Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.

A. G. Slatter’s "The Crimson Road" is a gothic fantasy that follows Violet Zennor, a young woman forged into a weapon by her cruel father, now dead and leaving behind a legacy that refuses to let her go. Violet’s story is one of survival and reluctant heroism, as she’s forced out of her desire for freedom and into a perilous quest to the Darklands to confront a prophecy tied to her lost brother and her father’s betrayals.

Slatter weaves a world rich in dark magic, ancient witches, and lurking vampires, but the novel’s true strength lies in Violet’s character. She is sharp, pragmatic, and refreshingly skeptical of destiny and prophecy, making her a compelling character who feels both real and resilient. The narrative explores themes of lost childhood, free will, and the necessity of forging one’s own path, even when the world conspires to push you onto another. While some readers may find the pacing uneven and the lore-heavy exposition occasionally cumbersome, the book’s atmospheric setting and strong female characters make it a memorable journey.

This book is for readers who enjoy dark fantasy with a heroine who is as flawed as she is formidable, and a story that’s as much about inner demons as it is about the monsters that lurk in the shadows.

I've really enjoyed all of the books in this series. While you don't necessarily have to read the preceding three books in order to read The Crimson Road, I'd highly recommend it, especially since, as the final book in the series, the previous three stories and main character work their way into the plot. I loved seeing the characters from the previous books, especially Miren, but I liked Violet as a main character a lot. The romance was understated but very well-done, and like all of Slatter's main characters, Violet was strong, yet flawed and relatable.

I loved returning to the world of Slatter's Sourdough stories, for a tale that draws together the threads of her recent novels, All The Murmuring Bones, The Path of Thorns and The Briar Book of the Dead.

Like the young women who are central to of those stories, Violet Zennor is alone in what is ostensibly a very male world. A young heiress surrounded by men in authority - the lawyer, the Bishop - she might balk at the prospect that her story will be all about being married off (and indeed, there is a suitor in the wings). But in a twist the made me smile, Violet is already actually busy balking at the other plans her father laid for her, plans that involved her training relentlessly from childhood for deadly combat - and also involve somewhere mysterious called the "Anchorhold". So relieved is Violet by her father's untimely death, and at not having to live the fate that he laid down for her, that the idea of marriage may almost be welcome to her.

But life never goes smoothly for a protagonist in Slatter's world. Across those earlier books we have seen her explore ideas of inheritance, of coming into adulthood and of women finding a way to survive with integrity and freedom in that male world. These ways are never as simple as "having a lot of wealth" because, really, the sources of wealth are always murky (as Violet's proves). They are though various, though often magical, and I was eager to see how Violet would deal with this predicament. As her arm begins to be twisted to follow the course planned for her, we may wonder if she will ever be able to control her own destiny?

Of course as we have also seen in those earlier books there are ways around, even if not through. And Violet is aided by a sisterhood of the women we've already met. This could have come across as a bit of a whistlestop tour of the earlier protagonists, but Slatter is better than that. These are all women whose own stories clearly had more to be told, so in visiting them again, she answers the need any reader will have to learn a bit more about what happened next. Their various life lessons, magics and centres of protection act both as supports for Violet in her time of need and as little candles of hope in what has become a very dark world for her, hunted as she is by both dark monsters and the hypocritical church, which is willing to use the women it condemns to protect itself from those same monsters.

It all culminates, of course, in absolute bloody slaughter, not unlike the cause her father steered Violet towards - but with one key difference: that victory, and survival - if she can find them - won't be primarily through those hours and years of martial training but through friendship, love and solidarity.

A fine and gripping book, and one that rounds off this quartet of Sourdough novels (though I hope there will be more to come in future).

Despite having one of my least favorite shared universe names, A G Slatter's dark fantasy novels are one of my few can't-miss series! And nowhere was I happier to have read almost all of the books in it than here in this latest installment, The Crimson Road.

As the novel opens, heiress Violet Zennor is waiting for her father to die. She has spent most of her life being trained by him to be the perfect weapon, to go on a hazardous quest -- in about three months' time -- to atone for his grave mistakes. Then Hendrek dies, and she finds herself finally in charge of her own destiny.

Or so she tries to be. Despite the urging and threats of both the town bishop and her father's solicitor, Violet mulishly refuses to start on a journey that even she can see is suicidal. She just wants to stay home and hang out with her loved ones, maybe take a nice vacation somewhere (honestly, relatable.)

This is in stark contrast to Hendrek's carefully laid-out plans. His intentions were for her to travel to the far north, beyond the border that the Briarwitches established to keep the Leech Lords confined to the Darklands where they reign in blood (and a mostly contained madness.) A child of prophecy is growing in the north, who must be destroyed before he can reach his ascendancy. That child, Violet's brother, was sold as a stillborn baby to a mysterious man in exchange for a fortune. Realizing too late that the corpse was likely a vessel, Hendrek tried to atone by raising Violet to infiltrate the Darklands... and kill her own brother.

Perhaps if Hendrek hadn't been so unrelenting and cruel in his treatment of her, Violet might have seen this task as a shared goal. Instead, she can only feel relief that he's died, and his manias with him.

But then the assassins bearing the insignia of the Leech Lords come to town.

If it was just herself she was defending, Violet would happily jump onto the next ship leaving port and sail off to parts unknown. But the assassins are ruthless, killing indiscriminately and targeting the few people she truly cares about. Reluctantly, she assumes the mantle of vampire slayer and finally begins her epic quest to end the evil festering in the Darklands.

As always, the lore is rich, the heroines sensible and feisty, and the stakes believably high. This fourth full-length novel stands out tho, in incorporating far more of the previous books than the last three had. The heroines of all three books show up here with pivotal roles, helping Violet prepare adequately for what would otherwise be a suicide mission that, even worse, she would most likely fail. I highly recommend reading the other books in the series first before reading this one!

My only actual complaint with TCR lies in the pacing. It's not bad, it's just not suspenseful. While I was certainly more surprised by the twists here than in <a href="https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/02/22/the-briar-book-of-the-dead-by-a-g-slatter/">The Briar Book Of The Dead</a>, I felt very little tension leading up to each reveal, and I'm honestly not sure why. Perhaps it's because Violet has already been so traumatised by everything else in her life that she's become, to a certain extent, numb to any new shocks -- of which there are no shortage in this action-packed book!

Definitely check out the rest of this series first before jumping in here. It's a terrific take on the vampire slayer trope that is all the richer for being woven so firmly into Ms Slatter's Sourdough Universe.

The Crimson Road by A G Slatter was published February 11 2025 by Titan books and is available from all good booksellers, including <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15382/9781803364568">Bookshop!</a>

The Crimson Road is a winding tale that follows Violet Zennor on a journey fraught with blood and duty. Slatter has a gift for writing haunting, dark fairy tales, and this vampire story is no exception. As Violet struggles along her path, we are reintroduced to beloved past characters from previous books--all of whom had to struggle and fight for their happily-ever-afters. I couldn't help but hope Violet would also earn her freedom as she travelled along perilous roads, receiving help in unexpected places. I may have said this before, but I hope A. G. Slatter never stops writing in the Sourdough world. She interweaves her stories so expertly, I can't help but want more by the end of every book. Recommended for fans of T. Kingfisher, Ava Reid, and V. E. Schwab.

Thank you to Titan for giving me an ARC of The Crimson Road. I hope my honest and unbiased review will help readers find new books they'll love!

For some reason, when this book was announced, I was under the impression that it would be a Little Red Riding Hood kind of story, so when I saw the author describe it as a mix of Gothic Horror, a touch of Buffy the Slayer, and "The Name of the Rose," I groaned. I don't like vampire stories in the least, and I avoid Gothic Horror like the plague, plus I rarely read mysteries.

So everything was stacked against this. And yet, it worked!

Mostly because A. G. Slatter writes beautifully. I've not cared for the topics and subjects she chooses for her plots other times before, too, but her prose, her ability to create atmosphere, to give her characters depth in a few paragraphs is matched by very few authors. Her writing has always drawn me in, it's absorbing, engrossing, and containing pretty imagery without falling into a baroque pit.

[(Full review in link.)

A highly recommended read! This is a captivating gothic fantasy with fascinating reimagining of vampiric lore, witchcraft and unique world-building in a continuation of Slatter’s Sourdough Universe. Highly enjoyable and an enchanting read!

The Crimson Road combines gothic tropes with dark fantasy to create an immersive world-building that is unique to Slatter’s own works. A tale with a strong yet fragile female protagonist makes Violet Zennor more than a character on a quest, but a compelling and captivating fantasy heroine who is genuinely human, flawed and struggling beneath the burden of responsibilities and choices not of her own making.

The Crimson Road is atmospheric with strong gothic themes that draw on the eerie history and lore of the Darklands and the ‘Sourdough universe’.

Slatter’s writing is engaging and lyrical at times with a refreshing fantasy reimagining of vampiric lore, witchcraft and powerful feminist characters.

Well, my brain hasn't been letting me read very much (for fun) since January 20 but I continue to adore the world of Sourdough and the imagination of A.G. Slatter. This is the Avengers chapter of the story, where we get to revisit the heroines of the previous books alongside new character Violet. It was mostly satisfying. I wanted more time in the Darklands and felt that the final section was resolved a bit too quickly, but that's just my opinion. I look forward to hopefully reading more stories set in this world since the combo of feminism+gothic horror+dark fairytale vibes is irresistible. And in the meantime, I may go back to read Slatter's earlier stories... the ones I can find in print, that is.

Thank you SO much to the publisher and netgalley for an early copy of the work.

This a great fantasy read with gothic vibes, morally grey choices, and a heroine who refuses to be broken.

This book follows Violet Zennor, who’s been trained to fight for her life by a father who sees her as nothing more than a weapon. But when he dies, she’s forced onto a dangerous path through the eerie, witch filled Darklands filled with creepy forests, blood-soaked bargains, and ancient magic with a serious grudge.

Violet is everything you want in a protagonist; tough, smart, and constantly battling the line between vengeance and freedom. The world Slatter builds is darkly magical and dripping in atmosphere. It feels like wandering through a haunted fairytale.

There’s no insta love here, just a slow, simmering story of survival, power, and finding your own voice in a world that keeps trying to silence it. Plus, if you're into rich lore, deadly ladies, and stories that feel both classic and totally fresh, this one will be perfect.

The Crimson Road was a bloody and suspensful story that I absolutely ate up. It was bloody, it was brutal and it was gothic horror at it's finest! I love the Sourdough Universe and this book did not disappoint. Violet was a lovable character you root for the whole way through as she faces supernatural horrors and a quest not of her own making. Readers that love the other books in the Sourdough universe are bound to love this one too.

Thank you to Titan Books and Netgalley for an e-ARC of this novel. Here are my thoughts!

Violet’s upbringing is unusual. Her mother and brother tragically died when she was born, so her father raised her to be a smart, strong and skillful fighter. Someone who is ready for anything. One day, Violet’s father dies, and she thinks she is free from his strange ways until she learns of the mess he has made and the adventure she will have to go on into the Darklands to clean it up.

This is my first book in the Sourdough Universe, and it will not be the last. At first, I thought the writing was a little too detailed and that it was going to be a little too slow for me. Not the case, at all. Violet meets so many interesting, unique and highly entertaining creatures, people and monsters on her travels and I couldn’t wait to read more of her story. Some of the tales, such as the ogre one, will stick with me. It was so creatively spun.

I’m sure there were characters and Easter Eggs from other books in this universe and I wish I had read them first so I could pick up on them. I have added the other books in the universe to my TBR and this may be a new fantasy author I’ll need to keep an eye out for! This series leans more into the cozy realm than the high fantasy realm, which I really enjoyed. I feel like these books would be perfect for reading in the fall, when you can cozy up with a cup of tea on the couch.

It was reminiscent of The Witcher short stories as there is an overarching plot, but a lot of fun side stories happening at the same time. It also sprinkles in a little romance, horror, mystery and just human stuff. So, if you like that kind of thing, you should check out this book and the rest of the Sourdough Universe. I certainly plan to!

The Crimson Road
The Sourdough Universe Series
2⭐️

Pub Date: 2/11/2025

Uhm. Unfortunately, not for me.
The premise was interesting- FMC gaining her freedom after her father's death but she can't get her fortune unless she does one last task, something sinister. It has so much potential in my opinion and I actually was very excited to dive deeper. However it was soooooo slow 😭 This has vampires in it, but nothing was really happening. She didn't even encounter one until way later in the book. There wasn't really any crazy action, just small spurts of trouble here and there.

I do admit that the writing style is good. The atmosphere it painted was gothic and mesmerizing and that's what kept me going. I didn't realize that it's part of a series, although upon further checking, it seems like they're all standalones. I might have enjoyed this better (maybe) if I knew more of the actual established universe. Eitherway, for fans of gothic fantasy and for people already familiar with this universe, this may appeal more to you.

Thank you @netgalley and Titan Books for a gifted e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I couldn't get into this book. I tried, but in the end I didn't finish it, I dnfed around 70%. I just couldn't get on with the writing style, which is definitely a me problem and not that the book isn't well written. In the end, it just wasn't my book, even though the idea behind it really spoke to me.

This was an okay book! Liked it better than I thought. It was slow in some parts but overall a decent read! Would suggest! :)

The Crimson Road by A.G. Slatter is a dark and immersive fantasy that blends rich world-building with complex characters and intense emotional depth. The story follows a strong-willed protagonist navigating a world filled with magic, danger, and personal struggles. Slatter's writing is atmospheric and captivating, with a blend of mystery and tension that keeps readers hooked. This novel is perfect for fans of dark fantasy and character-driven narratives.

I enjoyed being back in this world Angela created. I love the folklore and fairytale feel of it. It was fun seeing characters from past books make an appearance.

The Gothic vibes were there for sure. And what N interesting vampire concept. I always look forward to seeing the next book from Angela.

My first book by this author, but I loved it! The gothic, historical vibe was fab! I loved the dual perspectives and character themes

this was everything I had ever wanted and needed.

The Crimson Road is like a Grimm fairytale comes to life, a critic of the existence of women in society, and gothic horror all rolled up into one. It is dark, it is grim, it is everything. I cried with Violet and shared joys as she overcame the fate the men in her life had written for her. And the fact it exists in the Sourdough Universe along with Path of Thorns? 10/10.

Thanks Titan Books, A.G. Slatter, and Netgalley for the ARC!

A richly imagined, lushly described gothic setting that takes the heroine on a vampiric tale of familial burden and self determination,

Effing fantastic gothic dark fantasy! Loved the witches and vampires narrative! The author is going to be a repeat author for me! Honestly, I couldn’t put it down.