Rating: 4.75 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
Captain Elliott Parrish is loyal to Queen and country and that devotion has brought him to hell on Earth. Along with members of the Light Brigade and thousands of other British and French soldiers, the cavalryman suffers through disease, violent weather, and military incompetence while serving in the Crimea. As the Russian army slaughters his friends and the idea of a quick war gives way to the reality of an endless campaign, Elliott struggles to maintain his natural cheerfulness. And then he meets the mysterious Ilyas Kovakin.
Ellis is Russian and British by birth, and neither side trusts him. He serves the British, but only because they hold his mother captive. Now he exists as something of a shadow, never quite a part of the army, yet intricately linked to it. His fellow soldiers suspect he is either a spy, or worse, a practitioner of some dark magic. The reality is so much crueler. Ilyas has been possessed by a demon of unimaginable power and only Ilyas’ stubborn will holds the beast at bay. But time is running out and the demon is growing stronger. In order to free himself of his brutal master, Ilyas turns to Elliott for help. As the war rages around them, Elliott and Ilyas grow closer, but ultimately find themselves in a race against time to save one another and their countrymen.
I was so happy that Jay came along and offered up the September Reading Challenges. The Devil Lancer was one of those books that I bought with every intention of starting right away and somehow it slipped away from me. But now, nearly a year later, the TBR Pile Challenge offered up the perfect opportunity to pick it up and I am thrilled that I did.
The Devil Lancer was a wonderful novel. Or rather it was two wonderful novels. Let me explain. The author has done an excellent job of integrating the hellish nightmare of the Crimean War with an epic fantasy. However, there were times when I would have preferred the author pick one path or the other. The historical context is exceptionally rendered and the reader is quickly drawn into the brutal hell of a senseless war. Most people have heard about the Charge of the Light Brigade, but fewer realize this was part of a wider conflict that was so mismanaged on the part of the British and French that it’s a wonder anyone survived. I could sense Elliot’s desperation as he becomes the hapless pawn of bungling commanders. His devotion to his country, to his men, and to the horses that carry him to battle is painfully elegant and utterly heartbreaking. This part of The Devil Lancer was so well done it was incredibly easy to become swept up in the action and the agony of Elliot’s fierce determination to survive.
Though he also serves as a solider, Ilyas is dealing with an even greater foe. The demon that resides inside him is slowly destroying his self-control and the end result is a creature that lusts for blood and destruction and little else. Desperate to escape the demon’s clutches, Ilyas hopes that Elliott’s love of cryptology will help him decode a complex language that may offer clues to his situation. This aspect of The Devil Lancer was also extremely well done and just as interesting as the history. Ilyas, like Elliott, is a prisoner of his situation. He is as intense and brooding as Elliott is cheerful. The two are a natural fit and you can’t help but enjoy the brief moments of happiness they carve out of the chaos. But as good as both the historical and fantastical elements of The Devil Lancer are, sometimes I felt as though the one detracted from the other. Just as I settled into the historical groove, I was pulled out of the moment and set on the fantasy path. This was a little frustrating, but only a little. It really was small issue and it didn’t excessively detract from my overall enjoyment, but did prevent me from giving it a perfect rating.
The Devil Lancer is an excellently written and wonderfully complex melding of history and fantasy. While there were times when each of these aspects would have been served by separate novels, the author has done a truly amazing job of using radically different genres to produce an original and captivating story with two delightful protagonists. Consider this one definitely recommended!
This review is part of our September Reading Challenge Month for TBR Pile Week! Leave a relevant comment below and you will be entered to win this week’s fabulous prize of a loaded iPad Mini sponsored by Dreamspinner Press, as well as our amazing grand prize sponsored by Riptide Publishing. You can get more information on our Challenge Month here, and more details on TBR Pile week here. And be sure to check out our prize post for more about the awesome prizes!Â
What a wonderful review! I’ve never heard of it before, but historical romance is one of my favorite genres so this sounds very interesting, especially as you describe the depictions of the Crimean war. Fantasy though is less of a favorite, but well done and, again, especially in combination with the historical genre, I will go and check this out a bit closer.
I don’t know how I missed this one…it sounds very engaging!
I loved, loved, loved The Devil Lancer. It made me cringe, and it made me cry, and I suffered terribly for Ilyas and Elliot. I was so sure there was no chance at a HEA for them. I also had a terribly time reading about the war, about both men descend into their own hell, Elliot seeing his friends and brothers-in-arms being killed purposelessly, and Ilyas watching his very own soul being devoured by evil. I must recognise this book made me cry. I share some of your points of views on the book, Sue, in that some times it seemed two different stories, but I really enjoyed the way they intertwined, and how the supernatural element didn’t rest reality to what was going on. Definitively, the Devil Lancer is one of my favourite books.
Thank you for a great review!
Thank you for the excellent review! Â I’ve had the Devil Lancer on my TBR list for a while and now I really need to read it. Â I, too, have read books where you just get into one storyline and then are pulled out for another and felt that frustration. Â But, it is usually minor for me. Â And I think I will still love the Devil Lancer.
This sounds like a really interesting book. I have never read anything by this author so this sounds like a good one to start with. Historicals are not my favorite but I do like fanasty. Thanks for a great review.Â
This is a book that I’ve not come across in a review yet by a new-to-me author. Based on your review it sounds rather intriguing so I’m adding yet another to my ever-expanding wishlist. Thanks!
I’ve had this on my Kindle FOREVER. I’ve never read it because it’s so different from the other Astrid Amara books I’ve read and loved. I guess I should just get over it and give it a go. I’ve loved every one of her books that I’ve read and your review leads me to believe I’ll feel the same about this one. Thanks. 🙂
This sounds fascinating! I’m definitely going to go download a sample immediately and see what I think.
Historically are not usually my thing. I’m more a contemporary guy, but the book does sound interesting. Maybe I’ll give it a try.
I’m not familiar with this book or the author. Â Historical romance is one of my favorite genres but I have never been much of a fan of fantasy. Â But I’m going to consider giving this one a shot. Â Thanks for the review.
Thanks for the great review! I’ve been wanting to read this one. I’ll have to try it soon.
Although I feel like I’ve seen that cover before, I don’t think I’d ever read about it. Such a compelling story! Thank you for letting us understand more about this one, Sue. I’m definitely intrigued and now have it on my wishlist. I haven’t read anything by Astrid Amara either, but I’ve heard good things, one more great thing now.
Thank you for the review. This book is actually on my TBR list and reading your review has made me want to go read it but at the same time I’m worried I might be overly bias because of the multiple storyline presented in the story.
I’d never heard of this book, but I really enjoyed reading the review. Up until the moment I read “possessed by demon.” I had to do a double take. 🙂 Here I was thinking it was all historical and sad, and then it took a paranormal turn. I might still give this a look because I’ve read some good historical paranormal romance. Thanks for the review.
I love this book, Â definitely one of my favourite reads. Â I loved the setting, Â the characters and the way in which it was written. B
Thank you for the review! Wow, this is an author I read many years ago and then completely lost track of. I enjoyed her books back then and I’m really happy to now be reminded of her and see that she has more for me to try. This really makes my day…yay for the TBR challenge!!
Oh wow, this sounds awesome! I love the blending of genuine historical with that fantastical element.
Must say, I never heard of it, but I have enjoyed others of Amara’s books. This should probably be an auto buy for me!Â
Fantastic review! I love Amara’s stories. I’ve had this one on my TBR mountain for ages; it always seemed so daunting and epic. Your review has inspired me to get to reading it!!
I’ve heard such good things about this book, so thank you for the review. I’ve read several historical romances set in the Crimean but not one with a fantasy element. This sounds awfully appealing.
I’m not much of a historical story reader. I would also imagine that this time frame of history has not been written about.Â
As a historian this book totally has my attention! The Crimean War isn’t the usual historical novel setting in this genre so I’m excited to read this. Thanks for adding one more to the TBR pile!