The Never King

James Abbott is a great fantasy writer, a huge talentPaul Cornell

Engaging heroic fantasy in the vein of Gemmell and GwynneAdrian Tchaikovsky

Flashes of Joe Abercrombie-style grit . . it also boasts a modern sensibility: an ugly despot on the throne, religious strife, refugees, the role of propaganda . . . with likable characters and well-paced battles, it's an accomplished taleSFX

Abbott does his world-building on the move, dropping us straight into prison with Xavir and broadening the scope once he and his gang break free . . . he creates a world that's clearly rich enough for further storiesSciFiNow