A prequel that was set in the same universe but dated five centuries before The Priory Of The Orange Tree’s plot. Quite exhilaratingly written for me; of thrills and suspense with mostly action scenes through a warfare backdrop, A Day Of Fallen Night followed the history of the Priory in the Domain of Lasia (south), land of Seiiki (east) and the Queendom of Inys (west) in four alternate perspectives and lives of its four central characters— Tunuva Melim who is a trained wrym slayer from the Priory, Sabran the Sixth; a queen from the Queendom of Inys, her daughter Glorian and Dumai, a girl who has spent her life in a Seiikinese mountain temple.

Described as a feminist retelling to the legend story of Saint George And The Dragon, I was tempted on how the premise explored more on the human relation aspect specifically towards motherhood, family dynamics, friendship and humanity in the midst of its main arc of threat from a fire-breathing wrym, a peril of draconic plague and a battle in between one’s belief, political and power. It was chaotically riveting and too expansive with its worldbuilding (love both the Priory and Hróth in the north) and stirring characters; a slowpacing progress at first yet as the conflicts heightened with the rise of The Nameless One, it gets more absorbingly fastpacing later.

Love both narratives of Glorian and Dumai, as well Wulf’s paragraphs in between; a gripping secondary perspective, and I like his character a lot. Bit of romance subplot with its queer theme which can be both dramatic and emotionally plotted; not much a fan to both Esbar and Tunuva but I like the interaction in between Dumai and Nikeya which I find more pleasantly subtle and great in dynamic.

Can’t help to get exhausted from the lengthy 800+ pages of it, but I enjoyed the journey nevertheless. Would recommend if you love a character-based myth-fantasy fiction with an epic feminist storyline; of courage, hope and women warriors in a vivid classic-medieval trope. 4 stars to this!

*review copy courtesy of Pansing Distribution, thank you so much!