Asunder by Kerstin Hall – Review

Published: August 20, 2024

Publisher: Tordotcom

Series: N/A

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 352 (Kindle)

My Rating: 4.25 Stars

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:
We choose our own gods here.

Karys Eska is a deathspeaker, locked into an irrevocable compact with Sabaster, a terrifying eldritch entity—three-faced, hundred-winged, unforgiving—who has granted her the ability to communicate with the newly departed. She pays the rent by using her abilities to investigate suspicious deaths around the troubled city she calls home. When a job goes sideways and connects her to a dying stranger with dangerous secrets, her entire world is upended.

Ferain is willing to pay a ludicrous sum of money for her help. To save him, Karys inadvertently binds him to her shadow, an act that may doom them both. If they want to survive, they will need to learn to trust one another. Together, they journey to the heart of a faded empire, all the while haunted by arcane horrors and the unquiet ghosts of their pasts.

And all too soon, Karys knows her debts will come due.

---

This book was weird. I read 100+ books per year and it’s mostly fantasy so there’s some wonderfully imaginative worlds and characters, but not many on the level of Asunder. And in this case, let me assure you that weird is GOOD. As long as you’re into really strange religions and terrifying physical manifestations of gods.

Asunder follows Karys Eska, a deathspeaker, as she investigates the deaths of a group of smugglers on behalf of their boss, the intimidating Second Mayor. Karys gets far more than she bargained for when she’s confronted by these ghostly entities that can unravel a person at a mere touch. While escaping, Karys encounters a man named Ferain who strikes a deal with her – rescue him and she’ll get enough money to escape her current life. Karys freehands some magic and ends up with Ferain bound to her shadow – a piece of magic that is highly dangerous and might destroy them both. Karys sets off with Winola, as scholar, and Haeki, an old friend, to Ferain’s childhood home to try and unravel the binding. 

The whole magic system in this book is based on the god-like entities that people swear themselves to. The old pantheon were called the Bhatuma, all of whom were killed by the new group of deities. The new gods, like Karys’ compact holder, Sabaster, are horrifying to behold. Sabaster has three faces and likes to see Karys drenched in blood when he appears before her. It’s uncertain when he’ll call in the compact, but Karys has served for 12 years and she knows her time grows short… Sabaster seems to have something particularly disturbing in mind for his most favored servant. None of these entities are good or friendly, but the magic they bestow on the world can be used for incredible marvels. Mail can be sent swiftly, people can enter a giant spider’s mouth and be transported hundreds of miles in what appears to be a comfortable train car, and people can also be accidentally bound to one another.

Not only are we blessed with a super complex, interesting world in Asunder, but we also get a fascinating cast of characters. Ferain and Karys are easy to root for and Winola is a nerdy delight. Haeki is somewhat more difficult to like at first, but once it became clear why she’s a grouch I began to sympathize with her. Even the cast of minor characters are intriguing – the second mayor runs a criminal underworld and there’s a guy who practices binding other humans to body hop and extend his life!

Asunder is an extremely unique story and the ending was pretty epic. Right now this is supposed to be a standalone, but if a sequel were to happen I would totally read it! If you’re looking for something unique or specifically a fantasy with a huge pantheon and interesting religion, I’d definitely recommend Asunder.