Amazon.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Much like its predecessor, The Claw of Craving,<\/em> the sequel The City of Corpses <\/em>is a wildly imaginative dark fantasy that\u2019s beautifully written and imagined.\u00a0 It has it all: twisting plotline, vivid characters, unholy magic, a touch of romance, and a huge, blood-soaked battle that Conan himself would have enjoyed.\u00a0 Above all, it\u2019s the author\u2019s magical touch with his prose that puts this saga in a league of its own.\u00a0 This is a must read for any fantasy\/horror fans.\u00a0 You need to read the first one before this one, though.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
City<\/em> continues the journey of Alan Chambers, the unlikely hero (and possibly savior) of Carcosa.\u00a0 The first book established Alan as a power, with the fabled Claw of Craving as his weapon.\u00a0 In this one, it\u2019s up to him to decide how to wield that power, as he is needed to prevent the Yellow King\u2019s treacherous daughter Cali from causing the overthrow of the king.\u00a0 Alan really comes into his own as the driving force in this book.\u00a0 In the first one, his companions Cassilda (and Cali, at that time) called most of the shots.\u00a0 Here, Alan steps up as the leader of the group, and thankfully, he still has Cassilda, Petruccio the dwarf, and the irascible actor LeBarron along for help.\u00a0 The characters are well-developed from the first book to now, getting bigger and more interesting roles.\u00a0 Cassilda has grown into her role as a big player. In the first book, she was often overshadowed by Cali: now, she\u2019s a leader in her own right, and she and Alan make a formidable team- and discover personal feelings for each other.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 There are a few new characters, as well:: the enchantress Scarleth is particularly intriguing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
The story itself does a great job of continuing the first, the world of Carcosa is so well drawn you can see and feel it.\u00a0 One good example is when the characters cross the icewater lake to the hidden city It\u2019s so perfectly written, you can almost feel the cold of the lake bite into your feet.\u00a0 That\u2019s a testament to the author\u2019s ability. This is higher level writing, the kind that not only reads well, but also sounds good.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t standard fiction writing: it\u2019s edging towards the level of Clark Ashton Smith.\u00a0 You won\u2019t find writing like this often– which is another reason this is a must-read for fantasy fans.\u00a0 \u00a0There is a lot of imagination built into the story: examples include the entrances to the hidden city, and all the wildness of the final battle, complete with a deranged dinosaur sort of creature that annihilates everything.\u00a0 I loved the battle sequences: it made me feel like I was there when the enemies poured over the walls.\u00a0 It\u2019s a good, messy battle, with enough to satisfy the gorehounds out there.<\/p>\n
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Bottom line?\u00a0 There really isn\u2019t a flaw in this, except that it ends.\u00a0 Thankfully, it will continue, as there seems to be a ways to go, and many questions to be answered.\u00a0 Let\u2019s hope the ride continues a long time: this is something special.\u00a0 Very highly recommended!<\/p>\n
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Reviewed by Murray Samuelson<\/p>\n
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The City of Corpses (Lost Carcosa #2)\u00a0by Joseph Sale Blood Bound Publishing, 2024 ISBN: 9781940250595 Available: Paperback, Kindle edition Buy: Amazon.com Much like its predecessor, The Claw of Craving, the sequel The City of Corpses is a wildly imaginative dark fantasy that\u2019s beautifully written and imagined.\u00a0 It has it all: twisting plotline, vivid<\/p>\n
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