In recent years M R (Mike) Carey has steadily built up a reputation for writing a range of story. Science fiction, epic fantasy, horror and superheroes, Mike has done it all. His latest, The Tinder Box, is a fantasy set in an imaginary Eastern Europe that combines folk magic with Brothers Grimm stylings.
The beginning tells us of Magnus Tristi, a soldier, who has returned to the country of Allesheim after being wounded in battle. Wandering around the country looking for work, he eventually takes up a position as a handyman for a reclusive widow, Jannae Mirchella. She is outwardly cruel, bad-tempered and unapproachable, although things are not as they seem. Jennae maintains this demeanour in order to hide the fact that she is a witch, skilled in magic. Mag suspects but does not know for certain that Jennae has magic powers.
The book then changes focus to tell us through backstory of how Jennae became a witch, mentored by Bruna Sozen. We discover that Bruna’s death may have been invertedly caused by Jennae which has partly led to Jennae’s reclusive lifestyle in a world where displaying witchcraft is punishable by being burnt at the stake.
When a body suddenly and mysteriously drops from the sky, Mags manages to retrieve a number of objects from the body before its demise. He gives most of them to Jennae, but most importantly there is a magic artifact – a tinder box – that Mags steals from Jennae. Frightened by Jennae, Mags sneaks away to the city of Konigsbrucke. Jennae, eventually realising what Mags has done, follows him there.
Like a genie’s lamp, the tinder box allows its owner to summon three demons – Keal, a clever trickster perhaps devilish of the three; Dorsa is a female assassin with an affinity with animals, and Borrigor, a Hulk-like being with amazing strength. Striking it in different ways will lead to three demons arriving, each of whom is commanded to do the striker’s bidding.
In Konigsbrucke, King Frederick Korff-Heldenburg von Grun is in political trouble. The country is simmering on the edge of revolution. The consequence of this is that the King’s armies are dealing with any signs of unrest on his behalf, organised by the King’s magical advisor Wilhelm Gluck. Gluck is also aware of the arrival of the magic object to the city and wishes to procure it for his own nefarious needs. The search is on…
I have mentioned before of Mike’s skill in writing engaging and effective stories, and The Tinder Box is no different. With that in mind, the narrative, steeped in the folklore of an imaginary European country, builds from something small and focussed into a story with much bigger issues at stake as the story progresses. It is not just the country of Allesheim that may be affected in the end.
Of course, all these characters, although based around fantasy tropes – soldiers, witches, kings and wizards – have detail and nuance. Whilst there are violent actions mentioned, and some elements are undeniably dark, they are never gratuitous or unremittingly grim.
Backstories fill in details that give the reader a better idea of how the characters have got to this point. As a war-weary army veteran Mags is not your usual hero, but I found most interesting the backstory of Jennae Mirchella, whose origins feel like something from the world of Witchfinder General. Whilst she is never a character to love, her actions become understandable. I also found that the interplay between Mags and the three demons was a delight.
With such explanations, it should not surprise you that by the end, the book is difficult to put down, especially when things do not always go where you expect, and those seen as ‘evil’ and ‘good’ may not necessarily be what they seem.
All of this leads to an open ending, but one with an undeniably satisfactory conclusion. I am sure that more tales could be told in this environment, but I do feel that the finale is the right place to finish.
In short, The Tinder Box is another piece of literary joy from Mr Carey. Recommended.
© 2026 Mark Yon
Hardback | Orbit Books
THE TINDER BOX by M R Carey
June 2026 | 400 pages
ISBN: 978 0356 528 076
