Design of Darkness

To get out from under the king’s reach, they must venture across the Great Ocean into a world they had only dreamt about through travelers’ stories.

The shadow of the great usurper, King Fogosombre, has kept the East in darkness for twelve long years. Made paranoid by a foretelling of his downfall, the king’s indiscriminate violence reaches a new zenith, leaving twins Arsenio and Mariana orphaned and homeless, their village burnt to the ground.

Now, as the dying embers of their rebellion fade into the night, the twins make a promise to find aide for their people in foreign lands. To get out from under the king’s reach, they must venture across the Great Ocean into a world they had only dreamt about through travelers’ stories. From their perilous quest arises a tale of emperors and queens, marauders and mysticism, fortitude and forbidden love.

Meanwhile, King Fogosombre conducts profane rituals driven by his lust for indomitability. Toiling with malign magic that may yield dire consequences for all the known world, he seeks a pact with the shadows, a plan to cement his reign indefinitely: a design of darkness.

I loved this book! The richly imagined world seems to extend far beyond the pages of the book (hopefully future books will reveal even more of the book!) The compelling story is told through multiple subplots/points of view, seamlessly woven together. The characters are relatable, likeable, and experience growth throughout the novel. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

Amazon review

This is R.D. Pires’ best work yet! As a fairly new fan of fantasy, I found Design of Darkness to be a perfect balance of intricate world building and effortless storytelling. I’ve found that I can sometimes get lost in the complexities of other fantasy worlds, but Pires made his world of peace vs. war, light vs. dark, and hope vs. destruction so easy to navigate and immerse myself in. The story is told through multiple perspectives, which I love. If I could give this book 10 stars, I would! I can’t wait for the next book of the series!

Amazon review