REVIEW: Sometime Lofty Towers by David C. Smith
Sometime Lofty Towers by David C. Smith is a grimdark, sword and sorcery novel that asks a simple question: what is the best way to live a life? Deep underneath a narrative of revenge and forgiveness, blood and changing futures lies a story that is as philosophical as its protagonist. No stranger to sword and sorcery stories himself, David C. Smith, author of Tales of Attluma and many Red Sonja novels, crafts a tale that follows Hanlin, a veteran warrior seeking to end his violent past and live a peaceful life.
Hanlin, a Logen Ninefingers-type if Logen went to therapy and attended a few philosophy classes, finds that he cannot quite leave that dark past behind yet, as a former adversary he once thought dead is rumored to be very much alive. Joining with the kirangee, an indigenous tribe threatened by the ruthless colonialist Lady Sil, Hanlin must learn how to live in a world much different from the way he’s always lived. I loved the predicaments that Hanlin has faced: as a man looking to change his very nature, he’s torn between doing things the old way, or changing them to fit a different narrative. He does not make these choices easily, and friends and newfound allies suffer the consequences when things get bad. You truly feel the weight of Hanlin’s choices as he helps this tribe, not as a conquering hero, but as someone looking to be part of a whole, not the center.
Smith’s writing in Sometime Lofty Towers is economical, precise, and tactile. Every sword swing, every ounce of blood spilt feels like it’s happening in front of you. The battles in this novel feel grounded and gritty, but it doesn’t trivialize or fetishize the violence. Whereas a character like Conan the Barbarian might relish in victorious battle, Hanlin knows that, unfortunately, he’s very good at swinging a sword and doesn’t valorize combat as much as he knows it’s a tool used to do the right thing in a world full of violence.
Sometime Lofty Towers’ stoic protagonist fits right at home with its economical world building. You get just enough of the world around Hanlin that lets you fully imagine it without it bogging the story down in too many details. I certainly appreciated the balance.
Sometime Lofty Towers is a fantasy novel without all the cruft. It’s a tight, fast book that appreciates your time, and gives you a story with a fascinating, proactive protagonist on a journey of self-reflection as he navigates the meditates on what the right thing to do is. I loved every word in this book. It speaks to those who have ever tried to reinvent themselves in a world that only wants you to be one thing. You’ll definitely want to pick this one up.
As of this review, Sometime Lofty Towers is currently crowdfunding.
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