What will happen once the Haar returns to devour us all?'Įleventh Cycle has one of the best levels of worldbuilding that I've seen in a long time, with a really dark and grim execution. The very fibre of one's being is unmade and returns to its lapping mists. 'What happens to those who venture beyond the Haar? Some stories say that you become unravelled. But let's go by parts, as Jack the Ripper said. Four mortals are called to be part of its destiny to become the savior that was promised from very different origins we will be following their paths and how their experiences will transform them. Our story brings us to Minethria, a land encircled by the mists, where the prophecy predicts the Eleventh Seed will be born. We have a really complex book, with several layers that give it an incredible amount of depth, from the worldbuilding of Minethria to the characters and how those characters evolve through the story, being a tour de force of grimdark fantasy, proof that we should keep an eye on the talent Kian N. I'm not really sure how I can write a review that can do justice to the much that occurs in the pages of Eleventh Cycle.

Though its shaping comes naturally from the higher being, talented mortals have also shown a proclivity for being able to mould it into equipment or magical objects.' The Bayrish language calls it the Haar, yet the Highers beings name it Nif. Many cultures have different names for it. 'Minethria was born from Mist, shaped and moulded by the Elder King himself. It also deals with very heavy themes like realistic representation of disability, has descriptive sexual content, self-harm, mental illness, rape, and suicidal ideation. There is a lot of violence, gore, heavy language. Yet the last Seed born hath turned traitor, and the mists, which had been pushed back, returneth.ĬONTENT WARNING (can contain minor spoilers): This book is Grimdark. Will the cycle finally be completed? Or will the mist swallow all?Ī seed is born and the evil is slain, so doth another cycle commences.

And a woman running into front lines and away from home.

A highborn stuck between the realm of gods and men. A farmer girl with only love in her eyes. Four mortals will have a part to play in Minethria’s fate. And the constricting mists infect the lands with fear.īut there is more to this tale than just the Elders and their Seeds. The Witnesses pray so that they may not turn into one of the forgotten. It has been a thousand years since the last Seed abandoned their duty.

Eleventh Cycle by Kian N. Ardalan