“You must always look closer. The twists and turns of a life lived are written on men and women like script on parchment. In scars, in bearing, in the lines on the brow, the look in the eyes.”

They say that Sargent Holt Hawley is cursed. They say that the old order of True Vigilants, along with their magical abilities, are gone. Yet when several children, including the son of General Tarasq of Sylvervain, disappear, Archduke Leoric of Scarfell tasks Hawley to take his men and find a True Vigilant to aid them in their search. It is a mission believed to fail but when fleeing the dark and haunted forest of Elderwood, Hawley stumbles upon Enelda Drake, a woman claiming to be a True Vigilant. Together Hawley and Enelda must reach Scarfell, uncover some dark plots and find those children before a war breaks out.

The Last Vigilant by Mark A. Latham is a dark and twisty tale that contains so much of what I love to find in a book—characters to care for, an epic world with intricate magic and mysteries aplenty.

Like a lot of readers, I’m drawn to a stunning cover and the cover of this book, done by Mélanie Delon and Stephanie Hess, immediately caught my eye because I was reminded of The Wheel of Time covers, which happens to be a series I love. The cover brings back all the old school fantasy vibes in such an exciting way and I was relieved to discover that those epic fantasy vibes continued within the worldbuilding. Latham presents us with a mediaeval setting, a Kingdom with a dark forest, a castle full of secrets and the threat of monsters almost breaking through the Veil from where they were banished to. The threat of Riftborn demons is felt within the first few chapters, despite history being rewritten, many of the legends of the war the Vigilants once fought being lost and those seeking knowledge of the past being called superstitious, heretics and treasonous, Riftborn are still feared, if only in whispers behind closed doors. As the story unfolds another malevolent force comes to light along with other classic epic fantasy elements such as a brewing war between the Sylvervain army and Scarfell, corrupt politics and corrupt men, and religion striving for the forefront on all matters. Yet this isn’t just another epic fantasy, much to my delight Latham ambitiously also gives us a mystery.

At the heart of this story are two compelling characters investigating the disappearances of these children—Enelda and Hawley. Immediately the pair reminded me of Ana and Dinios from Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Tainted Cup, another series I adore! Enelda, being the last of the old order of Vigilants who held much authority and respect in her time, finds this new world quite different. She first appears as an eccentric, weakened old crone, having spent decades shut away in her tower but it’s soon made clear how intelligent, perceptive and capable she still is, she still holds many of the abilities a Vigilant should possess. Yet now her position is disregarded by many, her powers seen as necromancy or witchcraft and as she is not indestructible, the world has become a more threatening place. Which is where Hawley steps in. Though he’s often rash with decisions, let’s his temper get the better of him and doubts himself often, not surprising given the way he has been treated and the bad hand he was dealt from early on, he’s still loyal and dutiful. He is a High Company Sargent but not of ‘the blood’ and therefore deemed as cursed by others and secrets of his past overwhelmingly haunt him, but Enelda sees his true self and as she takes him under her wing he learns to become more perceptive, learns more of the old ways.The dynamic between these two is fantastically portrayed, despite their differences and conflicts, there is a deep connection and bond between them. As their friendship grows Hawley goes from just being Enelda’s protector to becoming someone she trusts and feels completely comfortable with.

"The gods care little for the follies of men. But I care, for without exposing such folly, superstition and prejudice make a mockery of justice. Let the gods judge me all they will; let me be the judge of other mortals."

The mystery itself is well played throughout with plenty of characters to be suspicious of and much to puzzle out. The majority of the investigation takes place within the castle of Scarfell and who better than Lady Iveta, being Archduke Leoric’s niece, and having a panache for spying, to know the ins and outs of the castle like no other. By the decree of the King of Aelderland women were no longer allowed to hold positions of power, they could not rule or become soldiers as Lady Aenya, the Warrior Maid Iveta so admires, had once done. Iveta's life feels like an imprisonment and so she gains great knowledge of all the secret tunnels within the castle and is often in places where she should not be and so overhears much. Latham does a superb job of making the disappearance of these children integral to the political worldbuilding and to the characters—from Iveta we learn how the kingdom is starving, how unjust the new order of Vigilants are and how corruption is found in every corner, making her character just as compelling as Enelda and Hawley, to follow. The mystery really did keep me guessing, I was bursting with theories throughout, and some even proved right, but the sinister turning ending surprised me and left me curious for what is to come next.

The Last Vigilant is a tale where classic fantasy meets a puzzling mystery and delivers an unputdownable read. This book was a true hidden gem.

“It is a terrible thing, to have your spirit broken. A more terrible thing to break the spirit of those dear to you."

ARC Provided by Nazia at Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review—Thank you for the copy!

The Last Vigilant is out now!

The Last Vigilants begins like an interesting mixture between epic fantasy and murder mystery, and a few pages were enough for the reader to feel a good connection with the main character, our Sargent Holt Hawley: his past, his toughts about what he has done and the difficulty of his role for a mission with a group of men that dislike him created a very good feelings with him.

Beyond that, the worldbuilding, altought not original (we have a Medieval world like many others), was well crafted and the pacing of the novel push the reader to follow the misadventures of our protagonist between a battle against mysterious monsters and political intrigues.

After the first chapters, the author introduce two others point of views that enriched the plot: however, I didn't have for them the same interest that I had for Hawley, that thanks to his attitude and his original voice, he remained the best character of the novel.

With a good pace, familar elements and an intriguing story, The Last Vigilants is a good book, perfect for fans of series like Empire of the Wolf, with wich share a similar worlduilding (altought not good because a less sense of wonder, in my opinion, as the novels of Richard Swan) and a plot based on an interesting murder mystery.

This was a great read. Traditional fantasy. Quests. Twists. Brilliant character work. This is one for the shelf!

3.5* - I really appreciated what the author was trying to do with this story but unfortunately it fell short for me on the execution.

The last vigilant combines the elements of a 'whodunnit' mystery, with the styling of an epic fantasy. I found the prospect very exciting and whilst some parts were excellent, it didn't quite come together.

Our story follows Hawley, a disgraced sergeant who finds himself on a mission to search for a Vigilant, a group of people long since presumed dead, who possess greater powers and are closer to the gods.

When Hawley does indeed stumble across the Last Vigilant, Enelda, she isn't quite what they expected but together they find themselves on a quest to uncover the truth about the mysterious disappearances of children across the land.

The premise itself is very intriguing and the writing style is enough to keep you turning the pages, but it did cause some issues.

The world was very well considered, there was plenty lore, heavy politics, and differing cultures. Usually I love to sink my teeth into worlds like these, but in the context of a mystery it made it difficult to follow the story. Usually in epic fantasies we are given time to understand world, but as this story is wrapped up in one book it did mean some of the crucial elements were lost due to lack of understanding surrounding the lore.

Following on, whilst I could recognise the ending was explosive, it was deep routed in the lore and less so in the 'who-dunnit' which is the style we were following for most of the story. It meant despite enjoying the book I didn't benefit from the pay off and actually felt a little cheated from trying to figure out our villain.

I think I would be interested in continuing on with the series if we get more books which it is left open to. I think the more books we get and the more we learn of the world, the more enjoyable these will become.

I really enjoyed this book!

Honestly, it wasn't at all what I thought it would be, but I rather enjoyed the surprise. I enjoyed the murder mystery aspect, which was unexpected and worked surprisingly well in this grim dark story. Though plot and pacing were slow at times, I imagine this is because it is a first book and needs a lot of world building and some exposition to fully flesh out this world, which, I found myself fully immersed in by the end.

Characters were enjoyable to read about and well fleshed out, though I felt like they could be a little more likable, especially the FMC who at times felt a little arrogant.

Overall though, I definitely enjoyed this and will look forward to more.

Many thanks to Littlebrownbooks uk and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own and I am leaving a review voluntarily.

2.5 STARS

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating this so low makes me sad but somehow I had expected something different from this book. It being pitched as an epic fantasy is wrong in my opinion. Yes, we are introduced to an expansive world with many different factions and characters but, in the end, the book solely revolves around uncovering the mystery of some missing children with some politicking sprinkled in between.

The two main characters Holt Hawley and Enelda Drake never really endeared themselves to me and in some way or another, I was constantly annoyed with both of them. Hawley was a broody man loyal to an institution that does not pay him back in gratitude for his loyalty in any way and Drake was an opaque woman who immediately understands every situation she is in but usually does not share her insights with others until way after the fact... The combination of the two of them was frustrating to read about and made it hard to keep picking the book up.

Another thing I disliked or rather I had expected something different from is the setting. After some limited movement in the beginning, the story is rather stationary. I wish I would have been led to expect this to be more of a "murder" mystery instead of being prepared for an epic fantasy story because that dampened my enjoyment a lot if I'm honest and also explains why it took me this long to finish. The pacing generally was a little off and especially the climactic events in the end and how the book wrapped up felt too long-winded.

Still, the story in itself was nice for what it was. I did not enjoy it that much but I think a lot of that is also tied to my expectations and them not being met at all. If you enjoy mysteries and also like reading stories set in a secondary world, this might be totally up your alley. I for one will definitely take a look at the second book and maybe decide to keep reading the story.

The cover for this had me instantly hooked and wanting to read more.
This was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and found the plot brilliant.

This was a great start to a brand new series. From perfectly woven POVs and fleshed-out characters to intricate world-building and a mystery that had me wanting to keep reading, I couldn't ask for more. This blends fantasy with mystery in the most amazing way.

My only complaint is that the pace was a bit slow at times, but it is common in epic fantasy, so that the busy moments feel even more fantastical.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an E-ARC of this book.

Murder mystery crossing into fantasy seems to appeal to me because I had a great time with this. It took a beat to get into and it did feel a little slow at times but given how good the action was I didn't mind that. There is alot of scope here for a solid series with novellas and more if the pacing picks up. Solid start and will continue

Thank you Netgalley for early access!
Really enjoyed the book, world building and characters we very interesting!

This is fantasy done right! Dark but well thought-out worldbuilding with rather a 'Witcher Vibe', but with a pair of protagonists who reminded me of Richard Sharpe and Granny Weatherwax! The 'no-nonsense' realism was very welcome, giving a grounded feeling to the action that engaged me throughout.

Original and refreshing in a grimdark world, reminding us that there is always hope (even if you have to fight for it).

Initially when I picked up this book, I was expecting an epic, high fantasy adventure somewhere along the lines of Lord of The Rings/The Wheel of Time, but this was not that! It was gritty and grimy and dark and actually more along the lines of a fantasy murder mystery/detective story rather than a classic quest adventure. This means it won't be for everyone, but it was still a good story and I'll be keeping an eye out for future installments.
The highlight of the book for me was really the characters, particularly Hawley who was a real breath of fresh air in terms of fantasy protagonists. He tries to do good but he's impulsive and rash and perhaps a little too willing to turn to violence to meet his goals! His flaws made him feel really human and I enjoyed learning more about his backstory and how he came to be his disillusioned self. Enelda was perhaps a bit more of a classic fantasy character: the wise old mentor, but she had lots of hidden depths that I really appreciated. She was clever and powerful, yet that power was limited to the extent that the stakes were still maintained throughout. Her struggles against darkness were genuinely emotional and I also really liked her development throughout (no spoilers as to the specifics though- read the book if you want to find out!). The villains were also appropriately hateable- really slimy and just awful. Some characters really made my skin crawl throughout the book and unfortunately also were very realistic.
The mystery element of the book was also generally effective. It had the trademarks of all good mysteries in that it was simple enough to make sense yet complex enough to keep me guessing. There were lots of little 'OH!' moments and the final confrontation and resolution was really excellent. I really enjoyed the slight horror elements and how all of the little plot threads wove together nicely.
All that said, there are a few reasons why this wasn't quite a 5 star read for me. The pace was extremely slow for the middle chunk of the book to the extent that it felt quite stuck in one place. I think perhaps Hawley could have done with a bit more to do in this section, because it felt like he was just 'there' for a lot of it and not really involved. I also wasn't entirely convinced by the worldbuilding. It felt quite generic for the most part and the only interesting things to do with the magic happened within the last 50 pages so weren't present for most of the book. It was very much 'generic medieval England' (which can be done well! But it did feel a little bland here). The prose was also a little bit rough in the beginning. It improves throughout, but I struggled a little bit with the first few chapters.
To conclude, this is a solid book, if 'safe' fantasy novel with well rounded characters and an ultimately satisfying story. If you're on the lookout for a classic-feeling but gritty fantasy with plenty of mystery and don't mind a slow pace, check this one out!

The Last Vigilant delivers a gripping blend of fantasy and mystery that starts with a burst of energy and settles into a slower, more deliberate pace. Though set in a world of forgotten magic, ancient orders, and looming war, this story leans heavily into the structure of a murder investigation, offering something refreshing for fans of genre crossovers.

What Hawley doesn’t expect is to find Enelda Drake, an elderly woman living alone in a crumbling forest tower with only a raven for company. Claiming to be the last Vigilant, she joins Hawley on an investigation that leads them to a castle full of secrets, vanishing children, and rising tensions.

Much of the book takes place within the castle, which serves almost like a locked-room mystery setting. Magic exists, but plays a quiet role until later in the book. Political schemes, religious factions, and corrupt soldiers instead drive the story. It is more mystery than traditional epic fantasy, and readers should adjust expectations accordingly.

The characters are where the novel shines. Sergeant Holt Hawley is a weary, sharp-edged man who his unit has cast aside. Enelda, gruff and mysterious, keeps her cards close, frustrating Hawley and the reader alike. Their dynamic is tense, but gradually grows into one of mutual respect. They’re joined by a few standout side characters, including Iveta, a bold and clever girl caught in the power plays of the nobility.

Though some readers may find the pacing uneven — with moments of momentum followed by long stretches of dialogue or introspection — the well-plotted mystery and scattered twists reward patience. The fantasy world itself feels rich, even if its full scope is only hinted at, and many reviewers noted the potential for deeper exploration in future books.

Latham's prose is both accessible and immersive, striking a balance between intrigue and emotion. There are moments of gore and action, but the focus is more cerebral, emphasising secrets, deception, and justice. The cover may mislead readers into expecting a high-octane fantasy adventure, but at its heart, this is a character-driven mystery steeped in forgotten lore and moral ambiguity.

The Last Vigilant is a strong series opener that can stand alone, but clearly sets the stage for future developments. With a twist-filled ending and compelling characters, it will appeal to fans of The Witcher or The Tainted Cup, especially those who enjoy their fantasy grounded in investigative drama.

The lost vigilante is a book that will immediately capture your attention with its fast paced beginning. The book is overall rather medium paced. Forgotten magic, enemies that have become fairytales, demons and angels create a setting for our mystery that our two unlike and captivating protagonists with an unknown past have to solve. This well-fleshed out mystery made me turn the pages and had an ending that I didn't expect.
Overall I enjoyed the book. I have to say that I don't really read mysteries, so I just wasn't the preferred audience for this one. Sadly, I wasn't really invested in the characters, even though I really liked some of the minor characters.
I like the cover, but it is a bit misleading tbh. Yes, this is a classical fantasy, but it's a mystery with a classical fantasy setting and I wish they had done the cover differently to include the mystery part as well.

The disgraced and loathed Sargent Hawley is sent on a wild goose chase to find a legendary Vigilant, an old and disbanded order. Despite the efforts of his treacherous unit he actually finds one, only they aren't what he was expecting. The last vigilant turns out to be an old woman called Enelda Drake, living alone in a crumbling tower in the forest with just a pet raven for company. Together they set off to investigate a case of multiple missing children, including a child hostage whose mother is a commander of a neighbouring kingdom - if they can't find him, war will be coming.

Although this is set in a fantasy world and there are some fantasy elements - especially relating to angel and demon-like entities and talk of gods - this is primarily a murder mystery/ crime investigate -type story. There's also a lot of scheming, politics and corruption that Hawley and Enelda must carefully negotiate in order to work out what's going on.

Hawley isn't stupid, he's observant and understands the dangers of the world, but he's also wronged, rash and quick to choose violence. Enelda is very much an elder mentor figure and she knows more than she lets on, which is very frustrating to Hawley and the reader, although it does make sense for the story. I enjoyed their grumpy/grumpy dynamic.

I enjoy a good mystery and didn't mind that the fantasy setting was minimal. I did occasionally struggle to keep track of all of the characters and military and religious groups involved. It's also maybe a little long, or needed to be a little streamlined - especially the long blocks of speech.

Overall though, I enjoyed the mystery and the characters. I look forward to further adventures of Holt Hawley and Enelda Drake.

In a world where children are disappearing, Sergeant Hawley is entrusted with a mission: to find the last living Vigilant in hopes of uncovering what is truly happening. The Vigilants were once a powerful, ancient order dedicated to justice, using their keen observation, skills, and magic to uphold it.

What Hawley doesn’t expect is to find the elderly Enelda—a woman who claims to be the last Vigilant. Together, they embark on a journey to uncover the truth, facing political intrigue, a new order of Vigilants, and corrupt soldiers along the way.

What initially drew me to this book was its premise, especially since it was marketed as an epic fantasy. However, I would say it's more of a mystery with fantasy elements. To be completely honest, magic only becomes an important part of the story towards the end.

I found the pacing of the book to be somewhat challenging. Just when things seemed like they were picking up, it would slow again. This definitely affected my engagement with the story, influenced my overall rating and enjoyment.

There’s no denying the author put a lot of thought into the plot, with its twists, mysteries, and surprises. The writing is also very accessible and easy to follow.

The dynamic between Sergeant Hawley and Enelda was compelling, elevated by the inclusion of another strong and fearless female main character, Iveta. She pushes bounderies, and defies a society full of sexism and misogyny. The fact that the last Vigilant is a woman made the story even more enjoyable for me.

There are moments of gore and action, but not quite to the degree you might expect in a typical fantasy novel. The focus is much more on politics, deception, and the murder-mystery elements.

I did feel the world-building was minimal, which left me wanting to know more. Although I do believe there is a great potential for expansion around the world and magic.

The ending sets up perfectly for a sequel, which I would definitely pick up as I'm curious to find out more.

A Promising Epic Fantasy with Mystery and Heart

Mark A. Latham’s The Last Vigilant is a vivid debut that marries high fantasy with detective-style intrigue. Hawkley, a cadet shunned for his failures, is sent to find the legendary Vigilant—and instead discovers Enelda, a wizened, out-of-practice hero who may be key to saving their kingdom  .

Highlights:
• Compelling Duo: Hawley’s driven intensity and Enelda’s cautious strength create a dynamic duo worth rooting for .
• Layered Plot: Political machinations, missing children, and ancient magic weave together into a gripping narrative .
• Atmospheric World-building: A dark, magic-starved realm filled with monsters and wary soldiers elevates the tension .

Considerations:
• Opening Pace: The story’s initial chapters can feel slow as character motivations and settings are established.
• Classic Fantasy Vibes: Some elements align with familiar epic fantasy structures, though well-realized.

Thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC. The Last Vigilant is a strong start with great potential for the series—fans of Richard Swan and Anthony Ryan should be especially pleased

The Last Vigilant was a pleasant surprise and a solid start to what looks to be an intriguing fantasy series. It takes a familiar setup — an aging soldier, a vanished child, and whispers of long-lost magic — and does something a bit different with it. What I appreciated most was how the story leans into mystery as much as fantasy. A good chunk of the book plays out like an investigation, with the characters trying to uncover what’s really going on behind the castle walls. I didn’t expect that tone going in, but I ended up enjoying it.

Holt Hawley is a strong lead, flawed, worn down, but still trying to do right. Enelda Drake, the supposed last Vigilant, is a great counterpoint: sharp, guarded, and not at all what you'd expect from someone out of legend. Their dynamic gives the story some of its best moments. They don’t always get along, but that tension feels real and earned. I liked how their relationship slowly developed over time.

The world itself feels lived in, with just enough hints at a larger mythology that I’m definitely curious about what’s coming next. That said, the pacing does slow a bit in the middle, especially when the focus stays inside the castle. If you’re looking for non-stop action, this might not be it, but if you like intrigue and slow-burn tension, it works really well.

Overall, The Last Vigilant stands out for its character work and the way it blends genres. It didn’t completely blow me away, but I enjoyed it from start to finish and will definitely pick up the sequel.

A murder mystery/crime fantasy release with hints of great world building and two main characters that have a fantastic dynamic.
Plotwise the author plays it safe and for that the book is a bit too long and has some pacing issues throughout. The appendix indicates a great world, which I hope we can explore in the sequel.
3,5 stars.

4.5/5 stars

The Last Vigilant is the first book in the epic fantasy series Kingdom of Oak and Steel set in a world where magic and monsters have been forgotten as myth. When a foreign child who was part of a hostage exchange between noble families goes missing, Sargent Holt Hawley is tasked with finding a Vigilant, a member of an ancient but exiled order of magicians, who may be able to locate the missing child before war breaks out. Hated by his own unit for his low blood, no one expects Holt to succeed except he does find an old woman who may be the real deal. Together, they travel to the castle in Scarfell where the boy went missing and uncover a far bigger conspiracy involving more missing children, corrupt soldiers, and power hungry politicians.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a steady 4-star read through most of the story with an exceedingly fantastic ending that pushed it up to a 4.5-star rating. An important detail to know about the book to set expectations is that this is more of a mystery than a true epic fantasy story, with over 50% of the book set just in the castle with a focus on the investigation. So it’s a bit like a locked-room mystery, and I absolutely love mysteries myself so I really liked the direction. To give comp titles, it’s Richard Swan’s The Justice of Kings with some of Robert Jackson Bennett’s characterizations from The Tainted Cup with a very strong Witcher (but not fairytale) vibe. I don’t know if that makes sense, but that’s how I’d personally describe it.

The book distinguishes itself by having the main two protagonists both be older and wizened and tired of life. Holt Hawley has been beaten down by life, having risen through the ranks despite being of low birth because of a backer who believed in him whose loss and Holt’s own mistakes has led to his alienation. While sharp in his own way, he is definitely the brawn in this duo to Enelde Drake’s brain. Nel is a grumpy old woman whose powers of observation feels like magic to others, but there is a method to her crazy ways that suggest an even deeper more mysterious power. I liked this pairing and how they played off each other in both helpful and conflicting ways. There are also a few memorable supporting characters that serve to soften the central duo’s grumpiness including a young castle ward and an idealistic guard captain.

The Last Vigilant is more a mystery than epic fantasy and serves as a great series opener that can also be read as a standalone.

*Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK for the eARC via NetGalley