Scott's Take: The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien De Castell

The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien De Castell is a complicated book just like all his works. The book jacket copy describes the read in one way and the actual book tells another. In the book description, Cade is a mercenary wizard who, after the end of his last job, pissed off a lot of people. He has now joined his friend Corrigan on a suicide mission to kill 7 deadly wizards who want to change the world for the better. Of course, things are a lot more complicated than that.

 

This book has action, horror, drama, humor, and lots of dark fantasy elements. This is a world where there are not really any just rock-solid good guys or good girls. Everybody in the read, just like real life, are characters that are shades of grey.

 

As one expects in a book by Sebastien De Castell, there are plenty of twists, turns and manipulations. My one complaint is that for a book that supposed to be from the bad guy perspective, the so called “bad guys” are not as bad as one would expect. They are pretty tame. I was expecting evil mercenaries, instead I read about people who are troubled and need a good therapist.

 

While the book is supposed to be about fighting the powerful wizards, a good portion of the book is spent on the journey to get to where the other wizards are gathering. There is also a good portion of the book spent detailing Cade’s last job before he went on this suicide mission. While a really good book, The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien De Castell is not the book I was expecting based on the book jacket copy.

 

The book offers a route for a possible sequel should the author choose to do it. I hope that happens.

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My reading copy from the Downtown, or Central Branch, of the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott A. Tipple © 2024