View source for Infernal by Mark De Jager

{{infobox
|title=Infernal
|author=Mark De Jager
|reviewer= Luke Marlowe
|genre=Fantasy
|summary= With strong ideas, a fast moving plot and a memorable lead character, Mark de Jager makes a strong debut into the world of Fantasy
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=384
|publisher=Del Rey
|date=August 2016
|isbn=978-1785033346
|website=https://twitter.com/gergaroth
|video=
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1785033352</amazonuk>
}}

Stratus wakes alone, with no memory of his past. All he knows is his name and that he is not human. Possessing immense strength, powerful sorcery and an insatiable hunger, he sets out across a landscape torn apary by a war, as a dark magic drives the world to the brink of destruction. Disoriented and pusued relentlessly by enemies, he will have ot learn what he truly is, or risk bringing the world into ruin...

I'll start by saying that I'm a huge fantasy fan. For someone prone to frequent daydreams, the idea of being able to wield a sword in one hand and a badass magical spell in the other is, unsurprisingly, attractive (I'm well aware that if I were transported to some fantasy setting, I'd be more likely to be some sort of ''Fantasy Librarian'', but let me keep my daydreams...). As a result, I'm always highly excited to stumble across new fantasy authors and new fantasy series, but in recent years, when the Fantasy genre has reached new levels of popularity, it's always rather difficult to tell what will be a good read. 

Well, there's no such issue with ''Infernal''. As soon as read the first page I had an inkling that this would be a cracking read, and boy was I right. 
Debut author Mark De Jager is clearly a fan of the genre, as he's crafted a book that fulfills the demands of a rollicking epic fantasy book, with violence, magic and chaos galore, but, wonderfully, he's also taken the time to create fantastic, compelling characters who drive the book along - Stratus and Tatyana grab the reader from the offset, guiding through an action packed plot and leaving the reader with a major twist. 

In addition, one of my biggest fears about such books is how magic is used - it's often flung in without much thought, and nonsensical magic systems are a real bugbear of mine (I'm aware I probably have bigger things to worry about, but...). Even with necromancers, wizards, and countless spells flying about, de Jager has given thought to that one too - with actions given weighty consequences and helping to add a sense of ''realism'' to the magical world that he's created.  

A compelling read that I'd heartily reccomend to fantasy fans, ''Infernal'' is definitely worth your time - so many thanks to the publishers for the copy, and congratulations to the author on a very strong debut. For further reading I would reccomend [[Promise of Blood (Powder Mage Trilogy) by Brian McClellan]] - for me one of the strongest fantasy debuts of the last decade, and packed full of both action and compelling characters. 

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