I am a ARC reader for Mitch. I truly love all of his work. The world of the Tainted Cabal is crafted expertly. I look forward to reading everything he writes

There are some book which can pull me instantly and than there are some books which can’t and sawn of the Exile couldn’t. I don’t know, it could be because I haven’t read the first book and this one have lots of references or maybe because I didn’t care for the characters.

Thank younto NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.

A nice demon? It seems a contradiction in terms but Tarik is a thoroughly likeable character who does'nt deserve to be in exile. This is a worthy sequel to The Shadow of the Exile and I eagerly await the third volume.

I loved the first book, Shadow of the Exile, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one, too. It took me a while to get into this story but once I did, I was hooked. Ren and Tarrik along with a few extra characters once again team up to try and defeat the biggest, baddest demon, Samal. There is lots of adventure and betrayal. Ren’s sole focus is on destroying Samal at all costs while Tarrik assists her in order to achieve redemption in his demon world. Their friendship grows stronger and while not exactly touching, Mr. Hogan makes the most despicable demons have a heart and soul. This is an exciting, well-written and suspenseful story that makes me impatient for the next story in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I didn't read the previous installment and will surely read it soon.
I appreciated this one, entertaining and engaging.
I liked the world building, the well written characters and the plot.
It's fast paced and action packed book and once you start you cannot put it down.
I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all opinions are mine.

A good sequel to the first novel Shadow of the Exile, which begins right after the climactic end. I enjoyed reading this. It is an entertaining romp with likable characters, and shadowy threats brimming with malice. There is awesome magic, action, demonic assassins, undead gods, that adds up spice to the interesting world of the novel. It has a pretty simple story-arc with doses of intriguing mythology, and a fresh modern take on some of the tropes that gives us the vibe of playing a virtual-reality game.

Hogan introduces a few new characters here, and a little amount of amazing worldbuilding. I particularly was interested in the Orgol Kingdom and their esoteric culture. Hogan gave quite a view on it in the story. Also, Tarrik, our protagonist demon is again caught up in the affairs of the human world. He is amped up with some new powers and abilities. Although I'm of the opinion that two of the potential characters were underused, I can't wait to see where the story will go further. As a personal choice, I want the character of the 'Sanguine King' to play a more prominent role in the upcoming conflict which is hinted throughout the story.

The simple narrative with short chapters work wonders as it increases the pace of the story, and keeps the tension escalating. I liked the occasional dry humour and the dynamics of the characters, although the emotional tug wasn't enough for me. I like the fact that Hogan doesn't meander in philosophic musings, rather with sparsely decorated prose he jumps right into the events along with the characters and take the readers on a wild adventure filled with danger, threats, and thrill.

To say I was excited when I realised Dawn of the Exile was up on NetGalley would be an understatement. I whooped a bit and jumped straight in. You see, while I didn't think book 1, Shadow of Exile, was perfect, I really enjoyed Tarrik. He is a great character. My review can be found HERE. He is a demon, stuck in exile, guilty of staying in the human world and loving a human woman. He is an upper level demon and past all the chaos that the younger demons bring with them. He is brave, strong, smart and he feels everything more acutely than humans.

In the beginning of Dawn of the Exile, Tarrik is dealing with the fallout of the last time he was summoned. He escapes death only to be summoned back into the human world by a very angry and vindictive sorcerer. Once again he is bound, forced into service and in a fight for his life.
I wish I could say I loved this book. I wish I could say I really liked it even, unfortunately, this one just didn't come together for me.

I still love everything about Tarrik, he has more of a sense of right and wrong than any of the humans in the book. If there was ever a character observing how wrong the world was, how unjust it all seemed, it was Tarrik. All of the human characters were so wrapped up in their own thing, they only saw the world in the way it could benefit them. I guess that is a common theme in fantasy nowadays. Usually the biggest monsters are the humans.
Because Tarrik spent more time in the demon realms, we were given an insight into their ways, the power plays, the landscape. I'm pretty positive book 3 will have even more information about this, which is a positive.

I didn't love the way the story flowed. There were some passages where I thought the writing was fantastic.

"There was an unmistakable aura about a prison cell, one Tarrik had felt enough to recognize. A blind man could sense it, though he wouldn't be able to see the stains, the old blood and waste. A deaf man could, though he wouldn't hear the pleas and cries of the inhabitants, the rattle of chains. It was an atmosphere of hopelessness."

In others it seemed over written and repetitive. Information was given in large chunks on one page just so a nugget of it could be used on the next page again. This happened quite a few times and it pulled me out of the story. The way the characters moved from one situation to the next was also jarring, I feel like a lot of the book was just skimming over the important stuff.

Being the second book in the series, I don't want to say too much about the plot, it would all be spoilerish. I will say it had that second book feel. We only have this story to find out who the real enemy is. I guess in saying that it has done a great job of setting up for book 3, I just don't know if I want to read it. I want more Tarrik, but there are a few others that I don't need to read about anymore, for I know that they always have the answers. They can always get out of trouble because they are so special and better than every one else. They will always be selfish, standoffish and hold information from people so that they can control them. And they might just use their magic to rape minds again, which I'm not up for. At one point I put the book down and walked away because it made me so angry.

I feel like an asshole for not liking this one, and I hope you check out other reviews as well to see if it might be for you, because I checked on Goodreads; I'm in the minority so far. It has glowing reviews.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story is set 10 years after the ending of the first book which was titled 'Shadow of the Exile' and that book heightened my expectations for all future fantasy novels I delve into.

It's sad knowing this series isn't as well known as they should be because yet again, this was a fantastic read. Obviously it's hard to review sequel but just know it was a really good read, and kept me well entertained all the way through. We meet some new characters and are reacquainted with others from the earlier books. The characters keep growing and changing over the course of the story, and felt real to me. There was a lot of action in this one, especially in some very violent and destructive battle scenes. It was descriptive and graphic but that fitted into the storyline well. It had to be dark to give it more impact.

If you want a fantasy book with an awesome world, a well developed cast of characters, and an exciting storyline--THIS IS DEFINITELY THE BOOK FOR YOU.

I wasn't sure whether this was a 3 or 3.5, so I went with 3.5 and rounded up.
The journey continues for Tarrik in this second installment of the Infernal Guardian. Tarrik is resummoned to the human realm after barely escaping oblivion from the Council of Five demon lords who had judged him and told him to not have contact with humans again. He finds himself under the bindings of remnants of the Nine who still hope to free Samal from his prison. Tarrik goes on a journey, finds friends he thought were lost, explores his expanding abilities and comes face to face with threats he thought taken care of. My main issue with this book is the same as the first one: if you just told me something two pages ago, don't repeat it. I got it the first time. Or the first fifteen times. The other problem for me was that these people just do stuff that makes absolutely no sense, even after they reveal their reasoning. Still an entertaining read if you are a fantasy junkie. And if you loved the first one you will love this one too.

I was sent a review copy of Dawn of the Exile in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Mitchell Hogan for approaching me and 47North for the NetGalley widget.

Set ten years after the conclusion of Shadow of The Exile, the second novel in The Infernal Guardian series sees Tarrik Nal-Valim, one of the most well-crafted and likeable demon characters in fantasy facing a trial regarding his actions in the human world and the following consequences. Five demon lords are presiding and after his case is discussed each of the judges can state whether they believe Tarrik should be offered redemption from his exile, to remain exiled, or to be put to death. It would be a short narrative if the resulting verdict was death at this point so I won't mark this as a spoiler. Following the outcome, Tarrik, a demon of the Thirty-Ninth Order returns to the mundane, dangerous and rundown haunts of Shimrax where the sandglass of his long life is ever so slowly trickling away. Conveniently timed, in a similar style to the previous entry in the series, Tarrick is summoned by a sorcerer from the human world. Hooks pierce his skin causing indescribable agony and rip him through the veil of the very different worlds to serve an unknown being. This is where the story really starts and the mage discusses with Tarrik what the demon will have to do whilst he is bound, what their objective is, and that he will be a sex slave whenever they demand it.

Hogan is a phenomenal wordsmith and although the worldbuilding isn't over the top, needlessly detailed or extravagant I always felt like I was truly in the moment and sharing my emotions with the presented ensemble. The prose is swift and pleasant and therefore this was the only book I cared about whilst I was reading it and I normally work through about four books at a time. Ed McDonald, I believe, penned the phrase 'GrimHeart' and I think Dawn of the Exile would fit that category if such a genre really existed. It's a dark, macabre fantasy world full of slavery, betrayal, magicians flaunting occult powers, mysterious artefacts, and an overpowered, completely insane prisoned demon lord. Apart from the obviously evil characters who themselves could be seen as metaphorical onions with a decent number of layers, there really is a sense of hope, camaraderie, and enjoyment in helping others presented here. Especially in the last half of the novel. New characters are introduced and familiar faces return. One or two of the latter are not as we remember them due to the ten years time progression and what has happened to them in the interim.

I won't regurgitate the same information from my previous review further than saying Tarrik is an incredible character, with heart, a shadowblade and is able to manipulate the dusk, dark, and stars to flaunt certain magic. Dawn of the Exile continues with the not LitRPG but RPG like-upgrade system that demons have and it's really interesting and often exciting.

The finale was breathtakingly exquisite from the eighty per cent through the book point. That isn't to say what went before wasn't great but the ending pushed my rating up by at least 1/10 which means the outcome here had an unprecedented effect on my final score. Slightly over the top but poignantly intense otherworldly showdowns, dream-sequences, and betrayals by those closest to the main cast (or were they?), I could reel of much much more that I adored but I actually want to finish this review sometime today.

This is a gem of a sequel. Whatever gem I would say, emerald, diamond, ruby, I'm happy to state that this is the novel that is the literal equivalent. It is dark, but features heart, has a great cast, stunning pacing, and leaves me salivating for whatever comes next. To conclude, Hot Damn! That ending was phenomenal.

Mitchell Hogan has become my second favorite authors; he’s in excellent company with Michael J Sullivan being in the number one spot. I love this series that’s’ set many years before the beginning of the Tainted Cabal series (please get book 2 out soon).

The prologue picks up where Shadow of Exile ends; Tarrik Nal-Valim is mourning Ren’s death and has returned his exile in the Guttering Wastes of Shimrax where he’s been exiled. When he’s summoned before the council of lord, he hopes that his deeds in Wiryaa ensuring that that Samal was not set free from his prison. The Augers, who can see glimpses, have brought disturbing news to the council and informed them of Tarrik’s the role that he played while in the human realm; unfortunately, they also informed them that he remained there after his bindings were severed with Ren’s death. They want to hear his version of the events, he knows that he cannot lie because the Augers have already told them everything, but he is still hoping that he will be released from exile. After he explains the lords take a vote to decide if he will be redeemed, killed or sent back into exile; two vote for redemption, two for death and one for his return to exile. Since there is no majority, he is to be returned to exile with the warning that if he meddles with humans again the one vote that saved him form death will change ensuring that he dies. He’s not sure if death is not better than exile.

Ten years later, Tarrik is still mourning Ren’s loss but due to her teachings he has learned to drawn in dark-tide from the stars which is something that no other demon can do. Tarrik makes his home in Cravenrock Mountain on the Burzash Plain. The mountain is home to both upper and lower level demons, the lower level while the higher-order demons have created a primitive society in the upper caverns. When he returned, he brought Ren’s journal and sword as he has promised and they have remained buried behind deep within the stones of his cave. None of the other demons know that he has advanced to the 39th level and he plans to keep it that way to have an edge in a fight if he is ever challenged. Sekrie-Zurlaya a female demon of the 36th level vacillates between wanting to sleep with him and or kill him. Like the others, she feels that by falling in love with a human he has betrayed their kind and that he should have been killed and not exiled, she believes that he will not sleep with her because she is not human.

One day while out hunting for meat he is ambushed by five lower-level demons whom he believes wants to kill him to split his essences amongst them to progress to a higher level. He believes they were sent by Sekrie, but when asked they inform him that they answer to higher demons than her; The House of the Black Sun. This is disconcerting, they’re a powerful organization, shrouded in secrecy with unknown goals. They’d claimed responsibility for the death of a dozen lords and scores of higher-order demons and now they wanted his death. He doesn’t have time to wonder why now and after warning them once again to run before he kills them, even telling he is of the 39th order, which they don’t believe they start fighting and he is forced to call on his shadow blade and kills three of them and the other two run but he chases them down; to keep his order and abilities there can be no survivors. When he’s finished, he hears Sekrie behind him, she has seen everything and now realizes that if she had attempted to challenge him, she would have died, there is no chance that she could have beaten him. She informs him that she had seen the five skulking about, though they were up to no god and followed them.

All at once he feels a pulling after ten years he is being summoned again, but with Ren’s death there should be no one alive that know his true name. He tells Sekrie to run, asks her to keep his spear safe for him and do what she wants with the rest of his belongings, including the meat he has just caught. As she looks on horrified, he is wrenched from his world back into Wiraya.

This book is filled with all the action of the first and it moves very quickly. The reader discovers that the nine did not all perish and they are still determined to free Samal form his prison and now that have bound Tarrik to assist them. It took all of Ren’s power and her death to prevent it last time and he is horrified to know that while he has remained in exile they have been plotting and scheming to achieve their goals. Can they be stopped and if so how? Why does the House of the Black Sun want him dead and what does the demon lords know about it? Will he be killed by the council if he escapes his bindings or is released since they warned him to interfere in the human world again?

If you haven’t read Shadow of Exile, do so now then get this as soon as it’s released. I started reading this series before I read Revenant Winds (I haven’t finished it yet) and I like the order that I chose to read it in and if this series was complete, I would have read all of it first before starting the Tainted Cabal series. I love the worlds and characters that he has created in the Infernal Guardian Series and I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.

4.75/5 STARS: **This is an honest, unbiased review. I would like to thank the author and/or/publisher for providing an ARC through Netgalley, all opinions are mine. **

Dawn of the Exile by Mitchell Hogan. A great sequel to his previous Shadow of the Exile. Tarrik is back and his problems seem to only be getting more interesting. I had a hard time putting this book down and greatly anticipate reading what happens in the future.