Review: Beyond the Tempest Gate by Jeff Suwak

Beyond the Tempest Gate by Jeff Suwak

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The double-edged sword of so-called genre fiction, of course, is that the form can either serve as the anchoring melody upon which the artist improvises, or the leaden burden that pulls all lightness and joy down beneath the dark surface of staid obligations and conventions. Beyond the Tempest Gate, a pithy tale as direct and determined as its cliché-killing hero, follows the first path, turning expectations on their head and establishing unexpected tensions between traditional thematic elements. This makes it the perfect fantasy story for either a newb like me or a devotee of the genre. Even I know enough about fantasy (I think) to realize when Jeff Suwak is veering off the beaten path. The hero faces a test and/or series of temptations: totally cool. The hero might be a douche? That’s a bit unsettling…and real. So what do you do with a fantasy tale that’s dirty and gritty and real? You read it like crazy and you mull it over afterwards like a tornado that leaves the car in the driveway upside down but the tulips along the front walk standing tall. I’m not the only one: read the other reviews. Suwak is a talented writer who describes his world succinctly and effectively. As in his hero’s exploits, there is no wasted effort. Even the fantastical elements are presented with confident, believable matter-of-factness like Rod Serling’s “Submitted for your approval.” Read Beyond the Tempest Gate. It’s fantasy for the 21st century.



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