* * *
Aptly named, the Burn stank of charred flesh and sweat. The heat made the entire area oppressive, gave the atmosphere a ‘boiling point’ feel that could bubble over and turn violent at a moment’s notice. Then there were the flies. The Kid didn’t have a word for so many flies; of course, he could only count as far as six. They buzzed everywhere, got everywhere, were everywhere. They were on the meat, on the ground, on the water, on the people. The Kid hated the Burn. Shame it was the surest place in Korral for the likes of him to get fed.
The fires never went out in the Burn, and as long as they were lit they had meat on them. Most of it was charred to a crisp, but beggars couldn’t be choosers, and Kav’s little crew were nothing if not beggars.
“All right, Horse Shit Boy,” Kav said, giving the Kid a new nickname for the day. All the others laughed. “Get o’er there an’ fetch us some food. An’ don’t go askin’ where it came from this time.”
The Kid snorted, but stepped to his job with haste. If he waited around or argued, Kav would beat him and Lissa would insult him again. He glanced back at her. She wasn’t pretty, far from it, but there was something about Lissa, something that made him want her to like him. Instead, she mocked him and, sometimes, even joined in with the hitting, after the others had already put him down.
The Kid sauntered over to the nearest fire and waited, giving the cook his very best ‘I’m a starving orphan’ look. The cook ignored him. The Kid decided it was best to wait his turn. He’d learned long ago that if you piss off a cook, you get the shits, and if the others got the shits, he’d get another beating for sure.
“Well, if it ain’t the little nameless shit,” the cook said upon noticing him. “Ya got some bits ta pay fer it this time?”
The Kid snorted.
“What a fuckin’ surprise. Here.” The fat cook reached into the old meat barrel and pulled out a handful of charred strips of flesh. The Kid counted six and another three. He pocketed one discreetly.
“Tell Kav ta get his scrawny arse over here. I got somin’ fer him ta do.”
The Kid grunted and hurried away before someone bigger or armed stole his scraps.
“That all ya got?” Lissa was sweating, her greasy hair plastered to her head. “Ya really are a useless shit.”
The others snatched at the takings. The Kid barely managed to hold onto a single strip. Kav and Lissa got two each, Benben and Jan took three between them.
“Cook wants ya,” he told Kav.
“Shit. Which one?”
“Fat one.”
Kav raised his fist so the Kid lowered his eyes and pointed. Kav punched him in the arm anyway before walking away. Lissa went with Kav, and the Kid found himself alone with Benben and Jan. The two were brothers born at the same time, though both argued about who came out first. They had pudgy faces, beady eyes, and crooked teeth; the only real distinction between the two was Benben’s nose bent to the left and Jan’s to the right. Broken noses were proof of Kav’s dominance over the little group.
“Give us ya meat,” Benben said. Jan echoed his words.
The Kid stuffed his strip of burnt meant into his mouth and started chewing the tough leather. Benben laughed and punched his left arm. Jan laughed and punched his right arm. The Kid let out a whimper, backed away a step, and turned his back on the bigger boys.
He spied Kav standing alone by the cook’s fire, tending to the meat and filching the odd fresh strip. He saw Lissa following the fat cook away from the fires. They both disappeared into one of the dishevelled hovels and reappeared a few minutes later. The cook swaggered back to his fire and Lissa walked towards the little group, wiping her mouth and scowling at the whole world. When she got back, Benben and Jan laughed at her and made jokes. The Kid ignored them all. If Lissa was angry she’d take it out on him if she noticed him.
Kav was negotiating with the fat cook, by the looks of things. Kav was smirking and making number gestures with his fingers, and the cook waved his meaty fist in a threatening manner.
After some time, Kav picked up some more meat strips, from the fresh barrel this time, and sauntered back. The Kid wiped sweat from his face. He was soaking, and the rest of the group were faring no better.
“Here.” Kav handed a strip of meat to each of his little group. The Kid got the smallest piece, but at least he got one.
“Got some work,” Kav said, chewing on a strip. “Paid an’ all. Not fer you, Horse Shit Boy. Get yaself home. An’ don’t steal nothin’.”
The Kid thought about arguing — if he didn’t help out, he didn’t get paid — but decided against it. If Kav had made a decision, arguing would earn him naught but more blood.
The Kid is a part of The Bound Folio collection by Rob J. Hayes and a must-have for The Ties That Bind fans. The Bound Folio is available for pre-order now $10.95USD (ISBN: 1941987605 Ragnarok Publications).
An Interview with Shawn Speakman
TOM SMITH
Shawn Speakman has laboured for many years as the “web-druid” for modern day fantasy legend Terry Brooks and Naomi Novik. In recent years Shawn kicked cancer’s arse and put together one of the best known fantasy anthologies in recent years, Unfettered. Some of the biggest and best authors in the industry donated stories to help him with his sizeable post cancer medical bills. Shawn is also the author of the well-received The Dark Thorn.
While Shawn is not considered a grimdark writer, he is very involved in the grimdark community having made some special editions of notable “grimdarkians” like Mark Lawrence through his own publishing company, Grim Oak Press.
On a personal note, I actually owe my own fledgling career in the industry to Shawn. I met him several years ago at an R.A. Salvatore signing and became one of his beta readers for The Dark Thorn.
As busy and entrenched in the industry as Shawn is, he took time out of his crazy schedule to meet with us and answer a few questions…Hey Shawn, Welcome. Thanks for joining us today and letting us pick your brain.
[SS] Thank you for having me!
[GdM] Your stories in The Dark Thorn world draw heavily on medieval history and Arthurian legend. What drew you to those stories as a jumping off point?
[SS] I’ve always been a fan of the Arthurian tales, going back to my earliest memories. The Sword in the Stone Disney movie was one of my favourites as a kid. Once I was old enough to watch John Boorman’s Excalibur though, my love was cemented. After that I read various books on the legends growing up and even took several Arthurian history classes in college. There was a lot of information to mine there for my own tales. I couldn’t resist.
[GdM] You were in the book industry in several roles for quite some time before you really created your own mark as a writer. How do you think that shaped your writing style?
[SS] I was a manager at one of the largest Barnes & Noble Booksellers in the country in one of the most book friendly cities in the world. I befriended many authors as they came through Seattle on tour. The most important person I met though was Terry Brooks who, along with Stephen King and Stephen R. Donaldson, had already shaped my future craft of writing in ways I’m still discovering. Without them as a foundation, I would not be doing what I love today.
[GdM] Which of the directions fantasy has taken in recent years would you like to see more of? Which one would you like to see go away?
[SS] This is the type of question I dislike, so take this answer with a huge boulder of salt. I firmly believe that our current culture has become one of declarative judgment. People have become far more righteous in their beliefs and, worse, they will do anything to make sure everyone knows it. It is in politics, sports, and all forms of entertainment, including the publishing field. I’ll just say I wish more people were more accepting of what they consider lesser forms of literature and, if they are incapable of doing that, not be so vehement. All too often I see grimdark lovers ridicule high fantasy or vice versa. In my opinion, these kinds of moments damage the overall readership of the mentioned genres, no
t grow it.
[GdM] What character(s) have you written that you would consider the most grimdark?
[SS] Richard McAllister, my main protagonist, is my most grimdark character. He is an emotionally broken homeless knight living on the streets of Seattle, given the responsibility of keeping this world and the fey world of Annwn separate. At the beginning of The Dark Thorn, the reader has no idea what could make someone so detestable. Some reviewers liken him to anti-hero Thomas Covenant, something I take pride in as the writer. Yet people cheer for Richard. He has darkness but he doesn't let it consume him. But maybe that won’t always be the case.
[GdM] Are there any grimdark authors whose work intrigues you or that you really enjoy?
[SS] I look forward to reading every new Mark Lawrence and Joe Abercrombie book. Can’t go wrong with either and I’ve welcomed both writers into my anthologies.
[GdM] What is your opinion on self-publishing and small press vs. big press?
[SS] I would not be typing this if not for self-publishing. While my agent took The Dark Thorn to the big press publishers in New York City, I was diagnosed with cancer. I was in real trouble since for years I had been unable to get health insurance due to a pre-existing condition. That is why Unfettered came into being. Without self-publishing, I never would have been able to pay off my massive medical debt. Self-publishing saved the life I wanted to live. When it comes to small press versus big press, both have their benefits and hardships. Thankfully, we have gotten to a point where there are some very good books being published in small press and the stigma of self-publishing and small presses is slowly evaporating.
[GdM] When you find any time to read for fun, which writers do you typically turn to?
[SS] I never turn to a pre-set group of writers that I love. I really enjoy finding debut novels that are great. But right now, I’m in the middle of wrapping up the final books in trilogies by Pierce Brown and Terry Brooks. Soon the ending book in the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik will hit my nightstand. And I have no doubt that the new Mark Lawrence will make its way to me, since I’m publishing a gorgeous limited edition omnibus of The Broken Empire in a few months.
[GdM] As was the case with your friend Peter Orullian, you’ve enjoyed a close friendship with fantasy legend Terry Brooks. What influence has Terry had on your work?
[SS] I could write a book about Terry’s influence. The Sword of Shannara is the reason I enjoy fantasy and work in this field. I read it for the first time when I was thirteen and I became a life-long fan, to the point I approached him about being his webmaster. But that aside, I’ve seen from Terry how to be a professional writer and all that entails. It’s about writing every day. It’s about being gracious to readers. And it’s about paying it forward. I would be a lesser writer and a lesser person if not for Terry. He has read my work, edited my work, and championed my work. I owe him a great debt.
[GdM] What can we expect to see from you in the near future?
[SS] I have a lot of irons in the fire for 2016. Unbound, my new anthology featuring short stories from Mark Lawrence, Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine, Seanan McGuire, Joe Abercrombie, and many more, is available now on the Grim Oak Press website and on ebook platforms. I am just starting to bring together the contributors for Unfettered II, an anthology that will publish later this year. All proceeds from that book will go toward alleviating medical debt for other writers, my way of paying forward the aid I received with Unfettered. I have my first science fiction short story being published in Mech: Age of Steel, an anthology from Ragnarok Publications. I really love the short story and I can easily see expanding on it in the future. Of course, my next novel, The Everwinter Wraith, is overdue. I am working on it now and hope to be finished by summer. And my Grim Oak Press will be publishing limited, leather-bound editions of books by Mark Lawrence, Peter Orullian, and possibly Terry Brooks this year. It is an exciting time. I hope you and your readers will join me![GdM]
Review: Road Brothers
BY MARK LAWRENCE
REVIEW BY MALRUBIUS
‘Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord’
Road Brothers: Tales from the Broken Empire is a short (124 ‘pages’, e-book only) short story collection by Mark Lawrence. It contains ten short stories, five of which have been previously published including Bad Seed, which was featured in Grimdark Magazine #1. The stories mainly present characters from Lawrence’s Broken Empire series but a couple of characters from The Red Queen’s War also make appearances. The stories are tight, fun, brutal, and fully exhibitive of Lawrence’s beautiful, imaginative storytelling and precise, unpretentious prose. Despite their short length, each of the stories is deeply felt, emotionally compelling, and action packed. Well, you didn’t really expect an unbiased review did you? We love this guy!
At the risk of being coy, abstruse, and perhaps incomprehensible, I am going to try to tell you about Road Brothers without giving anything away because if you’ve read the Broken Empire series (and who hasn’t?) and you haven’t read Road Brothers, you definitely should. And I don’t want to ruin it for you. You fast readers can read it in one sitting, and then, if you’re like me, read it again in another.
As its title suggests, Road Brothers is about brotherhood, all kinds of brotherhood—brothers by blood, blood brothers, and brothers by association—and the bonds between them. In the Broken Empire series, Jorg puts together a band of brothers that stand together to topple an empire, and many of those brothers appear in Road Brothers stories of their own. Here you’ll find Brother Makin on the trail of the people who killed his wife, child, and household, and you’ll also find him later in life, applying to guard the walls of King Olidan. As is true in the best fiction, Makin changes throughout his life story. You’ll also read about the Nuban in a surprising brotherhood (nope, I won’t tell) long before he meets Jorg, and then again as a seasoned killer taken prisoner with his Brother Jorg. You’ll read about Red Kent’s brotherhood with a boy he killed when he himself was a boy (in Bad Seed which I hope you read in GdM #1). And, of course, there are brothers Jorg and William in a hilariously dark episode from their childhood. It’s really too bad William died before the Broken Empire because he is one crazy little fucker. Throughout these stories and more, Lawrence explores what it means to be brothers. One of my favourite instances of this theme comes in a story about Brother Rike and his brother Price. It involves Sabitha, who happens to be Chella’s sister (there are other “sisters” in Road Brothers as well) when she questions whether Price is as close to Rike as his Road Brothers are (but that’s all I’m going to tell you). Obviously brotherhood is not a new thematic idea—it goes back at least to Cain and Able and likely much further—but Lawrence gives it his unique grimdark treatment, and the result is very entertaining and compelling.
As much as this is a collection of stories about brotherhood, though, it may be even more a collection about vengeance. Can the desire for revenge be sated by vengeance, or does revenge create the desire for more revenge and a never-ending cycle of violence? What can relieve the pain and grief when loved ones are slain? These types of questions are central to most of the stories in the collection. If Makin, with the help of Sister Ellen, tracks down and kills everyone who helped destroy his family, will that satisfy him or is something else required to ease his pain? Is there a place for forgiveness in the cycle of violence? Can Alann Oak (later Red Kent) ever gain forgiveness from the boy he killed when they were young, and if so, is this enough to steer him away from a life of killing or is he destined to be a killer. What about mercy? Would Makin’s dead wife and child rather he avenge their deaths or show mercy and end the cycle of killing? Lawrence tackles themes of vengeance from several angles in Road Brothers, and it makes for some thought-provoking entertainment, which perhaps reaches its height (or depth depending on how you look at it) in the final story, Know Thyself. The story features Father Gomst upon his arrival at the Tall Castle. He is assigned to tutor young Jorg and William, and most importantly to get them to “
honour thy father” King Olidan. Upon his arrival, however, he discovers the young brothers (Jorg is six and William four) in the midst of a plan to kill their father. When Gomst suggests that the boys will get over the slight they have received from their father, Jorg answers, “’Not William.’ Jorg shook his head. ‘He won’t give up. Father killed our dog. We have to kill him now.’” Such is life in the Broken Empire.
There are of course other stories that explore other themes in the collection, including two stories that beautifully take the reader to that grey area where fantasy meets post-apocalyptic science fiction. Also included in this volume is a twisty tale of assassination, The Secret, previously published in Ragnarok’s 2015 Reddit Stabby Award-winning anthology Blackguards: Tales of Assassins, Mercenaries, and Rogues. And what would a trip to the Broken Empire be without a stop under the mountain to visit the leucrota Gorgoth and his sister Jane and the twin brothers Gog and Magog? They’re all here, or almost here if they can be found, in this short anthology that you don’t want to miss.
As with any seemingly self-published work, there are a few annoying typos here and there, especially toward the end of the book, that could have been fixed with another careful proofreading, but that’s pretty much the only bad thing I can think of to say about this excellent read. And perhaps best of all, it’s only five US dollars and seems to be comparably priced in other parts of the world. So if you enjoyed the Broken Empire, you’ll definitely want to read Road Brothers: Tales from the Broken Empire while you wait for The Wheel of Osheim, the conclusion to Lawrence’s Red Queen’s War series.
Grimdark Magazine Issue #7 MOBI Page 5
