Tales from Verania #5
The Damning Stone brought me right back into the irreverent world of Verania. While most of T.J. Klune’s work is heartbreaking and serious, the Tales of Verania series is absurd, ridiculous, hilarious and full of action. While the first four books focus on the wizard Sam, Justin finally gets his time in the limelight in book five. Myrin is defeated and the crew is working on rebuilding Verania. An unexpected visit from a foreign King throws Justin’s life into chaos. Justin grows into himself, and the heart of the Ice Prince melts.
I recently read A Life of Puppets, a more recent novel from T.J. Klune, and it feels more mainstream. While it’s also irreverent and absurd, A Life of Puppets is far more sanitized than The Damning Stone. The crude and sexual jokes, innuendo and banter in Tales of Verania are incredibly unfiltered. Hilarious, over the top and inane, I laughed the whole time I read. I’m a big fan of crude humour, so this was right up my alley.
Justin didn’t make a great impression in the previous books in the series, so I was excited to see how it would work out for him. After taking a leadership role during the Myrin crisis, he’s back to his usual aloof demeanour. Justin is reluctant to acknowledge how much he cares for people, and I’m grateful that they continue to ignore his repeated brush-offs. When people are kind to Justin, he doesn’t know how to respond, and Dylan repeatedly shows him kindness. You’d think that would mean there’s no will they won’t they in the story, but it’s there, and the tension is high.
Dylan, the King of Yennbridge, is a himbo. I love a well-written himbo! Dylan isn’t stupid or simple, though at first glance he appears as such. As the story progresses, we see his depth and intelligence, but he always seems like a golden retriever. Dylan’s steady, unwavering commitment to making it work with Justin is impressive. I enjoyed his character so much.
While the first four books of Tales from Verania are well-plotted, focused on the same over-arching plot, The Damning Stone is basically an extended epilogue. The challenges the crew faces are much smaller, with lower stakes.
The Damning Stone is full of madcap adventures, filthy jokes, and so much love. I’m glad I could visit with the characters again and see everyone living their best lives. It’s not a stand-alone book and yet, the series feels complete after the fourth book.