Warwick Gleeson’s Torment Becomes Them pulls readers into a complex maze of timeline battles that jump from dusty Asian battlegrounds to eighteenth-century European courts. The whole plot thickens when a future Russian empress, the powerful sorceress Catherine Romanova, finds a way to cross paths with her younger self, Princess Von Anhalt, inside a Prussian stronghold. Guided by the mysterious timeline manipulator Niccolo Paganini, the young princess discovers that her survival depends on unlocking an ancient, musical force capable of altering history itself. As cruel warlocks and mechanical beasts attack from different centuries, a young magician named Zolo has to secretly manage conflicting directives from his master while keeping his feelings for the princess hidden. Can these characters, trapped in different times, get through the brutal trials designed to harvest their powers before their world completely unravels?

Torment Becomes Them by Warwick Gleeson drops you right into a gorgeously constructed world where ancient sorcery weaves directly into the rigid reality of the 1700s. The tangled dynamic between the main cast and the elusive Paganini sets up a brilliant sense of intrigue that makes it extremely tough to put the book down. Even the dialogue carries real weight, capturing the heavy burdens of people forced to bear the future of the world on their shoulders. It helps that the sprawling timeline never feels overwhelming, since the author gives the tense Prussian court atmosphere lots of space to breathe naturally. Gleeson writes the supernatural occurrences with a dark, eerie touch, making the entire magical system feel unpredictable and dangerous. Ultimately, the blend of palace backstabbing and bizarre occult forces shapes a phenomenal story that keeps you fully engaged, paragraph by paragraph. Anyone who appreciates an imaginative, well-crafted historical fantasy will find this an absolute joy to read.

In Warwick Gleeson's Torment Becomes Them, at fifteen, Prussian princess Fredericke von Anhalt discovers she will become Catherine Romanova, the woman destined to rule Russia, when a vision shows machines hunting her older self beneath a black sun. Her singing awakens the abilities of a World Maker, a magician who can alter history, drawing her into a war across centuries. Niccolo Paganini, a sorcerer governing future Kathmandu, believes Freddie can stop Edison Godfellow, whose War Tracker machine preserves the events needed to create his planned utopia. Godfellow’s black warlock, Arislan Gur, intends to use Freddie’s voice to cross a guarded boundary in time and restore Genghis Khan as ruler of Europe. To prevent that future, Freddie must enter Gur’s scheme while concealing her allegiance and the true extent of her power.

Warwick Gleeson’s Torment Becomes Them moves historical fantasy across centuries, giving each period a political order that determines how its magic operates. The system is vast, and every sung command produces a defined result. I loved the Mother Yarrows, warrior guardians assigned across time. Maria of Pozzuoli is a perfect example because the fourteenth-century fighter accompanies Freddie into battles far beyond her lifetime while retaining a distinctive voice. Freddie is a fantastic main character. She is so intelligent, and her intelligence remains as important as her immense power. Gleeson gives the supporting cast an entire presence. Prince Christian’s enormous World Stormer embodies his inventive mind so completely that the machine becomes an extension of its creator. This is an immensely creative story that is ambitious and perfectly executed, and historical fantasy lovers are in for a treat.

Torment Becomes Them is a delightfully enchanting fantasy by Warwick Gleeson. Protagonist Freddie, or Princess Von Anhalt, joins forces with her future self, sorceress Catherine Romanova, as well as the loyal and courageous Zolo Bold and World Maker Niccolo Paganini to change the course of history and attain a future state of peace. Yet, millions will die and suffer in brutal wars, and many who are close to Princess Von Anhalt must bear great storms, pain, and sacrifice. Battling the evil World Maker Edison Godfellow proves to be only one almost insurmountable task that Freddie is burdened with. Another one is the terrifying, hatred-filled sorcerer who loathes her and everything about her. “The highest trees catch the most wind”, and Freddie soon learns that her great power can also be her greatest enemy.

I found Torment Becomes Them beyond extraordinary. For a while now, a book has not suspended me beyond reality or held my attention for such extended periods as Warwick Gleeson's extraterrestrial work. The writing is brilliant: the use of simile and metaphor in its prose is on point, and from the very beginning I felt I could entrust my full attention to Gleeson (and it paid off in a big way). I enjoyed the references to historical figures such as Genghis Khan and philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, and it provided grounding to the fantasy of the novel. The storyline is suspenseful, the characters brilliantly authentic, and even the longer action scenes are meaningful and worthy of celebration. Torment Becomes Them is one not to miss.

Torment Becomes Them by Warwick Gleeson is inspired by a mad vision from the philosopher Nietzsche and kicks off a huge time war that stretches from the 1700s all the way to World War I. Zolo Bold, a Kazakh magician, travels across the world to find Catherine Romanova after his homeland is destroyed by a terrifying enemy. Catherine, a powerful sorceress, ends up teaming with her own younger self (Princess Von Anhalt), Zolo, and the legendary violinist Niccolo Paganini. Standing against them is Edison Godfellow, an ancient being once feared in Greek myth. He has built his own twisted utopia far in the future and wants to reshape the entire 20th century to protect it. Can Zolo, Catherine, Von, and Niccolo save it all before it is too late?

Warwick Gleeson created a unique and fascinating story that I enjoyed immensely. I loved so many elements that describing each one is impossible. I loved the giants raining fire from the sky, djinns, time travel, a villain quoting Nietzsche while building floating cities, and somehow it all works together perfectly. Zolo was such an easy character to root for. He was brave and a little desperate to find Catherine before all hell broke loose. His loyalty to Catherine made him more human and determined to find a solution. I loved seeing Catherine as both her older, powerful self and her younger self at the same time. It's such a fun twist on the usual time travel story, and I really enjoyed it. Godfellow makes for a great villain. He is dramatic and a little deranged in the best way. The worldbuilding was fantastic. It was descriptive, realistic, and I felt like I was one of them. Torment Becomes Them is a very enjoyable epic fantasy novel, and I highly recommend it.