Fleeing the ruins of his broken life, Caleb Rusk arrives in the sleepy village of Timberford. But when a series of brutal and vicious attacks stir the community into a terrified frenzy, Caleb and his friends must join with his bond-brother, Carvesh Tarne, a Cinderborn healer and a reclusive trapper to defend the village from the swarm of shadowbeasts that threatens to destroy them.
In the city of Taralius, a high ranking abbot is butchered in the heart of his cathedral. With evidence pointing to the involvement of the notorious assassins known as the White Glove, Second Corporal Avendor Tarcoth finds himself faced with the spectres of a past he thought he’d left behind. Meanwhile, the blind old sage, Tiberius Alaran, tracks down a lead that could help explain why Hearthborn are suddenly burning out in the city—all while trying to protect secrets of his own
But unbeknownst to either Avendor or Tiberius, a new player is sent to join the game—and her’s is a kiss of death.
Quick, sharp, and bigger than its page count. Dust of the Darkness keeps the pace fast, the magic intriguing, and the characters growing.
This second installment keeps the same strengths that made me enjoy First of Shadows: quick to read, tightly written, and yet it feels bigger than its page count. Matthews manages to pack in action, mystery, and worldbuilding without ever slowing the pace.
The story follows Caleb and his companions to Timberford, where his sister’s quiet village turns out to have its own share of dangers. Brutal attacks by strange creatures make it clear that Caleb hasn’t escaped anything at all, only stumbled into another deadly situation. Meanwhile Tiberius, the blind sage, continues his hunt for secrets behind the rising darkness. His perspective is still the most unique part of the series for me, pulling me into scenes with sound, touch, and atmosphere in a way most fantasy never does.
I really liked seeing Caleb step into himself a bit more this time. He is still marked by his limp, but he refuses to let it define him. There is one scene where he explains his disability to his nephew, and it stood out as a moment of quiet strength in the middle of all the chaos. Tiberius, on the other hand, grows more desperate as he digs deeper into old magic and hidden dangers, and I enjoyed how different his thread felt from Caleb’s.
There are new faces too, with Shade being the most interesting. Mysterious, slippery, and with unclear motives, she adds another layer to the cast. It is the kind of character who keeps you second-guessing, and I liked the tension that brought to the story.
The downside is still the brevity. With so many POVs and such an epic scope, there just is not quite enough room for each character to develop fully. Some viewpoints only get a few chapters, which left me wanting more depth. But the trade-off is relentless pacing and compact storytelling. These books read fast, and that is a big part of the appeal.
All told, this was another strong entry in the series. Exciting, sharp, and with just enough new magic and mystery to keep me hooked. It is not flawless, but it delivers exactly what I wanted: fast-paced adventure that feels much larger than its word count.
Fast to read, full of action, with Caleb and Tiberius continuing to shine. Not perfect, but a solid, highly entertaining slice of epic fantasy in a small package.
