Adrian Tchaikovsky’s literary grimdark magnum opus Tyrant Philosophers continues its mayhem. The “hegemony of perfection” inserts their imperial manicured fingers into a succession crisis in faraway lands. A war between faith, belief, and the tyranny of reason rages on in this fantastic new novel, Days of Shattered Faith.


Another year around the sun, another mad dash to keep up with Adrian Tchaikovsky’s ever-increasing catalog. One of the most prolific and diverse authors in fantasy and science fiction, Tchaikovsky continues to wow readers with his unique themes, diverse plots, and thought-provoking meta-commentary, all contained within deeply imaginative and densely creative new worlds. Among his latest forays into the darker, grittier, and daresay grimmer realms of fantasy, his Tyrant Philosophers series has quickly shot to the head of my favorites in recent years. This third entry, Days of Shattered Faith, follows the events of the previous book, House of Open Wounds.


“The long road from Pallesand to perfection was paved with broken stones.”

Days of Shattered Faith continues the ever-expanding tendrils of the hegemonic Palleseen Empire, the empire of perfection into new lands. In this iteration, the tale is set in the lands of the Usmiat, a deeply religious folk with diverse faiths and cults, devoted to their gods, great and small. The Palleseen Resident ambassador Sage-Invigilator Angilly “Gil” becomes embroiled in the succession crisis of the Usmiat royal line. The story makes deep cuts into the intersection of faith and reason. The internal and external struggles of hypocrisy and “doing the right thing”, by “imperfect means”.

“A man who ate only yesterday must starve.”

As with every Tchaikovsky fantasy novel, and particularly this series, his mastery over creating a cast of diversely motivated characters, across the entire spectrum from altruism to opportunism, nobility to infamy, pure- goodness to mustache-twirling villainy, each of his characters walks the tightrope of internal motivation, backstory, and current circumstance, frequently and violently switching sides, to keep readers on their toes. With Days of Shattered Faith, you are never really sure where anyone’s loyalty lies, which rockets it into grimdark stardom.

Chapters include the perspectives of the Palleseen Resident ambassador Gil battling with her loyalty to her Pallaseen Empire and reason itself, against the innate sense of “going native” with the Usmiat, magnified by her relationship with the soft-hearted “more words than swords” heir-apparent, Dakamran. Other noteworthy characters include Cohort-Invigilator Loret, clumsy, and incompetent, possessing a darker side, the Opportunist Decanter Drathel, and the fair-weather loyalist Flint. Days of Shattered Faith packs characters at odds with each other, from demons in pleasing form to demons in unpleasant forms, a runaway daughter within the succession crisis trying to find identity while freeing herself from the shackles of a wedded princess, and many others.

“.. And there are demons and necromancers and monsters from beyond the Grove in the world, but none of them more dangerous than a man who believes.”

Tchaikovsky further pushes into the idiosyncrasies of faith, and the power it holds over people in this novel. From religions worshiping a giant frog (I am very serious), to cults worshiping sharks, imperial death cults trying to resurrect a Necromancer Emperor, and mantis-like warrior monk cultists, Days of Shattered Faith is brimming with intersecting and antagonistic faiths and beliefs, each with their motivations, only to be encroached by the jaded bureaucratic hand of the Palleseen Empire of Perfection and Correctness.

The Tyrant Philosophers series is exciting as it feels like an episodic series of standalones set in the same universe. While there are references and continuing story arcs from previous books, each of the three released books in the series can be consumed as an individual “episode”, telling a unique tale, exploring the themes of imperialism, colonialism, and the overarching war between the fervor of magic and religion versus the dispassionate empire of reason.

Much of Tchaikovsky’s strengths come from his deft prose. His ability to spin tales of hope, tragedy, love, and violence, all with the “stiff upper lip” of his British aristocratic hand, gives his prose a sense of detached academic brilliance. With individual chapters tied together with omnipotent narrative style “mosaic” chapters spanning larger world events, he cleverly jumps between individual voices, mannerisms, and styles, all while maintaining his trademark touch of intelligent verbiage and distinctive voice.

Keener eyes and fans of the Tyrant Philosophers will spot returning characters from previous books, as they tangentially influence the main plot of Days of Shattered Faith, forming an anchor point for readers consuming this style of episodic storytelling. With common tropes prevailing through all three released novels, and certain locations, themes, nudges and winks, fans will be continually rewarded for reading previous entries in the series, while guessing where the series will go next.

Days of Shattered Faith is an excellent addition to the Tyrant Philosophers series. Adrian Tchaikovsky continues to show us that he is an artist and craftsman in equally superlative brilliance. With plenty of creative juices flowing into his labyrinthine plotlines, exciting characters, immersive worldbuilding bolstered by his expert control over his prose and tone, this series is one to look out for!

Welcome to 2025.

Welcome to the Tyranny of Perfection.

Welcome to GrimDark.

Thank you to Net Galley and Bloomsbury for the ARC. I didn't really connect with any of the characters or find the plot interesting. The story dragged.

A beautiful book that is full of fantasy. We still get a peak of some of the old characters from the last books but we also follow new characters which is great. The political elements was a major plot twist I’m very excited for it I hope there will be another book after this

Beautiful finale to the Tyrant Philosophers series, Adrian Tchaikovsky wraps you in a blanket of comfort with his unforgettable characters before punching you in the face with his twisting plots and witty remarks.

Days of Shattered Faith (The Tyrant Philosophers, #3)
Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The third book in the Tyrant Philosophers is a whirlwind of great worldbuilding, carefully set up philosophical quandaries displayed in full force in memorable characters, and yet more epic-fantasy war.

It may not be my favorite novel of the three (that honor goes to the second book) but Tchaikovsky continues to be a marvel of a storyteller. His less impressive works, such as this, is still on par with anything Joe Abercrombie writes. A bit of grim, sure, and a lot of great war action, but this statement is just as true for its oftentimes hilarious characters, complicated personalities/choices, and payoff.

I may not say it's brilliant, and it did somewhat meander until the last third of the book, but when we got to the fascinating end, I thought it was entirely worth it.


A synesthesia review of this would probably be a nutmeg-laden tart that is actually really tarty, but dangerous because it has a bunch of sparklers sticking out of it. Lit, of course. I felt like I had to be very, very careful eating it. It was tasty, and pretty, but I almost got burned!

The third in a complex series about the undoing of a fascist empire, Days of Shattered Faith brings us by boat to Alkhalend, the capitol of a kingdom with a grieving king and the wrong Prince inheriting.

Loret is a new cadet who shows up at her assignment to the Pallaseen Resident. Only when she arrives, the Resident is not at all what she expected—and she's immediately roped into seconding in an illegal duel with another ambassador. From this death, we are led in an ever-widening spiral toward a forbidden romance, a relic hunter who won’t let common sense get in the way of her future, and of course, the demons. The kingdom, already on the brink, tilts toward disaster. And Loret unravels along with it.

I was so happy to see Jack and his friends plying their trade in the slums of Alkhalend. Not all of the group are present, though, and freeing those missing from the ghost-laden prison is a story that the main plot rides atop like a train. The two converge in the end with chaos and an ending that promises this fabulous series isn’t yet over.

The first book in this series was difficult and trusted the reader to do some heavy lifting. The second book was deeply emotional and trusted the reader would lay their heart in Tchaikovsky’s capable hands. In this third, we are far from the empire’s fist, off the battlefield, and this distance allows the reader and Tchaikovsky to relax a little and have an adventure. The underlying threat of fascism stays, but it’s beginning to fray, and I’m excited to see what happens when it snaps.

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus, Ltd for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a great installment. It is hard to discuss this book without spoilers, but the characters and world-building continue to be superior. I hope there is a next installment!

Tchaikovsky does it again in this third entertaining Tyrant Philosophers story. He opens this novel with an illegal duel and pirates, and shows a country under pressure: an elderly Alkhand (king) whose heart isn’t in ruling anymore, the peaceful son named heir and the martial one biding his time, the Pals approaching after their takeover of Lorithi (in book two), and simmering political and religious tensions.

This time he takes us to Usmai, a kingdom with an ailing, blind king who rules a nation of various faiths including one with a frog god, lizard people known as Ibaleth, and terrifying warrior priests known as Louse Monks by the Usmai but who are Tesemer from another world. The Alkhand Oparan is neutral in his support and attitude to the Pallaseen. He has three sons and a daughter:
-the eldest Gorbudan is a warrior who loathes the Pallaseen; Oparan has banished him for being a little too violent in his approach to the Pals
-the second eldest Dekamran, educated by the Pals, and who feels diplomacy with the wider world is important and necessary
-the two younger siblings are Palmath, who worships the death god and wants to join an order, and
-Elshiri, the princess, destined for a marriage of alliance, but who is eager to not just buck tradition but to knife it then kick it out a window.

Other important players this time around are
-the Pallaseen Resident Angilly ("Gil"), the head of diplomatic office in Usmai. Gil is also a highly skilled duelist and canny politician
-Gil's new aide Loret, who is mostly naïve and untrained for her role, and mouse-like until she’s reveals how terrifyingly dangerous she can be, and
-a small contingent of the healers we waded through blood and gore with in book two; they’re deserters from the Pallaseen army, and are in Usmai under assumed names: Ollery now Oathan, Jack now Happy Jack, Tallifer now Tally and Alv as the Reckoner, Caeleen now the Viper, and Kilbery, Ollery's adopted son. They live in the Sand Lanes, a rough, poor and dangerous area of the city, but they are safe as they treat all who enter the Fever Lodge.

Tchaikovsky brings all these people together in Alkhalend, main city of Usmai, and turns the political temperature up: the Pals are softening up Usmai through the Resident’s office and efforts, and are determined to perfect this nation’s gods and traditions entirely away.

Oparan is ailing and melancholic, pining for his wife who left him years before for a religious order. Gorbudan and Dekamran have philosophical differences, which cannot be glossed over any longer when Gorbudan grabs a chance to rule, upsetting many different groups' plans in Usmai. There is much violence, political intrigue, plotting, betrayals, and tragedy over the course of this intense story about political and religious ideologies, assassinations, conquest, civil war, grief and love.

Though there are characters from book two here, this could be read as a standalone. I think, however, that one would more deeply appreciate the more sympathetic way Tchaikovsky presents the Pals for the first half of the book in the form of Gil, before pulling the curtain back and saying, "Nah, fooled you!" Gil is the Pal ambassador in Usmai, and has in some sense gone soft on the customs and traditions of the country, particularly as she has fallen into a relationship with Dekamran. Her adaptability and willingness to compromise is a stark contrast to her fellow Pals, who gradually move into the country with all the upheaval, seeing this as the perfect opportunity to extend the Pallaseen Sway into this messy country.

Tchaikovsky again deals with colonial attitudes and asks us to think about whether powerful countries with distinct cultures and traditions can live peacefully together, especially when one intends on gobbling up everyone else.

I thoroughly enjoyed this third book in this series, and though long, it never dragged. I love this author's work, and hope there are more stories in this world.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Bloomsbury USA for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Adrian Tchaikovsky continues to do some cool things with this series. Once again the book switches locations and perspectives entirely (putative series protagonist Yasnic a.k.a. "Maric Jack" is still present but as an extremely ancillary character who is barely involved in the plot), picking up in a new city which is outside of the sway of the Palleseen empire whose expansion is a major throughline of the previous two books - initially, that is. The bulk of the plot here circles around a succession crisis between two brothers, one of whom manages to land the support of the Palleseen (with all the political jockeying that entails). This is going to scratch a lot of the same itches that something like <i>Navola</i> does: it feels substantially like a historical fiction novel circling around some peripheral kingdom dealing with, say, British or Roman imperial meddling in local politics (and Tchaikovsky specifically calls out Mike Duncan and the History of Rome podcast as a research source, in his afterword), except there are weird monks with tongue-eating louse parasites and regiments of demons and giant frog gods running around.

It's not clear to me whether there are supposed to be further books in the series; trilogies are <i>de rigueur</i> but Tchaikovsky is no stranger to longer fantasy series, and the peripatetic nature of the books so far seems well-suited to further entries. Certainly it feels like something is missing without a book set in the Palleseen homeland to round out certain subplots bubbling in the background. I eagerly await what comes next, if anything.

With Days of Shattered Faith, Adrian Tchaikovsky further cements Tyrant Philosophers one of my all-time favorite series. At its core, this is a novel of succession, for the nation and for the individual. Combining the breadth of City of Last Chances and the narrow focus of House of Open Wounds, Tchaikovsky creates a grand yet intimate look at Alkhalend. With depictions of gothic-like terrors of necromantic and nautical religions and of conflicts between political ideologies, we follow the characters brand new and familiar, carried over from both City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds. I cannot wait for further explorations of both tyranny and philosophy.

Tyrant Philosophers is a tremendous series that should be more widely read.

This one is even more contained than HOUSE which was more contained than CITY, but Tchaikovsky's prose continues to impress and his ability to get us to care about the 'bad guys', the conquerors and imperialists, even as they do conquest and imperial things is mind-boggling. Sometimes while reading this, I thought to myself, 'you know, these guys need some Perfection a la Palaseen Sway because I personally can't stand them'. These books, more than any others I've read by Tchaikovsky, always keep you guessing at how they'll turn out and the 'good guys' do not, in fact, always win.

This book, even more than HOUSE and CITY discusses the destruction of culture, the coexistance of diametrically opposed (foes) societies, warring ideologies, and that the <i>right</i> thing is often not the <i>best</i> thing, which is something that gives me the heebidy-jeebidies. Stellar military action, crushing heartbreak, and discussions on belief, duty, and where our loyalties truly lie.

5 stars, but is probably my least favorite of the three but only just. I felt a little adrift at times, wondering where we were all headed, especially in the last third, one POV in particular, but that doesn't alter the fact that this is one of the great series of our times.

The third book in the Tyrant Philosophers series was a wild ride. Each book in the series stands well on its own and this one took another wide turn. Focused more on politics than the previous installment and I really liked the main characters and their dynamics with each other. A bit more action would of worked well for the story but otherwise another solid read from Tchaikovsky

These books fill me with joy, and I sort of think this is the best of the trilogy.

First off, there's an underlying theme about how inflexible and absolutist philosophies fall apart when faced with real-world conditions. This is most obvious with the Paliseen Sway, but can also be read into the narrative arcs of characters such as Yasnic (Jack) and the war-like usurper king in this latest book.

Angilly and Loret are teriffic new additions to the sprawling cast of characters in the Tyrant Philosophers series (I think the first major characters who actually buy into the Pal ideology). But there's so many through-lines in this book.

This is a detailed, rich fantasy setting with so much spilling off the edge of the page that it's easy to miss just how well-thought-out the details are.

Adrian Tchaikovsky is quickly becoming a favourite author of mine, and these are some of his best books.

Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Days of Shattered Faith is a remarkable achievement that solidifies his reputation as one of the most imaginative and skilled authors in speculative fiction. This novel expertly weaves together intricate world-building, profound philosophical questions, and a compelling storyline that captivates readers from beginning to end.
Set within the richly developed universe of Tchaikovsky’s Tyrant Philosophers series, the narrative explores the intricacies of faith, ethics, and survival in a fractured world. It examines the consequences of societal breakdown, where characters grapple with the remnants of their broken beliefs and the emergence of new ideologies. Tchaikovsky’s exceptional ability to portray alien perspectives is evident, providing a thought-provoking examination of how sentient beings confront ideas of divinity and existence.
The prose is exquisite—graceful yet accessible, filled with vivid descriptions that immerse readers in the haunting allure of the setting. Tchaikovsky’s knack for crafting unique ecosystems and intelligent species is unparalleled, making the extraterrestrial feel surprisingly relatable. His characters, whether human or otherwise, are multifaceted and engaging, with their emotional journeys resonating profoundly.
What truly distinguishes Days of Shattered Faith is its thematic richness. The novel encourages readers to reflect on the essence of faith and the human inclination to seek meaning in the midst of turmoil. Tchaikovsky skillfully navigates these complex themes, integrating them into a fast-paced plot that never loses momentum. Fans of Tchaikovsky will find this a valuable addition to his oeuvre, while newcomers will discover a thought-provoking and enthralling entry into his expansive imagination. Whether you’re drawn in by the intellectual explorations, the vivid storytelling, or the breathtaking world-building, Days of Shattered Faith offers something for everyone.

I don't fucking know how Tchaikovsky keeps building on this world the way he does but my god is he a master and I am fucking here for the whole of whatever this becomes. We get to see the Palleseen actually taking over a nation in real time in this one, complete with the slaughter of a god, and we get lead in from last book too (characters and plot threads) in the best kind of way. Tchaikovsky is a master at threading his plot across all these POV characters, and winding them all up and watching them go. It sounds like we might be getting more of this (fingers crossed), and I am so here for it. Highly recommended series.

This is the third book (I think) about the Palleseen Sway, an expansionist fascist empire, with some recurring characters. Palleseen is having some troubles back home, but still interested in taking over new lands and sucking their magic dry. The Palleseen resident in one city-state is allied with, and maybe in love with, a ruler’s younger son who has suddenly come into favor, but his warlike older brother has other plans. That’s only one fragment of the story, which is rich with politics and other maneuvers. Basically everyone in the story was unlikeable—primarily out for themselves if they had any self-control at all; making bad decisions if they didn’t. It was not the right book for me to read at this point; there were at most a few flashes of grace.

Really liked this next installaion and I think Tchaikovsky really shines in this series. The world is so interesting and relevant!

I read everything this author writes. He is a world builder with impressive skill with character. This book is one of his best. The thread of characters that come from the prior novels continue to move along here. We start the story with a new transfer from the Palleseen sway. She finds her way to the Palleseen resident ( think ambassador) in the country of Usmai in the city of Alkhalend. The Pals are interested in Usmai on multiple levels and the resident is here to make their desires reality. While back home odd behaviors, based on actions in the prior books, make news erratic here in Alkhelend a brutal war of succession is on the verge of happening. The characters in this book are very fleshed out and their choices have unintended results that can spell the destruction of an ancient empire. Gods are very real here and not at all happy about the Pals desires to draw Usmai into the sway. This book twists and turns with fascinating people, powerful deities and all too real fears. It was amazing and I feel grateful to have been allowed an advance reading.

A spectacular followup to House of Open Wounds, DoSF takes us to a brand new city and has a different type of story to tell. A brave decision with the structure similar to M.L. Wang's Sword of Kaigen will probably result in the same interesting discussion, but I think in this case it'll be better received because the focuses of the third section are very different in this case than in SoK. Entertaining and wonderful! Full thoughts on Youtube.

Love the author very classic sci fi fantasy feel to their writing and love how it's so different from what I've come to expect from him in a good way didn't actually like the Witcher books weirdly like these