Craig Saunders is fast becoming a must read author in the realms of horror and dark fiction, and Masters Of Blood and Bone sees another story published by the Darkfuse stable of which he’s fast becoming a name to be remembered.
Now Masters Of Blood and Bone is one of those books that you can just sit back and read, almost in awe and appreciation of a major talent. First off the style of writing keeps you pinned to every page, there’s a perpetual darkness to the writing but the thing that stood out most for me was the story and the scope of ideas on show.
There’s a small character base to this story, a tale you could well call urban fantasy but it’s as far removed from the YA genre you normally associate urban fantasy with as you could get.
Holland at the order of his boss goes in search of a book, not just any book, for this book is one of magical words and severe consequences await when this book is read. Unfortunately Holland leaves the book out and it’s his 17 year old daughter Ank that reads the fated words and releases something from ages back, into the world once again. A time of God’s, demons and magic is reborn heralding destruction in its wake.
Wizards or mages, whatever you prefer but I guarantee this is not your usual fantasy style magic tropes, this is a magic bent on annihilation and the world is caught frozen in the headlights.
‘Aware of her bones knitting, her blood flowing, circulation beginning even as her heart and veins and arteries and capillaries began the task of feeding her body… flesh wrapping around her burning, agonizingly naked frame. Nerve endings bare of all protection for mere moments, but long enough for the pain of flensing to be etched forever in Ank’s nascent mind’
If you’ve not read Craig Saunders before, you need to, trust me, and there’s no better place to start than his novella DeadLift. Which I rate very highly along with Masters of Blood and Bone.
Words: Paul Nelson
