The Bookwyrm's Review of I Shall Return With Winter by C. F. Welburn

 

Amazon

Goodreads

Rating: 9.5/10

Synopsis

DEFY FATE. DEFY GODS. DEFY EVERYONE.

When Oben’s farm is sacked by marauding Skalgs, he embarks on a deadly quest for revenge, leaving pious Edale behind to enter the godless north.

But Skaligar is a strange place, and his enemies are full of surprises, which will push his endurance and his faith to their limits. He finds himself an unwitting pawn in their ancient prophecy; one which tells of a Conduit who will deliver Edale into their hands.

If Oben is to see his homeland again, he must not only survive, he must prove the prophecy wrong, whilst exacting vengeance on those to whom he grows ever more bound.

Review

I have been a fan of C. F. Welburn's books since I discovered his Ashen Levels series, and when I heard he had written a dark fantasy with some Norse flavor to it, I was intrigued. When I got the chance to read it, I dove in, and while it is very distinct from his previous work, the things that appealed to me in those previous books were still very much present with I Shall Return With Winter. The same strong world building and character creation is there, and the twisting plot keeps you guessing the whole way through.

That world building is on full display from the beginning. We start off in Edale, the "civilized" country in the south, where a village has just been raided and part burned by the Skalg "barbarians" from across the border in Skaligar. This dynamic is the main crux of the story, since the long term enmity between the two has spilled over for years, but the truth behind this violence and mistrust between the two countries is revealed throughout the story, with some very surprising twists and turns. 

The characters definitely drive the story. From the time he leaves his village to chase the Skalgs, Oben is the driving force behind all the subsequent events. His arc is so interesting, starting with being an unambitious farmer, but driven to revenge when people he loves are killed in a raid. Completely unprepared with anything resembling combat training, he follows a bunch of warriors and manages a small measure of revenge through sheer luck. After being marked by a goddess in a storm (or maybe just being struck by lightning) his arc takes a wildly different turn after his capture by the Skalg, who seem to think he might fit a prophesy. This is where his story takes some wild twists and turns, as fate, or just sheer coincidence, finds Oben in events no farmer should ever find himself in, and he finds himself at the center of something that will shape the future of two countries.

The secondary characters really enhance Oben's arc. Outcast Skalgs (actually Taliskans, in their own language) like Rak, a warrior cast out of his clan, and Blin, who found herself on the wrong side of her clans laws for little things like murder, have really interesting arcs of their own, and help round Oben into the man he becomes by the end of the book. They have so much tragedy in their past, and have death hanging over their heads, and yet they still fight alongside Oben throughout the story, even when they would rather just take their executions at times. They really add a lot of character to the story.

The antagonists aren't just villains of the evil king variety. They have rational reasons for their actions, and justify it for the greater good. And if they benefit as well, so much the better. They have some really interesting arcs, and their effects on the two countries with their actions causes a lot of pain and devastation, but not all hope is lost. They are excellent foils for Oben and his companions, and the twists involving them just really surprise the reader, in the best way.

This book definitely fits more on the dark fantasy side, and while it doesn't slide over into full grimdark, it does skirt the edges. There are some really morally questionable choices various characters make, but as things are revealed in the story, you find that the ends do justify the means in some cases. If you are looking for a story with a bright, happy ending, you might have to look elsewhere. However, if youre looking for a gritty, character driven fantasy tale, this just might be for you. I can tell you this ending is satisfying in its own way, and is completely consistent with the arc of the story. I think fantasy fans will be able to find something to love with this story, no matter their preferences. I highly recommend checking it out and seeing for yourself.