TESSA TALKS BOOKS

Book Info

• Genre: Fantasy
• Age Category: Adult
• Illustrators: Batsky Starman and Arief Rachmad
• Number of Pages: 276 Pages
• Publication Date: January 31, 2025
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/224887878-the-tortured-kingdom 
• Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4f4f8d6b-a6ee-4966-b5e7-c97c7aa08c17 
• Amazon: https://a.co/d/6u8sRgO (Canada) https://a.co/d/2yVjYj2 (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/iIViVDS (UK)

Blurb

After a comet strikes the continent of Yohme, it’s left in shambles. Nations lay in rubble, magic has been corrupted, and a plague has turned most of the inhabitants into flesh-eating, undead, ghouls.

Traveling this apocalyptic landscape is Evan, a bounty hunter taking missions to survive. However, his latest quest to capture a thief leads to more than he bargained for. After uncovering an ancient map, he forms a party to hunt the sacred treasure inside the most formidable dungeon.

Once inside, they’ll have to overcome the trials of a god to reach it, and they’re not the only ones searching.

My Review

Bryan Asher’s The Tortured Kingdom dives headfirst into dark fantasy with an apocalyptic edge. The setup is immediately striking: a comet devastates the land of Yohme, leaving behind ruined nations, twisted magic, and hordes of plague-ridden undead. Against this backdrop, we follow Evan, a hardened bounty hunter whose pursuit of a thief snowballs into a much larger quest involving an ancient map, a deadly dungeon, and trials set by a god.

What Worked Well

• The world-building is vivid and grim, balancing classic fantasy adventure with a post-apocalyptic twist. Asher captures the desperation of a continent on the edge of collapse, and the blend of ghouls, corrupted magic, and treasure-hunting keeps the stakes high.
• The pacing is brisk, moving from survival missions to dungeon-crawling without lingering too long in one place. At 276 pages, the story doesn’t overstay its welcome and delivers an accessible, action-driven read.
• Fans of old-school fantasy RPGs will likely appreciate the party dynamic and dungeon-trial structure, which feel like a love letter to quest-driven adventures.

Where It Fell Short for Me

• While the concept is strong, the characters sometimes feel underdeveloped. Evan and his companions serve the story, but I occasionally wanted more emotional depth or distinct voices to make them leap off the page.
• The quick pacing, while exciting, sometimes comes at the expense of atmosphere and tension-building. Certain scenes that could have been expanded for more impact—whether to explore the horror of the ghouls or the gravity of the godly trials—felt a little rushed.
• The story leans on some familiar tropes (reluctant hero, ragtag party, ancient treasure quest). Readers who love comfort in well-worn fantasy beats will enjoy it, but those seeking a completely fresh take may find it predictable in places.

Overall Impression
The Tortured Kingdom is an engaging indie fantasy that plays like a dungeon-crawler come to life. It’s fast, dark, and accessible, with enough action to keep the pages turning. While I wished for deeper character work and more breathing room in key scenes, Asher has crafted a solid adventure that will appeal to readers who enjoy post-apocalyptic twists on traditional fantasy quests.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

About the Author

Bryan Asher is a native Washingtonian and lifelong fan of fiction in all its forms. He started out like many kids from the ’90s, being enthralled by all the superhero comics and cartoons crossing his vision. His love of literary fiction came when he was handed a copy of John Bellairs, “The Chessmen of Doom” by his local librarian. Bryan still credits John Bellairs as his greatest literary influence, with his books featuring multiple illustrations and stand-alone adventures, just like Bellairs.

​After years of dedication and planning, he debuted his first novel in 2020, “The Assassin of Malcoze.” The following year he released his second novel, “The Treasure of Lor-Rev,” which went on to win multiple awards.

​Bryan still lives in Renton Washington with his loving wife and two awesome children. He also still has the first comic book he ever purchased (which cost a quarter in 1990).