Review - - Sanctuary

Sanctuary

by Ilona Andrews

Roman's Chronicles - Book 1

Publisher: NYLA

Release Date: July 30, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

It’s not easy serving Chernobog, the God of Destruction, Darkness and Death…especially during the holidays; and especially when you’re out of eggnog and one of your pesky, freeloading mythic creatures has eaten your last cookie.

Roman would like nothing more than to be left alone, but when a wounded boy stumbles into his yard and begs for sanctuary, Roman takes him in. Now elite mercenaries are camped out on his property, combat mages are dousing the house with fire, and strange priests are unleashing arcane magic. They thought Roman was easy pickings, just a hermit in the woods, but they chose the wrong dark priest to annoy. For while Roman might be patient, he is the Black Volhv, filled with the love of his terrible god. For his adversaries, it's a fight to the death, but for him, it's just another day in the neighborhood.

PJ's Thoughts:

I'm always excited for something new from Ilona Andrews. This husband and wife writing team never fail to plunge me into their magical worlds and hold me captive for the duration. 

Sanctuary, Andrews' newest novella, launches Roman's Chronicles with a story that I gobbled up in one delicious bite. If you've read the Kate Daniels World books you'll have already met Roman, priest of a dark god. If not, Sanctuary is a wonderful introduction to this complex character and his story. I loved everything about it from snappy dialog to laugh-out-loud humor to mind-bending magic, to (reluctantly) endearing moments to action-packed battles to edgy attraction (can't wait for more of that) to self-forgiveness and finally moving forward. And Roman's merry band of magical creatures? Pure gold. 

Whether you're already an Ilona Andrews fan, a fan of urban fantasy or magic, or just looking for a quick, entertaining, and satisfying story that may be a bit outside your comfort reading box, I highly recommend Sanctuary. I'm already stalking the author's social media for hints on when book two of Roman's Chronicles will be ready.