Drown Deep is the second novel in the military fantasy series The Blood Scouts, written by Phil Williams; a book that I was really eager to read, as it is the sequel to one of my favourite reads of 2023, However Many Must Die, and it didn't disappoint. Saint Mire, a neutral land with deep religious history, has been invaded by a rogue Drail army, and that will be the reason that will take Wild Wish back to the front.

Wild Wish reluctantly left the action behind; no more fighting meant no more friends, and the experience of being an instructor is not what she expected. However, the invasion of Saint Mire requires an intervention, and what a better person to lead a group into these nightmare lands that Wild Wish; and despite her reluctance to take the leadership of the unit, the opportunity of reviving the Blood Scouts from a band of ragtags overcomes her own doubts.

And they might not be the unit where Wish started her adventures, but the found family sentiment is there; she doesn't consider herself a leader, but we can appreciate how she will do anything in her hand to protect her unit. They are not a conventional group, but Saint Mire neither is; a difficult place where danger is omnipresent, and soon we will see how the Scouts will need to fight against the own nature, and add to the mix that not only the Drail Empire is fighting there, but a partisan group that is trying to defend Saint Mire. And let me tell you, many things have changed from the first book, with a Wish that still thinks about her former mates, but who is ready to take the responsibility.

The worldbuilding is simply amazing, bringing us to a new part of the world, which is characterized by its vast history and how it is related to religion; but not only that, but Williams puts the spotlight to the resistance organized by the own inhabitants of the place. Saint Mire is, at the same time, fascinating but dangerous, plagued by dangerous creatures; you are also captivated by how much lore of the world is introduced during our stay here.

Drown Deep is a sequel that builds much using the previous work done in However Many Must Die, and the whole series is a must read if you like military fantasy; Williams weaves together an epic story with the intimacy and intensity of how Wish cares for other people, and that's some I love. Do yourself a favour and pick this series as soon as possible.