REVIEW: Before the End by John Palladino
In Before the End, John Palladino gives a grimly entertaining and morbidly captivating glimpse into the darkest corners and most twisted minds to be found in the world of Cedain. Full of dark humour, tragic irony, morally grey anti-heroes, and prose sharper than any knife, this short story collection is a true feast of deliciously sickening grimdark delights. 
“There wasn’t a person Royal cared more about than himself, or alcohol. He did have morals though. But to stand up for those morals? That was a different matter. If he stood up for them, he’d jeopardize himself. Can’t do that.”
I have said it before and I will say it again, no one comes as close to Abercrombie’s tone and character voice as John Palladino does. Within just a few pages, I was immediately reminded of why I fell in love with his writing in the first place, and I found myself stunned by how many little details of both the world and the characters felt familiar to me considering how long it had been since I had last visited Cedain. See, Palladino’s characters have so many memorable quirks and recognizable idiosyncrasies, which not only makes them leap off the page with personality (for better or worse), but which is also exactly what makes each story in this collection feel so refreshing and uniquely exciting.
Although the eleven stories in Before the End aren’t told in a chronological order and don’t feature a connective red thread like in Abercrombie’s Sharp Ends, Palladino manages to infuse this entire collection with an addictive ‘just one more chapter’ quality that just keeps you turning the pages to discover the next dark and tragic mess to cry or laugh over. Whether it’s the shocking backstory of the most beloved (or let’s be real, most hated) characters from The Trials of Ashmount and Buzzard’s Bowl, or an introduction to a completely new character who provides a refreshing perspective into this dark world and devastating magic system, each of these stories is just a true train wreck that you simply can’t look away from (and I say that in the most loving way possible).
“Velturo wanted to retch. No respect. But life was politics, and there wasn’t respect within politics. He ground his teeth together. “Fine, ah-hah.” That damned laugh. It’d never make him sound fearsome.”
Before the End kicks off with a deliciously dark and depressing story that went straight down the gullet for me (iykyk), and from there on out I just could not stop reading. Now, while my dark hole of a soul was truly eating up the relentlessly dark, depressing and hopeless tone running through this entire collection, I can see how some readers might feel like these stories are pointless or dissatisfying because they share a certain level of predictability regarding the inevitably tragic fate of the characters.
But hey, grimdark is not the subgenre to come to if you want sunshine and rainbows, and I ultimately think Palladino more than nailed his vision for this collection. While some stories worked better for me than others, I think they were all inexplicably captivating in their own uniquely messed up way. If I had to pick favourites, I’d say my personal highlights include A Royal Mission, Child of Children, Hiding in Plain Sight (featuring a very well-named tavern, btw), Bloody Gums, No Respect, and, saving the best one for last: A Tale of Two Twins. These stories had just a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ that made them hit harder than I was anticipating, making me tear up from both laughter, frustration and pain.
“She’d do whatever he wanted if it meant a better life. Murder would be just fine. Well, ain’t this a way to end an urchin’s story?, she thought. Of course, it didn’t turn out the way she hoped. But did it ever?”
In Before the End, John Palladino proves that a skilled storyteller doesn’t require a lot of words to deliver one hell of a memorable reading experience. While this collection was originally intended as a bridge between books 1 and 2 in the Tragedy of Cedain series, the stories are very self-contained and feature zero spoilers, so I personally think this could serve perfectly as a tantalising first taste of Palladino’s exceptional writing skills. Ultimately, the point is not where you start with Palladino’s writing, but when you start; the Tragedy of Cedain series is honestly a dream (or nightmare?) come true for any true grimdark fantasy lover, so do yourself a favour and don’t miss out.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Before the End is scheduled for release on 11 November, 2024.
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