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A review by winterscape
The Corpse-Rat King by Lee Battersby
4.0
I picked up The Corpse-Rat King on a whim and I'm pretty glad that I did. Its got the right kind of nonsense that compliments genuine character development and emotional exploration. It's silly at times, but also dark, thinking, and sombre. I think that the quote that best describes this book is:
"He smiled, and even though his face was ruddy and in the bloom of health, Gerd saw something dead lurking just below the surface, and shuddered." - page 408
Even though this book is slick with a mask of comedy and goofiness, just below the surface, barely concealed, there lies something so much deeper. What does it mean to be dead? Is madness subjective? How far can you run from your problems before facing them? How does the knowledge of death shape us as human beings, for better and for worse?
There were a few bits that I could have done without, such as the (sometimes) excessive swearing (although, I found that a few well-timed f-bombs gave me the most laughs) and a fairly gross sexual scene. I also think that the story could have been tightened somewhat. As is, it's a bit all over the place in terms of following the main objective. That being said, I think this was meant to be more of a character study of Marius Helles, his duality with Marius don Hellespont, and how each brush with death (his own and others) changes him. He is certainly an interesting, very flawed, and damaged individual to follow.
The author is very good at what he does and the writing is of a very high quality. Could have done with a cliché'd fantasy map though!
One of the highlights for me was Nandus. Loved everything about him.
The Corpse-Rat King is a great addition to the comedy fantasy genre, as well as a great character driven story in its own right. 3.5 stars!
"He smiled, and even though his face was ruddy and in the bloom of health, Gerd saw something dead lurking just below the surface, and shuddered." - page 408
Even though this book is slick with a mask of comedy and goofiness, just below the surface, barely concealed, there lies something so much deeper. What does it mean to be dead? Is madness subjective? How far can you run from your problems before facing them? How does the knowledge of death shape us as human beings, for better and for worse?
There were a few bits that I could have done without, such as the (sometimes) excessive swearing (although, I found that a few well-timed f-bombs gave me the most laughs) and a fairly gross sexual scene. I also think that the story could have been tightened somewhat. As is, it's a bit all over the place in terms of following the main objective. That being said, I think this was meant to be more of a character study of Marius Helles, his duality with Marius don Hellespont, and how each brush with death (his own and others) changes him. He is certainly an interesting, very flawed, and damaged individual to follow.
The author is very good at what he does and the writing is of a very high quality. Could have done with a cliché'd fantasy map though!
One of the highlights for me was Nandus. Loved everything about him.
Spoiler
His underwater chapters were the most creative and brilliant things I've read in awhile! He merged with his beloved horse! Excellent! But also genuinely sad. This is a prime example of why I think that quote up there describes this book so well. Who knew that a crazy skeleton king that is half horse getting crushed by a shark could be so saddening?The Corpse-Rat King is a great addition to the comedy fantasy genre, as well as a great character driven story in its own right. 3.5 stars!