From Florida writer Drew Harrison, The Men of the Mountain is a fantasy epic with a writing style that immediately pulls you in. The book has prose that reminded me of The Hunger Games, the kind that makes you forget you’re reading and just keeps you moving through the story. The first-person perspective creates an immersive experience, with thoughts provided throughout in italics. It’s a book that is not for the faint-hearted at almost 180,000 words, but you will likely not notice its length due to the book’s heart-pounding, page-turning pacing (at least I didn’t).
The story follows Cade, a clanless trapper living in Fort Hope, a settlement where survival depends on following strict traditions called the Dicta, fearing the monstrous Krieger who raid their walls. The people revere the Men of the Mountain, mysterious green-robed figures who wield terrifying magic and control every aspect of Renn life. For Cade, survival has always meant following the rules. But five years ago, the Men of the Mountain took his sister Adria, the only Renn ever chosen to return to their sacred peaks. She never came back.
When Cade finally risks everything to follow the Men of the Mountain into the wilderness, something shocking happens, a blazing object streaks across the sky and crashes into the forest like a falling star. Inside the crater, Cade finds an injured woman, Robin. Hiding her may be punishable by death, but she may also be the key to finally uncovering the truth concerning his sister. Will Cade be able to save his sister and save the day?
The worldbuilding in this book is truly excellent, brought to life through little excerpts at the start of chapters that reveal fragments of history, documents, and insights into how this world works. These pieces hint at much larger mysteries lurking beneath the surface. This isn’t just a generic medieval fantasy world; there is also science fiction elements woven throughout. Fort Hope feels real, with its barter economy, clan roles like Fishmonger and Woodsman and Civics, and the constant threat of raids from the monstrous Krieger. The superstitions, the way people greet each other with “Strength to tribe,” the social awkwardness of Cade’s “Clanless” status, all of it makes the world breathe.
The real highlight for me was watching Cade and Robin’s relationship develop throughout the book. What starts as a dangerous encounter when Cade finds this mysterious woman who literally fell from the sky slowly transforms into something deeper and more meaningful. At first, Cade doesn’t even know if he can trust her. Their early struggles to communicate, working through a complete language barrier with simple gestures and words, create a slow-burn connection. As their bond deepens, Robin becomes more than just a potential key to locating Adria.
I found the pacing of The Men of the Mountain pretty good overall, though it is a long book. Maybe the author could have trimmed something here or there, cut a scene or two that didn’t quite move things forward. But honestly, I was engaged enough that it didn’t feel like a slog. Harrison keeps things moving with action, mystery, and character development, and there are enough major plot jolts to keep you turning pages even when the story slows down for quieter character moments or worldbuilding. I also found Cade to be a really likeable and relatable main character, “I let the icy snow press its relief into my face, still red-hot with panic. I’m a trapper–I’m a clanless loner who couldn’t even keep his sister safe. What was I doing, being so reckless?”
I do think the name for the “Men of the Mountain” gets a bit repetitive after a while. Maybe the author could have come up with a single-word name for them, something shorter and punchier. Obviously not a big deal, but there’s also a noticeable overuse of semicolons throughout that occasionally pulled me out of the prose. The writer clearly loves them, but sometimes a period or a comma would have worked just as well and kept the rhythm flowing more naturally. Also, I was confused why the author used two hyphens rather than simple em dashes.
Fair warning: this book can get pretty intense. There are a couple of f-bombs scattered throughout, and plenty of violence. The world is grim, the stakes are genuinely life-or-death, and Harrison doesn’t shy away from showing the harsh reality of survival under oppressive rulers. In some of the descriptions, “intense convulsions overtook her—I’ve never seen muscles bend like that. There was the smell of burning flesh”—you can feel how dangerous and cruel this world is. The book’s Krieger are great enemies and legitimately monstrous.
The book also explores some thought-provoking themes about oppression and control. The Men of the Mountain justify their iron grip on the Renn people with phrases like “their ignorance is a comfortable wrap we permit them to wear; what they may call oppression, we know is benevolence.” It’s chilling stuff. The science fiction elements that emerge as the story progresses add another fascinating layer to everything. There is, nonetheless, quite a lot left to explore in this world in the sequel.
Despite a couple minor quibbles, The Men of the Mountain is ultimately a gripping fight for survival with characters you genuinely care about. It is the kind of book that pulls you in and keeps you turning pages, invested in these characters and their struggle against a system designed to break them. It’s dark fantasy that doesn’t pull its punches. If you’re a fan of gritty fantasy with strong character work and mysteries that keep you guessing, this is well worth your time. Harrison has announced this as the first in a series, and I’m curious to see where he takes the characters next.
Final verdict: If you’re someone who enjoys The Hunger Games, Red Rising, or The Witcher, in other words adventure stories with gritty survival, The Men of the Mountain delivers a compelling dark fantasy with elements of sci-fi. For fans of authors like Joe Abercrombie and Mark Lawrence who like their books intense, mysterious, and don’t mind a long read, this is more than worth checking out.
Thank you to Drew Harrison for the ARC copy. You can preorder your copy of The Men of the Mountain here, out March 1st!
