Adrian Collins's Blog, page 43

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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An Interview with Steven McKinnon

Steven McKinnon is a Scottish author best known for his novel Symphony of the Wind, the first book in The Raincatcher’s Ballad series, which made it to the final round in Mark Lawrence’s SPFBO competition in 2018. It’s a criminally under-read novel, epic in scope and with some of the best characters in fantasy. His most recent book, Order of the Shadow Dragon, was published last year and it was great catching up with him to talk about magic, the writing process, and the struggles of being a self-published author.

[GdM] Congratulations on your newest novel, Order of the Shadow Dragon. Can you introduce your book in a sentence or two for our readers?

[SM] Thanks, Emma! Order of the Shadow Dragon is an epic military fantasy concerning the titular order of knights, who are sworn to protect the world from mystical threats.

The Order is on its last legs because magic has long died out—but after a mystical cataclysm decimates a nearby country, the Order’s single adherent suddenly becomes the last defence against dark forces…

[GdM] I’d love to know more about the inspiration for Order of the Shadow Dragon. Were you always planning on setting the story in the same world?

[SM] Yeah, that was always my intention. There are many corners of The Raincatcher’s Ballad world that I still want to explore. I wanted to visit a kingdom that we’d heard about but never seen. Readers don’t need to be familiar with that series to get stuck into this one, though. After the epic madness of the previous trilogy, I wanted to go back to basics and write something shorter, sharper, and more intimate in its scope.

[GdM] How does the writing process work for you? Does it make it easier or harder to set a new series in a world you have already explored previously?

[SM] Easier in the sense that much of the worldbuilding is already in my head, including the general geography of where the locations in OOTSD are in relation to the places we saw in the previous books.

I still need to build up character and plot for any new book, which always starts with a general theme; I don’t think I’ve ever written a book that didn’t massively differentiate from the plan I originally set out… But that’s part of the fun!

[GdM] Can you talk a bit about the role of magic in your novel?

[SM] Magic exists in the background of this and the Raincatcher books, though its slowly bleeding back into the world…

Ignicite (the primary fuel source and a natural barrier to magic) has suddenly dried up, plunging the world into a fuel crisis as well as resulting in a surge of magical energy flowing through the world. Some individuals are sensitive to this energy and can manipulate it in various ways, which causes problems for the Order.

[GdM] Adrian goes through a lot of change during the story and it seemed to me that so much of his character was framed through the trauma of his father’s death. Is that something you wanted to examine in the novel?

[SM] You know, I wasn’t entirely conscious of it, but yeah, I think you’re bang on the money there. My own dad died in 2016 following a stroke, which of course had a profound effect on our family. It was actually his second; prior to that, he was making a fast recovery, so to suffer a second one was a horrible shock.

I had (and still have) recurring dreams about that happening to him and not being able to stop it; it’s a horrible thing and can happen at any time, which makes it all the more terrifying. There’s a tremendous sense of powerlessness that comes with knowing that, and Adrian’s situation absolutely mirrors that feeling.

[GdM] One of the most appealing elements of your writing is the way you manage the dialogue. It’s incredibly funny without edging into caricature and I’ve laughed out loud numerous times. How hard is that to get right? And why is it important to you to include the humour?

[SM] Ah, Emma, that’s wonderful to hear, thank you! Humour is subjective (maybe more so than anything else?), so I go with what comes naturally in the moment. Sometimes I’ll work on making a humorous exchange land better, sometimes it pops out of nowhere, fully formed. Occasionally, in scenes where characters are talking about their situation or making plans, I like to include some jokes to lighten the mood and make it feel less like an infodump.

I think the whole human spectrum of emotions and experience is important to touch on in some way; going back to the question of death and grief above, I was distraught when I left my dad’s room in the hospital but by the time I reached the car park, I was laughing with my brothers. Grief, joy, everything in between—it all comes in ebbs and flows. There’s no such thing as a normal reaction—just a natural one.

In cases like Adrian’s, after witnessing a parent’s death at such a young age, the impact on how they grow and mature will be immeasurable. But even within that framework of trauma, there’s scope to grow, and change, and laugh.

I guess the short answer to your question is, “You can’t have darkness without light,” which is very much the theme of Order of the Shadow Dragon.

[GdM] As a self-published author, what are the greatest challenges you face?

[SM] Finding an audience big enough to sustain a career.

The indie writing community is great, including authors, readers and reviewers. The sheer volume of works being published every day on Amazon means it’s pretty much pay-to-play to get your book in front of readers. The algorithm can help but it’ll only take notice of you if you make a big splash from the outset.

My fantasy books are generally well received, which I’m immensely proud of, but I’ve never made a penny from my writing. Right now, it’s an expensive hobby; it took me a long time to admit that to myself, but numbers don’t lie. (This month, I spent £285 on Facebook ads, which resulted in a return of £90—not a sustainable business model!). I appreciate that the Raincatcher books are hard to market because they don’t fit into any one niche that might be crying out for new books; Shadow Dragon is much easier to identify as a fantasy book just by looking at the cover!

[GdM] The self-serving nature of politicians and how their actions can have horrifying consequences for ordinary people is redolent of contemporary concerns. To what extent did you draw those parallels on purpose?

[SM] I often wonder that if we lived in a utopia, would our fiction still hold a mirror up to everyday issues we face? What would those issues be? Where does the conflict lie if those in power haven’t rigged the game against you?

There’s always going to be good guys and bad guys on every level of society. When I was writing Shadow Dragon, our country was rotating prime ministers faster than the symbols on a slot machine. We went from a botched response to the pandemic and straight into fuel crises, a cost of living catastrophe and wars breaking out elsewhere on the continent. Through all that, our leaders didn’t have the sense to reflect and own their crap, instead pointing the finger at various groups of people in an attempt to shift the blame.

I like holding a mirror up to that. Who knows? Maybe in a future work, a politician might be a good guy!

[GdM] One thing I particularly enjoyed about Order of the Shadow Dragon is how the story dares to be slow at times. A lot happens, but to me, it felt like you really gave the characters space to develop. Was this a deliberate choice?

[SM] Yeah, 100%—for the first time in my fantasy books, I devoted each chapter to a single character’s PoV (with one exception…). I wanted to spend a bit more time in the characters’ heads and—going back to what I said earlier—sit in their evolving emotions and mental state from scene to scene.

[GdM] And finally, can you tell us anything about what comes next? How many books do you plan on writing in the Legacy of Light & Shadow series and do you know the end yet?

[SM] Good question! Book Two is coming soon—it’s called In the Shadow of the Black Flag, and as its name implies, pirates will feature quite prominently. I wanted to release it at the end of this year but it’s been a turbulent few months, so I put it on the back burner for a bit. I’m now looking at an early 2025 release.

I have many stories bouncing around in my head; I think the Legacy of Light & Shadow Books will be longer than a trilogy, though the focus on specific characters and plots may shift as time goes by—the war between light and darkness is a never-ending one, after all…

Thanks, Emma, to you and the GdM team for talking—it’s been a blast!

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Science Fiction and the Dark Side of the Future

Science fiction is one of the most popular genres in literature, film, and TV. It’s easy to see why: aliens, space exploration, time travel, parallel universes, advanced technology; there are endless possibilities within the genre and freedom for writers to share their hopes or concerns of today’s world through their stories. Often, sci-fi will overlap with fantasy and horror, and whilst the genre allows for hope and excitement as we think about the endless possibilities humans may be capable of, there is a flipside that I enjoy even more: what horrors may await us in the future? What dangers do we need to be concerned about as we push technology further and further? There are many great pieces of science fiction that have been written as warnings about what may come to pass as humanity progresses as a species. What can we learn about them whilst watching with a bucket of popcorn?

What makes us human?

What makes us human? This is a question that has become more prevalent as technology has advanced. Robots are steadily getting more lifelike while games and films are using CGI that get closer to reality than many thought possible, and writers have pondered what may happen when our eyes are unable to distinguish the difference between humans and their creations. Arguments have overtaken the internet about AI-influenced illustrations and writings as some feel the soul of humanity is being lost in such create explorations whilst others feel that the speed of the work (and cost) gives weight to its future use. Do we have to be worried about the realism found in AI? If we pay attention to sci-fi, then perhaps we do.

The Matrix is one of the most critically acclaimed pieces of science fiction ever created. In a world where most humans live in a simulation created by intelligent machines to distract them whilst using their bodies as an energy source, a few humans become aware of the true world and fight to save humanity. The machines had won the war against humans after humans had tried blocking out the sun and then created a world where humans were unable to distinguish what is real and what isn’t. They were unable to process earlier versions of the world which were more like a utopia (fans of grimdark will definitely understand this!).

Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner is a science fiction classic that has the audience (and its characters) questioning who is human and how can we prove it. Harrison Ford’s Decker is tasked with killing a group of violent, lifelike androids. As he progresses with his mission, he begins to question his own identity. It is a powerful story with superb acting and some of the best cinematic lines in history (lost like tears in the rain…) and designed in a way that makes the audience sympathise with the plight of the androids and question the actions of the humans. The danger of AI is part of pop culture now with most people recognising HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Arnie’s Terminator from James Cameron’s brilliant films—I wonder if we will heed their warnings.

Are we alone?

Space… the final frontier. Star Trek showed us a universe where we are but one of many species scattered around space. War of the Worlds, Star Wars, Men in Black, ET, Independence Day, A Quiet Place, Predator; all these films and shows examine whether we are alone in the universe. In some, the aliens we meet are friendly and warm, in others… not so much. We have sent robots (them again…) out into space in search of life and it’s exciting to think of the possibilities. But what would happen if we found something out there? If you want sci-fi horror, then look no further than Alien. Directed by Ridley Scott (him again…) it follows the story of a crew on a commercial space shuttle who accidentally discover and let loose the titular beast on their spaceship. The horror builds beautifully with scenes meant to scar even the toughest of audience members. Chest-busting, acidic blood, narrow corridors, and terrifying practical designs by Swiss artist H. R. Giger will make most people wish that maybe we are alone after all. Sigourney Weaver as Ripley is often heralded as one of the great female leads in all film, not just science fiction as she acts with common sense and bravery seemingly not found in many sci-fi or horror films.

It is a genre that has displayed powerful women for longer than many others: Sarah Connor (Terminator), Uhura and Janeway (Star Trek), Louise Banks (Arrival), Buffy Summers and the rest of the gang (Buffy), Scully (X-Files), among others. Science fiction has, at times, been a genre (especially with TV and film) that is forward thinking not just in terms of story but diversity as well. Many fans of the genre argue for the title of Mother of Sci-fi to be attributed to Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein in 1818 when she was only eighteen years old. Writing a tale of a scientist obsessed with his work and ignoring the ethical and social consequences has almost become a blueprint for others (just take a look at Jurassic Park, Westworld, etc.), and it kickstarted a genre filled with powerful women.

A Dystopian Future

Actions undertaken today will impact the future. Yet, we still make mistakes such as pollution, global warming, advanced weapons. The pessimist in some writers can only see this leading humanity into a dark future with pain and suffering. Last year’s blockbuster hit was Christopher Nolan’s brilliant Oppenheimer. The difficult aspect of watching that film was knowing that the story it was telling was true and understanding that it was not the end of war but the start of something that could be much more dangerous. Weapons advance at a startling rate and threaten the existence of life as we know it. Since the Cold War, writers have warned of the dangers of what may be before us. Fallout shows a future where nuclear bombs destroyed much of the known world. A few rich people were able to hide in vaults whilst survivors on the surface lived in a harsh wasteland with little rule and monstrosities seemingly around every corner. Even more terrifying is the fact that humanity didn’t seem to learn anything—they continued hurting one another in the same ways.

Fallout, Mad Max, The Walking Dead, and The Last of Us are cautionary stories are cautionary tales about what could happen when everything we know is stripped away from us.

At its core, sci-fi explores humanity and its actions through the lens of unparalleled possibilities. Sometimes, the tales are too close to home (watching Contagion after living through a pandemic was eye-opening) and we are able to recognise the people and actions as ones that we have seen before. District 9 may use aliens for entertainment value but the documentary style and actions of the characters shine a light on South African history and makes for some uncomfortable viewing.

Science fiction gives us both the brightest lights and the darkest depths. The stories show us the best of what we may become and warn us of the dangers if we follow certain paths. These themes allow us to take a good hard look at ourselves as we dream of the future. For fans of grimdark who haven’t dipped their toes into the dark depths of science fiction, now might be the time.

This essay was originally published in Grimdark Magazine #39.

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REVIEW: Alien Romulus

For long-time fans of the Alien franchise, a new movie is always approached with equal parts excitement and trepidation and Alien: Romulus is no exception. From the almost universally beloved horror/action one-two of the first pair of films, every sequel has promised big and under-delivered, whether due to studio interference, flawed scripts, Ridley Scott wanting to change the whole message of the franchise or any other of a laundry list of ‘development hell’ issues.
Alien: Romulus thankfully breaks this trend by providing a tightly scripted horror experience that embeds itself in the franchise’s lore, adds to it and gives us plenty of tension and jump scares along the way.

That was to be expected as director Fede Álvarez has built his reputation on respectfully handling remakes of big name horror titles such as Evil Dead and Texas Chainsaw Massacre as well as the acclaimed Don’t Breathe films. He helms Alien: Romulus admirably with a slow burn build allowing us to empathise with our protagonists and anticipate the cosmic horror to come and then unleashing the face-huggers, explosions, the full grown xenomorphs and more later on.

One consistent criticism of the film seems to be that it’s just fan service, but to be honest there’s only one or two moments that feels egregious. Almost every other reference to other parts of the franchise serves a purpose, it explains to us how we (and as importantly, the Aliens) got here, this story’s place in the wider universe and at the same time, because WE know that, we also know what is coming in a way that our protagonists don’t which leads to some delicious tension.

The plot is very simple, our protagonists are indentured miners on a Weyland-Yutani colony and it’s clear that none of them are getting out except through death. I got serious Outer Worlds vibes from this – less the faux-cheery 50s imagery. Some of them discover what they think is a derelict ship in orbit and hatch a plan to steal it’s cryo-pods and zoom off for a better life. They pull in Rain and her adopted brother Andy – a damaged Weyland-Yutani android to help with accessing the ship and off they go. Unsurprisingly, things do not go well.

This film has what looks like a very young cast (although that might be because I’m getting old, twenty somethings look like children to me)  but they all play their parts beautifully and their tender years adds to the sense of their naivety and desperation – they’ve all seen their parents die young on this benighted mining rock and they want off.

Our main protagonist, Rain is played by Cailee Spaeny with a sense of weight that belies her years and stature. We can feel the pressure on her – to escape, to care for her damaged robot brother but also her cynicism and intelligence shine through. She is the sensible, good girl dragged into dubious adventures somewhat against her better judgement.

David Jonsson plays Andy, the damaged synthetic, repaired by Rain’s father and told to do what’s best for her. Unfortunately, his damage means he presents almost like a child with profound autism, complete with physical twitches and simple, repetitive thought patterns. Suffice to say that he has a tremendous character arc throughout the film which draws on some established franchise themes about responsibility, what the ‘right’ thing is at any given time and what constitutes a person.

Jonsson’s performance as a synthetic, effectively with a learning disability (and slight spoiler, later without one) is outstanding and believable. You really feel for the cowering, stimming Andy at the start and want so desperately for him to be OK, to be a hero.

The rest of the cast all play their parts well, evoking sympathy and distaste exactly when required.

A huge part of any Alien film is the aesthetics and Alien: Romulus absolutely nails that. The mining colony feels like the worst place in the world, wet, muddy, lit by inconsistent work lights and clearly a place that people worked until they got sick and died.

This contrasts with the sequences in space – still industrial but beautifully clean and crisp, evoking the differences between the aesthetics of Alien and Aliens. The familiar monsters come along in due course and are suitably terrifying, with facehuggers stalking and skittering and the xenomorphs seeming like an inevitable and unstoppable monster. There are some new iterations in the film as well, which I’m a little torn on but the execution of the designs is excellent.

The big panning shots of ships in space, explosions and the nearby rings of a planet are stunning and the docking sequences feel suitably tactile – all of which is to be expected when Ridley Scott is still on board as a producer.

The accusations of fan service can mostly be explained by how Alien: Romulus embeds itself in the lore of the series, placing it in a direct chain of events from both Alien and Prometheus and embedding the series long message that Weyland-Yutani are the real villains of the piece.

This film might not have someone as massively punchable as Paul Reiser’s Carter J. Burke from Aliens to give that point a human face but the impersonal way it is applied is all the more scary in an age where the algorithm decides if you get to make rent this month.

Alien: Romulus is great. It’s easily the best instalment in the franchise since Aliens and possibly since the first film. It’s a tight, atmospheric movie that blends cosmic and body horror with relatable concerns about your life prospects and unscrupulous employers. It looks great, it sounds great and you will cringe and jump at the right moments, guaranteed. It’s fantastic, go see it.

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REVIEW: A Good Deliverance by Toby Clements

In Warwick, 1468, Sir Thomas Malory is seized and taken from his garden to Newgate Prison for reasons unknown. Toby Clements’ (Kingmaker Series) latest novel spins a web filled with facts and fiction to tell the exciting tale of the author of Le Morte D’Arthur and a man who was a knight during The Hundred Years’ War and The War of the Roses.

A Good Deliverance plays on both the known and unknown of Sir Thomas Malory. His work is known as the greatest work relating to the Legend of King Arthur and is seen as one of the first great western pieces of literature. Some claim he was a brave knight of The Hundred Years’ War and The War of the Roses whilst others speak of his time in jail for horrendous crimes. Toby Clements uses the mystery to stunning effect. A Good Deliverance begins with Sir Thomas seized and thrown in prison. He retells his life story to a young lad whilst sitting in his cell, waiting for his day of execution. It is a thrilling setup and one that Clements executes to perfection. It allows Sir Thomas to give his side of the story, blending fact and fiction in this fascinating historical novel, playing on both the known and unknown with its audience. It allows for Sir Thomas to speak to his sceptical jailor about the coronation of Henry V, the Battle of Verneuil in Normandy, and even throw in a mention of Joan of Arc. It brings to life what is a very brutal and chaotic time in history in Britain, and one which other authors have used as inspiration for their own work and fantasy worlds (hello George RR Martin). There is political intrigue, great battles, rivals in love, and much more to keep grimdark fans happy.

Clements’ dark humour shines through the story and the back and forth between the proud, and sometimes arrogant Sir Thomas and the low-born, sceptical jailor’s son listening and not entirely believing his story. It is a story written as well as any I have read in the past few years and it made me want to dive into the history further. With jousting competitions and the War of the Roses written with such great skill, it reminded me of how inspirational this brutal era has been for many writers (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and Fire and Blood especially popped up in my mind). Sir Thomas Malory is an absolute delight to read in this story due to Clements’ expertise. He is lecherous, cowardly, loses in tournaments, and causes the death of friends but he is a master storyteller and Clements allows this to really stand out in the way the novel is framed and that is one of the best aspects of the story.

An expertly written tale full of humour and interest regarding a mysterious historical figure. A Good Deliverance is a stunning work of historical fiction from Toby Clements that brings to vivid life a story of Sir Thomas Malory – the not-so-chivalrous knight who wrote Le Morte D’Arthur. An excellent read!

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