Adrian Collins's Blog, page 211

MOVIE REVIEW: All Hail The Popcorn King

All Hail the Popcorn King, a documentary about Joe R. Lansdale directed by Hansi Oppenheimer, was intriguing to me as a fan of horror and western fiction and movies of all types. Though I haven’t read a lot of Lansdale’s work, he’s a name I’ve been seeing in anthologies for years as I’ve made my way through the different genres. It didn’t seem to matter which one I was getting into, Joe’s stories seemed to be there. And they’ve always seemed to be among the best in the book.

Aside from assorted stories here and there over the years, the only book I’ve read cover to cover from Lansdale was Driving to Geronimo’s Grave, and Other Stories, which I reviewed in 2018 for NetGalley and Subterranean Press. That review can be found here.

There I found a wild assortment of material, from Great Depression fiction to Western stories and the occasional dip into science fiction. I could see that Lansdale didn’t seem to stick to any one genre. That’s a fact that is emphasized in this documentary, where “Joe Lansdale is a genre unto himself”. They stress how Lansdale does not pigeonhole himself into any one area but writes what needs to be written to make the story work for itself.

The tone of the documentary grabbed me right from the start, with the Western/country theme music and the Texas old town mystique. It turns out that Joe’s daughter Kasey did the original music for this documentary, and she’s quite good as an artist herself, adding to the mystique of her father’s career. She reminds us that her father is the “best known unknown author”.

Though Lansdale’s career can’t be covered in depth in one hour, this one does a pretty good job of giving us a snapshot. Major works covered here were the Hap & Leonard series, Bubba Ho-Tep, and Cold in July. Quite a variety of people are interviewed from different walks of entertainment life, such as Joe Hill, Chuck Wiser, Bruce Campbell, Christopher Golden, Amber Benson, and Mick Garris.

We also got quite the interesting tale about how The Drive In was created and written. We hear about how Joe’s wife Karen made this incredible popcorn based in lard that Joe describes as “greasiest least healthy popcorn ever made in the universe with Kroger grease”. As a result of eating that stuff, Joe would endure what he called “popcorn dreams”, which would bring him the strange imagery and things of nightmares that made their way to the narrative. As Joe describes the story that follows, it shows “the need to believe in the face of facts that tell you otherwise”.

Joe mentions his upcoming novel, Big Lizard, that he’s co-writing with his son Keith, who says of his dad, “the stuff that sounds the most ludicrous is the usually the accurate thing when it comes to Dad”.

The parts with actor Bruce Campbell were the most entertaining, as Bruce talks about working with Joe on the movie version of Bubba Ho-Tep. “…even Elvis Presley could be forgotten in an old rest home, with cancer on his penis…” He talks of how after filming that, they’d become family friends which they’ve remained to this day. Campbell also talks of how genuine Lansdale is, “Joe can actually kick somebody’s ass…” Bruce Campbell says “…how many writers can take you out?” Here he’s talking about how impressed with he is at Lansdale’s extensive martial arts knowledge, which gives him an air of true authenticity when using this stuff in his writing.

Whether he’s telling a story of two friends in Texas that share a common ground despite being from different walks of life, or a tale inspired by water moccasins and lard soaked popcorn, Lansdale always keeps it interesting and unique, with a flavor of the authentic.

As Christopher Golden says, “I know lots of writers that are full of shit…but joe is a no bullshit guy”. As fanciful and outlandish as Lansdale’s stories get, he stays real in the heart of the narrative and this is what keeps his stories going and readers wanting more.

I found myself drawn in to All Hail the Popcorn King right away, as the music set the tone within seconds of hitting “play”. From the start, we become immersed in Lansdale’s hometown in East Texas, and the documentary keeps that feeling throughout. I found it engaging as it was comfortable, giving me the feeling that his stories are derived from the place that a “regular guy” would come from. It gives the viewer a taste of what it would be like to actually read one of Lansdale’s books, and made me want to rush out and start collecting them.

This makes for a five-star rating for the documentary itself, with great potential for lots of stars in the near future after picking up several Lansdale novels and collections. I know that I will certainly be adding more Lansdale to my to-read pile after watching All Hail the Popcorn King, and I might even try to find some greasy popcorn to eat while reading.

The post MOVIE REVIEW: All Hail The Popcorn King appeared first on Grimdark Magazine.

REVIEW: Shadowmarch by Tad Williams

Shadowmarch is a slow-burning fantasy epic with fine world-building, interesting characters, and large amounts of political intrigue. It is mostly the groundwork that is set here of what I don’t doubt will be a phenomenal series. Introducing the players, the factions, the warring nations, and a potential threat from the fabled Qar, the Twilight People.

It’s a traditional high fantasy series that will appeal to fans of Robin Hobb’s The Farseer Trilogy, John Gwynne’s The Faithful and the Fallen, and Joe Abercrombie’s Shattered Sea Trilogy. The Qar are similar to The Others from A Song of Ice and Fire. Whereas White Walkers dwell behind The Wall, The Twilight People reside behind the Shadowline. Humanity pushed them back to The Twilight Lands yet after hundreds of years the Qar have decided that they wish for their lands in Eion back. The closest of which is Southmarch.

“Most dreadful of all, as she lay with her shivering children on the cold ground just outside the murdered town, she could hear the destroyers of everything she had, and they were singing. Their voices were painfully lovely. Darkness claimed her then, but only for a while.“

The action in Shadowmarch mainly takes place in, or around Southmarch. The main characters we follow are the Royal twins Barrick and Briony. Their father, King Olin, has been kidnapped and taken to Hierosol and we follow how the twins behave, live and change during his absence. Barrick has a crippled arm and has morbid dreams where shadows haunt his residence. Briony is a young Princess who doesn’t wish to be treated like most the other girls, and has to learn how to cope in a man’s court where murder, deceit, and betrayal is often the order of the day. These were my two favourite viewpoints. Even in this first entry of the series they develop a fair amount whilst having the fate of Southmarch weighing on their shoulders.

Other point of view perspectives in Southmarch are those of Captain Ferras Vansen, the poet Matty Timwright, and the funderling Chert. Funderlings are this world’s equivalent of dwarves and Chert’s tale was one of my favourites to follow. Towards the beginning he finds a young child abandoned, only just on the human side of the Shadowline, and takes him in as his foster son. The child is extremely mysterious but likeable, and there is no doubt that he is extremely important to the overall narrative.

“‘But he came . . . he came from . . .’ Chert looked at the boy, who was sucking his fingers and examining the landscape. He lowered his voice. ‘He came from the other side.’”

The other main character that we follow is Qinnitan who is a Sister of the Hive. This is a religious organisation in Great Xis. Xis is ruled by the Autarch – the God-King – and he chooses Qinnitan as one of his wives. The Autarch is power-mad and has been invading the southern regions of Eoin with an intended aim of taking over the entire land. Qinnitan’s was the perspective I found least interesting and slightly dull but it gives us an insight into Xis which is completely unlike Southmarch. The conclusion of her tale here was actually pretty exciting and sets her story up to be really interesting in the forthcoming releases.

Unlike the White Walkers in A Song of Ice and Fire, the Twilight People here are presented through a point of view perspective of one of them. Here we have Yasammez – The Scourge of the Shivering Plain – a superpowerful, fairy-like hater of humans who wields a legendary sword.

Shadowmarch slowly builds up this epic and extremely detailed world. It isn’t really action-focused at this point. The novel had intriguing moments though such as when Vansen gets lost behind the Shadowline, the Wyvern hunt, and uncertainty regarding what happened in Prince Regent Kendrick’s room. When reading Shadowmarch I kept overanalysing who the twins can trust and also which of the two mighty threats of Southmarch will materialise first, when, and will they be prepared/ able to cope at all? The ending was fulfilling and was great to see how things wrapped up in this first series entry. At the finale, at least four of the characters make/ are forced to make life-altering choices. I am so intrigued to see where this series will go next with Shadowplay. This novel is so deep and enthralling that, with the horrors currently happening all around us with coronavirus, it was great to immerse myself and escape to this world. Although it’s not a five-star read, Shadowmarch is still an impressive first chapter in what may become one of my favourite fantasy series. I can’t wait to find out more about what is hidden behind the Shadowline.

In my reviews for the Shadowmarch series, I have used parts of the amazing German covers for the featured images. You can see the full covers and read more about them on Tad William’s website article Shadowmarch in Germany.

Buy Shadowmarch by Tad Williams

The post REVIEW: Shadowmarch by Tad Williams appeared first on Grimdark Magazine.

REVIEW: Black Stone Heart by Michael R. Fletcher

Black Stone Heart is the latest grimdark novel by Michael R. Fletcher. This is a brand-new series, The Obsidian Path which is set in a bizarre new world unlike those of Fletcher’s other work. There were a couple of stories in A Collection of Obsessions, his short story collection, but this is the first full length novel.

As with all of Fletcher’s work, Black Stone Heart does not shy away from a steady diet of comfort food for the grimdark appetite. His recipe is equal parts violence, gritty happenings, grisly humor, and a dash of bad luck for flavoring.

Khraen just woke up, and he’s starving. He’s confused and disoriented and doesn’t remember much at all of his life before he’d been killed. All he knows now is that he is being drawn to the fragments of his obsidian heart that have been scattered about the world by whoever it was that murdered him.

During the course of this novel, we travel with Khraen as he tells the story in first person, learning what we can of his life before as he does, picking up a bit here and there with each fragment of his stone heart as he finds it. His memories return with each piece, as do his talents and his awareness of who and what he was.

This book is an interesting study of a dark character, a villain from most perspectives, as he comes to grip with what he was, what he is now, and what he hopes to become as he pieces himself back together bit by bit. Will he become the demonist emperor that ruled a vast empire over several millennia, or will he learn to be a better man through his experiences today and forced humility? Sorcery and necromancy abound in the battle for Khraen’s quest and the very nature of his soul.

With twists and turns and the general mindfuckery that we come to expect from Michael R. Fletcher, we go on this wild ride with Khraen, not knowing if we’ll be uplifted or disappointed, or both. Much as Khraen himself must prepare for who he becomes and the legacy he’d left behind during his previous life which hangs over him now. Can he be a better man? Does he truly want to?

Here’s a little example of Fletcher’s writing, the way he can twist a dark happening into a lively bit of humor, still grisly in its content but light in the tone as he spins it:

“After killing the farmer’s horses, we rode them south, exchanging our dead mounts for new ones whenever their appearance decayed to the point they became recognizable as corpses.”

Black Stone Heart doesn’t disappoint the returning Fletcher reader. It’s much different in scope and perspective than earlier work but keeps the consistent tone and writing flow that we’ve come to look forward to with each new story. New readers will be just as entertained and will likely flock to his back catalogue as soon as they finish this one. But all readers will probably wonder about Fletcher’s sanity before it’s all over.

Buy Black Stone Heart by Michael R. Fletcher

The post REVIEW: Black Stone Heart by Michael R. Fletcher appeared first on Grimdark Magazine.

REVIEW: Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King

I think at one point or another, we are all the titular character. Dolores, in Stephen King’s Dolores Claiborne. We may not be her specifically in all ways. But I guarantee that the humanity that Mrs. Claiborne has, the trueness and rawness, will happen at one point or another in every human’s life. This, in itself, is what makes Dolores such a relatable character.

“Sometimes you have to be a high riding bitch to survive, sometimes, being a bitch is all a woman has to hang on to.”

If you are new to Stephen King and haven’t heard about him, which would be crazy because who hasn’t heard of King, Dolores Claiborne is Stephen King’s first novel entirely told in dialect from a single person point of view. I don’t know many authors who could pull off the feat of writing something clear, concise and engaging like Dolores Claiborne while handicapping themselves with this type of narrative style.

But he does it, and he does it well.

Dolores Claiborne is told in one long and breathless story recounted at a police station after Dolores Claiborne has been brought in for questioning for the death of her senile and long time employer Mrs. Vera Donovan. Mrs. Donovan had taken a tumble down the stairs and subsequently perished from the fall. Dolores is under scrutiny by the police because thirty years prior, there were mysterious circumstances around the death of Dolores’s husband, Joe. Dolores, herself, is described as an aged, hard-worn woman in her sixties working as a housekeeper in the fictional island of Little Tall Island, Maine. Many of Stephen King’s novels take place in Maine, and some ways interconnect with each other. As an aside, if you pay attention to some of the character references in reading Dolores Claiborne, you will notice a direct connection to Gerald’s Game. One of King’s other horror works.

“What did you ask, Andy Bissette? Do I ‘understand these rights as you’ve explained em to me’? Gorry! What makes some men so numb? No you never mind—still your jawin and listen to me for en awhile. I got an idear you’re gonna be listenin to me most of the night, so you might as well get used to it. Coss I understand what you read to me! Do I look like I lost all m’brains since I seen you down to the market? I told you your wife would give you merry hell about buying that day-old bread—penny wise and pound foolish, the old saying is—and I bet I was right, wasn’t I?”

It turns out that Dolores did not murder Vera. This isn’t a spoiler, we find this out in the first twenty pages or so. We also find out that Dolores did murder Joe, the whole town knows it, although they could never prove it. Dolores Claiborne, the story is really “the why.” Why would a woman murder her husband?

Dolores begins her tale, describing it in great detail to Andy and a stenographer, how she came to be married to Joe. How she came to work for Vera and how those two things shape who she became and the choices she took to get there. What you get is the in-depth look is a woman who will do anything to protect her family, and do what is right by her code of ethics. It is morally gray, but life is morally gray, and that lends a sense of realism to Dolores. I can imagine her existing somewhere in the world.

As soon as you get one paragraph into Dolores Claiborne, you will notice King’s use of dialect. I am of two minds of this. On the one hand, the jargon can be immersive; it can help the reader immerse themselves in a story. On the other, it can be frustrating and classist. Some author’s use dialects to divide rich folk from poor folk. If a character is poor, they speak unintelligibly, dropping letters, forgetting words, and using an excessive amount of slang in their vocabulary. It is lazy and insulting writing. However, I think dialect done well, as I believe King’s version here did not make the story difficult to read for me. It isn’t Riddley Walker and indecipherable. But it does add to Dolores’s character.

“One way or another, all the bridges between that time n this one have been burned. Time’s a reach, too, you know, just like the one that lies between the islands and the mainland, but the only ferry that can cross it is memory, and that’s like a ghost-ship – if you want it to disappear, after awhile it will.”

Stylistically, Dolores Claiborne is not King’s typical style. In most of King’s novels, even his short stories where brevity is a must, King over explains, over describes, overanalyzes, just overdoes it. If King were to describe a doorknob to the reader, it might be a single paragraph describing the texture, smell, sound, year make and model of said knob. I know that many readers find that level of explanation tedious. It goes right in the face of the minimalist school of writing that is getting more and more mainstream. Others who know King and are familiar with his style, love it. I love it. Although when I read the unabridged version of The Stand that came in at 1327 pages, it might have pushed it a little bit for me. I bring this up because his typical style is in sharp contrast with how Dolores Claiborne is written. This is sharp and concise writing. Almost blunt in its emotional brutality scene to scene. Dolores is not a long-winded character. She speaks her mind, and if there is nothing to say silence is better. I think King took that to heart when writing her, although I don’t know many people that can tell a single story, especially to a police officer that is over 300 pages long.

The glory of this story is the relationships that Dolores has, namely the relationship between her boss Vera and her husband, Joe. Joe is almost a caricature of an abusive alcoholic husband. However, it is Dolores’s handling of Joe and the language King uses to get across to the reader about Dolores’s strength that I found very appealing. Vera and Dolores are another matter entirely. Vera is a bitch. She is a bitch in every sense of the word, Entitled, rich, classist, snobbish. Where King could have used a caricature of a stuffy, white, rich woman, Vera has pain. She isn’t all bad, although her moments of where the reader can see through the mist of her money and airs are few and far between. Her relationship between Vera and Dolores is old. It reminds me of the relationships old nemeses have when underneath it all there is an undercurrent of respect and made a sprinkling of love. But you have to dig way, way down to find it.

“…two bitches livin on a little chunk of rock…”

If anything, Dolores Claiborne highlights that King is not a one-trick pony. Although he has the horror genre down, he is a talented writer that can write with nuance and gravitas. He writes with heart and emotion. When I hear about King naysayers who talk about his writing being hackneyed, pigeonholed in horror, I think of the story The Body (made into the movie Stand By Me), or Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption (made into the movie The Shawshank Redemption), and now I think of Dolores Claiborne.

Buy Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King

The post REVIEW: Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King appeared first on Grimdark Magazine.

REVIEW: The New World by Mark Lawrence

Mark Lawrence’s latest novelette The New World can be found in the Grim Oak Press Red Queen’s War omnibus edition, and features fan favourites Jalan and Snorri as they venture to a far off land to bring the natives religion—or so you’re led the think. As with everything Jalan does, it’s a little bit being pushed into something he doesn’t want to do (due to him doing something or someone he shouldn’t have done), and a little bit pretending it was his idea all along.

In this short piece set after the brilliant Red Queen’s War trilogy (Prince of Fools, The Liar’s Key, and Wheel of Osheim), Lawrence has our two favourite mates on a ship under the stern eye of the ship’s captain (there to make sure they make the dangerous Atlantis crossing) and a church matron (there to make sure Jalan does his holy job, while his pants stay on). Some friends you’ll remember join Jalan and Snorri, and as the ship leaves the dock and takes us into the adventure of the high seas, we swiftly find out all is not what it seems.

As always, reading a Mark Lawrence story is like drinking a really good stout—the writing is smooth and silky, the pages fly by as you get wrapped up in the story and forget the world around you, and the twists just keep you thirsting for more. Lawrence is one of my favourite short form writers, with his Red Kent story Bad Seed still pretty much my favourite of all time. He has a knack of never wasting words, of hooking you from the first line, and dragging you to the last page faster than you could have imagined.

He is on form with this story, as always. He’s like the Mike Hussey of fantasy fiction. His depiction of the rolling seas, the crew of questionable (at best) characters, a particularly vicious First Mate, the banter between Jalan and Snorri, and of course that internal Jalan monologue we all love, is there in spades. There’s action, twists, a snifter of ancient tech that makes the world of The Broken Empire so much fun, and an almost Treasure Island setup feel for what this book could have been if it had been worked into a novel. I, for one, was certainly shaking my fist across the the seas at Lawrence that we didn’t get more!

For fans who grab the Grim Oak edition, The New World will be a fun addition to your Red Queen’s War reading experience.

Buy The New World by Mark Lawrence in Grim Oak Press’ Red Queen’s War

Head on over to the Grim Oak Press web store.

The post REVIEW: The New World by Mark Lawrence appeared first on Grimdark Magazine.

REVIEW: 100 Months: The End of All Things by John Hicklenton

100 Months: The End of All Things is John Hinkleton’s final brutalist farewell to the world, and it is by far the hardest book I have ever had to review. I have spent the last two months mulling over how to say what this story is without sounding constrained. Because this story is everything, and in the end, it is nothing because John is gone.

“I am raised upon the breeze my love…”

John Hinklenton died of MS in 2010. He chose to end his own life and his battle with MS on his terms. Along the way he described his struggle the only way he knew how to, he drew it—a struggle between two unstoppable forces. In the Introduction to 100 Months, Hicklenton’s friend and colleague Pat Mills wrote “. . . [we would] never ask Jimi Hendrix to turn down the volume . . . and [we should] never ask John Hincklenton to turn down the netherworld, the examination of his soul and the loss of himself.” Hinklenton battled MS with every cell of his body, with every memory, emotion, moment, and power that he could muster. What 100 Months is, is that struggle, the struggle of every cell put into pictures. It is his opus.

The first page of this novel sees the release of The Beast. A daughter of pain and suffering released into the world after 100,000 years. This beast has no face and an androgynous body. She ultimately thirsts for annihilation. She vows to kill the Swine God. Throughout the story, you see The Beas

t lay waste to cities, step upon the skull of the fallen, and seek out the seed of the long pig to destroy it at its source. These are not the rantings of a wild man, but the calculated thought of a man whose body is slowly being torn asunder from the inside. All of this is brought forth by his pen.

It is a powerful and unsettling book and, in a way, the most grimdark story I have ever read.

Should you read this? That is entirely up to you. What I look for in literature is to be emotionally affected. 100 Months is effective in that regard. Was it pleasant to read, Absolutely not. But, the author’s death was neither friendly nor easy; it was pain and suffering. By reading this, I paid homage to his craft and his last moments. And in that, I am grateful to have read this.

Buy 100 Months: The End of All Things by John Hicklenton

The post REVIEW: 100 Months: The End of All Things by John Hicklenton appeared first on Grimdark Magazine.

Ten Indie Grimdark Novel Recommendations

One of the important changes brought about by the internet’s increasing availability as well as the rise of the e-book is the independent book market becoming a much bigger competitor to traditional publishing. Self-published books, small presses, and medium sized presses now can reach audiences of millions. 

Speaking as an indie grimdark author myself, I have selected ten of the best books I’ve read in my career of immersing myself in the genre. These books are all solid examples of the genre and something that I think everyone who loves grimdark will get a kick out of.

10. This is my Blood by David Niall Wilson

Mini-Review: No grimdark list would be complete without a little controversy and this is one of those books that thrives in it. What’s the premise? What if Mary Magdalene was a vampire. A woman is created by the Devil and turned into a blood-sucking fiend who hovers around Jesus of Nazareth while various things go south as all fans of the New Testament will find. For those of us who paid attention in Sunday School, it’s an interesting exploration of a taboo topic. Vampires, after all, make everything better.

9. Melokai by Rosalyn Kelly

Mini-Review: Amazons have been a staple of fantasy since the Ancient Greeks but never has the deconstruction of their society been as brutal (and done by a woman no less). The society of the Peqkyians is a ruthless and totalitarian one where the Melokai rules absolutely as half the population is used as chattle. Rosalyn Kelly has created a fantastic but dark world with numerous antiheroes trying ot get ahead in a world ruled by oppressive caste-based societies. The protagonist of the first book thinks she’s kind, beloved, and fair–while being one of the worst people in fantasy. I like the contrast.

8. Steel, Blood, and Fire: Immortal Treachery by Allan Batchelder

Mini-Review: Vickers was once the greatest warrior in the world, killing and carousing with no thought to the consequences. Age has managed to catch up with him, though, and he isn’t the same fighter he used to be. Unfortunately, a new warrior naming himself the End of All Things is leading an army across the land with seemingly no purpose other than destruction. Vickers is hired to kill him despite being hopeless outmatched and assembles a team of thugs to do the dirty work necessary in bringing the End down. What follows is a complicated and sometimes moving plot that shows the big epic plots of other stories from the bottom up. It is the first book in a really solid grimdark series.

7. Damoren by Seth Skorkowsky

Mini-Review: Urban fantasy rarely gets much love among grimdark because it is not more traditional fantasy or sci-fi. However, I solidly am behind the Valudcan series by game reviewer and Origins award winner Seth Skorkowsky. The series about a bunch of ruthless anti-heroes hunting demons is full of moral ambiguity, brutality, and solid world-building. Damoren follows Matt Hollis, a demon-infected gunslinger who is only barely tolerated by his organization. I liked Matt and think other fans of the genre will too. He’s not the star of the whole series, though, just the first book. The protagonists switch between volumes for a more layered look at the universe.

6. Seraphina’s Lament by Sarah Chorn

Mini-Review: Seraphina’s Lament is a truly dark and terrifying story based on the famines during the reign of Joseph Stalin. Taking place in a fantasy world where the old monarchy has been overthrown only to be replaced by something worse, starvation ravages the land. However, the population have more to deal with than their tyrannical overlord and his incompetence, the gods have decided to punish the land by unleashing a plague of hungry dead that will wipe the living from the face of the globe. The tight connections between the various characters sometimes stretches credulity but this is a solid piece of dark fantasy.

5. Shattered Dreams by Ulff Lehmann

Mini-Review: Ulff Lehmann is one of my favorite military fantasy writers. He has a wonderful way of weaving multiple story arcs and perspectives into a single coherent narrative that reminds me a bit of George R.R. Martin. A Light in the Dark is a series that follows the invasion of a nation by its rivals while magic returns to a world that has long forgotten it. It’s not as grim as it could be, but its protagonist is suffering PTSD from murdering his wife, so it’s not exactly kittens and rainbows either. One thing I like about the books is they continue directly from one volume to the next, like one continuous story.

4. Darkmage by M.L. Spencer

Mini-Review: M.L. Spencer is one of my all-time favorite indie fantasy authors. Her series, Rhenwars Saga, begins with an awesome premise: what if the ragtag band of misfits FAILED to save the world before an apocalyptic threat? The world has mostly recovered by the start of Darkmage but it isn’t ready for round 2. I love the deliciously flawed protagonist, Darien, and his collection of sidekicks that don’t know how to deal with someone that wields godlike power but is not wise enough to wield it. A man who eagerly uses his power to slay tens of thousands of “evil” soldiers, only to later change his mind on who is evil. A solid series everyone should check out, though I also recommend reading the prequel Darkstorm.

3. Ghosts of Tomorrow by Michael R. Fletcher

Mini-Review: Ghosts of Tomorrow is not just one of my favorite grimdark novels. It’s one of my favorite novels period. I admit to a certain level of bias, though, because I’m a huge cyberpunk fan. No grimdark list is complete without a nod to its science fiction roots and this is a great one. Brain harvesting from children is a lucrative business in the mid-21st century as A.I. are needed for all manner of businesses but the only way to create one is to burn out an existing human mind.

2. Where Loyalties Lie by Rob Hayes

Mini-Review: Rob Hayes may not be the most famous voice in grimdark, but he is one of the most prolific and talented. He was the first grimdark author I ever read and who introduced me to a lot of wonderful stories that he keeps churning out regularly. Where Loyalties Lie is a combination that I’m surprised more people haven’t done: grimdark fantasy and pirates! They’re ruthless, murderous, and terrible people but the pirates of this book are entertaining as hell. The story of them building their own kingdom is amazing. Winner of the Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off award.

1. Kings of Paradise by Richard Nell

Mini-Review: Choosing number one for this was very hard. However, if there was truly special in this pile (and all these novels are), I would have to give it to Kings of Paradise. It is a story that rivals The First Law trilogy for entertainment value. Following a character assortment including a deformed cannibal philosopher, a murderous peasant priestess, and an arrogant prince with a gift for magic–well, this is a memorable cast to see the least. They’re also startingly believable as well. The writing is evocative, the world-building wonderful, and the story incredible.

The post Ten Indie Grimdark Novel Recommendations appeared first on Grimdark Magazine.

REVIEW: The Fell Sword by Miles Cameron

The Fell Sword is the second book in The Traitor Son Cycle, coming after the rip-roaring and dragon-slaying beginning in The Red Knight. We head back to the Red Knight and his company and are quickly ensued in an exciting, political and high-medieval tale.

“The Red Knight sighed. ‘Sometimes I think you all take me for granted,’ he said and went off to wash the blood off his hands.”

We follow familiar faces in the Red Knight’s company as they descend from Alba to lands faraway, paid to put down a local rebellion – in true Miles Cameron style it is not that simple! The Red Knight was the perfect beginning of this intriguing fantastical world with knights and irks aplenty. The Fell Sword is a different beast, veering (slightly) away from the bloody and blood-pumpingly epic battles in favour of a deeply political tale, that still contains an almighty battle.

There is a distinct change of pace from the unstoppable The Red Knight which is welcome as it is written masterfully. The Red Knight’s company takes a slight back-pedal as we are introduced to much more than just a company being paid to protect others. We meet new POVs and return to old ones. The Queen of Alba is facing political unrest, The Wilde are once-again plotting, and other minor-plots interweave this story.

“Sauce grinned. ‘Anytime, baby,’ she said.

‘We could make that our motto,’ allowed the Captain.”

As I am a massive fan of Cameron’s historical medieval series, I loved the setting of The Fell Sword and all of its bright, shiny, polished medieval-doings. The jousts, the ‘white-armour’, the ghiavarina – I have one of those, (a beautiful type of Italian spear). I really enjoyed reading about the clothing and the little details. The Fell Sword is dedicated by Miles Cameron ‘to the re-enactors’ and I can say for certain re-enactors will love to read of this world in its fantasy setting.

Although the battles were few, they were glorious and as always wonderfully written. Cameron has a way of writing battles that makes them feel so authentic, details really helping you as the reader to feel as if you are there in the midst of it all, listening to the blood-curdling screams and the clamour of weapons.

“It should come as no surprise that they are threatened by those who make war a profession. We don’t need to be manly or brave. All we have to do is win. There is no second place, and we get paid just as well whether we lose half our men or lose no men.”

The middle of the book contained a lot more politics than I predicted but I enjoyed discovering more about the world of Alba, Morea and Thrake. The characters were fleshed out and each story-arc was interesting. There was a feeling of preparing the reader for the next book, which hinted to me at an even bigger and more intense plot coming and I’m sure it will be completely worth the slower pace in this one.

“Dariusz felt something like admiration for the Red Knight. They clearly read the same books.”

5/5 – Another romping success in the world of the Traitor Son Cycle. The Fell Sword had intense battles and a good dose of world-building and political intrigue, setting up the next book nicely. Stay tuned!

Buy The Fell Sword by Miles Cameron

The post REVIEW: The Fell Sword by Miles Cameron appeared first on Grimdark Magazine.

REVIEW: Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie

Last Argument of Kings is one of the best final books of a trilogy I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading – actually, scratch that, it’s one of the best books I have EVER read. Seriously, it had moments of laughter, scenes that were so tense I was biting my nails and shocks that had me staring into the darkness of my palms as my hands covered my face.

“I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them.”

Before They Are Hanged, Book 2 of the First Law was a masterpiece, and Last Argument of Kings completes the trilogy superbly. Bethod, King of the Northmen is a constant threat and there’s only one man who prevents him from conquering the Union, yeah you guessed it, our guy Logen Ninefingers. As Logen is facing the minor task of defeating a whole army, Superior Glokta is up to his usual tricks of torture and blackmail in the capital. There is more of a personal mission for Glokta this time around as it quickly dawns on him that there’s only so many power-hungry lords he can continue to keep pleasing. Jezal dan Luthar is back in the capital seeking to let go of the life he once loved, of fame, women, gambling, to focus on beginning a family with the woman he loves, but can it really be that simple? Again I’m sure you’ve guessed the answer to that one. In true Abercrombie style, nothing is ever simple – you have to be realistic about these things. Also, book 3 brings about the true discovery of who Bayaz is, our questions are answered and he really comes into his own. I’ll leave it at that!

“It’s hard to be done a favour by a man you hate. It’s hard to hate him so much afterwards. Losing an enemy can be worse than losing a friend, if you’ve had him for long enough.”

One thing I love about Abercrombie’s writing is just how clear each distinct voice is. You really know who the POV is from just after reading one sentence and I find that rare, especially one with multiple POVs. The characters are so quotable, with fantastic lines of speech and thoughts, it’s top-quality writing. Each character has ample moments to shine which is exactly what you want in a final entry of a series, I felt so satisfied after finishing Last Argument of Kings – not to mention THAT ending. It was one of those few wide-eyed panic infusing moments that had me desperate for just one more chapter.

“The only difference between war and murder is the number of dead.”

Within Last Argument of Kings is one of the best duels ever. Abercrombie writes action so well, so brutally full of gore. I felt the cuts, the burn of muscles, the panic of battle and the euphoria of victory. The Bloody Nine has some of his best scenes to date here and they gave me the chills, as did Logen’s father’s sayings about war. What I also love about The First Law is the balance of characters. Not every character needs to be or is a legendary sword-wielding beast of a man who smashes his way to victory. Sure it’s good fun to read but there’s none of that here. The characters find their own way to take on battles, literally and metaphorically.

“Rules are for children. This is war, and in war the only crime is to lose.”

I also love how much depth there is to all of the characters even secondary ones such as The Dogman, Black Dow, Ardee, and Arch Lector Sult. There were sections of non-stop action without much pause for breath, and there were other passages of the calm, allowing us to really get into the characters and understand them even more. There were touching scenes in the Last Argument of Kings that added so much to the story and the way I felt about the characters – which I find very rare in a grimdark story.

“You can never have too many knives, his father had told him. Unless they’re pointed at you, and by people who don’t like you much.”

5/5 – I’m sure you can tell how much I loved Last Argument of Kings and The First Law. I would recommend this trilogy to anyone who likes reading. Or just everyone. If fantasy is your thing then this is a must read, and if fantasy isn’t your thing then this is a brilliant starting place to highlight just how amazing it can be when written well. Mr Abercombie, I salute you. I hope to see the likes of The First Law again.

Buy Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie

The post REVIEW: Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie appeared first on Grimdark Magazine.

REVIEW: Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings

Kathleen Jennings’ Australian folk horror novella Flyaway is a tale of the darkness lurking in the trees and the strangeness glimpsed out of the corner of the eye, of secrets bound up in the land and its people, and of the truth hidden in stories. Bettina Scott lives a peaceful life with her mother in the quiet town of Runagate, nestled in an isolated district named Inglewell. When her routine is disrupted by strange goings-on and an unexpected, anonymous letter which brings up painful memories of lost family, Bettina goes in search of answers to questions she didn’t realise she had, and dredges up dark and apparently forgotten local history.

It’s an exquisite gem of a book, a story which hoards its secrets and reveals its answers slowly, patiently, rewarding the reader who’s willing to go on a strange and haunting journey to understand what lies at the heart of Inglewell and the tangle of lives caught up amidst the shadowed trees and the sun-baked earth. After starting off warm and full of the everyday magic of Australia’s wild nature, things gradually grow increasingly sinister as Bettina’s strange, contained life, defined by her mother’s calming voice and the comfort of familiar spaces and routines, is shaken up. Before long, as she takes her first tentative steps out of her comfortable existence and engages with confused, embittered former friends, things become fully dark and deeply unsettling.

There’s a tangible sense of magic and otherworldliness throughout the story, but the darkness comes as much from the characters’ actions and responses as anything else. Bettina’s worldview is surreal from the off and only becomes stranger, her interactions with others slowly making more sense until the depth of her troubles and the reality of her family becomes eerily clear. Her journey is interspersed with vivid, haunting folk stories – told by others around her – which support and reinforce a beautifully-plotted and carefully, satisfyingly constructed narrative and a magical, if grimly creepy sense of world building. It’s all presented in Jennings’ evocative, beautiful prose, which brings her world and characters to life without ever falling into the trap of becoming aimless or difficult to follow.

Flyaway is a story that’s fundamentally connected to the wild, to Australia’s unique flora and fauna and the rich storytelling that’s indelibly linked with such a strange and wonderful place. It’s full of contrasts, from Australia’s baking sun to the shadowed darkness between the trees, and from Bettina’s demure present to her distant and forgotten past. The pace and secretive nature won’t be to everyone’s liking, but if you’re willing to be patient then the wait for understanding is absolutely worth it… although when it comes, the eventual clarity is liable to leave you unsettled and uncomfortable. It’s the sort of story which, when it all comes together, continues to haunt your thoughts and raise an occasional shudder long afterwards. Subtly sinister and utterly, utterly magical.

Thanks very much to Kathleen Jennings and Tor.com for an advance copy of Flyaway in exchange for this honest review!

Buy Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings

The post REVIEW: Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings appeared first on Grimdark Magazine.