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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ryhalt Galharrow is just trying to get by. In ages past, the Deep Kings — immortal, evil, god-like beings — marched on the land, wreaking devastation wherever they went. Then, a group of powerful wizards called The Nameless blasted the world apart and created the Misery, a twisted wasteland of renegade magic and grotesque monsters, but their actions kept the Deep Kings at bay. Now, Galharrow makes his money as a mercenary for hire tracking and killing minions of the Deep Kings. Unfortunately, Galharrow has also pledged his sword to Crowfoot, one of the Nameless. When Crowfoot delivers an urgent order to save a mysterious noblewoman, Galharrow is plunged into a far-ranging conspiracy whose roots threaten to destroy civilization itself.

This is the first book in a series by debut author Ed McDonald, and it is something to behold. McDonald tosses the reader right into the Misery on page one, and keeps up a relentless pace throughout the book. Unlike quite a few “first in series,” Blackwing has avoided the awkward “getting to know you” phase that breaks up the flow of so many books. We learn about our hero and our setting in bits and pieces; enough to make sense of the plot, but little enough to leave us wanting more. The tone of the book combines the best elements of dark fantasy, steampunk, post-apocalyptic brutality, and 1930s detective noir.

McDonald has created an interesting and flawed hero in Ryhalt Galharrow, and provides enough secondary characters to allow the series to mature and expand with future books. Likewise, the setting seems like something out of a Robert E. Howard story, all dark recesses and horrifying sorcery. McDonald does a fantastic job of building this world up without sacrificing the pace of the plot, no mean feat. In fact, the only thing I have to complain about in this book is that any romance-related dialogue is awkward. I mean, Attack of Clones, George Lucas awkward. Fortunately, there’s not too much of this, so it doesn’t really impact the quality of the story.

In all, fans of darker fantasy will probably love this book. Fans of Lovecraftian stories, or the Conan and Solomon Kane stories by Howard should also check out this series. If Blackwing is the author’s debut work, then I can’t wait to read the next in the series!

An advance copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Today I have a review on one of 2017’s big debuts, Blackwing by Ed McDonald. This is the first book of the Raven’s Mark series and it has been getting a lot of praise, and a little disdain, from a good deal of people in the reviewing business. As such, I was very excited to sink my teeth in and form my own opinion. What I found was I agree with some points on both sides of the fence and that Blackwing is an exciting debut to a new series with a talented author, but it could use a little bit of polish.

The plot is a little complicated, so bare with me – I promise it is worth it. Blackwing is a harrowing grimdark novel that follows the story of Ryhalt Galharrow (get it because I said the book was harrowing earlier? Please don’t unsubscribe) as he makes his way in a dystopia torn by devastating war. In McDonald’s world two sets of god like beings, The Nameless and The Deep Kings, have been fighting each other for millennia. Ryhalt fights for the side of The Nameless, the mildly more sympathetic side who aren’t actively trying to kill every human – unlike The Deep Kings. However, though the Nameless are the only thing that keeps humanity from being destroyed by The Deep Kings, they certainly are not benevolent and kind rulers. The magics of both sides have warped and destroyed people and land alike. In particular, one of the Nameless set off a bomb to drive back a Deep King invasion that turned a huge portion of the continent into a wasteland called The Misery – killing a huge chunk of the population at the same time. While it is implied that there were once a large group of Nameless, at the start of our story there are only about four left. Ryhalt works for one in particular, Crowfoot, and is one of his Blackwings – apostles that feel something like park rangers that patrol the Misery against possible incursions. While the Misery is a hellscape one wouldn’t want to enter willingly, what actually keeps humanity safe from the Kings is a colossal weapon designed by another of the Nameless called ‘Nall’s Engine’ – basically the universe’s largest set of artillery cannons aimed at the Misery. Humanity must constantly gather magic and shove it into the engine to keep it primed, a task that leaves any who have the talent chained to the engine powering it until it cripples them. Our story begins with Ryhalt getting a message from Crowfoot that the engine might not be running quite as well as everyone expects, and to investigate.

I know that the plot seems like a convoluted mouthful, but McDonald has a real talent for worldbuilding. The world, culture, power structure, magic, and infrastructure of his setting are all extremely detailed and well fleshed out. Blackwing has a strong sense of identity that makes it feel like you are reading about a real functioning world – not a fantasy construct. It can feel messy, but messy by design not through lack of effort. Additionally, the magic of the book is both original and exciting to read. Humanity has sorcerers who gather light and turn it into energy. This is used both to power cities and Nall’s Engine, as well as in combat in a form of pyromancy. On The Deep King’s side, the minions we meet have a huge variety of powers straight out of a horror novel – most of which revolve around corrupting others. It makes for some edge of your seat action sequences that I really enjoyed.

On top of the world, McDonald has a great cast of interesting characters that I was very invested in. We meet members from all areas and walks of life that show us all the big and small jobs that keep humanity from succumbing to The Deep Kings. Speaking of which, The Nameless and Deep Kings had more depth than I was expecting and I really enjoyed learning more about them, in particular when a few get time in the spotlight. However, there is one exception to this praise about the cast, and it is really my one big issue with Blackwing – I really didn’t care about Ryhalt.

It isn’t as though I hated the protagonist, it is just that I really never felt attached to Ryhalt in any meaningful way. I believe a lot of that comes from the fact that he seemed to have little to no agency himself. A lot of our time with Ryhalt is spent watching other characters react to his personality, reputation, or rank as a Blackwing. In a large number of interactions between Ryhalt and his support cast involve them reacting to him being a Blackwing and whether or not they should respect him more. This lead to a lot of the supporting cast getting some deep characterization but leaving Ryhalt out in the cold a little bit. By the end of the book I was stuck with two conflicting feelings: the most important part of Ryhalt’s identity is that he is a Blackwing and that I cannot understand for the life of me the point or benefit to being one. It allows him access to insider information about The Nameless, gives him a rank above most soldiers (which in a military dictatorship is a pretty good perk), and helps him make the world a better place (sorta?) but I don’t really get why Ryhalt wants any of these things based on other aspects you learn about his personality. It was a speedbump on an otherwise fantastic novel, and I am hoping that Ryhalt’s character will see more development in the sequels.

With the exception of a slightly forgettable protagonist, Blackwing is an amazing debut that I greatly enjoyed. McDonald’s attention to detail and wild imagination has made a world and story worth reading about. It is definitely one of the more promising new series and I will be picking up the sequel as soon as it is available. The Quill to Live recommends Blackwing for anyone looking for a great dystopian fantasy/horror mashup.

Rating: Blackwing – 8.0/10

This novel was absolutely fantastic! The lore had me captivated from beginning to end. I loved the relationships between the characters, loved watching them grow and collapse. McDonald kept me on my toes the entire time! There were twists that broke my heart, some that shocked me and some that were brilliantly written. The ending tore my heart out but made for quite a read. I can't wait to see what McDonald does next!

This book was fantastic. I’ll start there, because that’s really the most important thing about this review. Blackwing is a fantastic story with all kinds of intrigue and mystery, twists and turns, ups and downs. It’s a very unique world and has such interesting characters and situations in it, that I just fell right into this world of magic, gods, monsters, kings, and princes and before I knew it, it was over.

It brought to mind a great many different things as I went, but is wholly something amazing and different. It’s sort of swords and sorcery that meets steampunk somewhere vaguely nowhere near the middle. It’s mostly been called grimdark to me though, which I will definitely agree on. It’s pretty grim, and pretty dark. I have trouble assigning genres to things. It’s fantasy. The good kind.

Galharrow is a character that I couldn’t help but root for, despite all the horrible stuff he’s done in his life. He’s the sort of protagonist that you know is morally… sort of grey in areas, but who you just want to win. Galharrow will kill pretty much anyone in his way when it will benefit himself or his friends, but when he is presented with information that changes everything… well, he’ll change his tune a little.

The concept of the Blackwing and how Galharrow serves his master, Crowfoot- not exactly a god, but not exactly a man- was really interesting and well thought out. The magic system altogether was really well executed here. People called Spinners actually spin the light of the moons into batteries that they then use to do magic. There’s more than just that… there are different kinds of magic, but that is the one we see most. The world of Blackwing, this dystopian wasteland of the Misery (a section of land that actually negatively affects the human body to be in) and even the city that Galharrow resides in was well described and came to life for me. Smells are described often here, and I’ll admit to wrinkling my nose once or twice when I imagined being in Galharrow’s place. Wash your sheets, dude. >.>

The climax and ending of this book was really, really well done. I was legitimately surprised by some of the revelations that were brought forth. The whole thing got turned on its head. People you had 100% surety about were suddenly not at all what they seemed. Things happened. Emotions were emoted. Flux capacitors fluxed. And a rollicking time was had by all.

Anyway, I really, really liked this book. It’s definitely the sort of story that keeps you up reading well past your bedtime. This is easily in my top 10 books I’ve read this year so far.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Ace for the advanced copy of this book!~

“Some men are born to charm ladies and spread their irresponsible seed across the land. Some exist to create the great works of art that inspire dreams and drive creativity for generations. Others are born to till the fields, put bread on the table, and raise their sons to till the fields, put bread on the table, raise sons of their own. I was born to end lives.”

2017 appears to just be the year for amazing debut fantasy novels, and Blackwing by Ed McDonald was no exception. This book is already released in Europe, but doesn’t drop for us Americans until October 3rd, but you definitely want to put this on your pre-order list if you’re a fantasy fan.

Blackwing is a super unique novel that isn’t afraid to talk about dark themes. I never felt like Blackwing was too much, but you should probably know going in that many people do consider this grimdark. Also, trigger warnings for suicide, war themes, and graphic violence. But, again, I don’t think it’s anything too brutal, and I never felt overwhelmed by any of the dark themes.

“I’m Blackwing Captain Ryhalt Galharrow. I’m here to beat the living shit out of you until you tell me what I need to know.”

This is a post apocalyptic story following a bounty hunter, Ryhalt Galharrow, AKA: Blackwing, who is constantly running away from his past. He also has a very magical arrangement with a Nameless, which aren’t Gods, but they are pretty close to it. This arrangement is also constantly haunting him, because he never knows when he will be called upon for a quest.

Well, that’s how this story truly gets started, and Blackwing receives a quest that not only seems impossible, but also forces him to look his past straight in the face. Blackwing is quickly tangled up into a a much bigger mission where the fate of human existence depends on him helping solve a problem that seems unsolvable.

Basically, the humans live in fear of the Dhojaran forces and the Darlings, who were once human and now turned into magical beings by the Deep Kings. All of these forces live in the Misery alongside ghosts and other magical, yet terrifying, beings.

“The blasts that had created that stalemate had left their scars deep in the earth. Nobody and nothing moved out there in the poisoned lands of the Misery”

There are now outposts where soldiers are constantly on the lookout for the Deep Kings and their armies. Many years ago, the Deep Kings tried to take over the rest of human existence, but a magical weapon unleashed a fury like no other, and now its presence keeps the humans feeling safe and the Deep Kings feeling weary to try another attack. That is, until there is talk circulating that the weapon may not be in function anymore.

In this world, some humans are Spinners, who are like sorcerers and able to make Phos from the powers of the three moons, which help them produce magic. Talents are a lesser type of sorcerer, who are still able to produce Phos, but for Spinners and others to use. And the magic that the Spinners and Talents use is always at a cost. Many go mad, and are killed or tucked away in asylums. Talents are also treated terribly and forced to work at mills, where they are just harvested for their Pho production.

This book constantly talks about and touches on the three moons in their sky:

➽Rioque – Red
➽Clada – Blue
➽Eala – Gold

These moons also play a huge part in this book, because of the Spinners and Talents that are drawing power from them, but I predict these moons will play an even bigger part in this world and story in later installments.

I touched upon this earlier, but there are six Nameless who could possibly help Blackwing against the Dhojaran forces, and they were pretty much my favorite part of this story:

➽Crowfoot – Has the pact with Blackwing.
➽Nall – Vanished. Also, made the powerful weapon that keeps the Deep Kings at bay.
➽Cold – Presumed dead.
➽Songlope – Presumed dead.
➽Shallowgrave – Vanished and is a complete mystery.
➽The Lady of Waves – Never seems to leave the island of Pyre. But, like, I am so in love with the mystery about this Nameless. I’d love to read an entire book just about her and what is going on on her island.

I loved the mystery behind all the Nameless, and I cannot wait to read more books in this series just to find out all of their secrets. It is also pretty apparent that they are going to play a much bigger role in this series, and I’m completely ready to learn any and everything about them. Also, give me all the information on Saravor, the Fixer, because I’m already obsessed with his entire situation.

This story is action packed and moves so very fast that the book feels impossible to put down. Like I said above, the world is so unique and has such a Mad Max feels to it. I completely adored it all, and the characters are just as amazing, too.

“The great mistake of man is to believe that other men can live up to the ideals that we set them.”

Plus, the prose of this novel, especially in juxtaposition of this cruel world, is absolutely beautiful. I was so impressed with the writing in this, and I couldn’t believe all the quotes I had tabbed once I finished. Not only is this a fast paced thrilling story, but it’s written absolutely lyrically.

And this book is so funny. It’s hard to make me actually laugh in a book, but this book actually made my sides hurt at times. The banter is just the perfect combination of witty and humorous, that is very reminiscent of Sebastien de Castell’s Greatcoats, especially during many of the fighting scenes. And if you’ve been following my reviews for a while now you will know that comparing anything to Sebastien de Castell means that I love it completely.

This book also excelled in female representation. The two strongest fighters on the good side of this war are both women. Woman are soldiers, Princes, and godlike deities in this world. They are all strong, brave, and rather fearless if I do say so myself. The female representation in Blackwing is amazingly portrayed.

And Ed McDonald even gives us a little sexual representation, because there is also a gay side character that I instantly fell completely in love with. It was said, known, and accepted that he was gay without question or contestation. And the entire society that is built in this book feels very gender neutral and I was completely living for it.

Also, the main female character has severe scarring all over her body, and I was living for the body positive representation that Ed McDonald wrote. Like, he did what Colleen Hoover in November 9 could not, and he did it seamlessly and completely beautifully. And seeing things like that in Fantasy? Rare and beautiful and I completely applaud this debut author for incorporating all of these amazing and important themes.

Seriously, Blackwing has it all, and I’m still in somewhat disbelief that this is Ed McDonald’s debut novel. I also expect nothing but great things for everything else he has in store for us surround this world. The plot is unique, the world building is incredible, the characters are fantastic, the representation is important, and the writing is nothing short of gorgeous. Blackwing is a must read in 2017 for Fantasy lovers, and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

“Back behind where my heart should have been, I harboured a fury hotter than any pile of burning literature could ever produce, a rage born of fear and pain and longing. I needed to see a head roll across the floor, and I needed it to be his.”