A plague moves through the city of Carenmar, leaving behind corpses from which monsters arise. Roval Gul, a mysterious figure also known as the Raven, is among a group of shapeshifters called the Carrion—Vultures, Crows, and Eagles—tasked with consuming these monstrosities. However, Roval wants to end human mortality, a quest that defies the very essence of his existence. As he meets Yendi, a nurse in the city, whom he falls head over heels for, he is about to discover an ageless secret about his quest and the truth about his creator. But not before a deadly religious uprising and a bloody political mutiny, marked by a great betrayal, take over the city, ushering in a vengeful boy called Sustineo, alias the Red Tail, who will ultimately lead Roval to his discovery. Find out how it all goes down in Carrion by Adam Caisse.

If you are looking for a grim, epic fantasy novel blended with adventure, suspense, action, mythical lore, and a splash of romance and drama, Carrion by Adam Caisse is a perfect pick. Using dense, poetic prose, Caisse weaves a layered tale of profound philosophical depth. Caisse asks questions about the nature of death and immortality, and the meaning of life. The conversations are reflective, and the story’s deliberate pace balances moments of tension with bursts of action. I connected with the cast and understood the thematic commentary. The evocative depictions dropped me into a dark world. Amidst the chaos, violence, and death, I could feel the somber emotions of the cast. Sustineo’s experience with the New Faith zealots paints a clear image of what religious persecution feels like and the associated injustices. His stoic personality after the ordeal also shows the impact such inhumane acts have on survivors or victims.

Carrion by Adam Caisse is a dark fantasy that follows Roval Gul, one of the immortal Carrion Birds sworn to feast on corruption in a world ravaged by war and tragedy. Tired of seeing death since creation, he vowed to end mortality for good. He enlisted the help of a mortal nurse and his fellow Carrions for research to achieve his goal. A new religion is on the rise, wreaking havoc on old beliefs and traditions long held dear by the people of the kingdom. To top it all, he noticed vultures' suspicious activities that go against their sacred vows. Roval Gul must fend off these growing threats and face the possibility that not all his allies remain loyal, and come to terms with a budding attraction to a mortal.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Carrion. It is a fantastic story about powerful immortals that were entrusted by their creator with a sacred task. The idea of having beings to feast on human corruption is chilling. The characters are intriguing, especially Corcio’s admirable loyalty and Yendi’s resourcefulness. My favorite is, of course, Roval. The story’s fast progress is full of surprising twists until the end. The Carrions’ battles with terrifying monsters were nail-biting, and I was astonished when it was revealed how the creatures came into existence. Although a fantasy, the novel reflects the real world, such as how poverty can drive people to extremes, often to their own detriment. I couldn’t put this book down and I loved it.

Carrion by Adam Caisse centers on Roval “the Raven” Gul, an official charged with managing the dead of Carenmar during a period of mass mortality. As the body count accumulates, Roval figures out that death itself is being manipulated through a material corruption that alters the corpses, feeding a rigid hierarchy of Carrion birds who police the burial and disposal. His work leads him from furnaces and battlefields into hospitals, forests, and city records, where missing leaders, altered rites, and a rising religious movement signal a coordinated seizure of power. Alongside Yendi, a nurse who adapts his methods to the living, Roval tracks the spread of corruption through the civic systems meant to contain it. As Carenmar fractures, the boundary between caretaker and adversary collapses, setting the city on a course that cannot be quietly reversed.

I love a book that tosses me into its space in a way that is textured and brimming with atmosphere, and Carrion by Adam Caisse takes us into its world exactly in this manner. Smoke rises day after day, the birds return to familiar ground, and the labor of tending the dead continues with regularity. Caisse is spectacular at painting a rigid structure, treating death as an operational fact, molded by habit, labor, and rules that govern survival, as life begins to erode. Roval is brilliant, but so too are Yendi, Corcio, and Sustineo, each given their own point of view. Caisse fully fleshes them out, with their own unique perspective, so we see how mostly the same conditions are handled from different positions. I adored the magic as a working force tied to bodies, beliefs, and material practice. Overall, this is an excellently written and intelligent dark fantasy. The ending is satisfying but definitely leaves the door open, and if Caisse gives us a sequel, I'd love to read it.

Carrion by Adam Caisse is a dark fantasy drama set in the city of Carenmar, where chaos runs amok, and the dead know no rest. It mainly follows Roval Gul the Raven and his companions, the Carrion. Corcio the Crow, Aurn the Eagle, and Nguri the Vulture are harbingers of death but also protectors. Roval Gul and his companions feast on the corruption and death that beset the city. He runs a health facility with Yendi, a woman he saved and has grown to care for. The Raven experiments on the dead in the hope of finding an answer to immortality, a task that seems futile. Its citizens are faced with the struggle of the Old Faith versus the New Faith, which wants to get rid of the Carrion. Sustineo is a young man whose sister is taken away immediately after her gruesome death; he seeks change as he joins the fighting forces and rises in political ranks. Carenmar is seemingly doomed, and everyone wants to leave, but renewal and unity may just be possible.

Carrion is a thought-provoking story that perfectly captures the duality of life: how darkness balances beauty, how calm follows a storm, and how we all have a kind and a sinister side to us. Roval Gul has his heart in the right place, yet has the nature of a vile creature. He is burdened to purge corruption, yet struggles with what that mission has taken from him. Adam Caisse's narrative is poetic with great insights. This is a story about survival, hope, faith, and the cycle of life. Is death a curse, or the most natural gift of all? The book highlights the unnatural longevity of the Carrion and man's mortal struggle for life. It covers stories about creation and the One, a divine being who maintains the natural order of living beings. There are so many aspects that really grabbed my attention and kept me engaged, like the fierce battles, the romance between Roval Gul and Yendi, and Sustineo and Urza, and the political struggles in Carenmar. Even with its gore and dark themes, this story is truly fascinating and lesson-packed.