The Blackhart Blades (NP Novella # 12) by David Gullen (book review)

‘The Blackhart Blades’ by David Gullen is that rare and lovely thing, a short fantasy story. It’s set in the usual mediaeval-style world where the Blades are a gang of mercenary warriors, mostly female, on a mission to lay their fallen leader, Dante Blackhart, to rest. Their route takes them through Zangomar, a small peaceful mountain kingdom or was once. Now King Yogi has died, his daughter and heir Queen Zaphron has vanished. His steward, Sieur Bon Banacort is trying to rule the kingdom but the army general, Black Talahan, has holed up in Hardknot Keep with both the treasury and the army. Banacort hires the Blackhart Blades to kill Talahan and get the money back.

However, these petty squabbles are made practically irrelevant by Veng the Usurper who is using a large, fierce army to build an empire, conquering every land in its path. The Kingdom of Zangomar is tucked away in a mountain valley with only one narrow point of access and therefore very defendable but could not stand long against Veng. This situation reminded me of Moorcock’s first ‘Hawkmoon’ book, ‘The Jewel In The Skull’, where tiny Kamarg is threatened by the vast empire of Granbretan. I’m sure there are many similar examples in the vast realms of epic fantasy.

I thoroughly enjoyed the tale. David Gullen has an easy way with words and his heroines are a likeable bunch. There are some nice touches of humour and the magic is not too easy. Purists may be put off by the frequent point of view switches, but it doesn’t bother me a bit. I like a peep inside more than one character’s head, the way they did it in days of old. All in all, an enjoyable read and I would not be surprised if sequels followed. After all, Moorcock wrote novellas and bundled them up into epics. It’s a good way to write.

Eamonn Murphy

August 2023

(pub: Newcon Press. 90 page small enlarged paperback. Price: £ 9.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-914953-54-5)

check out website: www.newconpress.co.uk