Military fantasy is something that we don’t see a lot of here on Tellest (by way of the Otherworld). I think a big part of that is that it’s very difficult, even for seasoned veterans of the broader genre, to make a war compelling and neat. Even the smaller skirmishes that I’ve written have been a bit muddied and dense. But if you’re a Tolkien or a Salvatore, you can easily make those stories clean and impressive.
You can add Rob Marley to that list. He easily makes use of action and drama relating to war and the lasting effects that it causes. “Every life you take is another blemish upon your soul.” It’s a deep, polarizing thought, and Marley fully endorses it with the power of his writing. His character’s, too, lend their talents to the tapestry, making this a story worthy of your attention.
Good men make poor soldiers. It’s been a hundred years or more since elves of the northern woods have come south to kill. But in Riverfield, that streak is broken. The town priest, its Marshal and a mysterious young girl named Maria, all fight to save the people from a deadly fate, in a desperate chase across the mythical land of the Thornlands.
In the Thornlands, few have seen elves in a hundred years. Yet on one evening a raiding party swoop to attack Riverfield, a small settlement in the North of the province. Suddenly, the townspeople are plunged into a desperate flight, and fight, for their lives. Isaac- the town priest, becomes an unlikely protector of the people, as events entwine his and other’s paths.
Warden is the first in a series of Novelette’s which tell the story of Isaac and Maria, the people they meet and the events which rock the Thornlands to it’s foundations.
Warden is a wonderful little tale that will get you interested in the world the author’s created. With anger and remorse and fear all weaved together so elegantly, this tapestry is one that has very few frayed edges. The greatest tragedy is that you’ll tear through the material so quickly. But fret not. Marley is working on more stories in the Blackthorn Chronicles.
If you’re interested in Warden, you can pick it up at Amazon or at Smashwords. Stay tuned for more great content from Rob Marley.
Michael DeAngelo
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