Synopsis
I am a creature of war. A centaurine, to be precise. Before my colt died, I was all gnashing teeth and nerves of ice. Even now, my chest burns for air thick with bravado, my ears long for clanging iron amidst hoof beats, and my nostrils quiver for bitter fear oozing from a thousand stupid men. But with Cadeyrn gone, I’m not sure what manner of creature I am anymore. One who trembles more than she ought, banished from battle, and ashamed. Yes, I’m mortified by the fear that licks down my withers and loosens my knees on the quietest of nights.
Review
This is a short story that features cover art done by the author, which is such a cool piece of art that I had to grab it. I’ve been reading shorter pieces during dead time at work, so this fit perfectly.
The short is a kind of alt historical fantasy that features centaurs as mercenaries. And I think it’s really unique in that it actually focuses on the women, the centaurines, as the fighting force of the main character’s group. Taller, faster, stronger than humans, they are employed as the fighting forces, and I found the references to historical places to be really cool.
The main focus of the story is not war though. Our lead’s colt has died, and in the postpartum grief that follows, she’s now also battling with the loss. Lost and on uneven ground, she doesn’t quite know how to handle her situation, how to get back to her warrior spirit. So when she runs into a human orphan, one that has been sent to her tribe to work for them, she battles with every possible feeling, interior and exterior, as she tries to keep herself from latching to the boy in her grief.
An interesting tale of motherhood, loss, and grief. And while I found this quite enjoyable, I do wish there was more clarity on the relationship between humans and centaurs, especially as they seem to think lowly of humans, but also rely entirely upon them.
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