The Winter Road

Grim mercenaries and badass alchemists brought to life by a bold, assured storyteller
A lot to enjoy, especially if you are a fan of dark, gritty, old-soldier stories
Snakewood's narrative voices are the real strength here . . . contemporary and as grimdark as it comes
Uniquely dark and gritty fantasy. An intriguing debut
Set in a brutal world of subtle magic, clashing empires, and commercial interests, this is an impressive fantasy debut. Selby demonstrates the command of style, character, plotting, and world building of a seasoned author
Immensely readable . . . a fantasy novel that remembers that battles leave all kinds of scars
Covering ground well-trodden by Joe Abercrombie, with a similar use of earthy language and extreme violence, the story offers an original and effective twist with the use of potions, plants, and poisons on the battlefield . . . relish the well-choreographed action scenes in this debut fantasy
A very dark fantasy story with a distinct western flair . . . absolutely fascinating and incredibly original
This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster. It's adult and grim, but instead of the nihilism and bleakness of much Grimdark these days it has a streak of love and hope running through the heart of it. Most of that is to be found in the central character, Teyr Amondsen. She's flawed, vulnerable and also as hard as nails. I loved her, I loved this book. Highly recommended.