Synopsis
Legends say a dead god is buried under the stone city of Ishcairn, protecting its inhabitants by dashing enemy fleets into the jagged coast of Craeburn. Adjunct professor Corrie Ecksley doesn’t believe any of that, but she knows from her work excavating nearby burial sites that the ancient Craeburn people believed it enough to name the city after their dead god, Ish.
When the ripples of a great war finally reach Craeburn’s shores, a terrifying new weapon is unleashed on the city that not even Ish can deter. A bomb that tears souls from bodies, driving anyone who witnessed the blast insane. But it is not the living that Corrie fears. Displaced spirits are hungry for a body, and care not if it already plays host to a soul.
No bullets can stop them, no walls are thick enough to keep them out. No help is coming. No one left but Corrie to stop the carnage, if she even can.
Review
I reviewed SHATTERED SPIRITS: THE FALL OF ISHCAIRN for the SFINCS semi-finals with team Fanfiaddict. This review only represents my personal opinion and does not reflect the entire teams thoughts. Since reading and reviewing, it’s made finals- congratulations! Thank you for reading.
“Whatever the blinded had seen, it had driven them into mindless hysteria.” — Unsettling… absorbing… This novella skillfully intertwines facets of gaslamp fantasy and eldritch horror, evoking a chilling and captivating narrative that surpassed my expectations and took me by surprise. It honestly set the standard pretty high.
SHATTERED SPIRITS features a substantial degree of world-building, presenting a story enriched with supernatural elements, ancient lore and mystery, and religious devotion. The ability to capture an entire story within a shorter narrative framework is truly commendable. Black not only accomplishes this feat but also succeeds in cleverly revealing its secrets.
The narrative unfolds against a backdrop of frozen fog, bloody tears, and mass hysteria. There was just enough familiarity present in the ancient city and characters so that the supernatural phenomena felt deeply connected and integral to this world — in other words, one felt like it couldn’t exist independently of the other.
As much as I love novellas, I often find them incomplete. They may excel in one area, but miss in another. Character development and pacing are two areas that I often find very underwhelming and lacking. But here these areas were evenly balanced with the rest. The characters held considerable depth and felt whole and realistic, complete with flaws, a feat that is often challenging to accomplish in a novella. They added substantial contributions to the plot, transcending mere peripheral side-character existence. Rather than functioning simply as background figures, each character helped advance the plot organically and didn’t fall into stereotypical roles.
An eerie atmosphere, a compelling sense of immediacy, and haunting descriptions created a deep sense of dread. The tone created a potent impact which gave me a visceral sense of icy coldness and spine tingling suspense. The anticipation of the unknown and potential revelations created a play between fear and curiosity within. The unique attributes and features of the horrors felt original. I found myself moving through the back half of the story at a fervent pace. There’s an unnerving tone to the final chapters. It’s always satisfying when a plot goes in a direction you weren’t expecting. Themes of consequence, power, and morality are explored, although the handling of these themes felt more subtle. I felt that the impact was only fully realized after sitting with the story once finished.
The combination of intricate world-building, chilling atmosphere, and well-paced narrative makes SHATTERED SPIRITS exceptional in my view. I anticipate this will remain a favorite throughout the year. I’m eager for more from the talented Cal Black so I will be moving NO LAND FOR HEROES up my list.
I would recommend SHATTERED SPIRITS to readers of dark fantasy and horror, emotional journeys, and the coexistence of the otherworldly with the mundane. It’s a quick, yet immersive literary experience for anyone looking for a single-sitting read.
Leave a Reply