Release Date: August 5th 2021
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Pages: 432
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

Fight the Storm.

Protect your people.
The endless rotstorm rages over the ruins of the Ferron Empire. Floré would never let the slavers of the Empire rise again. As a warrior of the Stormguard Commandos, she wrought horrors in the rotstorm to protect her people. She did her duty and left the bloodshed behind.

Fight for your family.
Floré’s peace is shattered when blazing orbs of light cut through the night sky and descend on her village. Her daughter is abducted and Floré is forced into a chase across a land of twisted monsters and ancient gods. She must pursue the mysterious orbs, whose presence could herald the return of the Empire she spent her entire life fighting.

Destroy your enemies.
Now, Floré must take up the role she had sworn to put aside and become the weapon the Stormguard trained her to be, to save not only her daughter, but her people…

Review

The Gauntlet and the First Beneath is the first in an all-new fantasy series from Ian Green. The story follows Floré, who was once a warrior of the stormguard alongside mage Janos. The two have left all of that behind them to raise their daughter in a peaceful village. When one mysterious orbs appear in the sky and Floré’s daughter is abducted, she embarks on a quest to save her. The Gauntlet and the First Beanth is such a unique and compelling fantasy story. The story is action-packed right from the very first chapter and will have you on the edge of your seat till the very end.

The story is well paced and Green gives the reader a chance to learn about the world as the story progresses. I thought the rot storm was such a unique concept and the history of the world was incredibly detailed. Throughout the story we are treated to chapters set in the past, which gives the reader a chance to learn about Floré and Jano’s past. The history and lore is woven well throughout the story and I am so intrigued to see where the story goes next. 

The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath is a well paced story and Green gives the reader a chance to learn about Floré’s life and the world around her. I thought the world building was well done and the magic system and gods were all well explained. I felt like Green did a brilliant job of explaining the world without dumping all the info in at the start of the story, it’s woven into the plot throughout. I also enjoyed learning the history of the world and the fight against the Empire. This made the story really intriguing and I can’t wait to see more of this world as the series develops. I was particularly hooked during the last hundred pages of the book, and I cannot wait to see where Green takes the story next. There are so many interesting elements in this story – there are gods and magic but there’s also a bit of a science fiction element too which was something I wasn’t expecting.

Floré is a really interesting main character, a woman who is desperate to get her daughter back. She is such a strong kick-ass main character and there is absolutely nothing she won’t do to get Marta back. I also really liked Yselda as well as Cuss and Petron. The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath is a really impressive debut, one I think lots of fantasy fans will fall in love with. It has fascinating and complex characters, fast-paced action scenes, and an incredibly unique world. If you’re looking for a captivating fantasy read to keep you engrossed on a long summer evening, The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath should definitely be on your wish list.