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A Sightless Place
The prelude to the upcoming collection, No Light in August.
In the midst of a brutal war, three brigands turned sell swords leave a village smouldering behind them and cross a countryside being laid waste. A detour through a nearby forest offers the fastest way back to their army and the prospect of greater plunder.
They're on the winning side and have little to fear from those they have wronged. That every tree has a face carved on it means little to these men, but nothing here is as it seems.
R.L. Robinson (Author) Niall Parkinson (Cover artist) Christine Clukey (Editor)
Extract:
'It was not the first village to be burned, and it would not be the last. It was the way of things; folk expected it.
They rode in as the sun was rising, cresting the span of rolling hills so the light was at their backs. One man named Ranald, older and with three grown daughters, tried to make a stand. A pitchfork isn’t much use against mail and plate; he managed a swing at one of the horses before its rider shoved a sword through his guts.
From that point, it went more or less as one would expect.'
In the midst of a brutal war, three brigands turned sell swords leave a village smouldering behind them and cross a countryside being laid waste. A detour through a nearby forest offers the fastest way back to their army and the prospect of greater plunder.
They're on the winning side and have little to fear from those they have wronged. That every tree has a face carved on it means little to these men, but nothing here is as it seems.
R.L. Robinson (Author) Niall Parkinson (Cover artist) Christine Clukey (Editor)
Extract:
'It was not the first village to be burned, and it would not be the last. It was the way of things; folk expected it.
They rode in as the sun was rising, cresting the span of rolling hills so the light was at their backs. One man named Ranald, older and with three grown daughters, tried to make a stand. A pitchfork isn’t much use against mail and plate; he managed a swing at one of the horses before its rider shoved a sword through his guts.
From that point, it went more or less as one would expect.'
- GenresHorror
12 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 29, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 3, 2014
R.L. Robinson manages to submerge the reader into a dark and mysterious world with words, truly surrounding them within the setting.
A touch of the daring hits you as soon as you venture into the first page, greeted by a scene of violence and realistic cussing that would make Ginsberg proud. It is evident from the offset this is not a child friendly publication.
The format it is written in is nice and easy to follow (even for someone like me who, due to dyslexia, tends to have to read pages twice) The layout consists of short but highly detailed paragraphs, allowing the reader to lose themselves in the action without tiring on a flurry of unneeded detail.
As someone who enjoys reading supernatural/ adventure based stories, this one has not disappointed so far in anyway. Imagery is apt and further submersive to the over all theme of the plot, drawing you in on a lesser concious level.
Dialogue reads like a well versed script (which is probably why I enjoy it and find it easier to get lost in as I am a keen comic fan and love live action dialogue) and manages to keep attention of the reader.
Overall, I would highly recommend giving this a read.
A touch of the daring hits you as soon as you venture into the first page, greeted by a scene of violence and realistic cussing that would make Ginsberg proud. It is evident from the offset this is not a child friendly publication.
The format it is written in is nice and easy to follow (even for someone like me who, due to dyslexia, tends to have to read pages twice) The layout consists of short but highly detailed paragraphs, allowing the reader to lose themselves in the action without tiring on a flurry of unneeded detail.
As someone who enjoys reading supernatural/ adventure based stories, this one has not disappointed so far in anyway. Imagery is apt and further submersive to the over all theme of the plot, drawing you in on a lesser concious level.
Dialogue reads like a well versed script (which is probably why I enjoy it and find it easier to get lost in as I am a keen comic fan and love live action dialogue) and manages to keep attention of the reader.
Overall, I would highly recommend giving this a read.
July 3, 2014
I'm glad this short horror story is a prelude to a longer book because it left me wanting more! The characters are amazingly developed for such a short work. The world Mr. Robinson has created is intriguing and the few tantalizing glimpses he shows us makes me want to learn more about it. Mr. Robinson's concise, vivid prose, which places the reader directly into the scene, is reminiscent of George RR Martin's superior writing. As a horror writer, I highly recommend this self-contained prelude to an upcoming horror novel and I am chomping at the bit like a greyhound at the starting gate to read No Light in August!
July 4, 2014
Tense, claustrophic, and definitly worth a read.
July 11, 2014
“A Sightless Place” by R.L. Robinson is a weird little bit of a short story, albeit an entertaining one. Cassiel, Niall and Emil had been pillaging and plundering small villages so long that all the killing didn’t even bother them anymore. Leaving another burning village, the three headed for The Ghostwood, a place the ignorant peasants claimed was where the sightless trees were located.
Reaching a forested area, the three were a bit spooked to see that each tree had a large face carved into its trunk. Huge, bottomless black eyes seemed to follow them as they rode. The Ghostwood was quiet… too quiet. Not a single bird, squirrel or buzzing bee could be seen or heard. Still, these three brave warriors refused to succumb to their overactive imaginations.
Riding through the trees, they discovered a clearing in which to camp for the night. They could have pushed on further, but were concerned they might get turned around in the dark. Would they survive the night in The Ghostwood? You’ll have to read “A Sightless Place” to find out. When I said this was a weird story, I meant that in a good way. “A Sightless Place” is a clever short story, which can be read while waiting your turn at your doctor’s office. Or maybe your optometrist’s office?
Reaching a forested area, the three were a bit spooked to see that each tree had a large face carved into its trunk. Huge, bottomless black eyes seemed to follow them as they rode. The Ghostwood was quiet… too quiet. Not a single bird, squirrel or buzzing bee could be seen or heard. Still, these three brave warriors refused to succumb to their overactive imaginations.
Riding through the trees, they discovered a clearing in which to camp for the night. They could have pushed on further, but were concerned they might get turned around in the dark. Would they survive the night in The Ghostwood? You’ll have to read “A Sightless Place” to find out. When I said this was a weird story, I meant that in a good way. “A Sightless Place” is a clever short story, which can be read while waiting your turn at your doctor’s office. Or maybe your optometrist’s office?
July 3, 2014
Very well-written with dark undertones, this book was a great imagining. Concise and quick, the character development is surprising. Considering the length, one gets to see the characters through a special lens which speeds up their development through experience and circumstance. While I would love to see more, I understand that it's a prelude and anxiously anticipate the furtherance of this dark tale, No Light In August.
Overall, superb writing and storytelling bring about an impressive, if short, journey. This leaves the palette teased, barely whet, and longing for more.
Overall, superb writing and storytelling bring about an impressive, if short, journey. This leaves the palette teased, barely whet, and longing for more.
July 3, 2014
About sightless...this is a short story written by Robert Robinson, which forms part of a series of short stories of eclectic tastes. it starts with a slight western feel to it, but soon emerges into a dark thriller with a supernatural feel. The story is an excellent length, giving credibility to the characters and their journey. As with each of Robert Robinsons stories, there is a unique point to them, which often (and is in this case) totally unexpected. He keeps you thinking and reading right to the very end!
July 4, 2014
Robert Robinson's writing triggers fear, excitement and intrigue all at once. The characters are raw and brutal but not without humanity and once you begin reading this story it quickly pulls you in and then you're hooked! With his exacting descriptions and mystical overtones, any reader should be intrigued and thrilled to want more from this great new talent! 5 stars for Robert Robinson!
July 11, 2014
This is a very well written and gripping tale. The characters are gritty. The suspense is palpable. And the action is vivid. Get lost in this creepy tale and watch as the mystery unfolds before your very eyes. It will leave you with chills.
December 20, 2021
A nice little story about guilt.
February 15, 2015
The Eyes Have It!
This short prelude to No Light in August didn't feel like the type of book that I might normally choose to read, largely due to the era in which the tale takes place. However as I kept reading I found myself drawn in deeper and deeper., not unlike the forest that drew the characters of this story into it. This was my first experience reading this author's work but I know it won't be my last because my next read is going to be "No Light In August" and I'm really looking forward to checking it out!
This short prelude to No Light in August didn't feel like the type of book that I might normally choose to read, largely due to the era in which the tale takes place. However as I kept reading I found myself drawn in deeper and deeper., not unlike the forest that drew the characters of this story into it. This was my first experience reading this author's work but I know it won't be my last because my next read is going to be "No Light In August" and I'm really looking forward to checking it out!
July 14, 2014
Truly excellent short story! The three characters, mercenaries in a land at war, all have pasts that are best described as sordid. Their past comes back to haunt them, in a very, very, wickedly real way. Though this was an easy, quick read, it made me do some thinking as to the nature of the phrase 'the past comes back to haunt the present'. I hope this is a prelude to a larger work, I'm looking forward to reading more from Mr. Robinson.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews