In the heart of a frigid northern winter, Rayden Valkyrie takes refuge in the lands of the Sarvan people when a mounted column of Attun warriors is seen passing along the outskirts of their territory heading west.
Far from their steppe domain in the east, the Attun warriors are journeying into a remote, unpopulated wilderness, drawing great alarm from the Sarvans about their purpose. Learning of the situation, Rayden joins with a band of warriors from the area's villages to investigate.
Following the tracks of the Attun warriors, they are led to the base of an enormous, ancient burial mound, where the trail vanishes abruptly. A mystery looms, and Rayden seeks to discover the nature of the burial mound and the reason why the Attuns have travelled so far from their homelands to enter it.
Darkness Enthroned is a stand-alone adventure that is part of the Rayden Valkyrie Tales.
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'Attuns' Rayden told the others, closely eyeing the straight track of hoof impressions marring the smooth, white blanket of snow draped across the ground.
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(@7thStarPress, 21 December 2020, 86 pages, ebook, copy from the publisher via @TCMPublicity and voluntarily reviewed, #BlogTour 18 April)
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I've never read any of the Rayden Valkyrie books so I had no idea what to expect from this novella. I thought it was a terrific read. I loved it and didn't want it to end. I'd have been happy to read another couple of hundred pages. I will definitely check out other books featuring Rayden Valkyrie as I'm in for a treat if Darkness Enthroned is anything to go by. I got caught up in the book within a few pages and couldn't stop reading. What are the Attuns up to? What is the purpose of the mound? Rayden is determined to get to the dark truth and eliminate the threat posed by the strange events. The book embraces horror and fantasy as Rayden finds out what darkness lies within the mound. This is a terrific read.
