Blackwing by Ed McDonald – Review

Published: October 3, 2017

Publisher: Ace Books

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Ravens’ Mark #1

Pages: 360 (Paperback)

My Rating: 5.0/5.0

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

Set on the ragged edge of a postapocalyptic frontier, Blackwing is a gritty fantasy debut about a man’s desperate battle to survive his own dark destiny…

Nothing in the Misery lasts…

Under a cracked and wailing sky, the Misery is a vast and blighted expanse, created when the Engine, the most powerful weapon in the world, was unleashed against the immortal Deep Kings. Across the wasteland, teeming with corrupted magic and malevolent wraiths, the Deep Kings and their armies are still watching—and still waiting.

Ryhalt Galharrow is no stranger to the Misery. The bounty hunter journeys to a remote outpost, armed for killing both men and monsters, and searching for a mysterious noblewoman. He finds himself in the middle of a shocking attack by the Deep Kings, one that should not be possible. Only a fearsome show of power from the very woman he is seeking saves him.

Once, long ago, he knew the woman well, and together they stumble onto a web of conspiracy that threatens to unmake everything they hold dear and end the fragile peace the Engine has provided. Galharrow is not ready for the truth about the blood he’s spilled and the gods he’s supposed to serve…

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Blackwing is another book that I wanted to read when it actually came out in October, but yet again that was a really busy time in my life. I ended up getting the audio version so I could fit it in my life! Once again I’m glad I did because it was an excellent book, just as the critics (aka reviewers) have claimed.

One thing that really stood out to me was the writing style – I felt as if I was in the midst of the action scenes, caught up with Ryhalt Galharrow in the battles, burglaries, and general crisis type situations. I loved it. I also loved the mysterious nature of both the Deep Kings, their minions, and the Nameless. The lack of detail lent to this air of mystery and let me create my own image of them – you know they say that it’s the not knowing that’s really scary. The setting of this book was also pretty cool. The Misery is a vast wasteland created by the Nameless when they unleashed Nall’s Engine against the Deep Kings many years prior. It’s full of creepy monsters that repeat nonsensical phrases and eat you while you soundly sleep, dust that makes you a bit nutty, and other delightful horrors. Most people don’t go there, but Ryhalt Galharrow makes it his business to chase down traitors and sympathizers and ofttimes they go to the Misery.

Ryhalt was such a dark and brooding character! The story hints at his past and the deeds that haunt him, but most of that information isn’t given until much later in the book when a figure from his past reappears. Ezabeth Tanza is a powerful spinner who’s garnered Crowfoot’s interest, so he’s sent Ryhalt to escort her back to the city of Valengrad. Good thing too, because as soon as Ryhalt shows up a Darling shows up with some minions and attacks the outpost she’s arrived at. By the way, Darlings are the sinister child-like mages of the Deep Kings. Ezabeth and Ryhalt have a past, so there’s much tension between the two and I spent most of the book wishing they’d just get on with it. SPILL THE BEANS PEOPLE. SAY WHAT YOU MEAN.

That aside, I really like both characters as well as the secondaries, the plot, and the setting. It was solid grimdark fantasy and I felt kind of morbidly hopeful at the end. Maybe they won’t be bits of dust blowing across the Misery after all. I’m looking to the sequel when it’s released later this year and have plans to actually read that one when it comes out rather than several months later. If you’re looking for some good action packed fantasy that it’s fluffy and heroic, but rather darkly heroic and somewhat nihilistic this might be the book for you.