Crimson Dusk

A dark, brutal, and evocative story. E. P. Soulless delivers again!

When I read Cryosurge, the first book of Annals of Incidental Utopia, I was captivated by the characters and the dark theme of the book. The author’s unique, fast-paced, and yet thoughtfully orchestrated presentation made it quite a memorable read. And all those elements carry over in the second, but it is in this book that the plot truly begins to shine. > The blade drank greedily from the man-shaped fountain. So what do you do when confronted with the assassin who tried to kill you, and almost succeeded? You take them to a pool for a chat over a warm soak, of course! The author surprises us with hillarious twists every now and then, and it serves as a great contrast with the dark theme of the story. > Unfortunately for Idd, the Frost-shaman was back in their ancient halls. Idd, our Frost-shaman protagonist, continues to be my favorite character in the series. We get to know more about the early stages of his life and I loved the way his past and present are woven in through the non-linear presentation. We see him question his ambitions, struggle with the burdens heaved upon his shoulders by larger powers, and his conflict, inner turmoil, and disdain for authority make for a fantastic character. > Shared mirth was a rare disease atop Nostrom, Idd remembered. Madness, though, was practically a prerequisite. I also enjoyed the events of Korthe’s past, which we see for the first time in this book. I’d have also absolutely loved longer books where I get to live the life of both Idd and Korthe, their childhoods, their escapes---all of their past in the fullest of detail. However, that is not the book the author set out to write, and I wouldn’t criticize him for it. Having said that, for someone who supposedly doesn’t care much about academic setups, he has conjured up some rather fantastic dark academia premise. > A dangerous hunger, that hope. A weakness the Tutor often warned against. Korthe’s aimless wandering and Eymir’s chaotic philosophy had been pulling on my nerves for a bit, but then the competition slowly creeps up on you, and when I realized where things were headed, the “Oh shit” moment made it all worth it. Divine intervention FTW. > Obey. Oblige. Obliterate. A mantra of sorts. While the broader themes are interesting, there are also myriad little things in the book that just hit the spot. For instance, I loved how Idd just takes it upon himself to go and rearrange the neglected library. Those things just hook you in at a level way deeper than battles and grand adventures can. > Silence is mercy, but mercy can drown. The bird’s involvement in the story continues to be shrouded in a bit of mystery, but I enjoyed King’s arc actually connecting with the primary storyline. If I have to deliberately pull out a complaint about the story, it’d be that I wish the second and first were one single book. Of course that shouldn’t stop you from trying out the series---just keep in mind that even if the story doesn’t feel as well-connected in the first book, it does build up to something wonderful. And holy cliffhanger, what an ending! The next book can’t come soon enough. > Revolution, like faith, is just exploitation in disguise.