This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on March 3, 2026.

Against the Demon World

By D.M. Ritzlin – DMR Books – February 1, 2026

Review by Robin Marx

Northern barbarian Avok Kur Storn’s life is disrupted when cultists of Iljer visit his chieftain father, hoping to entice the Cytheran people to abandon their traditional god in favor of demon worship. Emphatically rebuffed, the Iljerists skulk off to the wilderness and immediately prepare to summon an infernal agent of retribution. Suspicious of the ominous visitors, Avok attempts to disrupt the ceremony, only to find himself dragged to the demon-infested moon called Uzz. Forced to serve as a slave, a spy, and a gladiator, Avok must use his wits and his brawn to survive—and eventually escape—a hellish dog-eat-dog world of cruel fiends and bizarre, otherworldly creatures.

Against the Demon World is set in D. M. Ritzlin’s sword & sorcery setting, Nilztiria. While this is the first full-length novel to feature Avok Kur Storn as its protagonist, the character has appeared in a number of short stories found in the author’s previous collections, Necromancy in Nilztiria and Dark Dreams of Nilztiria. While there are some fun references to other Nilztiria fixtures like the frequently quoted Xaarxool the Necromancer, no prior experience with either Avok Kur Storn or Nilztiria is necessary to enjoy this novel.

Ritzlin’s publishing house DMR Books was established to print sword & sorcery fiction both classic and new, and the author’s own work likewise fits comfortably in the old school pulp fantasy style. Barbarian heroes with mighty thews, diabolical sorcerers who command chaotic magic, and slavering beasts are all present and accounted for. Both the strengths and weaknesses of Against the Demon World owe a great deal to the early days of the fantasy literary genre, so fans of this type of fantasy are likely to enjoy it, while those who prefer a more epic scope and detailed world-building may be better off looking elsewhere.

The brisk pacing of Against the Demon World is its greatest strength. The novel is a hair over 200 pages long, and there is zero wasted space. This is a book that refuses to sit still; there’s always something going on. Deadly combat, daring escapes, encounters with dangerous and strange wildlife (or dangerous and strange women!) crowd the narrative. Over the course of the book Avok Kur Storn is rarely allowed a moment to catch his breath, and neither is the reader. While the bare-chested, kilt-clad warrior protagonist might prompt one to expect the influence of Robert E. Howard and his barbarian Conan, in practice the breakneck pacing and heroic protagonist more often recalled Edgar Rice Burroughs. Like Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars, Avok Kur Storn is a reflexively valiant and noble character, skilled in martial pursuits but lacking Conan’s brutality and moral ambiguity. While—trapped on Uzz—he may spend his nights in the arms of his alluring ram-horned succubus mistress Heltorya, once he meets the pure-hearted damsel Izura, there’s little doubt who Avok will end up with.

As in Burrough’s Barsoom stories, the weirdness of Against the Demon World also appeals. Much of the story takes place in the demonic duchy of Xidobala, where expendable slaves live and die at the mercy of Heltorya and a class of callous, inhuman rulers. Avok is frequently the only human among fiends, each physiologically distinct. When Avok is taken on a sky-ship ride, the vessel turns out to be a steel-bound beast with pterodactyl wings and a massive eye at the end of its furry “bowsprit.” Even away from the demon-haunted cities, the fauna of Uzz remains strange; Avok encounters yellow-skinned cyclopes and spherical bat-like creatures. Weirdness even encroaches on Avok’s very body, as immediately after arriving on Uzz an eyeball-bearing tentacle is grafted to the back of his head (seen in the excellent cover art by Bebeto Daroz) to make him a more effective spy for his demonic master. Ritzlin also has an aptitude for coming up with entertainingly offbeat names: Xaarxool, Nelgastrothos, Voormeero, Quanguulosh, and—my favorite—Scrotar, all roll off the tongue in a pleasing way.

While Against the Demon World benefits greatly from classic pulp pacing, it also carries forth two of the weaknesses of old-fashioned fantasy: weak dialogue and thin characterization. Too often the dialogue lacks subtlety, with characters frequently openly stating their thoughts or intentions, without much in the way of witty repartee, attempts to dissemble, or character-revealing phrasing. Actors often lament that villains get all the best lines in scripts, and that seems to be the case in this book as well. Through Heltorya’s spoiled pouting and Quanguulosh’s Skeletor-like scenery chewing the demons are allowed to showcase their personalities a bit, but Avok is mostly limited to defiant vows, helpful explanations to companions, and shouted warnings. Unusually for a sword & sorcery hero we get to spend some time with Avok Kur Storn’s whole family (the Kur Storns are still around, they’re not relegated to a tragic backstory!), but readers still don’t get much of an idea of what makes Avok special and interesting beyond “He’s a brave fighter and he’s the hero that the book is about.” While this comparative lack of dimension isn’t as noticeable in the shorter Avok Kur Storn stories, it becomes more obvious at novel length. Ritzlin’s other primary hero character, Vran the Chaos-Warped, at least has more of an interesting gimmick in that magic misfires in his presence. As it stands, Avok Kur Storn doesn’t have much that separates him from the barbarian pack.

Against the Demon World is a lean, action-packed adventure boasting a wonderfully weird setting. Readers familiar with pulp sword & sorcery will find a lot to love here, but those accustomed to more modern fantasy stylings may find themselves yearning for a greater focus on characterization, even if it results in a thicker page count.

#ReviewArchive #BookReview #Fantasy #SwordAndSorcery #DarkFantasy #Grimdark #DMRitzlin #DMRBooks #AgainstTheDemonWorld #GrimdarkMagazine #GdM

This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on July 4, 2025.

Old Moon Quarterly: Volume 7, Summer 2024

By Old Moon Publishing – December 19, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

The seventh volume of Old Moon Quarterly delivers more of the high quality dark fantasy readers of the magazine have come to expect. In addition to genre titans like Michael Moorcock, Tanith Lee, and Glen Cook, the editors of Old Moon Quarterly have been outspoken about their enthusiasm for contemporary media touchstones like Berserk, Bloodborne, and the Dark Souls video games, aesthetics that visibly impact the periodical’s editorial direction. Unlike earlier issues, Old Moon Quarterly Volume 7 and 8 were crowdfunded via a Kickstarter campaign. Not only did the crowdfunding campaign allow OMQ to maintain pro rates for contributors, it allowed an extended page count and the addition of internal illustrations (including work by Morgan King of The Spine of Night fame).

Volume 7 opens with an intriguing look at intelligent enchanted weapons, here referred to as the “speaking sword” trope. Elric of Melniboné’s malignantly manipulative blade Stormbringer is one example that readily comes to mind (and the cover artwork provided by Simon Underwood suggests an Elric homage), but the Introduction also includes a wide range of other examples from Finnish mythology to J.R.R Tolkien’s legendarium to Warhammer. The Introduction adds welcome context for the second story in the issue, “Stolen by Moonlight, Betrothed by Sun” by E. Catherine Tobler.

Before the speaking sword makes its appearance, however, readers are treated to a new Morlock Ambrosius tale by returning contributor and World Fantasy Award nominee James Enge. “The Ember Eyed” sees Morlock, son of Merlin, trudging down to the southernmost reaches of the world, a land of eternal fire, on a mission to obtain liquid sunlight. A nearly fatal encounter with the massive guardian spider Usli forces Morlock to reconsider his approach, however. In one of the most thrilling scenes in the story, Morlock sets to work like some sort of sorcerous MacGyver, using his ingenuity and spellcraft to equip himself for the task ahead. While it felt like Morlock was uncharacteristically relegated to the passenger seat in the finale, “The Ember Eyed” features clever storytelling and over-the-top magic. While prior experience with Morlock Ambrosius is not required to enjoy this story, the callback to the events of “Evil Honey” (published in Old Moon Quarterly Vol. 3) was delightful and welcome.

Catherine Tobler’s “Stolen by Moonlight, Betrothed by Sun” is told from the perspective of a 300-year-old sword; an estoc to be precise. Told in a non-linear fashion, the sword relates its initial encounters with its beloved owner, a formidable and rakish woman named Elisabeth Duguay-Trouin. The sword and its mistress are inevitably parted, and the estoc finds itself in the possession of a succession of different owners, some worthier than others. In contrast to the mostly doom-bringing intelligent swords mentioned in the Introduction, the one starring here was a steadfast companion, and the narrative is written in an intriguingly wistful and almost romantic fashion.

“The Torrent of Souls” by H.R. Laurence opens with the protagonist, a mercenary named Heoric, bleeding out on a tavern floor after a pointless, alcohol-fueled knife fight. The defiant recklessness with which Heoric spent his life brings him to the attention of a strangely fey woman named Aetia. In exchange for her healing ministrations, Aetia presses Heoric into service, pitting him against an avaricious sorcerer who guards the secret of immortality. One of the standout stories of this issue, “The Torrent of Souls” boasts both dreamlike imagery and gritty, violent action.

Continuing a tradition established with OMQ Volume 5, this issue also includes some poetry. Calie Voorhis’ “Footnotes on ‘Only Forever,’ The Grey Witch’s Last Poem” pairs a prose poem with extensive faux academic footnotes. This combination feels like it was designed in a laboratory to leave me cold. “In Her Waters, Raging” by Lora Gray is the other poem included in Volume 7. It’s a less tedious read than “Footnotes,” but doesn’t contribute much to the issue as a whole. While I find the OMQ editors’ fiction selections to be remarkably on point, whatever spark they’re seeing in their published poems has, thus far, eluded me.

Reminiscent of Clark Ashton Smith in terms of atmosphere if not verbiage, “The Last Gift” by Jason Mills tells the story of a group of travelers being stalked by an implacable djinn. Left destitute deep in the desert by bandits, each of the travelers shares their best quality with the others—be it words of wisdom, a treasure, or even a martial arts technique—so that if any single member makes it back to civilization they will carry something valuable from their fallen comrades. While the shape-shifting djinn proves to be a cruel and relentless threat, each of the travelers’ personal qualities prove instrumental in ultimately defeating the demon. “The Last Gift” is both clever and one of the more beautifully told stories of the issue.

Occasional Grimdark Magazine contributor Matthew John has become increasingly ubiquitous in the modern Sword & Sorcery revival, with appearances in Tales From the Magician’s Skull, The Savage Sword of Conan, and his well-received debut collection To Walk on Worlds. An appearance in Old Moon Quarterly felt almost inevitable, and John marks a strong OMQ debut with “Last Day on the Farm.” While the bulk of Volume 7’s stories include dark and unsettling elements, “Last Day on the Farm” ramps the horror up to eleven. An isolated farmer finds himself confronted with the otherworldly when a caravan crew is massacred by parasites and necromancy on his doorstep. Only Lachmannon the Kael, John’s recurring barbarian hero, can help Maric see the morning. The gory violence, grim tone, and body horror are to be expected in a Matthew John story, but he still surprised me by revealing a heretofore unseen side to Lachmannon as a character. “Last Day on the Farm” could have concluded in a variety of ways, but John chose a supremely satisfying ending.

The grimdark persists with “Bleed Me in the Water,” by Bram Stoker Award-winner Hailey Piper. For reasons that remain obscure until late in the tale, the murderess Demi takes it upon herself to lead her fellow villagers into a lethal trap within the caverns beneath her isolated island home. Along the way Demi and her victims experience a terrifying encounter with the divine. Deliciously nasty, “Bleed Me in the Water” is a story that lingers with the reader.

The hot streak continues with “Of Decadence a Child,” by David Costa. Holy warrior Beoric, He Without Sin, is sent into the vulgar world to slay a monster preying on the sinful wretches outside the Divine Church’s cloistered sanctuary. While the narrative itself is fairly straightforward, it is enhanced by the heavy, portentous atmosphere. Everything is viewed through the lens of Beoric’s religion, with the characters surrounding him instantly branded with one of the Seven Deadly Sins. Masochistic suffering is esteemed within Beoric’s faith; his armor is literally pinned to his chest, he wears boots filled with jagged pebbles, and the hilt of his sword is shrouded in spikes, “for the consequence of violence is violence itself.” Readers who enjoyed the grimdark knights of “The Feast of Saint Ottmer” (Old Moon Quarterly Volume 3) and Contra Amatores Mundi, both by OMQ editor Graham Thomas Wilcox, are especially likely to appreciate “Of Decadence a Child.” It is the epitome of the “Soulsborne” fantasy Old Moon Quarterly prides itself on delivering.

“Lessons from Aulis” by Monica Joyce Evans also deals with religion, in this case Greek mythology. Back from the battlefield, Agamemnon prepares for his bath, only to be murdered by his wife Clytemnestra. The moment repeats over and over, with both Agamemnon and Clytemnestra acting and reacting slightly differently, trapped in this single moment in time. Other perspectives are incorporated, and the reader gets a sense of the greater mythic elements in play. “Lessons from Aulis” is a tad on the cryptic side, but as far as this reader is concerned it’s a more successful literary experiment than this issue’s poetry.

Finally, the issue concludes with a Graham Thomas Wilcox’s review of The Worm Ouroboros, the 1922 fantasy epic by E.R. Eddison. Much like the Old Moon Quarterly Introductions, the review meanders a bit, but it is both detailed and feels like a fair appraisal, and the writer’s enthusiasm for the novel is apparent. I would enjoy seeing Wilcox take on The Night Land (1912) by William Hope Hodgson, another early fantasy classic legendary for its archaic and challenging prose.

Old Moon Quarterly Volume 7 is another strong installment of one of the best dark fantasy fiction magazines around. With high quality stories, an extended page count, and the addition of interior artwork, the benefits of their original Kickstarter campaign are visible on the page.

At the time of this posting, Old Moon Quarterly is holding a Backerkit campaign to fund two further issues, with one of them focusing on dark Arthuriana. Returning contributors include James Enge, E. Catherine Tobler, and John Langan.

#ReviewArchive #BookReview #Fantasy #SwordAndSorcery #DarkFantasy #Grimdark #OldMoonQuarterly #GrimdarkMagazine #GdM

This review originally appeared at the New Edge Sword & Sorcery blog on July 8, 2024.

Hurled Headlong Flaming

By Matt Holder – Spiral Tower Press – April 29, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

It is the year 1291 and the coastal Mediterranean city-state of Acre is under siege. After cutting a bloody swath through the Levant, the tide has turned against the European Crusaders. They find themselves surrounded by the Mamluk Sultanate and losing their foothold on the Holy Land. Traumatized by the insanity of the times and desperate to intervene, an unnamed Bishop begs the assistance of Islamic scholar and mapmaker Yaqut al-Hamawi. The cataclysm foretold in the Book of Revelation appears to be rapidly approaching, and the Bishop seeks sacred texts that may help humanity better cope with the tumult to come. To reach the otherworldly library housing the sacred texts, the Bishop must embark on a harrowing–in both the conventional and theological senses of the word–journey into the mythic underworld, risking both his body and soul.

Matt Holder’s HURLED HEADLONG FLAMING is the debut release from Spiral Tower Press’ newly established Keen Blades imprint. The publisher of WHETSTONE: AMATEUR MAGAZINE OF SWORD AND SORCERY, Spiral Tower Press also seeks to use Keen Blades to release new and original works of briskly paced fantasy adventure, specifically focusing on novella-length tales “that test the boundaries of what sword and sorcery can be.” In his introduction, editor Jason Ray Carney cites the “psychocartographic” nature of HURLED HEADLONG FLAMING as one of the novella’s core attractions. Like John Milton’s PARADISE LOST and Dante Alighieri’s DIVINE COMEDY before it, HURLED HEADLONG FLAMING blends a spiritual journey with a tour of various otherworldly locales. Unlike with a more conventional fantasy travelogue, these places are not to be taken merely at face value; they are often laden with additional significance, either imbued with allegory or providing object lessons for the pilgrim.

While the prelude and coda take place in the human realm, the underworld journey at the heart of the novella is divided into three distinct parts. During “Part I – The Matter of War,” the Bishop undergoes a symbolic rebirth, emerging naked and scorched into the underworld. Before long he is pulled into brutal conflict with a variety of opponents of vastly differing physiques, some human in form, others unmistakably demonic in nature. Recalling al-Hamawi’s advice, the Bishop must fight until he is “fluent,” shedding enough blood to attract the attention of powerful demons able to aid him in his quest. This first section of the book is visceral and relentless, showing a man of the cloth demolishing every obstacle in his path. Despite this section’s relatively brief page count, Holder delivers an epic, operatic montage-style depiction of the chaos of war.

Abandoning the limited third-person perspective of Part I, “Part II – The Matter of Truth” abruptly shifts to a Socratic dialogue-style format. Having successfully gained an audience with powerful demons, the Bishop must prove himself worthy of admission into the infernal city that houses the library he seeks. Three demons compel the Bishop to give a persuasive lecture on the nature of authority and truth. While conducted in a more genteel manner than the previous blood-drenched section, Holder gives the sense that this is merely a battle of a different sort.

“Part III – The Matter of Taking” marks another drastic transition in prose style, this time adopting a first-person epistolary presentation in the form of pages from the Bishop’s journal. Plunged into an infernal city of obelisks and blackened glass, a “churning cauldron of flesh” populated by both human souls and demons alike, the Bishop must orient himself and find a path to the library. “This place will not let you leave until you have completed your labors,” the Bishop is admonished, and he is forced to endure more hardship and despair en route to the library.

The extreme shifts in tone and prose style across the three parts of the underworld journey are disorienting, but this feels intentional. Even with the benefit of his initial coaching from al-Hamawi, the Bishop is constantly forced to react to unexpected developments and threats. Swiftly moving from gritty war epic to philosophical debate to claustrophobic horror, each presented with a different perspective, also cleverly serves to keep the reader on the back foot.

For what is ostensibly a spiritual journey, HURLED HEADLONG FLAMING is profoundly concerned with the flesh. The Bishop is not allowed to cleanly and luminously flit from scene to allegorical scene as an incorporeal soul. No, the Bishop is very much confined to his physical form. Over the course of his journey he is scraped, burned, pierced, torn, raked, abraded, bruised, lanced, and gouged. His corpus is constantly soiled with blood, sweat, dust, filth, and other distasteful stains. Although the underground imbues him with supernatural resilience, every footstep of progress he makes is nevertheless paid for in blood and perspiration. While he is still preoccupied with questions of sin and spiritual salvation, both the Bishop and the reader are constantly reminded of the fleshly vehicle he uses to navigate the underworld. This felt like a calculated rejection of philosophical dualism. Holder seems to suggest that the body and the soul cannot be separated, you carry your body and its weight with you. Even in Hell, a twisted ankle is a setback.

HURLED HEADLONG FLAMING succeeds in fulfilling Keen Blades’ stated objective of pushing the boundaries of Sword & Sorcery. The battle mayhem of Part I and the bizarre cityscape of Part III showcase deliver the kind of exciting martial action and phantasmagorical imagery present in much of the best Sword & Sorcery fiction. But the novella also demonstrates a pensiveness uncommon in the subgenre, however. Michael Moorcock’s stories often toy with philosophical themes, but it’s difficult to imagine him dedicating a third of a book to a Socratic dialogue. Otherworldly journeys figure prominently in C.L. Moore’s Jirel of Joiry tales, but without the Middle Ages-flavored religiosity of HURLED HEADLONG FLAMING. Rather than core Sword & Sorcery fans, I would be quicker to recommend this book to readers who enjoyed the grimdark medieval horror of Christopher Buehlman’s BETWEEN TWO FIRES. HURLED HEADLONG FLAMING may sit uneasily in the Sword & Sorcery category, but the grit, fast pace, propulsive action, and hallucinatory imagery are likely to appeal to S&S fans, nonetheless.

#ReviewArchive #BookReview #Fantasy #SwordAndSorcery #HistoricalFantasy #DarkFantasy #Grimdark #HurledHeadlongFlaming #MattHolder #NewEdgeSwordAndSorcery #NESS

This review originally appeared at Grimdark Magazine on December 28, 2024.

Contra Amatores Mundi: A Gothic Fantasy

By Graham Thomas Wilcox – Old Moon Publishing – October 31, 2024

Review by Robin Marx

Contra Amatores Mundi: A Gothic Fantasy is a medieval grimdark novella by Graham Thomas Wilcox, one of the editors behind the “Soulsborne” dark fantasy fiction showcase Old Moon Quarterly. The title is Latin for “against the lovers of the world,” quoted from a sermon by 14th century religious writer Richard Rolle, and true to the name, the novella features a pair of lovers separated by epic circumstances.

Contra Amatores Mundi begins with Hieronymus of Tsorn and Prospero of Luchetti, two knights of the chivalric Order of the Dragon, at sea. As they dispatch their enemy, the Knight of Foxes, he drags both knights overboard as his dying act. The last thing Hieronymus sees as he is claimed by the depths is Walpurga, his beloved nun (who has one flesh hand and one skeletal hand for unexplained—but undeniably metal—reasons). When Hieronymus and Prospero awaken, they find themselves in a strange world beneath the sea. With only each other to rely upon in a bizarre land swarming with hostile monsters, the two knights set out across the wilderness, searching for a way home. Through the use of a relic claimed from the corpse of their first opponent, Hieronymus witnesses visions of his distant love Walpurga. Alternately comforting and distressing, on some occasions he sees Walpurga doing her utmost to be reunited with Hieronymus, at other times he sees her committing infidelities or moving on with her life. Just as the vicissitudes of their journey tests his body, the visions challenge his resolve and love for his woman.

Contra Amatores Mundi bears some kinship with an earlier work by Wilcox, sharing the setting and some characters from “The Feast of Saint Ottmer,” my favorite of the stories published in Old Moon Quarterly Volume 3. In my review of “The Feast of Saint Ottmer,” I wrote that “It overshoots Arthurian romance, ending up closer to the opening scenes of Vlad Dracula as armored warrior in the Francis Ford Coppola film Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992).” To my amusement, Wilcox later admitted that he was indeed a big fan of that particular Coppola sequence, and the same bombastic, operatic feel is captured in Contra Amatores Mundi as well.

Wilcox cites Cormac McCarthy, Gene Wolfe, and Chretien de Troyes as influences on Contra Amatores Mundi. While I lack firsthand experience with Chretien, I can say that the novella does pair the brutality of something like McCarthy’s The Road with the ornate prose and archaic diction of Wolfe’s The Book of the New Sun. Intriguing vocabulary choices abound, and the style of passages like the following effectively evoke an atmosphere where flowery, cultured speech collides with the grim butchery of the knights’ trade.

“…violence never authored its writ upon a man more firmly than it did upon dread Prospero. Blood, fire and death had scrawled him all over, such that by the very ink of his eye and curl of his mouth, one branded him at once a son of Cain.”

Hieronymus and Prospero’s odyssey is a bloody, arduous one. At every turn they are confronted by giants, animate skeletons, serpent-headed creatures and worse. Their nightmarish journey is accompanied by frequent meditations upon the nature of their vocation. These knights fight in the name of the Christian God (presented here as a more martial and bloodthirsty icon than some might expect), and Hieronymus is simultaneously devoted to the darkly alluring Walpurga. But the reader is also given the impression that these two warriors relish the taking and giving of blood. They are compatible with no other lifestyle; killing is their business and business is good. And trapped as they are in another realm with only a faint glimmer of hope, they have effectively become suicide commandos.

While readers may trip over the occasional unfamiliar word (likely armor-related jargon) or pause to reread a particularly florid turn of phrase, the pace of the novella is brisk and propulsive. The ending arrives abruptly. So sudden, in fact, that I wondered if my copy was missing a page or two. Upon further reflection, however, Wilcox gives us enough indication of the two knights’ ultimate fate, allowing readers to fill in the final moments themselves.

The McCarthy and Wolfe influences are clearly present, but this novella is also recommended for fans of Christopher Buehlman’s Between Two Fires, Matt Holder’s Hurled Headlong Flaming, and the Games Workshop Warhammer tie-in fiction published by Black Library. (Indeed, one of Wilcox’s previous releases is the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar short story “Grimnirsson.”) Contra Amatores Mundi: A Gothic Fantasy is a gory grimdark opera with style and spectacle.

#ReviewArchive #BookReview #DarkFantasy #Grimdark #OldMoonQuarterly #GrahamThomasWilcox #ContraAmatoresMundi #GrimdarkMagazine #GdM

This review originally appeared on Goodreads on November 29, 2011.

Night's Master

By Tanith Lee – DAW – November 1, 1978

Review by Robin Marx

First in the Tales of the Flat Earth series, this book is often compared to the 1001 Arabian Nights. While a collection of exotic stories, each linked to its predecessor, the stories are not nested and don't have a particularly Arabian flavor. I was reminded more of classical mythology and Grimm's fairy tales than the Middle East. This is a minor quibble, however, as the stories are enchanting and lush.

“Lush” has always been the best word to describe Tanith Lee's melancholic and erotically-tinged fantasy. While her style isn't particularly ornate, it still evokes as much gorgeous imagery as more verbose writers such as Clark Ashton Smith and Jack Vance. In the field of darkly romantic fantasy, newcomer Jacqueline Carey seems to be getting much of the publicity, but those familiar with both are likely to recognize that Carey is merely rearranging furniture in the house that Tanith Lee built. The Flat Earth was the most compelling fantasy world I've encountered in some time, and I look forward to visiting it again in the next book.

★★★★☆

#CapsuleReviewArchive #BookReview #SwordAndSorcery #Fantasy #DarkFantasy #TanithLee #NightsMaster #TalesOfTheFlatEarth

This review originally appeared on Goodreads on March 29, 2015.

Spawn of Dyscrasia

By S.E. Lindberg – IGNIS Publishing – July 28, 2014

Review by Robin Marx

Sequel to Lords of Dyscrasia, Spawn of Dyscrasia carries over all of the strengths of the first book and none of its flaws.

The world portrayed in this novel remains every bit as strange and intriguing. Powered by blood magic, undead sorcerer-king Lord Lysis continues to rule his corner of the world, and his adopted insect hybrid “son” Echo has matured considerably. Spawn of Dyscrasia focuses on what happens when Lysis encounters a threat to his kingdom, and the growing pains—figurative and literal—experienced by Echo when he comes into contact with this mysterious interloper.

While fascinating, the god-like Lysis proved to be a difficult character to relate to in the first book. Thankfully, Spawn introduces Helen, a healer/attendant serving Echo, as the primary viewpoint character. While far from average herself, she provides a much more human perspective on the events in the story.

The prose as a whole was much stronger in this book. Here the author displayed the confidence to allow the exciting passages in the story stand on their own, rather than be highlighted with onomatopoeia and abundant exclamation points. The motivations of Lysis, Doctor Grave, and Echo still remained a little obscure, but this time I got the sense that it was due to their alien natures, rather than a lack of communication on the author's part.

The only real issue I had with this book is that it feels like the middle volume in a trilogy. While there is a climax, Spawn doesn't so much conclude as stop once the chess board has been set up for the finale. That being said, I was left eager to see what happens next, especially with respect to the illusive Doctor Grave.

Spawn of Dyscrasia is that rare sequel that exceeds its predecessor. It doesn't quite stand on its own, however; readers will need familiarity with the first book in order to understand the events of the second. Hopefully the author will release a revised version of Lords of Dyscrasia someday, now that he's grown so much as a writer.

★★★★☆

#CapsuleReviewArchive #BookReview #Fantasy #DarkFantasy #SwordAndSorcery #SpawnOfDyscrasia #SELindberg #DyscrasiaFiction

This review originally appeared on Goodreads on November 4, 2015.

Lords of Dyscrasia

By S.E. Lindberg – IGNIS Publishing – July 7, 2011

Review by Robin Marx

While Lords of Dyscrasia benefits from an extremely original setting and intense, driving action, my enjoyment was hindered by some storytelling issues.

The premise is an interesting one. We're introduced to Endenken Lysis, who rules an unusual tribe afflicted with Dyscrasia, an imbalance of the humors that has resulted in a long history of birth defects and mutations within the society. An epic struggle results when Endenken refuses to play his preordained role in a mystic ritual, instead coming to the aid of a fleeing woman from the outside. Complications ensue and Endenken soon finds himself undead and infused with necromantic magic, caught in a struggle between two ancient divinities.

Rather than high or low fantasy, the book has a particularly mythic feel. There's not much introspection or even dialogue, the bulk of it focuses on the epic deeds of larger than life figures (most undead). The downside to this approach is that it felt like the characters were ciphers. Apart from the immediate aim (e.g., “strike down this enemy”), their overall goals or motives were frequently hard to ascertain.

The setting was very fresh and interesting (some of it reminded me of Tanith Lee, minus the eroticism but with the gruesome dialed to maximum), but likewise rendered in broad strokes. This is seen frequently in the sword & sorcery sub genre, where intriguing names and concepts are touched upon but usually not elaborated in detail. While this is a perfectly valid storytelling approach, the amount of setting-specific jargon in the text left me feeling confused for much of the book. While it was possible to “go with the flow” for most of the narrative, I think the reliance on insufficiently explained terms kept the central plot (including a betrayal by a supporting character) from having the intended impact. When you have two opposing characters spouting bewildering dialog at each other, it's difficult to appreciate the stakes underlying their conflict.

Surprisingly, the book concluded with a detailed glossary and dramatis personae. Tucked away in the back of the ebook, this appendix obviously did me no good while reading the story, but it did manage to clear away a lot of the confusion lingering after the narrative ended. While it would have been nice to know about this glossary before reading the book (the Table of Contents only—unhelpfully—marks this section as an “Index”), it would have been even better if this background had been better incorporated into the text itself as terms are introduced.

Finally, while the action scenes are plentiful and exciting (a blade that slices through bone while leaving flesh intact; how cool is that?), there's an almost comical over-reliance on exclamation points in the second half of the book. The prose was strong enough to stand on its own, the constant exclamation points felt like having somebody poking me at the movie theater, saying “This is the cool part!” every few moments. I can see that it's cool, no need to jab me.

While the storytelling issues hindered my enjoyment of the book, I respect its ambition, originality, and exciting action a great deal. Parts confused and frustrated me, but I was never bored. I think most of my issues can be chalked up to a first-time novelist finding his footing, and look forward to reading the second Dyscrasia novel.

★★★☆☆

#CapsuleReviewArchive #BookReview #Fantasy #DarkFantasy #SwordAndSorcery #LordsOfDyscrasia #SELindberg #DyscrasiaFiction

This review originally appeared on Goodreads on January 25, 2018.

Helen's Daimones

By S.E. Lindberg – IGNIS Publishing – September 23, 2017

Review by Robin Marx

Promoted as a gateway to Lindberg's Dyscrasia setting, this novella is a prequel to the second novel in the series, Spawn of Dyscrasia. While this is certainly the most approachable installment, and I would go so far as to say it's an essential part of the series, it shares some of the previous books' issues.

The highlights of this volume are the same as in the other installments: the vivid description and sheer imagination on display. Though far from the first post-apocalyptic fantasy setting, the world portrayed here is a unique one, unlikely to be confused with any other. The blasted wasteland and its bizarre, mutated inhabitants are described with a loving eye to detail. The mythic atmosphere of the original Lords of Dyscrasia has also given way to a richly gothic one.

The originality of the setting remains a double-edged sword, however. Because the world and characters presented differ so much from more conventional settings, the reader is left without many recognizable touchstones. The world is mostly dead, and populated with mutants, traumatized orphans, and a handful of godlike beings, mostly living in a largely-subterranean tomb city. Sharon is the closest thing the series has seen to a regular human viewpoint character, but this story mainly focused on the less conventional visionary wild child Helen, with large stretches devoted to the (always fascinating, yet inscrutable) Lord Lysis and Doctor Grave.

Without any normal people to relate to, the reader is left slightly alienated from the setting and its inhabitants. “What do these people eat?” is a question I had for most of the book, and one that was answered in the final pages of the novella. They eat tree nuts filled with mutant insect larvae. While I've got to admit that's pretty metal as far as setting details go, it's not an experience I share, and therefore yet another thing that separates me from the people I'm reading about.

That being said, Helen's Daimones provides some much-appreciated background to Spawn of Dyscrasia, and I wish it had been available before I read that book. It definitely provides a gentle introduction and enhancement to Spawn of Dyscrasia, but because so much depends on the events of Lords of Dyscrasia it's difficult to recommend this book as a “gateway” to the series as a whole. This novella refers to those events repeatedly, acting as a welcome refresher course for people who HAVE read Lords of Dyscrasia, but if you're completely new to the series I wouldn't recommend starting here. If you don't already have a vague idea of what a “larvalwyrmen” is, this novella isn't going to educate you.

That being said, the storytelling is the clearest of any of the series installments to date. If you enjoyed Lords of Dyscrasia and appreciate Lindberg's fiercely original and sometimes opaque brand of vivid weirdness, definitely pick this up, ideally before reading Spawn of Dyscrasia.

★★★★☆

#CapsuleReviewArchive #BookReview #Fantasy #DarkFantasy #SwordAndSorcery #HelensDaimons #SELindberg #DyscrasiaFiction

This review originally appeared on Goodreads on February 23, 2019.

Valen the Outcast Vol. 2: Death Eternal

By Michael Alan Nelson (Writer) & Matteo Scalera (Artist) – BOOM! Studios – December 11, 2012

Review by Robin Marx

I wasn’t expecting this series to end so quickly, but the end result was satisfying. The story had a fast pace throughout and plenty of action.

★★★★☆

#CapsuleReviewArchive #ComicReview #Fantasy #DarkFantasy #Grimdark #SwordAndSorcery #ValenTheOutcast #MichaelAlanNelson #MatteoScalera

This review originally appeared on Goodreads on February 23, 2019.

Valen the Outcast Vol. 1: Abomination

By Michael Alan Nelson (Writer) & Matteo Scalera (Artist) – BOOM! Studios – December 1, 2011

Review by Robin Marx

While marketed as sword & sorcery, so far this comic feels a bit closer to the grimdark sub-genre a la Joe Abercrombie (with a bit of early Berserk) rather than Robert E. Howard’s Conan.

Category quibbling aside, this series is off to a good start. The premise is simple but effective: an undead king named Valen shakes off a necromancer’s control and seeks revenge. He’s joined in this task by two slightly unreliable companions: a witch/swordswoman named Zjanna and drunkard rogue Cordovan.

The story moves at a brisk pace with no wasted verbiage or lengthy info dumps, and the world building is of the “show, don’t tell” variety. I look forward to reading future volumes and would recommend it to fans of dark fantasy.

★★★★☆

#CapsuleReviewArchive #ComicReview #Fantasy #DarkFantasy #Grimdark #SwordAndSorcery #ValenTheOutcast #MichaelAlanNelson #MatteoScalera