Ben Galley’s Chasing Graves trilogy has proven to be one of the most promising literary projects of this year. The tale of the dead locksmith Caltro and his adventures through Araxes has been one of the most enthralling reads in recent dark fantasy fiction. But all good things must come to an end, and so this series concludes with the third and final book, Breaking Chaos.
As the ending of the story approaches, all the stakes have been wracked up for each of the characters. Sisine and Temsa’s ambitions are starting to get out of their control, weighing in on the otherwise crafty plotters and tearing the City of Countless Souls apart. The widow Horix, a previously secretive character, prepares to play her deadly hand in the Game of Araxes. Nilith is running short on time to bind Farazar with the addition of a cursed wound and a man who will stop at nothing to enslave her, but finds an unlikely ally. Meanwhile, the Dead Gods beg Caltro one last time to save them before it’s too late, just as the Cult of Sesh begin to make their ultimate move.
Ben Galley has truly blown it out of the water with the final book. Breaking Chaos makes no apologies about its pace, throwing you directly back into the action, and only getting faster and more intense as the plot advances towards its explosive conclusion. The past two books have been the equivalent of a chess game, each piece making their moves. However, as with any chess game, pieces start to get knocked off, and characters that fans have grown to know and love will get killed off throughout the story. But does anybody stay truly dead in Araxes?
Those who have followed the series or are familiar with Galley’s other works will know that he has shown a consistent strength in his use of language, but it is here, where – much like his characters – he reveals his true strength, maintaining a balance of drama and tension with moments of witticism to alleviate from all the exhilaration.
The Chasing Graves books were such a well written story that the ending had to be perfect, but Galley nailed it on the head. Breaking Chaos can be described as a literary avalanche, continuously growing wilder until the last chapter where all the destruction and chaos finally settles. Reading it is nothing short of addictive, and while there is no such thing as true perfection, Breaking Chaos comes very close to it.
Review copy provided
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