Darkness Weaves by Karl Edward Wagner. A writer in the wrong time. If he had lived in 1920/30/40 he would have been in the same league of Robert E Howard and H P Lovecraft and the lot. He was nihilistic, anarchistic and absurdist. He died because of alchool. I think that explains a lot. He sets his work (some of it) in the same timeline of Conan and Bran Mak Morn. He created a hero called Kane. This book is one of the three novels and three collections. This is the first of the tales. So what's good in it? Well Kane stories are set in a grim, pre-medieval world with rich in history. He is powerful, left handed and read hair and have said to killed his brother Abel (Cain and Abel anyone?) and cursed by a mad god with an eternal life of wandering. (again Cain and Abel?). He is vulnerable to wounds but heals fast. He is both a warrior and a sorcerer.Elric by Moorcock and Conan by Howard are heavealy influenced. But as I said this is an excelent character with both the brains but also the strenght. This tale was quite good to read. The history is these... The Thovnosian Empire is made up of several islands that join forces to destroy Red Kane but his body was never found. Now Efrel the mutilated ruler of Pellin intends to take over the empire and exact revenge on her enemies. Using dark arts she learns that Kane is alivce and due to his genius naval strategy is recruited and regards the all deal an unfinished business. There are some references to Kane past and indicated why Kane prefers violence when has other skills. Violence is an addiction. The dialogues are quite good and the reference to Efrel are quite disgusting (in a good way). In these tale don't expect good hearted characters... 10/10
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