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The Lies We Tell Ourselves
In a world still bearing the scars from an ancient magical conflict, those who wield magic - or are changed by it - are condemned as abominations, their lives forfeit.
Raised at sea under the tyrannical rule of his father, there is nothing the young Captain Fiaer Dradorn won't do for the knowledge of a lost treasure that drove his father's obsession. Even start a war.
Betrayed to the mercy - and consequences - of catastrophic, uncontrolled, magic, Fiaer is left with nothing but the belief in his own monstrosity and the overwhelming desire for revenge.
As his plans take form, he realises that true monstrosity is less what someone is, and more who they chose to be. A choice he must make before others make it for him.
Raised at sea under the tyrannical rule of his father, there is nothing the young Captain Fiaer Dradorn won't do for the knowledge of a lost treasure that drove his father's obsession. Even start a war.
Betrayed to the mercy - and consequences - of catastrophic, uncontrolled, magic, Fiaer is left with nothing but the belief in his own monstrosity and the overwhelming desire for revenge.
As his plans take form, he realises that true monstrosity is less what someone is, and more who they chose to be. A choice he must make before others make it for him.
124 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 2, 2025
Writing in second-person (you did this, you did that) is a tricky proposition, but in this interesting and well-paced novella, L. K. Kitney pulls it off in spades.
This one is a tale of a pirate captain who is manipulated into doing some dirty work for a secretive nation, and finding himself changed in ways he never expected by the experience. But it's also a tale of family, and the challenges of living in someone else's shadow. All in all, a very readable tale.
This one is a tale of a pirate captain who is manipulated into doing some dirty work for a secretive nation, and finding himself changed in ways he never expected by the experience. But it's also a tale of family, and the challenges of living in someone else's shadow. All in all, a very readable tale.
February 12, 2023
I loved this dark, piratical fantasy tale. Kitney creates an amazingly complex and immersive world in a short space, and the story is not only a tense and engrossing adventure but also a deep, insightful character study. Fantastic writing throughout, and I also admired how the form of the novella mirrored the magic that was happening. Bravo.
February 6, 2023
An unusual Grimdark fable exploring a fierce captain and exactly how we made his reputation. Very ambitious and surprising how the story develops
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
January 20, 2024
Fantastic grim dark magical seafaring tale
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews