There are few things more dangerous or more destructive than a bad man who thinks that he is doing a good thing…
The Isles of Jara are burning. An unseasonable drought is slowly killing the land; choking it in a patient and merciless fist of rising fire and dust.
On the prosperous Northern Isle, King Taavi Fulbright, senile and raving, edges closer to death while his Viceroy, the flint-hearted Cullen Fitzgerald, continues with his plans for subjugating the South and crushing the contemptible, stinking peasants that farm it under his heel.
Deep in the brutal highlands of the Southern Isle, an outfit of desperadoes, bandits and cattle-thieves, led by the infamous Gray siblings, make a living from waylaying the Crown’s cattle drovers and stealing their stock. Vali Gray, head of this crew, is looking forward to completing one last score before he leaves the road-life for good and settles down to fatherhood. Vali cares little for the fate of the many, being concerned only with the lives of those closest to him; his sister and brother, Ylva and Gunnar, his lifelong love, Erika, and their unborn child.
That is until the captivatingly psychotic Raibert MacBain comes strolling back into their lives after a decade-long absence. MacBain is a monster and, like all good monsters, is a monster of Vali’s own creation. Once a polite and conscientious young nobleman, MacBain is the bastard son of Viceroy Fitzgerald and has been twisted by a love unrequited, the scorn of those he wished only to help, and the revulsion of a father who only ever saw him as a disappointment.
MacBain is hunting for one who is rumoured to be endowed with powers long believed to be lost to legend. They are the powers of the Empathy, an elemental magic that could bring the Isles of Jara back from the brink of the fire––or cast it into the flames.
Now, Vali and his band find themselves inexorably drawn into a choking world of revisited childhood sins that have sown the seeds from which fiends grow, soul-ripping jealousies, false prophesies, and blood-soaked feuds that promise little in the way of relief for any of them.
Vali Gray must face a trifecta of hard questions and an even tougher choice; is the saving of his world, the keeping of a final promise, and the defeating of a monster he helped mould worth becoming a monster himself for?
The answering of these questions will take the Grays and their crew of outlaw riders on a bloody journey, a journey that will reveal how the human heart is a torment and a masterpiece.
The “Darkness” in the title is no exaggeration, this book earns it. Brutal, graphic, and unapologetically intense in many scenes, The Darkness Calling firmly places itself within the dark fantasy genre. While I wouldn’t label it outright grimdark, there are certainly moments that push the boundaries. Be advised: there’s a fair amount of violence, a generous helping of swearing, and a tone that doesn’t shy away from the harsher sides of its world.
One of the strongest aspects of the novel for me was the focus on sibling relationships. The three siblings at the center of the story were a refreshing break from romance-driven narratives. Their relentless banter, fierce loyalty, and genuine camaraderie brought heart and humor to an otherwise bleak setting. Their dynamic felt authentic and engaging, and frankly, helped carry parts of the book where some of the other side characters fell a little flat.
Although romance is present, including a few steamy moments, it’s handled with restraint and nuance. As someone who typically finds romantic subplots a distraction in fantasy, I was pleasantly surprised to find these elements not only tolerable but pretty well-executed. They added emotional depth without overshadowing the core of the story.
The two main characters, sworn enemies by all appearances, are fascinating in their own right. In truth, they’re more alike than they care to admit, as we might say in Germany, “sie sind aus dem gleichen Holz geschnitzt” (“they’re carved from the same wood”). Neither are heroes in the traditional sense; both are deeply flawed, morally grey, and often frustrating in their decisions. While I usually enjoy characters who blur the lines between right and wrong, there were moments where I genuinely wished they’d just resolve their endless standoff, violently or otherwise. Their inner turmoil is often stated more than shown; we’re told how conflicted or tormented they are, but their stoic exteriors rarely let us feel it. In contrast, the sibling trio offered a much more emotionally resonant and dynamic portrayal.
The structure of the narrative could be challenging at times. The frequent time shifts between “now,” “earlier,” and “even earlier”—were a bit uneven. Some transitions were seamless, others jarring, which occasionally disrupted the pacing. That said, the action and character interactions were engaging enough to keep me invested despite the occasional hiccup in chronology.
As for the ending, I have mixed feelings. The evolving mystery surrounding the world’s magic system was compelling, and the direction the story takes is certainly bold. However, some final moments felt a bit overblown, stretching believability even within a fantastical context.
All in all, The Darkness Calling is a dark and gripping fantasy read that held my attention from start to finish. While not without its flaws, it offers a refreshing focus on sibling dynamics, morally complex characters, and a story world that dares to be ruthless. Fans of character-driven, shadow-laced fantasy will likely find much to enjoy here.
