Book Review: A Heart Full of Malice by Tony Debajo
Genre(s): Fantasy / Epic Fantasy / African-Inspired Fantasy / Historical Fantasy
Book Synopsis:
There are no true victors in war. Even those that prevail cannot escape the burden of guilt for those who have fallen, and all those who witness the ugliness in the hearts of men are forever tainted.
Ile-Ife has fallen and with it, the greatest ruler to have ever sat on the throne. Now, the ripples of dissidence and retribution spread through the realm like a pestilence, leaving nothing but ruin in their wake, but the bloodline of kingship must endure.
As the sons of King Jide strive to forge new alliances in distant corners of the realm, deceit and betrayal are ever their close companions and the unseen hands of the capricious gods are now intent on shaping the fate of mortal men.
Emerging powers in far-away lands circle like carrion birds, drawn by the scent of a bleeding kingdom, while the newly anointed King Olise, still aided by the witch Ekaete, whose powers and influence continue to grow, fights to maintain his grip on a tattered empire.
Review:
With the kingdom struggling to recover from the recent war, the setting in A Heart Full of Malice is bleak. It paints a grim and realistic picture of a land devastated and ravaged by years of fighting, and the usurper Olise only makes matters worse for the people he rules. He’s a callous and savage monarch, prone to violence, and has no regard for the welfare of anyone besides himself. Even minor dissention is dealt with swiftly—and permanently. He’s a nasty character, but he doesn’t work alone.
He follows the advice of Ekaete, his mother. The people consider her a witch, and she certainly has some unusual powers. She can paralyze a warrior with a look, travel swiftly across the lands when others cannot, or force even the most valiant to divulge their secrets to her. She’s also a schemer, and I’m not entirely convinced she’s on her son’s side. She seems to be working toward her own shadowy agenda, but her endgame hasn’t yet been revealed. She supports Olise for now.
Despite Olise’s victory in the war, he’s still dealing with dissent a year later. The former king’s sons are still acting on their father’s final orders in the far corners of the realm, and they have their share of supporters.
Compared to the first book in the series (In the Shadow of Ruin, review here), there are far fewer battle/combat scenes. Instead, the politics of the various regions are brought to the forefront, though negotiations don’t always end peacefully. I personally prefer the battle scenes—the author has a knack for making them feel realistic, down to every gory detail, while crafting each battle to still be unique in its own way.
The gods of this world begin to make appearances as well, and they’re clearly taking sides. Some arrive in dramatic fashion, while others take a more subtle approach, but their presence will change the outcome of the conflicts looming on the horizon.
And yes, there is more to come in this series. Ekaete’s schemes aren’t finished, the former king’s sons continue to fight for their birthright, and Olise will never willingly relinquish his throne. It will be interesting to see where the story goes next.
Author website: de-bajo.com/books/
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