Blackwing

Raven's Mark #1

by Ed McDonald

The republic faces annihilation, despite the vigilance of Galharrow's Blackwings. When a raven tattoo rips itself from his arm to deliver a desperate message, Galharrow and a mysterious noblewoman must investigate a long dead sorcerer's legacy. But there is a conspiracy within the citadel: traitors, flesh-eaters and the ghosts of the wastelands seek to destroy them, but if they cannot solve the ancient wizard's paradox, the Deep Kings will walk the earth again, and all will be lost.

The war with the Eastern Empire ended in stalemate some eighty years ago, thanks to Nall's 'Engine', a wizard-crafted weapon so powerful even the Deep Kings feared it. The strike of the Engine created the Misery - a wasteland full of ghosts and corrupted magic that now forms a No Mans Land along the frontier. But when Galharrow investigates a frontier fortress, he discovers complacency bordering on treason: then the walls are stormed, and the Engine fails to launch. Galharrow only escapes because of the preternatural magical power of the noblewoman he was supposed to be protecting. Together, they race to the capital to unmask the traitors and restore the republic's defences. Far across the Misery a vast army is on the move, as the Empire prepares to call the republic's bluff.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Dark Fantasy, Audiobook, Adult, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy

380 pages, Hardcover

First published July 27, 2017

About the author

Ed McDonald is a UK born fantasy writer.

Ed is a medieval historian and swordsman by training. He currently lives in London, UK.

Reviews

[Mark Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blackwing has a very strong start. It gave me shades of Peter Newman's The Vagrant in that reality has been broken and corrupted by godlike creatures and much of humanity is being twisted into creatures to serve them. I also got some BioShock vibes with things monstrosities like the Darlings (Little Sisters!) and the Brides. And finally it reminded me of Priest of Bones (published this summer) in the band of mercenary types with a hard as nails female second in command...

After a highly intriguing and exciting start the momentum fades somewhat as we return from the warped reality of the Misery to the city and start to get involved in politics and a plot that's both confusing (deliberately) and wandering. I stalled a bit in these sections. Our protagonist is an alcoholic with an unrequited love and tragic backstory, all laid out well. The unrequited love reenters his life and our man spends a lot of time manfully mooning over her (not that sort of mooning) and thinking dark nihilistic thoughts while heroically putting himself out there for her (sometime under orders and sometimes just because).

Fortunately the baddies (or badder guys) are coming and as the screws tighten the plot resolves itself, mysteries unfold, and we get a big old fight.

Since I started this review being reminded of this, that, and the other, I will say that in retrospect the resolving of the mysteries put me in mind of the Diana Wynne Jones books I've read, not so much in that it didn't make a lick of sense (in retrospect it did all seem to fit together) but in the sense that the reader (me at least) not only says "well I didn't see that coming" but that there really was no reasonable way to have seen those things coming.

Never the less this didn't stop the resolutions being fun.

The magic in the book is interesting, exciting, and imaginative. It's certainly not what you would call a system though. Think Tolkien rather than Sanderson ... at least if Tolkien had magic going off left right and centre.

The writing is very good. Always clear and to the point, and with the occasional well executed flourish.

"Life was cruel to pour our youth into such bitter moulds, but we are what we are. There is no summer for us. Not anymore. The end is coming and we both know how this will finish. With terror and death"

I can see why Blackwing has been one of the more successful fantasy debuts of 2017.



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[James Tivendale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of Blackwing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Ed McDonald, Orion Publishing Group and Gollancz.

McDonald begins this tale by placing the reader in the Misery - following the action of Captain Galharrow and his crew of Blackwing mercenaries during their latest mission. The Misery is a post-apocalyptic, shifting wasteland under a broken and wailing bruise-coloured sky. This vast expanse of land is unpredictable, frightening and full of unspeakably grotesque mutated creatures. Only the bravest dare venture throughout these parts, navigating under the guidance of the three moons.

Captain Galharrow is a unapologetically unlikable, battle-hardened military veteran whose actions and experience inspire the loyalty of his squad and the book is presented through his first person perspective. He has had a blood filled and chaotic past and when he isn't acting as a sort of bounty hunter, he spends his time drinking himself unconscious and he occasionally talks to an extremely powerful being presenting itself in the form of a raven. The camaraderie and banter between Galharrow and his crew are excellent and reminiscent of The Bonehunters from Malazan: Book of the Fallen, incorporating characters who are just as colourful. My personal favourites were Tnota, the sex addicted navigator and ranger and Nenn, a nose-lacking intemperate and deadly soldier. During quieter scenes, when Captain Galharrow isn't describing the current events, depth is created to the world and his character when he ponders and reflects on relationships, histories and present-time happenings. The world building is one of the best I have seen presented in the first person and in my mind, is on par with Mark Lawrence's similar works. It was great to follow Galharrow's viewpoint, whether he is fighting, getting drunk or in some sort of political turmoil - so much happens to him throughout this narrative.

Blackwing places us in the middle of the action and McDonald has created a large number of unfamiliar names, places, and world terminology that are present from the beginning. I had to take notes for the first few chapters but after that everything seemed to flow smoothly. Initially confusing phrases such as "spinners", "drudge" or "skweams" quickly became identifiable regarding how they fitted into the world's vocabulary. They were understandable due to the context in which they were presented. The created world combines the post-apocalyptic elements discussed above with typical modern fantasy stories cities, factions and combat. The whole world isn't the Misery, that is just a proportion, albeit a vast amount, that was the result of the last war and the battles between the God-like Nameless and Deep Kings. The bigger picture of this world's happenings is all being orchestrated by these unbelievably powerful and malevolent beings. Certain characters also have destructively powerful magical wrecking potential that can destroy entire armies. Without going into too much detail, the magics created in this story were admirable, original and scientific-like.

This is quite a dark story full of gritty and macabre deaths aplenty with a good, but not an overwhelming amount of adrenaline fueling action. Certain sections are superbly intense though and this book is highly unpredictable. It features twists, betrayal, political disputes and half the time when I thought I had analysed where the story was going, I was then blindsided or completely shocked by a revelation. The publisher stated that Blackwing is "gritty epic fantasy for fans of Mark Lawrence and Scott Lynch" and I cannot disagree. I count myself amazingly lucky that I have been one of the first people to review this. Blackwing is a splendid debut that is brilliantly written and I found it amazingly difficult to put down. It superbly presents a completely original, complex and epic fantasy world with incredible and believable characters. Guaranteed already, this will be one of the best books I will read this year. I can see Blackwing becoming a big deal in the fantasy world and I can't wait for the next book in the Ravens' Mark trilogy.

James Tivendale.

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher—Ace—in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley

I’m calling every fan of Joe Abercrombie and Mark Lawrence to put Blackwing on their radar. Blackwing, the debut work and the first book in the Raven’s Mark series by Ed McDonald is one of the most original grimdark fantasies I've read so far.

My experience will most likely differ from a lot of readers but I envisioned Blackwing as something that was created out of an open world video games with a post-apocalyptic setting reminiscent of Mad Max, with a little touch of the manga ‘Flame of Recca’. The result? Bloody brilliant.

The plot of the book revolves around Ryhalt Galharrow in his journey to survive his dark destiny as a servant to the Nameless, the ruthless ancient beings or maybe even gods of this world. The enemies, The Deep Kings is held at bay in Misery (a vast and blighted expanse) by a powerful weapon that protects its borders, and Galharrow will soon be thrown into the heat of this resurging war. The pacing of the book is slow paced due to the reason that the plot itself is very heavy with politics and a lot of world-building, especially during the 20%-50% marks. The political tribulations that the characters faced here more or less lasted around 60-70% of the whole book but there are a lot of thrilling elements in it that made the politics intriguing to read.

Sure there are maybe only around three action sequences throughout Galharrow’s journey in Blackwing but the climax sequences itself took up the last 20% of the book. All the previous 80% imo was completely just a setup for this section. They’re bloody and truly well orchestrated. I should also mention that the plot somehow felt concluded already, like how 'The Lies of Locke Lamora' ended, we know that there will be a continuation to the story but the first book worked greatly as a standalone in my opinion.

Only the plot itself will not guarantee a great book, and considering that Blackwing is completely told in 1st person view solely through Galharrow’s perspective, it is prominent to have a greatly written main character. Ryhalt Galharrow, the captain of Blackwing, a barely 40 years old bounty hunter that’s also a servant to one of the Nameless, Crowfoot, started out simply as an anti-hero and a long hardened battle veteran. However, as the story progressed, a lot of backgrounds were revealed seamlessly within the plot. His deeply hidden longing of the past in particular made him easier for the reader to connect with him despite his cold-hearted actions and overall, I love his character development.

“Spirits knew I needed the money. More than I ever had before. But there are promises you make to yourself, vows you place your pride in. Some things are worth the struggle.”

One more thing to mention, the female characters, Ezabeth (which I can’t help but pronounced as Elizabeth) and Nenn are really well written but I’ll let you find out about them yourself. I also can’t wait to find out more about the other Nameless and in particular, Crowfoot, who’s responsible for the creation of Misery during the old/past war with the Deep Kings.

The first thing that came to my head when encountered with a grimdark fantasy book with a post- apocalyptic setting is 'The Broken Empire' by Mark Lawrence (I haven’t read Red Queen’s War yet), it’s in my opinion that Blackwing is better on this aspect, by far. I have huge praises towards the intricacy of the world-building in this genre, it is excellent.

Although the book doesn’t took place in Misery most of the time, it's still an amazing place to dive into. Consisting of fractured skies, multiple moons, shifting landscape, zombiesque and mutant creatures, it truly made Misery one heck of an original place to visit. There is a sense of danger looming everywhere in the world and the post apocalyptic atmosphere worked splendidly in bringing the feeling of despair in the world. I’m reading the ARC edition of this book so I have no idea if there will be an official map or not in the final edition of the book but this world would benefit so much more from one and I truly can’t wait to see it.

I have mentioned in the beginning of my review that the book reminded me of the manga/anime ‘Flame of Recca’, this is due to the reason that in the anime, Recca could summon a dragon from the tattoo on his arms. It’s almost the same case here, Crowfoot nestled himself as a tattoo on Galharrow’s arm and could come into existence from there, the difference with Recca is that Galharrow cannot summon him voluntarily, while Recca can but the concept is more or less the same. This is a good thing because 'Flame of Recca' is one of my favorite manga from my teenage years and I'm pleased to see some of the elements there made it into a novel, even if it's unintentional.

Let’s talk a bit about the prose. Ed McDonald’s prose is profound and poetic at times. There are a lot of terminologies here and Ed doesn’t spend any time to explain what they are. This can be confusing at first and usually, this kind of storytelling method tended to bother me but the contexts in the narrative allow me to fully understand the meaning behind the terminologies with ease. To give a sense of how great his prose is, there’s no better way other than a direct quotation from the book. I don’t usually post long quotation in my reviews but I’ll make an exception this time, please, just read this gem and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

“The world is a cruel mother, a matron of darkness, selfishness, greed, and misery. For most, their time suckling at her breast is naught but a scramble through stinging, tearing briars before a naked, shameful collapse as the flesh gives out. And yet in the bright eyes of every newborn, there lies a spark, a potential for goodness, the possibility of a life worth living. That spark deserves its chance. And though most of them will turn out to be as worthless as the parents who sired them, while the cruelty of the earth will tell them to release their innocence and join in the drawing of daggers, every now and then one manages to clutch to its beauty and refuses to release it into the dark.”

Despite all the greatness, there are, however some minor cons I had with the book that prevented me from giving this book a full 5 stars ratings. First, although the world-building is the best part of the book for me, it also felt a bit repetitive in the first half that it hurts the pacing a bit. I also think that the relationship development between Galharrow and Ezabeth felt a bit ‘forced’ at the last section of the book. Finally, I wish the characters spent more time at Misery, that place is truly amazing and in my opinion, maybe the biggest strength of this book. These are all minor cons and overall and it only affected my enjoyment factor a bit.

To conclude my review, I’m just going to say that I don’t think there’s any reason to not read this book if you’re a fan of grimdark, gritty fantasy or just in the mood for something original in your read. Blackwing will rise with its engrossing tale of conflagration soon, as some of us may know already, 2017 is a great year for adult fantasy debut, and this is precisely one of the book in the list. Highly recommended!

The official release date for Blackwing is 3rd of October in US and 27th of July in UK.

You can find this and the rest of my Adult Epic/High Fantasy & Sci-Fi reviews at BookNest

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by Ace Books in exchange for an honest review.

“Some men are born to charm ladies and spread their irresponsible seed across the land. Some exist to create the great works of art that inspire dreams and drive creativity for generations. Others are born to till the fields, put bread on the table, and raise their sons to till the fields, put bread on the table, raise sons of their own. I was born to end lives.”

2017 appears to just be the year for amazing debut fantasy novels, and Blackwing by Ed McDonald was no exception. This book is already released in Europe, but doesn’t drop for us Americans until October 3rd, but you definitely want to put this on your pre-order list if you’re a fantasy fan.

Blackwing is a super unique novel that isn’t afraid to talk about dark themes. I never felt like Blackwing was too much, but you should probably know going in that many people do consider this grimdark. Also, trigger warnings for suicide, war themes, and graphic violence. But, again, I don’t think it’s anything too brutal, and I never felt overwhelmed by any of the dark themes.

“I’m Blackwing Captain Ryhalt Galharrow. I’m here to beat the living shit out of you until you tell me what I need to know.”

This is a post apocalyptic story following a bounty hunter, Ryhalt Galharrow, AKA: Blackwing, who is constantly running away from his past. He also has a very magical arrangement with a Nameless, which aren’t Gods, but they are pretty close to it. This arrangement is also constantly haunting him, because he never knows when he will be called upon for a quest.

Well, that’s how this story truly gets started, and Blackwing receives a quest that not only seems impossible, but also forces him to look his past straight in the face. Blackwing is quickly tangled up into a a much bigger mission where the fate of human existence depends on him helping solve a problem that seems unsolvable.

Basically, the humans live in fear of the Dhojaran forces and the Darlings, who were once human and now turned into magical beings by the Deep Kings. All of these forces live in the Misery alongside ghosts and other magical, yet terrifying, beings.

“The blasts that had created that stalemate had left their scars deep in the earth. Nobody and nothing moved out there in the poisoned lands of the Misery”

There are now outposts where soldiers are constantly on the lookout for the Deep Kings and their armies. Many years ago, the Deep Kings tried to take over the rest of human existence, but a magical weapon unleashed a fury like no other, and now its presence keeps the humans feeling safe and the Deep Kings feeling weary to try another attack. That is, until there is talk circulating that the weapon may not be in function anymore.

In this world, some humans are Spinners, who are like sorcerers and able to make Phos from the powers of the three moons, which help them produce magic. Talents are a lesser type of sorcerer, who are still able to produce Phos, but for Spinners and others to use. And the magic that the Spinners and Talents use is always at a cost. Many go mad, and are killed or tucked away in asylums. Talents are also treated terribly and forced to work at mills, where they are just harvested for their Pho production.

This book constantly talks about and touches on the three moons in their sky:

➽Rioque - Red
➽Clada - Blue
➽Eala - Gold

These moons also play a huge part in this book, because of the Spinners and Talents that are drawing power from them, but I predict these moons will play an even bigger part in this world and story in later installments.

I touched upon this earlier, but there are six Nameless who could possibly help Blackwing against the Dhojaran forces, and they were pretty much my favorite part of this story:

➽Crowfoot - Has the pact with Blackwing.
➽Nall - Vanished. Also, made the powerful weapon that keeps the Deep Kings at bay.
➽Cold - Presumed dead.
➽Songlope - Presumed dead.
➽Shallowgrave - Vanished and is a complete mystery.
➽The Lady of Waves - Never seems to leave the island of Pyre. But, like, I am so in love with the mystery about this Nameless. I’d love to read an entire book just about her and what is going on on her island.

I loved the mystery behind all the Nameless, and I cannot wait to read more books in this series just to find out all of their secrets. It is also pretty apparent that they are going to play a much bigger role in this series, and I’m completely ready to learn any and everything about them. Also, give me all the information on Saravor, the Fixer, because I’m already obsessed with his entire situation.

This story is action packed and moves so very fast that the book feels impossible to put down. Like I said above, the world is so unique and has such a Mad Max feels to it. I completely adored it all, and the characters are just as amazing, too.

“The great mistake of man is to believe that other men can live up to the ideals that we set them.”

Plus, the prose of this novel, especially in juxtaposition of this cruel world, is absolutely beautiful. I was so impressed with the writing in this, and I couldn’t believe all the quotes I had tabbed once I finished. Not only is this a fast paced thrilling story, but it’s written absolutely lyrically.

And this book is so funny. It’s hard to make me actually laugh in a book, but this book actually made my sides hurt at times. The banter is just the perfect combination of witty and humorous, that is very reminiscent of Sebastien de Castell's Greatcoats, especially during many of the fighting scenes. And if you’ve been following my reviews for a while now you will know that comparing anything to Sebastien de Castell means that I love it completely.

This book also excelled in female representation. The two strongest fighters on the good side of this war are both women. Woman are soldiers, Princes, and godlike deities in this world. They are all strong, brave, and rather fearless if I do say so myself. The female representation in Blackwing is amazingly portrayed.

And Ed McDonald even gives us a little sexual representation, because there is also a gay side character that I instantly fell completely in love with. It was said, known, and accepted that he was gay without question or contestation. And the entire society that is built in this book feels very gender neutral and I was completely living for it.

Also, the main female character has severe scarring all over her body, and I was living for the body positive representation that Ed McDonald wrote. Like, he did what Colleen Hoover in November 9 could not, and he did it seamlessly and completely beautifully. And seeing things like that in Fantasy? Rare and beautiful and I completely applaud this debut author for incorporating all of these amazing and important themes.

Seriously, Blackwing has it all, and I’m still in somewhat disbelief that this is Ed McDonald’s debut novel. I also expect nothing but great things for everything else he has in store for us surround this world. The plot is unique, the world building is incredible, the characters are fantastic, the representation is important, and the writing is nothing short of gorgeous. Blackwing is a must read in 2017 for Fantasy lovers, and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

“Back behind where my heart should have been, I harboured a fury hotter than any pile of burning literature could ever produce, a rage born of fear and pain and longing. I needed to see a head roll across the floor, and I needed it to be his.”

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The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Buddy Read with Michael from Bitten by a Radioactive Book ❤

[Sean Barrs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for fans of Scott Lynch, Joe Abercrombie and Mark Lawrence, this dark adventure is gripping and bloody; it's a twisted story that spins a web of deceit. Nothing is as it seems, as ageless powers manipulate and control the lives of the characters. The world is a staging ground, all leading to one dramatic confrontation that has been a century in the making.

One hundred years ago Nall's Engine was fired on the enemies of the Republic, and in its wake it left a blackened and scarred landscape known as The Misery. Beyond The Misery, a wasteland of corruption and dark magic, reside the even darker entities known as The Deep Kings. They want nothing more than to destroy the Republic, the realm of men. They are immortal. They are ageless. And above all they are patient. They will gladly wait one thousand years for the right moment to arise. They want conquest, but once again standing in their way is Nall's Engine. It's a weapon of awesome power, and it's the only thing keeping these dark kings at bay. They lost one of their own when The Misery was created. It's the only hope of men, but over the years it has started to degrade.

Captain Galharrow is of the Blackwing, an order of hardy fighters answerable only to one: Crowfoot, the nameless God. Crowfoot helped build Nall's engine, but in the wake of Nall's disappearance he has set up his own machinations for keeping tabs on the enemy. Galharrow is a mercenary, a sword for hire, but that is just his day job. He has a small team of highly efficient soldiers who are seasoned veterans; they are ready at any moment to follow the spontaneous and random command of Crowfoot. When he wishes to speak to his captain, he sends a message via raven. The raven, though, is a tattoo on Galharrow's arm. It bursts through his skin and takes wing when his master has an order. It's an imaginative idea, one that sounds very painful!

The story begins with such a command. It seems ordinary, perhaps even unimportant, a simple as a direction, but it leads to a chain of events that reshape the frontier of the Republic. Galharrow is reunited with an old flame, a woman from his youth who he still ardently loves. The sight of her brings feelings back to the surface that he thought were dead. She thinks that Nall's Engine is broken, but nobody will listen to her. Galharrow is compelled to assist her for the sake of his feelings and the order Crowfoot gave. They begin to unearth as series of clues that will lead them to the heart of the engine itself, and the truth behind its creation. It has an ominous history, one only revealed as the Deep Kings and their invasion force enter the city. The ending that follows is potently clever. Nothing is as it seems.

Ed McDonald is an author to watch out for. I don't say things like this lightly. I read a lot of fantasy, and I don't hesitate to say that this will be one of the biggest fantasy debuts of the year. McDonald has given us the first instalment of what looks to be a very interesting series. I look forward to seeing where this goes in the future.

Raven's Mark
1. Blackwing - 4.5 stars
2. Ravencry - 4 stars



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[Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, so please let me tell you all about this book.

First of all, this is a debut? Yo.

This book absolutely does not read like a debut. It's written with all the polish & originality you'd expect from an author well into their career.

Ryhalt Galharrow is a product of his environment. Long years spent hunting down scum in the wasteland of the Misery have coated his humanity in a fine layer of desolation.

Now, I want to speak to my fellow gamers nerds for a moment. This novel is the bastard child of Borderlands and Mad Max. I specifically call attention to gamers because reading this is exactly like playing a video game.

The dialogue, the story, the characters, all of this I found myself mentally transforming into cut scenes, leveling systems, and boss battles! Seriously I don't think I've ever had this kind of experience with a book before. Even the rhythm of plot twists & development of the concept unfolded in exactly the way video games often do.

This feeling was only intensified by the First Person POV of Captain Galharrow. It felt as though I was "playing" him as a main character! All I can say is bravo on this point because it swept me over with a heavy sense of nostalgia while maintaining its novelty.

But the really great thing about Blackwing is that it's enjoyable even if you've never touched a video game in your life! It's gritty characters & morose imagery & black humor all set against a background of bleak circumstances, but this combination creates quite an enjoyable aesthetic for the reader.

Also, shout out to the neat magic system & creative monsters that make appearances all throughout this book. I can't wait to see what else will pop up in the dunes of The Misery.

I'm here to say the hype surrounding this one is well worth it. If you're a fan of Grimdark fantasy, especially, this is not one to miss out on!

This review and other reviews of mine can be found on Book Nest!

***I received a copy of Blackwing from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Ace and Ed McDonald for this opportunity.***

Publication Date: October 3, 2017

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

When two godly forces collide, when both are cruel and don’t give a shit about humans, when you are forced to take a side, you choose the lesser evil.

The story starts with action already taking place and events happening. After trying to capture a few sympathizers who ran to the Misery, Ryhalt Galharrow receives a surprising call from his master, a Nameless called Crowfoot. After years of paying him little attention, he gives him a new mission. Vague and impossible to predict. He ends up meeting someone that he held dear a lifetime ago. It doesn’t stop there. After their last defeat, the Deep Kings retreated to their home at the East. However, at last, they made their move and sent a small army of their twisted creatures, the drudges. Only 2 Nameless are left. Meanwhile, there are 6 Deep Kings. Bad odds. But at least, the Engine that stopped them years ago is still standing. However, there are many hidden secrets, buried waiting for someone to discover them. Once revealed they’ll change everything Gallharrow has ever known.

The world McDonald weaved very rich and creative. The Misery was easily my favorite: “only three kinds of people willingly enter the Misery: the desperate, the stupid and the greedy”. Dangerous and rotten to the core, it was the barrier between the humans land, and the east, where the Deep Kings come from. You can find all kind of creatures in the misery. The dead air, the cracked sky, everything about it is so bizarre. The author’s imagination is very vast not only because of the world he created but also the magic. The Spinners use phos (like light) from the 3 moons to draw power but that’s only a small part of the magic system. It’s better to discover it by yourself.

While I can’t say that this book is fast paced, it certainly isn’t slow either. The real battle mainly takes place at the last 25% of the book, something is always going on. Thus, world-building and the actions intertwine throughout the whole book in a way that will not get you neither bored nor confused. To be honest, it did get a bit repetitive sometimes but I didn’t mind it. Moreover, the politics were something to admire. Even humans are, of course, corrupted. I would’ve liked to learn more about the Nameless, the Deep Kings, and the princes but I guess we have to leave something to learn in the sequel.

The characters were real, fun, and badass. I loved Nenn and Ezabeth. Ed McDonald created likable badass women. Both are flawed but you’ll like them for it. Nenn a strong fighter without a nose was just awesome. Ezabeth, noble but selfless, smart and also capable, she’ll play a huge role in the turn of events. Gallharrow came a long way from the start. He was a drunk who would do anything for money. A cold blooded veteran who went through too much to care anymore, he'd strike you at first as an anti-hero. However, soon enough, you'll realize that he’s more than just this façade. This book was told from his pov (1st person) but have no fear, it fitted perfectly with the book.

One thing I didn’t like was the romance. I don’t think it was necessary and honestly, the dialogues between Ezabeth and Gallharrow were sometimes awkward and just. I know that it serves the plot but I just couldn’t see the chemistry or even wish to see them together.
This is a great debut, best I’ve read so far this year. I enjoyed Blackwing quite a lot but I wish I'd taken my time reading it because I felt forced to finish it quickly since the publication date was on 27 july and I started it on 26.

It featured dark but not too dark events, politics, a bit of humor, lovable characters, and an original world. Ed McDonald created an outstanding story that I highly recommend for all the fantasy lovers out there. I will definitely be reading the sequel as soon as it comes out even though this book didn't end with a cliffhanger.

arc provided via NetGalley

[Robin Hobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must put in the usual caveat. I received this book as a gift.

Blackwing is a new entry into the Grim Dark Fantasy realm, and a well written one.

Galharrow is a hard and seasoned warrior, doing his duty as a sort of bounty hunter on the edge of a torn and terrible place called the Misery. It's a terrible rift in reality and the world, a place where horrid and contorted creatures and plants thrive.

And Galharrow has a Past.

So that's as many spoilers as you'll get from me. Venture in if you dare.

Two things I'll mention. I really like how McDonald uses the word 'prince'. And I like the bit with his tattoo.

[Anthony Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon starting Blackwing it quickly gained the rare distinction of being one of those books that felt as if it had been written especially for me. Grizzled veteran and reluctant servant of the Nameless Ryhalt Galharrow spends his days hunting traitorous agents of the Deep Kings in the magical wasteland known as the Misery, until a face from the past drags him into a dark conspiracy which may lead to all out war. Ed McDonald handles the action with a deft hand and has created a compelling central character who remains likeable despite a lengthy list of flaws. A remarkably assured fantasy debut that mixes of the inventiveness of China Mieville with the fast paced heroics of David Gemmell.

[Nicholas Eames · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blackwing is, simply put, awesome. It's gritty, edgy, suspenseful, and often poignant. The world is unique, the characters are deeply flawed (see also: real human beings) and the pacing is breakneck from the first page to the last.

Lets face it: you're going to read this book eventually, so you'd might as well be one of the cool kids and do it sooner rather than later.

I hope, and highly suspect, you'll enjoy the ride as much as I did.

[Bentley ★ Bookbastion.net · Rating 4 out of 5]

See this review and more on www.bookbastion.net
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Every time I step into a new fantasy adventure, I'm like a kid on Christmas morning. There's something about the prospect of fantasy journeying to so many unexpected places and showing the reader all sorts of new, unexpected and magical things that fuels my love for the genre. So when I saw a number of my friends in the blogging community raving about this fantasy debut, I knew I had to get my hands on it. Thankfully, the Netgalley Gods smiled on me and I was approved for an ARC, because it was calling to me.


Of course, that level of anticipation can sometimes lead to a bit of a let down, but thankfully that wasn't the case with Blackwing, which has got to be one of the most wildly creative and vividly told fantasies I've read so far this year. For a debut novelist, Ed McDonald hits all the right notes and has created a gloriously dark and gritty world fully of characters that will stick with me for quite some time.

I should be clear here though, because when I say dark and gritty, I mean this is seriously dark. Fantasy has a lot of sub-genres within it, and I would definitely classify this as a grimdark tale. Obviously, the explorations of darkness and violence aren't for everybody, and there's no shortage of swearing coming from the characters and Ryhalt's first-person narrative voice. So if those things aren't your cup of tea, you might be best served giving this a pass. But, for those of you like me, who enjoy their fantasy best served cold, with danger lurking in the shadows, this book absolutely needs to be on your list of books to read!


One of my favorite aspects of Blackwing had to be the world. When I opened it up and saw that there was no map included with the eARC I received, I was a little dismayed as that sometimes feels indicative to me of a fantasy product that not much thought went into. Thankfully, that's not the case here, as the Misery is a constantly shifting hellscape so the details of where the few remaining settlements surrounding it are the only thing of any real import to the story.

One thing I really loved about the setting is that McDonald pushes away the typical sword and shield warfare present in most fantasy. Instead, he infuses an industrial sort of setting with the apocalyptic aspects of Mad Max. There's guns and powder and magically infused electric lighting in this world, and it feels fresh and full of lively little details - a surprising plus for a book centered around the last remnants of a dying world.


The Misery reminded me of a grown up version of the Unsea, from Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone series. It's a magical construct that has twisted and divided the land - and what remains within it is diabolical and hungry for human flesh. The entire concept of the Misery, the creatures within it, and the Deep Kings who control it was fascinating. McDonald drops pertinent historical facts about the Misery throughout the narrative, without falling into the trap of infodumping. There's enough to stoke my interest, but the plot keeps chugging along as the facts get dropped.

Magic in this world was another positive. I love a strongly developed magical system with clear rules and the occasional drawback for its users. While the moon provides the power to the "Spinners" of its light in this story, they are also subject to its extreme consequences along the way. It made using it and trying to activate it under certain conditions (such as a lack of light) dangerous and that makes the storytelling compelling.

As for aspects that dragged down my score, I had only two.The first thing I found frustrating was prolific use of the dreaded "F" word in dialogue and narrative voice. I actually don't mind swears - but it felt like it was trying a bit hard to impart the seriousness of the situation characters found themselves in, when I thought the situation itself was enough to deliver that message. I think with a stronger focus on the tension and dread that McDonald does so well at, later additions to the series can only improve.

Secondly, of the side characters, a fair chunk of them were pretty flat. Ryhalt, Ezabeth and Nenn were definitely the strongest of the bunch. I only hope that we get some expanded backstories for the other characters in the world in later books, especially for the more creative and powerful entities in the world - such as the Deep King, and Crowfoot, the creature to which Ryhalt is indebted to.

Regardless, those are only two small complaints in the midst of a sea of positives. Blackwing was a wonderfully creative and deliciously dark fantasy debut. Reader beware, you're in for quite the adventure!

★★★★ = 4 out of 5 stars

Many thanks to Netgalley, Ed McDonald and Berkley Publishing Group for approving my request!

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:

Blackwing (2017) begins in Misery, but things will get far worse before they get better. This gritty fantasy is set on a world where there are three moons ― red, blue and gold ― whose light can be woven into magical power and stored in canisters for use by sorcerers. Two unimaginably powerful magical forces face off against each other across the terrible void called the Misery ― a magic-blasted wasteland. On the side of mankind are the Nameless: ancient, unseen wizards who are nearly godlike in their powers, but who have mostly disappeared from the lives of men. On the other side are the Deep Kings, dark and malevolent powers that corrupt men into enthralled warriors, called the drudge, and other slaves.

Ryhalt Galharrow, our narrator, is a captain of a ragtag group of mercenaries, far fallen from his once-noble life, a jaded fighter who lives mostly for his next drink. He’s also, reluctantly, an operative of Crowfoot, one of the Nameless. Ryhalt has a large raven tattoo on his arm through which Crowfoot occasionally sends him messages; a painful and bloody process, since the tattoo temporarily rips itself from his flesh to become a bird that shouts orders at him. His latest order: get to Station Twelve and ensure “she” survives. (Crowfoot’s orders tend to be brief and cryptic.)

“She” turns out to be Ezabeth Tanza, a noblewoman Galharrow once loved many years ago, who is now a powerful sorcerer. Greater powers have brought Ezabeth and Galharrow together again in the fight against the Deep King’s armies, and against hidden treachery in their own society. Lady Ezabeth is also investigating a hidden problem involving Nall’s Engine, a vastly powerful magical machine that originally created the Misery, killing thousands but protecting men from the Deep Kings. Galharrow is, with very mixed emotions, drawn into her investigation. At stake is the survival of their society: if they can’t solve the problem soon, the Deep Kings’ armies of drudge and evil childlike sorcerers (ironically called Darlings) will overrun their land, murdering and enslaving the population.

Ed McDonald tells a gripping, well-plotted tale in Blackwing, his debut novel and the first book in the new RAVEN’S MARK trilogy. The world-building is imaginative and ambitious, and it’s a credit to McDonald that it didn’t remind me of other post-apocalyptic novels. It’s also occasionally a bit hard to grasp, with unfamiliar vocabulary that isn’t always explained right away, but that issue lessens as you get deeper into the story. There’s the occasional phrase that’s arguably overwritten or clichéd, like “My past was like a cruel grandmother: nasty, lacking in wisdom, and better off buried,” but the occasional dark humor helps to leaven the plot. Overall, Blackwing flows smoothly, with lots of action and tension. It’s a vividly imagined and well-plotted novel, with a creative ending that I didn’t foresee.

Blackwing is a tough-minded fantasy set in a blighted, war-torn world where magic is more often used for dark purposes than positive ones. Even the positive uses of magic have, almost invariably, a huge, ugly downside. Galharrow, fittingly, is somewhat of an antihero, as well as a slob and a habitual drunk. Despite all, he still has something of a moral compass, and that becomes more apparent as his story unfolds.

Blackwing can be intensely bleak and violent, with its high body count, adult language, irrevocably damaged lives and lost dreams. Because there are some moral underpinnings to our main characters and some threads of hope in the narrative, I wouldn’t call this grimdark fantasy, but it skirts the edges. It’s not for sensitive readers, but for those who like darker, grittier fantasies, Blackwing is well worth your time.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. Thank you!

Content notes: Countless F-bombs, lots of violence (some pretty disturbing), heavy drinking, crude language. It's a pretty hard R-rated novel and was out of my comfort zone, so I don't plan to continue with the series. But for the right audience this will be a great read.

[Petros Triantafyllou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blackwing is one of the greatest fantasy books I've read in my life. Perfect in every possible way. Ed McDonald is on a par with Joe Abercrombie and Brandon Sanderson. Cast aside whatever you're reading and start Blackwing instead. That's all I have to say.

Find all of my reviews over on http://BookNest.eu/

[Gavin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for Blackwing as the blurb sounds awesome and it is almost universally loved by my Goodreads friends who have read it. Those high hopes only made the sting of disappointment all the more prominent when this turned out to be a distinctly below average fantasy story with bad writing and some of the most cringe-worthy dialogue I've encountered in a while.

The building blocks were in place for a decent story.

The World

This was one of those flintlock era fantasy books that mixed in magic with 19th Century technology. The world also had a post apocalyptic feel to it. A magical weapon of mass destruction was used to push the immortal Deep Kings and their mutant legions into the South and away from the lands ruled by the equally immortal mages known only as the Nameless. The use of Null's Engine has left a vast wasteland, know as the Misery. The Misery is a place to be feared as all sorts of mutants and monsters roam its twisted landscape.

It could have been a cool setting but the mutants and monsters basically only filled the role of mindless zombies and the like in your average post-apocalyptic tale. Which I felt was a total waste of potential as a few of the Deep Kings mutant creatures like the Darlings (evil mages in the bodies of children), the Gillings (gnome like creature that babble the same few sentences over and over again and paralyse their victims with with venom before eating them), and Brides (creatures capable of seducing humans to do their bidding) actually had the potential to be really cool. Sadly that potential was mostly just wasted as they never developed beyond bland monsters that had zero individual personality or significance.

The magic was OK but nothing special. It was all pretty vague and I have to admit I hated the name given to the mages, spinners, because lets be honest that shitty name almost sucks all the coolness out of magic on its own!

The Story

Ryhalt Galharrow is a Blackwing Captain and a bounty hunter in service to the most powerful remaining Nameless. It is his job to hunt down traitors and defectors who seek to flee to the Deep Kings realms to the south and to deal with any of the Deep King agents and monsters who venture into the Nameless's realm. After a trip to the Misery to hunt down a few traitors he finds himself at a Misery outpost and gets orders from his Nameless lord to escort a noblewomen back to Valingrad (the border capital and home of the powerful Engine). Keeping the noblewomen safe is no easy task considering she is spouting a few dangerous heresies but Ryhalt has the incentive to listen since she has links to his own long forgotten past!

I feel like there was nothing wrong with the actual plot. The story could have been good if it was not hampered by the execution and McDonald's writing, which I just did not get on with at all. Some of it was pretty predictable but it did manage one fun twist near the end.

The Characters

Only three characters in the whole story made enough of an impression on me to remember their names. Ryhalt Galharrow was our lead character. This story was told from his POV. He seemed a decent enough character but was hindered by spending the whole book wallowing in self-pity.

‘Go fuck yourself, Herono,’ I said. ‘It isn’t that I love the girl. Truth is, I gave up on myself a long time ago. I’ve always been fucked over one way or another, and when your life’s as worthless as mine you get to stop caring about it altogether.

That is an actual bit of dialogue. The guy was so "woe is me" it was unreal. He was a sad cynical veteran soldier who spent his time working, boozing, and swearing. I'm sure he went with the boozing to show how depressed he was and how shitty his life was and the swearing just to prove what a hardman he was. Unfortunately both were so overdone that he ended up coming off a little bit comical. On the plus side that did help me with liking the guy as he came across as so downtrodden that it was hard not to sympathize with him.

The only other characters that made an impression were Nem, a noseless chick who is Ryhalt's number two in his mercenary band, and Lady Ezabeth Tanza, the noblewomen and mage he is tasked with protecting and who he still totally has the hots for. I actually though both were promising secondary characters.


The Writing

This was the big flaw of the book. I thought the writing was awful and this book really did contain some of the most cringe-worthy dialogue of all time. Here are some of the gems:

‘You need to eat less cock,’ I said, ‘you’re heavy as fuck.’
Nenn’s snarl told me she’d have made some savage retort if breathing didn’t hurt so bad.

‘In all honesty, Galharrow, as frustrating as yesterday’s stunt was, I understand you. You want to fuck the girl. Spirits of dread know why, with those scars, but I suppose everyone has a fetish. I always liked the blacks.’

The other big flaw in the writing is that it just feels like this book is trying so hard to be grim dark that it becomes a laughably parody of the genre. The word "shit" is used 68 times while the word "fuck" manges a good 141 outings. It just seemed a bit much!

There was also the general "woe is me" tone to the book.

The world is a cruel mother, a matron of darkness, selfishness, greed and misery. For most, their time suckling at her breast is naught but a scramble through stinging, tearing briars before a naked, shameful collapse as the flesh gives out.

Poor Galharrow has thoughts like this 24/7. If this series does not end with the guy killing himself then I'll feel cheated out of a true grimdark climax!

I rented a small office on a dismal street not far from the citadel. I called in on my way, the key stiff in the lock, the door frame stiff. The roof had been leaking and the floor was wet. A damp miasma rose to greet me, but I’d smelled a lot worse the last few days.

Even Galharrow's office was a depressing shithole. I'm actually a bit surprised he never had a blind, three-legged, dog that could have got killed off in the 6th chapter to add to his misery! Yeah, it was that sort of book where something like that would not have been out of place. Though now I think on in he did have a non-literal version of that sad puppy!

The look in his eyes said he wanted to kill me. The look in mine said I meant him to suffer before he died.

This was another of the many trying too hard to be grimdark bits of writing that riddled the story.


All in all I was not super happy with this story and I doubt I'll bother with the sequel. I saw a bunch of people comparing this McDonald to Abercrombie and Lawrence. I agree about Abercrombie, as he is another guy who has cringe-worthy dialogue and and overuse of grim dark tropes, but I feel the comparison is unfair on Lawrence though as his writing is way far fresher and more engaging!

Rating: 2.5 stars.

Audio Note: This was narrated by Colin Mace. I thought the guy did a below average job. He has an annoying voice, no great talent for voice acting, and just stuck in a bizarre Australian accent for Nem for no discernable reason. Though at least that out of place accent made it easy to tell when she was speaking which was better than the generic voice used for most of the rest of the characters. Honestly it is a pity Mace narrates so many fantasy books!

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original, intriguing and action driven.
The story of a mysterious captain with dark past and a team of rascals who hunts wanted people down in a dangerous magical desert develops into an investigation with political games and world-saving. Sounds quiet predictable but an intricate world-building, unusual lore with well-written characters and plot-twists turn it into a great story and an excellent start for a trilogy.

[HaMiT · Rating 4 out of 5]

فانتزیِ سیاه و آخرالزمانی توی یه دنیای سیاست زده و نبرد شبه خدایان و همین چیزهایی من می‌پسندم :))
با کلی موجودات ترسناک و عجیب غریب که بعضیاشون توسط جادوی شبه‌خدایان و بعضی‌های دیگه به خاطر وجود یه منطقه‌ی رادیواکتیومانند به اسم میزریه که این میزری خودش در نتیجه‌ی جنگ سال‌ها پیش بین شبه‌خدایان پدید اومده و فعلاً هم باعث توقع جنگ شده

داستان به صورت اول شخص روایت می‌شه و راوی هم یه مرد 40 50 ساله به اسم رایهالت گالواروئه که زیردست یکی از همین شبه خدایان به اسم کروفوت هست. خیلی شخصیت خوب و درب و داغونیه و یه جورایی منو یاد آرتور مورگان انداخت که دنبال دلیلی برای کارهاش می‌گرده و خیر و شر رو قاطی می‌کنه
داستان اصلیشم معمایی سیاسی و پر از توطئه و خیانته و به صورت کلی می‌تونم با کارای ابرکرومبی مقایسه‌اش کنم. هر چند اون بیشتر شخصیت محور می‌نویسه و این پلات‌محوره ولی اگه کتاب‌های اونو دوس داشتنین، این مجموعه رو هم پیشنهاد می‌دم

[Overhaul · Rating 4 out of 5]

"El mundo es una madre cruel, una matrona de la oscuridad, el egoísmo, la codicia y la miseria. Para la mayoría, el tiempo que pasa mamando de su pecho no es nada salvo un abrirse paso por zarzas que pinchan y rasgan antes de que llegue un ocaso desnudo, ignominioso cuando la carne falla. Y, sin embargo, en los vivos ojos de cada recién nacido hay una chispa, un potencial de bondad, la posibilidad de una vida que valga la pena"


La Miseria es tierra de nadie. Es una peligrosa y corrupta frontera entre la República y los Reyes de las Profundidades. Cuando los traidores, ladrones y espías tratan de burlar a la autoridad, van a parar a la Miseria. El trabajo del capitán Ryhalt Galharrow es rehabilitarlos, siempre que no hayan sido presa de las retorcidas criaturas que habitan en sus cambiantes y contaminadas arenas.

Hay una paz tensa, incluso para un hombre de la experiencia de Galharrow. Pero es un lugar necesario, porque la única defensa que tiene la República contra los llamados, Reyes de las Profundidades, es la Máquina de Punzón, un arma de un poder incomparable que protege las fronteras del desierto, siempre y cuando no empiece a fallar…

Hace cien años, la llamada Máquina de Punzón fue activada y disparada contra los enemigos de la República y, a su paso, solo dejó un paisaje ennegrecido, seco, muerto y lleno de cicatrices conocido como, La Miseria. Más allá un páramo de corrupción y magia oscura pura, en la que reinan entidades aún más oscuras, conocidas como los Reyes de las Profundidades.

No quieren nada más que destruir la República, el reino de los hombres. Son seres inmortales. Eternos como temidos. Pero sobre todo son muy pacientes, tienen todo el tiempo. Esperarán a que llegue su oportunidad. Quieren conquistar, pero una vez más, la Máquina se interpone en su camino. Es un arma de un poder de destrucción imparable, y es lo único que mantiene a raya a estos reyes. La única esperanza de los humanos contra esta raza. Pero con los años, los humanos han comenzado a dejar de lado a olvidar, esto tendrá consecuencias..

Me ha gustado muchísimo y me ha sorprendido bastante, a ver como continúa. La razón de que haya sido un éxito para mi es precisamente por eso, porque es una historia, unos personajes y un desarrollo hechos a medida para mí.

"Blackwing" nos sitúa en medio de la acción y Ed McDonald ha creado una enorme reparto, lugares desafiantes y también cierta terminología del mundo, todo presente desde el principio. Este mundo combina y muy bien los elementos post-apocalípticos, la fantasía épica, ciudades, facciones y guerras. Y un maravilloso toque de Grimdark.

El mundo entero no es la Miseria, no, eso es solo una parte, aunque una gran parte. El resultado de la última gran guerra y de las batallas entre los dioses llamados, Sin Nombre y los Reyes de las Profundidades. Un mundo que tiene mucho que exprimir todavía.

Los acontecimientos de este mundo están así siendo orquestado por estos seres. Seres que son extremadamente poderosos. Pero no son los únicos. Ciertos personajes también presentan un potencial de destrucción mágica poderoso que pueden destruir ejércitos enteros.

Sin dar más detalles, la magia creada en esta historia es muy oscura, original, efectivamente épica por las escenas que nos deja y científica. Introducción a lo que todo su potencial podrá dar. Cosa que sunpongo irá evolucionando y explicando más en los siguientes. Es esa falta de ciertas cosillas cuando estaba ansioso por leer o saber, dejando para los siguientes dichas cosas que le baje un poco la puntuación, es algo muy personal.

Una historia bastante oscura, llena de muertes crudeza y algunas macabras. Una introducción a este mundo correcta, con acción que alimenta las ganas de seguir.

Este libro me cautivo lo suyo, con ciertas partes que fueron intensas. Es impredecible, algo que se agradece. Giros, traiciones, varias disputas políticas. Cuando pensaba que había analizado hacia dónde iba la historia, algo pasó. Y esas cosas me encantan.

"Blackwing" es un debut bastante bueno que nos presenta una historia, sí, con ideas ya usadas como el tema apocalíptico, pero original aún dentro de eso. Muy bien trabajado, planeado y llevado incluso para un libro introductorio me ha dejado un buen sabor y muchas ganas de seguir, pues el último 25% fue la ostia. Siendo honesto no esperaba que me gustase tanto, es un libro que tiene muchas cosas y todas ellas me gustan. Grandes personajes, muy jodidos, a partes rotos. No les tiembla el pulso y se cubren de sangre.

Su narrativa y prosa es de alto nivel teniendo en cuenta que es el estreno de su autor, pero sobretodo y más importante, lo encontré muy difícil de dejar. Presenta magníficamente un mundo de grimdark y fantasia épica original y complejo. Con personajes currados y creíbles, algo a tener en cuenta.

Galharrow nuestro principal protagonista es un personaje roto, capitan de los Blackwing y es un alcohólico con un pasado bastante trágico que está esperando para alcanzarlo. Tiene un grupo de cabrones mercenarios y asesinos trabajando para él. No es un buen tipo, pero es un producto perfectamente cultivado a raíz de su pasado y su entorno, la narración en primera persona es creíble, todo un acierto y está muy bien escrita en todo momento. Pero no todo es sombrío, con gente de mierda, arrogante y ambiciosa en un mundo de mierda. La historia trata tanto sobre la esperanza, como sobre el nihilismo y buenos diálogos con frases cínicas. Todo se presenta en primera persona. A pesar de las cosas bastante horribles por las que ha pasado, a pesar de todo lo que ha pasado en la vida y las decisiones que tomó, hay un núcleo de esperanza enterrado en que intenta aplastarlo.

McDonald tejió un mundo muy rico y creativo. La Miseria y los Reyes de las Profundidades fueron un misterio que captó toda mi atención. Tres tipos de personas entran voluntariamente en la Miseria, los desesperados, los estúpidos y los codiciosos. Peligrosa, seca y podrida hasta la raíz, es la única barrera entre la tierra de los humanos y el este, que es donde gobiernan los Reyes de las Profundidades.

Encontraremos todo tipo de jodidas criaturas en la Miseria. Un aire sin vida, solo hay un cielo agrietado, todo esta muy bien planteado. La imaginación del autor es muy vasta no solo por el mundo que creó sino también por la magia. No quiero entrar en detalles, descubridlo. Y lo bueno es que aquí nos da una muestra de lo que está por llegar.

Buena lectura, lo disfruté, me ventile el libro rápidamente. Un mundo nuevo, fresco y muy original, con personajes currados, no hay un volcado de información en total pues aplaza algunas cosas para los siguientes. Pero te facilita lo que es la entrada a este caótico mundo y te empuja de cabeza a la Miseria.

Como no, las criaturas de la Miseria y los reyes que gobiernan más allá fueron para mi el punto culminante particular, descrito brillantemente donde podía sentir sus efectos, y anhelo que ocurran más cosas en la Miseria. Con ganas de seguir. Recomendable.

"Había llegado el momento de la ira. De la venganza. Esos malnacidos traidores estaban a punto de entender por qué a Ryhalt Galharrow no se le tocan las pelotas, aunque cuenten con el apoyo de príncipes o Elegidos o Reyes o de los mismísimos espíritus del odio"

[Allen Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as good on re-read, but this time on audio!

Shockingly good. One of my biggest surprises of the year.

Full review: https://youtu.be/a2I-zXdOrrs

[TS Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC received from ACE, Berkley Publishing Group via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars.

Blackwing is a remarkable debut that was gritty, original and empathetically compelling. A blend of fantasy, horror and science fiction, it gave me strong vibes of Stephen King, albeit way more accessible in that it was less mind-bending with a fluid prose that was easy to appreciate, though no less poetic when it needs to be.

The story follows the first person perspective of Ryhalt Galharrow, a Blackwing Captain who is a bounty hunter of sorts whose life is inextricably linked to one of the Nameless, powerful ancient beings constantly in battle with the Deep Kings, who are even more omnipotent. A weary, hardened and frustrated man who is given to inebriation, Ryhalt’s characterisation practically bleeds grief and regret through an intimate window granted into his thoughts and emotions. The author quite masterfully weaved the current narrative together with his backstory which gradually revealed in all its poignancy of the circumstances that shaped him into the embittered man that he is now.

From the moment we’re born, the sands of our lives are draining through the hourglass. Living is the biggest steal we ever make, but nobody gets away with it.

His close bonds with his loyal crew members, Nenn and Tnota, as well as his relationship with the noble and talented Lady Ezabeth provided many heartfelt moments that kept on nudging my investment into these characters further and further up the “Don’t you dare die on me” meter.

I would describe the worldbuilding of this post-apocalyptic setting as a strange yet almost intoxicating blend of steampunk, technology, swords and sorcery that I’ve never seen before. Perhaps The Dark Tower by Stephen King might come close but as I’ve yet to read that series, I cannot make any comparisons.

Aspects of horror can be found in the Misery, a vast tainted wasteland that was scorched by the magic unleashed by one of the Nameless almost a century ago. An expansive no man’s land that divides the Dhojaran Empire of the Deep Kings from the Range where the humans lived under the protection of a weapon created by the Nameless. Deep magic still blankets the land till today, transforming all that lived there into a perversion of nature and no man or creature can venture into the Misery without feeling its effects. With shifting landscapes, a cracked sky, ghostly apparitions, grass that can cut one’s legs to shreds, man-eating creatures uttering strange sentences, the Misery is possibly my favourite worldbuilding element in this book.

What else gave me horror vibes in this fantasy tale? It is when the appearance of a little boy sends shivers down my spine. Creepy murderous children; the very idea of the face of innocence being perverted into an incarnation of evil is one of the most frightening and disturbing concepts in my imagination. Cue: Stephen King's Children of the Corn.

Aside from compelling characters and its fascinating setting, the plot was both engrossing and unpredictable. Sure there were instances where I had suspicions or speculations which turned out to be quite accurate. However, the manifestation of the revelation turned out to be completely unexpected and even brilliant at times.

The pacing of the book was a bit uneven due to quite a fair bit of exposition and info-dumping required at the beginning to help the reader understand the world. I had to admit that the first few chapters didn’t sit entirely well with me as I was bombarded with all kinds of capitalised terms which bear no meaning nor context to what I was reading. I’d advise patience as this gets resolved fairly quickly and the narrative flows well enough to keep the pages turning. When it matters the most, the climax of the story was very well-paced and I appreciated that the author took the time to draw out the ending sufficiently to a satisfying conclusion.

It has been widely acknowledged that 2017 will see many great and promising fantasy debuts, and from what I’ve just read, Blackwing might just be one of the top reads. I do highly recommend this book. If you have apprehensions that this is the first of a series, I will allay that by saying it reads well as a stand-alone. A point to note for readers who prefer to avoid strong language though as Blackwing does contain a fair amount of profanity.

The official release date for Blackwing is 3rd of October in US and 27th of July in UK.

This review can also be found at Booknest

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Only three kinds of people willingly enter the Misery: the desperate, the stupid, and the greedy."


This book is so different from everything I've read this year, basically is been forever since I’ve read a post-apocalyptic book and oh how I missed it.
I need to read more of it.
I was unable to stop reading from the moment I started the first chapter.

I can’t believe this is a debut if it hadn’t been mentioned in the cover of the book I would never have guessed it.
This was a very addictive and captivating read.

The writing is easy and fast to read, formal and informal at the same time, perfect for this sort of theme.
There was the exact right amount of humour in it, that it didn’t look force (there is a lot of books that try too hard).

Is been a long time since I’ve read a book that at almost every chapter had an action scene and I was so excited when I realized that, because I love having my heart bit so fast that I feel like I’m fighting as well and end up losing weight (who says that book is not an exercise?lol).


The story is fast-passed and original.
With so many twists and turns, and I never guess anything and I LOVED IT.
This read was a pleasing surprise, and it's been on my shelf since summer of 2017, I can’t believe that it took me this long to actually pick it up and read it.
I like being surprised (as long has it is a good surprise, otherwise I DON’T LIKE IT).

There is so many sarcastic little shit (in a very, very awesome way) with great comebacks, morally ambiguous characters.
They are all badass, smart, funny, intriguing, interesting, and sometimes stupidly brave characters.
MEANING THEY ARE ALL AMAZING.

The dynamic that Ryhalt has with his crew is super entertaining.
Is very realistic, they curse each other a lot, but in the end, they are family.


Basically, his relationship with every other character in this book was pretty nice, ether they talk, fight, argue it or he ends up killing them.
Pretty great in my opinion.

There was more political intrigue then I thought there would be, and the way that it has handled was fantastic.
For a time I didn’t know who could be trusted. Who was the bad guy and who was the good guy?
But finishing this book up is there any good guy in here? Because all of them have done pretty shitting things. But either way, I loved it.

This book was dark, having a lot of violence and death.
Which I have no problem with it because it made sense and it made the chapters even better.

And there was so little ROMANCE! Is so difficult for me to like a book that doesn’t have romance has it’s center. And I been finding pretty incredible one.

There are so many good quotes to quotes, and I love books that I have so many highlights in it!

One good thing about just reading this book now is that I don’t have to wait too long for the sequel. I still have to wait though.
And I really want to know where the story is going and what will happen, because this is one of those books that I don’t know what will happen next, and I'm excited.

[Stefan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t like post-apocalyptic setting. In any medium. I don’t like reading or listening about it, nor do I like watching it (sorry Mad Max, The Road, Children of Men fans).
I find it less inspiring building a world on such concept. Somewhat lazier, to me, is building it on scraps than starting from scratch. I understand that tremendous amount of effort goes adapting a new, deranged, world on scaffolds of existing one, but in this case, again, to me, lesser (or blanker the sheet when creating a world) is more.
Now, has this book, with its post-apocalyptic setting, persuade me to change my opinion? Absolutely not.
But if I put aside my animosity towards post-apocalyptic worlds – I’m left with amazingly written debut novel. First in prose, second in ideas of worldbuilding and third in characterization.

For two centuries Nameless warred with immortal Deep Kings and their Empire, Old Dhejara. All of them godlike creatures of immense power. At the very end of the war, when almost all free cities were conquered by Dhejara, Crowfoot, one of the Nameless Gods, unleashed the Heart of the Void. A weapon world had never seen before, nor ever since.
He used that Void to tore cracks in the sky, choke the land with poison dust, burn hills and boil fields.
Thus he created - Misery.
For a moment enemy was defeated. Or so people thought.
Dhejaran’s were strong and they didn’t care how much of them will die, they needed to win. And so war lasted for generations.
Generations of forefathers bought time for another Nameless God, called Nall, to raise with a new weapon. An Engine that can radiate immense power, such power that even killed one of the immortal Deep Kings.
Finally Dhejaran’s retreated. But, again, they were not defeated.
With Engine installed on outskirts, even in Misery itself, it secured peace for a time, because Dhejaran’s only once tried to breach it, and were decimated in hundreds of thousands.

I love when reader is simply thrown into action right in the first page. As of late I’ve been struggling with concentrating in first 10 or 15 percent of introduction, so it’s highly welcomed when author puts you in canoe, downstream in high speed.
Ryhalt Galharrow is a captain of Blackwing, organization of sorts, which serves as shadowed hand, eyes and ears of one, out of two Nameless Gods, that still linger in this world.
While on the mission with his trustworthy lieutenant Nen, deeply inside of Misery, still sodden eastern barrier between known human world and whatever that lies beyond that point in the lands of evil Deep Kings, our protagonist gets a call via raven (that I like to call Frank) tattooed on his forearm. Call is by none other than a Nameless God, and who claimed Ryhalt out of compensation for some previous debt. He gets a new mission, and when hearing a name of his employer he doesn’t know should he weep or be excited.
Ezabeth Tanza is brilliant mathematician, an eccentric scientist, but also a Spinner, a person who can manipulate energy. She’s on a mission of finding a solution for weaker and weaker Hall’s Engine. And she is not the only one interested in more and more frail weapon.
Which leads her to the Misery and someone whom she hasn’t seen in more than twenty years.

What I love about this book is definitely creatures in it. Abundance of mutants with powers is staggering.
All so vile and uncomfortable to think about:
Darlings – once Spinners, disfigured into children’s bodies, controlled by one of evil Kings, wielding similar power to Spinner’s, only perverted.
Gillings – once again, childlike, brainless and cannibalistic mutants who can only repeat few phrases such as: “Evening master, care for a good time?”, that can bit, eat and devour you while you sleep, without you even noticing you’re missing a limb or two until morning, because their saliva is also anesthetic.
Yeah, not so good times… And there are so many more characters as deranged like this. And yes, some of them are, again, children.

Also, I find really interesting when author decides to change genre in middle of his book. Because this novel certainly started as a grimdark, with world in it presented to us as a cynical, disillusioned and ultraviolent place. As ‘anti-Tolkien’ as much as it could, with flawed and nihilist characters completely amoral and absolved of moral responsibility.
But then, those characters started to pick themselves up. And just slightly after half of the book, there was almost no illusion nor doubt that they have chosen good side. And while they were doing that, most definitive and indistinguishable darkness in contrast to them, was slowly approaching.
So, for almost entire half of the book good vs evil differences were pretty much balanced. So much that author slightly ventured his characters into a ‘Romancing the Stone’ story.
As I said, I don’t mind when author manages transition without the sense of glaring intrusion of the genre, and in this case, he had done it quite well. For a debut novel very admirable, but I wish if he would refrain himself from doing that in future.

Diversity. I applaud for the effort author took upon himself to create a world - no matter how miserable that world actually is - where physically disfigured characters are equal in every single way to those born with sufficient amount of limbs, or to those who were simply lucky enough not to lose one in this cruel place.
Where eyeless princess isn’t shoved aside to rule – literally – behind the curtains because she isn’t much of a sight, where she is actually deeply respected because of her war-scars;
where noseless mercenary gets to be feared because of her sword skills, not because of what she’s missing on her face;
and where burn-scarred woman can be loved, not because of a memory or a shadow of her former self, but because of herself and nothing else.
I only wish that fever characters in this book were maimed. Don’t get me wrong, for reasons above, I’m as supportive for diversity as one can get. But almost every person in this book was in some way physically challenged. And when almost everyone is more or less the same, you lose on that diversity.
As I said, I wish message for diversity was clearer so it would be less prone to, well, overthinking it like I just did.

In conclusion: very strong debut, beautifully written, but with much more to work upon.
Now, give me that sequel.

[Edward Gwynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Just because the wolf pack fears your sling doesn’t mean you stop carrying stones.”

Blackwing is a book that throws you into the dark and bloody world of the Misery, a place that is pretty much summed up by it’s name. Ed McDonald has carved a fantastic debut in Blackwing with some really great features of fantasy.

Book 1 of The Raven’s Mark is a solid page turner, with enough set-pieces, intrigue and good general story-telling to make it a quick read. It was refreshing to read a book with clear chapters, told from one PoV.

“When you realise the mountain you've been climbing is just a heap of shit, the fall doesn't feel so far.”

Our PoV is Ryhalt Galharrow, a middle-aged Blackwing captain, working for a god-like sorcerer as well as being a bounty hunting mercenary. Galharrow immediately has a unique voice, witty dialogue and of course he’s pretty nifty with his arsenal of weapons. His story develops and the reader gradually is fed slight information about his past and his motivations within this dystopian world of cutlasses, magic-like substances called phos, and the life within the city Valengrad.

I really enjoyed how, although it is a new world with new characters, there is no info-dumping whatsoever. It eases you into the world as well as shoving you head first into the gritty world of the Misery. The creatures of the Misery were a particular highlight, with clever themes and constructions, which will make the reader pull all manner of facial expressions. The Misery has been described brilliantly where I could really feel the effects of it, and I was in a way longing for more events to happen in the dystopian plain.

“Just because he wasn’t Nameless didn’t make it smart to underestimate him; a knife may not be a longsword, but the edge will cut you all the same.”

Galharrow’s interaction with the secondary character’s of this story is where it shines for me. The relationships between his character with Nenn most notably is fantastic, as well as Tnota and Saravor I particularly enjoyed. Nenn is a wonderful character, she is strong and dangerous, and humorous and flawed. Comparing Nenn with Ezabeth always made Ezabeth appear to be a weaker character of the cast in my opinion, but I did enjoy how her arc progressed.

There isn’t heaps and heaps of bloody sword fights and the bashing in of teeth, but there certainly is enough to separate the intrigue within Blackwing. The action was tense and heart-thumping, with a grit and authenticity that highlights how the author knows his weapon-craft.

“I don't like things that don't make sense. Not until I've put a knife in them.”

5/5 - All in all, a story with good world building, solid characters and a break-neck pace. Blackwing is a strong fantasy book that is full of unique twists and themes. These themes make it feel like a modern fantasy tale, with influences from games and current styles. Read it!

[Xabi1990 · Rating 3 out of 5]

No llega a las cuatro estrellas. Por poco, pero no llega.

La mayor parte del tiempo se lee ágil, los personajes no están mal, pero es de estos novelas que te “suelta” en la historia y mediante detalles o flashbacks es como vas haciéndote a la idea de qué va la trama, quienes son esos Sin Nombre o los Reyes de las Profundidades. O la Miseria, o el Límite. Bueno de algo no me he enterado bien, conste (no sigo por no hacer spoiler)

Yo me he quedado un poco frio con la ambientación y los personajes. Y con la resolución.

El sistema de magia tiene su puntillo, pero es un poco tonto, un poco endeble. Eso del cuervo tatuado y la carne y la sangre…. que no.

No, no llega a las cuatro estrellas.

[Esme · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sent this book as an ARC from the author - thank you so much, Ed! I even got a spiffy drawing of a raven :)


Plot:

So, there are two ancient entities, the Deep Kings and the Nameless, in the middle of a long cycle of wars that have lasted for ages, the book didn't go into specifics about how long it's been going on, but I would guess for thousands of years. At the end of the book one of the Nameless told the MC that they've been waging a war against the Deep Kings since before humans had language/words for the Deep Kings.

A long time ago one of the Nameless used a weapon of catastrophic proportions in a last ditch effort to stop the Deep Kings advances, called the Engine - and it's the only thing that has kept the Deep Kings at bay for as long as they have.

The result of the Engines blast took out two whole cities and left the land a crater, poisoned, death ridden wasteland. It was so powerful it actually ripped reality and the sky has tears above it that make this strange wailing sound.

Since it's been a while since the Deep Kings have made an advance, humanity gets sloppy on the border of the Misery, which is the land that was scorched by the weapon. The Deep Kings are rising again and humanity is woefully unprepared for hordes of demon like creatures.

Characters:

* Captain Ryhalt Galharrow - he's in his late 30's or early 40's and battle hardened alcoholic. I actually really like when characters have some kind of addiction battle, we don't see that very often in books and for something that's so prevalent in our culture you'd think that addicts would make more of an appearance in SFF. He's pretty rough around the edges, he still is in love with his ex from a long time ago, he's an experienced soldier and warrior and knows how to get shit done for the most part. This is our MC and it's a single POV book

* Ezabeth - a super powerful Spinner who's trying to track down the mysteries of the Engine before it's too late and the Deep Kings invade. She's also Galharrow's ex, and potentially mad. Sometimes Spinners lose their minds later on in life and she's right on the edge.

* Tnota - part of Galharrows band, a foreigner with a smile thats hard to wipe off his face

* Nenn - a merc who's teamed up with Galharrow super rough with a missing nose and yellowed teeth. Loves to kill people

Magic:

There's a good amount of magic in this series, Spinners have a wide range of abilities from blasting enemies with scorching hot light, or transforming light to create illusions. People who are known as Talents have a weak ability to use magic, and they harvest moonlight by breaking apart white light into strands of multi colored light, it comes with a cost though, people can be scarred or severely disfigured doing that kind of work. Sorcerers are not common but not rare either, but Wizards are something else. Sorcerers draw in power from outside sources, while Wizards have an innate magical generator and they are vastly more powerful.

Worldbuilding:

There was a good amount of world building in this book, it was different and pretty visual. I imagined something similar to the tears in the universe in the Futurama movies when I was visualizing The Misery. There's no map but there's talk of other countries outside the one they're fighting in, and talk of sailing across different seas, it was all pretty consistent and not so much as to be overwhelming.

There are a ton of CREEPY fucking monsters in this world, and most of them are original.

* Brides - almost like a succubus but as she feeds on more people who like, worship her almost, the larger she gets and the more control she has over people.

* Darlings - almost indistinguishable from real children they can control your mind/body taking over and making you do horrible things, all the while you're bleeding from the eyes nose and mouth twitching around like a puppet


Pacing/tone:

I got through the book in a day or so, so the pacing was pretty good - it's also not a terribly long book, it's about 380 pages or so. I'm kind of blanking on an appropriate term for the tone, it can have gallows humor but it wasn't a light or funny book. It's a flint lock fantasy mixed with explosions and demons and creepy shit.

Worldbuilding:

There was a good amount of world building in this book, it was different and pretty visual. I imagined something similar to the tears in the universe in the Futurama movies when I was visualizing The Misery. There's no map but there's talk of other countries outside the one they're fighting in, and talk of sailing across different seas, it was all pretty consistent and not so much as to be overwhelming.
There are a ton of CREEPY fucking monsters in this world, and most of them are original.

* Brides - almost like a succubus but as she feeds on more people who like, worship her almost, the larger she gets and the more control she has over people.

* Darlings - almost indistinguishable from real children they can control your mind/body taking over and making you do horrible things, all the while you're bleeding from the eyes nose and mouth twitching around like a puppet

* Drudge - they used to be people until the Deep Kings mutate them into monsters, red grey marble smooth skin and missing noses they make up the majority of the dead kings armies. I don't remember the name of one of the monsters, but they can eat you in your sleep ... they have anesthetic in their saliva and they just eat you slowly while you don't even know it.


Audience:
People who prefer single POV
People who like monsters
People who like other worldly environments
People who like high stakes end of the world kind of thing
People who don't mind a lot of cursing, this book isn't shy about the word fuck
People who don't mind or look for 'grey' main characters
People who like heavy magic

http://weatherwaxreport.blog

[Julia Sarene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This is one amazing mix of blood and gore, action and adventure, morals and relationships, beautiful prose and humor and a great plot to bind it all together.

Blackwing started of good, but only got better and better the farther in I went. It managed to hook me body and soul and really drag me into its world! I felt the hot desert air and smelled the danger on the wind. The world has a mix of magic and some technology - sometimes both used in one device. While I don't usually like that, it worked really well for me in this story, and made for one cool world.

I really clicked with the characters. I especially liked how our main cast are both ruthless killers on the one hand, but not actually amoral. They just work as kind of mercenaries, and do their job. Yes, they kill and drink until they are unconscious, but still they try to do the right thing. Or what they are paid for... I definitely would like to go and have a drink with them one day if I could! Bonus points for well written characters both male and female - so basically well written people!

This book managed what no fantasy book so far ever has. It had a romantic scene that I liked! Usually they either have me rolling my eyes or cringing, but this one (not taking up a lot of page time) really worked well for me, and for once it did add to the story for me. I wouldn't have thought it possible!

The story is told in first person - and while that usually doesn't work well for me in a complex world, it does in Blackwing. I still got to see and learn enough to feel satisfied with the worldbuilding, and I was on my toes in any dangerous situations all the way through.
Often with first person POV it takes away from the suspense, because how could someone dead tell a story? But it didn't feel that way at all here. I held my breath at times, snorted at others or startled the hubby by freezing in the middle of doing the dishes or such...

I see this book compared to books by Lawrence and Abercrombie, but I must say I enjoyed it more than Prince of Thorns, as I could get attached to the characters and more than Blade Itself as things are actually happening throughout the book. And while I enjoyed Red Sister just as much, the books have such a different style, I couldn't really compare it...
So I'll go with recommending it to any readers of "normal" fantasy as well as of grim or grimdark fantasy!
It is one of those books that can't be easily put in one drawer labeled grimdark, or flintlock, or epic or whatever. It instead combines some of the best things of different subgenres!

The prose was beautiful and really fluent and I'd like to end this review with a quote:
“I saw you stand,” I said. “Saw your courage, back at Twelve. Saw the steel in your will, the power you command. You say there’s nothing of woman about you? You aren’t some painted vase, delicate and useless. You’re a fucking lioness. The strongest damn thing that ever lived. There’s nothing of you but woman.”

[Eon Windrunner · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

Crowfoot was to blame for the Misery, if attributing blame to something like him counts for anything. He and the other Nameless are beyond the reproach of us whimpering mortals. Some people formed cults around them as if they were gods, but if Crowfoot is a god then creation isn’t worth spit. For two centuries the Nameless warred with the Deep Kings and their empire, Old Dhojara, and what had been accomplished in that time? A lot of weeping, a lot of bones turning yellow beneath the Misery’s sands. We’d managed stalemate, not even peace – and in the central states they don’t even understand that only the Engine and the Range Stations provide any protection against the Deep Kings at all. They don’t know how close we stand to the gallows, how tight the noose is cinched around our neck. But my master would not stand to be defeated, not if he had to sacrifice every last man, woman and child in Dortmark to do it. Which he would. When he burned the Misery into the world as a last defence, he proved as much.

Eight decades ago, Crowfoot had unleashed the Heart of the Void and created the Misery, (think the Blight in WoT) a wasted, desolate landscape, devoid of hope and filled with suffering and unimaginable deaths around every hill and depression. This event or weapon, or whatever it was, was a desperate attempt at stopping the Deep Kings from continuing their victory march against the last free cities and it succeeded in part, as it gave Nall, another Nameless, the time to raise the Engine.

Stalemate ensued. Peace, of a sort, ensured by the Engine and the stations: outlying control points from which our vigilant commanders could remotely activate the Engine should the Deep Kings ever send their forces into range. They’d only tried it once, well before I was born. The Engine had blasted new craters across the Misery. They had not tried again.

It is in the Misery where we first meet our MC, Ryhalt Galharrow.
A mercenary employed by the republic to hunt down traitors, sympathisers and the like, Galharrow is also a member of a small organisation called Blackwing, whose members are Crowfoot’s shadowed hands, his eyes and his enforcers. Whilst on a mission to hunt down sympathisers, Galharrow receives an urgent communication from Crowfoot to make haste to a nearby station in order to save someone important.

The flesh strained upwards as something sought to escape my skin. My whole arm began to shake, and the second thrust hurt more than the heat. Steam sizzled from the flesh as it turned red, burned. I winced, gritted my teeth, squeezed my eyes shut as my skin stretched to its limit, and then I felt the ripping as the raven forced itself up and out of me. Big fucking bird, a raven. It came out through the torn flesh, sticky and red like a newborn, hopped down onto a rock and looked up at me with black eyes.
I clenched my jaws shut against the pain. No use showing weakness. Crowfoot would have no sympathy anyway.

It is this mission that will change everything for Galharrow, as he meets someone from his past that he has tried his best to forget. Together with this unexpected reunion, dark revelations are dragged into the light that will change everything about the war if they prove to be true. Thus Galharrow sets out on a harrowing, mammoth undertaking to find the truth, as ignorance could mean the end of them all.

Blackwing is an extremely well written, if sometimes sluggish, grimdark fantasy that easily surpasses the expectations that the debut label attached to it creates. The author has created an intriguing, post-apocalyptic world populated with scores of fascinating monsters and characters (I really loved the time spent in the Misery and hope future books give us much more of it) and an interesting plot that keeps you guessing at it's mysteries. Without a doubt, most fantasy readers will find this one easily making their best of the year list. I however, found myself apathetic during large parts of the tale, for while the characters are very well written, I struggled to like them and felt uninvested in their outcome, despite the intrigue of the plot. Sure, there were moments where Galharrow, Ezabeth, Nenn and Tnota started growing on me, but it just never took hold enough to make me love them. Oddly, the romance subplot more prevalent in the latter stages, something that will possible irritate most people for likely feeling rushed and unnecessary, turned the tide for me and had me engrossed in the outcome, ultimately lifting my overall enjoyment. It added to the main character's development and had me rooting for him. That's me though, being difficult.

Summarizing, I loved the Misery, the mysteries of the Nameless, the writing, the plot. I struggled with the characters, the pacing and the politics, but the final quarter of the book saved it for me by at last getting me more invested in the characters and picking up the pace.

Fortunately, as stated, most will love this superb debut by Ed McDonald and despite my difficulties with it, there was enough to like and have me wanting more. I am looking forward to picking up the next book in this series to see if the author can deliver on it’s unbounded potential. Recommended.

[Scott Hitchcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*'s.

Which is a very good rating for me for Noir fiction of which I'm just not a fan. It generally reads to me like a bad 80's action movie there the main character generally brags, tells you why their nemesis is a mindless cow, brags some more, realizes they've screwed the pooch and then miraculously recover so they can brag some more.

I didn't know going in this was going to be Noir. For part of it I was also finally reading Low Town which like this piece is both Noir and Grimdark. It's sad that in the rating system both will go down as 3*'s because really Low Town was 2.75 and this 3.5. Low Town really offered nothing else besides that bad 80's movie and magic with no imagination.

This book did offer a lot more. The dystopian element of a Marshall living on the edge of the abyss taking on dark gods/demons and even his own gods and protectors. It offered us a compelling backstory to his hardness and a potential story to his future. It offered a magic system that integrated into technology which is an underused theme in fantasy.

In the end I liked but didn't love it. However if you're a fan of Noir more than I am, I DNF's Dresden bored to tears after book 2, and like Grimdark and Dystopian themes this book is right up your alley.

[Peter McLean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This thing is just magnificent.

The setting is a blasted land called the Misery that resulted from the fallout of a magical super-weapon built by an almost-god who has since disappeared. Our hero, and I use the term loosely, is Captain Galharrow of Blackwing. Blackwing itself is a sort of secret police answering directly to another almost-god, but Galharrow mostly makes his living as a bounty hunter along the frontier.

Galharrow is a beautifully broken character, a hardened alcoholic with a tragic past that's just waiting to catch up with him. He reminded me a bit of Rojan Dizon from Francis Knight's "Fade to Black" (which is also excellent), and he has a close band of scumbags and cutthroats working for him. He's not a nice guy but he's a perfect product of his past and his environment, and the first-person narration is believable and extremely well written throughout.

McDonald throws you straight into the action and you're left to figure out how everything works and what the various inhabitants of the Misery actually are as you go along. Some of his creations are really quite disturbing, and the way the magic works is explained just enough to make sense without being overly detailed. The pace is fast, the fight scenes extremely realistic (and brutal) and the dialogue sharp and often witty.

This is an astonishingly accomplished debut - McDonald is definitely one to watch.

(I received an advance copy from Ace.)

[Mili · Rating 5 out of 5]

From start to finish I was excited to read this book! You follow Ryhalt Galharrow, its told from his perspective. The story is continuesly in motion and there is so much magic! All kinds even! And the Misery is insane with out of hand magic...like the spittle getting legs and running off..what!

I like how his writing gives off this gruff vibe which fits Galharrow. Its a tough world and everyone is kinda shaped up to fit it. There is the nobility that they call Cream. And wizards, and Spinners I think they are called that catch magic from the moons light, if Im right. Fantastic really! I got so caught up in the story I kinda forgot what I read about how it all turned out this way...There are the Nameless and the Deep kings, some ancient old wizards that fight eachother. And the humans are kinda their pawns. There is a lot of epicness in this book..And the way the Nameless call upon the marked humans they choose to correspond to! Ugh, Im excited of this world :D

I liked Galharrow, he is tough with a soft side. McDonald made him so well rounded when it comes to being human, very strong character in my opinion anyway. Which is important since the book is based from his point of view. And his buddies Nenn and Tnota are cool. You get to know Nenn more and damn is she cool! And noseless! A rough diamond :D

Read this epic debut!

[Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good debut

I'm huge fan of complex worldbuilding but one thing I came to appreciate as I read more fantasy is when author knows when not to do too much of it. Scarce information about the world fit bleak atmosphere of book really well. With protagonist that is more of pragmatic sort there is not time to look at big picture since he is more focused on immediate problems and this book does well in escalating his immediate problems into big stake situation. You might say that post-apocalyptic setting inherently have less complex world building but I wouldn't label this book as post-apocalyptic as many do. Sure part of world is ruined but majority is still functional so this book has more of atmosphere of country under siege with isolation, limited resources and totalitarian rule but still fully functional society where people leave their lives and where there is world beyond setting where story takes place.

Some flaws mostly involve emotional moments and pathos that feel out of place with characters and gretty setting but overall this book is so fast paced and eventful that it's easy to just ran past them