Blackwing

This fantasy debut is getting a lot of attention, and the good news is that it's (mostly) merited. It's set in a far future post apocalyptic world, with just a few small enclaves of humanity left in a wasteland known as the Misery (which put me in mind a bit of the Cursed Earth from Judge Dredd, with more freakiness). There are powers in this world - the evil Dead Kings want to destroy the towns and outposts left, while the Nameless oppose them, although it'd be a stretch to call the Nameless the good guys. Our mercenary hero is indentured to one of these Nameless, and it's a message he receives (via the medium of a crow tearing itself out of its tattooed likeness on his arm) that sets our story in motion.

There's a lot to like here. The world building is original and well done, with enough locations outside the story hinted at to make you feel that this is a thought through world that could support several more novels set in it. Likewise, the author cleverly leaves enough threads dangling to set up the sequel without leaving you feeling shortchanged by the ending of this one - it's definitely a complete novel in itself. The action writing is viscerally brutal, and although only three or four characters get any real depth of characterisation, it's still effectively done. My only gripe is that the narrator is constantly at pains, like on almost every page, to remind us just how DARK and GRITTY he is, and that he deals with his TRAGIC PAST with ALCOHOL and VIOLENCE, because he is DARK and GRITTY with a TRAGIC PAST, etc, etc. Nevertheless, it's a good book, and I'm on board for the next one.