At the helm of this Savage uprising is Evie, the Sparrow General. It isn’t a title she asked for or particularly wants, but she is the last hope for several peoples at the edge of extinction. Back in the empire’s city seat, Dyeawan, a brilliant young strategist plucked from the streets, must risk her life to maintain her newfound authority. And Lexi has finally taken control of the guild built by her family, but she finds herself at the heart of a sinister power play that could tear apart society as she knows it. Meanwhile, Lexi’s loyal retainer, Taru, has been conscripted into the legion of Savages still under the empire’s control.
These four individuals hold the fate of the world in their hands. But even if they survive their missions, they may find themselves at odds with one another.
Matt Wallace’s SAVAGE LEGION blew a fucking hole in my heart when it came out. Calling it one of my favorite reads of 2020 is really underselling the point, because I was OBSESSED, and the story and characters have lived rent free in my mind ever since.
I fucking loved SAVAGE LEGION, is what I’m saying. And SAVAGE BOUNTY is every bit as spectacular, thrilling, and original as the first book.
Here’s a handful of things you can expect in SAVAGE BOUNTY:
•A wonderfully diverse cast of characters, including a nonbinary main character, a disabled main character, a bisexual main character.
•Teeth-rattling action sequences that somehow feel really different from anything I’ve read.
•A pitch-perfect blend of light & dark…moments of pure despair followed by intense feelings of hope.
In this second volume of the SAVAGE REBELLION trilogy, we see some of our main characters settling into their new roles, with varying degrees of enthusiasm & opposition.
Evie is now fully in charge of the rebellion against Crache, however much she wishes it were otherwise. Known now as the Sparrow General, Evie has become something of a folk hero. Evie’s inner circle seems to get smaller all the time, but it feels like it’s these close relationships that really drive her forward.
As with SAVAGE LEGION, Dyeawan continues to be the most fascinating character to me. I love a character who has every right to feel bitter & angry, but chooses thoughtfulness & compassion instead. And that’s how I see Dyeawan. She now finds herself as the leader of the Planning Cadre, with the future of Crache ostensibly in her hands to shape. Challenges within the organization test her resolve, and we really get to see what this character is made of.
Taru was set up to have their own POV at the end of SAVAGE LEGION, which fucking delighted me. Their story certainly connects to the larger story as a whole, but this felt like a side quest/mini-adventure story for Taru, and I loved it. Taru is outrageously badass, but we also get to see a lot of their wry sense of humor in SAVAGE BOUNTY. Just an amazing character & their storyline takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster.
The SAVAGE REBELLION trilogy is destined to become an all-time favorite of mine. These books have that rare effect on me where I’ll find myself randomly wondering about these characters, and hoping they’re ok. And while maybe someday we can just expect most (or all) epic fantasy books to have the kind of representation that these books have, right now they stand out to me.
Having a queer main character (Evie), a disabled main character (Dyeawan), a nonbinary main character (Taru)…this is just not the kind of representation you’re going to find in very many epic/dark/grimdark fantasy books. So I’m cheering so fucking hard for this series, not only because the books absolutely slay, but because I think these books could find their way into the hands of readers who’d cherish them.
I’m not sure what else to say…SAVAGE BOUNTY was fucking incredible & will 100% be in my Top Ten for 2021. I honestly cannot wait to see how Matt Wallace wraps this trilogy up…both books have blown me away, completely. This is everything I could hope for in a fantasy novel.
Grimdark Dad 
okay I def gotta get the first book
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