Don’t kill the messengers.
As a bodyguard for the King’s Envoys, Gen is content with her life of traveling, drinking wine, and hitting things with her sword. It’s the perfect job. Until the King sends her and her friend Cordyn into war-torn enemy territory on a mission to deliver vital military intelligence to an allied nation.
The problem? The mission is a sham.
Gen is tasked with determining if Cordyn is a spy who is selling information to the enemy. Cordyn is the worst kind of libertine: brash, arrogant, and on the run from half the husbands in the kingdom, but Gen can’t imagine him betraying her or their nation.
With obtuse bandits, vengeful mages, and a resolute lutist, they embark on a daring rescue mission, complicated by Cordyn’s increasingly complex schemes. As ominous enemy plots surface, Gen and Cordyn must decide what matters most. Their nation or their friends.
The Envoys of War (The Envoys of Chaos #1) by Dave Lawson is a fun, fast-paced fantasy adventure with a chaotic cast of characters, plenty of action, and a plot that twists and turns in unpredictable ways. It pulls you in quickly and keeps the momentum going, even if some parts feel a bit familiar.
The main characters are a mess, but in an entertaining way.
Gen is a skilled bodyguard, asexual and with no interest in romance, who drinks, fights, and keeps everyone on their toes. I loved seeing aromantic representation done well!
Cordyn is a charming rogue whose cunning and flirtation often get him into more trouble than he planned.
Tobias is a morally grey mage with secrets and a thirst for vengeance.
None of them signed up fot the adventure they are in for, yet they are thrown together for a dangerous mission. Watching them clash, bicker, and occasionally cooperate is one of the book’s best parts. That said, the characters did feel a little tropey at times, and some personalities veered toward caricature, even while remaining entertaining.
The magic in this story is chaotic and unpredictable. It doesn’t feel carefully measured or structured, and sometimes it behaves almost at random. That said, it fits perfectly with the wild, messy world and fast-moving plot. It’s fun to see what the characters pull off, and it adds to the sense of danger and unpredictability throughout the book.
One thing that didn’t fully work for me was how consequences were handled. Injuries or punishments are presented as serious, but characters often recover almost instantly or shrug off events that should leave a mark. It created a disconnect between what was described as dangerous or debilitating and what the characters were actually able to do anyway. It never completely breaks the story, but it did make the stakes feel less convincing.
Overall, The Envoys of War is an entertaining, energetic read. It’s packed with humor, messy characters, clever schemes, and just enough danger to keep you turning pages. It’s a lighter read in style rather than tone, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, chaotic fantasy adventure. It’s not flawless, but it’s an enjoyable read.
Jennie Ivins