MY ⭐️ RATING: 5/5
Format: Kindle eBook
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Admar’s future is a path paved with broken glass. Each step forward living under Scothean tyranny cuts away another piece of his humanity. Right down to the very bone.
But even a meager life as a miner is better than a pointless death. A sister, a mother, a lover, all lost at the uncaring hands of the Scoths, have left him with nothing but memories and ash for comfort. While stories like his are all too common, they still aren’t enough to stoke rebellion among the oppressed.
If Admar is to find hope amid the brutal occupation of his homeland, he’ll have to question how deep his convictions go. For with every crack of the enemy’s whip, he’ll know torment. With every swipe of their axes, he’ll know suffering. And every moment he refuses to act will drag him further from his destiny.
Maybe there are no more heroes left…or maybe they’re waiting to be made.
The events of this novelette take place 73 years prior to the events of “The Price of Power.”
MY REVIEW
This 87 page prequel novelette is the start of a gruesome, epic fantasy tale with a captivating story, unforgettable characters to root for and to hate along with a world that has a sense of realism, paired with a small amount of fantastical elements. What Michel was able to do in such a short period of time with his character development and his world-building shows that he’s already got the skills and it’ll be fun to watch as he masters what he does with each novel he puts out going forth. Michel is definitely one to watch in this sub-genre of GrimDark, because he reminds me a lot of Michael Fletcher & Joe Abercrombie, and that’s not something I’d say lightly, because those are massive shoes to fill with such a small sample to base it on.
What I liked most about this, is that it was more than I was expecting it to be. War Song not only sets the gritty tone and a big understanding of the history for the world, but the story it brings to life is a brutal story of rebellion. What I thought was going to be a story similar to that of Gladiator became something more like Spartacus but with roots tied into the Germanic revolt of the Roman Empire. It starts as a story about Admar, who’s lost everything and gets captured, but it soon turns into the gripping story of Danath and how he started an uprising against the horrid Scothea to free the people of Namarr. No, there aren’t colosseum games for gladiator fights, but it has some pretty grueling battle scenes so vivid and detailed it plays in your mind like a scene from a movie.
“They have shaped me into what I am today. Little did my slave masters know, with every stroke of the whip, every bludgeoning fist, they forged the weapon of their downfall. When I consider it in this way, it isn’t all horrible. Any drastic change requires at least some price paid.”
I already knew this story was going to be dark, but the relentless and unapologetic way Michel put me in a trance with this incredible story was truly a great way to dip my toes into a new world and forcefully make me want to read The Price of Power, because it seems as if it is only going to get even darker, more gruesome, and even more grim. This could possibly be my favorite prequel novella since I read The Fall by Ryan Cahill for the first time back in 2021.
If you’re looking for a new face in the GrimDark genre to terrorize your dreams, you can get a free copy of this by joining Michael Michel’s newsletter @ michaelmichelauthor.com or you can purchase it for $0.99 on Amazon, linked at the top of the page!
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