So. The Lost War. I think it’s safe to say, honestly, this book and I have a complicated relationship.

I first read this story back when it was a finalist for SPFBO 6, and I was quite harsh on it, particularly when you consider how much nearly everyone else loved it, and the fact it went on to win. Here isn’t the place to go into my methods behind judging a fiction contest; suffice to say I read everything for SPFBO with a very critical eye. It took me a while to get into it, but by the end, after certain events, it did change my perspective of what I’d just read.

Since winning SPFBO 6, The Lost War has been picked up by Orbit and republished, and it’s this edition I’ve now (re)read and am reviewing. This time around, I got on with it so much better! It’s really benefitted from an edit, as I knew it would; the problematic descriptions and backstories have been left behind like bad memories. And so, let’s review this properly…

“Never be afraid to hope,” said the knight. “Hope is the only thing no one can take from you…”

The Lost War is Justin Lee Anderson’s DnD-inspired epic fantasy debut. As you can imagine from a DnD campaign, this story is action-packed with plenty of battles and monsters to overcome; but this is not your typical fantasy adventure, not by a long shot. Anderson is deviously clever in what he’s created here, and you’ll never see it coming.

We enter the story in the aftermath of what’s clearly been quite a brutal war. The country is trying to pick itself up off its knees after only just winning a war against a tyrant draoidh (magic user) called Mynygogg; they may have bested him and confined him to a castle, but there is still a deadly plague, demons razing crops, pirates, and Reivers from the neighbouring country raiding. Our key protagonists are Aranok, himself a draoidh and the King’s Envoy, and his bodyguard Allandria, an archer. They are sent on a quest by their King to escort an exiled Queen out of hiding, and are joined for the purpose by members of the King’s Council Glorbak, Nirea, and Meristan, as well as Samily, Meristan’s ward and bodyguard, and Vastin, an orphan blacksmith Aranok takes under his wing. They eventually also pick up Morienne.

So, quite a large cast of characters, as you can see! Aranok, Allandria, Nirea, Samily, and Vastin are all points of view characters too, although I believe the story is predominantly told through Aranok and Allandria. These are very complex characters in terms of their beliefs, their morals, what drives them on. What haunts them. And this is the case for the female characters as well as the male, which is still refreshing to read in this type of otherwise traditional epic fantasy. Anderson is clearly very careful not to fall into the trap of misguided gender representation (for example, none of that ‘the guard, the guard, the female guard’ nonsense).

“That man… was your enemy.”
Samily stepped back onto the road. The soldier was so full of anger.
“He was not my enemy,” she said calmly.  “He only believed me his enemy.”

Samily was possibly my favourite character, on both read-throughs. I loved her position on enemies, blame, and responsibility; it really made me stop and think about the issue for myself. It’s just yet another aspect Anderson is very clever with, the way in which he manages to address particular issues and topics without detracting from the story and pace.

As well-rounded as the characters are, this is still very much a plot-driven story as we follow the characters travails as they are way-laid by one issue after another. A mystery begins to emerge, and as much as you think you’re here for the characters, it’s this that’ll keep you burning through those pages. I’m not going to say any more about the plot as, in this instance, it’s a particularly delicate subject. However, I did love rereading this story knowing what was coming and being able to appreciate the clues and build up.

I’m so very glad I returned to this story, especially ahead of picking up the sequel The Bitter Crown, which I cannot wait to dive into. It’s a book that has always stayed with me, despite my first time round being such a completely different experience, I truly enjoyed it so much more this time. This is a very clever story you simply won’t be able to put down, and which will keep you thinking a long while after.

The Lost War is available now – pick up your copy on Bookshop.org