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REVIEW: The Council of Athyzia by D.H. Hoskins

Last Updated on September 13, 2024

In The Council of Athyzia, D.H. Hoskins spins a high fantasy tale full of conspiracies, schemes, and brutal back stabbings and betrayals that rivals even A Song of Ice and Fire’s level of complex political drama. Here, treacherous tongues are wielded like weapons, and words soon prove more dangerous and deadly than any magical battle could ever be.

Starting where most fantasy books end, The Council of Athyzia explores what would happen to a world when the dark lord has finally been defeated after 25 years of terror. Imagine a true historic peace conference like Vienna or Paris, except here we have elves, dwarves, creatures and different factions of humans coming together to forge a new path forward; can they set aside their personal goals to maintain peace and unity without a common enemy, or will tensions explode and history repeat itself?

As someone who can get quite daunted by complex political fantasy narratives, I went into The Council of Athyzia equally curious and nervous. Now, there’s no denying that the first couple of chapters may feel a bit overwhelming with the rapid introduction of the council, but I think Hoskins does a surprisingly impressive job of establishing all the key players on the field and setting up the stakes. While some minor characters remained little more than names and titles to me, the key players really came to life and pulled me in with their fascinating complexity.

See, while there are a lot of moving pieces in The Council of Athyzia, I personally found the intimate scope of the storytelling to be a very great grounding force. Not only was Athyzia, with its ancient library and lavish rooms, a very charming and immersive setting to me, but I also just loved exploring it all through Nauveena’s eyes. With her sharp mind and tender heart, she quickly proved to be a very compelling and strong female protagonist, and I loved how she was allowed to be so realistically messy and flawed in trying to deal with all the increasingly challenging trials and tribulations that she is faced with.

Moreover, I really enjoyed the complex interpersonal relationships that lie at the heart of The Council of Athyzia, be they friendly or hostile. Especially Nauveena’s wholesome dynamic with her mentor Snorri (who is the head of the Council) and her unexpected friendship with the enigmatic witch Venefica really pulled me in on an emotional level, which only increased my personal investment, for better or worse (ouch, my poor heart!). And don’t get me started on Fallou and his schemes, that’s what I call a deliciously hateable yet somehow weirdly understandable antagonist.

Hoskins is honestly a masterful storyteller, and I really loved how his writing reminded me of my older favourite Tolkien-esque fantasy stories, except with a lot better female characters and without it feeling tired or uninspired. I especially enjoyed how the first half of The Council of Athyzia almost has a bit of a cozy and nostalgic vibe to it, and I found it quite amusing how the characters themselves even gave signs of being bored out of their minds during the tedious first council meetings. But then around the halfway mark, there is a big shocking turning point in the narrative and the ominously elusive dream/prophecy magic becomes a bigger focus, after which it just gets more and more intense with each turn of the page.

Though the focus of this story might be small, this world is just drenched in epicness (yes, here there be dragons!) and offers an impressive level of depth and nuance to its history and lore. I loved learning about the complicated conflicts between all the different races/factions through organic and dangerously charged conversations, and I found it terrifyingly fascinating to see characters jumping all around the spectrum of morality to suit their own needs. While I personally would have liked to see a bit more culture clashing or language barriers, I honestly think Hoskins did a magnificent job of bringing these diverse characters to life, and I deeply appreciated the authentic exploration of sensitive themes like racism, corruption, narcissism, morality, religious strife, cultism, and othering.

Even if you are the type of reader who, like me, couldn’t stop yawning during the Council of Elrond in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, I would dare to say that Hoskins can make you fall in love with all the political power plays and riveting debates. So for all those who love classic fantasy but want things a bit darker, with more dire consequences, and a lot more nuance to the traditional good vs. evil narrative, then I can’t recommend The Council of Athyzia highly enough; this book truly has zero business being this addictive, and you better bet I am jumping into the next instalment in this exceptional trilogy the moment it releases.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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REVIEW: The Land of the Living and the Dead by Shauna Lawless

The Land of the Living and the Dead is the latest novel by Irish author Shauna Lawless, set in her Gael Song world. This series is a superb mix of history, fantasy, and mythology and one that I have personally loved since I read Lawless’ debut novel, The Children of Gods and Fighting Men. I have recommended the series countless times, bought it as a gift, and generally not shut up about how great it is to anyone who will listen. I went into reading The Land of the Living and the Dead with the highest of expectations, and now, having finished it, it is safe to say that it is one of my top reads of the year. The super short review is this: this is a phenomenal novel. You should read it.

There is another time jump between The Land of the Living and the Dead and its predecessor, The Words of Kings and Prophets, and just over a decade has gone by since we last saw Fódla and Gormflaith, the series’ protagonists. It is now 1011 AD in Ireland, and the High King, Brian Boru, struggles to hold his crown and maintain a fragile peace. The struggle between the fire-wielding Fomorians and the magical Descendants still goes on, hidden from the eyes of most. Gormflaith, Brain’s queen, still hides her fire magic and newer stolen powers, and schemes to gain the crown and destroy the Descendants for good. The Descendants should be united against this threat, but they have internal struggles as not all their kind wish to dominate the mortals. Fódla must use these divisions to reveal Gormflaith’s treachery, but it will come at a significant personal cost. War seems unavoidable, but if Fódla succeeds, she will steer Ireland away from a future bathed in flames.

One of my favourite things about this series is that we see almost all of the novel’s events from the point of view of Fódla and Gormflaith. In their patriarchal society, seeing the women work covertly gives a unique perspective. This is shown more obviously in the scheming of Gormflaith and her obsession with furthering her Fomorian kin, and her frustration with her place in society because of her womanhood becomes more evident as the novel progresses. Fódla is a very different character, less political and less prone to using violence to solve her problems, but still not a leader in her own right. Fódla is not a gift leader or queen, but in The Land of the Living and the Dead, she is more vital than she has been in the earlier stories, particularly with her stance against her former lover, Tomas.

I must also praise Lawless for her characterisation in this series. This is true not only of the main characters of Fódla and Gormflaith but also of others. Even characters we do not hear from as much, such as Ronnat, Murchard, or Broccan, are all well-developed and elicit an emotional response from the reader. Lawless’ world is vivid and realistic; it utterly transports the reader. But her characters made this series such an excellent read for me. Even the less likeable characters are exceptionally well written. I can think of few other examples in all my reading where a depiction of an undeniably awful person gives me such a visceral reaction as when Tomas appears on the page. After reading the novella Dreams of Sorrow (which should be read after the second novel in the series and before The Land of the Living and the Dead), I did not think it was possible to dislike Tomas more. It turns out that it is.

I will accept that The Land of the Living and the Dead is not the darkest fantasy read on the market. It is a very believable historical fantasy, and its darkness is in keeping with the era in which it is set. There are vivid battle scenes, political machinations, and cloak-and-dagger murders. I think it appeals greatly to those who want an intense and intricate read. Across the whole series, Lawless covers decades of Gormflaith’s and Fódla’s lives and swirled within their fictional narratives is a host of Irish history and myth, which was a pleasure to read about.

The Land of the Living and the Dead is the third book in the Gael Song world, but I hope it will not be the last set here. Whatever Lawless has in store for us next, I will be reading it. Thank you so much to Shauna Lawless and the Head of Zeus / Ad Astra team for sending over an ARC of The Land of the Living and the Dead.

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REVIEW: The Threshing Floor by Steph Nelson

Miracles come at a price in The Threshing Floor, Steph Nelson’s new novel that is equal parts occultist horror and psychological thriller. The lead protagonist, Dalice, is a single mother working multiple jobs to care for her toddler son, Cash, who is in desperate need of a heart transplant. Broke and broken, Dalice finds new hope when a handsome stranger, Shane, enters her life, opening the possibility of companionship and, potentially, a miraculous cure.

The miracle-worker in question is Shane’s younger sister, Reva, an enigmatic cult leader whose healing hands sparkle like the dust of gold. Despite her altruistic veneer, there is a deeply sinister side to Reva, who prays for healing as she preys on her unsuspecting victims.

Steph Nelson grabbed me from the opening prologue of The Threshing Floor, which finds Dalice running in the shadows of darkness, stumbling upon what may be a torture chamber or perhaps a path toward digging her own grave. The tension builds as we learn more about the mysterious gold dust woman and her true intentions. Will Dalice remain in the cult as the price of miracles becomes too high, or will she pick up the pieces and go home?

The Threshing Floor switches perspectives while also alternating between the present timeline and the backstory of Shane and Reva’s childhoods in the early 1990s, revealing striking parallels between Reva’s traumatic childhood and the psychological abuse she inflicts on others.

The horror elements are a slow build throughout The Threshing Floor. I especially enjoyed Steph Nelson’s approach to the supernatural, which is presented in a mostly positive light while showing that the real evil may come from within. As in her previous survival horror, Sawtooth, the psychological aspects of The Threshing Floor are particularly well done.

Steph Nelson also shines with her character development, especially while showing the sacrifices that Dalice is willing to make to save her son. The romance between Dalice and Shane is presented with realistic nuance, lending amorous overtones to balance the horror. However, Reva’s interference might ultimately shatter Dalice’s illusions of love.

From its opening prologue to its unnerving final page, The Threshing Floor is an unputdownable thriller, establishing Steph Nelson as one of my favorite new voices in horror. Fans of occultist and psychological horror will find much to love here.

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REVIEW: How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler

In How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler, Davi has died 237 times, and, strapped to a torturer’s block, she’s about to die again. In this way are we introduced to our protagonist, who is trapped in a kind of death / time loop which can best be described as playing a game of Dark Souls meets Morrowind meets Boss Level.

Early on in How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, it’s well established that Davi has stopped seeing the people in this world as people. Having seen them all reset, forget she ever existed, and start over as if nothing happened so many times means to her they are just things to be used or murdered to defeat the dark lord and get back to her real world of social media and Reddit. Her deaths may take minutes or years, but they always happen and she always loses to the dark lord, in whatever form the dark lord takes.

This time Davi has had enough. It’s time to switch sides from the Kingdom (humans) to the Wilders (fantasy people) and become the dark lord (while dying A LOT trying). She needs the get to the Conclave to claim her dark lordship. She’ll need a horde. She’ll need to cross lands of bandits and beasts and lords who may not be too happy she’s there. It’s time to try something different.

Up front, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying is a dark comedy fantasy. Our protagonist is snarkier than Deadpool, and much like the Merc with a Mouth, we get to see her story arc move from seeing all people as something to be played with—murdered without thought, betrayed without guilt, used as minions to be thrown into the meat grinder without remorse—to caring about those under her charge. Amongst her snarky, driven, angry-at-the-world, cynical as fuck, and tired-of-this-shit attitude, we eventually find a relatively decent human being and somebody to root for. I take my hat off to Wexler for really nailing the voice of Davi. It’s a style that is really hard to get right and deliver across 100,000+ words without it becoming repetitive and boring, and Davi is nothing if not hilariously entertaining cover-to-cover.

Not to be left behind, the supporting cast are excellent, in particular Davi’s horde’s generals. The way they grow to accept Davi at her whacky best (including not understanding 90% of her non-world references, songs, and sayings) is at times hilarious and heartwarming. Their prejudices, failures, and growth make them a superb supporting cast.

I think books like this are important to the grimdark community. It’s a funny, and immensely fun read, while also delivering strong messages around how we treat each other. It’s a different kind of morally grey read to our usual fare, and while it retains so many things we like, it dials up the cheek and laughs for a nice, relevant break from the grit.

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler is a wildly fun tale that is going to appeal to gamers who embrace the grind just as much as to lovers of great dark fantasy books.

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REVIEW: The Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry

One of the best things about reviewing books for Grimdark Magazine is how many times the team shares about books and authors they love. It is fantastic to come across an author for the first time based on a recommendation and realise their book works well for you. I had that feeling in the first few pages of reading Jonathan Maberry’s Kagen the Damned as a review book. I have been so excited to follow along Maberry’s first epic fantasy series with the second novel, The Son of the Poison Rose, a novella, I Say Your Name in the Dark Nights, and finally, with the series’ epic conclusion, The Dragon in Winter. It has everything I like in a book.

Jonathan Maberry is a prolific writer and editor, so if the end of this series leaves you wanting more from him, you have a lot of material to dig your teeth into. At Grimdark Magazine, we have liked his horror novels Ink and the Pine Deep Trilogy. Still, you could also check out his V-Wars, which Netflix has adapted into a television series, or his work for Marvel Comics, including The Punisher and Black Panther.

The war that the first two novels in the series has been building up to finally arrives in The Dragon in Winter. The Witch-King of Hakkia has personally been accumulating power in preparation for his magical ascension and recruiting mercenaries to bolster the Hakkian forces against Kagen and his Bloody Bastards. As well as human recruits, the Witch-King has been assembling darker forces, the results of his magical experiments, and amassing alchemical weapons that any human would struggle to defend against. Luckily, Kagen and his allies have been busy. Filia and Tuke have recruited thousands to stand with the Bloody Bastards against the Witch-King, and Kagen himself has to race to uncover the secrets of ancient magic in the hope that it will be enough to defeat the usurper.

The Dragon in Winter is a lengthy book, coming in at just under 600 pages. Maberry also gives no preamble reminding the reader what has come before. So not only are the first two novels essential prereading but if you have not read them recently, settling back into this world may take a while. However, it took me only a short time to feel like I was moving through the narrative with old friends. I particularly enjoy the chapters relating to Filia (with her horse, Dog, and her dog, Horse) and Tuke (and his many ball jokes) for providing some much-needed amusement and some of the few tender moments in the novel. I enjoyed the chapters with Kagen’s brothers, Jheklan and Faulkner, for the same reasons: The Dragon in Winter has the broadest range of characters in the series so far, and Maberry easily moves between the different threads of the narrative.

Although I enjoyed the broader cast in this novel, it might be something other readers find off-putting. Particularly with the shorter chapters, some of which are only a paragraph or two long, the narrative sometimes felt jumpy, and it took effort to tell if each thread was as crucial as the other. In hindsight, they are, as Maberry brings everything back together for a very engaging finale. I also found that the varying lengths of chapters provided momentum and made The Dragon in Winter flow very quickly. I made much progress after a smaller reading session, especially when I did not have a massive chunk of time to read.

I think grimdark fans will enjoy this series and find The Dragon in Winter a very satisfying conclusion. Kagen is a surprisingly likable protagonist for a damned man, and even though he does some very dark things, his personal code of conduct is admirable. The Witch-King remains a great Bad Guy. This tale has no question here about who the “right” and “wrong” sides are. Kagen might stab someone in the neck during a truce, but we cheer when he does it. Maberry rounds off the arcs of this series nicely while keeping readers surprised and entertained. The Dragon in Winter might be the end to this set of stories, but I hope it is not the last time that Maberry tells us a tale of Kagen. Thank you to Jonathan Maberry and the St. Martin’s Press team for sending us an ARC.

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REVIEW: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Shadow of the Erdtree is the DLC expansion for the extraordinarily popular Elden Ring game. Grimdark Magazine’s staff were so impressed with Elden Ring when it came out that they did multiple reviews in a single article. I wasn’t one of those reviewers due to only playing the game this year but have much the same opinion as many other gamers: it was fantastic, lots of great updates, and probably the best story of the Souls games. I was fascinated by George R.R. Martin’s writing for God Queen Marika’s family as well as the constant twists and turns in the Golden Order’s history.

Shadow of the Erdtree is an entirely new area that you have to defeat the optional boss, Mogh, in order to visit. This is a litmus test for how capable your character has to be in order to play this DLC since Mogh is one of the hardest bosses in the base game. You can cheese him as I did with the Crystal Tear that neutralizes his best attack and Mogh’s shackle, but this is a sign that Shadow of the Erdtree is endgame content. Do not enter until you have well over a hundred and fifty levels, or you will be utterly wrecked.

Shadow of the Erdtree’s premise is simple: Miquella, the most beloved of her children after Godwyn, has entered a mysterious location called the Shadowlands. He has brainwashed several followers from disparate groups into joining his cult and plans to ascend to godhood. You need to stop him. Well, simple by Elden Ring standards. The Shadowlands were subject to a secret genocide carried out by Marika’s armies and led by a heretofore unknown son of hers named Messmer. It is almost literally a mass graveyard with much of the setting covered in spiritual tombstones.

Storytelling in Souls games tends to be environmental rather than character-based, though you will meet several NPCs who talk to you in this game and provide a decent amount of exposition. Even so, the setting is mournful and horrific with constant signs that something very bad has happened here. Miquella brainwashing his followers to get along is also handled in an understated yet horrifying way. These people would never associate with one another normally but are forced to in a way that they don’t even notice is abnormal.

If you do bother to pay attention to story, you’ll find out details like how Marika went from being a poor village girl to a god of the Lands Between. This is a grimdark story of a victim of genocide becoming a perpetrator of genocide themselves. Her betrayal of Messmer and his troops is also another nail in the coffin of Marika being remotely sympathetic. The Hornsent civilization is fascinating and even if they’re complete scumbags, they’re a believable race of complete scumbags.

The gameplay is, in simple terms, punishingly hard even by Elden Ring standards. So much so that even the developers seem aware of it as they provide upgrades that only work in the Shadowlands called Scadutree Fragments as well as Revered Ashes. Enemies like the Furnace Golems are easily able to stomp you and the bosses are almost ridiculous in their erratic movement sets as well as ability to deal one-hit kills. Most Souls players wouldn’t have it any other way.

There are a few flaws I felt Shadow of the Erdtree suffered from. There’s new enemies, new bosses, new equipment, and new lands to reach. A lot of it is very similar to the stuff from the base game, though, and even the new stuff isn’t necessarily that big of a change. After all, a hippopotamus being able to kill demigods like the Tarnished isn’t that different from the fact bears can do the same in the base game. Malenia is barely mentioned despite being Miquella’s sister and the same for the Haligtree. We also never get an answer for why Miquella was in a cocoon in the base game. Shadow of the Erdtree also lacks any new achievements, which is ridiculous in a modern title.

In general, this expansion is just more Elden Ring but that’s not a bad thing. I spent about forty hours playing the game and exploring it, which is worth the price of a full game but I should also clarify that I suck at Elden Ring too. This is only good for someone who has already beaten the main game and is willing to put in a lot of level grinding as well as build alteration. Even then, you’ll need the Scadutree fragments and Revered Ashes too. If that’s a challenge rather than a deterrent, then this is the game for you.

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REVIEW: Tales of Abeth by Mark Lawrence

Nona Grey is back with Tales of Abeth, a compilation of three short stories by Mark Lawrence that can only be described as manna from heaven for his legions of Book of the Ancestor fans.

For the uninitiated, the Book of the Ancestor trilogy begins with Red Sister, which introduces us to the brutal ice-covered world of Abeth and its warrior nuns from Sweet Mercy convent. The nuns inhabit a narrow corridor of green that encircles the planet, kept alive by a mechanical moon that focuses light from Abeth’s dying sun.

The lead protagonist of the series, Nona Grey, is a young novice imbued with rare magical powers inherited from the original tribes who settled Abeth.

Tales of Abeth opens with “The Devil You Know,” which ranks as #4 on my list of Top Ten Mark Lawrence Short Stories and describes the aftermath of the final battle scene in Red Sister. “The Devil You Know” provides our first introduction to an important character who appears at the beginning of Grey Sister, while also expanding on the series’ themes of friendship and inner demons:

“Some say we carry an angel on our right shoulder and a devil on our left, and that both whisper to us all the days of our life. The truth though is that we carry them not on our shoulders but within us, and they are legion. Our lives are not swayed by whispers. Our lives are the smoke that rises above the battleground of hearts where the armies of light and of darkness make war.”

For the careful reader, “The Devil You Know” also reveals important connections to the Book of the Ice trilogy and the rest of Mark Lawrence’s interconnected universe. In fact, I’d consider this to be the single most important short story for readers who truly wish to understand the subtleties of the Lawrenceverse.

The second story in Tales of Abeth, “Bound,” takes place between Grey Sister and Holy Sister. This not-quite-novella is billed as a “kissing story,” which is an accurate description. But it also provides plenty of non-romantic action, with magical quantal powers playing a prominent role.

Lawrence’s writing is top-notch, as always. I especially enjoyed the allusion to his famous opening line from Red Sister:

“It is important, when killing a novice, to ensure you bring a force of sufficient size.”

“Bound” is the most unapologetically fun story in this collection and will appeal to anyone who loves the Book of the Ancestor trilogy. While the story itself is self-contained, it recounts some important character development that will carry over into Holy Sister. Hence, reading “Bound” immediately following Grey Sister will enhance the reader’s experience with Holy Sister.

The third and final story in Tales of Abeth, “Thaw,” takes place many years after the conclusion of Holy Sister. “Thaw” elaborates further on the relationships among Nona and her friends. It’s especially interesting to see how they’ve grown in the years since Holy Sister. “Thaw” also reveals an interesting tidbit of Abeth worldbuilding.

Altogether, Tales of Abeth is a must-read short story collection for fans of Mark Lawrence’s Book of the Ancestor series. Any time spent with Nona Grey and friends is time well spent indeed.

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An Interview with Matt Dinniman

If you have been perusing indie science fiction lately, you will have recognized the name Matt Dinniman and, by extension, the LitRPG series Dungeon Crawler Carl. I am an unrepentant fangirl of this series—team Princess Donut. GdM got the fabulous opportunity to talk to the man behind Carl, Princess Donut, and the animated sex doll head. Matt sat down with us to have a chat about his rerelease of the first Dungeon Crawler Carl book, that. Will be closely followed by the other five books that have already released.

[GdM] Thank you so much for interviewing with me for the magazine release. I am a massive fan of the series.

[MD] Thanks for having me!

[GdM] Can you explain the premise of Dungeon Crawler Carl for those unfamiliar with it?

[MD] This book has always been kind of difficult to elevator pitch, but here’s my best one. Aliens come and destroy the world, killing most of the population in a single instant. Amongst the survivors are a man, Carl, and his ex-girfriend’s cat, Princess Donut. The aliens have turned the planet into the set of the galaxy’s highest-rated reality game show, Dungeon Crawler World. Carl and Donut enter the dungeon, become contestants on the show, and are forced to fight for their lives while a galaxy of viewers watch their progress. Donut the cat quickly 1) Learns the Magic Missile spell and 2) Becomes a fan favorite.

[GdM] The concept of Dungeon Crawler Carl is exceptionally dark. Billions of people are crushed to death in an instant. Those that survive are dropped into a Running Man-style game televised for the trillions of inhabitants for the universe’s entertainment. Despite this darkness, the story also features side-splitting humor. How do you manage to balance these dark elements with the satirical humor? I imagine it’s a pretty tricky balance to maintain.

[MD] It is a hard balance because the concept *is* incredibly dark. I never intended for this to be a funny story, but the concept along with some of the characters—specifically Princess Donut (who is given sapience and the ability to talk in an early chapter)—allows for some really bizarre and ultimately funny scenarios. I don’t go out of my way to say “Okay, that scene was pretty dark. Let’s make a funny scene now.” Instead, I try to rely on the characters themselves to get from point A to B, and humor is oftentimes a major coping mechanism. Plus, they are on a game show. The bad guys running the whole thing are also using their own brand of sadistic humor to keep the audience entertained.

[GdM] Princess Donut has quite the cult following. I can understand that, as she is a cat with a British accent, a tiara, and an attitude. How did she come about?

[MD] Before I was a full-time writer, I was an artist. I drew cat pictures for a living, and sometimes I would go to actual cat shows as a part of that job. I learned quite a bit about different cat breeds and competitive cat shows, and Princess Donut was born.

[GdM] I know that people often ask you about Carl, but I have got to know more about Samantha. How did a reanimated love doll head come about? Was she difficult to write?

[MD] I am what some people call a “pantser.” That basically translates to “he makes it up as he goes along.” I never planned on having a reanimated sex doll head a major, important character. But here we are.

She’s not difficult to write because she’s my favorite side character by a mile.

[GdM] Did you always plan for Carl to end up with a leather jacket, heart boxers, a cat, and a computer overlord with a minor foot fetish, or did the story evolve in that direction on its own?

[MD] Like I said in my previous answer, no. It happened organically.

[GdM] Now that you are releasing Dungeon Crawler Carl with a traditional publisher, are the audiobooks being redone?

[MD] They are not, BUT we are going through the series and making what’s called an “Audio Immersion Tunnel.” That means a full-cast radio drama with original sound effects and music. This isn’t replacing the existing audiobooks, which are very popular. It’s a separate product, but it’s amazing.

[GdM] Have you ever written a scene because you know how amazing Jeff Hays, your audiobook voice for the Carl series, will sound doing it?

[MD] I write everything with audio in mind.

[GdM] Do you enjoy challenging Jeff with accents from different languages? I’ve been really impressed as an audiobook listener; the Carl series are, hands down, some of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to. It would be interesting to hear Jeff try out accents from languages like the Click language, Gaelic, Jamaican Patois, and maybe Cajun, just for fun.

[MD] Haha. And I thought making him do Icelandic was fun. I do challenge him because I’m a big jerk, and I think it’s super funny.

[GdM] Your first novel, The Shivered Sky, was published in 2003. It is a take on the war between heaven and hell and what happens if hell wins. Has your writing process changed between that novel and the release of The Eye of the Bedlam Bride in 2023? And if so, how?

[MD] Man… That’s a long answer. The short answer is yes, greatly. I think all writers should grow not just from book to book or year to year, but from chapter to chapter. I could talk for hours how I’m a much different writer than I was then. For one thing, I wrote the original manuscript of The Shivered Sky in second person and switched it to third in edits. That is not something I recommend. Another big change is that I have a beard now. And I can afford to buy food. That’s always nice.

[GdM] You have been a hugely successful indie writer for years, and now Carl is being published by Penguin Random House. How did this new publishing come about? And what differences do you see between indie publishing and traditional publishing?

[MD] Comparing Indie Publishing and Trad publishing is like comparing a goat named Chet with a lawnmower. There is no comparison other than both, eventually, lead to a final product… A mowed lawn. This particular deal came about because my agent, Seth, pitched my book to my now PRH editor, Jess, and she read it and enjoyed it. The big unusual part of this all is that DCC has already been out in the world for some time now and that the deal is for physical print only.

That said, the whole working with a team of people thing at PRH has been a wild experience so far. There are editors, and then editors, and then editors (all different) and PR people and marketing people, all when I normally do all this stuff myself. It’s definitely a culture shock for me, but it’s been a blast so far.

[GdM] Are there any differences between the indie version of Dungeon Crawler Carl and the upcoming Penguin Random House release?

[MD] There are! There’s a new cover. This version went through a rigorous edit, and while nothing story wise changed, I fear it was a horrifically brutal comma apocalypse. Don’t worry, though. They had it coming.
But the biggest change is the inclusion of the bonus material. I have written a novella set in the DCC universe called Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret, and it is broken up into short story-sized fragments added at the end of each book.

[GdM] When you wrote Dungeon Crawler Carl, were there any scenes you wanted to include but didn’t make the cut? And if so, what were they?

[MD] I first wrote it on the free web serial website, Royal Road, and that version had multiple scenes that didn’t make the final cut. Mostly because they’re weren’t necessary to keep the story moving forward. My process produces a lot of extra scenes that don’t make the final cut.

[GdM] Where do you think the LitRPG genre is going? Will it remain mostly indie, or do you think traditional publishers will start to take more notice?

[MD] Trad publishers are definitely taking notice because books like He Who Fights With Monsters, etc. keep dropping new books that land at number one on the charts. That said, it’s a genre that speaks to a lot of people. We already have a huge foothold in the indie arena with literally hundreds of new books coming out a moth. I don’t see it leaving that space now matter what happens with trad.

[GdM] After the upcoming release of Dungeon Crawler Carl, what do you have going next?

[MD] The day I finish DCC 7, I will likely get to work on DCC 8. But in addition to that, I have a standalone novel entitled Operation: Bounce House coming from Ace after I actually turn it in. I’m excited for the chance to show the world a story outside of Carl’s. But Carl isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Not until he burns it all to the ground—as long as the pressure of the dungeon doesn’t crush him first.

This interview was originally published in Grimdark Magazine #39.

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Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2: The ultimate hack and slash sci-fi game

Charge into the Warhammer 40k universe with Saber Interactive’s Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, a hack and shoot and slash full of non-stop action and butchery where the super human space marines pit themselves against the never-ending horde of a tyranid splinter fleet. Developer Saber have pulled on all the right in-universe levers to provide Warhammer 40k fans with a highly addictive game with a really solid story at its heart for those wanting more than just raw violence in power armour.

In Space Marine 2 Titus must rejoin his Ultramarine brothers after a century in the Deathwatch to support the Cadians in defence of Kadaku from the Tyranid hive fleet invasion. His black shield status is hidden. He no longer trusts his brothers. He’s been demoted in rank. And he’s taking over another sergeant’s squad. Titus is thrown straight back into the thick of not only the fighting, but the internal battles of the mighty Ultramarines. Added to that, he’s just been physically upgraded to a primaris marine, while his new command were born that way. He’s an outsider, in more ways than one, and hopefully his brothers don’t find out just how much of an outsider he is.

The Space Marine 2 wider story at first seems a simple one: a series of special forces missions saving key elements of the Imperial and Mechanicus forces from horrible deaths at the hands of the Tyranids on Kadaku. I have to tip my hat to the developers and storytellers at Saber as they really nailed the feeling of what being a Space Marine would be: one mission after another into the nooks and crannies of the meatgrinder to provide key impact point assualts and help the overarching war effort of the Astra Militarum forces.

As the game continues to develop, the story from Space Marine 1 starts to rear its head, with Titus’ fears and frustrations creating plenty of conflict in his new squad and driving a wedge between the Ultramarines and the Mechanicus as we romp through jungles and facilities and destroyed cityscapes in search of a way to save the planets from the splinter fleet. In particular, the way the growing tension is written between Titus and his captain, and also beteen Titus and the key squad members of Chairon and Gadriel I think is really well done, and had me consistently telling myself “I’ll just play one more section. Just one more. Oh, it’s midnight and I have to work tomorrow? That’s almost six hours sleep; I can go a bit longer …”

Other Warhammer 40,000 factions also come into play, as you’d expect from a great 40k story, so while I assure you you’ll get to see and kill more than just tyranids, I won’t be spoiling the story for you.

The detail of the world is awesome (as it was with Necromunda: Hired Gun), especially the more you get away from (what I assume is) the difficult to animate jungle and tyranid vegetation and into the city and Mechanicus landscapes. The consistent scenes of destruction and just-missed battle, with bodies piled up against barricades and desperate or hopeless last stands written across the landscape are a credit to the art team at Saber. In particular, I loved entering the crumbling Mechanicus facilities, something that had a very Aliens feel to it, with red emergency lights providing just enough to see the swarming enemy when they jumped out to surprise you (at which point the warm glow of the heavy flamer’s expulsion becomes wonderfully comforting). And when you reach the cityscape ruins with a bit of sunlight on them to really open up the art, this game just becomes breathtakingly beautiful.

The Astartes battle barge–your base of operations–is incredibly cool, and houses your Mechanicus armourer (who kits you out with all the awesome things), battle brothers (who join you on missions), captain (who sends you on missions), Chaplain (who doesn’t trust you with missions), and the thunderhawks (which fly you to missions). While at times the battle barge might feel like extra steps to achieve things, if you sink into it and remember you don’t need everything right now it provides further immersion into what it would be like to be a Space Marine.

Titus’ movements and attack are many, and the casual gamer is likely going to need a bit of time to get the finger movements down (I played on Xbox S)—especially the time-sensitive (and awesome) parry movement (which I sucked at for a good while). There are plenty of combos to remember and nail down as well. I loved the executions, and really enjoyed the brutality of the moves to finish the larger tyranids and later foes.

The tyranids themselves are really well put together, with the swarm aspect of them honed in on by the game’s designers. The use of an AI Director by Saber to break up the hordes of attacking tyranids into small groups to chase you and your squadmates down has worked brilliantly and makes for a really immersive gameplay experience. It’s not surprising to see the tyranids as the main foe. They are a pretty awesome enemy, seem quite in vogue at the moment with plenty of books and short fiction such as Tears of Raphaela by Richard Swan and Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward, and aligned with the popularity and releases for Aliens, such as Alien: Romulus.

One additional bonus that I didn’t get to play in the time I had with Space Marine 2 before this review had to go out (I finished the main storyline and just ran out of time) is that, if you want to, you can check out the other supporting squad’s missions. Ever wanted to know what that side quest mission looked like that you only get to know about over the vox? Go find out! Finish the game and you can even choose your character to do so, be it a vanguard, assualt, tactical, devastator, sniper … you can even be one of Marneus Calgar’s champions with sword and storm shield!

There are a few minor quibbles I have with Space Marine 2. And when I say minor, I mean minor. Firstly, no small map on screen means at times it’s easy to lose where you after the swirling combat. Some of the first opening jungle sections in particular weren’t incredibly intuitive about where to go and where a clear barrier might prevent you from accessing a certain area, and I think a mini map would have helped keep the game flowing. Having to press a button to get a guidance map, as opposed to just having it bottom right of screen is a bit of an annoying choice.

I also wasn’t a fan of how the game changes your chosen weapons in certain scenarios. I was looking forward to giving the first lictor a taste of my heavy bolter. I was enjoying using that thunder hammer to detonate the enemy as I whirled through their masses. But there were times when you finished a cut scene that all of a sudden your roaring weapon of choice had been reverted back to a simple bolter or chainsword. Usually something that meant a coming battle was going to be that much harder.

What Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 really nails is the awesome moments. Be it supporting a glorious Cadian charge, planting your feet and unloading a drum magazine into a wall of Tyranid flesh and watching them clamber over their bodies to get at you, the assembly of a chapter for their oath of moment prior to a full company charge, fighting a battle that looks like it came off the cover of the Codex: Ultramarines, or a Space Marine 1 character showing up … this game just absolutely hammers you with on-point scenes and the scenarios that we as fans grew up imagining on the tabletop. The deeper you get into the game, the better and better they get. AND the ending leaves so much room for more story and conflict, which I really, really hope Saber and Games Workshop do (as opposed to waiting for Space Marine 3).

I cannot say enough good things about how the team at Saber have delivered this game. If I could buy you a beer, I would.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 absolutely FUCKING EPIC.

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REVIEW: A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan

Anthony Ryan is back with another cracking book one in A Tide of Black Steel–a story about unexpected heroes and villains searching myth for reality as they try to save their nation. As people’s lives fall apart, a new terrible foe appears from beyond the Fire Isles, sweeping in and slaughtering villages while taking a few valuable people and leaving red and burned ruin in their wake. As the kingdom scrambles amongst internal fighting and uncertainty to front a defence to the onslaught, a group of misfits attempt to solve the mysteries of the past to empower the Sister Queens’ future.

Ruhlin is a boy watching his village be slain by marauders. Confronted by death, something changes in him, making him a fearsome killer … and then immediately a slave. Thera is a Vellihir, a justice who travels the realm to do everything from settle feuds to nominate people to inherit titles. After a trying mission, she unexpectedly finds herself with a new, and very odd, charge. Felnir the Redtooth chases an opportunity to change his reputation and alter the course of his life from shame to glory. Partnered with his battle loving brother, life partner, and fiercely loyal crew, he chases the mythical-come-real to redeem himself in the eyes of the Sister Queens. Elvine the scholar, her loyalty to the wrong deity putting her and her mother out of safe home and into danger, is thrown into adventure as the Sister Queens send her on a mission to see into the shadows of the ancient past to find the treasures of a religion she doesn’t believe in.

In A Tide of Black Steel, Anthony Ryan’s norse-styled dark fantasy leans into the supernatural as well as the fantastical, and I really enjoyed Ruhlin’s story of change and chains and enslavement. His spirit to fight for his freedom and that of his fellow captives was one of my favourite parts of this book. Elvine’s story provided a non-combat aspect to what’s essentially a story of battles and fights and desperate flight, with her intelligence helping her stand out from the cast as she took on the kind of Evelyn O’Connel (The Mummy) role in driving the mythology and mystery side of the tale. Thera’s role as a justice I thought was quite cool, and akin to the justices in Richard Swan’s most recent trilogy (The Justice of Kings), and I enjoyed reading her path, working as the kind of gel that brought the threads of the story together and provided the higher level danger scope.

However, Felnir the Redtooth–as a barbarian-style leader with sharp edges and a dark backstory covering up a relatively decent soul–was naturally the POV I gravitated towards the most. The way he communicated with his brother, and his internal perspective on his own actions that landed him in the position of being all but an exile searching desperately for a way back to his former self was something I really enjoyed.

These wonderful characters and story arc complexity matched with Ryan’s ability to build you up to–and deliver–epic moments (including an ending twist that is just chef’s kiss), wonderfully showcases the author’s skills as a fantasy storyteller.

Sprawling in scope, forged with depth of lore and living history, full of betrayals and deaths and twists and epic battles, this book is a slow burn start that delivers gut punches, shouts of glory, jaw dropping moments, and plenty of the stuff grimdark fans love. I really enjoyed the way Ryan brought this home, delivering not only a satisfying book one, but the promise of much, much more in book two. I can’t wait.

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