When a book opens with a map of a fictional land, you know you are in for an epic tale. It calls to mind Tolkien’s classic works and the worldbuilding involved that allows readers to fully escape within the fantasy that is being presented to you. This is how Jonathan Maberry’s mammoth new novel starts.

SON OF THE POISON ROSE is the second entry in Maberry’s Kagen the Damned saga, and it takes the swashbuckling adventure experienced in KAGEN THE DAMNED to new heights. Kagen Vale is a reluctant hero. An unwilling chosen one. The Poison Rose is both a reference to his late mother and the poison-tainted blades she left him as her legacy. When we met Kagen, he was the captain of the palace guard charged with protecting the children of the Silver Empire. When the imperial family was killed on his watch, everything in his world changed. He embarked on a mission that found him partnered only with his colleagues Tuke and Filia alden-Bok.

"[The book] is full of battles, suspense, magic, eerie premonitions and even some dark humor. The result is a story that engages and buzzes from start to finish with literally no room to take a breath."

Kagen was to take down the dreaded Witch-king of Hakkia. When he found out that the Witch-king was none other than his older brother, Herepath, his world was rocked once again. Thus begins the battle between two brothers --- one good, one evil --- that drives the narrative of SON OF THE POISON ROSE like a raging storm. KAGEN THE DAMNED already provided enough thrills and graphic scenes to engage any fantasy reader. The sequel delivers fully on this foundation and then some. It is full of battles, suspense, magic, eerie premonitions and even some dark humor. The result is a story that engages and buzzes from start to finish with literally no room to take a breath.

Early on, we are regaled with a high seas adventure that includes an epic battle between Kagen and his allies versus the Ravens, who are under the command of the Witch-king. The dust barely settles on that when the ship Dagon’s Swan is threatened by a hideous sea creature. A good portion of the story involves the creation of the two sides in the war, and at times readers will wish that there was a glossary of characters to go along with the aforementioned map.

A major part of the battle will be the reputed last remaining dragon, supposedly buried in an icy prison somewhere, waiting to be unleashed. Kagen has prophetic dreams throughout the story, some of which deal with his locating and freeing the dragon for the purpose of joining his forces to take on the Witch-king. I will leave it up to you to find out what happens. Let’s just say that there is no shortage of monstrous characters and magic --- both light and dark --- filling these 700 pages.

Jonathan Maberry once again proves that he is a talented writer. Beyond that, he has delved into multiple genres throughout his prolific career and has excelled at each one. The only other modern author to whom I can compare him is Christopher Golden. Could a Kagen Vale miniseries be on the horizon? I can only hope!