Synopsis
In the Shadow of The Collegiate lies a town displaced by a raging plague. Without succour and the accord penned by the Collegiate’s shrewd council, decimation is inevitable.
The accord weighs human lives against servitude and casts a light on the desperation of simple townsfolk.
Indentured executioner, Grawnden Tweed, is finally days away from freedom.
A man of duty and integrity, a man who does his job without question, but when the hood comes off and the axe lays still, can a broken man escape the cost of his deeds?
Review
Self-Pub Author D.B. Rook is a U.K. based writer of all things gloriously dark and forbidden, making him someone that required no time to relate with.
Shadow of The Collegiate is a collection of short stories, released one at a time (so far). “No Hook For The Hood” is the second installment in this series with the first being, “The Price of Piety”.
First, the title is brilliant, creating a natural curiosity of what “No Hook For The Hood” could possibly be referencing. The story starts with the dark monotony of the main character, Grawden, a man loyal to his duties. Those duties, however, are not for the faint of heart or mind, as he hands out punishments that are violent and disturbing in nature.
For me, the best part of this short story is the depth of the themes explored throughout. The viscerally grim MC is another wonderful part of “No Hook For The Hood”. His experiences have tainted his mind and soul and that’s the journey (though a very short one) D.B. Rook takes us on.
Like other great short stories, if it were longer, the punchy dark tone and impact that the ending has would diminish into a much less valuable lesson. The rest is for you to discover. Any more insight on this short story, I would be getting into spoiler territory.
If you are a fan of the dark fantasy/grimdark sub-genre’s and immersive settings, characters, and themes then you’ll want to take my advice and treat yourself with this short story. The release date is November 3, 2023 on Kindle Unlimited and for purchase as ebook.
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