The Crimson Road, by A.G. Slatter
26 Feb 2025The Book
Synopsis:
A captivating dark gothic fantasy set in the same universe as the award-winning author's All The Murmuring Bones, The Path of Thorns and The Briar Book of the Dead. A tale of vampires, assassins, ancient witches and broken promises.
Violet Zennor has had a peculiar upbringing. Training as a fighter in underground arenas, honing her skills against the worst scum, murderers and thieves her father could pit her against, she has learned to be ruthless. To kill. Until the day Hedrek Zennor dies. Violet thinks she’s free – a rich young heiress with a world of possibilities in front of her. Then, to her horror, Violet learns that her father planned to send her into the Darklands, where the Leech Lords reign. Where Violet’s still-born brother was taken years ago after Hedrek sold him to a man bearing the mark of the mysterious Anchorhold.
Her father’s solicitor and the city’s bishop are insistent she fulfil her duty, but Violet steadfastly refuses. Until one night two assassins attempt to slaughter her – and it becomes if she wants to enjoy a future free of the interference of either solicitors, bishops or assassins, she’s going to have to clean up the mess her father made.
On her journey, Violet seeks the help of Miren O’Malley in the hidden estate of Blackwater, whose family once produced the purest, strangest silver; Ellie Briar of Silverton, the Briar Witch who guards the gateway to the realm of the Leech Lords; and Asher Todd of Whitebarrow, who did terrible things and found The Three Who Went Beneath.
Ultimately, Violet must go alone. Into the Darklands. To the Anchorhold where it all began. Where it will all end. To do what must be done.
By turns gripping and bewitching, sharp and audacious, this mesmerising story takes you on a journey into the dark heart of Slatter's sinister and compelling fantasy world, where blood is currency and magic is a weapon.
My Review
The Crimson Road is a dark gothic fantasy novel, written by A.G. Slatter, published by Titan Books. Set in her Sourdough universe (and it includes many hints to other characters that have appeared in novels set in the same universe), we have an excellent story telling the fascinating journey of Violet Zennor against her will, in order to fight against the Leech Lords as it was her father's desire; her own battle against how her life has been fixed since she started will play an important role.
Violet Zennor finds her father is finally dead, meaning she's finally free to start her own life; from a young age, she has been trained to fight the Leech Lords, a drawn path by her father, but which she wants to know nothing about. However, when it becomes clear that the Leech Lords are aware of her existence and that they will put anybody she cares about in danger, she will be forced to begin a journey across the world in order to gather what she needs to fight with the Leech Lords in the Darklands, and complete the task her father prepared her for.
And let me tell you, Violet's journey will be anything but calm; not only we have a great set of adventures that also put her in contact with other women that decided about her future (and if you have read Slatter's novels, you will recognise them). It is delicious to see how Slatter takes folklore and classic fantasy tropes and gives them her own twist, creating such as unique world as the Sourdough universe; and Violet is an excellent character to guide us through it, a competent and skilled assassin, but whose wish is to finally be free of that path her father drew for her. She's a flawed character, but also relatable; and that's one of the biggest strengths of this book.
Slatter's worldbuilding is extremely rich and varied, and honestly, I loved how she delves into horror when necessary, creating a mix whose atmosphere is immaculate. The lyrical prose is the perfect fit for this kind of dark gothic fantasy Slatter is weaving; and you just keep passing the pages because you are totally invested in the story.
The Crimson Road is an authentic gem of a book; a great choice if you are looking for a dark fantasy with an excellent female lead set in a rich universe with a certain familiar taste. I can't wait to continue reading Slatter's Sourdough stories, because there's so much I want to explore!
The Author/s
A.G. Slatter
Angela Slatter (also writing as A.G. Slatter) is the author of All The Murmuring Bones, The Path of Thorns, The Briar Book of the Dead and The Crimson Road (Titan Books). All are gothic fantasies set in the world of the Sourdough, Bitterwood and Tallow-Wife collections.
Angela has recently signed a seven-book deal with Titan, for three novels set in the world of All the Murmuring Bones, The Path of Thorns and The Briar Book of the Dead, and three contemporary folk horror novellas.
Her latest short story collection, The Wrong Girl and Other Tales, was published by Brain Jar Press in October 2023. The hardcover collected edition of her Hellboy Universe collaboration with Mike Mignola, Castle Full of Blackbirds, from Dark Horse Comics was published in July 2023.
Angela is also the author of the supernatural crime novels from Jo Fletcher Books/Hachette International: Vigil (2016), Corpselight (2017) and Restoration (2018), as well as ten other short story collections, including The Girl with No Hands and Other Tales, Sourdough and Other Stories, The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings, A Feast of Sorrows: Stories, and The Heart is a Mirror for Sinners and Other Stories. Vigil was longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award in 2018. All The Murmuring Bones was shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards Book of the Year in 2021 and for the Shirley Jackson Awards in 2022. The Path of Thorns won the 2022 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel, as well as the Australian Shadows Award for Best Novel. The Bone Lantern won the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novella and has been shortlisted for the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novella.
Angela is represented by Meg Davis of the Ki Agency in London: meg@ki-agency.co.uk