The Traitor & The Wretch by Jasmine Walls, Rowan MacColl

THE TRAITOR & THE WRETCH is a dark fantasy adventure with a surprisingly tender romance between two very unlikely allies. Written by Jasmine Walls and illustrated by Rowan MacColl, set to be released in Fall 2025. In a world of Prophecies and Heroes, who cares about the henchmen? KNELL was just another nameless cultist trapped under the thrall of the Great One, Bringer of Chaos and fully expected to die on the battlefield. Much to his surprise he’s still alive, but not for long unless he can escape before his distinctive chaos-tainted looks get him captured and killed. PERCY was the former right hand man of the Prophesized Hero. Disillusioned and bitter, he turned traitor during the great battle against the risen chaos god in an attempt to prove this Hero false. Instead, he lost his hand and became the most wanted man in the kingdom. These two unlikely allies must work together to survive pitch black tunnels full of mutated creatures, angry mobs, old enemies, and their own haunted pasts. They’ll find unexpected strength in each other—and the possibility for more—if they don’t end up dying before they can make it out of the kingdom. They weren’t meant for a happy ending, but rules are for good guys and they’ll do whatever it takes to change their fates.

Adult • Diversity Representation/Disability • Diversity Representation/BIPOC • Fantasy • Diversity Representation/LGBTQ+ • Romance/Fantasy

Length: 125,000 words (about 357 pages)

Content Warning: Violence, body horror, animal death, loss of limb, trauma, anxiety, mild ableist language, suicidal thoughts, mentions of cannibalism, depictions of being trapped in a dark cave system, giant bugs, mentions of a person being burned alive, murder

Reviewed by catfacegargoyle on 2026-03-31T03:54:03Z:

This is a book about the worst henchmen in existence falling in goopy love. If you like creepy eldritch stuff, giggling at gremlin men and foul-tempered dudes with whoops, one hand (it was all his own fault), you're going to love this. One of the best books I've read all year.

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