Those who haven’t yet read the 2023 World Fantasy Award winning novel Saint Death’s Daughter by C.S.E. Cooney should correct their omission as soon as feasible. It’s a story that took me by surprise, equally startling and delightful. The novel starts out with all the hallmarks of a coming-of-age dark fantasy with a complex, gothic world-building that invokes vibes of Tamsyn Muir’s Locked Tombs series. Its plot and its young protagonist Miscellaneous (Lanie) Stones could suggest a YA novel emphasis and expectations, but the writing proceeds to reveal an intermingling of classification and styles to create a voice that is just captivating. There are serious moments of violence and raw emotion alongside lighter moments of playful wit alongside academic footnote asides. The trajectory of the novel also shifts multiple times, in multiple ways expertly guiding readers from expectations and transcending Saint Death’s Daughter beyond a typical coming-of-age fantasy. Cooney accomplishes this so well through both the rich world-building and characterization.
It’s therefore an understatement to say that the novel’s sequel was highly anticipated by fans, including myself. Out now, Saint Death’s Herald may not surprise or pull readers through turns like the first novel did, but it should still delight readers as a compelling continuation of Lanie’s story that expands the folkloric elements of this universe and widens readers’ insight into characters.
Saint Death’s Herald begins just following the conclusion of the first novel, with Lanie in pursuit of Irradiant Stones (Grandpa Rad), whose ghost has taken over the body of Cracchen Skrathmandan and is headed toward the icy realm of Skakhmat to continue his search for power that led to his death there ages ago. Along with her St. Death-blessed magic, Lanie has the loyal were-falcon Duantri (as well as Stripes the reanimated tiger-rug) at her side to stop Grandpa Rad from enacting the further genocide necessary to achieve his goals.
From page one Cooney sets up Saint Death’s Herald as similar, but quite distinct from the first novel. The compelling voice mixing light- and heavy-hearted moments remains, but Cooney replaces the slowly building coming-of-age framework with a quick-moving Hero’s Quest structure that doesn’t let up until a brief mid-way point of more relaxed planning that then directly leads to the novel’s denouement and climax. This second novel thus follows a far more linear and expected path than its predecessor, removing a lot of thrill that could come from unpredictability.
That isn’t to say that this linear journey isn’t also delightful and fulfilling. First off (or last off, depending on the reference point here), Cooney nails the novel’s ending with positive affirmations of the series’ themes of love, kith, and kin. Secondly, she features a fascinating shape shifter culture at the core of the journey to really enhance the world building of this series beyond merely rehashing the cultures she already delved into in book one.
Thirdly, Cooney switches things up from Saint Death’s Daughter by focusing on other characters in Saint Death’s Herald. After becoming enraptured with Mak and Datu in the first book, some readers may be disappointed to find them in the background here. At first, that included this reader, but I slowly began to appreciate what Cooney was doing with this novel and began to enjoy and appreciate the new perspectives and character focus. Lanie remains at the heart of things, but getting other points of view does make the novel and world feel grander. I personally don’t care for Duantri (she seems to lack emotional and moral complexity that others may have so far) , so sections through her eyes were least enjoyed. However, I found Cracchen fantastic. After the ghost of Grandpa Rad vacates his body and some Sky Wizards collectively take his place, Cracchen becomes a fascinating character that opens the novel up to explore its key themes.
I assume there will be a third book to this series, if not more novels. Saint Death’s Herald reads like a middle novel, starting fully engaged without any recap or introduction to get settled. (I had to reread my and other reviews of the first book after starting this because I had forgotten so many details and secondary characters.) Though great, it does lack a certain magic of discovery and surprise that makes it feel a little less than the original. It switches things up to keep fresh while retaining the core elements that positively define the series. Yet, unlike other ‘middle episodes’ it ends resolutely without relying on a cliff-hanger while still promising more revelations of Lanie Stone’s journey alongside Death in this vivid universe where even darkness is colorful and radiant.
