Synopsis:
From one of fantasy’s biggest recent breakthrough authors comes an exciting, brand new series.

The demons…

In the endless forests of the Wild, humanity scratches a living by the side of the great Godroads, paths of crystal that provide safe passage and hold back the infernal tide. Creatures lurk within the trees, watching, and plucking those who stray too far from safety.
From one of fantasy’s biggest recent breakthrough authors comes an exciting, brand new series.

The Deathless…

In crystal castles held aloft on magical currents, seven timeless royal families reign, protecting humanity from the spread of the Wild and its demons. Born and reborn into flawless bodies, the Deathless are as immortal as the precious stones from which they take their names. For generations a fragile balance has held.

And the damned…

House Sapphire, one of the ancient Deathless families, is riven by suspicion and madness. Whole villages are disappearing as the hunting expeditions holding the Wild at bay begin to fail.

Then, when assassins strike, House Sapphire shatters.

Nothing lasts forever.

The Deathless is the first novel in an astonishing new series from Gemmell award-winning author Peter Newman.

This title is the first installment in a new series that follows the conflict between the Deathless and the Wild. The Deathless are a bunch of families/clans that hold power over the rest of humanity, protecting them from the Wild and the sinister monsters and powers hidden in the forest.

I have to say, the naming convention of the Deathless families did put me in mind of Steven Universe, just a little bit…

The world building is vast, which in itself is no bad thing but I did find my attention wandering during the slow progress of all the characters. Some of my favourite bits included the weird and wonderful creatures that the characters encountered in the Wild, as well as the badass crystal armour the Deathless wear.

The writing alternates between the perspectives of different characters, all of whom are being set up as the major players in the conspiracies and battles to come, while at the same time I found that I didn’t particularly care for any of them. The Deathless, by nature, are apparently pretty arrogant and dislikable but even those with regular life cycles were hard to identify with.

This book is best suited to fantasy readers with a love of family conspiracies and epic world building.