Heavy Metals
Wandering Blacksmith 2
by Mark B. Gilgam
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Pub Date 02 Jan 2020 | Archive Date 03 Feb 2022
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Description
A young blacksmith grows up on Isenkliff in the grey northern sea, where his father Eckehart teaches Kitt the craft. Many warriors come to Isenkliff for the famous Aurora steel, and they teach Kitt to fight. His mother, Aslaug, disapproves of war. She teaches Kitt to heal wounds and do no damage.
Kitt wants to know everything there is in the world and reads every book that finds its way to Isenkliff on the ships. He dreams about seeing the world: the glittering courts of Daguilaria and Chrasten, the knights and vineyards of Tolosa, the Mawaranarian deserts under a sky of brass, the god-ridden Meira-valley, savage Kush, alabaster and gold Bharatan, Khartweli of the golden horses, and unfathomable Luxin Shoo.
In four stories, Kitt finds more adventure. Can man-eaters be considered human? Going to the Dark Wood Murkowydir across the sea, Kitt avoids his enemies-the murderous Feen Woodstalkers-just to run into the People of the Mist, who eat Woodstalkers for dinner.
Can it be wrong to save a man from a horrible death? When war and grief come from this kind act, whose fault is this? While crossing the woods, Kitt finds the remains of cities as well as copper and tin mines. He saves a man from mortal danger, not knowing how much harm will come from this kind act. Prince Ardri of Rilante is driven by the convolutions of the Wandering Stars and the intrigues of Cryssumha’s ancient magic kingdom. He offers Kitt the secrets of the bronze, and the price is high, maybe even too high?
A black growth eats at the heart of the wood as Kitt, and the Feen must become allies to root it out.
After his journey back to Isenkliff, Kitt learns the truth about his birth. His life is turning upside down, and he leaves his home.
Advance Praise
I'm surprised there aren't more reviews. This is a heroic fantasy that plays out like a series of short stories. Each story basically standing on its own almost like some kind of parable or allegory. With all of the stories loosely stitched together into a broader tapestry that tells the life of Kitt. Clearly a labor of love by the author.
Available Editions
| ISBN | 9781658569781 |
| PRICE | $4.99 (USD) |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Paul R, Reviewer
Intricate episodic tales of heroes with special emphasis on metallurgy. In this book (one of the Wandering Blacksmith series), Kitt, who is skilled in the working of Iron, studies under a master in Bronze, a very different metal, much more susceptible to alloying and impurities. In our world, bronze gave way to Iron not so much because Iron is harder, but because of disruption in the Tin trade; Kit wanders through the remains of Copper and Tin mines on his way to finding the truth behind his life. Lots of good reading.
Helgaleena H, Reviewer
Gilgam has written a saga for a character who should be a Gilgamesh. His hero of multiple volumes is here between the ages of sixteen and seventeen, and already out-performing the warriors and royalty of half a dozen lands.
Their conflicts seem based upon proto-human, Paleolithic, Neolithic, chalcolithic, and Medieval models, up to and including steam-punk sailing ships of iron. In this lobe of the multiverse, all the discrete eras of Earth are in play during our hero's one lifetime. The volume is long but full of convincingly drawn characters who seem predictably intent on slaughtering each other, interspersed with relieving sparks of humor.
I especially enjoyed the use of invented astronomy and alchemy to explain the point of view of of one tribe of seemingly pre-Columbian chronically poisoned serfs living underground. I especially disliked the forest-dwelling peoples' complicated pidgin and having to learn multiple names of important things and places.
We all have memories of a youth where our lives were full of endless possibility and we didn't yet know our own strength. Following the exploits of the explorer blacksmith Kitt will dredge up that past in us.
