Book Review: Antiquity’s Gate: Three Days Till Dawn by R.F. Hurteau

Being a part of the #WritingCommunity on Twitter has it’s perks, because when you get to know a lot of authors, you get to be there for all their awesome cover reveals. That’s what happened here, and I was lucky enough to win an Advanced Reader Copy of this book at the same time.

Three Days Till Dawn is the story about Ripley and Felix, a human and half-elf, best friends, both living in the last human city in the world, Sanctuary, in Antarctica. Antiquity’s Gate is mystical structure that no one seems to know a lot about, and also how the elves found their way to Earth. Now, humans and elves (and in combination: half-elves), live as harmonious as they can, trying to keep civilization alive. But Ripley and Felix realize they can’t stay in Sanctuary any longer and decide to try and find a way to leave, against all odds.

Hurteau’s writing is magnificent. I don’t know how to explain it, but there was something about the world-building that made it so very elegant and yet at the same time, subtle. In this book, you’re eased very slowly into what’s going on with the world and everything, but it still feels so natural. As if this is a universe I’ve read about a hundred times before. It made the whole thing very gripping and I was hooked from page 1.

I don’t know how long this book is, but it at least doesn’t feel like the typical overly expansive, bogged-down type of fantasy that everyone seems so eager to write. I’m very thankful for that, and I think it serves most fantasy books well. I don’t understand quite why everyone thinks fantasy has to be 431451 pages, but this one is perfect.

And the story is great as well. On one hand magical and fantastical but one the other, dark and mysterious. I thought I knew what was going for ages until I suddenly didn’t. I love it when books do that.

If you’re looking for a new fantasy read, with some of the familiar aspects from your favorite books, but topped up with lots of unique twists and quirks, give this a shot. I love that I came across this, and I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of the series. You won’t be disappointed.

Antiquity’s Gate: Three Days Till Dawn releases on August 27, and you can pre-order it right here!