Synopsis:
The Lords have fallen.
It was the war to end all wars. Violence had plagued the Fractured Kingdoms since the fall of the Old Empire. But as the generals and the lords died in the Valley of Torglen, the folk looked beyond their allegiances. Beyond their nations.
The bedraggled masses that survived the battle flocked to the nearest town with hopes of a new life.
One in which their rulers remained rotting in the mud.
Brigge led her company of sellswords to foreign lands. Now she seeks to lead the dispossessed into a new life.
Ebar was forced into duty. Conscripted by the war machine of Volgsland. Though the war is over, his service is not.
A killer stalks the streets of Bright Hollow. Tortured by their past and longing for vengeance.
Disparate tales intertwine as the lives of the survivors collide.
Review:
Grim and brutal, this book takes the idea that war is ugly and there are no real victors, and runs with it. While it’s a collection of short stories, all of them focus on the aftermath of a single battle that ended with all of the major leaders—princes, kings, nobles—dead. The stories are those of the common folk who fought and survived.
Some want to rebuild and form a society free of noble rule. Others would prefer to have things go back to how they were before. Some just want to leave, seeking solace in the wilds, far away from cities and the conflicts of their realm. Many of those who fought and survived were not enlisted because they wanted to be, but rather because they were given no other choice (the exception being the mercenaries, who sought payment for taking sides.) None of the characters featured were necessarily good people, which made things…interesting at times.
And every single story in this collection ends on a dark note. There’s a lot of death, even after the battle is over, but a couple characters still find hope, despite their desperate situation. It was a nice (and I think necessary) balance to have.
Each story was paced well and connected to the rest in the set seamlessly, creating a comprehensive view of the battle and its various survivors. I liked that every character featured was originally from a different faction fighting in the battle, yet they found common ground—and sometimes friends—amongst their former enemies. As I said before, most of them weren’t there because they wanted to be.
I liked the collection, and would recommend it to those looking for a quick, grimdark fantasy read.
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