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holley_cornetto's review
5.0
Don’t read my review. Being legally wed to the author, I’m biased.
That said, I want you to read this book. I want you to love this book. Why? Because, despite my bias, I think you will enjoy it.
Did I read this book? Yes, as a matter of fact, I’m a freaking expert on this book. I read this book in every iteration. I read this when it was a 10K word short story and I told him (as every good spouse does) that it should be longer. There was more story here. I read this when he extended it into a novella. I helped agonize over word choice and the appropriate synonyms for cold and ice because the setting is pretty much a major character in this story.
I was there when he submitted this novella to publishers and feared people wouldn’t want to read it because it hearkens back to older fantasy tropes, and races you don’t see in modern fiction as often anymore. His literary heroes are Tolkien, Raymond Feist, and Robert Howard, and you can see those influences at different times in this book. I was there the day it got accepted, and we celebrated that this story would make it out into the world. I read this again when the publisher suggested edits and took out a lot of the swearing that I really wished was still there. “Rorik’s shit luck” has a nice ring to it, after all. BUT, even without all the curse words, this is a story with a lot of adventure, some intrigue, and heart. Not to mention, some pretty lovely prose.
You see, the thing about Chris is that his stories all take place in a fantasy world that he’s had in his head for longer than he’s known me, and that’s a seriously long time. This particular story I loved because of the Lovecraftian descent into madness, and because of the relationships of the characters. I loved Gorth and Nym. LOVED. If you are willing to take a chance on this short little book, I think you will too.
But, you know, I'm biased.
That said, I want you to read this book. I want you to love this book. Why? Because, despite my bias, I think you will enjoy it.
Did I read this book? Yes, as a matter of fact, I’m a freaking expert on this book. I read this book in every iteration. I read this when it was a 10K word short story and I told him (as every good spouse does) that it should be longer. There was more story here. I read this when he extended it into a novella. I helped agonize over word choice and the appropriate synonyms for cold and ice because the setting is pretty much a major character in this story.
I was there when he submitted this novella to publishers and feared people wouldn’t want to read it because it hearkens back to older fantasy tropes, and races you don’t see in modern fiction as often anymore. His literary heroes are Tolkien, Raymond Feist, and Robert Howard, and you can see those influences at different times in this book. I was there the day it got accepted, and we celebrated that this story would make it out into the world. I read this again when the publisher suggested edits and took out a lot of the swearing that I really wished was still there. “Rorik’s shit luck” has a nice ring to it, after all. BUT, even without all the curse words, this is a story with a lot of adventure, some intrigue, and heart. Not to mention, some pretty lovely prose.
You see, the thing about Chris is that his stories all take place in a fantasy world that he’s had in his head for longer than he’s known me, and that’s a seriously long time. This particular story I loved because of the Lovecraftian descent into madness, and because of the relationships of the characters. I loved Gorth and Nym. LOVED. If you are willing to take a chance on this short little book, I think you will too.
But, you know, I'm biased.
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