Review: A Heart Felt Short Story in the Powder Mage Universe
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 6, 2014
I absolutely loved this short story, and really my only problem with it is that it's a short story, and I don't think the main characters are in the books at all (or at least I don't remember them). Unlike all of Brian McClellan's other short fiction in this world, the main character isn't a character from the books. Instead it's a female Captain named Verundish serving under General Tamas, relatively early in his military career. This is during a military campaign in a far off land (I forget the exact name), where the Adran forces are laying siege to an enemy castle. When we're first introduced to Captain Verundish, she is in the midst of committing suicide because of a letter from home. I won't go into anymore detail to avoid spoilers, but the gist of the short story is that she volunteers for a suicide mission to try to end the siege. The story is very well written, making you really care for the characters, even though you spend so little time with them. The end of the story even brought tears to my eyes, something that is difficult, especially in short fiction. I'd definitely recommend this short story, if you've read the authors other work, it'll be a great addition to your time in the world, and if you're new to McClellan's writing, this is a great introduction.