A review by amybraunauthor
The Grim Company by Luke Scull

5.0

I was really surprised how much I enjoyed this book. To give a little context, I have to be honest and admit that it took me a couple chapters to warm to a couple of the main characters. But once I was hooked, I was HOOKED. This is what epic fantasy is all about––gritty, brutal, dangerous, and fraught with unforeseen complications. I found myself clapping a hand over my mouth, having my jaw drop, and cursing almost as much as some of the characters do. Said characters are awesome, even the ones I initially struggled with. Mostly, this was in regards to Cole, who was insufferably arrogant at first. But he turned out to be a complex character, and I really enjoyed where his story went. I expect great things from him in the future... I hope! *bites nails.* Sasha is a tough as nails female lead with an interesting backstory, I liked Emerul's story even though I'm not sure I'm fond of him as a person, Barandas is a great, tragic character caught on the wrong side of a war, and there are tons of other side characters to enjoy. But it all comes down to one stand-out: Brodar !@#$ing Kayne. Talk about a badass. Easily one of the toughest characters ever written in fantasy, and one of my favourites. It's impossible not to love him. He's got an excellently written past, a good heart, humour, honour, and is an absolute beast in combat. I would read the books for him alone. But there's more! The action is plentiful, bloody, and visceral. The magic is unique and terrifying. The monsters and vicious tribes send chills down your spine. The ending will leave you begging for more. The more I think about THE GRIM COMPANY, the more I realize how thoroughly I enjoyed it. I'm looking at the sequel on my coffee table right now and thinking, "I can't wait to go on another adventure!" If that's not the sign of a great fantasy book, I don't know what is.