to make peace with her past, and vast enough to change everything. New readers and returning fans alike will be eager for more. (Mar.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Tara Abernathy has counseled gods and faced down monsters. She walked away from her tiny, dusty hometown of Edgemont to learn her Craft, but now she must go back and face her past--and the death of her father. On the way, Tara saves a teenager from Raiders, curse-ridden bandits who hide in the Badlands. When the teen, Dawn, reveals her own powerful, untrained Craft, Tara sees her vulnerable self from years ago. Closer to home, Tara attempts to help Edgemont strengthen its wards and fend off Raiders, led by the Seer, the malignant dark force that killed her father. When the pastor who anchors Edgemont's shields is taken, Tara and Dawn travel to save him, yet the cost may be too high. Swift action sequences and chilling monsters create a tight novel that will engage readers, who will love learning more about incredible Craftswoman Tara. VERDICT Gladstone (Ruin of Angels) launches a new series that will end his Craft saga (begun with the "Craft Sequence" series). This will not only be relished by fans of the previous books but might also make a terrific starting point for new readers.--Kristi Chadwick
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