The Cycle of Demons: the power of knowledge

The Cycle of Demons

The Cycle of Demons, the new Dragon published by Mondadori, is not only an engaging and exciting reading, but it is also an example of how in our country the recovery of worthy fantasy sagas is once again being emphasized. While on the one hand high-sounding names such as Il Libro Malazan dei Caduti, Le Cronache della Folgoluce or La Ruota del Tempo have long enjoyed a good presence on bookstore shelves, on the other there are equally valid narrative cycles that have to face more difficult challenges to carve out a space in the hearts of readers. A complication that is often not attributable to a lack of authorial charisma, but rather to an unhappy editorial management, as shown by the case of the Cycle of Demons by Peter V. Brett.

Composed of five volumes and a couple of short novels, the debut of the Brett cycle dates back to 2018, when the first chapter, The Man of the Runes, was published. An encouraging debut, which garners the favor of the public, but which seems to stop inexplicably. Readers who have become fond of the epic of Arlen, Leesha and Rojer have therefore hoped to return to this world full of nuances, finally finding an ally in Mondadori. The choice of re-proposing the Man of the Runes within a Dragon together with the following two chapters (The spear of the desert and The war in the light of day) allowed Mondadori to package one of his well-known 'whales', which from time enrich our libraries.

The Cycle of Demons: corelings, runes and epic clashes

The care in making these titanic books is one of Mondadori's flagships. Despite some cases in which the excessive weight has affected the solidity of the volume (as happened with Sword & Sorcery or The king who was, the king who will be), the tradition of the Dragons confirms the attention of the publishing house in creating volumes that are not only excellent reads, but which also know how to satisfy our aesthetic taste. A vocation that is confirmed by the Cycle of Demons, presented in an elegant tome with gray colors, on which the light writings and the collection of Runes stand out, presented in a darker color and which attract the reader's curiosity.

No less important is the presence of the illustrations by Dominik Broniek, who transforms the situations and creatures presented by Brett into drawings. In a similar tome, a greater number of illustrations would certainly have found space, but Broniek's work makes a fine show of itself thanks to a shrewd layout, which positions these drawings with intelligence. A synergy between reading and images that often allows you to simultaneously enjoy a written and graphic narration, which confirms the fidelity between Broniek's work, detailed and vivid, and the events told by Brett.

Not an easy task, considered as the fantasy world created by Brett is one of the most exciting recently read. As the title suggests, the fulcrum of the story revolves around the presence of demons, known as coreling, creatures that at night emerge from the Fulcrum, infernal land, to infest the lands populated by men. Divided into different species, each with specific powers, the corelings terrorize human villages and cities, which can defend themselves from their ferocity only by using the Runes, magical symbols that allow you to protect buildings and portions of land, if correctly written. Reason why the Runieri, those who know the powers of the Runes and how to write them correctly, are particularly respected, seen not only as salvation but as holders of a lost knowledge.

Plotting the legend, in fact, that once upon a time humanity was thriving and powerful, endowed with lost knowledge that enabled it to effectively fight the demons. Under the leadership of the Liberator, men had succeeded in driving the threat back to the Corelings in the Fulcrum, but over the years the rivalries and envy have separated humanity, which has given birth to nations in conflict with each other, leaving fertile ground. at the return of the demons. In this fragmented society lives Arlen, a young populace of Rio Tibbet, a village on the edge of one of the human kingdoms, who cannot bear this passive defense against the Demons. A condition that explodes when during a night assault the mother is injured, forcing the boy and his father Jeph to seek help from a healer.

During this desperate journey, Arlen comes to express his anger towards his father , when the mother dies from the wounds of the demons. For the young man this moment is a turning point, it leads him to undertake a path of growth that sees him broaden his vision of the world, bringing him closer to the truth about the nature of the Rune and its place in the world.

Pur giving greater prominence to the figure of Arlen, Brett dedicates equal care in delineating the figures of Leesha and Rojer. The first, a young woman from a rural village, belongs to a troubled family, spoiled by disagreements and which she has never felt like a safe haven. When after a village scandal born of a lie she is offered to become the new Herbalist, that is the curator of the village, Leesha does not hesitate to give up her life to embark on this new path. A similar experience, albeit in a more dramatic way, for Rojer, the son of two innkeepers who died during an onslaught of demons and raised by the jester Arrick.

Left handicapped in the clash in which his parents perished, Rojer still manages to follow the footsteps of his mentor, becoming a keeper when he, seeing his fame fade, becomes an alcoholic. A life seemingly on the fringes of society, until Rojer discovers that his incredible talent with the violin is not only welcomed by the people, making them rich, but has an unexpected effect: enchant even the corelings.

A varied and exciting world

Reading the Cycle of Demons it is clear that Brett, while basing his story on three teenagers, does not limit himself to creating a narrative aimed at a young adult audience. Through an exciting and fast-paced writing, Brett uses the point of view of the three boys to build a social context with a varied soul, in which the overwhelming presence of demons has the effect of maturing approaches to life.

In the village of Arlen, for example, this urgent danger is experienced with a latent resignation, which leads to conceiving relationships and emotions as secondary to survival, also unhinging part of the humanity of the characters. Experience shared by Leesha, who rescued from a life programmed alongside a man who is anything but deserving, has the opportunity to see how the role of women is subordinate, often spoiled by gossips and oppressive attitudes.

Brett succeeds. to develop these elements of world building by inserting them within a social order composed of essential figures, such as Messaggeri and Runieri, who with their work give further solidity to this fantasy world. The protagonists of the Cycle of Demons benefit enormously from this well-defined world, they become part of social castes that allow a freedom of action that, in the hands of Brett, allows you to live great adventures.

While showing traits common with the tradition of fantasy fiction, the Cycle of Demons has the merit of offering a triple point of view of this world, giving the reader the opportunity to analyze the same society from different perspectives, in the hope of being able to receive food for thought that will help to better understand some traits of our reality.

The Cycle of Demons therefore enters within Draghi Mondadori, with a first tome in which the three initial chapters of the saga are present. Assuming that you already have the first edition of L’man delle Rune, the purchase of this volume would not be wasted, given the presence of the beautiful illustrations by Broniek and the editorial care of Mondadori.