The Warrior

Not sure what to make of this one - it is mostly a rehash of ideas used in the first book in the duology (questing to save the world with a small band who are not necessarily all on the same page). The quest is a bit weirder - the location is some parallel reality with some infection spreading in rather than the icy waste, but the modified monster concept remains the same. We get a bit more backstory on what is happening back home this time, as Kell's wife provides one of the major POV characters. This story is often more interesting than the main quest story which kind of breaks the flow of the book sometimes. The characters remain as engaging as ever though and the companions of Kell provide an intriguing extra, with their own clever redemption arcs.

A nice questing novel, not breaking any new literary ground but well enough written to be enjoyable

Last summer, we were introduced to Kell Kressia, a man who was mistaken for a hero and sent on a quest to save the world from the terrible Ice Lich in the far Frozen North – and not for the first time. The Warrior picks up two years after he returned victorious and finds Kell stagnating: having been married off to Sigrid, and now appointed King, when he'd rather have gone back to his quiet life on the farm. Offering him a timely escape, comes Willow...

My full review can be read online via Grimdark Magazine, here:

https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/review-the-warrior-by-stephen-aryan/