This was a great fantasy standalone. It did take me a little while to get used to the writing style though. The story was a compelling one, the characters were well written and the world building was good. I didn't love it as much as I thought I would, but I would still recommend checking this out.

This is the second Adrian Selby book I’ve read, the other being Winter Road and while they are set within the same world and ‘trilogy’ this is very much a standalone and can be read without the other books in the series, there are threads that come with a shared world and I will be reading Snakewood in the near future – which as I have since discovered is actually the chronological order for the stories so I’ve accidentally done it the right way. First off, I have to say how much I love the cover – it is simple and stunning and immediately catches your attention.

As with The Winter Road, it took me a little while to get into Brother Red, but once I did, I was completely hooked. This is exactly the kind of fantasy that I like, dark and gritty, and with characters that you can’t help but come to care for. Selby takes that to another level, and even with the characters like Driwna that you like from the beginning, it is only at the end that you realise just how deeply you’ve come to care for the characters which is why this book has so much impact.

    The worldbuilding is well developed and fascinating, with the use of herbs and plants adding an interesting twist to the story, but in Brother Red, it was really the characters that were my favourite part and that ending! A fantastic book on its own, and another great instalment in this world and one I would highly recommend.

Wow.  what a book.  I've spent the last 24 hours somewhat incoherent, sweary and furious.  Adrian is a monster!

88% of this book is grim-heart (a phrase I first heard from Ed McDonald) and honestly, I was tempted to stop there   I was so fearful of what would befall my favourites in the remaining pages.   The last 12%  - grimdark doesn't cover it, but we'll get to that. 

The world is the same as Snakewood and The Winter Road and I felt this book added some depth and detail to what was familiar. 

The plot is complex and layered, you definitely need your brain engaged. It has everything really, several individual character journeys, political shenanigans at multiple levels. banditry, various types of magic and a fair amount of combat.  I really enjoyed how all these elements fitted together to deliver a book full of detail and nuance.   I also love how each book is a complete story in itself while serving as a stepping stone in the bigger picture.  I also appreciate that because these are episodes within a history, there aren't any happy endings (however much I want there to be while I'm reading it). 

I really like how the magic is very world and nature based with clear and immediate consequences of use - this is a really refreshing take on magic / enhancements. 

The characters are really where Adrian excels.  Every single character is well defined, even characters you only meet for a sentence or two feel three dimensional..  The 'problem' with that is you become so invested in the characters and their goals that when anything bad happens to them, it hurts.  Which brings me to the last 12% of the book.  It was brutal, it felt like my emotions were being attacked with a cheese grater but that in itself is a testament to the author for making me react so strongly to characters I only met a few hundred pages ago.

“Brother Red“ by Adrian Selby [5/5]


Thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review


Important things first: this book takes place in the same world as Selby's Snakewood and The Winter Road. I have not read any of those, and I don't think one needs to. The plot is fine on its own and there were no points where I thought I needed to have read the other two books beforehand. This is very much a standalone.


Wearing the Red


The main character in this book is a woman called Driwna Marghoster and she is part of the Post, a group, or merchant guild, who protects the trade caravans to the different parts of the world. Their uniform is red which explains a part of the title. Driwna is an interesting main character and I loved experiencing the story from her POV. She comes with her own package and has strong opinions about what she thinks is the right thing to do – even if the people around her might disagree with her. Her involvement in the book's plot begins with her discovering a dead body inside a barrel. This body is also a point of motivation for her and I think the reader can emphasize with her in this regard.

Most of the other important characters in this book are connected to the Post in some way or another – there is Driwna's best friend who likes to sing songs and seems to be a really nice guy everyone would love to befriend. There is also a former warrior now working for the Post, and he is one of the characters the reader learns more about throughout the novel and he grew on me the more he was in the book. There are also characters from different tribes and one, a woman called Ufra, becomes important to Driwna as both fall in love with each other. I think I like all the characters Driwna associates with in a friendly way and I became quite attached to them.


Of Magic and Darkness


Even though I am a bit reluctant to call this Grimdark Fantasy as the main character is – in my opinion – a bit too heroic, but I can see why other people would consider it as Grimdark Fantasy. I really liked the world-building with the different factions both inside the Post and the political elite in this world. I was very interested in reading about the Post and the very different people that work for it. While it is clear that there must be a lot of corruption sometimes it is not clear if a certain character is part of it or not (even though the main antagonists are most of the time clear to both Driwna and the reader once they meet them).

For all the people who need hard-magic systems in the books they read: this book is not really focused on magic – there is such a thing as magic, but the book focuses more on the abilities the biology of the Oskoro and Ososi grant, and a system of alchemy. It is also mostly focused on how those two types of "magic" influence fighting and healing – and the side effects of using those. I can tell you, they are not pretty.


Going with the Flow


The plot is – if the blurb intrigues you – always interesting. There is a bit of a mystery going on – mainly in the beginning when both Driwna and the reader have no real idea of what exactly is going on. She does not really know who tries to smuggle the dead body she found or why would they do it. It becomes a lot clearer once she meets the tribes of Oskoro and Ososi people and then its more of a race to spoil the villains' plans.

As this is all mainly presented through Driwna's POV Selby uses a very distinct voice for her and all the other characters have different ways of articulating, and you always know who speaks in a dialogue even without the author telling you. Mind you, it took me a lot of time to become accustomed to the writing style and how some characters speak. I would advise trying out a sample of this book if you are able to, to see if you like the writing style or if it is unbearable. I liked it after becoming accustomed to it.

Dark, often heartbreaking, and difficult to parse at the start if you've not read Selby before. This novel, while standalone, is set in a world with lore you end up scrabbling at; while too much exposition is a fault, in this case expecting the reader to fumble blindly for the first quarter before they get their bearings is also less than ideal. There isn't much hope or light here; there are moments where the reader is allowed to breathe, but overall the feeling is of claustrophobic danger and dread. Certainly atmospheric and visceral.

Brother Red is the exciting, nail-biting, throw-a-spore-bag-and-hope-it-hits new standalone set in the world of Sarun that it shares with Snakewood and The Winter Road before it; a book that carves its own bloody path through the history of the Post, but also brings its story arc from the previous books full-circle. It is a story that takes the other two books in the series, and threads them into a wholesome, complete arc – if you’re a fan of Selby, or gritty, fast-paced fantasy in general, and you also don’t mind a cry, this is certainly a book you don’t want to miss.

In short – and spoiler free – the plot sees Driwna Marghoster, fieldsman in the Post on a journey to discover what’s happening to the Oskoro – the tribe we saw in the Winter Road that had disappeared – and Ososi, as their numbers are dwindling, there’s word of kidnap. A fearsome Ososi cast-out behind it, a mythical Magist rumoured at work and a dead Ososi baby found, with the legendary Flower of Fates sprouted into her brain. While that may not be a great summary, I’ve tried to entice you without ruining any of the plot – trust me, there’s a lot more than that above which you know up front. It’s every bit as mysterious as the last two – and holds its card until right at the end. And even then, there’s a good lot of questions. But that’s the magic. The continuing mystery throughout the entire rise-and-fall-of-the-Post arc is what keeps me coming back to Adrian’s works. Again, there’s well-realised fight scenes, and plenty twists that you only find out when the knife’s in. I’m not afraid to say that – by the end – this series had tears in my eyes.

That last bit is down to how much a master Adrian is when it comes to character relationship. You have to really care about what happens to a character to be moved to tears – something that he’s a dab-hand at. Immediately – with Cal and Driw – you get a feel for the character’s deep-connection within a few lines of shared history. A life well-spent in knowing each other. This start is what scares me the most, because you know that when an author can build that instant connection, in a book like this, it means that it’ll most likely be used against you. But in the most original, unpredictable ways. You just can’t help but care about Driwna and get behind her cause. She’s one of those characters that knows what’s right, knows what she has to do despite everything against her and just gets on with it. I admire her fervour, her steel. She’s formidable, not only in battle. She’s got a strong heart and knows how to pick those who follow her. A character that builds up those around her and loves uncontrollably because that’s what her heart tells her to do.

The fights are always a favourite of mine in Selby novels – they’re a well-oiled machine, a well-rehearsed dance, a visceral, on-the-edge of your seat experience that won’t relent. Won’t let go. It paints a vivid image of fights that are a storm of spore bags flying, kaltrops dropping, swords clashing, bodies falling and much more. And wonderfully described sword forms to say the least.

Fieldbelts and fightbrews are very much an integral part of the fights and are the ‘magic system’ of Sarun – though, not really magic at all. It’s a science of mixed herbs and plants that have differing purposes – some give you night vision, others cripple enemies, there’s all sort of fun. The pinnacle of these are fightbrews, those mixtures whose recipes are closely guarded secrets – the brew of the Post is one that people are tortured and killed for. But the secret remains. These brews afford the user super-human strength. Undeniable, forces of nature. If you can stone the brew, and rise to it properly. The consequences are brutal. ‘Paying the Colour’ is hours of sickness on the comedown which makes for intriguing and unpredictable scenes – if you chose to drop a fightbrew at the wrong time, you might end up on the run from the enemy when you start to come off it. A weaker form of these are ‘dayers’ brews that are weaker but more forgiving. The end all and be all of the flora of Sarun is, of course, the Flower of Fates, a flower that affords the user power above and beyond any brew … at great cost, and I love that Brother Red featured this once more as did the other two.

Now … that epilogue! I mean, wow. This is the part in particular when the series comes full circle and as a fan of the rest of the series, this is what made the entire book worth it. I mean, I absolutely loved the book, but there’s nothing quite like that in a well-loved series. If for anything but the enjoyment of the end of this book, I personally would say read them in publishing order. It makes it all the more emotional ‘coming home.’

Overall, my rating for this book is buy it now, please – the more people we can get that are fans of this series, the more sway we’d have in forcing Adrian to relent and write more and more. But all joking aside, buy this book. It is phenomenal, you won’t be disappointed.

Brother Red by Adrian Selby

When the trade caravan that Driwna Marghoster, was hired to protect is attacked, she discovers a dead body hidden inside a barrel.  Born from the powerful but elusive Oskoro people.  The body is a rare and priceless find, the centre of a tragic tale and the key to a larger mystery.

When Driwna investigates who the body was meant for she will find a trail of deceit and corruption with potential to bring down a kingdom, and evil more powerful than she can imagine.

This novel is placed in the same world as Selby’s previous two books, Snakewood, and Winter Road. The one element that I liked was the mixing of herbs and plants into a potion, using this as a magic system, it felt quite unique.  This gives the person physically enhanced qualities, such as strength, speed and better eyesight, fighting abilities. It worked incredibly well; I thought it was a neat idea.  I have not seen this used in books before other than computer games.  I loved the range of plants, day brews, fight brews etc. used throughout to treat certain conditions or provide an edge in combat and how much of the world revolved around them, it felt very real. I like the trade-off 'paying the colour,' having to deal with the comedown and consequences of taking these various brews was a nice touch as well, it added a sense of realism, danger and consequences to the action. 

As with his previous novels, Brother Red is pure ‘grimdark,’ brilliant, visceral, action-packed with some very dark story elements.  The main character Driwna is a strong, clever and likeable with moral shades of grey, she is flawed and not someone you would want to cross.  This is dark, gritty fantasy, an emotional roller coaster, that kept me reading until the very last page.  Each new book adds to what is a fascinating world.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written with my own, unbiased, opinion.

I’ve been hugely enthusiastic about Adrian Selby’s previous work – the enigmatic, epistolic Snakewood and the harrowing, heartfelt Winter Road – so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the third of his loosely-connected Post trilogy should have been my most anticipated book of 2021 (early in the year as it is). 

One of the nice things about this now-trilogy is that you can start anywhere – and that’s still true, though (in-world) chronological order begins to make some sense, too. Each of the books stands alone, and each throws you in at roughly the same deep end as far as the world and language goes (there’s a lot of dialect, but I never felt I needed the glossary provided). It’s up to the prospective reader which is the best starting point, and it might well be Brother Red for a lot of you.

Why? Simply, this is the most straightforward, traditional, and adventurous of the three; the tightest and leanest in terms of plot; and in many ways the most optimistic and “heroic” as well. That’s not to say it’s still not distinctly an Adrian Selby book, or that he’s written a traditional epic fantasy with all the familiar and much-loved tropes and tribulations. Just that this is the closest he’s come to doing so, which is good news if that’s what you’re looking for.
This book has it all – heroes you can root for, villains that make your skin crawl, action ranging from back-alley brawls to skirmishes to pitched battle, friendships, family (both found and blood), and even a bit of romance. The plot takes us from castles to caravans, tribal camps to cavernous mountain hideouts, ripping along as it whips back and forth across the country, following an investigation that is fairly twisty, but never too convoluted to follow. It has moments of elation and despair, some of the most memorable characters Selby has drawn yet, and expands the mythos of the world still further – which makes me wonder, appetite whetted, if there will be any more books after these.

But it’s not without its flaws, and, unusually for Selby, they aren’t a consequence of over-ambition, just a few more mundane issues. For example, there’s a smidgeon of “insta-love” about the romance, though it was easy enough to overlook. And there are a few minor characters who seem a bit too good to be true – too helpful, too convenient, too one-dimensional – especially when you’re used to more shades-of-grey offerings, including from the same author.

None of these were the source of my slight disappointment, however, and if not for the burden of expectation I’d unfairly placed on the book after an annus horribilis to (hopefully) end all, I might well have loved it as much as the first two. In the end, a few choices – largely personal preference – stopped it hitting top marks for me, in the mood I was in.

However, if you are looking for a fantasy with worldbuilding and a writing “voice” that’s a bit off the beaten track, but a plot and structure that isn’t as far into the wilderness as the author’s previous books, I’d definitely encourage you to give this a try. As I said, it’s got all the elements of a winning fantasy, it just didn’t burn as brightly for this particular reviewer, in this particularly bleak midwinter, as I had hoped.

I never read a book by Adrian Selby before - and now I wonder why? I’ve been reading fantasy books for a while now, but never came across this author before.

Brother Red is set in a grim world, where danger lurks behind every tree and every corner of the city streets. If you don’t watch your back, you’re dead. In this world the Post protects the vans delivering goods and slaves to the far-off corners - and one of those people is Driwna. She’s clever, she’s fearless and good at her job. I loved her as the main character and was very relieved to see that she does not fall into the Mary Sue hole. 

The writing is so dense and so layered it made it hard for me in the first place, but I eventually found myself absorbed in the superb storytelling. Since I am not an English native speaker I had to look up a word occasionally - only to find out it was made up. ;) That did not in any way diminish my pleasure, but I wouldn’t recommend the English version to my friends who are not overly used to reading in English. But I will definitely recommend it to all my friends who like Game of Thrones and got tired of it, to the Abercrombie-readers, who are looking for something new and the YA-readers, who are finally taking the next step to a mature fantasy.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher.

This was an interesting read. With a good plot, an intriguing world, well-developed characters, and plenty of gruesome bits, "Brother Red" would be a great way to get dedicated horror readers into the fantasy genre. I enjoyed Adrian Selby's writing, and would like to read more by this author. 

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

Selby does it again! Dark fantasy exactly how I like it to be. The characters were great, even the «bad» one which you love to hate. The story was captivating as was the world. A name to be notice in fantasy! I will recommend it!