Are You Ready for a Rip-Roaring Thrill Ride?

Synopsis

In a refugee shanty town on the outskirts of a vast and opulent imperial capital city,

an insidious sect of demon worshippers, the Cult of Ebon, began to prey upon the Gathered, a diaspora of peoples displaced from their nations in the aftermath of a

mad tyrant's ceaseless wars of conquest, long ago.

Unwilling to overlook these heinous crimes against a vulnerable, underserved populace, Constable Lukarde Alfans began an investigation that brought him far too close to the truth, leading him to become the cult's next target.

In order to derail his investigation, the enigmatic leader of the cult framed Lukarde for the grisly murder of a woman whose psychic gifts had been invaluable in his investigations.

The disgraced former constable, haunted by the lingering trauma of all he had seen and endured during his investigations, was chased into exile with his life in utter ruins.

He must travel far to the southern reaches, to the Freewilds, in search of a new start and, perhaps, a chance to unravel the mysteries surrounding the Cult of Ebon, bringing them to justice, clearing his good name, and silencing the horrors that plague his mind

whenever he closes his eyes.

Rating: 5/5

Quick Take

Get ready for a rip-roaring thrill ride latent with fantasy and horror elements – you are in for a treat

Tell Me More

Freewilds – The Cult and the Constable is labeled as a fantasy novel, but while reading it I found that it also fit the horror genre quite well. Consequently, horror is my all-time favorite genre so I was pleased with the horror themes throughout. With that being said, if you are sensitive to horror, take caution when picking up this novel. Be aware that there are explicit horror elements along with fantasy elements throughout the book.

Freewilds – The Cult and the Constable follows Constable Lukarde Alfans who begins to investigate a cult of demon worshippers, the Cult of Ebon, and ends up becoming the cult’s next target. He is framed for the murder of a psychic who assists with his investigations and ends up going into exile. The novel follows Lukarde’s journey as he seeks to create a fresh start while also seeking to learn more about the Cult of Ebon and fighting to unwind the mysteries that surround them.

On first impression, I was inspired by author Michael Scott’s imagination. His basis for the plot and world of the novel are unique and unlike anything else I have read. Now, after reading his work, I am absolutely amazed by Scott’s worldbuilding skills and how vividly he was able to present the story and its characters to the reader. Many times, I find that fantasy novels can take a lot of mental power to read through due to complex world-building and developing concepts, but Scott made his world and story easy to visualize for the reader, and I feel as though it swallowed me whole. Fear and despair infiltrated every word in Freewilds – The Cult and the Constable, and it was difficult to shake upon finishing the novel. This is exactly what I look for in horror novels, but this novel was unique because it also featured the mystique of fantasy, making it a knockout.

Michael Scott has created a fantasy novel like no other. His affinity for fantasy and horror are incomparable, and Freewilds – The Cult and the Constable is sure to shake up both genres. I have thoroughly enjoyed this literary treat, and I look forward to reading more from this author.