Most recently, I sank myself into ‘Emperor of Thorns’ by Mark Lawrence — a book that reminds me why I gravitate toward the brutal, the beautiful, and the morally tangled. I am yet to write what I would consider to be a Grimdark novel, yet this is without doubt my favourite genre to read. Lawrence’s world-building is jagged and raw, and this brutal world is pushing me to sharpen the edges in my own writing. This story by Lawrence didn’t just entertain me; it provoked, lingered, and reshaped the way I think about character arcs in grim worlds, just as my favourite author, Abercombie has done before him. I feel these authors will continue influence my writing in the future, and possibly even lead me to create my first ever Grimdark novel.
Having now finished the Broken Empire Trilogy I’m moving on to Dead Man’s Steel by Luke Scull. I can’t wait to get stuck into it!
You’ve probably noticed I’ve been doing a refresh of my web page and my Merchandise site over the last couple of weeks. I have created some new content especially for this, but I have also revisited some of my old stuff, like the quotes from some of my work, and I have redesigned them with a different look and feel. So, I thought I would run a weekly quote post for a little while to showcase the updated designs, and to add some new quotes too. This is the first post in this ‘A Quote from my Tales’ series. I hope you like it!
Hello readers and welcome to the fourth post in my ‘Dark City’ series. Which city has been reimagined with the magic of AI this week. Let’s indulge our dark side and gaze on the next deathly location.
This week the creatures are stirring in Montreal, Canada. So let me ask you…
‘What ancient, frost-bitten king is entombed beneath the Mount Royal Cross,and why does the cross turn blood-red when the “North Wind” howls? What “Tunnel-Crawlers” have now creep through the corridors of RÉSO; the underground city? Is it true the streets of Old Montreal are now cobbled with the teeth of a dead leviathan?’
Ponder these questions while you enjoy this monstrous Montreal cityscape.
Which city will sink into the darkness next? Visit me again next week to find out.
Cast your sight upon my fantasy weapon of the week. The third in a series of concept art images from a collection of cursed weapons forged by a dark lord. This week’s weapon; a spear of dread that has felled many a hero and is known as a killer of kings.
Hello readers, and welcome to the third post in my ‘Dark City’ series. Here is another city, reimagined by Gen AI in a dark fantasy setting for you to feast your eyes on. I can’t vouch for the accuracy, but key landmarks have been captured, and I hope they stir your imagination.
This week we are exploring London. So let me ask you…
‘Do ravens still guard the tower, or have they been replaced by something more sinister? How do residents keep the rancid mist they’ve dubbed ‘The Ripper’s Breath,’ from entering their lungs? What do the ‘Mud-trudgers’ truly fish for in the toxic sludge at low tide, and why do they sew their eyes shut before they begin?’
Ponder these questions while you enjoy this delightfully corrupted London cityscape.
Which city will rise from the mist next time? Come back again next week to find out.
Behold the fantasy weapon of the week. This is the second in the series of concept art images taken from a collection of cursed weapons forged by a dark lord. This week’s weapon; a hand axe that yearns to bathe in the blood of the unfortunate. It bestows a bloodlust upon its wielder that is unmatched by the fiercest of warriors.
Hello readers and welcome to the second post in my ‘Dark City’ series. In this series I’ve used Gen AI to reimagine what cities around the world would look like in a dark fantasy setting. The images generated, while not maintaining an entirely correct layout, have captured key landmarks and certainly tweak the imagination.
This week we are sticking with Australia. Here are some questions to tug at your thoughts… ‘During the Red Moon, the river swells and reaches into the streets of Kangaroo Point. Which landmarks are claimed by the tide? What damp, pale spirits are left behind when the waters finally recede? What ancient, entity slumbers in the silt beneath the Storey Bridge? What tribute must the ferrymen pay to cross its waters safely?’
Ponder these questions while you enjoy this murky Brisbane cityscape.
Which city will emerge from the shadows next time? Come back next week to find out.
Bestow your eyes upon my fantasy weapon of the week. One of a series of concept art images from my collection of cursed weapons forged by a dark lord. This is the first in the series; a short sword that thirsts for souls. It whispers to the blood-thirsty warrior. But beware… those who wield it are destined to be damned.
Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence is the third book in The Broken Empire Series. Once again King Jorg has to defend his kingdom, but this time it’s against the Dead King and his undead army, and it’s not just Jorg’s kingdom at stake, but the whole empire.
The Cover: This is another a good cover for me. The image depicts a man, holding a crown above his head, a red cloak draping from his shoulder. We see him from behind, as he faces away, looking over a pile of dead bodies, still impaled by the swords that snuffed out their lives. The swords jut up, the hilts at the top, like crosses on graves. It matches well with the other covers in the series. The title in a large silver font and the author’s name in a white font, contrast well against the dark black/grey cover art and also align with the series. It screams dark fantasy/Grimdark and represents the story well.
The Good Stuff: Another solid fantasy novel by Mark Lawrence with a number of characters we have met before. When I started this series I didn’t like the main character much at all, but I have grown to like King Jorg of Ancrath and understand his character much better than before. He is still a murderous bastard, but that’s part of his charm. This final book in the series completes the story arc and has a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. I am accustomed to this world now and the blend of modern tech and fantasy was expected, therefore it didn’t bother me this time around. A very enjoyable read if you like dark fantasy and grimdark novels as much I do.
The Bad Stuff: The 1st person POV did pull me out of the story a few times, I just don’t like 1st person. I found the ending a little confusing and think I will have to read it over to grasp what actually happened, but that could just be me. I may look at other reviews to see if anyone else has thought so. Other than that, I can’t think of much else to say in this segment – and that’s a good thing.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and the series. It is a sound grimdark story with a strong fantasy feel. The story has continued on and developed well. Book 3 in the series is getting a dead walking, blood spraying, emperor making, 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks from me.
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.
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Hello readers and welcome to the first post in my ‘Dark City’ series. In this series I’ve used Gen AI to reimagine what cities around the world would look like in a dark fantasy setting. The images generated, while not maintaining an entirely correct layout, have captured key landmarks and certainly tweak the imagination.
I thought it appropriate to start here in Australia. So let me ask you…
‘What if Melbourne’s laneways hid more than graffiti? What if something ancient still walked them? What sort of foul creature would it be? Where would it lurk?’
Ponder these questions while you enjoy this deliciously dark Melbourne cityscape.
Next week I’ll be bringing Brisbane into the gloom to sate your dark desires.
