It’s not because of racism, as is sometimes opined by people who see it everywhere except where they themselves stand. There’s a reason why most fantasy in Western, English-speaking markets draw on English and French concepts for setting, with influence from Norse, Celtic, and Greek for the fantasy elements. Normally, I think that Western authors trying to write non-Western-based fantasy doesn’t work not because they can’t, but because they don’t put in the research necessary to make it feel alive. Only minor ones, though, so if you want to read more you should be safe. Larry Correia is now approaching a rival for Sanderson, and after this start I would not be surprised if he starts rivaling Eddings for me on pure enjoyment.Īs you might expect, minor spoilers ahead. My favorite epic fantasy remains David Eddings’ The Belgariad and The Malloreon, despite such personages as Brandon Sanderson redefining and expanding the genre.

But that’s all mere backdrop, however well-painted, supporting a story with three major twists, five minor twists, and a story where you’re not sure quite what’s going on but you’re hungry, starving for more.

Son of the Black Sword is set in a world that heavily draws on South and East Asian concepts, in terms of society, politics, philosophy, and even the fantasy itself. It’s an epic fantasy, of the sort that might normally be described as “traditional fantasy” until you read through the first chapter. (Also, there are airships and Tesla superweapons.)Ĭompared against that, Son of the Black Sword is definitely something different - and not just because there isn’t a single gun to be found. Second to that (and my personal favorite) is his Grimnoir Chronicles, an epic-scale alternate history/fantasy set in an alternate Great Depression where magic exists and the West is in a cold war with Imperial Japan. He’s most famous for his bestselling Monster Hunter series, a contemporary story about a group of contractors whose job it is to hunt and kill the monsters humanity would rather pretend don’t exist. It’s also marketed as the first in a new genre that’s not really true, since he’s been writing Iron Kingdoms tie-ins, but when it comes to his original fiction he’s known as an urban fantasy writer. Son of the Black Sword is the first in a new series for Correia.

I’ve been delaying on writing blog posts, so this review isn’t the only one on my to-do list but the thing is, if you like fantasy that’s a little bit different, you need to read this book. A few weeks ago, I finished Son of the Black Sword, the latest book from Larry Correia.

Son of the black sword by larry correia