Skull’s Vengeance (Curse of Clansmen and Kings Book 4)

HISTORICAL: Set in ancient Britannia, “Skull’s Vengeance” centers around Catrin, now a battle-hardened warrior and burgeoning sorceress. After her stint as a gladiator, Catrin has set out to take revenge against her half-brother, King Marrock. Marrock has been using the power of deceased family members’ souls to increase his own power—and one of his goals is to bring about the death of Catrin. Catrin needs allies to gain the power she needs for her revenge. Unfortunately, many of the allies are former allies, and she doesn’t always know who to trust. Her secret marriage with Marcellus comes into play as well. She has decisions to make: will she stay in her homeland and fight for her right to rule, or will love win out and lure her to return to Rome?

 

For a fourth book in a series, Ms. Tanner does a wonderful job of filling in details in her exposition without becoming overwhelming. Unfortunately, despite this fact, this book is a challenging one to pick up mid-series. Many plot points depend on knowledge of previous events and details of character development may be missed by new readers. Despite this fact, Catrin in particular is an incredibly relatable and strong female protagonist. Her emotions and reactions are well-crafted. Ms. Tanner’s world building is superb. Her descriptions truly bring the settings and characters to life in cinematographic detail. “Skull’s Vengeance” weaves together magical elements and historical elements seamlessly. For lovers of political intrigue and historical settings, Linnea Tanner’s visceral epic fantasy series is certain to keep readers satisfied.

 

Shailyn Rogers