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REVIEW: The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror: Volume One ed. Paula Guran

It’s just past spooky season and there’s no better time for an anthology of The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror.

Paula Guran has been editing The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror anthologies annually since 2010, alongside a host of other collections of the chimerical, cosmic and creepy. This year she has assembled an all star cast of authors producing a wide variety of unsettling and thought provoking tales to fill your autumn nights with dread and wonder.

The author list for The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror reads like an awards ballot but with twenty five stories to draw from it’s impossible to break them all down in a review that doesn’t constitute a piece of short fiction itself, so I’ll just pick out a few that really tickled me personally.

Pat Cadigan’s “About The O’Dells” weaves domestic violence, a teenager watching their parents divorce and a haunting into a tale that’s both distressingly visceral and subtly affecting. It’s a classic coming of age ghost story, with more blood and more emphasis on helplessness than vengeance or overcoming anything.

“Conversations with the Sea Witch” by Theodora Goss is a deft and bittersweet extension of the story of the Little Mermaid which takes a familiar tale into that space beyond ‘happy ever after’ to the more nuanced land beyond.

It’s always nice to see places you’re familiar with reflected in stories and Daniel Carpenter pens a dark love letter to Manchester in the shape of “Hunting By The River.” This is melancholic urban fantasy fuelled by dissolving families and gentrification and it really speaks to me.

The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror closes with the incendiary “Read After Burning” by Maria Dahvana Headley. This is a tale of the apocalypse and what comes after, when the powerful try to quash knowledge and a spirited few keep it alive in their very bodies. It’s arguably the grimmest piece of hopepunk I’ve read in a long time.

Dark fantasy of all kinds excels when it makes us feel something about our own lives through a speculative lens, darkened with blood or smoke. Whether that is the sharing of grief, the catharsis of anger or the kindling of hope it’s that connection that matters.

Fittingly, the dedication for The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror reads “To all the Essential Workers. Heroes seldom wear capes and rarely have supernatural powers.” In this year of 2020 is the most fitting and simultaneously touching yet grimdark sentiment imaginable.

For fans of dark fantasy whether it comes from a folklore, contemporary or science fiction source, The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror is a must read.

5/5

Read The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror: Volume One ed. Paula Guran

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REVIEW: Vampire: The Masquerade – Winter’s Teeth #1

Vampire: The Masquerade is one of the seminal tabletop RPGs, ranking up there with Dungeons and Dragons or Call of Cthulhu for cultural influence among geeks. It created the Gothic Punk setting known as the World of Darkness where vampires secretly ruled behind the scenes, werewolves were eco-terrorists, and mages fought a cosmic war for reality by influencing what humans believed about the cosmos. The World of Darkness vanished from the public eye for the early part of the 21st century but has since returned in full force with Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition.

One of the changes for the World of Darkness is the fact that its publishers are making a much bigger effort to diversify the media that it is presented in: video games, visual novels, Twitch streaming, music, and now comic books. Written by veteran horror and urban fantasy writer Tim Seeley along with Tini Howard as well as Blake Howard, it is a book with a surprising pedigree. But can you really put the incredibly dense lore of the World of Darkness into a 35-page comic book?

Surprisingly, the answer appears to be yes.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Winter’s Teeth #1, divides each comic into two separate stories as well as background information presented as RPG information. This is an interesting way to present a comic book, though it does mean each issue is a bit cramped for both. It’s quite impressive that so much characterization is put in the tiny bits of the initial comic there is.

The first half of the comic deals with Cecily Bain, a Brujah traitor to the Anarchs who has since found herself in the service of the Prince as well as Tremere Primogen. Cecily still acts like a Gothic Punk from the Nineties but has betrayed all her past friends to secure her position. She murders the girlfriend of an associate, ostensibly to protect the Masquerade, but also just to vent the frustration that she’s now part of the system. Cecily is an interesting choice for protagonist and really works well for showing the kind of moral dilemmas vampires deal with.

The second half of the series follows a daywalking Thin Blood named Colleen Pendergrass. Colleen was a housewife Embraced by her Gangrel husband after he was turned into a Sabbat shovelhead. She’s now the den mother of a group of Anarchs living on the outskirts of the Twin Cities. Colleen is pretty much the opposite of Cecily and provides an excellent contrast between Camarilla scum and Anarch idealist. How these two characters will interact is something I’m looking forward to seeing.

Devmalya Pramanik, Nathan Gooden, and Addison Duke do a fantastic job with the art as well as colors. The Twin Cities are evocatively drawn and the characters extremely recognizable. It’s realistic without being boring. One interesting fact is the relative lack of fan service. Unlike Bloodlines, which was full of incredibly beautiful Kindred women in revealing clothes, Cecily and Colleen are lovely but dressed like real people might dress outside of a nightclub.

The back of Vampire: The Masquerade – Winter’s Teeth #1 contains an NPC write-up and stats for Cecily as well as Colleen. It gives valuable background information that informs the comic and means that you’ll probably read it multiple times. Fans of the RPG will enjoy this bit of information as it noticeably increases the value you get from the comic as regular game information helps make the price tag more justifiable.

I recommend Vampire: The Masquerade – Winter’s Teeth #1 and I hope it’s a big enough success that it becomes an ongoing rather than just a five-issue trade paperback. Tim Seeley has an excellent grasp of the subtle fight between Humanity and the Beast for V:TM vampires. Rather than focus on world-changing events or big ass explosions, this is a story about characters and is all the stronger for it.

Read The Masquerade – Winter’s Teeth #1

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REVIEW: Seraphina’s Lament by Sarah Chorn

Seraphina’s Lament is a grimdark novel written by longtime book reviewer and blogger Sarah Chorn (Bookworm Blues). I’ve always been a fan of her reviews and was interested in what she might have created as a first-time author. Much to my surprise, I found it was an apocalyptic dark fantasy that uses elementalist magic, a fantasy version of Stalin’s oppression of the Ukraine, and a zombie apocalypse to tell a diverse LGBT+ friendly story.

The premise is that the Sunset Lands’ royal family has been overthrown by the dictator Eyad. Eyad is a lunatic who has forced the population into collective farms, his enemies into gulags, and taken all of the food to distribute at his leisure. Starvation has become a massive issue due to their disruption of infrastructure as well as Eyad’s indifference. Historically, I’m of the mind Stalin deliberately used starvation to suppress the Ukraine but this interpretation is perfectly valid for her world.

The big difference from the historical Soviet Union is the time period is compressed. Eyad is the one who conducted the revolution rather than the inheritor of a fantasy Lenin and Trotsky. It is also a fantasy land that uses magic in place of guns or explosives. Gods and supernatural powers are overtly interactive with the world as well. Eyad’s cruelty and wickedness brings down a punishment of Biblical proportions with the starving rising from the dead as undead horrors.

The primary point of view is Seraphina, Eyad’s personal slave. Eyad finds her pleasing and conducts innumerable head games with her. Eyad is notably a gay man but he is not the only gay character in the book. Another major character is Seraphina’s own brother and Eyad’s former lover who defected from the revolution when he discovered what a monster the ruler was. Seraphina is close to her breaking point and her discovery of magic gives her the potential to change the world.

Part of what I love about Seraphina’s Lament is that it manages to show grimdark and horror do not have to opposed to progressive ideals. This is a world that does not share our moral values on things like sex, relationships, or races but is still a terrifying place. Too many authors design their alien and fantasy worlds that are identical to White Christian Europe, either with modern values or exaggerated Medieval cruelties. Sarah Chorn is not afraid to color outside of the lines and the book is stronger for that.

The magic system of the book is really good. Elemental systems are always compared to Avatar: The Last Airbender and while there’s some similarities, it works very well as a well-developed system that has been part of the world’s history for thousands of years. Indeed, the suppression of the magical arts is a major reason why the famine is so destructive. Elementalism is not the limit of the magic in the setting either.

Some grimdark fans may not respond well to the blending of dark fantasy, modern history, zombie horror, and elemental magic but I think this worked very well. It reminds me a bit of The Poppy War. I strongly recommend it and am interested in seeing what Sarah Chorn writes next. She strikes me as someone who has a long career ahead of her.

Read Seraphina’s Lament by Sarah Chorn

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REVIEW: Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne

Kevin Hearne kicks off his latest series with the impressive Ink & Sigil; an urban fantasy set in modern-day Glasgow. Although taking place in the same world as his Iron Druid Chronicles, there is no prerequisite reading needed in order to enjoy this entertaining adventure.

Al MacBharrais is an accomplished Sigil Agent; a magical policeman of sorts, charged with protecting his part of the world from miscreant supernatural creatures and wayward deities. Although MacBharrais is able to perform sorcerous feats using powerful sigils, he is afflicted by a mysterious and incurable curse which causes anyone hearing him speak for too long to eventually despise him. Al’s efforts to discover the source of the curse must be put on hold when his apprentice, Gordie, dies by sudden accident; the seventh of his pupils to suffer such a fate. In investigating Gordie’s death, MacBharrais discovers that his former protégé had been leading a secret double life of occult crime right beneath his nose. Al must now put right the wrongs of Gordie’s misdeeds while avoiding the actual police detectives who have grown suspicious of the many deaths that follow in his wake.

Hearne gleefully blends off-beat humour with captivating action, showcasing an ensemble of memorable rogues and gods, armed with sharply crafted dialogue and standout characterization. Despite significant world-building, overt exposition is ably sidestepped by leveraging well-travelled mythology to fill in the gaps, and this aspect of the narration surely benefits from groundwork laid in the preceding series. While I can’t exactly recall being awed by the construction of any particular piece of prose, this was one of those novels in which the medium seemed to melt away under the engrossment of the story, and I was readily swept off into imagination, thanks to the proficient and well-paced delivery.

In reading comments on this book from other readers, I have seen it asked if this novel is ‘woke’ in the negative sense (apparently a comment on Hearne’s earlier works), as in: does some contained social commentary detract from the story? Absolutely not. In fact, I thoroughly commend the author for providing valuable attention to tragic social issues – such as human trafficking – while actually using it as a device to enhance the realism of the plot rather than distract from it.

If forced to nitpick, I would say that the work could have benefitted from more deeply defined villains. While there were many memorable antagonists, none of them quite held my attention long enough to create any significant emotional response, though clearly, seeds have been planted to bear such fruit in future books of the series. Additionally, I do recall a couple of occasions wherein my immersion was jarred by the protagonist’s inner monologue; specifically, it felt incongruent for a sexagenarian to use modern lingo – such as gaming metaphors – to aid description, though perhaps this simply reveals an age bias in my own way of thinking.

Regardless, Ink & Sigil was easily one of the more enjoyable urban fantasy novels I have ever read and I absolutely blasted through it in a couple of sittings. Fans of Peter McLean’s The Burned Man series and Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files will love the writing style and setting, while those new to the genre could hardly choose a better starting point. Not only would I heartily recommend picking up a copy, I fully intend to check out The Iron Druid Chronicles at length while I wait for the sequel to Ink & Sigil.

Read Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne

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REVIEW: Nophek Gloss by Essa Hansen

Nophek Gloss is a story that pushes the boundlessness of the reader’s imagination. It is innovative, harsh, extraordinary, and it is science fiction at its best. 

I am not sure how to classify Nophek Gloss as part of the science fiction canon. Is it hard science fiction? Quite possibly. There are elements of logic to the science used in the story. There is also a balance of drama to the narrative; the story is very character-driven, making me lean towards Space Opera. Either way, with hard science fiction or a space opera, creatures, ideas, natural laws, and creatures all usually fall within human perception. i.e., “What goes up must come down.” This makes a lot of sense, considering that humans will read the story, and you want it relatable to commonly shared experiences. But, human perception is so limiting. If there are beings from other planets, they will not look like us or react like us.

Our natural laws would probably not be the natural laws of other worlds and galaxies when given an infinite palate of choices on what characters could look like, how they would act, or how things like time, gravity, and space behave; why not be different. So when I say that Nophek Gloss is one of the most creative science fiction stories I have ever read, you get where I am going with this. 

Nophek Gloss by Essa Hansen is something else. 

Newcomer Essa Hansen’s story is intriguing; here is an author who is steeped in a love of science fiction and fantasy. As a day job, Essa works as a sound designer for Skywalker Sound, where she worked on Dr. Strange and Avengers: Endgame, as well as Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Thor Ragnorak, Ant-Man, and Big Hero Six. She is also a falconer and horsewoman. It seems like she lives and breathes the coolest aspects of science fiction, and none of this is any surprise to me as I read Nophek Gloss. When I say that Nophek Gloss is something else, I genuinely mean it.

The basis of the story is a hero’s quest type narrative. But when we readers step past the hero’s quest narrative and start paying attention to the detailing and imagination that Hansen has added into the fabric of this story, that is where Nophek Gloss soars and stands above its contemporaries. It is visually rich and compelling storytelling.

“For a long moment, Laythan’s piercing gaze assessed Caiden, judging what to say. “I know all this newness is frustrating, but we need more intelligence at a Cartographer Den before we jump to conclusions. That’s where we’re headed. You’ll understand soon.”

The story’s basis is centered around a protagonist named Caiden, who is born into indentured life. His planet and homelife are destroyed early in the novel, and to survive, he must step away from who he thought he was and enter worlds and times beyond the scope of imagination. Everything he understands and knows to be the truth is a lie. A fabrication put upon him by his previous captors. After he survives an encounter with a Nophek, an otherworldy apex predator creature, “his only hope for survival is a crew of misfit aliens and a mysterious ship that seems to have a soul and a universe of its own. Together they will show him that the universe is much bigger, much more advanced, and much more mysterious than Caiden had ever imagined.” 

This misfit crew becomes a found family for Caiden, helps him grow, often painfully, as he assumes a role that he is destined for in the universe. 

“Pan rarely eats,” Taitn said. “Saisn have a very efficient metabolism. She drinks fluids and feeds on vibration, mostly. The dark and quiet is nourishment and medicine for her.”

If I left the story at found family and quest, it would seem like Hansen didn’t tread new material here. But Nophek Gloss is so much more. A universe, by definition, is infinite. But if a writer stops to think about what “infinite” actually means, anything is possible. The very way we perceive experience is limiting; if we could step outside how humans view the universe and expand our understanding, what would that look like? Would it be a universe balanced on the head of a pin? Or creatures that exist as the embodiment of a memory?

How about creatures that create energy sources inside their minds, to be harvested to power ships? What about vessels that create their own universes like a bubble that some species can travel through while others can’t. A story like this can be a wide-open field only limited by its creator’s experience and imagination. I think Nophek Gloss is the perfect playing field for Essa Hanson’s ideas. 

Outside ideas, the structure of Nophek Gloss is easy to read. Hanson keeps the descriptions rich but concise. Hanson does not get lost in the details; she has a particular idea she wants to share with the reader. It isn’t overly flowery prose or so much detail that the reader’s mind is squashed. Instead, Hanson helps you build something concrete in your mind’s eye and gives you a chance to expound on it. This is incredibly important with a genre like science fiction, where the infinite imagination of the reader is an essential tool for building the story. 

“In front of a glowing wall, a stunning figure caught Caiden’s eye. She was humanoid but ethereal and slender, with prosthetic scaffolding around tapered legs. Skin paper-thin and pearly. Her thick hair was so long it pooled onto the floor and clothed her body in dressy billows and braids.”

Another thing I tip my hat to Hansen on is her exclusivity. In a universe with infinite possibilities, there will be people/creatures that are different than you. Whether that is defined by gender, and the story touches on the question of “what is gender?” Or how people want to represent themselves or communicate. Nophek Gloss also includes neuro-diverse characters in leading roles that offer meaningful relationships to Caiden. There are no token characters in this story, and the importance of respecting diversity is evident by the conclusion of the first chapter.  

Nophek Gloss also talks a lot about grief and how that is expressed. It is painful to read about Caiden and how he deals with the steps of grief. And how and if he can move on with his life. Caiden deals with grief for most of the book, and how that is defined and exercised is fascinating. 

I know this seems like a dark and dense story, grief, death, and slavery, and it is. However, there is a great balance to it. Hansen interjects humor and lightness into some scenes to give the readers a break. This mostly comes in the form of Caiden interacting with his rescuing crew members. And while it doesn’t always hit the mark humor wise, it does enough to make sure that the reader isn’t dragged down into pain and torment. There are also great fight scenes that step outside the normal and exercise the imagination. What does fighting an alien creature look like? 

Setting and worldbuilding are huge. When you have an unlimited palette of colors, sounds, tastes, and textures, your worlds can be anything. The ones in Nophek Gloss are brilliant colorful creations where technology and the natural world collide. Some so wild that I had to go back and reread things to understand what they could look like. 

Plot-wise, Nophek Gloss is a brilliant book. Probably one of the best science fiction stories I have read this year. However, some things did get muddled, and I didn’t quite grasp Caiden’s motivations for his choices. Most of these come in the middle chapters where we don’t quite grasp who Caiden is, and his maturity level is iffy. I would think this was probably on purpose; humans go through weird growing stages where we are not thinking so clearly, just as a matter of maturing. 

Nophek Gloss is a science fiction book for science fiction geeks. It is almost a love letter to those out there who find their passions in the wild and uninhibited imagination that science fiction offers. It won’t be for everyone, as some readers might not enjoy the story’s expansive nature. It is also incredibly dark. If there is a genre for grimdark science fiction, this is it. It deals with pain, joy, and grief head-on and does not mince words or details. If you enjoy your reading to be lighter fare, this probably is not the story. But for me, I loved it. Wholly and completely. Nophek Gloss is a thundering debut; it grabs the reader and tows you into unchartered territory.  

Read Nophek Gloss by Essa Hansen

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Interview with dark fantasy legend Steven Erikson

Ask somebody about dark fantasy to rival the epic scale of Game of Thrones and I’d be pretty surprised if somebody didn’t mention Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen series. These books consistently show up on best of lists (including our own), and are considered some of the most enjoyable works of the dark fantasy genre.

Erikson has had a tremendous impact on fantasy through his Malazan Book of the Fallen epic series and tie-in novellas and trilogies set in the same, massive world. With almost 22 years of imagination across tens of thousand of pages and wrapped consistently in beautiful cover art, when you start reading Erikson’s works for the first time it’s truly like dipping your toe in the ocean. It’s also incredibly cool to know so many of these characters started out on Dungeons & Dragons character sheets for either Erikson or fellow Malazan world author Ian Esselmont.

I was lucky enough to interview one of my–and the Grimdark Magazine crowd’s–favourite authors of all time, Steven Erikson.

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REVIEW: Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

Please note: I don’t believe my review includes any spoilers for Rhythm of War, but to be safe: minor spoilers may follow.

Rhythm of War picks up events approximately a year after the finale of Oathbringer. The Knights Radiant have continued their war against Odium’s Fused and Singer armies though neither side has gained much headway. Many new Radiants are becoming familiar with their spren bond and powers. The former Parshmen, once slaves to humanity and now under the guidance of the immortal Fused, are still angry and bitter at their former captors. There have been scientific advancements on both sides as the next stage of the confrontation begins. This is where we rejoin the point of view perspectives of characters such as Kaladin, Shallan, Adolin, and Navani.

We find out promptly what the main characters have been up to over the last year, what their current objectives are, and the effects that the warfare has had on their wellbeing. People suffering from and coping with mental illness is an important part of Rhythm of War with many struggling in the war-torn society. These include main characters such as Kaladin who is trying to cope with his battle shock and post-traumatic stress disorder, and Shallan with her multiple personalities. I’m no expert when it comes to such conditions but believe that Sanderson presents them in his narrative tactfully. It is intriguing to read about characters who are heroic, world-renowned and have legendary powers, and see how this pressure and responsibility can take a toll on them. This presents these characters as more human, relatable and creates deep empathy when reading.

A complaint that some readers had with Oathbringer was that it dragged in sections. Rhythm of War begins with some incredible, heated and action-packed set pieces. Some of these opening sections introduce key Fused figures, their powers, and objectives. These early moments also showcase some of the technological advancements for the Radiants which approach Steampunk territory. After the breathtaking start, I am afraid that certain sections of Rhythm of War drag in a similar fashion to Oathbringer. Most notably are some of Navani’s scholarly research segments. They are important and the payoff from them is completely worthwhile but those moments did negatively impact my overall enjoyment of this novel. I had to overly concentrate and read slowly to make sure I understood which was reminiscent of studying a science textbook.

Comparable to the other entries in The Stormlight Archive, we are presented with flashback episodes again. This time it is that of Venli and Eshonai. These sections are the first flashback moments from a Parshendi perspective, excluding the prologue from Oathbringer. They are interesting and informative, filling in gaps to the narrative we already know but this time from the “enemy” perspective. The Venli in the flashback moments is presented as what seems like a completely different character to the present day version so it is intriguing to see how and why she changed so much. Knowing what happened to Eshonai at the finale of Words of Radiance, it was enjoyable to see how she got to that point. Her final moments and exchanges are really fitting and rewarding to read about. These flashback sections were fine, although I didn’t enjoy them as much as Kaladin’s in The Way of Kings and Shallan’s in Words of Radiance. I’d say they are on par with Dalinar’s in Oathbringer and are just as crucial to the overall narrative arc.

There are many, many elements and moments that I loved in Rhythm of War. I always adore reading about Bridge Four and this time we get to know more about members such as Dabbid and Rlain which was excellent. Travelling to Shadesmar again was great too, as Adolin and Shallan venture to the honorspren capital of Lasting Integrity. (I don’t consider this to be a spoiler as it is mentioned on the book’s summary section on Goodreads.) Also, finding out more about Adolin’s “sword” was one of my favourite parts. This time, we are given further insight into some of the main Fused players such as Raboniel, the Pursuer, and Leshwi which added to the story greatly. There are some brilliant set-pieces, dream segments, witty conversations, and duels and confrontations. One section, in particular, could be referred to as a fantasy version of Die Hard. The last twenty percent of Rhythm of War features, by far, some of my favourite moments from the entire series. The finale is outstanding and by the time I got to Wit’s epilogue I was completely out of breath and my emotions had been utterly bombarded. I cried quite a few times towards the end and there are a number of tragic moments that upset me to my core.

So, after about a month of only reading The Stormlight Archive novels, I have finally completed Rhythm of War. I really lost myself in Sanderson’s Roshar and this novel is another incredible entry in a stunning fantasy series. Some moments that happen throughout these pages will have the SFF scene discussing and debating them for months. Although The Stormlight Archive is due to be a ten novel series, I believe the next book will be the last of this era, making Rhythm of War the penultimate entry. Events are poised expertly at the end of this narrative for the next novel to be beyond exceptional. I’m sure this time in three years I’ll be re-reading this series again before the next book and I cannot wait. The Stormlight Archive is epic fantasy at a level that is rarely equalled.

“I think we’re losing, Syl said. To a guy wielding something he found in Adolin’s sock drawer.“

I received an uncorrected proof copy of Rhythm of War in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Brandon Sanderson, TOR Books and Gollancz.

Read Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

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REVIEW: Plight of Madness by Jesse Teller

Plight of Madness is Book Three of The Madness Wars, the penultimate volume of this epic sprawl covering a massive military conquest of the warrior nation Drine over its refined and cultured neighbor, Tienne.

Continuing on the previous reviews of Onslaught of Madness, and Wrath of Madness, I found myself immersed in the struggle not only between these two nations, but a resulting series of conflict within each. War is Hell, and takes its toll on everyone involved, whether they’re winning or not.

As with the previous volumes, Plight of Madness is split up into chapters with shifting point-of-view from a variety of characters. Continuing from Wrath of Madness are the chapters told from the perspective of Rextur and Aaron the Marked, who have been with us since the first book. Also continuing from the previous entry are Tarana and Saykobar, and we’re given new POVs as well.

Rextur, the warlord general known as The Madness, is winning his campaign, but things haven’t been going precisely as he wanted. Even in victory over the boy king Peter Redfist, he has a bad taste in his mouth and escaping members of the opposing army not only elude him but manage to vex him mightily before they disappear. Adding to this frustration is the internal war within the kingdom of Drine, where his aptly named ally Treason is making a move for the throne. While Rextur feels this is for the benefit of the kingdom, it does split his attention and the Drine forces are at odds with each other when they could be finishing off Tienne.

Aaron the Marked, also known as the Demon, is licking his wounds as he is constantly eluding (or battling) the Drine Madmen. He’s been joined by Mort, servant of The Pale, who is a Death goddess. He’s not sure how she’ll help him, but even more than that he’s finding himself distracted by his feelings for her, which is not ideal given their refugee status and the fact that Aaron is devoted to his dead wife.

Saykobar the wizard is serving Treason, adding quite the punch to the bastard prince in his campaign to take the throne of Drine. But behind the scenes remains the Valkyrie, who secretly moves Saykobar like a pawn in her game, of which he’s unaware of the final goal. He might even have to betray Treason in order to help him.

Tarana, the noble daughter of a killed Tienne warlord, is learning to adapt in her new chaotic world. With the help of her men, led by the garq named Boone, she can carve out a place among the surviving nobility of Tienne. It remains to be seen if this is for the defending nation’s benefit or simply Tarana’s, but her political maneuverings and treacheries make for an interesting story.

Strick is a character that ran across Tarana in the last book and now has a perspective narrative of his own. He’s a Lunatic, which is an elite soldier of Drine, more skilled than the regular Madmen. Through his actions, he comes to the attention of Rextur, who has a special task for him and the Lunatics under Strick.

Bo of the Wolves of Trendakale is a member of a pack, often thought of by the others as the runt. But his sharp mind and cunning comes to help him gain a place in high regard with Trendakale, warlord of the Drine forces opposing Treason’s treachery.

“At fifty-six years old, Wrath had killed so many men Bo could smell a train of souls gripping to him that trailed off into the unknown.”

Gale Summerstone is a powerful mage in the wizard city of Rockfort in Tienne. Recently defected from the Reavers who lead the city, he’s trying to avoid his former colleagues while the threat of Drine approaches.

Cypress Qirk is the Lady of the Forest of the First Tree, long ago promised to William Cherlot of Prox, one of the few remaining noble leaders of Tienne. She’s learned of his decline into drink and debauchery, and as such proven an ineffective ruler in Tienne’s greatest need. She believes that it’s up to her to bring him around, for the good of William and his people.

As we’re much deeper into the epic of The Madness Wars, we really get to see how the narratives become entangled and the overall plot begins to tie together. The twists and turns will surprise, as well as set up for an intriguing finale with the next, and final, installment. Teller leaves the reader wanting more as he brings all these threads to a pause, leaving some open for later resolution but cutting off others with a sharp edge of finality. Plight of Madness left me satisfied for the moment while making me want to jump into the final book in the series as soon as it’s released.

Review on Goodreads

Read Plight of Madness by Jesse Teller

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REVIEW: Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong

Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits is fun as hell. It is an excellent introduction to David Wong as a writer and his style of wacky gonzo-esque humor if you are a fan of Transmetropolitan or Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson. 

“People like me know that there is no magic. There is only the grind. Work looks like magic to those unwilling to do it.”

I came to the writing of David Wong, aka Jason Pargin, via his horror gonzo series John Dies at the End series. It is quippy, immensely quotable, dark and horror-filled. But the cool thing about David’s writing is that although the imagery can be violent, there is a balance to it. I have never put down a David Wong book feeling creeped out or gross. I don’t believe that is ever the intent of David’s stories. More so, I think David wants to entertain and with the side benefit of making you think. That is it. He isn’t trying to break your soul. In the case of Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits, it is enough to entertain you and make you think of surveillance culture, the internet, and the effects of mass wealth. 

Zoey Ashe is working to survive. She is working a barista job, wondering where the money to repair the fridge will come from. It is a plight that many a reader understands; I know that I do. She has a loving relationship with her mom, who raised her by herself and a very stinky cat. These relationships play an essential part in her life. After a weird run-in with an out of control car, Zoey learns that her very estranged billionaire father has recently passed away and left her his entire empire in the lawless city of Tabula Ra$a. An empire built on greed, excess, and mafia-type thuggery. Her Dad was not a nice guy, and even though he could understand the effect of some of his bad choices at the end of his life, aka his relationship with Zoey, at his heart, he was a mafia boss. He loved glamour, gaudiness, T & A, and not much else, pretty much the antithesis of Zoey and everything she stands for.

“A clean conscience is expensive, it’s the reason most men have to live paycheck to paycheck.”

What Zoey finds out very quickly in the story is that everyone is trying to kill her in new and exciting ways. While Zoey is a strong person at her heart, there are only so many electrified super bad guys one can take. She can’t do it alone; she will not survive the night. So she rehires her Dad’s team of fixers to help keep her alive. Their ability to use imagination and resources to solve problems, usually in a very creative way, is one of the main reasons you should be reading this book. That, and how much I enjoyed when Zoey lets her inner moxie out to play. According to the millions of viewers who are recording her every move in Tabula Ra$a, she is small and “cow-like” (according to her detractors), but she will only take so much shit then it is game on. 

This group of fixers, along with Zoey, work to find something that is missing and keep away from the comically ridiculous bad guys. All the while, Zoey navigates this futuristic lawless city and keep her morality and her values intact. 

“The gun without the training just means you’ve given your attacker a free gun.”

Under all the skullduggery, futuristic violence, and excellent writing are fundamental ideas about the public’s effects of mass access to one’s personal life. If one has access 24/7, what does that do to culture? Is there even a culture, or is it a swirling miasma minute to minute that has no value? 

Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits is not for sensitive readers. There is a lot of misogyny and violence in general and aimed at Zoey specifically. Zoey gets beat up a lot and brutally. But there is no sexual assault or anything of that nature. All that being said, I didn’t think that the violence was gratuitous. I felt that it was in service to the narrative. The violence is so ridiculous and outlandish that it becomes comical. As a reader, if you are sensitive to violence in general, this book is not for you. I suggest reading Wong’s other series instead.  

This story is fun and action-packed. It is well-paced, and the combination of futuristic craziness and snark from Zoey kept me on my toes. I recommend it to anyone wanting some fun because Zoey and the gang are entertaining. 

Read Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong

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7 Books About Badarse Assassins

Are your favorite protagonists prone to sneaking, stabbing, and killing folk for coin? Are you keen on cloaks, shadows, and artful murder-for-hire? If you answered yes to any of the above and you’re looking for your next great read, look no further! The list below contains seven great novels about a few of the fantasy genre’s most badarse assassins.

7. A Dance of Cloaks by David Dalglish

The Underworld rules the city of Veldaren. Thieves, smugglers, assassins…they fear only one man. Thren Felhorn is the greatest assassin of his time. All the thieves’ guilds of the city are under his unflinching control. If he has his way, death will soon spill out from the shadows and into the streets. Aaron is Thren’s son, trained to be heir to his father’s criminal empire. He’s cold, ruthless — everything an assassin should be. But when Aaron risks his life to protect a priest’s daughter from his own guild, he glimpses a world beyond poisons, daggers, and the iron rule of his father. Assassin or protector; every choice has its consequences.

Read A Dance of Cloaks (Shadowdance, Book 1).

6. The Book of Jhereg by Steven Brust

Vlad Taltos is a mobster and assassin in the magical metropolis of Adrilankha. A member of the Great House of Jhereg (named for the tiny dragon-like creatures native to Dragaera), Taltos is given the largest contract of his career but the job is even more complicated than he expects.

Read The Book of Jhereg (Vlad Taltos, Collection 1)

5. Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po. She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

Read Graceling (Graceling Realm #1)

4. Age of Assassins by RJ Barker

Girton Club-foot has no family, a crippled leg, and is apprenticed to the best assassin in the land. He’s learning the art of taking lives, but his latest mission tasks him with a far more difficult challenge: to save a life. Someone is trying to kill the heir to the throne, and it is up to Girton to uncover the traitor and prevent the prince’s murder. In a kingdom on the brink of civil war and a castle thick with lies, Girton finds friends he never expected, responsibilities he never wanted, and a conspiracy that could destroy an entire kingdom.

Read Age of Assassins (The Wounded Kingdom, Book 1)

3. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king’s council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her … but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead … quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Read Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, Book 1)

2. The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks

For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art—and he is the city’s most accomplished artist, his talents required from alleyway to courtly boudoir. For Azoth, survival is precarious, something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he’s grown up in the slums and learned to judge people quickly—and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint. But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassins’ world of dangerous politics and strange magics—and cultivate a flair for death.

Read The Way of Shadows (Night Angel Trilogy, Book 1)

1. Heroes Die by Matthew Stover

Renowned throughout the land of Ankhana as the Blade of Tyshalle, Caine has killed his share of monarchs and commoners, villains and heroes. He is relentless, unstoppable, simply the best there is at what he does. At home on Earth, Caine is Hari Michaelson, a superstar whose adventures in Ankhana command an audience of billions. Yet he is shackled by a rigid caste society, bound to ignore the grim fact that he kills men on a far-off world for the entertainment of his own planet – and bound to keep his rage in check. But now Michaelson has crossed the line. His estranged wife, Pallas Rill, has mysteriously disappeared in the slums of Ankhana. To save her, he must confront the greatest challenge of his life: a lethal game of cat and mouse with the most treacherous rulers of two worlds.

Read Heroes Die (Acts of Caine, Book 1)

While this list contains a few of the author’s favorites, the fantasy genre is blessed with a Dark Brotherhood’s worth of killers worth reading about. Notice one or more of your favorite cutthroats is missing? Check out Grimdark Magazine’s page on Facebook and Twitter and leave a comment on this article!

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