Review: War-Torn: Epic Steampunk Fantasy for Adults

War-Torn: Epic Steampunk Fantasy for Adults for fantasy lovers who enjoy multiple threads going on at the same time @jekeep @jmkeep #bookreview
War-Torn: Epic Steampunk Fantasy for Adults by J.E. Keep
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where is the steampunk aspect to this story? Is this part of a larger series? Where is the rest of this story? War Torn is a dark look into a world ravaged by war. It seems the only ones untouched by the desolation are the greedy nobility who hide in their city, protected by guards and frivolously spend their money on parties. This story takes on several different views which can be disorienting. The concepts and the characters are all intriguing. I feel as though there are five books sliced and then combined into one tale.

First we come across the soldiers on the front. This is a terrible place where humans and elves fight the "others". Not sure who these "others" are and why the war is still going on, a Sergeant and a fresh recruit cross paths. This is a place where there is no humanity. Males on both sides rape women regardless of which side the women reside. The fresh recruit is a female medic who is preyed upon by her own soldiers. I wished these males who violated her are hurt and end up under her care. This part of the book is filled with broken dreams.

The elite group of soldiers hunt for deserter and enemies of the crown. This pair is another couple where the Lieutenant is a sadistic bastard. He gets off on torture of prisoners whilst his female half breed elf subordinate is horrified yet aroused. This couple is interesting as they remind me of the movie, Inglorious Bastards. The sex in here is rough and dominating.

The nobles is the most disgusting set in the five and not because of the taboo sex. This is where one can see how loathsome these over privileged aristocrats isolate themselves from the common people. Instead of being stewards of the land and protecting their people, they are the abusive wastrels, squeezing the last drops of blood from everyone they consider beneath them. This part of the world is filled with intrigue and power struggles. The sex in here is taboo. The incestuous affair between father and daughter is disturbingly erotic.

The rebels are a faction who wish to overthrow the monarchy. There is little shared other than their loose alliance with the outcasts. The outcasts is run by one of the most desired elven harlots. This story just gets weirder and weirder. This set loosely ties in with the nobles and are hunted by the elite group of soldiers. There is more to this story and none of it is revealed.

The final set of characters in this story falls under The Matron. Now this is the story I want to read. A pair of Kron males with a white female elven witch, what more can I ask for? In their story, there is betrayal, a lost tribe found and totally smoking hawt sex. Did I mention the sex? It is erotic between these three. It isn't just because their pairing is taboo in this world, it is because their ménage is raw lust come to life. Love it. I also very much like The Matron. She is sex on a stick and intelligent.

The five different groups cross paths near the end and then the story is over. I rip my hair out trying to figure out what just happened. This lengthy book is all world building and set up. What happens next? Inquiring minds want to know. What started this war and who is really pulling all the strings? I expect a follow up book to this one and I would like to see more steampunk incorporated into the tale. So far, I only feel an epic fantasy with little understand of why this war started and who exactly are the enemy sides. Recommended for fantasy lovers who enjoy multiple threads going on at the same time.

*I received this book as a review copy in return for an honest review

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