Wytchfire

Poet Meyerhofer (Damnatio Memoriae) somewhat unsuccessfully tries his hand at fantasy in his fiction debut. The land of Runn is a war-torn continent blending traditional sword-and-sorcery elements with those of the more recently popular grimdark subgenre; prostitution, suicide, and sexual assault coexist with ancient draconic cults, magic swords, and prophecies of a chosen savior. Rowen, a failed candidate for knighthood, accidentally crosses paths with a bloodthirsty army bent on using certain powerful individuals, called Dragonkin, to conquer the known world. The resulting conflict, though rooted in an intricate setting, relies far too heavily on clichés and creative misspellings: orc becomes olg, dwarf is dwarr, and so on. Meyerhofer’s prose is serviceable, but unlike his award-winning poetry, it brings nothing unique or especially interesting to its genre. The plot, which meanders and sometimes appears to contradict itself, is in dire need of editing. Though enthusiastic about his subject matter, Meyerhofer unfortunately comes up short when translating that emotion into his work. (BookLife)