Splinter, Brian Moyer [A Book Review]

What a breath of original air this book was for me after a stretch of quasi-samesies contemporary reads! I was enthralled immediately by the concept, and found myself flying through the pages to find out what happened next. I found it perfectly immersive, and I find myself anticipating more time in this desolate world.

Splinter off into a Portal Fantasy with real costs…

Imagine driving through the harsh terrain of Southern Wyoming only to find yourself transported into an alternate reality where your car, the gas station you were parked at, the clothes on your back, no longer exist. You’re alone in the bare terrain with no map, no food, no water, and no understanding of what the hell just happened to you.

The lucky ones stumble upon other travelers.

But not everyone is lucky.

We experience the world mostly through the experience of Esah, who was on his way to college to study chemistry when he Splintered. He’s one of the lucky ones, at least to start. He finds a mentor to teach him the basics of surviving in the harsh environment, how to prepare for the inevitable winter, the basics of trading, and the etiquette expected from all new citizens of this strange new world.

I was fascinated by the world building. Everything felt very honest to what you might expect from a desolate world where a series of small mistakes can end in disaster for even the most experienced souls. In some places I felt like the pacing was a little slow, but it was only to get into more detail about the characters, their real-world stakes, and the concepts behind the fledgling magic system.

It felt like what it very much is — the first book in a series which describes itself as a ‘saga’. I could tell there was groundwork being laid that will probably pay of more deeply in the next volumes more than they necessarily did here, and that makes me even more excited to continue following along with this series.

The concept of Splintering itself reminded me of a book that recently rearranged my brain chemistry, Dark Matter, by Blake Crouch. On some level, it uses the same multiverse idea—that there are other places, not necessarily very different from our own—no more than a breath away. In Splinter, the characters just happen to slip into a new one.

Obviously I’m quite a fan of this book, and I would absolutely recommend it for anyone looking for a nice dose of escapism. I can’t stop thinking about what might happen next!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Splinter (Splintered World Book 1)
Author:: Brian Moyer
Genre:: Portal Fantasy
Publisher:: Unbound Books
Length:: 450 pages
Published:: July 1st, 2026
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

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If you liked this book, check out…

The Relic of the Wildwood | E.J. Venter
The Gray Sheep | S.M. Somerset
Jitterbug | Gareth Powell

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