The Adversary by Van Erie begins after Fintan's death in the Union, where he comes to in a brutal afterlife. Briefly guided by his grandfather, he learns that bodies, injury, and strength exist only as long as conviction sustains them. When that guidance vanishes, Fintan begins a dangerous journey through settlements built on labor and worship, with enforced obedience under the distant authority of the Adversary. He travels with RuTing, whose training keeps them alive, and Cherry, whose rare skill with precious materials makes her valuable to those in power. Each city offers protection in exchange for submission, and every gain sharpens the pull of forces that profit from captivity. As Fintan moves forward in pursuit of a return and reunion with his son, his expanding abilities draw notice from rulers who decide who may endure and who may not.

There is an element of trust when a reader decides to embark on a new supernatural series, where we learn about new worlds and their social structures, and The Adversary by Van Erie immediately made this easy. Erie has earned that trust in the first book of Mors Canonica, and I felt like I was alive inside the story. This is ironic, since it is actually about the dead. Fintan has the familiar drive of his son, shaped by what he understands from life, learning through experience how thoughts become injury or shelter. Erie's style of writing is intelligent, and he lets the scenes do the heavy lifting without using outright explanations. RuTing is my favorite, entering the story with a presence that alters how danger behaves around her, and the pages tighten whenever she is in them. The Adversary stands above it all, cruel and manipulative. I finished the book in a matter of days, and am ready to keep following in Erie's world.

A moment of bravery ends Fintan's life. He finds himself in the afterlife, where a mysterious entity known as the Adversary attempts to claim his soul. Fintan has no intention of accepting this fate when he realizes that his only way to send a message back to his wife and son in the world of the living is to cross paths with this entity again. He soon discovers that there is more to this strange realm than meets the eye, and he will need allies to achieve his daring plan. Follow Fintan on a journey of enlightenment in Van Erie's The Adversary.

Van Erie uses symbolism to connect with readers in the first book of the Mors Canonica series. Two examples of this approach are the protagonists' distinct names and the emphasis on the importance of precious metals. Fintan's origin story is remarkably simple yet crafted so readers will immediately identify with his frustration at being cut down in the prime of his life. The author cleverly hides subtle clues about Fintan's role in the Adversary's scheme in his conversations with the individuals he meets. Erie lightens the thought-provoking tone with subtle humor, such as when Fintan learns to control the gifts that come with the afterlife from his late grandfather. The author weaves these elements together with a narrative style that flows like poetry and themes that emphasize concepts like purpose and the interconnectedness of all beings. A fascinating story that encourages readers to think outside the box.

The Adversary is the first book in the Mors Canonica epic fantasy series by Van Erie. Fintan had a wife and a son in the Union before he was murdered. Suddenly, he finds himself in the Afterlife. The Afterlife has no other gods left except its ruler, the Adversary, a tyrant. After a brief meeting with his deceased grandfather and a brush with some bandits, Fintan is determined to find a way back to his family in the Union. However, the Adversary controls all the portals to the living world. Fintan teams up with a witch named RuTing to find a map of the Afterlife. Along the way, they find allies in Cherry and Paris (WuXin), a prisoner in Bannerburg. But will they be able to escape the Adversary's clutches?

For fans of dark fantasy, The Adversary is an absolute treat of a novel. The story hooks you in from the very first page and keeps your eyes glued until the last. Author Van Erie doesn't shy away from depicting the darker aspects of battle and imprisonment with a narrative drenched in blood and gore. I was pleasantly surprised by how fast-paced the plot was. The realm of the Afterlife is full of different magical creatures and factions. For example, you will find witches, centaurs, ogres, dwarves, and more fighting against each other, and sometimes teaming up against the main characters. Any fantasy fan will find the lore of this world fascinating. Fintan, RuTing, and Cherry all have distinct personalities and their own agency. The book ends on a cliffhanger, which means the story will continue in the sequel. I can't wait to get back into this world. Highly recommended.

When Fintan, a university employee from the Union city of Dill, is murdered in cold blood by bandits while protecting his wife and kid, he awakens to a state he best describes as unalive, in an ethereal, misty realm. Luckily for him, his grandfather had been awaiting his arrival to pass along his knowledge of the rules of the Afterlife. Fintan meets RuTing, a woman from the Union who had been living as a hunter with the Free People. Like Fintan, RuTing was looking for a way back to her family. As the duo embarks on a quest to escape the Afterlife, they follow a map toward Olympus, where they believe they may find an exit portal, or at least, be able to send a message to the world of the living. However, as they go through the cities of the realm and come across the Adversary, the ruler of the Afterlife, will they still be the same? Find out in The Adversary: Mors Canonica Book 1 by Van Erie.

If you are looking for a dark epic fantasy that blends adventure with suspense, mythical lore, science fiction, and a splash of drama, The Adversary by Van Erie is a great pick. Basing the storyline on the premise of life after death, Erie hurls readers into a fascinating world with vivid imagery and an enthralling cast. The deliberate and reflective prose allowed me to grasp the themes explored in the story that included moral ambiguity, identity, choice, immortality, the meaning of life, the cost of ambition, and the perception of reality. Fintan must master ‘manifestation’ and ‘Skills’, two tools necessary to help him navigate the gothic, dystopian-like setting of the Afterlife as he pursues his goal. Yet the more he learns, the more complex his goal becomes. Erie also raises fundamental questions about the nature of oppressive social and religious systems, challenging our acceptance of those in the real world. This page-turner is an incredible debut in the Mors Canonica series. It would make a great dark fantasy/sci-fi movie.