A dark gothic fantasy about a girl forced to face off against vampires, assassins, ancient witches, and broken promises as she is forced to fulfill a prophecy that she never wanted to after her father's death. Violet Zennor has been trained as an assassin all her life, ever since her father sold her younger brother, Violet has been forced to fight against murderers and thieves as her father trains her to kill. When her father unexpectedly dies, Violet thinks she is finally free to live a normal life... only the catch is she won't get any of the inheritance, land or money, unless she goes to fulfill the prophecy her father set up for her: she must wander into the Darklands where the Leech Lords reign and get her still-born brother back while destroying the vampires. Violet wants no part of it but when assassins begin coming after her and those she loves, she knows she's going to be forced to do the quest her father wanted. Violet is thrust into a world of danger, vampires, and being forced to become the one thing she never wanted... but if she survives she might finally have the chance at the freedom she's been denied all her life. I've been a long time fan of A.G. Slatter's gothic books and this was perfectly weaves gothic fantasy with vampire story, told in such a unique way and with a light dash of romance. It's a fantastic fairytale read and wraps everything up perfectly. The things Violet had to endure, her resilience, her strength, she was a fantastic lead. Violet is not afraid to do what needs to be done, I was rooting for her from the start and just wanted her to finally have her hard earned peace and safety. Seriously, this was a really fun read and one I will recommending for anyone who loves a gothic read or wants a unique vampire story!!

Release Date: February 11, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Titan Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I didn't read the whole book because I realized it was interconnected to other books, but what I DID read was INCREDIBLE. I will report back once I finish the first few books, but this is shaping up to be really exciting!

"A captivating dark Gothic fantasy set in the same universe as the award-winning author's All The Murmuring Bones, The Path of Thorns and The Briar Book of the Dead. A tale of vampires, assassins, ancient witches and broken promises, perfect for readers of Alix E. Harrow, Hannah Whitten and Alexis Henderson.

Violet Zennor has had a peculiar upbringing. Training as a fighter in underground arenas, honing her skills against the worst scum, murderers and thieves her father could pit her against, she has learned to be ruthless. To kill.

Until the day Hedrek Zennor dies. Violet thinks she's free - then she learns that her father planned to send her into the Darklands, where the Leech Lords reign. Where Violet's still-born brother was taken years ago. Violet steadfastly refuses. Until one night two assassins attempt to slaughter her - and it becomes clear: she's going to have to clean up the mess her father made.

By turns gripping and bewitching, sharp and audacious, this mesmerising story takes you on a journey into the dark heart of Slatter's sinister and compelling fantasy world in a tale of vampires, assassins, ancient witches and broken promises."

Yeah, I wouldn't want to go to the Darklands with a Leech Lords either.

The Crimson Road by A.G. Slatter
Release Date: Feb 11

A.G. Slatter has been an auto-read author for me since I first read All the Murmuring Bones and The Path of Thorns in close succession a couple of years ago. It has been fantastic to return to the Sourdough Universe last year with The Briar Book of the Dead, and this year with The Crimson Road.
I was so glad that we got to revisit the characters of prior stories in The Crimson Road!

I enjoyed following Violet on her adventure for freedom in The Crimson Road. Violet is a character who knows her own heart and is willing to fight for it, even if it is on a path that she does not want to travel.

I enjoyed the side characters in this book, especially Freddie (can we please get more Freddie!!), Ned the Nondescript horse, + love interest (no spoilers but I am so happy about it!!).

I did find the pacing a bit slow at times, but honestly, I was just glad to be back in Sourdough.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

The Crimson Road is an enchantingly dark gothic journey with all sorts of creatures that go bump in the night!

I did find portions a bit slow for me, but that is a completely personal opinion, and I’m sure it will find its readers.

Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Unfortunately, I am not the best to talk about the crimson road.
I don't think the problem is the book, in fact I found the storytelling interesting, and same goes for the ideas behind the book.
But I didn't succeed at caring about the characters and the story, I found it difficult to enter in the book. I think it clearly is just a "me" problem, it wasn't for me at the moment and that's okay.
I am sure this book will be enjoyed by a lot of people, the writing is great, the end is a bit rushed (for me) and perhaps there was moments it was a little bit too slow but it has great potential!

When Violet was just a child, her mother died while giving birth to her brother. In her father’s grief he sells the body of her dead brother to a mysterious man in black for a fortune, based on a prophecy that the child could set monsters free from the part of the world they are trapped in. Out of guilt, Violet’s father raises her to be a weapon against these monsters and as soon as her father dies, she finds that she has no choice but to attempt to stop the prophecy.
A gothic fairy tail with witches, vampires, and ever a mermaid.

I overall enjoyed the book, but the pacing for me was slow and the epic scene was way too short.

Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for this ARC!

Review Coph

I loved, loved, loved THE CRIMSON ROAD. I would dare anyone to call this a gothic vampire novel. Angela Slatter does NOT write tired trope stories.

Now that we have that out of the way, let me tell you what it IS.

ROAD is set in an alternate universe with no electricity, cars, phones or megalopolises. There are trolls, fairies other beasties.

Beautifully written and richly imagined it is the story of a girl whose mother died while giving birth to her stillborn child. She sets forts forth on a quest. Isn't that the way of fantasy? There must needs be a quest.

And with said quest comes heroes and danger and love and redemption.

5 flashing red stars.

This book was one that sounded super good from the description and then the reviews I read about it. But when I read it it took a while to feel like I wasn’t just pushing through to read the book. I fell asleep twice while reading which I don’t do often. I feel like the characters weren’t bad and they kept things interesting but there wasn’t as much to it to keep me interested long term. I think I expected more than what I was given and even though it wasn’t a bad read, it just wasn’t something I could get into as much.

A.G. Slatter's The Crimson Road is a darkly enchanting journey through the gothic Sourdough Universe, blending grim fairy tale sensibilities with richly detailed world-building and a razor-sharp protagonist. Fans of Slatter’s previous works like All the Murmuring Bones and The Path of Thorns will relish this foray into the ominous Darklands, a setting teeming with vampires, witches, and the echoes of broken promises. While accessible to newcomers, the book rewards long-time readers with satisfying ties to the larger universe.

The story follows Violet Zennor, a hardened fighter shaped by her father’s brutal upbringing, who finds herself trapped in his shadow even after his death. Tasked with venturing into the Darklands to untangle the mystery of her stillborn brother and the ominous Anchorhold, Violet’s journey is one of self-discovery, grit, and navigating a world where betrayal is often closer than trust. The setting’s vivid horrors—ranging from vampire Leech Lords to spectral dangers—bring a captivating, albeit terrifying, energy to the narrative.

Slatter excels at crafting complex characters and evocative prose. Violet’s mix of resilience and vulnerability anchors the story, and her interactions with returning figures like Miren O'Malley and Ellie Briar offer a deeper appreciation for fans familiar with the universe. The pacing, however, can be uneven. While the middle sections simmer with intrigue and lush world-building, the ending feels slightly rushed, leaving some threads underdeveloped.

The gothic elements shine brightest in the atmospheric descriptions of the Darklands and its macabre inhabitants, but the novel also explores universal themes of familial duty, identity, and the cost of freedom. The Crimson Road’s narrative doesn’t shy away from darkness, both literal and emotional, making it a brooding, immersive read.

Though not without flaws—minor characters could be more fleshed out, and first-time readers may find the dense lore daunting—The Crimson Road is a rewarding tale for those willing to venture into its shadowy depths. It’s a testament to Slatter’s ability to weave intricate, haunting worlds while keeping her characters’ humanity at the forefront.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It is no secret how much I adore the books in the Sourdough Universe - and this was such an incredible ending to an arc that began with Miren O'Malley in All The Murmuring Bones, brought us Asher Todd (The Path of Thorns) and Ellie Briar (The Briar Book of the Dead), and then tied everything together with Violet Zennor's story. With cameos from beloved characters from the aforementioned books, The Crimson Road takes us on a perilous journey to the terrifying and mysterious Darklands, ruled over by the Leech Lords. Following familiar themes of found family, female empowerment and self discovery, this fourth book is a perfect ending to a beautiful world of stories - and stories are truly a running theme throughout. While The Crimson Road is a standalone - as all the Sourdough books are - a reader who has consumed the earlier books will get maximum enjoyment out of it. The subject matter in this book feels darker than the others in many ways, perhaps the addition of vampires and the bodies they leave in their wake, all the blood spilled seeps across the pages. A delightful, dangerous read, at once cozy and high stakes if something can be such an oxymoron!

If there are more books set in this universe to come, you can be sure I'll be reading them.

2.5 ⭐️

thank you to net galley and a.g. slatter for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

this book was honestly really disappointing. the premise itself didn’t explain much, but it was said to be a dark gothic fantasy and had the cover of dreams, so i was immediately intrigued.

positives first. this book was dark, and had an all-consuming, but also very whimsical, forest setting for the majority of the book, and high i enjoyed. i also looooove anything to do with quests, which i think a lot of this story centred, but i don’t know if it completely delivered in the way i wanted it to.

there were pirates, witches, ogres, redcaps, vampires (of a sort)…so many different characters that were all barely fleshed out, and as we didn’t get to spend much time with any of them i ended up feeling really disconnected. however, after reading some other reviews of people who have been long time fans of slatter’s sourdough universe it made clear to me that this book tried to connect all the characters from previous books into this one, so that may be the reason for me feeling so confused. BUT this book is marketed as a standalone!!! i should not be feeling like this!!!

i also felt this book was really heavy on the info dumping, which is rare for me to say, and i couldn’t really process the world and lore because of that. i’d say the vast majority of events or plot progressing scenes in this book happened so quickly, and were kind of forgotten and moved on from in an instant. there were points where i felt quite bored, waiting for something major to happen, and when it did, it was extremely anticlimactic, and had no genuine impact on me or my enjoyment of the story, unfortunately!

A page turning read that will have you hooked from page 1. A brilliant atmosphere, intriguing protagonists and a plot that will keep you captivated right till the final page.

The Crimson Road by A.G. Slatter is an enjoyable and entertaining dark fantasy adventure quest that I had trouble setting down. Filled with mysterious and magical characters, there was ever a new, alluring, and unexpected twist to the smooth unfolding of the story that showcased the fascinating lore and world building to great effect.
Filled with an array of magical characters and the requisite adorable scamp of a sassy orphan we have elements of folklore and fantasy, piracy and prophesy, and the blunt force trauma of a tried and true trope that I'll let you discover for yourself.
The world is well developed and I understand the author has a few books set in this space. The characterization is lean and I would have enjoyed a certain enhanced depth of emotion to the characters, especially the MC given her backstory.
The Crimson Road was entirely enjoyable-| went in looking for a fun diversion and that's precisely what I got. As this is the first book l've read by Slatter, I'm excited to read this author's other work.
If you're looking for a fun, easy to read, well paced, dark fantasy quest with witches, vampires, assassins and other magical creatures, with interesting world building and lore, The Crimson Road by A.G. Slatter is the book for you.
Many thanks to NetGalley, A.G. Slatter and Titan Books for access to an eARC. All opinions are my own.
Expected Publication Date: February 11, 2025

I’m loving this gothic fairytale world Slatter has created and seeing cameos from previous characters just warms my heart.

The Crimson Road is traditional quest fantasy, complete with unexpected grottos, magic weapons, and found family. This is a great foray into the vampire lore of this world from their cursed conception to a long-ago prophesied end. While I do thoroughly enjoy the fairytale rhythm that is becoming Slatter’s signature style, it was a touch predictable by the end and being a horror fan, I only wish that the vampires were a shade more threatening.

But it’s safe to say that I’m in it for the long run and I intend to read Slatter for a long time yet.

The Crimson Road by A.G Slatter
Arc review: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read

Thank you to titan books and net-galley for providing me with an eArc of the crimson road in exchange for an honest review.

The Crimson Road was the first book of A.G Slatter I have read and after finishing I can confirm it will not be the last.

A sharp, punchy fantasy that has you sucked into the story immediatley: Violet Zennor is our protagonist and has been trained nearly her whole life by her father Hedrek, to be the perfect killing machine, sly and deadly even if it cost her, her own self. Hedrek needed a weapon and Violet would be just that.

When herded dies of an ongoing illness all that violet feel sis relief as no Hedrek means no more control from the man who has ruled her entire life since she was 13 and the loving man he used to be was washed away. Or so she thinks. Violet’s believed freedom Is short lived when she realises she’ll never truly be free of Hedrek’s machinations, the mess he has caused and it becomes clear the fate of their country depends on her bending to her fathers iron clad will even if death.

Violet from the off was a fantastic character to read and I absolutely loved how she knew exactly who she was and what she wanted even after years of abuse and being constantly controlled and monitored by the men in her life. A FMC who dealt with every storm thrown at her in a way that was so real and true to her character all throughout the book and beneath all that she was going through, was the driving force to obtain the life she truly wanted and knew she deserved.

This book was filled with nods to folklore and legend that I absolutely loved, even the mention of small creatures and house dwellers that kept little cogs in this gothic fantasy world turning and had you wanting to know more about all of them.

A big mention has to go tot the women and girls in this book, all of them so strong in themselves and who they were even if them strengths lay in different ways for all of them, this book was a perfect ode to the wonder of women and all that they are capable of.

A different take on vampires in fantasy and one I absolutely loved, the leech lords with their history and origins just added to the gothic atmosphere of this book and made them feel much more substantial than how we would typically view them.

I will say that the way this story was laid out was amazing, with the darkness of the plot and violets family history slowly coming to light and being leaked into the pages as the story went on really made you realise the further into the depths you got of this book the darker everything became; The contrast of the darkness of plot with the quest like adventure Violet embarks on and the connections she makes along the way, filled with lots of fun banter, love and care for kind strangers in dire situations was masterful and my only gripe is I wish we had just had slightly more of that towards the end and got to witness Violets life in peace after all the terrors she had been through,

Would absolutely recommend this book to anyone, a fun and absorbing stand alone the packs a big punch in a fairly small amount of pages.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC.

I love a good gothic dark fantasy. And I went into this book blind, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself really enthralled in the story and the world. I hadn’t realized this book was going to tie into the universe Slatter has created and was excited when I realized.

If you have read Slatter’s other work or love gothic fantasy you will really appreciate and enjoy The Crimson Road.

The Crimson Road is a lushly gothic fantasy that follows our main character, Violet Zennor. For most of her childhood, Violet was trained as a deadly fighter by her father. The pair have a strained relationship (to say the least) and when he dies, Violet finally feels like she has the chance to live her life on her own terms. Little does she know that even in death, her father seeks to control her, and she’s informed that she must embark on a dangerous journey to ultimately defeat a menacing foe.

Initially refusing to honor her father’s wishes, Violet hopes to move forward and have a peaceful life. However, her brief moment of calm is quickly shattered and she is thrusted back into chaos, after assassins come for her. Now fully understanding the weight of her father’s task, Violet reluctantly sets out to finish what her father started. Though, the journey proves to be difficult and she’s met with resistance and betrayal along the way.

🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️

Real rating 3.5 🖤

This was a nice read! Violet is a flawed character, but she is tough and at her core, you can tell how deeply she cares for certain side characters in this story. I really loved the setting this book took place in. The author did a wonderful job with the world building and introducing a diverse group of characters. My only issues are with the pacing (so slow at times) and how the ending seemed a bit rushed.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. The Crimson Road is officially published on February 11th!

Violet Zennor’s father trained her to be a weapon her entire life, ranting about terrible monsters all the while. Now that Hedrek Zennor is dead, Violet looks forward to a life without hearing about Leech Lords or waiting to be attacked at any moment. A.G. Slatter’s The Crimson Road is another entry in her Sourdough Universe series, featuring a prickly, conflicted, and absolutely lethal protagonist who only takes up her father’s fight when she realizes just how much is at stake. Readers who’ve picked up other books in this loose series will be delighted at the extended cameos of characters from All the Murmuring Bones, The Path of Thorns, and The Briar Book of the Dead.

Violet Zennor is a reluctant hero. If she had her druthers, she wouldn’t be a hero at all; she would just quietly live out her days finally doing what she pleases instead of following her father’s lunatic dictates. Even learning that her inheritance is tied up in following her father’s last wishes doesn’t pursue Violet. But then her loved ones are taken hostage by some of her father’s enemies. You can try to take Violet’s money but you can’t harm a hair on the heads of the women who mothered her. Violet is the kind of highly practical protagonist I love. She never dithers. She might be stubborn but she never dithers about her next steps.

Although Hedrek shaped his daughter into a match for the undead Leech Lords, he either didn’t know or just neglected to tell Violet exactly how she’s supposed to stop the great evil from the north. On the road, Violet has to seek out others who might know who she’s after and how to stop them. The side quests provide opportunities for Slatter to share more of the Sourdough Universe’s lore: clerics who try to document everything, how the Leech Lords came to be, and hints about the true nature of the witches. I ate it all up. In fact, I’m so happy that I’ve got another Sourdough Universe book already on my Kindle.

Another thing that I loved about The Crimson Road is that, although Violet has always expected that she will have to fight the Leech Lords alone, she finds a lot of people who can join her in her possibly deadly quest. She worries about the allies she attracts, of course, because the Leech Lords and their hench people are just as deadly as her father warned, but they’re almost as stubborn as Violet and refuse to let her head into the darkness on her own. The two women Violet meets in the far north are especially outstanding characters—I kind of wish we’d gotten to spend more time with Rikke and Adlisa the Bloodless.

I recommend that readers read All the Murmuring Bones, The Path of Thorns, and The Briar Book of the Dead before reading The Crimson Road. While it’s possible to read this book on its own and understand what’s going on, the world and the characters are so rich I think the cameos work better if you already know who Asher, Miren, and Ellie are before joining Violet on the road.

🗡️ The Crimson Road 🗡️

For the past thirteen years, Violet Zennor has been trained to become a weapon, molded by her father to serve as his tool for atonement. Her mission? To journey to the Darklands and destroy the Leech Lord who bought her stillborn brother from her father.

When her father dies, Violet believes she’s finally free. But when assassins are sent after her and those she loves, she realizes she has no choice but to confront her past. As she faces her fate, Violet will be forced to choose again and again between her freedom and the greater good.

This was such a fun gothic fantasy! I loved Slatter’s unique take on vampires, or "Leexh Lords." The world-building, especially the backstory of the Leeches, was well-developed, and Slatter’s atmospheric writing made it easy to fully immerse myself in the story.

I really liked Violet. I appreciated how, even though she was trained for violence, it wasn't an inherent part of her nature. Her struggle to protect her loved ones by keeping them at a distance was also very relatable.

This is the fourth book set in the Sourdough Universe, but the only one where characters from other stories overlap. Having read just one other book in the series, I can confirm that it’s not necessary to have read the others to enjoy this one. My only complaint is that, at times, the large cast of characters made some feel a little flat. Still, it was fun revisiting past main characters and seeing how they came together and I would definitely recommend this to fans of gothic fantasy who are both new and acquainted with the series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pub Date: February 10, 2025.

Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for my e-reader copy in exchange for an honest review.