The Painted Man by Peter Brett

A thoroughly enjoyable fantasy book. First in a trilogy and I can't wait for the follow up.

The novel follows three characters in their passage from childhood to maturity. They are inhabitants of a world plagued by the attacks of demons known as "corelings", which rise from the planet's core each night to feast upon humans. The ongoing attrition of these attacks have reduced humanity from an advanced state of technology, to a 'dark age'. The only defense against the corelings are magical runes or "wards" that can be drawn, painted, or inscribed to form protective barriers around human settlements. These are, however, fragile and prone to failure unless properly maintained.

As the novel progresses, the protagonists each embark upon their own "hero's journey" in an effort to save humanity.

In writing the tale, Brett was keen to move beyond a simple adventure story, to present a fantasy novel about fear and its impact. He was particularly interested in the effect of fear "causing some to freeze up and others to leap into action".