Chasing Graves, Review

Chasing Graves, The Chasing Graves Trilogy, book 1, by Ben Galley

“Slavery didn’t die with the flesh. It thrived.”

Chasing Graves by Ben Galley is one of those books where the concept shines, even if the execution didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I’ve never written a bad review, and I don’t plan to start now. I always try to highlight the parts of a book that worked, and this one certainly had its strengths. The central premise, where death is not an escape but a sentence, and the dead can be bound into servitude, is fascinating. The idea of monetizing death and enslaving spirits opens up a rich world full of potential. The worldbuilding is deep, and there’s plenty of philosophical meat for readers willing to chew on it. I’m not necessarily one of those readers, but even I noticed the clever layers beneath the surface.

“We don’t fear death here. We fear being owned after it.”

The book starts strong, with our protagonist getting murdered in the first few pages. It’s a bold narrative move that sets the tone immediately: death is not the end, it’s just the beginning. Through his eyes, we’re introduced to a brutal system where the dead are bound into service for the living. The setting is gritty, imaginative, and unflinching.

That said, I struggled with the pacing. By the end of the first book, I felt like we should have been further along in the story. It seemed like a lot of groundwork was being laid without much actual movement, which makes me a bit nervous. Will the next two books be crammed with too much content to make up for it? Or will they keep dragging their feet? I could be wrong, and I hope I am, but it’s a concern that lingers.

“Freedom was the lie they sold to the living.”

Still, the bones of something great are here. If Galley can deliver on the promise of the world he’s built, the rest of the trilogy could be incredibly rewarding. For now, Chasing Graves feels like a solid start with unrealized potential, a story that might read better as part of a complete series than on its own.