Úff. Versta fantasy stöff sem ég hef lesið.

The beginning was really promising to me, I was getting attached to Josten and Silver's stories in particular. Livia's story also seemed to have the potential to draw me in, and I was intrigued to know how the three would eventually intertwine. Unfortunately, I ended up not really liking the direction and tone the book took and ended up losing any attachment I originally had. I don't think I'm going to carry on with the rest of the series.

Book 2 down! This was an Audible find from their catalog. I must say I was genuinely confused for most of this book.

Ahoy there mateys! This book leads me to a rather embarrassing situation. Ye see I thought I had reviewed this book. When I realized I didn’t and went to write thoughts for this unintended stowaway, I realized that I didn’t remember the story at all. And yet the emotions still tied to this book were that I couldn’t put it down when readin’ and I loved it. I know that I planned giving this a 4.5 rating. Sigh. This is why I write this Log. To refresh me memories and to capture the thoughts after finishing it. I am telling ye that this is no reflection on the author or this work. It is a poor reflection of what me memory can be like. I am soooo so sorry for this sad, sad review that does not do this book justice at all. I find meself disgraceful. I should make meself walk the plank. I did have a ton of fun rereadin’ the crews exceptionally well-written reviews on this one and bringing back all of the forgotten details. So to author, R.S. Ford – yer book deserved so much better than me shoddy review. I be a sorry wretch who ain’t fit to read yer sequel. But I really want to.

Side note: check out those excellent reviews from crew members, Drew @ thetattooedbookgeek and Liz @ covertocover.

Introduction:
A Demon in Silver by Richard S. Ford is the first entry in the War of the Archons series, a grimdark fantasy published on June 12, 2018, that throws you into a world stripped of magic for 100 years—until one girl, Livia Harrow, awakens powers long forgotten. It's fast, raw, and bloody—a real feast for fans of action-heavy, brutal fantasy. Think: Game of Thrones meets The Witcher but with more snark and guts.

The tone here? Oh, it's grimdark alright—none of that fluffy, golden hero stuff. You get people being people: nasty, conflicted, and often caked in the blood of their enemies (or friends). The central mystery? What's gonna happen now that magic's back in the world. Simple enough, right? But trust me, nothing in this world stays simple.

Plot Summary:
So, here's the deal: the gods broke a thing called the Heartstone 100 years ago, wiping out magic. But now? Out of nowhere, some farm girl named Livia Harrow starts flexing powers not seen in a century. Naturally, EVERYONE wants a piece of her—and not in the "let's make friends" kind of way. You've got factions vying for control, nations scrambling for power, and mercenaries looking to cash in.

The plot hits from multiple angles—different POVs stitched together to form a tapestry of chaos. You’ve got Josten Cade, a washed-up mercenary with the best one-liners this side of the Broken Kingdom. Then there's Silver, an amnesiac warrior with a past so dark it’d make a necromancer blush. And let's not forget Kaleb, a mysterious fourth POV character who pulls the whole gang together when the proverbial s*** hits the fan. The setting? Picture medieval Europe if every kingdom was at war and had a cult or two worshipping dead gods.

World-building’s strong. Ford drags you through mud, blood, and enough old-world politics to make your head spin. You'll taste the grit of his world—the wars, the broken treaties, the lost gods. And when the action hits, you feel it in your bones.

The Author:
R.S. Ford hails from the grim north (Leeds, England, to be exact), and his writing reflects that raw, no-nonsense attitude. His previous series, the Steelhaven trilogy, got overlooked by many readers, which is a damn shame because it's another gem in the rough. He's got a knack for mixing gallows humor with high-stakes action, and in A Demon in Silver, that blend reaches a bloody crescendo. Ford’s not just slapping a story together—he’s a builder, laying down brick after brick of lore, history, and character motivation. He won’t spoon-feed you, and that’s what I love. If you’re in, you’re all in.

Characters:
Here’s where the magic (or lack of it) happens. The characters in this book are the heart of the story—and what a broken, bruised heart it is. Josten Cade’s the rogue we all wanna be, quick with the sword and quicker with the mouth. His banter with Mullen Bull, his sidekick, will have you cracking up even when they’re knee-deep in trouble.

Livia Harrow? Well, she’s more than just your typical chosen-one trope. She’s thrust into a world that wants to eat her alive, and instead of curling up and dying, she decides to go down swinging. The girl’s got grit, I’ll give her that. Kaleb’s story is a slow burn, but when his background unravels, you’re hit with the weight of his choices and the inevitable tragedy that follows. And Silver... man, Silver is the wild card. Her amnesia could’ve been a tired trope, but Ford makes her a mystery worth solving. She’s got the strength of 10 men, but it’s her vulnerability that keeps you hooked.

The secondary cast isn’t just window dressing either—Ford fleshes out even the bit players, giving them moments to shine (or bleed out, whichever comes first). There are no perfect heroes here—just people trying to survive in a world that’s ready to rip them apart.

Structure:
Multiple POVs can be a mixed bag, but Ford handles them with a deft hand. The pacing? It’s a sprint and a marathon all in one. The book moves fast, but not so fast that you miss out on the juicy details. Ford takes his time introducing the four main POV characters, letting us get comfortable with them before smashing them together in the explosive final act.

That said, the structure isn’t perfect. The mid-book time jump throws off the flow, and some of the transitions between characters feel jarring. You’re rolling along with one storyline, and BAM, suddenly you’re in another character’s head without warning. It’s not deal-breaking, but it can pull you out of the moment.

Themes & Analysis:
Power. Corruption. Survival. Those are the big three in A Demon in Silver. You’ve got a world that’s already broken, and magic is the last thing it needs to keep it from tearing itself apart. Ford explores the idea of what people do when they get a taste of power—how it twists them, how it forces them into impossible choices. And let’s not forget loyalty: who can you trust when everyone’s got a knife hidden behind their back?

Ford’s writing pulls no punches. His characters live in shades of gray, and the lines between good and evil are so blurred, you’ll need a compass to find your way. This book isn’t about saving the world—it’s about surviving in it.

Scenes:
Now, about those sexy bits... I won’t mince words here: the sex scenes are awkward as hell. They’re more like the kind of cringe you'd expect from a bad Tinder date than anything erotic. You can almost see Ford trying to strike a balance between realism and fantasy tropes, but it just doesn’t hit right. There's grit in the gore, sure, but Ford's handling of intimacy lacks that same raw punch. Instead, it feels like filler, something jammed between action scenes to remind you these characters have more than just swords in their hands.

The action scenes, though? *Chef’s kiss.* Ford knows how to write a brawl. The fights are visceral, bone-crunching affairs that leave you wincing and turning the page for more.

World-Building:
The world-building in A Demon in Silver is top-notch. Ford has crafted a continent filled with warring nations, religious fanatics, and broken gods that feels lived-in. The lore isn’t just dumped on you in clunky exposition—it’s woven into the story, giving you glimpses of the past and how it shaped the present. The magic system is intriguing—mostly because it’s been gone for so long that its sudden return has everyone scrambling to figure out what the hell is going on.

Ford gives you just enough to understand the world without bogging you down in details. It’s grim, it’s dirty, and it’s the perfect backdrop for the chaos to come.

Praise & Critique:
Let’s give credit where credit’s due: Ford nails the grimdark tone. The dialogue is sharp, the action brutal, and the characters are memorable. The pacing keeps you hooked, and the world feels real enough that you could almost smell the blood in the air.

But it’s not all roses. The mid-book time jump is jarring, and some of the POV transitions feel clunky. The sex scenes are forgettable at best and cringy at worst. And while the book sets up some fascinating characters, not all of them get the development they deserve—Silver, in particular, feels undercooked by the end.

Comparison:
If you’ve read Ford’s Steelhaven trilogy, you’ll recognize the same gritty tone and complex characters, but A Demon in Silver takes it up a notch in terms of world-building and action. It’s darker, it’s bloodier, and it’s less forgiving. Compared to other grimdark giants like Joe Abercrombie or Mark Lawrence, Ford holds his own. The humor here is less biting than Abercrombie’s, and the world is more sprawling than Lawrence’s. But if you’re a fan of either, you’ll find a lot to love in Ford’s work.

Personal Evaluation:
As a seasoned reader of all things grimdark, A Demon in Silver ticked a lot of boxes for me. It’s brutal, it’s fast, and it keeps you guessing. But more than that, it’s a story about people trying to find their place in a world that’s hell-bent on destroying them. The characters are flawed, the world is unforgiving, and the stakes are high. By the end, I wasn’t just invested—I was hungry for the sequel.

Conclusion:
So, is A Demon in Silver worth your time? Hell yeah, if you’re into grimdark fantasy that doesn’t shy away from the ugly side of humanity. It’s not perfect, but what it lacks in polish it makes up for in raw, visceral storytelling. Just be ready for some bumps along the way. I’d recommend it to fans of The First Law or The Broken Empire series who are looking for their next fix of blood-soaked, morally ambiguous fantasy.

Rating: 4/5 - Bloody good fun, but could use a little more focus.