Bitter Seeds By Ian Tregillis. Milkweed Tryptich Book 1. Hachette, 2010

 

This novel was mentioned by a panellist at the World Fantasy Convention. It sounded intriguing so I bought it in Apple Books. As it has been out for ten years, it might be easier to buy in ebook than print. Fortunately, I prefer ebooks these days. 

The year is 1939 and British secret agent Raybould Marsh has been sent to Spain to get some information from a Nazi defector. Weird things happen, the defector bursts into flames just before he can hand over the goods and Marsh escapes with just some film that needs to be put together. He also encounters a strange woman on his way to the last ship out of the country. Something weird is going on.

The Nazis have produced some super powered people, by experimenting on orphans, to help with their invasion plans. One does flames, another walks through walls and then there is the most dangerous, an oracle who can predict the future. 

The only way to fight them is with magic, practised by warlocks. Only trouble is that you can’t just do magic. You have to negotiate with otherworldly beings, the Eidolons, which really don’t like humans. There is always a price for their help - a price that involves blood and, often, death - somebody else’s death. So, what do you do? Just how much are you prepared to sacrifice to keep your country safe?

The story is seen from three viewpoints - Marsh, his university friend Will, a warlock, and Klaus, the German who walks through walls. 

It’s a historical thriller with fantastical elements. It also has characters worth caring about. Poor Will is the one who must negotiate with the Eidolons, knowing he will have to agree to the deaths of innocent people and not even the enemy, but his own people, to stop the invasion of England. 

And there are people at the top who are only too willing to sacrifice others for their needs... 

It is interesting to read a story in which the good guys are prepared to do bad things.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will definitely download the next one in the trilogy. 

The trilogy is available in both Apple and Kindle formats. It’s also in audiobook.