Hello Fellow Journeyers,
This is a novella that I found from an author who attributes his writing to series such as The Witcher and The Lord of the Rings. Since I'm a big fan of both, I was excited since I haven't found any other stories resembling The Witcher up to this point. This is a prequel novella that introduces the main character of Martin's main series that has the first book released so far.
What's the story about: The Terror of Dunwall is a third person POV novella of a young man's initiation quest to becoming a member of an ancient order of protectors/monster hunters. The quest quickly escalates and his will is tested by scenarios that are more muddled and difficult than initially believed. It draws heavily from the short story collections in The Witcher series. While I won't say that this is a direct copy, there are many similarities and clever nods to the series that inspired it.
To begin with, I read this story in two sittings because I urgently wanted to know what would ultimately happen. From the beginning, there are many distinct similarities to The Witcher books that can't help but be addressed. All the best parts are here: the order of monster hunters, the protagonist whos intuition goes against what he's told, the moral dilemmas, the tragic histories of the characters, the monsters, the setting; the whole thing showcases Martin's love for Geralt and his world that comes across more endearing and affectionate than as a parody or ripoff. I read this story because I've been wanting to read something that tries to take the good aspects of The Witcher books and video games, while leaving out the bad parts (which are numerous). For the most part, Martin is able to tell his own tale that gives room for unique authorial choices and directions.
But that's not to say that this story is perfect by any means. The main drawback from this short tale is how effective the plot points come across. Even though this book is only 119 pages, there are actually a considerable amount of events that take place. Martin used many "twists" to keep the story interesting and dynamic, but unfortunately, these twists often fell flat. I often accept characters' surprising choices in their entirety because humans act brashly, behave compulsively, and are inconsistent, but quite a few characters do specific things that seem too farfetched at times during this story. I won't go into detail about what specifically, but many of them didn't work. Though I applaud the author for trying his hand at executing drastic twists. Honestly, with a little practice and intentionality, the way in which they're done could really be satisfying to read.
For the most part, I just sat and enjoyed this novella for what it is worth. Martin does a good job fleshing out the needed aspects of the world while actually telling a story rather than world-build for too many pages. Marcus felt like a real character and experienced significant growth by the end of this tale, even if it takes some stretching of the imagination to get there.
★★★★ 3.5 Stars - The Terror of Dunwall introduces the world of Elesia and the character of Marcus. Upon finishing, it felt like I had gone through a significant chapter in Marcus' life, causing this prequel to feel more crucial than many short stories do (even if I haven't read the first entry yet). This chronicle is fast, familiar, and easy to follow, but not overly derivative or formulaic. While the plot is thought-provoking by itself, the characters and their actions are a significant pull in appreciating Marcus' journey; they're (mostly) fleshed out and realized, with the exceptions of a few acting inconsistently. While the plot twists are frequent and somewhat forced, there is a lot to like and appreciate about this story when it wraps up. My interest was kept the entire time and the ending was equally satisfying and inconclusive. I'm excited to pick up The Oathbreakers next!
Let me hear from you! If you like what you read, want to hear more thoughts on this book, other reviews, or talk book recommendations and Essential Reading, leave a comment below.
Rating system:
★★★★★ 5 Stars: It was amazing; I loved it. Read this book; it is definitely Essential Reading!
★★★★★* 4.5 Stars: It was nearly perfect. I really loved almost every aspect of it, but a few things kept it from being amazing.
★★★★ 4 Stars: It was very worth reading and satisfying; highly recommend.
★★★★* 3.5 Stars: I thoroughly enjoyed this story, but it was lacking in certain crucial areas.
★★★ 3 Stars: It was good, but could've been better or improved upon significantly.
★★★* 2.5 Stars: I wanted to enjoy it. Certain aspects were good, it was worth finishing, but many issues.
★★ 2 Stars: It was okay, I didn't feel strongly about it.
★★* 1.5 Stars: I finished it, but it was a chore to get through.
★ 1 Star: I did not like it. It was not worth finishing or I did not finish it.
*I round up based on the system on Goodreads.