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The Last Gasp Of Midnight
A duel to the death in three parts. A conversation of sorts between the last two men left alive after a brutal battle.
One soldier from each side. Both want to survive. Neither can walk away.
One soldier from each side. Both want to survive. Neither can walk away.
- GenresFantasy
50 pages, Paperback
Published April 11, 2025
1 person is currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Howard Riley
8 books79 followersThomas Howard Riley currently resides in the wasteland metropolis, where he reads ancient books, plays ancient games, watches ancient movies, jams on ancient guitars, and writes furiously day and night. He sometimes appears on clear nights when the moon is gibbous, and he has often been seen in the presence of cats.
He always wanted to make up his own worlds, tell his own stories, write his own history, create his own people, honor the truths of life, and explore both the light and the darkness of human nature. With a few swords thrown in for good measure.
And some magick. Awesome magick.
He can be found digitally at THOMASHOWARDRILEY.COM
On Twitter he is @ornithopteryx, where he is sometimes funny, always clever, and never mean.
He always wanted to make up his own worlds, tell his own stories, write his own history, create his own people, honor the truths of life, and explore both the light and the darkness of human nature. With a few swords thrown in for good measure.
And some magick. Awesome magick.
He can be found digitally at THOMASHOWARDRILEY.COM
On Twitter he is @ornithopteryx, where he is sometimes funny, always clever, and never mean.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 2, 2025
I won a copy of this by sharing a picture of myself and my cat Ellie…what better way to be introduced to an author.
This novelette packs an immense punch for how short it is. It’s almost inconceivably well written. Concise editing making every words’ placement reach its ultimate impact. With some well placed and cool commas, this one really stands out.
Two lone survivors of a battle take part in an incredible standoff when they come across each other in the mud and viscera. One fights for the chance to see his son again, and the other fights for his freedom and a chance at a family. They’re both exhausted, weaponless (several times over), and frantically trying to stay alive to see their dreams come to fruition.
I’m impressed at how descriptive this was. It’s not overbearing, it didn’t hinder the pacing, and yet it felt like being smacked onto the aftermath of a battle. Bodies—both human and horse alike—blood, limbs, excrement and decay. I even imagined the smell—(the filthy puddles?!). This felt like a historic level of representation.
The battle is gripping, with pacing that will shred your face off. The banter is enjoyable, as if two opposing soldiers could ever be friendly. And the most surprising of all, the story’s heart will hit you where it hurts with so much emotional damage you’ll be left checking yourself for blade wounds. While you may be able to see the twist coming in this story, it’s so deftly handled you won’t care. What an enjoyable, quick read.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-the-la...
This novelette packs an immense punch for how short it is. It’s almost inconceivably well written. Concise editing making every words’ placement reach its ultimate impact. With some well placed and cool commas, this one really stands out.
Two lone survivors of a battle take part in an incredible standoff when they come across each other in the mud and viscera. One fights for the chance to see his son again, and the other fights for his freedom and a chance at a family. They’re both exhausted, weaponless (several times over), and frantically trying to stay alive to see their dreams come to fruition.
I’m impressed at how descriptive this was. It’s not overbearing, it didn’t hinder the pacing, and yet it felt like being smacked onto the aftermath of a battle. Bodies—both human and horse alike—blood, limbs, excrement and decay. I even imagined the smell—(the filthy puddles?!). This felt like a historic level of representation.
The battle is gripping, with pacing that will shred your face off. The banter is enjoyable, as if two opposing soldiers could ever be friendly. And the most surprising of all, the story’s heart will hit you where it hurts with so much emotional damage you’ll be left checking yourself for blade wounds. While you may be able to see the twist coming in this story, it’s so deftly handled you won’t care. What an enjoyable, quick read.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-the-la...
May 9, 2025
Short, Bloody, painful, visceral, and amazing. Never read Grimdark short story before and this one toped every expectation! Job well done!
March 4, 2025
Raw, unflinching, and emotionally devastating, The Last Gasp of Midnight left me broken. Riley shows off his writing chops by weaving a seamless story about a man and his son into a 47 page muddy, bloody, and brutal fight scene.
March 12, 2025
Well, all I can say that for a story that’s under 50 pages I was engaged through all the mud blood fighting scenes, etc. etc. etc. action pack and under 50 pages depending on how fast you read you can have this done in an hour!!!!
March 22, 2025
Free book from the author's newsletter. Fantastic story. From the first breath, to the last gasp.
July 12, 2025
4.5*
Oh my..
Oh my..
June 23, 2025
Visceral short read! Well written and full of action. I will say, I guessed the twist pretty early on, but that didn’t really hamper my enjoyment. I need to read some of Riley’s other books now!
May 10, 2025
Very short novella (about 50 pages) but packs a super heavy gut punch.
Howard Riley has a neat premise here: the battle has been fought and only 2 men are left. They fought for opposite sides, and now they have to kill each other for freedom and survival.
“Three cities stood between the coast where your ships landed and these hills. Three cities burned. The people butchered.”
“That was not my doing.”
“Now who is lying, old man? You walk with the wolves because you are one.”
We learn more about each of them through their interactions and the way they fight, and by 3/4 of the novella, you don't want either of them to die, and neither do the characters. They develop a mutual respect and something even akin to friendship, all while scrounging to kill each other.
The action is tight, the situation dire. I did have 2 smaller critiques with it. The dialogue, for me, mostly fell flat until we get to about halfway. From there it starts to warm up, but they're insults felt slightly childish and took away from the tension. My other critique is that one of the facts important to the narrative is obfuscated. I get why and I think it paid off, but I felt ever so slightly cheated.
Still, really enjoyed this one. The ending had me in a chokehold and I'm excited to try more from the author. If you want a gritty book that invokes the feeling of Jon Snow suffocating under a sea of corpses in the Battle of the Bastards, check this one out
Howard Riley has a neat premise here: the battle has been fought and only 2 men are left. They fought for opposite sides, and now they have to kill each other for freedom and survival.
“Three cities stood between the coast where your ships landed and these hills. Three cities burned. The people butchered.”
“That was not my doing.”
“Now who is lying, old man? You walk with the wolves because you are one.”
We learn more about each of them through their interactions and the way they fight, and by 3/4 of the novella, you don't want either of them to die, and neither do the characters. They develop a mutual respect and something even akin to friendship, all while scrounging to kill each other.
The action is tight, the situation dire. I did have 2 smaller critiques with it. The dialogue, for me, mostly fell flat until we get to about halfway. From there it starts to warm up, but they're insults felt slightly childish and took away from the tension. My other critique is that one of the facts important to the narrative is obfuscated. I get why and I think it paid off, but I felt ever so slightly cheated.
Still, really enjoyed this one. The ending had me in a chokehold and I'm excited to try more from the author. If you want a gritty book that invokes the feeling of Jon Snow suffocating under a sea of corpses in the Battle of the Bastards, check this one out
March 8, 2025
Thomas Howard Riley can write a hell of a fight scene, but there's a lot more here. By the end, if you don't feel for both characters you might not have a soul. I expected the brutal violence, but I wasn't exactly prepared for the emotional strings that Riley pulls.
This is a quick read and one I'd easily recommend for a quick change of pace, particularly if you like gritty fantasy. This definitely makes me want to check out more of Riley's work.
7.21/10
4/5 ⭐️
This is a quick read and one I'd easily recommend for a quick change of pace, particularly if you like gritty fantasy. This definitely makes me want to check out more of Riley's work.
7.21/10
4/5 ⭐️
July 13, 2025
This review was originally posted to SFF Insiders.
https://www.sffinsiders.com/blog/revi...
Don’t let the size of this novella fool you. Despite coming in at less than 50 pages, this story will leave a lasting impression with its delightfully dark prose and blood-soaked pages. Riley explores the raw power of determination and how hard one man will fight to reclaim someone he loves, even if the cost is his life.
“Waking up here was worse than any nightmare.”
The Last Gasp of Midnight by Thomas Howard Riley
The book wastes no time and starts off by dropping readers directly into a post war battlefield directly outside of a grand and golden city. The soil is soaked with blood, and bodies from both armies litter the ground. The sights and smells are so vividly described that readers can feel a sense of unease settle in their stomach. It is then that we are introduced to two characters, an old man and a young man. Both are soldiers who happen to be the last men standing from the war. Despite fighting on opposing sides, each one is fighting for their life and is determined to survive no matter the injuries they both sustain.
The book remains tightly focused on the two war-weary soldiers. The Old Man, who we come to know as Kersad, has been on a relentless quest to track down his son who was captured and enslaved by the army of the Golden City. Kersad has sworn to walk to the ends of the Earth if it means holding his son in his arms again. One can feel the immense love that the Old Man has for his son through his actions and thoughts, the memory of his boy driving him forward even when the odds are stacked against him.
Opposing Kersad is the Saffron Soldier, a skilled fighter for the Golden City who is defending their walls from the invading forces that Kersad happens to be a part of. Both soldiers are exceptionally skilled in hand-to-hand combat and weapons craft. Right when readers think one is about to meet their untimely end, the story flips in the most extraordinary way that keeps readers on their toes.
“Death doesn’t have to be so hard, old man,” the soldier said. “Just let it come easy.”
Although it's a short novella, I found this book highly enjoyable. I often tell people that dark fantasy is my favorite genre, and Riley has truly delivered on that front. I'm especially curious if the setting of this story appears in any of the author's other works. There were subtle lore drops throughout the novella that hinted at a much larger world. I'd love the opportunity to explore more!
In closing, I highly recommend this book for anyone seeking a dark and gritty read that you can consume in a single day. Riley has masterfully woven a powerful and emotionally resonant story. I’m eager to dive into more of this author’s work in the near future!
https://www.sffinsiders.com/blog/revi...
Don’t let the size of this novella fool you. Despite coming in at less than 50 pages, this story will leave a lasting impression with its delightfully dark prose and blood-soaked pages. Riley explores the raw power of determination and how hard one man will fight to reclaim someone he loves, even if the cost is his life.
“Waking up here was worse than any nightmare.”
The Last Gasp of Midnight by Thomas Howard Riley
The book wastes no time and starts off by dropping readers directly into a post war battlefield directly outside of a grand and golden city. The soil is soaked with blood, and bodies from both armies litter the ground. The sights and smells are so vividly described that readers can feel a sense of unease settle in their stomach. It is then that we are introduced to two characters, an old man and a young man. Both are soldiers who happen to be the last men standing from the war. Despite fighting on opposing sides, each one is fighting for their life and is determined to survive no matter the injuries they both sustain.
The book remains tightly focused on the two war-weary soldiers. The Old Man, who we come to know as Kersad, has been on a relentless quest to track down his son who was captured and enslaved by the army of the Golden City. Kersad has sworn to walk to the ends of the Earth if it means holding his son in his arms again. One can feel the immense love that the Old Man has for his son through his actions and thoughts, the memory of his boy driving him forward even when the odds are stacked against him.
Opposing Kersad is the Saffron Soldier, a skilled fighter for the Golden City who is defending their walls from the invading forces that Kersad happens to be a part of. Both soldiers are exceptionally skilled in hand-to-hand combat and weapons craft. Right when readers think one is about to meet their untimely end, the story flips in the most extraordinary way that keeps readers on their toes.
“Death doesn’t have to be so hard, old man,” the soldier said. “Just let it come easy.”
Although it's a short novella, I found this book highly enjoyable. I often tell people that dark fantasy is my favorite genre, and Riley has truly delivered on that front. I'm especially curious if the setting of this story appears in any of the author's other works. There were subtle lore drops throughout the novella that hinted at a much larger world. I'd love the opportunity to explore more!
In closing, I highly recommend this book for anyone seeking a dark and gritty read that you can consume in a single day. Riley has masterfully woven a powerful and emotionally resonant story. I’m eager to dive into more of this author’s work in the near future!
July 12, 2025
This hurt my heart in an epic way.
May 26, 2025
“Why don’t you just give up and die, old man?” the saffron soldier asked, though it felt more of a wish than a question.
“Your whole army couldn’t kill me, you shit-sucking wretch,” Kersad said. “What makes you think you can?”
A 50 page book with a 500 page emotional gut punch; this is skill.
“Your whole army couldn’t kill me, you shit-sucking wretch,” Kersad said. “What makes you think you can?”
A 50 page book with a 500 page emotional gut punch; this is skill.
March 5, 2025
The Last Gasp of Midnight is a surprisingly intimate exploration not of war, or dueling, although this novelette deals unflinchingly with the devastation of war and the frenzied chaos of a fight to the death. No, this book at its heart is an exploration of fatherhood and family, and the power of memory and personal grief. It would be so easy to be caught up in the conflict, because Riley captures both the wider scope of the fighting that led to the moments that are central to this story, and to the visceral, sprawling fight between our two characters, with both a fantastic attention to detail and a rise and fall to the action that keeps you entirely focused on the fact that this is a life and death duel.
Yet, the intertwined memories, and the conversation that occurs in the quiet moments. The back and forth from two cultural viewpoints mean that as arresting and consuming as the action is, those are the moments, when the blades slice deep into the reader. Riley captures fatherhood in both it’s delicate, fragile infancy through the son with the expectation and anticipation of the new generation; through the pain of failure, the love and devotion of a father determined to reunite with his son, and even through the paternal sympathy that the older warrior demonstrates towards the younger man as they find a place of mutual respect. To the point when grief becomes new and raw. It’s handled with a gentleness that is so at odds with the brutality of the setting, that it is like shining sunlight on that relationship.
In typical Riley fashion there is a lot of world packed into this novelette, yet it never gets in the way of the core of the story. This a world that stretches far beyond this story, both past and present, and we have glimpses of different societies, cultural history and habits, both in how it applies to our characters, but also in the world that has devoured them both and spat them out in this moment. Here is where we see the power of memory – the connections that remain even when details have faded with time; but also the weakness, and how time can errode these things, the realisation for Kersad of just how long had passed.
There’s also very much a sense of how war and conflict can consume everything, across the battlefield that these two men duel, we see how many lives have been devoured and churned out in shattered remains and remnants of lives that fought and failed. We see it in how the younger man has been swept up in the demands of soldiering, and the life he was forced into, to the point where he speaks the words of The Saffron as his own. And in Kersad himself, having lost track of time and the path he has walked, as long as much of who he was to get to where he needed to be. But, also how powerless that conflict can become in the face of life, and hope and the future, that light piercing through to the truth – in the most painful of way.
The Last Gasp of Midnight is a delightful delve into the best of Riley’s writing; and this novelette packs a punch far above its size. Gentle and brutal in equal measure, its takes a fascinating look at life and death and fatherhood.
Yet, the intertwined memories, and the conversation that occurs in the quiet moments. The back and forth from two cultural viewpoints mean that as arresting and consuming as the action is, those are the moments, when the blades slice deep into the reader. Riley captures fatherhood in both it’s delicate, fragile infancy through the son with the expectation and anticipation of the new generation; through the pain of failure, the love and devotion of a father determined to reunite with his son, and even through the paternal sympathy that the older warrior demonstrates towards the younger man as they find a place of mutual respect. To the point when grief becomes new and raw. It’s handled with a gentleness that is so at odds with the brutality of the setting, that it is like shining sunlight on that relationship.
In typical Riley fashion there is a lot of world packed into this novelette, yet it never gets in the way of the core of the story. This a world that stretches far beyond this story, both past and present, and we have glimpses of different societies, cultural history and habits, both in how it applies to our characters, but also in the world that has devoured them both and spat them out in this moment. Here is where we see the power of memory – the connections that remain even when details have faded with time; but also the weakness, and how time can errode these things, the realisation for Kersad of just how long had passed.
There’s also very much a sense of how war and conflict can consume everything, across the battlefield that these two men duel, we see how many lives have been devoured and churned out in shattered remains and remnants of lives that fought and failed. We see it in how the younger man has been swept up in the demands of soldiering, and the life he was forced into, to the point where he speaks the words of The Saffron as his own. And in Kersad himself, having lost track of time and the path he has walked, as long as much of who he was to get to where he needed to be. But, also how powerless that conflict can become in the face of life, and hope and the future, that light piercing through to the truth – in the most painful of way.
The Last Gasp of Midnight is a delightful delve into the best of Riley’s writing; and this novelette packs a punch far above its size. Gentle and brutal in equal measure, its takes a fascinating look at life and death and fatherhood.
March 22, 2025
I knew this would be a bloody fight to the death but I didn't know this would be emotional!
Gritty and raw, Howard Riley pulls no punches on this battle field. You can smell the decay and hear the squelching sound of blood with each step. Plus the character motivations for trying to survive and kill their opponent.
I highly recommend this short story. It packs a punch. I also look forward to reading more from this author.
Gritty and raw, Howard Riley pulls no punches on this battle field. You can smell the decay and hear the squelching sound of blood with each step. Plus the character motivations for trying to survive and kill their opponent.
I highly recommend this short story. It packs a punch. I also look forward to reading more from this author.
September 1, 2025
The Last Gasp of Midnight is a brutal war story of love and loss. An old warrior fighting to get a chance to see his boy who was taken in slavery. A monumental twist near the end will take your breath away and break your heart.
October 26, 2025
I used to kick sand. Now I swing sharp steel
September 29, 2025
difficilmente leggo racconti brevi.. preferisco i romanzi.. ma di T H R voglio leggere tutto.. e non potevo esimermi da questo racconto..
due uomini dopo una battaglia di incontrano, rivali, feriti.. uno giovane, che lotta per la figlia che verrà, uno vecchio, che lotta per cercare suo figlio rapito.. non possono permettersi di lasciarsi vivi..
è impressionante, ripeto, impressionante, la qualità di scrittura di Thomas e la sua capacità in poche righe di trasportarti nel suo mondo.. in poche pagine racchiude la vita di due uomini, i loro passato, i loro errori, i loro sogni e ambizioni, i loro amori e i loro odi.. veloce, divertente nei combattimenti goffi, profondo e intimo nei dialoghi, umano e toccante nel finale...
due uomini dopo una battaglia di incontrano, rivali, feriti.. uno giovane, che lotta per la figlia che verrà, uno vecchio, che lotta per cercare suo figlio rapito.. non possono permettersi di lasciarsi vivi..
è impressionante, ripeto, impressionante, la qualità di scrittura di Thomas e la sua capacità in poche righe di trasportarti nel suo mondo.. in poche pagine racchiude la vita di due uomini, i loro passato, i loro errori, i loro sogni e ambizioni, i loro amori e i loro odi.. veloce, divertente nei combattimenti goffi, profondo e intimo nei dialoghi, umano e toccante nel finale...
June 13, 2025
Kersad has survived the worst of the battlefield in a war that takes no sides.
The silverbeard struggles, pushes on, and crawls towards the dagger. It's too bad one of the Saffron soldiers is doing the very same thing.
Who will live?
Here is the thing. I can not tell you how I FEEL about this one. Not because it is a book of thirty something amazing pages. It feels like so much more. It IS so much more. It is because you might guess the outcome 'early' in the read, and where is the fun in that? Hm? 😉
The descriptions, the mindsets, their reasons for survival. You need to read this one, my lovelies. *sigh*
The silverbeard struggles, pushes on, and crawls towards the dagger. It's too bad one of the Saffron soldiers is doing the very same thing.
Who will live?
Here is the thing. I can not tell you how I FEEL about this one. Not because it is a book of thirty something amazing pages. It feels like so much more. It IS so much more. It is because you might guess the outcome 'early' in the read, and where is the fun in that? Hm? 😉
The descriptions, the mindsets, their reasons for survival. You need to read this one, my lovelies. *sigh*
March 5, 2025
What a great little story.
I got this ebook for free signing up for Thomas Howard Riley's email list and I'm glad I did. It's a brutal gut-punch of a story, told from the perspective of an old fighter trying to get through the last remnants of an army to find his long-lost son. His opponent has his own motivations, but it's a bloody back-and-forth that takes less than 30 minutes to read, but the ending will stay with you for days.
I got this ebook for free signing up for Thomas Howard Riley's email list and I'm glad I did. It's a brutal gut-punch of a story, told from the perspective of an old fighter trying to get through the last remnants of an army to find his long-lost son. His opponent has his own motivations, but it's a bloody back-and-forth that takes less than 30 minutes to read, but the ending will stay with you for days.
May 27, 2025
This novelette packs as much punch of a crossbow bolt to the heart as it does to the heart. There is so much emotion oozing within these pages as two men wage a fight to the death, clambering for any fallen weapon, for any advantage they could find. It is raw, it is emotional, it is pure chaos. And the ending is full of profound sadness. Riley nails it in this story!
March 10, 2025
Absolutely brilliant and heartbreaking. Loved it. It's very emotional and raw.
May 6, 2025
Brutally descriptive, if not a bit nausea-inducing, with a gut-punch of a conclusion. If you enjoy Joe Abercrombie, give Thomas Howard Riley a try.
April 6, 2025
The Last Gasp of Midnight is a short fantasy novelette that packs a huge punch. The story follows two soldiers who are on opposing sides of a battle. They are the last two left alive and only one can walk away. Both soldiers have their own, desperate reasons for trying to stay alive but which will be victorious, and at what cost?
I'm not a particularly big novelette reader as I tend to prefer stories that are a bit longer, but I thought this story was executed perfectly. It was gripping right from the outset and I devoured it in a single sitting. The writing was engaging and I thought the fight sequences were really well written. This is quite a gruesome story and there were definitely a few descriptions that were particularly dark and bloody.
While this is an action packed tale, what I didn't expect was that it would be an incredibly emotional one too. This story definitely tugs on your heart strings, and I loved it from start to finish. If you're looking for a dark, gritty fantasy story you can read in an afternoon I would highly recommend The Last Gasp of Midnight. I thought this was a fantastic read and I can't wait to try more from Thomas Howard Riley.
I'm not a particularly big novelette reader as I tend to prefer stories that are a bit longer, but I thought this story was executed perfectly. It was gripping right from the outset and I devoured it in a single sitting. The writing was engaging and I thought the fight sequences were really well written. This is quite a gruesome story and there were definitely a few descriptions that were particularly dark and bloody.
While this is an action packed tale, what I didn't expect was that it would be an incredibly emotional one too. This story definitely tugs on your heart strings, and I loved it from start to finish. If you're looking for a dark, gritty fantasy story you can read in an afternoon I would highly recommend The Last Gasp of Midnight. I thought this was a fantastic read and I can't wait to try more from Thomas Howard Riley.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews