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Kane #~6
Cień Anioła Śmierci
Jest samotny, nadludzko silny i niepokonany. Jego miecz i czary wybawiają go z każdej opresji. Wodzowie armii, czarnoksiężnicy i demony drżą, słysząc jego imię: Kane.
W skład zbioru wchodzą trzy opowiadania:
* Miraż
* Zimne światło
* Chłód mego serca
W skład zbioru wchodzą trzy opowiadania:
* Miraż
* Zimne światło
* Chłód mego serca
160 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1973
54 people are currently reading
784 people want to read
About the author
Karl Edward Wagner
243 books384 followersKarl Edward Wagner (12 December 1945 – 13 October 1994) was an American writer, editor and publisher of horror, science fiction, and heroic fantasy, who was born in Knoxville, Tennessee and originally trained as a psychiatrist. His disillusionment with the medical profession can be seen in the stories "The Fourth Seal" and "Into Whose Hands". He described his world view as nihilistic, anarchistic and absurdist, and claimed, not entirely seriously, to be related to "an opera composer named Richard". Wagner also admired the cinema of Sam Peckinpah, stating "I worship the film The Wild Bunch".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
November 20, 2024
(1978 Warner Books mass-market. Cover by Frank Frazetta, 205 pages)
As much as I enjoy the Kane novels, the short stories and novellas are where it's at for me. Whereas the novels usually have a wide scope and are filled with political machinations and epic battles, the stories mostly take place in one location, and there's much more of a horror bent to them. Though not quite at the same level for me as Wagner's later Kane collection, Night Winds, this was still a top-notch example of swords and sorcery. It contains two longer novellas, "Reflections for the Winter of My Soul" and "Cold Light," as well as a novelette, "Mirage."
All three are excellent combinations of horror and fantasy, but my favorite by far was the opening tale, "Reflections" (which has been rumored to be in development for the big screen for years). It takes place in an isolated castle during the middle of a brutal winter, where Kane -- a barbaric genius/madman who's been cursed by God to live and wander forever, watching civilizations rise and fall, never to find true love for more than fleeting moments (from his long life's perspective) -- hopes to find refuge. Too bad there's a werewolf loose, killing off the residents one by one, and Kane must figure out who among them all is the werewolf before it's too late. It's a fine blend of British cozy-style whoddunits and supernatural horror.
"Cold Light" was very good as well, if a little on the long side. It's sort of a S&S version of Rambo: First Blood, with Kane holed up in an old ghost town, and forced to take out his do-gooder pursuers one by one through creative means. "Mirage, " the shortest story here, is a Gothic vampire tale complete with haunted forest and ruined castle. Some people I see consider this a weaker Kane entry, but I really dug the old-school Gothic feel of it.
Those new to Kane may want to start with Night Winds, as Wagner's prose became much more refined over the years (with less adverbs and exclamation marks), but Death Angel's Shadow is still required reading for fans of secondary world fantasy and swords and sorcery, as long as you don't mind a "hero" who's pretty selfish, even evil at times (at least from our comparatively limited worldview). He's more of a villain than an anti-hero, but that doesn't make him and his adventures any less compelling.
It's too bad Wagner never got around to the planned origin novels and "Kane in modern times" novels before his untimely death, but I'm grateful for what little we did get. During a 20-year career, in which he was anything but prolific after the first few, he managed to put most other fantasy and horror writers of the era to shame.
4.0 Stars
July 29, 2019
Death Angel’s Shadow is a collection of three novellas starring the barbarian swordsmen Kane, the immortal brother-slayer whose “mark” is his eyes, eyes that “glowed with their own light” like “cold blue gems” that “blazed the fires of blood madness, of the lust to kill and destroy.”
“Reflections for the Winter of My Soul” introduces us to a Kane on the run, traveling through an ice-bound world until a blizzard forces him to seek shelter. There, in the forest lodge of Baron Troylin-- a cold, beseiged environment which evokes the darkest passages of Beowulf, a world where we the monster Grendel might triumph after all. It is an epic, but it is a mystery too. A werewolf is preying on Troylin’s mens, and Kane is the one who must uncover the murderer.
“Cold Light”, with its dusty desert city, feels like a spaghetti western based on a samurai film, only this “Magnificent 9” are not the protectors of poor peasants, but avengers determined to kill our “hero,” the merciless and murderous Kane, even if they have to sacrifice a few peasants to do it. It is true that Kane is wicked and may deserve death, but the nobleman Gaethe—commander of this ruthless squad of mercenaries—is a little too self-righteous to be believed. We want Kane to win, but he is surrounded. Can he escape? And can he save not only himself, but also his blind concubine, the psychically-gifted Rehhaille?
The last of the three novellas, “Mirage,” is a tale in the Romantic Gothic mode, reminiscent of Keat’s “La Belle Dame Sans Merci.” Kane is held in thrall by vampire princess in her ruined castle deep in the woods. Her hypnotic love drains his strength a little at a time; can he summon the strength to break free.
Wagner’s prose, even at its least effective (and the prose of Death Angel’s Shadow is uneven at best) is good at painting a scene, evoking a terror, bringing a sword fight to life. If you like Conan, but somehow always wished that he were smarter, darker, more terrifying, then Karl Wagner’s Kane is the hero for you.
September 4, 2025
Point of clarification: I'm reading the Centipede Press edition, which includes the contents of the original 1973 Warner paperback of the same title, and pairs them with an assortment of Kane stories primarily from later in Wagner's career in the 1980s & early 1990s. It's not an entirely easy joining.
The original Warner paperback had three stories: "Reflections for the Winter of My Soul", "Cold Light" and "Mirage". The first two I'm guessing are each novella-length -- 100+ pages each in the book. In "Reflections", Kane finds himself snowed in in an isolated castle while a werewolf (whose depredations, by coincidence(?), began around the same time Kane arrived). It's arguably one of the highlights of the entire Kane series, and brings a pretty substantial Hammer horror film vibe to the series. In "Cold Light", Kane has gone into exile in the plague-ravaged land of Demornte, and would be just as happy to stay there minding his own business, but one Gaethaa the Avenger leads a band of mercenaries there in an effort to rid the world of the evil that is Kane. (Which, to be clear, Kane is often pretty darned evil.) Needless to say, it doesn't go according to plan ... And in "Mirage", Kane finds himself in a castle being seduced by its mistress and again, needless to say, it doesn't go according to plan.
These stories are all first-rate -- Wagner was a master of mood and description and action (although there were far too many exclamation points! But, based on an essay from later in the book, those might have been added by the editors! Which, if true, was a mistake!), and are very much recommended.
The other stories, the ones new to this edition, are something of a miscellany -- there are a couple of more conventional Kane sword & sorcery stories written after the five-book Warner series had wrapped up in 1975 or so; there's "The Gothic Touch", taken from a tribute anthology to Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné (in which the Doomed Albino Prince meets, and is much confused by, a certain gigantic, red-haired wanderer); and there are several stories of varying length (including the long and possibly autobiographical "At First Just Ghostly") which bring Kane into the present day, and which seem to involve a fair amount of heavy drinking and cocaine. (From internal textual clues, and from other interviews, etc., with Wagner that I've read, it feels like these would have been pieces of some larger whole, had Wagner been with us longer.) These modern stories are all quite good (in a sort of nasty small-press horror magazine sort of way) -- Wagner's writing had only gotten better -- but it's also kind of jarring to have the same character transition from imaginary world sword & sorcery to buying out a London publishing house so that he can chat up a hard-drinking horror writer on the eve of a Worldcon.
Oh, and there's also a 1975-vintage essay about the origins of Kane that's quite interesting in terms of laying out Wagner's influences.
Recommended, although if the only version you can find is the original (which is also the eBook version currently available), then don't feel too bad about missing out on the more recent stories.
The original Warner paperback had three stories: "Reflections for the Winter of My Soul", "Cold Light" and "Mirage". The first two I'm guessing are each novella-length -- 100+ pages each in the book. In "Reflections", Kane finds himself snowed in in an isolated castle while a werewolf (whose depredations, by coincidence(?), began around the same time Kane arrived). It's arguably one of the highlights of the entire Kane series, and brings a pretty substantial Hammer horror film vibe to the series. In "Cold Light", Kane has gone into exile in the plague-ravaged land of Demornte, and would be just as happy to stay there minding his own business, but one Gaethaa the Avenger leads a band of mercenaries there in an effort to rid the world of the evil that is Kane. (Which, to be clear, Kane is often pretty darned evil.) Needless to say, it doesn't go according to plan ... And in "Mirage", Kane finds himself in a castle being seduced by its mistress and again, needless to say, it doesn't go according to plan.
These stories are all first-rate -- Wagner was a master of mood and description and action (although there were far too many exclamation points! But, based on an essay from later in the book, those might have been added by the editors! Which, if true, was a mistake!), and are very much recommended.
The other stories, the ones new to this edition, are something of a miscellany -- there are a couple of more conventional Kane sword & sorcery stories written after the five-book Warner series had wrapped up in 1975 or so; there's "The Gothic Touch", taken from a tribute anthology to Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné (in which the Doomed Albino Prince meets, and is much confused by, a certain gigantic, red-haired wanderer); and there are several stories of varying length (including the long and possibly autobiographical "At First Just Ghostly") which bring Kane into the present day, and which seem to involve a fair amount of heavy drinking and cocaine. (From internal textual clues, and from other interviews, etc., with Wagner that I've read, it feels like these would have been pieces of some larger whole, had Wagner been with us longer.) These modern stories are all quite good (in a sort of nasty small-press horror magazine sort of way) -- Wagner's writing had only gotten better -- but it's also kind of jarring to have the same character transition from imaginary world sword & sorcery to buying out a London publishing house so that he can chat up a hard-drinking horror writer on the eve of a Worldcon.
Oh, and there's also a 1975-vintage essay about the origins of Kane that's quite interesting in terms of laying out Wagner's influences.
Recommended, although if the only version you can find is the original (which is also the eBook version currently available), then don't feel too bad about missing out on the more recent stories.
August 26, 2020
Death Angel's Shadow is one of my favorites of the Kane books. It sees him confront three of the most popular tropes of horror literature: vampires, werewolves, and religious zealots. Kane is at his anti-heroic best here, with some of Wagner's best exuberant action scenes and lyrical descriptions. The book collects three novellas (Reflections for the Winter of My Soul, Cold Light, and Mirage), which seems to me to be the best length for successful swords & sorcery stories. Wagner was a master of the genre and passed far too soon.
March 12, 2018
This is the Centipede Press edition with 9 stories & a great essay in it, not my old paperback which only has 3 stories, but those 3 are by far the best. The last 6 run from OK to yuck. I'm rereading the series back to back in these fantastic editions & in chronological order. As in the others, the artwork is great - not the Frazetta of the original cover, although that's included, but a lot of other scenes.
If you're a true Kane & KEW fan, I recommend this edition, but it's pricey, if you can even find it due to its limited printing. The low price on Amazon & Abebooks is $5000 now. That's just for this book, not the entire set of 5. I learned the hard way how dear KEW collections are when I bought only one copy of Exorcisms and Ecstasies for $5 new at a remainder store. After 3 years of looking, I found a copy for $60 to give to my son, an oddity, so I also bought him a copy of this set when it came out.
Honestly, you're not missing much if you miss the last 6 stories. You can find most or all of them in other books, but they're pricey, too. Exorcisms and Ecstasies generally runs $200 & Midnight Sun: The Complete Stories of Kane runs only $80 now.
This book contains the following short stories:
(# in this book/# in chronology)
1/11_Reflections for the Winter of My Soul (1973): also appears in The Book of Kane. This story takes place not many years after Dark Crusade. Kane is chased into blizzard where he finds an isolated manor house & sinister doings. As bad as things are there, they'll have to contend with Kane now.
2/12_Cold Light (1973): A man vows to destroy the evils of the world & becomes a rigid fanatic in his quest. His wizard shows him the location of one of the worst & most ancient evils that still walk the Earth - Kane! Fantastic setting & story.
3/13_Mirage (1973): What is death? A doorway into a new realm? Kane yearns to find out.
Only these first 3 stories are in the paperback edition of "Death Angel's Shadow" published in 1973.
-----------
14_Darkness Weaves (1970): is a novel that I gave a 4 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
It also fills in some of Kane's history that is mentioned in "Cold Light" which is mentioned above.
-----------
4/15_The Other One (1977): also appears in The Book of Kane. Even after long practice, Kane still has trouble with religious details. His answer is pretty typical. Not one of the best stories, but not bad. It's not characteristic of him to tell a bunch of rogues the truth about himself though & that's the lead in to the real action which was good. The end was rather abrupt & didn't quite ring true, unfortunately.
5/17_Midnight Sun (poem, 1974): For some reason, I originally had this listed after "The Gothic Touch". It's not really part of the chronology at all, but describes him well. It's short & confirms Kane as a lord of chaos.
6/16_The Gothic Touch (1994): is a team up with Elric. Not one of the better stories, but I rarely like this sort of thing since neither character rings true & that was the case here. I think it was also an attempt to broaden Kane's universe, but KEW didn't live to do so. Such a shame & waste. That in itself harms the story for me.
7/18_Lacunae (1986): is a modern day story. It's interesting, true, & fairly horrible premise overall, but Kane's presence is just a distraction for me. Blacklight, who turns out to be Kane's sidekick, could have fulfilled all that was needed. Pretty gross, sexually weird & explicit, it would have made a great, stand-alone horror story if he'd been up to snuff.
8/19_Deep in the Depths of the Acme Warehouse (1994): wasn't very good at all - sexually explicit & sad. Modern day again. Kane is playing the devil to get what he wants. The end is kind of a pun, almost funny in a macabre way. Blacklight makes a brief appearance. This is notable because it's the first time I can recall anyone making a second appearance in a story.
9/20_At First Just Ghostly (1988): seems quite autobiographical. An author at a writers convention in London getting drunk with friends was right up KEW's alley. Getting hijacked by Kane & his daughter, Klesst (appeared in #9- "Raven's Eyrie") along with another brief appearance by Blacklight in a war between evil & ... Kane. There is no 'good' since Kane says he killed the mad god that created him.
The Once & Future Kane is an essay by KEW about writing Kane. He lays a lot of his inspiration at Robert E. Howard's feet, unsurprisingly. He also believes he had the same pessimistic outlook REH had about life & man's role in the universe - also unsurprising. How he transferred this into Kane was really interesting. This is also available in Midnight Sun: The Complete Stories of Kane.
See my review here for the full chronology:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
After reading the entire series, I'm not sure I liked where KEW was taking Kane, but I didn't know him or what he had in mind all along, so it's interesting to read what others think. Some KEW friends & fans have really studied Kane & know a lot more about him than can be gleaned from just the stories since they spoke to KEW & read parts of unpublished manuscripts. This made Darkstorm Dale's "Reflection of Midnight Sun" of special interest:
http://thedarkstormfiles.blogspot.com...
I don't buy into all of his theories, but they're fun to ponder.
Here are tidbits & some background that help with perspective about KEW & Kane.
http://www.darkecho.com/darkecho/feat...
http://archive.is/ykz35
http://leogrin.com/CimmerianBlog/in-t...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Ed...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kane_(f...
If you're a true Kane & KEW fan, I recommend this edition, but it's pricey, if you can even find it due to its limited printing. The low price on Amazon & Abebooks is $5000 now. That's just for this book, not the entire set of 5. I learned the hard way how dear KEW collections are when I bought only one copy of Exorcisms and Ecstasies for $5 new at a remainder store. After 3 years of looking, I found a copy for $60 to give to my son, an oddity, so I also bought him a copy of this set when it came out.
Honestly, you're not missing much if you miss the last 6 stories. You can find most or all of them in other books, but they're pricey, too. Exorcisms and Ecstasies generally runs $200 & Midnight Sun: The Complete Stories of Kane runs only $80 now.
This book contains the following short stories:
(# in this book/# in chronology)
1/11_Reflections for the Winter of My Soul (1973): also appears in The Book of Kane. This story takes place not many years after Dark Crusade. Kane is chased into blizzard where he finds an isolated manor house & sinister doings. As bad as things are there, they'll have to contend with Kane now.
2/12_Cold Light (1973): A man vows to destroy the evils of the world & becomes a rigid fanatic in his quest. His wizard shows him the location of one of the worst & most ancient evils that still walk the Earth - Kane! Fantastic setting & story.
3/13_Mirage (1973): What is death? A doorway into a new realm? Kane yearns to find out.
Only these first 3 stories are in the paperback edition of "Death Angel's Shadow" published in 1973.
-----------
14_Darkness Weaves (1970): is a novel that I gave a 4 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
It also fills in some of Kane's history that is mentioned in "Cold Light" which is mentioned above.
-----------
4/15_The Other One (1977): also appears in The Book of Kane. Even after long practice, Kane still has trouble with religious details. His answer is pretty typical. Not one of the best stories, but not bad. It's not characteristic of him to tell a bunch of rogues the truth about himself though & that's the lead in to the real action which was good. The end was rather abrupt & didn't quite ring true, unfortunately.
5/17_Midnight Sun (poem, 1974): For some reason, I originally had this listed after "The Gothic Touch". It's not really part of the chronology at all, but describes him well. It's short & confirms Kane as a lord of chaos.
6/16_The Gothic Touch (1994): is a team up with Elric. Not one of the better stories, but I rarely like this sort of thing since neither character rings true & that was the case here. I think it was also an attempt to broaden Kane's universe, but KEW didn't live to do so. Such a shame & waste. That in itself harms the story for me.
7/18_Lacunae (1986): is a modern day story. It's interesting, true, & fairly horrible premise overall, but Kane's presence is just a distraction for me. Blacklight, who turns out to be Kane's sidekick, could have fulfilled all that was needed. Pretty gross, sexually weird & explicit, it would have made a great, stand-alone horror story if he'd been up to snuff.
8/19_Deep in the Depths of the Acme Warehouse (1994): wasn't very good at all - sexually explicit & sad. Modern day again. Kane is playing the devil to get what he wants. The end is kind of a pun, almost funny in a macabre way. Blacklight makes a brief appearance. This is notable because it's the first time I can recall anyone making a second appearance in a story.
9/20_At First Just Ghostly (1988): seems quite autobiographical. An author at a writers convention in London getting drunk with friends was right up KEW's alley. Getting hijacked by Kane & his daughter, Klesst (appeared in #9- "Raven's Eyrie") along with another brief appearance by Blacklight in a war between evil & ... Kane. There is no 'good' since Kane says he killed the mad god that created him.
The Once & Future Kane is an essay by KEW about writing Kane. He lays a lot of his inspiration at Robert E. Howard's feet, unsurprisingly. He also believes he had the same pessimistic outlook REH had about life & man's role in the universe - also unsurprising. How he transferred this into Kane was really interesting. This is also available in Midnight Sun: The Complete Stories of Kane.
See my review here for the full chronology:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
After reading the entire series, I'm not sure I liked where KEW was taking Kane, but I didn't know him or what he had in mind all along, so it's interesting to read what others think. Some KEW friends & fans have really studied Kane & know a lot more about him than can be gleaned from just the stories since they spoke to KEW & read parts of unpublished manuscripts. This made Darkstorm Dale's "Reflection of Midnight Sun" of special interest:
http://thedarkstormfiles.blogspot.com...
I don't buy into all of his theories, but they're fun to ponder.
Here are tidbits & some background that help with perspective about KEW & Kane.
http://www.darkecho.com/darkecho/feat...
http://archive.is/ykz35
http://leogrin.com/CimmerianBlog/in-t...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Ed...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kane_(f...
August 9, 2025
I’ve never read any Karl Edward Wagner stories. I’m familiar with his Kane the Immortal books, mostly due to the Frazetta covers on many of them.
Giant red bearded muscle bound sword wielding type dishing out mayhem.
I found this paperback edition published in 1973 by Warner Books in an Amtrak station lobby with a free books shelf on one wall. Giveaways.
A bonus for when the train down to Penn Station is late again.
I read “Reflections For The Winter Of My Soul”… Kane, on the run from an army of soldiers out to kill him for a series transgressions committed in a prior adventure, finds himself facing a magical werewolf. This isn’t your congenial, downcast over his fate, hangdog Lon Chaney Jr. werewolf. This one’s a white werewolf with supernatural type abilities.
Spoiler Alert: silver eventually plays into the 1930s Pulp-style bloody, action packed resolution.
This was fun, light stuff. Not too much gore, sadism, or blood. It’s not S. Craig Zahler.
Obviously inspired by Robert E. Howard, I found it quite an enjoyable send-up of that sort of nonsense.
One odd thing about the writing found herein:
I’ve never before read the word “guy” in one of these Sword & Sorcery tales.
Like, someone says something to the effect, “Hey -you guys knock it off.”
That sort of brought me out of the barbarian revelry.
Intend to be searching used books shops for the earlier entries in this series.
Giant red bearded muscle bound sword wielding type dishing out mayhem.
I found this paperback edition published in 1973 by Warner Books in an Amtrak station lobby with a free books shelf on one wall. Giveaways.
A bonus for when the train down to Penn Station is late again.
I read “Reflections For The Winter Of My Soul”… Kane, on the run from an army of soldiers out to kill him for a series transgressions committed in a prior adventure, finds himself facing a magical werewolf. This isn’t your congenial, downcast over his fate, hangdog Lon Chaney Jr. werewolf. This one’s a white werewolf with supernatural type abilities.
Spoiler Alert: silver eventually plays into the 1930s Pulp-style bloody, action packed resolution.
This was fun, light stuff. Not too much gore, sadism, or blood. It’s not S. Craig Zahler.
Obviously inspired by Robert E. Howard, I found it quite an enjoyable send-up of that sort of nonsense.
One odd thing about the writing found herein:
I’ve never before read the word “guy” in one of these Sword & Sorcery tales.
Like, someone says something to the effect, “Hey -you guys knock it off.”
That sort of brought me out of the barbarian revelry.
Intend to be searching used books shops for the earlier entries in this series.
Want to read
December 26, 2015This is copy 40 of 300 signed and numbered copies. Facsimile signed by Karl Edward Wagner and signed by artist Les Edwards.
May 28, 2024
This is pretty much my favorite collection of Wagner's Kane. If it held my favorite Kane story "Two Suns Setting" it would be a textual bound heaven!
"Reflections for the Winter of My Soul" is my second favorite Kane tale - and such a great story! A little overwritten here and there in the early stages, and an overly loquacious villain at the close, but Kane and the mystery are beyond superb. "Cold Light" is a great follow-up and such a diabolically good tale. Both sides in the eternal war between evil and good display variants of evilness, though frankly the 'good' guys are horrifically evil. Kane is larger than life here, and one of my favorite scenes is his ridding himself of the sorcerer by bum-rushing him into the demon's arms - love it! Whenever I need a rejuvenation of the soul via powerful prose, I simply pick up Wagner and reunite with Kane. "Cold Light" is quite simply a most powerful tale wonderfully told. A storyteller's masterpiece that examines much and shares much more of import, all while gifting us the spellbinding and awe-inspiring mystique of an unparalleled immortal warrior. The only possible quibble: the unnecessary denouement. "The Gothic Touch" is just plain fun. It's like Wagner is writing tongue-in-cheek and just letting Kane play with Elric. It's my favorite Elric story by far. (ha!)
I long avoided 2 modern Kane stories. Based upon all I'd heard of them, I'd been perfectly content to stick with the Kane I knew & enjoyed. I took my time savoring the Centipede Press DEATH ANGEL'S SHADOW, knowing I'd finally reach them...Wish I'd still never read 'em. I read both the same evening after watching THE LAST WOLF KEW documentary. Thought about 'em all day. Looked up the dates of their publication and when Babs left him...and that confirmed my reaction. Those are not Kane stories; they're stories with Kane appearances. They are bitter, stupid stories that could even be considered anti-woman. I'm saddened by now truly knowing these Wagner writings. I'd read "At First Just Ghostly" once long ago and mostly let myself forget it as an anomaly in the Kane saga. It's ok but certainly not the style of storytelling I associate and enjoy with Kane, nor is it a Kane I would have followed through his stories. I am very glad the vast majority of Kane's stories are NOT in modern times.
And it is always good to read Wagner's words and thoughts through "The Once and Future Kane." I embrace much of what he expounds upon and appreciate very much his views, most especially his disdain for the mis-use of 'antihero.' I'm also reading the PHANTASMAGORIA KEW Special and John F. Mayer gives the following terrific statement in his interview: "It occurs to me that Karl himself might have been described as Luciferian in the sense advocates use the term. Also, Karl despised the term antihero as it is commonly used today; antihero refers to one with *no* heroic qualities, lacking both courage and forcefulness, meaning neither Venom, Deadpool or Kane would be properly termed antiheroes in the original sense of the word. Karl preferred Byronic hero or villain-hero, but I think Luciferian hero might be a worthwhile term. 'Antihero' is already taken, referring to nebbish protagonists such as Woody Allen characters, Willy Loman, Tubby Tompkins..." I, too, like the implications of Luciferian hero, and it might be better employed by today's masses as easier to understand than the now distant and largely unknown term Byronic.
"Reflections for the Winter of My Soul" is my second favorite Kane tale - and such a great story! A little overwritten here and there in the early stages, and an overly loquacious villain at the close, but Kane and the mystery are beyond superb. "Cold Light" is a great follow-up and such a diabolically good tale. Both sides in the eternal war between evil and good display variants of evilness, though frankly the 'good' guys are horrifically evil. Kane is larger than life here, and one of my favorite scenes is his ridding himself of the sorcerer by bum-rushing him into the demon's arms - love it! Whenever I need a rejuvenation of the soul via powerful prose, I simply pick up Wagner and reunite with Kane. "Cold Light" is quite simply a most powerful tale wonderfully told. A storyteller's masterpiece that examines much and shares much more of import, all while gifting us the spellbinding and awe-inspiring mystique of an unparalleled immortal warrior. The only possible quibble: the unnecessary denouement. "The Gothic Touch" is just plain fun. It's like Wagner is writing tongue-in-cheek and just letting Kane play with Elric. It's my favorite Elric story by far. (ha!)
I long avoided 2 modern Kane stories. Based upon all I'd heard of them, I'd been perfectly content to stick with the Kane I knew & enjoyed. I took my time savoring the Centipede Press DEATH ANGEL'S SHADOW, knowing I'd finally reach them...Wish I'd still never read 'em. I read both the same evening after watching THE LAST WOLF KEW documentary. Thought about 'em all day. Looked up the dates of their publication and when Babs left him...and that confirmed my reaction. Those are not Kane stories; they're stories with Kane appearances. They are bitter, stupid stories that could even be considered anti-woman. I'm saddened by now truly knowing these Wagner writings. I'd read "At First Just Ghostly" once long ago and mostly let myself forget it as an anomaly in the Kane saga. It's ok but certainly not the style of storytelling I associate and enjoy with Kane, nor is it a Kane I would have followed through his stories. I am very glad the vast majority of Kane's stories are NOT in modern times.
And it is always good to read Wagner's words and thoughts through "The Once and Future Kane." I embrace much of what he expounds upon and appreciate very much his views, most especially his disdain for the mis-use of 'antihero.' I'm also reading the PHANTASMAGORIA KEW Special and John F. Mayer gives the following terrific statement in his interview: "It occurs to me that Karl himself might have been described as Luciferian in the sense advocates use the term. Also, Karl despised the term antihero as it is commonly used today; antihero refers to one with *no* heroic qualities, lacking both courage and forcefulness, meaning neither Venom, Deadpool or Kane would be properly termed antiheroes in the original sense of the word. Karl preferred Byronic hero or villain-hero, but I think Luciferian hero might be a worthwhile term. 'Antihero' is already taken, referring to nebbish protagonists such as Woody Allen characters, Willy Loman, Tubby Tompkins..." I, too, like the implications of Luciferian hero, and it might be better employed by today's masses as easier to understand than the now distant and largely unknown term Byronic.
March 10, 2012
When it comes to Sword and Sorcery this is about as good as it gets. My second Kane book is comprised of three novellas oozing atmosphere and purple prose. It may have a less epic feel than Darkness Weaves, but it makes up for it by being more focused on characters and having stronger action scenes.
Reflection on the Winter of My Soul starts with Kane running away from the consequences of his destructive nature and being caught up in the mother of all blizzards. A claustrophobic tale of being locked in with a supernatural adversary hiding in the dark corners of an isolated castle and waiting to pounce on the unvary. The level of blood and gore is dialed in at 11, making even celebrated Joe Abercrombie look like a safe read (I'm kidding, Joe can take a joke, but I mentioned this because I believe fans of his should check out Karl Edward Wagner). Here's a taster:
- A man of my profession finds his sword a life long companion.
- Your profession - what exactly is that?
- Death, answered Kane levelly
Cold Light I liked even better than the first story in this collection. Kane is once again running away and seeks shelter this time in a desert oasis, one that has been devastated in the recent past by a plague: Demornte, land of the dead, world of shadows, where death has lain, and life cannot linger.
This novella is even more chilling than the frozen northern wastes, mainly due to the portrayal of the ravages perpetuated by a crusading fanatic on a mission to eradicate evil from the face of the earth. A disturbing reminder that dark deeds are justified in the demented minds of zealots by their good intentions. This fanatic nobleman gathers a band of mercenaries and goes after Kane, caught this time without any allies. In the best tradition of Rambo - First Blood, Die Hard or Predator, the hunted becomes the hunter, giving Wagner a chance to show off his action writing chops.
Also worth noticing that the book is written well before the aforementioned movies made a splash.
The final story is Mirage - the weakest, but thankfully the shortest of the three. A classic and slightly derivative vampire tale, complete with ruined castle, spooky servants and pale skinned diva exuding sex appeal. The tale is saved by an interesting speech at the end referring to the curse of immortality.
Reflection on the Winter of My Soul starts with Kane running away from the consequences of his destructive nature and being caught up in the mother of all blizzards. A claustrophobic tale of being locked in with a supernatural adversary hiding in the dark corners of an isolated castle and waiting to pounce on the unvary. The level of blood and gore is dialed in at 11, making even celebrated Joe Abercrombie look like a safe read (I'm kidding, Joe can take a joke, but I mentioned this because I believe fans of his should check out Karl Edward Wagner). Here's a taster:
- A man of my profession finds his sword a life long companion.
- Your profession - what exactly is that?
- Death, answered Kane levelly
Cold Light I liked even better than the first story in this collection. Kane is once again running away and seeks shelter this time in a desert oasis, one that has been devastated in the recent past by a plague: Demornte, land of the dead, world of shadows, where death has lain, and life cannot linger.
This novella is even more chilling than the frozen northern wastes, mainly due to the portrayal of the ravages perpetuated by a crusading fanatic on a mission to eradicate evil from the face of the earth. A disturbing reminder that dark deeds are justified in the demented minds of zealots by their good intentions. This fanatic nobleman gathers a band of mercenaries and goes after Kane, caught this time without any allies. In the best tradition of Rambo - First Blood, Die Hard or Predator, the hunted becomes the hunter, giving Wagner a chance to show off his action writing chops.
Also worth noticing that the book is written well before the aforementioned movies made a splash.
The final story is Mirage - the weakest, but thankfully the shortest of the three. A classic and slightly derivative vampire tale, complete with ruined castle, spooky servants and pale skinned diva exuding sex appeal. The tale is saved by an interesting speech at the end referring to the curse of immortality.
November 29, 2015
I'm not a guy that generally roots for villain for bad guys. I like likable characters. It's too Wagner's credit that I don't even think about that stuff when I'm reading Kane. I love him even when he's being horrible. I always want him to win.
This is another winning collection and a triumph for Wagner. The Kane short pieces are were the character shines the brightest and all 3 of the stories here are wonderful examples of Sword and Sorcery at it's pinnacle.
Another book to add to my All-Time Favorites list and a powerful loud shout:
MUST-READ FOR ALL FANTASY FANS.
This is another winning collection and a triumph for Wagner. The Kane short pieces are were the character shines the brightest and all 3 of the stories here are wonderful examples of Sword and Sorcery at it's pinnacle.
Another book to add to my All-Time Favorites list and a powerful loud shout:
MUST-READ FOR ALL FANTASY FANS.
May 23, 2025
Część 10 pozbywania się książek z mojego pokoju
7:3
DNF str 36
Spodziewałem się że będzie źle ale nie było aż tak źle jak w przypadku płomienia asurbanipala czy jak mu było. Bo to w końcu fanfik do książek Howarda. I lepiej mu poszło tbh.
Mogę ocenić tylko pierwsze opowiadanie. Nie zamierzam czytać dwóch następnych bo dla mnie jest po prostu nudno.
Jak zwykle w tego typu książkach przerost formy nad treścią. Kane próbuje być czym nie jest i mdło mi od tych patetyczno-lirycznych opisów wszystkiego. Bo główny bohater jest taki edgy i Bóg go przeklął i niech się nie zesra.
Tyle niepotrzebnych dygresji które też próbują być edgy. Oceany z wina?? Rozumiem że Kane miał udar wtedy ale po co o tym pisać. To brzmi jak fanserwis dla 40-latków którzy myślą że alkoholizm jest quirky. Przypominam że autor zmarł przedwcześnie z powodu alkoholizmu więc to wcale nie jest śmieszne.
Ekspozycja LEŻY I KWICZY. Idzie dwóch bohaterów i streszczają sobie książkę doskonale znają. Bez sensu.
W moim bingo było to że Wagner przedstawia kobiety jako mistyczne byty i wgl jako inny gatunek. Nie pomyliłem się. Oto cytat. *Umysł kobiety, przyjacielu Eistenallis, / Jest tajemnicą: / Jego przepastne głębie / Są jak niezbadane ścieżki bożego kaprysu*
Ale za to w bingo nie miałem wykorzystywania seksualnego którego ofiarą pada mężczyzna. Ogromny progres jak na takich dziadów fantastyki.
Z kosmetyki przeszkadzały mi takie typowo wattpadowe unikanie powtórzeń typu "[Imię] coś zrobił" a potem o tej samej postaci "Dworzanin wiedział ...". Nienaturalnie to brzmiało w tej sytuacji.
No i wielokrotne błędy składniowe i interpunkcyjne ale to podejrzewam że po stronie polskiej redakcji.
Daję 2⭐ za wampira.
7:3
DNF str 36
Spodziewałem się że będzie źle ale nie było aż tak źle jak w przypadku płomienia asurbanipala czy jak mu było. Bo to w końcu fanfik do książek Howarda. I lepiej mu poszło tbh.
Mogę ocenić tylko pierwsze opowiadanie. Nie zamierzam czytać dwóch następnych bo dla mnie jest po prostu nudno.
Jak zwykle w tego typu książkach przerost formy nad treścią. Kane próbuje być czym nie jest i mdło mi od tych patetyczno-lirycznych opisów wszystkiego. Bo główny bohater jest taki edgy i Bóg go przeklął i niech się nie zesra.
Tyle niepotrzebnych dygresji które też próbują być edgy. Oceany z wina?? Rozumiem że Kane miał udar wtedy ale po co o tym pisać. To brzmi jak fanserwis dla 40-latków którzy myślą że alkoholizm jest quirky. Przypominam że autor zmarł przedwcześnie z powodu alkoholizmu więc to wcale nie jest śmieszne.
Ekspozycja LEŻY I KWICZY. Idzie dwóch bohaterów i streszczają sobie książkę doskonale znają. Bez sensu.
W moim bingo było to że Wagner przedstawia kobiety jako mistyczne byty i wgl jako inny gatunek. Nie pomyliłem się. Oto cytat. *Umysł kobiety, przyjacielu Eistenallis, / Jest tajemnicą: / Jego przepastne głębie / Są jak niezbadane ścieżki bożego kaprysu*
Ale za to w bingo nie miałem wykorzystywania seksualnego którego ofiarą pada mężczyzna. Ogromny progres jak na takich dziadów fantastyki.
Z kosmetyki przeszkadzały mi takie typowo wattpadowe unikanie powtórzeń typu "[Imię] coś zrobił" a potem o tej samej postaci "Dworzanin wiedział ...". Nienaturalnie to brzmiało w tej sytuacji.
No i wielokrotne błędy składniowe i interpunkcyjne ale to podejrzewam że po stronie polskiej redakcji.
Daję 2⭐ za wampira.
August 20, 2024
I’m going Kane-mode!! (sulking and brooding quietly)
November 24, 2023
Three superb Kane stories comprise this volume. The first story was also in The Book of Kane, but it’s so good I read it again. The last story is probably my favorite. Wagner’s chaotic mind dreamed up a vampire story that intrigues long after reading. Highly recommend.
December 31, 2008
My second favorite collection of Wagner's Kane stories, after Night Winds. Kane is a fascinating character, a true anti-hero.
May 13, 2010
Kane is a fascinating figure, a dark wanderer cursed to forever wander, to forever seek strife and cause conflict. Whether the last two are inherent in the curse or part of his way of dealing with it is unclear. His sophistication is a paradoxical companion to the brutality he lives with. And the fact that things tend to turn out badly for him makes the stories more interesting; it's dull when you're certain that the 'hero' will always win.
There's something about the sword and sorcery genre that lends itself to shorter fiction. Not every story has to be an epic, and sometimes there is more clarity in a precisely told brief tale than in a sprawling trilogy.
In all, these stories were quite servicable. They all play heavily into well-used tropes: an isolated group of people being hunted, haunted-house style; a morality play of a megalomaniacal crusader whose cure is worse than the disease, whose lieutenant comes to doubt his methods; an offer one can't refuse by the lady who doesn't want you to leave.
I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite but "Cold Light" comes closest, simply from the unique setting, a ruined city in a shunned nation emptied by plague, the spiritually-broken inhabitants eking out a dull and morose existence.
Wagner's writing is occasionally problematic. The dialog comes off as conspicuously modern. While spruced-up language by way of various old-timey affectations is quite annoying (especially reversed word order in randomly-chosen sentences), the characters shouldn't be using recognizably modern idioms.
Also, Wagner has apparently taken Robert E Howard's Hyborean Age essay to heart. The stories drip with worldbuilding, and while some of it (such as the introduction to "Reflections...") provides necessary context, sometimes it just clogs the story. In "Cold Light" particularly, Wagner talks about the nationalities of the antagonist group and their back history, but without an immediate reason why the reader should care, it's just heavy and unnecessary detail. In any case it's never clear if this was part of a larger plan or if Wagner is just winging it from story to story.
There's something about the sword and sorcery genre that lends itself to shorter fiction. Not every story has to be an epic, and sometimes there is more clarity in a precisely told brief tale than in a sprawling trilogy.
In all, these stories were quite servicable. They all play heavily into well-used tropes: an isolated group of people being hunted, haunted-house style; a morality play of a megalomaniacal crusader whose cure is worse than the disease, whose lieutenant comes to doubt his methods; an offer one can't refuse by the lady who doesn't want you to leave.
I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite but "Cold Light" comes closest, simply from the unique setting, a ruined city in a shunned nation emptied by plague, the spiritually-broken inhabitants eking out a dull and morose existence.
Wagner's writing is occasionally problematic. The dialog comes off as conspicuously modern. While spruced-up language by way of various old-timey affectations is quite annoying (especially reversed word order in randomly-chosen sentences), the characters shouldn't be using recognizably modern idioms.
Also, Wagner has apparently taken Robert E Howard's Hyborean Age essay to heart. The stories drip with worldbuilding, and while some of it (such as the introduction to "Reflections...") provides necessary context, sometimes it just clogs the story. In "Cold Light" particularly, Wagner talks about the nationalities of the antagonist group and their back history, but without an immediate reason why the reader should care, it's just heavy and unnecessary detail. In any case it's never clear if this was part of a larger plan or if Wagner is just winging it from story to story.
November 6, 2020
Three excellent Kane stories from fantasy legend Karl Edward Wagner.
‘Reflections of the Winter of My Soul’ sees Kane holed up at a noble’s isolated estate in the middle of a miserable winter. Unfortunately the cold isn’t the only enemy; a shape-shifting abomination is preying on the living, and Kane has to figure out who it is before it ends up gnawing his bones as well. A fantasy-horror-detective story with all the stylish prose, thrilling battles, and beautiful nihilism you would expect in a Kane story.
‘Cold Light’ sees Kane hunted by the worst sort of villain – a man who is convinced of his own utter righteousness. A glorious cat-and-mouse action story enriched by Wagner’s characteristic sophistication and moral ambiguity.
‘Mirage’ sees Kane stumble upon a being as deathless as he is. Has he found his perfect match, or just another obstacle in his endless battle with ennui?
All three of these stories are superb, and cannot fail to disappoint fans of the other Kane books.
‘Reflections of the Winter of My Soul’ sees Kane holed up at a noble’s isolated estate in the middle of a miserable winter. Unfortunately the cold isn’t the only enemy; a shape-shifting abomination is preying on the living, and Kane has to figure out who it is before it ends up gnawing his bones as well. A fantasy-horror-detective story with all the stylish prose, thrilling battles, and beautiful nihilism you would expect in a Kane story.
‘Cold Light’ sees Kane hunted by the worst sort of villain – a man who is convinced of his own utter righteousness. A glorious cat-and-mouse action story enriched by Wagner’s characteristic sophistication and moral ambiguity.
‘Mirage’ sees Kane stumble upon a being as deathless as he is. Has he found his perfect match, or just another obstacle in his endless battle with ennui?
All three of these stories are superb, and cannot fail to disappoint fans of the other Kane books.
September 21, 2012
Karl Edward Wagner’s work can be described as brutally nihilistic in both tone and scope. In a trio of short stories, Wagner sends Kane, the Mystic Swordsman, hurtling from one blood-soaked adventure to another. Each story that makes up Death Angel’s Shadow surrounds itself with death like a hedonistic lover’s arms. And while there is an amount of erudite mental wrangling done by the lead character, the majority of these stories is spent in visceral escapism.
To read the remainder of this review, please visit my blog King's Crier: Book Reviews (http://kingscrier.blogspot.com/2012/0...)
To read the remainder of this review, please visit my blog King's Crier: Book Reviews (http://kingscrier.blogspot.com/2012/0...)
February 4, 2016
This book just plain amazed me. I find it very hard to put my finger on what Wagner did with this character, but somehow you always feel that Kane is neither really human nor simply a sorcerer. Whenever he appears there is something very unnatural about him and very often you see much of his adventures through the eyes of other people who are crossing his path and are swept along with him, which helps a lot with maintaining a healthy distance from him and not automatically developing sympathy for him simply because he's the protagonist.
Kane is one of the few characters who always remains truly enigmatic, even when we see the story told from his perspective.
Kane is one of the few characters who always remains truly enigmatic, even when we see the story told from his perspective.
March 26, 2022
The short story "Cold Light" was in my opinion the best of the three in this book. It felt like a more unique Kane story, with more things not going his way than usual, and it seemed to me that Wagner was trying to make a point about how people can easily do great evil deeds in the belief that it's for the greater good. It's an argument that the ends don't always justify the means.
June 8, 2016
New edition of book (with extra stories) published by Centipede.
January 5, 2018
✭✭✭✭
“Death Angel’s Shadow” (Poem) (1974) ✭✭✭½
“Reflections for the Winter of My Soul” (1973) ✭✭✭✭✭
“Cold Light” (1973) ✭✭✭✭½
“Mirage” (1973) ✭✭✭½
“Death Angel’s Shadow” (Poem) (1974) ✭✭✭½
“Reflections for the Winter of My Soul” (1973) ✭✭✭✭✭
“Cold Light” (1973) ✭✭✭✭½
“Mirage” (1973) ✭✭✭½
November 14, 2023
Easily some of the best Kane stories I've read! Probably a tie with Night Winds on how much I enjoyed this one
October 2, 2016
It seems churlish to complain that the first of the three short stories contained in this brief volume, and the second longest, is included in another, earlier in the chronology. Churlish because, although
Death Angel's Shadow
is the last in the series, it was the first published. Nevertheless, reading it chronological order, I'd already read Reflections for the Winter of My Soul in
The Book of Kane
(incidentally, if anyone's reading this review first, my advice is to skip that book and save your money). Here, that tale sets the scene for a macabre collection that suggests an alternative direction for the series to that which Wagner eventually took.
After the werewolf tale, the second and longest story in the book casts Kane as the prey in a cat and mouse game played out in a ghost town. It's actually one of the tautest examples of the author's writing, even if it does little original. The third, final, and shortest piece of prose in the volume, meanwhile, sees Kane cast as a Vampire's toy. It's a bit of a damp squib to end the volume on.
Overall, the writing's stronger here than the stories and it's interesting to see these early pieces after reading the other Kane volumes. The Lovecraftian themes introduced in those make for a more interesting setting and the background of the protagonist is fleshed out a little, creating something more original than the swords & sorcery hero in pulp horror romp seen here.
After the werewolf tale, the second and longest story in the book casts Kane as the prey in a cat and mouse game played out in a ghost town. It's actually one of the tautest examples of the author's writing, even if it does little original. The third, final, and shortest piece of prose in the volume, meanwhile, sees Kane cast as a Vampire's toy. It's a bit of a damp squib to end the volume on.
Overall, the writing's stronger here than the stories and it's interesting to see these early pieces after reading the other Kane volumes. The Lovecraftian themes introduced in those make for a more interesting setting and the background of the protagonist is fleshed out a little, creating something more original than the swords & sorcery hero in pulp horror romp seen here.
December 6, 2013
Death Angel's Shadow collects three novellas of Wagner's Kane, tales in the sword and sorcery genre, though here updated with a slight modern sensibility reflecting the decade (the 1970s) in which they were written. While Wagner's prose flows as beautifully as Howard's (or, in places, Clark Ashton Smith's) the stories mix action with a slight meditation on the genre.
One novella, set in the harshest icy landscape and a winter castle, gives us a werewolf tale where the monster is not as obvious as it seems, and Kane is always in danger of his infamy being discovered. The second sees Kane retiring in a dying and blasted town, but followed by a band of men whom he has wronged - the leader of which allows his revenge to make him the villain of the piece. And a luxurious vampire tale which mixes sensuality and philosophy well.
Wagner seems best known either as a writer of Kane fantasies or for his short horror, depending who you ask. Ultimately, he was a writer who enjoyed either genre for it strengths in allowing him to write what he liked, how he liked.
One novella, set in the harshest icy landscape and a winter castle, gives us a werewolf tale where the monster is not as obvious as it seems, and Kane is always in danger of his infamy being discovered. The second sees Kane retiring in a dying and blasted town, but followed by a band of men whom he has wronged - the leader of which allows his revenge to make him the villain of the piece. And a luxurious vampire tale which mixes sensuality and philosophy well.
Wagner seems best known either as a writer of Kane fantasies or for his short horror, depending who you ask. Ultimately, he was a writer who enjoyed either genre for it strengths in allowing him to write what he liked, how he liked.
May 3, 2014
First read this book about 15 years ago. Dusted down my dog-eared copy and read it again about a year ago. Wagner's red-headed, left-handed, 300-lb anti-hero wanders through a mythical time when the world was in its infancy. Doomed and cursed to eternal wandering as punishment for introducing violence to an idyllic world, Kane rages through history trying to assuage the crushing boredom of immortality. This vignette of short stories sees Kane survive the cold-searing kisses of a seductive vampire, and engage a cunning albino werewolf in bone-crunching hand-to hand combat. Kane, both necromancer and swordsman is beyond good or evil. He is simply Kane, a man set apart.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
February 13, 2009True confession, when the first Kane novel I read, Dark Crusade, did not impress me all that much. But I kept hearing from others just how good a writer Karl Edward Wagner was. So I gave it another try. I am glad I did!
http://fireandsword.blogspot.com/2009...
http://fireandsword.blogspot.com/2009...
August 29, 2022
As I was reading (and enjoying) Kagen the Damned, I reflected how it reminded me of a Conan story - a tale of an indomitable swordsman battling evil sorcerers and their armies of grim warriors. I thought about the other classic Sword & Sorcery novels - besides Conan, there are the wonderful Leiber's Fafhrd & Grey Mouser tales, Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone, Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber, Vance's Tales of the Dying Earth... and Karl Edward Wagner's stories about Kane. I first read the Kane books back in high school (Death Angel's Shadow was published in 1973!), and I wondered if I would still enjoy Wagner's stories today. I consider Bloodstone to be Wagner's best book, but Death Angel's Shadow is shorter - a mere 205 paperback pages. So I plucked Death Angel's Shadow off of my bookshelf, where it has resided for the last 45+ years. The verdict? Yes, Wagner's stories about Kane are just as enjoyable today as they were all those years ago.
Kane is a proto-typical anti-hero. He is a powerful (Wagner describes him as just over 6 feet tall, weighing about three hundred pounds, with a giant barrel chest and limbs like tree trunks) - a warrior, quick, ruthless and brutal. Kane is adept with all weapons, proficient with either hand, a violent killer who is quick to anger and determined to get revenge on those who have wronged him. Kane is also immortal; if not slain, then he will heal without scarring. Kane is rumored to be one of the First Men, but in a violent act of rebellion, he murdered his own brother. He was branded with the Mark of Kane - brilliant blue eyes that burn with rage and a lust for bloodshed - a warning to all that he is a remorseless killer. For his crime, Kane is sentenced to wander to the earth until he too is killed in an act of violence. And yet so far, no one has been able to slay Kane in battle or intrigue. And so Kane wields his bloody sword of Carsultyal steel through the centuries - engaging in piracy, battles, raiding, and studying the black arts of sorcery. Death Angel's Shadow contain three stories from Kane's long career.
The first story is called Reflections for the Winter of My Soul. Kane is fleeing a band of avenging Sataki cultists - the pursuers are close enough to occasionally be visible, all of Kane's tricks and cunning have proven futile at throwing them off of his track. A sudden, violent snowstorm engulfs Kane - at first he welcomes the cover it gives him from the warriors on his tail, but the ferocity of the storm indicates it is of supernatural origin. Fueled by nothing more than willpower, Kane blunders through the snow and finds refuge in a forest manor hosted by Baron Troylin of Carrasahl. But the Baron's walled fort proves to be a trap rather than a refuge. The Baron and his entourage are trapped by the snowstorm, and it has become clear than someone in their party is actually a werewolf, a malign supernatural beast intent on slaying them all. Wagner does a good job at providing misdirectional clues that hint at various characters being the shapeshifter. The werewolf sets it traps, and the Baron's men perish in violent encounters. Kane must battle to save his own hide and stop the invulnerable beast from murdering everyone.
The second story is Cold Light. Lord Gaethaa has dedicated his life and his fortune to bringing evildoers to justice. He has slayed ogres and conquered vampires. Unswerving in his dedication, Gaethaa employs an army of hardened professionals that track down the malign and banish them from the world. Alidore, the idealistic second in command, wonders at the extent of Gaethaa's tactics - but the crusader explains how important it is to defeat evil - if a few innocents fall, it is a small price to pay for the greater good that is accomplished. After a hard fought triumph, Gaethaa decides to track down and slay a notorious criminal - the brutal swordsman called Kane. Gaethaa leads his band of men across the vast deserts to the dead city of Sebbei. Kane has hold up in that ruined metropolis, and Gaethaa vows to end Kane's reign of terror amongst those ruins. Thus begins a running battle through the deserted, dusty streets of the decaying city, as Kane fights to outwit and out manuever Gaethaa and his experienced killers.
The final tale is Mirage. Kane is lured into the lair of an erotic vampire. A bite from her fangs will turn Kane into the undead - she offers to let Kane be her undead consort for eternity. Will Kane fall prey to her schemes?
I find Wagner's writing exciting and effective (though his liberal use of exclamation marks is a bit much!!). Wagner is able to conjure up images of long forgotten empires and vast sweeping landscapes. He describes vicious swordfights with verve. The characters act with believable motivation. And the evil Kane is a fascinating character. Although I rarely reread books, I hope I find time to go back and reread the other books about Kane.
Kane is a proto-typical anti-hero. He is a powerful (Wagner describes him as just over 6 feet tall, weighing about three hundred pounds, with a giant barrel chest and limbs like tree trunks) - a warrior, quick, ruthless and brutal. Kane is adept with all weapons, proficient with either hand, a violent killer who is quick to anger and determined to get revenge on those who have wronged him. Kane is also immortal; if not slain, then he will heal without scarring. Kane is rumored to be one of the First Men, but in a violent act of rebellion, he murdered his own brother. He was branded with the Mark of Kane - brilliant blue eyes that burn with rage and a lust for bloodshed - a warning to all that he is a remorseless killer. For his crime, Kane is sentenced to wander to the earth until he too is killed in an act of violence. And yet so far, no one has been able to slay Kane in battle or intrigue. And so Kane wields his bloody sword of Carsultyal steel through the centuries - engaging in piracy, battles, raiding, and studying the black arts of sorcery. Death Angel's Shadow contain three stories from Kane's long career.
The first story is called Reflections for the Winter of My Soul. Kane is fleeing a band of avenging Sataki cultists - the pursuers are close enough to occasionally be visible, all of Kane's tricks and cunning have proven futile at throwing them off of his track. A sudden, violent snowstorm engulfs Kane - at first he welcomes the cover it gives him from the warriors on his tail, but the ferocity of the storm indicates it is of supernatural origin. Fueled by nothing more than willpower, Kane blunders through the snow and finds refuge in a forest manor hosted by Baron Troylin of Carrasahl. But the Baron's walled fort proves to be a trap rather than a refuge. The Baron and his entourage are trapped by the snowstorm, and it has become clear than someone in their party is actually a werewolf, a malign supernatural beast intent on slaying them all. Wagner does a good job at providing misdirectional clues that hint at various characters being the shapeshifter. The werewolf sets it traps, and the Baron's men perish in violent encounters. Kane must battle to save his own hide and stop the invulnerable beast from murdering everyone.
The second story is Cold Light. Lord Gaethaa has dedicated his life and his fortune to bringing evildoers to justice. He has slayed ogres and conquered vampires. Unswerving in his dedication, Gaethaa employs an army of hardened professionals that track down the malign and banish them from the world. Alidore, the idealistic second in command, wonders at the extent of Gaethaa's tactics - but the crusader explains how important it is to defeat evil - if a few innocents fall, it is a small price to pay for the greater good that is accomplished. After a hard fought triumph, Gaethaa decides to track down and slay a notorious criminal - the brutal swordsman called Kane. Gaethaa leads his band of men across the vast deserts to the dead city of Sebbei. Kane has hold up in that ruined metropolis, and Gaethaa vows to end Kane's reign of terror amongst those ruins. Thus begins a running battle through the deserted, dusty streets of the decaying city, as Kane fights to outwit and out manuever Gaethaa and his experienced killers.
The final tale is Mirage. Kane is lured into the lair of an erotic vampire. A bite from her fangs will turn Kane into the undead - she offers to let Kane be her undead consort for eternity. Will Kane fall prey to her schemes?
I find Wagner's writing exciting and effective (though his liberal use of exclamation marks is a bit much!!). Wagner is able to conjure up images of long forgotten empires and vast sweeping landscapes. He describes vicious swordfights with verve. The characters act with believable motivation. And the evil Kane is a fascinating character. Although I rarely reread books, I hope I find time to go back and reread the other books about Kane.
December 5, 2021
This is a review of the entire series!
Kane is a brutal, scarlet-maned barbarian that defied fate by murdering the god that created him. He’s an immortal bastard doomed to wander a bleak apocalyptic world full of criminals, demons and horrifying elder gods. Death stalks him everywhere he goes and he never knows a moment of peace. Armed with twin blades, forbidden sorcery and the dark heart of a mad warrior, Kane conquers and destroys anything that dares to stand in the way of him getting whatever he desires.
If Conan the Barbarian had an edgy goth big brother, his name would be Kane. Kane shares the hotblooded spirit, the lust for danger and conquest, the unparalleled skill for battle as Conan, but he kicks it up a few notches by being extremely intelligent, unlawful, immortal, cruel and possesses a knack for evil sorceries which Conan would definitely not be a fan of. The world he lives in also feels like a much more scary and bloody version of Hyboria. It’s pure gothic horror and lovecraftian nightmare territory. Fans of Dark Souls will feel right at home.
While the action, adventure and world is filled with tons of gritty fun, it manages to be quite creative and original compared to many other sword and sorcery series that begin to feel repetitive after running for too long. Kane constantly keeps things fresh by branching out into areas of exploration such as entire stories dedicated to discussing advanced literature, art, philosophy, history, race, religion, politics, nature, society, human morality and many other topics that stand out from the brutal cutthroat action sequences, bloodthirsty demons and chaotic sorcery the genre is typically known for. This gives the characters more depth and creates a melancholy yet immersive atmosphere that many other sword and sorcery books don’t often capture.
Every Kane tale is a stand-alone story and Kane himself transcends time which means you can read the series in any order you wish without feeling lost or uninformed. The series is a great blend of bloody awesome action, dark humor, philosophical musings and Moorcockian wizardry.
***
If you're looking for some dark ambient music for reading horror, dark fantasy and other books like this one, then be sure to check out my YouTube Channel called Nightmarish Compositions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPs...
Kane is a brutal, scarlet-maned barbarian that defied fate by murdering the god that created him. He’s an immortal bastard doomed to wander a bleak apocalyptic world full of criminals, demons and horrifying elder gods. Death stalks him everywhere he goes and he never knows a moment of peace. Armed with twin blades, forbidden sorcery and the dark heart of a mad warrior, Kane conquers and destroys anything that dares to stand in the way of him getting whatever he desires.
If Conan the Barbarian had an edgy goth big brother, his name would be Kane. Kane shares the hotblooded spirit, the lust for danger and conquest, the unparalleled skill for battle as Conan, but he kicks it up a few notches by being extremely intelligent, unlawful, immortal, cruel and possesses a knack for evil sorceries which Conan would definitely not be a fan of. The world he lives in also feels like a much more scary and bloody version of Hyboria. It’s pure gothic horror and lovecraftian nightmare territory. Fans of Dark Souls will feel right at home.
While the action, adventure and world is filled with tons of gritty fun, it manages to be quite creative and original compared to many other sword and sorcery series that begin to feel repetitive after running for too long. Kane constantly keeps things fresh by branching out into areas of exploration such as entire stories dedicated to discussing advanced literature, art, philosophy, history, race, religion, politics, nature, society, human morality and many other topics that stand out from the brutal cutthroat action sequences, bloodthirsty demons and chaotic sorcery the genre is typically known for. This gives the characters more depth and creates a melancholy yet immersive atmosphere that many other sword and sorcery books don’t often capture.
Every Kane tale is a stand-alone story and Kane himself transcends time which means you can read the series in any order you wish without feeling lost or uninformed. The series is a great blend of bloody awesome action, dark humor, philosophical musings and Moorcockian wizardry.
***
If you're looking for some dark ambient music for reading horror, dark fantasy and other books like this one, then be sure to check out my YouTube Channel called Nightmarish Compositions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPs...
October 18, 2018
Další kniha ze série s věčným bojovníkem Kanem. A tentokrát to není ani povídkový sborník, ani román, je to kniha složená ze tří delších novel. Tedy, z jedné povídky a ze dvou delších novel. Mají společné jedno - jsou na poměrné klasická témata.
V prvním příběhu se Kane dostane na hrad, který ovládá krásná upírka. A jelikož sám je momentálně ve stavu, kdy už ho život celkem nudí, rád jí podlehne. Celý ten příběh není ani tak o soubojích, je spíš takový lehce existencionální a melancholický. Což je u Kanea příjemná změna.
Druhý příběh je čistý Rambo. Jednička, samozřejmě. (Mimochodem, kniha vyšla rok poté, co vyšla První krev, v roce 1973. Takže to není ani tak inspirace, jako to spíš bylo tak nějak ve vzduchu.) Kane je pronásledovaný skupinou bojovníků za dobro a je zahnaný do téměř opuštěného města. Jenže tam se situace štvance a oběti rychle otočí a Kane likviduje své pronásledovatele jednoho po druhém.
A ve třetím příběhu se Kane dostane uprostřed vánice na hrad, který je ohrožovaný tajemným nebezpečím. Někdo z lidí co v něm žijí, je vlkodlak. Jenže kdo?
Krátká a solidní kniha, i když mě nebavila tolik jako minulé. Rozhodně se musí nechat, že autor nenechá hrdinu zkladnět. Jen ho staví do situací, kdy alternativy jsou ještě horší než on.
V prvním příběhu se Kane dostane na hrad, který ovládá krásná upírka. A jelikož sám je momentálně ve stavu, kdy už ho život celkem nudí, rád jí podlehne. Celý ten příběh není ani tak o soubojích, je spíš takový lehce existencionální a melancholický. Což je u Kanea příjemná změna.
Druhý příběh je čistý Rambo. Jednička, samozřejmě. (Mimochodem, kniha vyšla rok poté, co vyšla První krev, v roce 1973. Takže to není ani tak inspirace, jako to spíš bylo tak nějak ve vzduchu.) Kane je pronásledovaný skupinou bojovníků za dobro a je zahnaný do téměř opuštěného města. Jenže tam se situace štvance a oběti rychle otočí a Kane likviduje své pronásledovatele jednoho po druhém.
A ve třetím příběhu se Kane dostane uprostřed vánice na hrad, který je ohrožovaný tajemným nebezpečím. Někdo z lidí co v něm žijí, je vlkodlak. Jenže kdo?
Krátká a solidní kniha, i když mě nebavila tolik jako minulé. Rozhodně se musí nechat, že autor nenechá hrdinu zkladnět. Jen ho staví do situací, kdy alternativy jsou ještě horší než on.
May 31, 2021
I have read two volumes of horror stories by Karl Wagner, and they were quite good. This is the first time I've ventured into the Kane stories. I've been meaning to try them out for quite a while, and just yesterday I happened to read a short review of this book. The reviewer claimed that the first story in this volume, "Reflections for the Winter of My Soul," is one of Wagner's best Kane stories.
So, I thought this would be the place to start. I feel a bit let down. It's a decent story, but if this is as good as it gets in the Kane universe, then I might not spend much more time there.
As I understand it, Kane is a bit like Robert E. Howard's Conan. He's a mercenary who is traveling through an imaginary land, having grand adventures in which he encounters and vanquishes many foes, including the werewolf in this story.
Some readers think that the Kane stories are the pinnacle of the Sword & Sorcery genre. It's not my favorite genre, but I do dip into it occasionally. While Wagner is good, I think Fritz Leiber is a superior prose stylist. I'm probably on shaky ground in saying this, considering it's been many years since I read any S&S by Leiber. Anyway, I'm curious what other readers think.
So, I thought this would be the place to start. I feel a bit let down. It's a decent story, but if this is as good as it gets in the Kane universe, then I might not spend much more time there.
As I understand it, Kane is a bit like Robert E. Howard's Conan. He's a mercenary who is traveling through an imaginary land, having grand adventures in which he encounters and vanquishes many foes, including the werewolf in this story.
Some readers think that the Kane stories are the pinnacle of the Sword & Sorcery genre. It's not my favorite genre, but I do dip into it occasionally. While Wagner is good, I think Fritz Leiber is a superior prose stylist. I'm probably on shaky ground in saying this, considering it's been many years since I read any S&S by Leiber. Anyway, I'm curious what other readers think.
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