【 WE ARE THE DEAD 】

book #1 in the Last War series

Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Young Adult
Author: Mike Shackle
Published: August 2019
Publisher: Gollancz
Pages: 488 (paperback)

This was unexpectedly complex and amazing – questioning why more people aren’t talking about it!

I did the audiobook version of We Are the Dead so I’ll start by saying the narration is awesome and I really enjoyed it. Just one narrator, but she manages to bring all the characters to life (and there are so many) in a way that made me forget I was listening to just one person tell me this story.

This is a grim, dark fantasy set in a fantastical world where there is some magic, but sword fighting and badassery are the main heroes. We follow a huge cast of characters, so it is a baptism of fire trying to keep up with who’s who to begin with, but dang, it comes together nicely.

The whole story revolves around one race of people invading and taking over another. Most of the perspectives are from the invaded and their strugglesome attempts to push back against the new horror of their everyday lives.

There are many dark, dark moments – trigger warnings are needed for up-close and personal torture scenes, as well as so many people losing family members; grief is abound. If that’s not your cup of tea, maybe think twice about diving into this world.

Overall, I found this to have an excellent payoff and some really fantastic character arcs. I’m looking forward to continuing the series via audiobook to see where this goes next. I certainly feel like this is the beginning of a spectacular series/characters that I’m ready to be immersed in.

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Title: We Are the Dead
Series: The Last War #1
Author: Mike Shackle
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The war is over. The enemy won. Now it’s time to fight back.

For generations, the people of Jia – a land where magic has long since faded from the world, clinging on in only a few rare individuals – have been protected from the northern Egril hordes by their warrior caste, but their enemy has not been idle. They have rediscovered magic and use it to launch an overwhelming surprise attack. An invasion has begun.

And in moments, the war is over. Resistance is quashed. Kings and city leaders are barricaded in their homes awaiting banishment and execution, the warriors are massacred, and a helpless people submit to the brutality of Egril rule.

Jia’s heroes have failed it. They are all gone. And yet… there is still hope. Soon the fate of the kingdom will fall into the hands of a schoolboy terrorist, a crippled Shulka warrior and his wheelchair bound son, a single mother desperate enough to do anything she can to protect her baby… and Tinnstra, disgraced daughter of the Shulka’s greatest leader, who now lies dead by Egril hands.

A brand new epic fantasy: gritty and modern featuring a unique ensemble of characters who will lead a revolution against their overlords.