If you are in search of an engrossing, ruthless adult fantasy to sink your teeth into, I think I have a contender for you. Seth Dickenson’s The Traitor (also called The Traitor Baru Cormorant), book one in The Masquerade series is a gritty, intense, detail-filled story that feels like a blend between The Poppy War and the Game of Thrones series. With themes of colonialism, revenge, rebellion, and LGBTQ+ representation, The Traitor sets the stage for a deadly rise to power and an immersive read.

Tomorrow, on the beach, Baru Cormorant will look up from the sand of her home and see red sails on the horizon. The Empire of Masks is coming, armed with coin and ink, doctrine and compass, soap and lies. They’ll conquer Baru’s island, rewrite her culture, criminalise her customs, and dispose of one of her fathers. But Baru is patient. She’ll swallow her hate, prove her talent, and join the Masquerade. She will learn the secrets of empire. She’ll be exactly what they need. And she’ll claw her way high enough up the rungs of power to set her people free. In a final test of her loyalty, the Masquerade will send Baru to bring order to distant Aurdwynn, a snakepit of rebels, informants, and seditious dukes. Aurdwynn kills everyone who tries to rule it. To survive, Baru will need to untangle this land’s intricate web of treachery – and conceal her attraction to the dangerously fascinating Duchess Tain Hu. But Baru is a savant in games of power, as ruthless in her tactics as she is fixated on her goals. In the calculus of her schemes, all ledgers must be balanced, and the price of liberation paid in full.

Baru is a complex and intriguing character, yet her flaws play a big role in her understanding and perception of the world. Her personal struggles with the colonisation of her nation and how she was assimilated into the coloniser’s education system to serve the Empire of Masks. She never forgets though, and her resentment is more than just a personal grievance – it is a promise. I like how her determination to put herself in a position of influence to screw over the empire makes her willing to tread the grey area of morality and ethics, but her narrow-mindedness when it comes to what she should know or care about really dulls that appreciation from me. The redeeming aspect of this ignorance is that it comes back to bite her as the rebellion builds around her and she finds herself trying to gain favour with those in power. It will be interesting to see how this flaw plays out across the series.

I love the detail and deep understanding of how Aurdwynn functions – from its regions and the common people to the dukes and duchesses and their motivations. Not everyone is the same, and some aren’t even similar, so having it all laid out and clashing with one another and Baru’s interests builds an electrifying tension and fantastic stakes. There is a great depth with these characters, the nations, the powers in play, the interactions and influences, and the building conflicts, making The Traitor a gripping and entertaining read. The pacing is pretty good too, with maybe a few spots where it seems to dip a little behind, but the action and changes to the direction of the plot bring it back up to speed.

I would highly recommend picking up The Traitor and giving it a go when you have the time. Fantasy lovers will definitely have some thoughts about this novel and the series overall, and I cannot wait to see what more there is to this story world in The Monster/The Monster Baru Cormorant.