Have you ever looked through your piles of books or your Kindle reader and realized, “Hey, I forgot about this story!” That happened to me last week. Back at the start of 2020, I read The Killing Fog by Jeff Wheeler. I admit I looked at it because the title sounded like a Stephen King novel! Instead of a horror/psychological thriller I couldn’t put down, I got an Asian-inspired epic fantasy I couldn’t put down.

The story revolves around Bingmei, a young woman striving to live and succeed in a harsh world. Orphaned at a young age, Bingmei uses her combat skills to join a band of mercenaries employed by a local ruler. He hires them to track down a mysterious artifact for him. As a result, a long-entombed magical emperor awakens, determined to conquer the world. Bingmei’s destiny is to stop him – but at what cost?

Did I mention that she can smell emotions on other people? How would this feel? Imagine talking to a friend you love and trust, but you can smell the dishonesty. The jealousy. How do you learn to trust anyone?

This was a book that ended before I was ready. Some of the story arcs wrapped up, but not all. You mean… What? I didn’t check to see if this was part of a series! That is usually my first rule. When I finished The Killing Fog, the next two books (The Buried World and The Immortal Words) in the series were not out yet. Ugh! I resigned myself to the waiting. It was only going to be a few months before both books were published, so I thought I would have a nice series to read over the summer.

But life happened, and I forgot about The Killing Fog. Luckily, I decided last week to bring some kind of order to my Kindle reading list (it is massive).  And there it was. As soon as I saw the cover, I smiled. After two and a half years, I remembered how much I loved the story.

I just loved the imagery and detail of Jeff Wheeler’s fantasy world. Without going into excruciating detail, he makes you forget you are reading a book. The misty mountains, frigid cities of ice, and epic martial arts battles unite to make an epic fantasy tale. He is also able to imbue his characters with faults and foibles, combining them with strengths and character. Bingmei is not a simpering miss, but she also is not a do-gooder willing to sacrifice herself unnecessarily. I do think the later books will require her to decide what and how much she is willing to give. But it will be on her terms.

The nicest thing about this book? No swearing or cussing! No graphic romance scenes! The battle wounds can be a bit graphic but nothing too descriptive. The next two books might evolve more.

So, without reading the last two books, I cannot vouch for the story’s ending. Often in a series, the first book or two start out wonderful, but the arc starts to feel stretched and thin. I have enjoyed other books by Jeff Wheeler, so I do believe this tale will fulfill my epic fantasy wishes!

From Amazon: The Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Kingfountain series conjures an epic, adventurous world of ancient myth and magic as a young woman’s battle with infinite evil begins.

Survivor of a combat school, the orphaned Bingmei belongs to a band of mercenaries employed by a local ruler. Now the nobleman, and collector of rare artifacts, has entrusted Bingmei and the skilled team with a treacherous assignment: brave the wilderness’s dangers to retrieve the treasures of a lost palace buried in a glacier valley. But upsetting its tombs has a price.

Echion, emperor of the Grave Kingdom, ruler of darkness, Dragon of Night, has long been entombed. Now Bingmei has unwittingly awakened him and is answerable to a legendary prophecy. Destroying the dark lord before he reclaims the kingdoms of the living is her inherited mission. Killing Bingmei before she fulfills it is Echion’s.

Thrust unprepared into the role of savior, urged on by a renegade prince and possessing a magic that is her destiny, Bingmei knows what she must do. But what must she risk to honor her ancestors? Bingmei’s fateful choice is one that neither her friends nor her enemies can foretell, as Echion’s dark war for control unfolds.