This is a brutal and violent and brilliant fantasy novels.  Ed McDonald rules!  For lovers of the Vikings tv show and norse stories in general.  I would definitely recommend this to my customers.  Loved It!!  Sorry for the very late review, it just slipped through the cracks.  I will make up for it by heavily recommending it.

I really enjoyed this dark fantasy. The characters were dynamic and the storyline took me by surprise in all the best ways. The writing felt fresh and new as well. This was a wonderful fantasy read.

This book really took me by surprise! loved the new fresh writing style and the characters really stood out to me. If you need a new, different kind of fantasy that's dark, atmospheric, action-packed, the this is for you! Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this phenomenal start to this trilogy.

I really enjoyed this story!  I have had a copy of this book for quite some time and cannot believe that I waited so long to actually read it.  It took me a while to read this book but I that really had to do with my life more than the book. Since I took the book at a slower pace, I was really able to savor the story which was wonderful.  I really just had a great time with this book.

This was a really dark story.  And I think that was one of the things that I liked about the story.  The book was violent, bloody, and somewhat hopeless much of the time.  It was a dangerous world where safety was never a given.  Let's just say that this wasn't a world that I would want to live in but it was a lot of fun to read about. 

Ryhalt Galharrow leads us through this adventure.  He is a pretty capable man and leads a group of mercenaries.  The people in his group are all very different but they seem to work well together and are loyal to each other.  Galharrow has a tattoo that connects him to Crowfoot when it is torn from his body on certain occasions.  He finds himself and his crew in the middle of a much bigger problem than he ever imagined and he works hard to get to the bottom of things. 

This book kept me guessing.  I was never quite sure how things would work out and who would survive.  I thought that the world building was very well done.  The author was able to create a completely different world seamlessly through the events of the story.  The characters shouldn't have been likable but I liked them anyway. 

I would recommend this book to others.  I thought that this was a really well-done fantasy that told an exciting and dark story.  I am really looking forward to reading more of this series very soon.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley.

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.

Ryhalt Galharrow is a bounty hunter, a mercenary leader of a ragtag bunch of warriors, this includes a woman without a nose, belonging to a group called Blackwing. Like the Knight's Templar, the name has some weight to it in the world. When the story begins Ryhalt and his crew are in The Misery, an expansive wasteland created by mistake long ago. This land is inhabited by the drudge, corrupted and twisted humans in service of the Deep Kings. These kings look to wreak havoc on the world and it is through the war with them that the Misery was created. During his last venture through the wasteland Ryhalt suspects that the kings are preparing for something and returns home to warn people, but it might be too late, the enemy might already have infiltrated the land.
The world that McDonald paints for the reader begins with broad and familiar strokes. There are several things that an avid fantasy reader would recognize and in some ways might find cliche, but this is a mere trick of the light. At first one can see it as if McDonald is just giving the reader small fragments of what his world his like, a puzzle as it were, but instead it soon becomes clear he is using a very different literary trick.
It is as if McDonald zooms in on a small part of the world and gradually pulls back the camera. From what appears to be a classic medieval fantasy world to a more modern post-apocalyptic one. It is intriguing to suddenly become aware that the world that at first seemed so textbook and simple becomes more advanced. The world of Blackwing is one of magic, corruption, violence and engineering marvels that harness moon light to create energy. 
One can draw many parallels with the classic grimdark story The Black Company by Glen Cook. Not because it is about a team of mercenaries, but because of the way the story is told. There is a good deal of realism and believability even if there is both magic and monsters about. McDonald, like Cook has the ability to convince the reader that his world is true and that is a great strength. 
It will be interesting to follow this series as it progresses and where it might end up.

Blackwing is an intriguing and engrossing new world.  Gikany and Una were captivated by this gritty and dark fantasy world, and are eager for the next novel in the Raven’s Mark series.

In this bleak world people are trying to survive the magical repercussions from war with the Deep Kings.  However the war isn’t over.  The Deep Kings may have lost the last battle but they are intent on winning the war.  The only protection the people have is Nall’s Engine – a magical weapon developed by one of the Nameless, Nall.  The engine is what keeps the Deep Kings on their side of the Misery, a desolate no-man’s land full of magical fallout.  The Nameless are like gods – powerfully immortal magical beings who are mostly absent, except when they want something.  The only difference between them and the Deep Kings is that they tend to leave the mortals alone instead of turning them into mindless slaves.  Although being a servant of a Nameless is no picnic either.

Ryhalt Galharrow is our hero, though he is not a pristine one.  He was once “cream,” slang for a nobleman.  But after a mistake and a duel, he restarted himself as Galharrow – a Blackwing bounty hunter.  Galharrow is a servant of Crowfoot, one of the Nameless.  He is bound to serve Crowfoot by finding and eradicating Deep King sympathizers and traitors.  While Galharrow is returning from a bounty hunt, Crowfoot manifests to command him to save a noblewoman from his past.  But as he reconnects to his young love, he learns about a conspiracy that could enslave and destroy the rest of the mortals.

Galharrow believes he is not a good man.  Maybe he once was, but certainly not now.  Unwilling to give in or give up, he fights and works to be decent and drowns himself in alcohol to forget the times when he wasn’t.  The remembered time of his youth with Ezabeth is both his sweetest memory and greatest regret.  Although it takes time to find out the gist of what occurred, it is still heart wrenching to see them reunited only to know that it is too late.  Between unearthing the conspiracy and the rekindled but doomed love, it was difficult to stop reading.

Gikany and Una found Blackwing to be utterly engrossing.  The author crafted the world, the language, and the characters in such a way that he created something extraordinary.  For all that the Misery and this post-apocalyptic world is harsh and barren, there is a dark beauty to it.  The seemingly strange combination of fantasy, western, and post-apocalyptic elements is blended into something compelling.  Evil and good are not clear cut, but differing shades of grey.

There is so much to Blackwing and we would be chagrined to spoil it.  The Raven’s Mark series is completely new and refreshing in a gritty and dark way.  Gikany and Una were truly captivated by this ominous fantasy frontier world.  If you are interested in something different and new, and enjoy something gripping, you might want to give this post-apocalyptic magical survival novel a try.

Our Rating:  A, Loved It

This book just isn't for me. I just couldn't really get into it and I struggled to get through it. That's not to say it isn't a good book. It's just not my kind of book. 

Blackwing can be considered a "grimdark" apocalyptic fantasy. These books are dark with amoral characters. Flaws abound in all the characters, even the heroes. The concept is great, but I found it hard to continue reading when I didn't like any of the characters. Couple that with coarse language that threw me off guard almost from page 1 (I didn't realize how rare that type of language is in the books I read until it was in front of me), and it just isn't for me.

That said, I loved the concept and the world. The "Gods", the tattoos, the dangerous expanse of cracked land filled with horrors all present intrigue that draws you in. And there is some truly beautiful prose woven throughout the harshness of the world. Some people will love this book. I just didn't. 

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2142660748

The following 5-star review was posted to Every Day Should Be Tuesday, Amazon, and Goodreads on 10/3/17:

I’m not much for Grimdark.  It’s not that I’m against it, per se, but just that I haven’t limited experience with it.  I have my thoughts, but they aren’t exactly fully formed.  I say that to explain the long digression on Grimdark at the end.  You may not be interested, but Blackwing isn’t just a tremendous Grimdark book, it is a tremendous fantasy book, period.  So on to some exposition and a bit of fun!

Ryhalt Galharrow spends most of his days tracking down traitors and bringing back their heads for the bounty.  Well, he spends most of his days drunk.  But when he has work, it is in the bringing back heads business.  There is a deeper commitment, though, to being a Blackwing.

It means serving Crowfoot, one of the Nameless, the demigods without whom the Range would have long since fallen to the Deep Kings, the really nasty demigods.  You really don’t want to get caught in between two sets of feuding, massively powerful immortals.  The Deep Kings send Darlings, powerful sorcerers who look like children, and drudge, men and women who have given up their humanity to become slaves and cannon fodder for the Deep Kings.




The Nameless counter in ways that make the Deep Kings look soft.  Grimdark.  Crowfoot created the Misery, a blasted land that now separates the Deep Kings’ empire from the Range.  Remember the Blight from The Wheel of Time?  The Misery is its own thing, but this is a trope I would like to see more of.  The Misery is deliciously twisted, full of weird, deadly flora and fauna.  The landscape constantly shifts, so the only option for finding your way is to navigate by the three moons.  It is also beautifully described: “The gash cut through the landscape of shifting dunes, caustic sand and brittle stones.  The lightning-bolt corridor mirrored one of the rents in the sky, the split in the earth a reflection of the damage in the heavens.”

The story kicks off in earnest when Crowfoot (via magical crow tattoo) orders Galharrow to protect the Lady Tanza from a drudge attack.  Tanza is a Spinner.  Spinners draw their power, called phos (good word) from the three moons, ideally using a loom and storing power in battery canisters.  This is a nifty magic system for a book that is also Flintlock Fantasy.  Phos can be used to power a proto-Industrial Revolution, and using three moons as a power source means scholarship by its users has a real effect on the magic system.

So Galharrow is tasked with saving Tanza.  Two problems.  The first is that Tanza is a connection to a past that Galharrow would just as soon forget.  (McDonald draws the reveals out to great effect, so I won’t spoil it here with any details).  The other problem is that any attack on the Range should be met with an immediate and deadly effect by Nall’s Engine (Nall being another Nameless).  When that doesn’t happen, well, you’ve got the grist for a pretty good story.

That’s a lot of exposition and especially worldbuilding, but McDonald has built a fascinating world here.  And I make no bones about my love of worldbuilding.  I am a fantasy fanatic after all.  Oh, I mentioned that Blackwing is Flintlock Fantasy.  It isn’t just the phos powering an early modern age.  Galharrow is as comfortable with a matchlock rifle and a flintlock pistol as he is with a cutlass or longsword.  The Range isn’t just protected by Nall’s Engine, it’s protected by cannon.

Blackwing is prominently marketed as the first book in a series—and I look forward to the sequels!—but it works very well as a standalone.

Blackwing has a lot going for it.  The worldbuilding is tremendous, the action scenes bloody, the human interaction surprisingly poignant.  The plot is well crafted.  One of my favorite aspects is the depiction of the Nameless and Deep Kings.  They are almost entirely offstage, but always near to mind.  McDonald really dives into what it means to get caught in a struggle between immortals.  It is the definition of a long game, and not one where you worry too much about the odd pawn.

But the best thing about Blackwing is the voice.  Blackwing is told entirely from Galharrow’s POV, so it is his voice.  It’s earthy and provides a lot of the “Grimdarkness” to the book.

Galharrow says things like:  “Speed, training and a policy of relentless savagery are what makes a man dangerous.”  And Galharrow is a dangerous man.

But not one without honor.  “‘I’m not one to stab a person in the back while they’re sleeping.  If I think you’re fighting the wrong cause, you’ll see me coming head-on.’  Actually, I’d stabbed more than one man in the back, but it sounded good.”  Ok, so he’s more on the pragmatic side.

“I shrugged.  I felt no sympathy for the drudge.  Had I the power, I’d unleash a hundred Engines against their empire and light a cigar from the embers.”  Beats killing them by hand.

He kind of has a point.  Saying things like this—“[M]y reserves of empathy were usually exhausted on orphans and puppies, a lot higher up the list that arsonists and arseholes”—doesn’t make you an asshole so much as a man with sound priorities.

Chivalry is fine, I guess.  But there is nothing wrong with being more Humphrey Bogart than John Wayne.  And this is war.  Better to be tough and brave.  “It’s less dangerous down in the gutters, away from anything that the drudge and their sorcerers might fling at the walls, but you can’t see shit and there’s nobody to kill.”

And implacable and bloody mean.  “The treacherous bastards were about to understand why you do not, not with the backing of princes, not with the backing of Darlings or Kings or the spirits of hatred themselves, fuck with Ryhalt Galharrow.”

It’s a grimy story, to be sure, and Galharrow isn’t a knight in shining armor.  But heroism is not defined by the cruelty of the world but by the hero’s response to it.  Tolkien and C.S. Lewis could tell you a thing or two about a cruel world.  Galharrow has lived through a river of shit.  But he has never lost hope.

The world is a cruel mother, a matron of darkness, selfishness, greed, and misery.  For most, their time suckling at her breast is naught but a scramble through stinging, tearing briars before a naked, shameful collapse as the flesh gives out.  And yet in the bright eyes of every newborn, their lies a spark, a potential for goodness, the possibility of a life worth living.  That spark deserves its chance.  And though most of them will turn out to be as worthless as the parents who sired them, while the cruelty of the earth will them to release their innocence and join in the drawing of daggers, every now and then one manages to clutch to its beauty and refuses to release it into the dark.

And that makes all the difference.

5 of 5 Stars.

 

Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a review copy of Blackwing via NetGalley.

***I received a copy of Blackwing from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Net Galley and Ed McDonald for providing me with a copy.***

Wow. So, I was drawn to Blackwing because the concept seemed like an awesome sci-fi/fantasy mashup, and I was in the mood for something gritty, and it absolutely exceeded my expectations, especially being that it's Ed McDonald's first book!! The book starts you off right in the thick of things, which is nice. Definitely no 50 pages of set-up here. 

The world is bleak and desolate, with an open frontier of ever-changing magical poisonous desert, chock full of original and terrifying monsters. While only a few parts of the book actually take place in this place (which is called Misery), it's still super interesting to visit.

Beyond that? This book has it all. Character development. Amazingly original magic system. Diverse, well written supporting characters. Amazing plot development. Mind-blowing ending. 
The whole thing is very... Bioshock meets Fallout 4 meets Mad Max. It's AWESOME.

My one complaint (and others might disagree) is that there are a LOT of terms that are thrown out there right at the beginning (Spinners, Deep Kings, Darlings, Brides, etc) that take a while to get explained. While they all do make sense after a little while, I was a little overwhelmed initially because I felt like there was things I was missing. But as I said, these things are explained, in detail, as the book progresses. 

Overall, 4 stars and a fantastically strong debut novel from Ed McDonald!! I will absolutely be checking out the sequel.

I received this book from NetGalley to read and review. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for  providing it.
Such a hard land the author has given us, very medieval, without any softer or gentler aspics. Just acceptance of your lot and get on with life as best you can. The hard drinking, hard fighting Galharrow isn't anyone's picture of a hero. His decent from nobility to headhunter is dark and gritty. Time after time everything he cares about is taken from him. He has become one of the Seven serving the demigod Raven/Crowfoot, who ignores his Chosen until he has a use for them.
As the story progressed, we see Galharrow still has depths of loyalty and caring that he tries to deny. Other characters are introduced and rounded out. The world comes alive. The land is consumed by a war in which the people have no say, destroyed by both the Deep Kings and the demigods.
A totally engrossing read from start to finish. You may not always like the story but you still want to know more.

Ok, so please let me tell you all about this book. 

First of all, this is a debut? Yo.

This book absolutely does not read like a debut. It's written with all the polish & originality you'd expect from an author well into their career. 

Ryhalt Galharrow is a product of his environment. Long years spent hunting down scum in the wasteland of the Misery have coated his humanity in a fine layer of desolation.

Now, I want to speak to my fellow gamers nerds for a moment. This novel is the bastard child of Borderlands and Mad Max. I specifically call attention to gamers because reading this is exactly like playing a video game. 

The dialogue, the story, the characters, all of this I found myself mentally transforming into cut scenes, leveling systems, and boss battles! Seriously I don't think I've ever had this kind of experience with a book before. Even the rhythm of plot twists & development of the concept unfolded in exactly the way video games often do. 

This feeling was only intensified by the First Person POV of Captain Galharrow. It felt as though I was "playing" him as a main character! All I can say is bravo on this point because it swept me over with a heavy sense of nostalgia while maintaining its novelty.

But the really great thing about Blackwing is that it's enjoyable even if you've never touched a video game in your life! It's gritty characters & morose imagery & black humor all set against a background of bleak circumstances, but this combination creates quite an enjoyable aesthetic for the reader. 

Also, shout out to the neat magic system & creative monsters that make appearances all throughout this book. I can't wait to see what else will pop up in the dunes of The Misery.

I'm here to say the hype surrounding this one is well worth it. If you're a fan of Grimdark fantasy, especially, this is not one to miss out on!

First thing's first, I want to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of Blackwing and Ed McDonald for writing an awesome book. Though I did end up going audio to finish this one off, all in part to Colin Mace doing the narration, Ace has been, well, aces, in publishing brilliant books this year and I am glad to add this one to my 'Finished' pile. 

"Blackwing is equal parts The Vagrant by Newman, Beyond Redemption by Fletcher, and The Court of Broken Knives by Spark but vastly original in its own right. It is a refreshing yet GDAF debut by McDonald and should be put on a pedestal with the likes of Abercrombie. Simply brilliant."

"Colin Mace is the best thing to happen to grimdark since Mark Lawrence."

Ryhalt Galharrow isn't a hero and doesn't pretend to be. He is a bounty hunter; on a mission with a ragtag bunch of ingrates to find a noblewoman with a great power welling inside her. What lays in front of him is the 'Misery', a barren, post-apocalyptic wasteland full of vicious creatures and covered with a bruise colored sky. What lies on the other side are the Deep Kings, immortals kept at a distance thanks in part to the Engine which created the wasteland and acts as a sort of shield to keep civilization safe from their destruction. What Ryhalt doesn't expect to find is a well-hidden conspiracy that comes unhinged as the creatures of the waste begin knocking, and civilization faces impending annihilation. Galharrow must rely on the noblewoman, his fellow mercs, and Crowfoot, one of the "nameless" whom guides Ryhalt on his venture, in order to save what shred of humanity is left.

McDonald has written one of my top 3 reads of the year. I'm struggling saying it is #1 because Kings of the Wyld by Eames and The Court of Broken Knives by Spark are still swirling around in my mind. I'll probably just have a top 3 and say they are my top reads for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quarters of the year. What makes the book is the pure grittiness, brutal bloodshed, original magic system, and overshadowing wasteland. Though there are parts that may drag a bit, as in any novel, each and every piece is needed for the overlying story and simply adds to the enjoyment. It reminds me a lot of The Vagrant by Peter Newman in so that it takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland full of disturbing, bloodthirsty creatures and mysterious foes on a mission for destruction. Galharrow is a nod, IMO, to Bedeckt in Michael R Fletcher's Manifest Delusions series: an old, battered drunkard who only sees the dreariness and chaos around him, but is a total BA when it comes to slaughtering foes and taking punches. The Bride characters also remind me a lot of Erbrechen the slaver, living off of the praise and worship of their followers and their power/influence (not to mention their bodies) growing with each and every addition. 

If you haven't had a chance to pick up Blackwing, do yourself a favor and get a copy.

Blackwing (2017) begins in Misery, but things will get far worse before they get better. This gritty fantasy is set on a world where there are three moons ― red, blue and gold ― whose light can be woven into magical power and stored in canisters for use by sorcerers. Two unimaginably powerful magical forces face off against each other across the terrible void called the Misery ― a magic-blasted wasteland. On the side of mankind are the Nameless: ancient, unseen wizards who are nearly godlike in their powers, but who have mostly disappeared from the lives of men. On the other side are the Deep Kings, dark and malevolent powers that corrupt men into enthralled warriors, called the drudge, and other slaves.

Ryhalt Galharrow, our narrator, is a captain of a ragtag group of mercenaries, far fallen from his once-noble life, a jaded fighter who lives mostly for his next drink. He’s also, reluctantly, an operative of Crowfoot, one of the Nameless. Ryhalt has a large raven tattoo on his arm through which Crowfoot occasionally sends him messages; a painful and bloody process, since the tattoo temporarily rips itself from his flesh to become a bird that shouts orders at him. His latest order: get to Station Twelve and ensure “she” survives. (Crowfoot’s orders tend to be brief and cryptic.)

“She” turns out to be Ezabeth Tanza, a noblewoman Galharrow once loved many years ago, who is now a powerful sorcerer. Greater powers have brought Ezabeth and Galharrow together again in the fight against the Deep King’s armies, and against hidden treachery in their own society. Lady Ezabeth is also investigating a hidden problem involving Nall’s Engine, a vastly powerful magical machine that originally created the Misery, killing thousands but protecting men from the Deep Kings. Galharrow is, with very mixed emotions, drawn into her investigation. At stake is the survival of their society: if they can’t solve the problem soon, the Deep Kings’ armies of drudge and evil childlike sorcerers (ironically called Darlings) will overrun their land, murdering and enslaving the population.

Ed McDonald tells a gripping, well-plotted tale in Blackwing, his debut novel and the first book in the new RAVEN’S MARK trilogy. The world-building is imaginative and ambitious, and it’s a credit to McDonald that it didn’t remind me of other post-apocalyptic novels. It’s also occasionally a bit hard to grasp, with unfamiliar vocabulary that isn’t always explained right away, but that issue lessens as you get deeper into the story. There’s the occasional phrase that’s arguably overwritten or clichéd, like “My past was like a cruel grandmother: nasty, lacking in wisdom, and better off buried,” but the occasional dark humor helps to leaven the plot. Overall, Blackwing flows smoothly, with lots of action and tension. It’s a vividly imagined and well-plotted novel, with a creative ending that I didn’t foresee.

Blackwing is a tough-minded fantasy set in a blighted, war-torn world where magic is more often used for dark purposes than positive ones. Even the positive uses of magic have, almost invariably, a huge, ugly downside. Galharrow, fittingly, is somewhat of an antihero, as well as a slob and a habitual drunk. Despite all, he still has something of a moral compass, and that becomes more apparent as his story unfolds.

Blackwing can be intensely bleak and violent, with its high body count, adult language, irrevocably damaged lives and lost dreams. Because there are some moral underpinnings to our main characters and some threads of hope in the narrative, I wouldn’t call this grimdark fantasy, but it skirts the edges. It’s not for sensitive readers, but for those who like darker, grittier fantasies, Blackwing is well worth your time.

Spectacular. Yes, Blackwing is a spectacular piece of fantasy fiction.

So what's the story?

OKay, let's see. Hmm, how do we avoid spoilers?

Oh, I know! Let's bring in Captain Ryhalt Galharrow. The man knows how to tell a story and never give away the ending. Well, until the end that is.

So, Galharrow the Gallant (sorry, can't help it), a mercenary/bounty-hunter/puppet in the hands of the surviving nameless (yes, that's a thing) almost godlike Crowfoot, works for Blackwing. Crowfoot, Blackwing, you can guess what's the tattoo on Galharrow's arm. But you don't know what it does. Haha!

Lady Tanza is a mysterious woman missing after a sudden and whirlwind appearance in Galharrow's life, and our self-proclaimed non-hero has been hired by her cousin the mighty Prince Herono (a lady she is but no princess in pink) to find the elusive maiden.

Galharrow has a team of extremely loyal and dedicated fellows from various races/gender/geographical area/sexual orientation/social hierarchy. Kickass women in this book. Love it. Thanks, Sir Ed of McDonald, this isn't a daily occurrence. A society where a woman is not drawn back for her gender but her wickedly powerful magical talent is strange. A different kind of witch hunt. Me likey. A scarred woman whose beauty survives in memories of a scarred man, physical/emotional, doesn't matter. Isn't that the ideal world? Isn't that our fantasy?

I love journeys in fantasy novels. The journey wherever it takes or whatever the cost is the best kind of adventure. Galharrow's journey forward into Misery (a place) and backward into misery (his memories, sorry again) are both equally captivating.

A single POV with an unreliable narrator has done wonders for this book. Galharrow is the perfect choice for the part. He is funny, a little sad, and heroic without consciously trying to be any of those.

Misery is a post-apocalyptic nightmare. Bleak, dark, infested with creatures like Darlings (an example or two of scenes with them would remain etched in my memory forever), it's a wasteland which holds the greatest machine, the Engine, that helped defeat the last invasion by immortal Deep Kings. Never knew a part of a fantasy world could have the potential to become a character on its own. The multiple moons or the zombie/mutant thingies are just a few aspects of it.

The machine-oh, that's another complete story. So many stories within this one big story (no that's not the format but just the feel). The mechanism of the Engine is explained with layperson and wizards in mind. You can understand the gist of it, but the aura of mystery and magic isn't ever done away with. The end of the book is a big surprise. Hat's off, McDonald.

Now back to human characters. Lady Tanza, an inquisitive scholar, had looked too deep into the Engine. She found something she wasn't supposed to. Now, it's upon Galharrow to help her complete her quest and eventually his (Crowfoot tells him what to do) but unraveling the long-buried web of secrets and deceit among the highest members of the society.

Betrayal, struggle against personal demons, wraiths, and corrupted magic, a broken heart seeing a glimmer of hope in romance, this book is a drama. An epic fantasy drama with gray shades and a feel of historical fiction I would love to see in a movie. So many movies are made these days but how many characters do we find like Galharrow who makes us want to follow him into the heart of Misery and fight with the Gods?

The book ends on a satisfactory note. We get some closure, but there are some open-ended threads that suggest a sequel. But I wonder if my favorite elements will return or not.

The author's lines are as sharp as the sword you get to see in his profile pictures. Here's one from the book.

“We were treading dry old ground, stepping between old footprints.”
― Ed McDonald, Blackwing

My favorite is this one:

“And yet in the bright eyes of every newborn, there lies a spark, a potential for goodness, the possibility of a life worth living. That spark deserves its chance. And though most of them will turn out to be as worthless as the parents who sired them, while the cruelty of the earth will tell them to release their innocence and join in the drawing of daggers, every now and then one manages to clutch to its beauty and refuses to release it into the dark.”
― Ed McDonald, Blackwing

I could do with some more time in Misery (not kidding). I wish we had spent some more time there exploring the nooks and corners with Galharrow. I hope the Darlings will be back in the next book. There will be a 'next book.' There better be.

Ed McDonald's Blackwing has the perfect cover art. I hear Ravens are the new thing in the world of cover art. This one is one of the best there is. Do check out both versions. The book has already been published in the UK and will be introduced to the US market on 3rd October 2017. Say happy book birthday to the author and go check it out. Worth a try if you appreciate the play of light and shadows in your characters and their world. I have read Red Sister by Mark Lawrence and whole-heartedly agree they are both incredible writers in this subgenre of grimdark. Can't compare the books really.

Thank you Netgalley and Ace books for an advanced reader's copy.

I went into this book wanting to love it but with the expectation that it would disappoint me because that's how reading has gone for me lately. Perhaps not the best mindset to have before starting but it did set me up to be pleasantly surprised when I became hooked from the first page.

My second grimdark fantasy of the year (see my rave review for The Court of Broken Knives if you're looking for another), Blackwing follows Ryhalt Galharrow, a bounty hunter and captain for one of the Nameless (which is a god but also not). Not going to lie, the setting is pretty depressing. We have the Misery which is a giant wasteland filled with creatures that are never quite fully described but are a horror nonetheless. Enter mystery woman from his past who packs a serious magical punch, mix in a bit of conspiracy and danger, and you get quite the interesting read.

My first impression was a dark magical western so if that's your thing then you'll probably like this book. Galharrow is neither a hero nor is he a villain. He's not particularly nice but he's honest. He sees the world for the corrupt place it is and doesn't sugarcoat the truth. I found him terribly intriguing. At first he's just the gruff bounty hunter, but he's smart, he's fiercely loyal to his companions, cynical but with the dry humor I love to read, and just all-around very well written. I can't say the same for all the characters featured, especially some of the secondary characters which came across more as names on the page than actual people, but the primary characters were pretty multi-dimensional.

Where I started feeling a bit disconnected was about the 100-page mark. This book's pacing is a bit unusual. Some parts flew by while others dragged. Then there's the issue with the worldbuilding. It's a very steampunk-y read with the higher fantasy coming through with the unusual creatures, but those beings never felt fleshed out enough for me to really fear them as the characters did so they didn't make as much of an impact.

But I really got behind the steampunk/more industrial-esque world. Don't get me wrong, I love a good swords-and-shields fantasy but they start to blend together after a while whereas this world of magic and guns and unusual technology makes Blackwing stick in my head. It's a world I could definitely see myself returning to in the sequel (and, in fact, I likely will). 

This was a surprising read and a series that I'll definitely be following up on when the sequel releases. If you're looking for a gritty fantasy with a Western vibe and a protagonist that's neither hero nor villain, I think you'll like this book and definitely recommend checking it out. Looking forward to the next book!

Blackwing is a remarkable debut that was gritty, original and empathetically compelling. A blend of fantasy, horror and science fiction, it gave me strong vibes of Stephen King, albeit way more accessible in that it was less mind-bending with a fluid prose that was easy to appreciate, though no less poetic when it needs to be.

The story follows the first person perspective of Ryhalt Galharrow, a Blackwing Captain who is a bounty-hunter of sorts whose life is inextricably linked to one of the Nameless, powerful ancient beings constantly in battle with the Deep Kings, whom are even more omnipotent. A wearied, hardened and frustrated man who is given to inebriation, Ryhalt’s characterisation practically bleeds grief and regret through an intimate window granted into his thoughts and emotions. The author quite masterfully weaved the current narrative together with his backstory which gradually revealed in all its poignancy of the circumstances that shaped him into the embittered man that he is now.

His close bonds with his loyal crew members, Nenn and Tnota, as well as his relationship with the noble and talented Lady Ezabeth provided many heartfelt moments that kept on nudging my investment into these characters further and further up the “Don’t you dare die on me” meter.

I would describe the worldbuilding of this post-apocalyptic setting as a strange yet almost intoxicating blend of steampunk, technology, swords and sorcery that I’ve never seen before. Perhaps The Dark Tower by Stephen King might come close but as I’ve yet to read that series, I cannot make any comparisons.

Aspects of horror can be found in the Misery, a vast tainted wasteland that was scorched by the magic unleashed by one of the Nameless almost a century ago. An expansive no man’s land that divides the Dhojaran Empire of the Deep Kings from the Range where the humans lived under the protection of a weapon created by the Nameless. Deep magic still blankets the land till today, transforming all that lived there into a perversion of nature and no man or creature can venture into the Misery without feeling its effects. With shifting landscapes, a cracked sky, ghostly apparitions, grass that can cut one’s legs to shreds, man-eating creatures uttering strange sentences, the Misery is possibly my favourite worldbuilding element in this book. 

What else gave me horror vibes in this fantasy tale? It is when the appearance of a little boy sends shivers down my spine. Creepy murderous children; the very idea of the face of innocence being perverted into an incarnation of evil is one of the most frightening and disturbing concepts in my imagination. Cue: Stephen King's Children of the Corn.

Aside from compelling characters and its fascinating setting, the plot was both engrossing and unpredictable. Sure there were instances where I had suspicions or speculations which turned out to be quite accurate. However, the manifestation of the revelation turned out to be completely unexpected and even brilliant at times. 

The pacing of the book was a bit uneven due to quite a fair bit of exposition and info-dumping required at the beginning to help the reader understand the world. I had to admit that the first few chapters didn’t sit entirely well with me as I was bombarded with all kinds of capitalised terms which bear no meaning nor context to what I was reading. I’d advise patience as this gets resolved fairly quickly and the narrative flows well enough to keep the pages turning. When it matters the most, the climax of the story was very well-paced and I appreciated that the author took the time to draw out the ending sufficiently to a satisfying conclusion. 

It has been widely acknowledged that 2017 will see many great and promising fantasy debuts, and from what I’ve just read, Blackwing might just be one of the top reads. I do highly recommend this book. If you have apprehensions that this is the first of a series, I will allay that by saying it reads well as a stand-alone. A point to note for readers who prefer to avoid strong language though as Blackwing does contain a fair amount of profanity.

Grimdark fiction is a story set in a ruthless world where only the negative qualities of a character come through. There is really no happiness or very little hope for these characters. Noir fiction is where the characters are very tough, cynical, and pessimistic. Blackwing is grimdark noir with a dash of anti-hero.

The setting for Blackwing is in a world that is blighted and deplorable. The Misery is a desolate place with poisoned magic that leaks from the land that is constantly shifting. It was created in an attempt to stop the Deep Kings from destroying everything including the people of Dortmark. The Misery was blasted into existence by Crowfoot, one of the Nameless and a wizard, when he released the Heart of the Void as a last defense in a centuries old war between the Nameless and the Deep Kings. The Misery only delayed the Deep Kings, it was not enough though to turn them back. This led to the Engine being created. The Engine was created by Nall, another Nameless, and put along the edge of the border of the Misery. This Engine was able to destroy a Deep King and it is what led to a stalemate that has lasted eighty years.

No one made it a habit to enter the Misery willingly, it was far too dangerous. With its changing landscape, it is a perilous choice to make and is usually only made by those who are either desperate to avoid capture, overly confident in their abilities, or men who are looking to get paid for finding people with a bounty on their head that have gone into the Misery…because they are desperate. Those who were brave enough or stupid enough to venture into this hellish territory were met with improbable odds and nightmares that they won’t soon forget. If a person was lucky enough to make it out of the Misery they would feel the effects of their time in that expanse through tremors and sickness that lasted as long as their time spent in Misery. Only the most desperate of individuals would ever venture there willingly.

Ryhalt Galharrow was such an individual. He was an alcoholic bounty hunter who earns his coin by hunting individuals who are wanted for one reason or another and he is not cowed by the idea of entering the Misery to get his mark. He knows what awaits him but he also knows that he needs the coin to afford the drink which helps him forget memories that haunt him. Ryhalt is a man with a past and he has truly nothing to live for. The only thing that he has always try to do though is be as honorable as the situation would allo, if he could. By no means was he a “good guy,” more an anti-hero of sorts. Even though he worked as a bounty hunter that was not his full-time occupation as it were. Ryhalt was a Blackwing Captain.

The Blackwing organization was comprised of seven Captains who act as enforcers for Crowfoot, shadowed hands who were his eyes and did his will when called upon. Ryhalt had been approached by the wizard and had struck a deal to be part of the organization a long time ago. Although he only reported to Crowfoot, he needed a way to make money in between assignments and the courts were willing to pay good money for collecting traitors, well their heads at least. This is how Ryhalt filled his time, working as a bounty hunter with a small crew greedy enough to enter the Misery to catch their bounties.

It had been five years since Crowfoot had contacted Ryhalt but on this occasion, he contacted him and gave him an immediate command: to ensure that Ezabeth Tanza survived whatever ordeal she was in. Although at the start he had no idea that the woman he was to save was Ezabeth. Once he got to where he was instructed to find her and learned of her identity he was flabbergasted. He knew Ezabeth from before his world was destroyed. He and Ezabeth has been courting and were to be married before she called off the engagement. Seeing Ezabeth created feelings in Ryhalt that he thought were dead and gone and eventually he knew that whatever happened he wanted a chance with Ezabeth even though he knew the odds were unfavorable. It was this choice that led him and his closest allies on a dangerous journey that involved political machinations, backdoor alliances come to light, and an epic battle where the freedom of the world was at stake.

Blackwing is not a fast read but it is a fascinating one. There is a lot to digest in this world with its development, characters, and history. I really liked that the story was centered around Ryhalt and that the narrative included all things everyday life for this character. It made him and the rest of the characters quite believable. I was thoroughly entranced from the start of this story and by then end I was quite invested in the characters. This was definitely an original read and although the ending had a sweet moment tinged with sadness it left room for so much more to look forward to in the next installment in this series. I definitely recommend Blackwing as a must-read fantasy book!

*Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group for this eARC of Blackwing*

This review is based on a complimentary book I received from NetGalley. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.

Basically a good story. I thought the Captain's internal observations wound up being a bit too overwrought and a  lot of the revelations just made me go "eh, suck it up, man". The Nameless and Deep Kings seemed like they would be interesting but didn't really pack a punch in the end. The first half of the book really dragged for me but it picked up and got going in the second half. Overall not bad if you're in to fantasy, but not the best example of the genre.