Books › The death of the necromancer
The death of the necromancer
First published 1998 · 544 pages
A shadowy, gaslamp-lit romp where a gentleman thief's quest for vengeance collides with ancient, creeping horrors.
What it feels like
Reading this feels like stepping onto the fog-drenched, cobblestone streets of a Victorian-esque metropolis where magic and malice lurk in equal measure. The narrative moves at a brisk, swashbuckling clip, blending the intricate plotting of a high-stakes heist with the creeping dread of a gothic horror mystery. You are immediately drawn into a shadowy world of gentleman thieves, sharp-witted companions, and dark sorcery. The prose is elegant yet sharp, perfectly capturing the wry, cynical tone of a protagonist who hides a fiercely loyal heart beneath a veneer of bitter vengeance. It is an incredibly satisfying experience for anyone who delights in found families of rogues, gaslamp fantasy, and the thrilling pivot from a personal vendetta to a desperate battle against ancient, world-threatening evil.
- Mood
- shadowy
- gaslamp-lit
- eerie
- adventurous
- Tone
- wry
- suspenseful
- atmospheric
- cynical
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- found family · weight of vengeance · hidden identities · loyalty among rogues · confronting the past
- The writing
- Elegant and descriptive, balancing sharp, witty character banter with rich, gothic world-building.
- The arc
- The protagonist shifts from a bitter, isolated obsession with revenge to embracing the protective bonds of a loyal found family.
- Who it's for
- Fans of gentleman thieves, Victorian-esque fantasy settings, and stories where clever rogues must outwit dark, supernatural horrors.
Content notes
- violence
- murder
- child endangerment
- corpses and necromancy
About the book
Nicholas Valiarde is a passionate, embittered nobleman with an enigmatic past. Consumed by thoughts of vengeance, he is consoled only by thoughts of the beautiful, dangerous Madeline. He is also the greatest thief in all of Ile-Rien... On the gas light streets of the city, he assumes the guise of a master criminal, stealing jewels from wealthy nobles to finance his quest for vengeance the murder of Count Montesq. Montesq orchestrated the wrongful execution of Nicholas's beloved godfather on false charges of necromancy--the art of divination through communion with spirits of the dead--a practice long outlawed in the kingdom of Ile-Rein.
But now Nicholas's murderous mission is being interrupted by a series of eerie, unexplainable, even fatal events. Someone with tremendous magical powers is opposing him. Children vanish, corpses assume the visage of real people, mortal spells are cast, and traces of necromantic power that hasn't been used for centuries are found. And when a spiritualist unwittingly leads Nicholas to a decrepit mansion, the monstrous nature of his peril finally emerges in harrowing detail. Nicholas and his compatriots must destroy an ancient and awesome evil. Even the help of Ile-Rien's greatest sorcerer may not be enough, for Nicholas faces a woefully mismatched battle--and unthinkable horrors await the loser.
Description from Open Library.
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