When sword and sorcery fail, only words remain.
Dialogue focused scenes drive stories inward, emphasizing the character’s inner conflict.
The Siege of Kintomar
By Millea Kenin
A roaming mercenary takes refuge inside a surrounded city. Desperate, she searches for some way to prevail against the enemy, but instead she discovers a tragic past, one which must be mended if the kingdom is to have any hope.
An ambitious opening challenges audiences to read between the lines, using a host of details to imply a hefty backstory. Information is gradually doled out, mostly through dynamic conversations between characters, providing an ever changing understanding of the world of the story, though at times it can feel like the story is trying to accomplish too much in so few words.
Occasional summaries may interrupt the flow of scenes for the sake of providing condensed background information, but they are thankfully brief. Accelerating towards its ending, the story rushes through much of its resolution, preferring to focus on the difficult conversations that occur in the aftermath of action. Like many stories, it opts to end by alluding to future adventures. Unfortunately the technique feels forced, as the optimistic implications of the ending cut against the tragic tone that has dominated much of the story.
+Strong Narrative Techniques
+Strong Dialogue
*Challenging Read
-Overly ambitious in scope
Stealing Souls
By Laurel K. Hamilton
Once a young woman set out on a journey, seeking revenge against the wizard who wronged her. Over the years she became a thief, a warrior, and a legend. But as her revenge draws near, she wonders if it’s worth the life she’s built, or the lives of those who depend on her.
Allusions to past adventures establish the characters and the plot, but also tease audiences with other stories that seem even more interesting. Soon the story settles into the main event, a protracted journey into the depths of the enemy’s lair. A strong emphasis on traps and planning creates a calm detachment. Occasional complications force the character to react quickly, but even those fail to instill any sense of real tension. The characters themselves feel rich and well developed, adding a certain wry humor to what could easily be a very “by the numbers” narrative. I never felt the outcome was uncertain, but I enjoyed watching the adventure unfold.
+Strong Characters
*Familiar Plot
-Low Tension
Ladyknight
By Susan Hanniford Crowley
Once a young woman set out on a journey, seeking revenge against the wizard who wronged her. Over the years she became a thief, a warrior, and a legend. But as her revenge draws near, she wonders if it’s worth the life she’s built, or the lives of those who depend on her.
Allusions to past adventures establish the characters and the plot, but also tease audiences with other stories that seem even more interesting. Soon the story settles into the main event, a protracted journey into the depths of the enemy’s lair. A strong emphasis on traps and planning creates a calm detachment. Occasional complications force the character to react quickly, but even those fail to instill any sense of real tension. The characters themselves feel rich and well developed, adding a certain wry humor to what could easily be a very “by the numbers” narrative. I never felt the outcome was uncertain, but I enjoyed watching the adventure unfold.
+Strong Characters
+Strong Descriptions
*Familiar plot patterns
Next Time…
Spells of Wonder 3of5