Grimdark “Of Beast and Bindings” by Ken McEwen
“Cold Comforts” by Matthew Ward
“Black Hearts and Bloody Murder” by Joshua Roundtree
“The Path to Kahinae” by R.R. Virdi (Reprint, not reviewed)
“A Hunter in Arin-Qin” by Daniel Abraham (Reprint, not reviewed)
“That When I Waked I Cried to Dream Again” by Ken Scholes (Reprint, not reviewed)
“Reconnaissance Notes, Part IV” by Miles Cameron and Emma Burnett (serial, not reviewed)
Reviewed by Jesse James Fain
Grimdark #47 presented three tales eligible for review, and overall I gave the tales within compliments. Each story entertained, held my interest, and fulfilled the promise of grimdark fantasy.
Ken McEwen presents the first story, and of the three tales, first prize in my personal opinion. The story follows Arran and Eskel, two brothers in blood and arms, who are on the hunt for a monster. Plagued by curses and armed with magic, the two brothers find the monster, and more. This story has captivating developments, plenty of action, and cool magic. The world is dark and vivid. The downside is one that strikes many short stories. This is a novel opening more than a fully contained story, and there are multiple looming plot threads that are left for a later work instead of appearing in this single story. If Ken produces more work in this world, especially a longer-form piece, I will absolutely pick it up.
Matthew Ward is a name very familiar to me for his work in the Warhammer 40K universe, and immediately piqued my interest when I saw his name listed here. WH40K is foundational Grimdark fantasy for many, and as a fan of that work, I was ready to buckle down for some bleak battle in a far-flung universe.
“Cold Comforts” is all the darkness, and none of the action. We instead follow a grizzled lighthouse keeper, Ruadhri, as he navigates a shipwreck that delivers a lone survivor with a mysterious connection to his disgraced past.
The story plays solely on the emotions of its characters instead of battering their bodies. Its vengeful twist of an ending is unexpected but well laid in its foundations. While I personally would prefer something blow up or someone get shot, Matthew Ward delivers a gripping story about the cost of betrayal.
“Black Hearts and Bloody Murder” by Josh Rountree delivers on the title’s promise from the word go. We open with two viciously murdered nobles lying in a bloody bed, and their eldritch-bound killers arguing about what to do next. This world presents no heroes, just various levels of awful people. Rossum, a blademaster by trade, serves as the closest thing to a protagonist, only because his “partner,” and I use the term loosely, is a clinically insane witch appropriately named Glass. Blood, violence, and bad choices follow.
My criticism of this story is that it delivers on grim, dark, and bloody so well that there is no hope, nobody to root for, and only a literal baby that you pray survives solely on his innocence. This story too, is clearly part of a larger universe and leaves a mass of mysteries for later works.
Overall, Grimdark did well this issue, and I am happy to see its quality rising as I read more of it’s issues.
Jesse James Fain is an author, editor, and retired athlete. If you like the way he reviews fiction, you will most likely enjoy his other ramblings and writings. Find more at outlawauthor.com