Whether you are revisiting Essa Hansen’s Graven world or being introduced to it for the first time, Casthen Gain is an edge-of-your-seat, warp-speed, no-rest-for-the-weary novella that will entertain you.
“Sentace Ketch, a skilled culinarian, makes a wrong turn in life and finds himself dropped on the strangest and most dangerous planet in the multiverse.” But when a chance encounter changes his odds of success, a simple mission becomes a complicated adventure.
The back cover boasts “Fifteen prisoners. One prize. Only one survivor allowed.” But surely there’s much more to it than that.
You’ve never met a chef who can cook like this, and you’ve never seen a rebel firestarter with more heart. Two individuals brought together by chance, circumstance, or perhaps fate will change or challenge the status quo, but which will it be?
As always, Hansen writes large. When you read any part of The Graven world, even this novella, it is cinema on the page. It is grand in all its panoramic, cinemascoped, and Technicolor majesty.
I’ve had the pleasure to get to know Essa Hansen on The Palmer Files podcast, where in three different episodes we’ve discussed day jobs and the process of writing and finishing The Graven Trilogy. I’ve also had the privilege of being an advanced reader for each book, including Casthen Gain. So when I talk, I come from the same fandom as anyone else. Hansen may be a friend, but I’m also in awe of her sheer talent and storytelling.
For those like me who are existing fans of The Graven Trilogy – Nophek Gloss, Azura Ghost, and Ethera Grave – this book is a welcome return to the fantastical multiverse where you fell in love with Caiden and his found family.
For new fans, this is a wonderful jumping-off point into a larger world, even if you never really leave the “most dangerous planet in the multiverse” during this novella.
And for everyone and anyone who picks up Casthen Gain, do not read this book on an empty stomach. In this novella, Hansen, through Sentace, will pull at not only your attention but your hunger and taste buds.
Grab your favorite snack and a beverage to go with it, pick up a copy of Casthen Gain to enjoy, and bon appétit.
Read the Secret File of technical information and quotes from Casthen Gain.