Speak with the Dead

Speak with the Dead is one of the more enjoyable fantasy novels I’ve come across this year. Taylor’s novel takes a world which could become another grimdark saga—the story opens with debt collectors coming after the protagonist’s widowed mother and goes on after the protagonist practically sells herself to be a soldier—and instead becomes a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired romp, with a little political drama tossed in for flavor. At times, the modern tone of it threw me off a little, but on the whole, I greatly enjoyed the read.

Anna, the aforementioned protagonist, quickly goes from being a baker’s daughter who hunts in the woods and scavenges ruined houses to supplement her mother’s income to being a soldier called on to fulfill a potentially deadly mission. She is a delightful character to follow, filling the mold of a classic fantasy protagonist with enough freshness to keep her familiar rather than stale. The story keeps that same feeling; it reminded me of the fantasy novels I grew up with, and I greatly enjoyed seeing the places it broke from the patterns, along with seeing old patterns I remembered.

What interested me most was the hints of worldbuilding that came through in the narrative. Taylor focuses mostly on the action of the book, but does a good job making it feel as though that action is taking place in a wider world, one which has not only a variety of people in it but a rich history behind it.

My one complaint about the book (and the reason for giving four rather than five stars) was that some of the scenes dragged on. They never became a slog, but I recall a few that seemed to be more for the purpose of amusing the reader than anything else. Some may enjoy these scenes, but I felt the amusement could have appeared just as easily in the scenes that also explored character dynamics or the wider world. Those parts of the book that did focus on those elements were much more enjoyable.

On the whole, Speak with the Dead was a lot of fun to read, and I found myself speeding through it! I recommend it to anyone who has fond memories of Tolkien knock-offs and wants something that has a lighter touch, or who never really saw themselves in what was often a male-dominated genre. I’m eager to read more of Taylor’s work when I get a chance!