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Tales of the Black Raven #1
Mountain of Daggers
One part James Bond, two parts Gray Mouser, Ahren the Black Raven fights demons, duels beautiful assassins, and steals the rarest of treasures, all while dodging an endless army of bounty hunters on his trail. Mountain of Daggers is the first collection of fantasy tales by Damoren author, Seth Skorkowsky.
DESCRIPTION
Some call him hero. Others, a menace. But everyone agrees that Ahren is the best thief in the world. Whether he’s breaking into an impregnable fortress, fighting pirates, or striking the final blow in political war, Ahren is the man for the job.
After being framed for murder, his reward posters named him the Black Raven. To survive, Ahren finds himself drafted into the Tyenee, a secret criminal organization whose influence stretches across the world. Their missions are the most daring, the most dangerous, and the penalty for failure is death. When no one else can do it, they send the Black Raven.
Mountain of Daggers is the first book in this collection of tales by Seth Skorkowsky, the author of Damoren, book one of the best-selling Valducan urban fantasy series.
DESCRIPTION
Some call him hero. Others, a menace. But everyone agrees that Ahren is the best thief in the world. Whether he’s breaking into an impregnable fortress, fighting pirates, or striking the final blow in political war, Ahren is the man for the job.
After being framed for murder, his reward posters named him the Black Raven. To survive, Ahren finds himself drafted into the Tyenee, a secret criminal organization whose influence stretches across the world. Their missions are the most daring, the most dangerous, and the penalty for failure is death. When no one else can do it, they send the Black Raven.
Mountain of Daggers is the first book in this collection of tales by Seth Skorkowsky, the author of Damoren, book one of the best-selling Valducan urban fantasy series.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 9, 2015
25 people are currently reading
282 people want to read
About the author
Seth Skorkowsky
17 books353 followersRaised in the swamps and pine forests of East Texas, Seth Skorkowsky always gravitated to the darker sides of fantasy, preferring horror and pulp heroes over knights in shining armor.
His debut novel, Dämoren, was published in 2014. He has now released four urban fantasy novels and two sword-and-sorcery short story collections. Seth's latest novel, Ashes of Onyx, released in 2020.
When not writing, Seth enjoys cheesy movies, tabletop role-playing games, making YouTube videos, and traveling the world with his wife.
His debut novel, Dämoren, was published in 2014. He has now released four urban fantasy novels and two sword-and-sorcery short story collections. Seth's latest novel, Ashes of Onyx, released in 2020.
When not writing, Seth enjoys cheesy movies, tabletop role-playing games, making YouTube videos, and traveling the world with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 12, 2015
With Skorkowsky's 'Mountain of Daggers' we are treated to a collection of roguish stories that aren't afraid to cut and bloody their hands on the razor's edge between classic Sword and Sorcery and Outlaw Grimdark.
'Mountain of Daggers' introduces us to the Black Raven. Some outlaws are blood-thirsty killers. Some are thuggish fighters. The Black Raven... is a thief -- lover of the chase and an old fashioned adrenaline junkie. Once you get to know the Black Raven, you realize he does these things, first and foremost, because he CAN. In a cutthroat world of ruthless criminals, killers, and outlaw power-brokers "Mountain of Daggers" follows the Black Raven through the opening acts of a journey that becomes as much for his soul and sanity as it is wealth, infamy, or the thrill of the hunt.
Not without a capacity for ruthlessness, the Black Raven's sinister streak claws at the surface as his adventures in this game of outlaws turns bloody and personal. Veiled just behind a playful smirk is a man on the edge of becoming just as cold and brutal as any scoundrel he shares Skorkowsky's vivid criminal underworld with.
If Ian Fleming had possessed a penchant for Sword and Sorcery rather than Walthers and Martinis, the Black Raven could have been his
love-child.
Skorkowsky's fantasy world is crisply and meticulously realized in culture, concept, and style. Boasting exceptional atmospherics throughout, the environment of the fantastic locations - cities, ruins, tombs, estates, brothels, wine-soaked taverns, and the grim rotten underbelly of civilization - come alive in a narrative truly immerse of the five-senses.
Punctuated by gritty outlaw-versus-outlaw capers and the most vividly narrated tales of a fantasy rogue's trade-craft I've ever read, 'Mountain of Daggers' keeps the spotlight burning bright on the concept of the master-thief and turns up the heat from beginning to end.
If you are a lover of swashbuckling rogues and merciless outlaws - pick up a copy of Seth Skorkowsky's 'Mountain of Daggers' today... and get ready to root for the bad guy.
'Mountain of Daggers' introduces us to the Black Raven. Some outlaws are blood-thirsty killers. Some are thuggish fighters. The Black Raven... is a thief -- lover of the chase and an old fashioned adrenaline junkie. Once you get to know the Black Raven, you realize he does these things, first and foremost, because he CAN. In a cutthroat world of ruthless criminals, killers, and outlaw power-brokers "Mountain of Daggers" follows the Black Raven through the opening acts of a journey that becomes as much for his soul and sanity as it is wealth, infamy, or the thrill of the hunt.
Not without a capacity for ruthlessness, the Black Raven's sinister streak claws at the surface as his adventures in this game of outlaws turns bloody and personal. Veiled just behind a playful smirk is a man on the edge of becoming just as cold and brutal as any scoundrel he shares Skorkowsky's vivid criminal underworld with.
If Ian Fleming had possessed a penchant for Sword and Sorcery rather than Walthers and Martinis, the Black Raven could have been his
love-child.
Skorkowsky's fantasy world is crisply and meticulously realized in culture, concept, and style. Boasting exceptional atmospherics throughout, the environment of the fantastic locations - cities, ruins, tombs, estates, brothels, wine-soaked taverns, and the grim rotten underbelly of civilization - come alive in a narrative truly immerse of the five-senses.
Punctuated by gritty outlaw-versus-outlaw capers and the most vividly narrated tales of a fantasy rogue's trade-craft I've ever read, 'Mountain of Daggers' keeps the spotlight burning bright on the concept of the master-thief and turns up the heat from beginning to end.
If you are a lover of swashbuckling rogues and merciless outlaws - pick up a copy of Seth Skorkowsky's 'Mountain of Daggers' today... and get ready to root for the bad guy.
November 6, 2025
Ahren is a thief called The Black Raven. 🐦⬛ The redeeming qualities in this book are the series of short fantasy adventure stories, which were pretty decent in plot and atmosphere. Unfortunately, Ahren as a character is bland and bereft of a personality, which makes it a struggle to get through 300 pages of meh.
January 18, 2016
A big fan of the Valducan books by Seth Skorkowsky, I was interested in other books by him and the release of a new fantasy series intrigued me. Mountain of Daggers is the first collection of short stories by him about the Black Raven. Who is the Black Raven? The Black Raven is the alias of Ahren, a thief and assassin who haunts a Medieval Fantasy world.
The book follows Ahren's journey from being a ex-sailor with a history of burglary work to becoming the most feared and respected rogue in the world. I can't help but wonder if I'm going to see more of his adventures in the upcoming Blackguards anthology being released by Ragnarok Publications.
The stories are deliberately modeled on the old Lieber-Howard mold where the protagonist doesn't have any real overarching narrative but a series of loosely connected stories which, if you read them in order, give you a rough sense of where his personality as well as ambitions are going.
Ahren, himself, is a difficult character to get a handle on. He's not one of the larger-than-life personalities you usually find in these sorts of books. He's stoic, reserved, doesn't talk much, and keeps his thoughts as well as history to himself. Rather than Conan or the Gray Mouser, I'd say he's closer to Clint Eastwood's Man With No Name.
He's a character who events happen to and he causes but doesn't really make an astounding effort to engage with his others. The exception is, surprising me as a reader, he ends up visiting his hometown out of the blue and we get a sense of what forces shaped him.
Even then, he keeps a lot to himself.
Ahren's character is an interesting one since he's the sort of fellow you could easily mistake for being a cipher than one the author is deliberately trying to leave mysterious. I confess, aside from the fact he's heterosexual with a particular fondness for girls who can pick pockets, I'm still not sure about what motivates him.
Is he doing this for the money, the thrills, or because he likes it? I'd kind of saddened we never really get to see what Ahren spends the fortunes he makes on, really. Women? Mansions? Gold-plated swords he can show off to his buddies? With Conan, you knew every copper of his went to pay for his alcohol and wenching habits. Ahren seems to horde his fortune like a Swiss banker.
The point of the book isn't Ahren, though, but his adventures and they are a delightful collection of Sword and Sorcery-esque romps in a more modernized environment. There's evil cults, wizards, decadent nobles, crazed witches, and petty criminal gangs who think they can make the Black Raven into a common legbreaker.
My favorite story is about Ahren being hired to steal a magical oar cap which can control the souls of the dead as well as the waters of a Venice-like city. Another favorite story seems to be a shout-out to the movie version of Conan and his, ahem, encounter with a witch. The stories are full of atmosphere, world-building, and amoral surroundings. The setting came off like a combination of Hyboria, Lankhmar, Renaissance Italy, and Gotham City--which is a good mix.
In conclusion, if you're interested in some daring heist fiction in a fantasy world then this book is a collection of several tales dealing with said subjects. They're, essentially, one long series of delightful chase scenes and action-pieces. I would have liked to get more from the protagonist emotionally but the character archetype is bound to appeal to some readers. This is a good book and one I read in a day, which is usually a good sign for a decent-sized 205 page novel.
8.5/10
The book follows Ahren's journey from being a ex-sailor with a history of burglary work to becoming the most feared and respected rogue in the world. I can't help but wonder if I'm going to see more of his adventures in the upcoming Blackguards anthology being released by Ragnarok Publications.
The stories are deliberately modeled on the old Lieber-Howard mold where the protagonist doesn't have any real overarching narrative but a series of loosely connected stories which, if you read them in order, give you a rough sense of where his personality as well as ambitions are going.
Ahren, himself, is a difficult character to get a handle on. He's not one of the larger-than-life personalities you usually find in these sorts of books. He's stoic, reserved, doesn't talk much, and keeps his thoughts as well as history to himself. Rather than Conan or the Gray Mouser, I'd say he's closer to Clint Eastwood's Man With No Name.
He's a character who events happen to and he causes but doesn't really make an astounding effort to engage with his others. The exception is, surprising me as a reader, he ends up visiting his hometown out of the blue and we get a sense of what forces shaped him.
Even then, he keeps a lot to himself.
Ahren's character is an interesting one since he's the sort of fellow you could easily mistake for being a cipher than one the author is deliberately trying to leave mysterious. I confess, aside from the fact he's heterosexual with a particular fondness for girls who can pick pockets, I'm still not sure about what motivates him.
Is he doing this for the money, the thrills, or because he likes it? I'd kind of saddened we never really get to see what Ahren spends the fortunes he makes on, really. Women? Mansions? Gold-plated swords he can show off to his buddies? With Conan, you knew every copper of his went to pay for his alcohol and wenching habits. Ahren seems to horde his fortune like a Swiss banker.
The point of the book isn't Ahren, though, but his adventures and they are a delightful collection of Sword and Sorcery-esque romps in a more modernized environment. There's evil cults, wizards, decadent nobles, crazed witches, and petty criminal gangs who think they can make the Black Raven into a common legbreaker.
My favorite story is about Ahren being hired to steal a magical oar cap which can control the souls of the dead as well as the waters of a Venice-like city. Another favorite story seems to be a shout-out to the movie version of Conan and his, ahem, encounter with a witch. The stories are full of atmosphere, world-building, and amoral surroundings. The setting came off like a combination of Hyboria, Lankhmar, Renaissance Italy, and Gotham City--which is a good mix.
In conclusion, if you're interested in some daring heist fiction in a fantasy world then this book is a collection of several tales dealing with said subjects. They're, essentially, one long series of delightful chase scenes and action-pieces. I would have liked to get more from the protagonist emotionally but the character archetype is bound to appeal to some readers. This is a good book and one I read in a day, which is usually a good sign for a decent-sized 205 page novel.
8.5/10
March 28, 2015
I love stories where the hero isn't the "good" guy. This anthology tells the tales of the Black Raven. A thief of many skills with his own sense of honor.
Ahren knows how good he is. Even so, not every job goes as planned and his quick thinking, ability to solve puzzle like problems, and masterful skills as a thief and assassin help him survive the seedy underworld Skorkowsky has created. These stories show us how Ahren not only survives this world, but how he's able to conquer it through his wit and talents. I think my favorite stories are the Ferrymasters toll and Race for the night Ruby. One is a story that is reminiscent of an Indiana Jones adventure and the other has a plot twist that made me smile wanting more.
While the stories are told in chronological order, they can each also solidly stand alone. A quick read, I'm left wanting to know more about Ahren and read more about his adventures. The Black Raven is definitely another dark hero I want to root for.
Ahren knows how good he is. Even so, not every job goes as planned and his quick thinking, ability to solve puzzle like problems, and masterful skills as a thief and assassin help him survive the seedy underworld Skorkowsky has created. These stories show us how Ahren not only survives this world, but how he's able to conquer it through his wit and talents. I think my favorite stories are the Ferrymasters toll and Race for the night Ruby. One is a story that is reminiscent of an Indiana Jones adventure and the other has a plot twist that made me smile wanting more.
While the stories are told in chronological order, they can each also solidly stand alone. A quick read, I'm left wanting to know more about Ahren and read more about his adventures. The Black Raven is definitely another dark hero I want to root for.
September 21, 2015
One Line Review: Medallion ex machina, training, sneaky sneaky, big bad, sexy time, duel... sort of, getting to know you, return of the big bad, melancholia, sexy time, REALLY NOT SEXY TIME, cliffhanger.
So I raced through this one which should give you all a good idea of how much I enjoyed it. Seth writes a good pulp-fantasy yarn and adds in a fair amount of detail. The heists were a joy to read and if you like Scott Lynch's Gentlemen Bastards, you'll love the Black Raven's exploits in Mountain of Daggers.
The book plays out like a series of short stories set along a time-line. We see Ahren at the birth of the Black Raven (his alias), and also during some of the major events/heists of his life leading up to the end (this isn't really the end as there is more to come). Each story, and chapter, is self-contained. This makes it hard to put down mid-chapter, but there are few hooks that make you HAVE to read the next chapter right away.
The world is very well-realised and Seth has obviously put a lot of effort into giving the major cities and land marks their own flavour. Unfortunately, as the stories move along at a fairly break-neck pace, we don't get to spend as much time in some of the cities as I'd have liked as the Black Raven is always flying off to a new part of the world.
My only real criticism is of Ahren himself. The Black Raven often comes across as a flat character being propelled through the stories while his supporting cast often seem to have a lot more personality.
With the next book in the series, Sea of Quills, coming out very soon I'm glad I picked this one up as I can't wait to continue the adventure.
So I raced through this one which should give you all a good idea of how much I enjoyed it. Seth writes a good pulp-fantasy yarn and adds in a fair amount of detail. The heists were a joy to read and if you like Scott Lynch's Gentlemen Bastards, you'll love the Black Raven's exploits in Mountain of Daggers.
The book plays out like a series of short stories set along a time-line. We see Ahren at the birth of the Black Raven (his alias), and also during some of the major events/heists of his life leading up to the end (this isn't really the end as there is more to come). Each story, and chapter, is self-contained. This makes it hard to put down mid-chapter, but there are few hooks that make you HAVE to read the next chapter right away.
The world is very well-realised and Seth has obviously put a lot of effort into giving the major cities and land marks their own flavour. Unfortunately, as the stories move along at a fairly break-neck pace, we don't get to spend as much time in some of the cities as I'd have liked as the Black Raven is always flying off to a new part of the world.
My only real criticism is of Ahren himself. The Black Raven often comes across as a flat character being propelled through the stories while his supporting cast often seem to have a lot more personality.
With the next book in the series, Sea of Quills, coming out very soon I'm glad I picked this one up as I can't wait to continue the adventure.
April 1, 2015
MOUNTAIN OF DAGGERS is a collection of short stories that almost reads as a novel. Ahren is a thief, a rogue and a sometime killer. He will dare almost any danger for the Tyenee, a secret cabal of thieves, rogues, murderers and fences. The Tynee controls much of the Underground and is ruthless in its efforts to maintain and extend that control.
This collection of stories span more than a decade in the life of Ahren, from his induction to the Tynee, to the return to his home city. Along the way, he will fight demons, rival gangs, fall in love, and steal priceless treasures. If you enjoy fantasy "sword and sorcery" tales with grim dark heroes, then you'll enjoy this collection of stories. (And, if you're like me, be waiting impatiently for the next volume of stories to come out!)
This collection of stories span more than a decade in the life of Ahren, from his induction to the Tynee, to the return to his home city. Along the way, he will fight demons, rival gangs, fall in love, and steal priceless treasures. If you enjoy fantasy "sword and sorcery" tales with grim dark heroes, then you'll enjoy this collection of stories. (And, if you're like me, be waiting impatiently for the next volume of stories to come out!)
March 9, 2017
If you love a good thief story (or a collection of them) then this is an excellent book for you. Ahren is a likeable trickster and cat burglar extraordinaire who finds himself incidentally inducted into a cabal of thieves. He's smart, funny, and I would say quite a gentleman among thieves. He has a soft spot for the ladies in his life, who are all as dangerous as they are lovely, and often have no qualms throwing Ahren himself under the bus. (Carriage?) His chivalry inevitably gets him into deeper and deeper trouble, and I loved every word. All the stories here have a dark edge to them, and the last two really tied my heart up in knots. I can't wait to start #2 Sea of Quills to see what happens next.
This is set in a fantasy world that is still rather recognizable, which I do appreciate. The exotic settings evoke maybe 17th century Eastern Europe, Russia, and a bit of Turkey or North Africa thrown in for good measure, which makes for great fun.
Skorkowsky has a great talent for writing tales that feel so *classic*, containing everything a reader wants (even if they don't know it), and yet somehow are also always so entirely *original*. So pick this up, you won't be disappointed.
::skips off to start #2 Sea of Quills::
This is set in a fantasy world that is still rather recognizable, which I do appreciate. The exotic settings evoke maybe 17th century Eastern Europe, Russia, and a bit of Turkey or North Africa thrown in for good measure, which makes for great fun.
Skorkowsky has a great talent for writing tales that feel so *classic*, containing everything a reader wants (even if they don't know it), and yet somehow are also always so entirely *original*. So pick this up, you won't be disappointed.
::skips off to start #2 Sea of Quills::
September 5, 2015
Warning: spoiler in the last paragraph. I’ve put a marker on it, but thought I’d let you know.
This book makes me nostalgic. I grew up feasting on the assorted short story anthologies available at my public and school libraries. As a result, I harbor a lifelong love of genre fiction and particularly the short story form. That being said, it isn’t merely nostalgia that helped me appreciate this collection.
I love Mountain of Daggers because it aims for the sweet spot of adventure storytelling and hits it from a variety of angles. Sword and sorcery isn’t always the strongest genre for short fiction. It isn’t as established as horror or even scifi, and authors often tend write themselves out of ideas fairly quickly, replacing trailblazing in their fantasy worlds with formula. Skorkowsky could’ve easily followed this path since his stories not only take place in the same world, but are centered on the same character. (Not even a Fafhrd to Ahren’s Gray Mouser to shake up the POV.) Instead, he spices the exploits of the leading man with a wide assortment of intriguing backup characters, motives, and atmospheres. This, of course, is only possible because the stories, while chronological, are not chapters in a novel, but distinct and self-supporting delights.
I especially like the way Ahren’s adventures dabble into other genre territory for flavor. Any tale about a thief will naturally tend toward detective story tropes, but the Black Raven encounters romance (“Race for the Night Ruby,” “Lover’s Quarrel”), spycraft (“The Reluctant Assassin,” “The Darclyian Circus”), and, in a standout closer, horror (“Born of Darkness”).
Weakest link first: “Darclyian Circus” lost me for a bit. It still has the excellent details of a fantastic world, but the ambivalent closure of the one of its main tensions left me unsatisfied. Perhaps there were too many threads to weave for a short story. The Black Raven has a burglary to achieve supplemented by a cover story to keep hidden. He is hidden among innocents (for this world, anyway), hoping to achieve his goal without bloodshed. But the aforementioned innocents are by no means stupid, and the tension ratchets up with each page as I wondered how he could possible wriggle away with the burgled goal but no blood on his hands. Without saying too much, the tale ended with a hearty bang but also a dangling conflict which would have me believe Ahren is absolutely ruthless (a character point which disagrees with several of the other stories).
The last story is the hook for me (as I’m sure it was intended). Each of the others establishes Ahren’s character by degrees: clever but not omniscient, mischievous but never unprofessional, ethical but not particularly moral (or the other way around, depending on what school you attended). But Born of Darkness raises one of the few overarching narrative lines and delivers a hammer-blow to the series. The tale almost immediately eschews the sword half of sword and sorcery for outright horror. Each ingredient is familiar yet detailed enough to be chilling: a fallen townsman trapped by a Faustian deal and unusually scarred by his experiences, a narrow and seldom-used track into the dark forest littered with spookiness, and finally, a villain whose very nature cements this story as a darker world within the already bleak realm of the Black Raven. I’m only hoping that the author continues the serial-but-independent nature of the tales, instead of focusing only on what is admittedly as strong a foundational narrative conflict as I’ve read or watched in an adventure story.
This book makes me nostalgic. I grew up feasting on the assorted short story anthologies available at my public and school libraries. As a result, I harbor a lifelong love of genre fiction and particularly the short story form. That being said, it isn’t merely nostalgia that helped me appreciate this collection.
I love Mountain of Daggers because it aims for the sweet spot of adventure storytelling and hits it from a variety of angles. Sword and sorcery isn’t always the strongest genre for short fiction. It isn’t as established as horror or even scifi, and authors often tend write themselves out of ideas fairly quickly, replacing trailblazing in their fantasy worlds with formula. Skorkowsky could’ve easily followed this path since his stories not only take place in the same world, but are centered on the same character. (Not even a Fafhrd to Ahren’s Gray Mouser to shake up the POV.) Instead, he spices the exploits of the leading man with a wide assortment of intriguing backup characters, motives, and atmospheres. This, of course, is only possible because the stories, while chronological, are not chapters in a novel, but distinct and self-supporting delights.
I especially like the way Ahren’s adventures dabble into other genre territory for flavor. Any tale about a thief will naturally tend toward detective story tropes, but the Black Raven encounters romance (“Race for the Night Ruby,” “Lover’s Quarrel”), spycraft (“The Reluctant Assassin,” “The Darclyian Circus”), and, in a standout closer, horror (“Born of Darkness”).
Weakest link first: “Darclyian Circus” lost me for a bit. It still has the excellent details of a fantastic world, but the ambivalent closure of the one of its main tensions left me unsatisfied. Perhaps there were too many threads to weave for a short story. The Black Raven has a burglary to achieve supplemented by a cover story to keep hidden. He is hidden among innocents (for this world, anyway), hoping to achieve his goal without bloodshed. But the aforementioned innocents are by no means stupid, and the tension ratchets up with each page as I wondered how he could possible wriggle away with the burgled goal but no blood on his hands. Without saying too much, the tale ended with a hearty bang but also a dangling conflict which would have me believe Ahren is absolutely ruthless (a character point which disagrees with several of the other stories).
The last story is the hook for me (as I’m sure it was intended). Each of the others establishes Ahren’s character by degrees: clever but not omniscient, mischievous but never unprofessional, ethical but not particularly moral (or the other way around, depending on what school you attended). But Born of Darkness raises one of the few overarching narrative lines and delivers a hammer-blow to the series. The tale almost immediately eschews the sword half of sword and sorcery for outright horror. Each ingredient is familiar yet detailed enough to be chilling: a fallen townsman trapped by a Faustian deal and unusually scarred by his experiences, a narrow and seldom-used track into the dark forest littered with spookiness, and finally, a villain whose very nature cements this story as a darker world within the already bleak realm of the Black Raven. I’m only hoping that the author continues the serial-but-independent nature of the tales, instead of focusing only on what is admittedly as strong a foundational narrative conflict as I’ve read or watched in an adventure story.
March 16, 2019
I picked up Mountain of Daggers by Seth Skorkowsky because people were talking it up on the GrimDark Facebook group. It's a loose collection of tales following the doings of thief and miscreant Ahren, aka the Black Raven, as he goes about his business. Sometimes he's on top of things. Other times his opponents get the better of him. Seth's writing flows along at a decent clip, and he paints a well-realised world that promises to be filled with lore (kudos there). I wanted to nitpick a little but shoved my editor hat under the table, even though I'd have enjoyed having a go at him.
But where this book falls flat is the very concept that it presents – a series of vaguely interconnected stories about the legendary Black Raven. While there are key events that suggest motivation, the lack of overarching narrative to drive the story forward means that it loses some of its oomph. Look, it's not a bad concept, but it could have had a bit more meat to the bones, if that makes sense.
Don't get me wrong; I enjoyed the setting very much. There's most certainly action by the bucket load, but I wanted more depth to the character. As it goes, it feels more as if I'm an observer watching rather than actively participating.
This is still a worthy read though, and if characters with dubious moral inclinations are your thing, with a side order of swashbuckling and getting up to mischief, then you'll enjoy Mountain of Daggers immensely.
But where this book falls flat is the very concept that it presents – a series of vaguely interconnected stories about the legendary Black Raven. While there are key events that suggest motivation, the lack of overarching narrative to drive the story forward means that it loses some of its oomph. Look, it's not a bad concept, but it could have had a bit more meat to the bones, if that makes sense.
Don't get me wrong; I enjoyed the setting very much. There's most certainly action by the bucket load, but I wanted more depth to the character. As it goes, it feels more as if I'm an observer watching rather than actively participating.
This is still a worthy read though, and if characters with dubious moral inclinations are your thing, with a side order of swashbuckling and getting up to mischief, then you'll enjoy Mountain of Daggers immensely.
August 25, 2015
I was a fan of the author's Valducan urban fantasy books, so I thought I would give this a shot. i'm really glad I did. The stories revolve around a thief named Ahren, who ends up joining The Tyenee, the secret thieves guild, after he is betrayed on a job. He is branded the Black Raven because of the betrayal, and is convinced by a Tyenee leader that it is a good nickname. In fact, he leaves black raven feathers at the scenes of his crimes as a calling card. He has a series of adventures, with successes and failures, all the while fighting against an enemy that has the power of a demon to assist them. The characters are compelling, especially Ahren, and he has more than his share of failures to go along with the triumphs, including losing someone very close to him. The villains are well thought out, with the actions scenes being exciting an believable. The villains are not over the top Bond villains, but realistically written. I am really excited to see where he takes the character in future books. Any fan of Alex Bledsoe's Eddie LaCrosse books or Brent Week's Night Angel books should really enjoy this book.
September 7, 2019
Fun series of short stories. Will be listening to the next one.
September 28, 2015
I think the protagonist could be Lock Lamora.
If Locke was a lone wolf, wasn't trained to be a "Gentleman Thief" and lived in a world with a more magically diverse populous(instead of the finger twirlers they have in his universe), then Ahren could easily pass for Locke.
I don't know what's so special about the protagonist.
His whole career(as the Black Raven) started as one big lie, he trained to get where he is today.
Now he has .
I enjoyed the book, I just hope it doesn't turn into one of those "chosen one"/"I was a magical being all along"/"I was a Demigod" series.
2.5/5 Stars
If Locke was a lone wolf, wasn't trained to be a "Gentleman Thief" and lived in a world with a more magically diverse populous(instead of the finger twirlers they have in his universe), then Ahren could easily pass for Locke.
I don't know what's so special about the protagonist.
His whole career(as the Black Raven) started as one big lie, he trained to get where he is today.
Now he has .
I enjoyed the book, I just hope it doesn't turn into one of those "chosen one"/"I was a magical being all along"/"I was a Demigod" series.
2.5/5 Stars
February 7, 2017
A great book with vivid descriptions that make it easy to read and see in your minds eye what is going on. Each chapter is a story in itself within the book. I loved each story as it was always a new feat and yet allowed time to pass within the world without doing the in-between filler that often spoils a book. Well written, and cant wait to read book two
April 2, 2015
Solid sword and sorcery with definite roots in Fritz Leiber. Don't think Ahren is as much James Bond as he is The Wolf from Pulp Fiction.
Good mix of themes and plots to where none of them feel like re-hashes of each other or relying on the same gimmicks over and over.
My favorite one was The Ferrymaster's Toll, though the circus story was a close second. Hopefully the next book will come with a map.
Good mix of themes and plots to where none of them feel like re-hashes of each other or relying on the same gimmicks over and over.
My favorite one was The Ferrymaster's Toll, though the circus story was a close second. Hopefully the next book will come with a map.
December 22, 2016
Roguish fantasy tales in the vein of Lankhmar or Locke Lamora.
August 27, 2021
Great Introduction to a new anti-hero
Why 5 stars?
1. First novel read by author and am excited to explore more
After that it comes down to personal tastes, and the collection of snacks found in this collection of continuing adventures, including the "origin" story of the Black Raven, hits every one of my taste buds.
Like personal faves, Conan, and the Grey Mouse, with a healthy sprinkling of Lovecraft, the delights are plenty and varied.
Heists, roof top chases, cunning crosses (both double and triple), assassins, and romance, this collection contains it all.
The world is exciting and interesting, the characters plentiful and colorful.
I also love that it is a collection of shorts adventures in the continuing career of the Black Raven, much like the classic pulp adventures I still love today.
Yes, it is a Pulpy bag of dark candy, and if that's your indulgence, get ready for a feast.
Why 5 stars?
1. First novel read by author and am excited to explore more
After that it comes down to personal tastes, and the collection of snacks found in this collection of continuing adventures, including the "origin" story of the Black Raven, hits every one of my taste buds.
Like personal faves, Conan, and the Grey Mouse, with a healthy sprinkling of Lovecraft, the delights are plenty and varied.
Heists, roof top chases, cunning crosses (both double and triple), assassins, and romance, this collection contains it all.
The world is exciting and interesting, the characters plentiful and colorful.
I also love that it is a collection of shorts adventures in the continuing career of the Black Raven, much like the classic pulp adventures I still love today.
Yes, it is a Pulpy bag of dark candy, and if that's your indulgence, get ready for a feast.
August 11, 2022
About a 3.5, but 5 always rounds up.
I really like Seth Skorkowsky. I like him as a story teller. I like how he explains his thought process out so clearly.
In this book I can see him as a GM. He paints each room and object very vividly. Fantastic if you are trying to figure out a mystery along side the protagonist. At times though it can bog down the scene a bit, especially on things that only appear once.
I feel some more time spent on showing the world and the wonders it holds in place of describing the immediate surrounding would be a benefit.
There are shape-shifting people, undead, at least 4 magic systems that I have counted masterclass engineering, and no real attempt to help the reader understand how anything works.
In the 3-4 major cities we have visited only 1 or 2 features make them feel any different from the others.
The world is painted beautifully, but like a painting it lacks life.
I really like Seth Skorkowsky. I like him as a story teller. I like how he explains his thought process out so clearly.
In this book I can see him as a GM. He paints each room and object very vividly. Fantastic if you are trying to figure out a mystery along side the protagonist. At times though it can bog down the scene a bit, especially on things that only appear once.
I feel some more time spent on showing the world and the wonders it holds in place of describing the immediate surrounding would be a benefit.
There are shape-shifting people, undead, at least 4 magic systems that I have counted masterclass engineering, and no real attempt to help the reader understand how anything works.
In the 3-4 major cities we have visited only 1 or 2 features make them feel any different from the others.
The world is painted beautifully, but like a painting it lacks life.
September 29, 2020
Eastern European influenced fantasy with a healthy doze of Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar. I know Skorkowsky from his YouTube channel and I knew he could tell a good yarn, but that doesn't always translate into being able to write a good book. This is, however, a pretty darned good book. Over the course of several short stories, we get a glimpse into the life of a thief as he becomes the legendary Black Raven. Plenty of thrilling action, colorful characters, and visceral violence are bolstered by just enough world building to get the job down without bogging down the narrative. I look forward to reading more stories of the Black Raven.
September 21, 2017
What a character! Really enjoy the authors creativity with all his different styles. I can't wait to see what the future brings. Seth Skorkowsky is an author I will be following.
May 21, 2020
Serviceable plot, though I didn't really enjoy the story.
October 17, 2022
This is the first Seth Skorkowsky novel I have read; it's actually a collection of short story adventures, which I enjoyed very much. I am ready to read the next book in this series!
April 15, 2023
Thief's rousing misadventures
Ahren, inadvertent master thief wrests with challenges, both professional and to his reputation, love, and Evil in a realm of fantasy and dark magic!
Ahren, inadvertent master thief wrests with challenges, both professional and to his reputation, love, and Evil in a realm of fantasy and dark magic!
July 18, 2023
Not my kind of fantasy I guess, but still had some entertaining stories.
August 7, 2023
I read this book because my crush recommended it. I give it one ⭐️ for the actual story but five because I landed the man.
March 21, 2017
Really didn't like the individual stories aspects of this book at all. There was really no background, no character development, just a series of stories that had nothing to do with each other, for the most part. It just wasn't enjoyable because of that. The only story I really liked was the Thief's Duel.
R.C. Bray narrating probably made it even better than it was cuz he's enjoyable to listen to.
R.C. Bray narrating probably made it even better than it was cuz he's enjoyable to listen to.
March 9, 2015
The book cover looks very nice. I give this book 5 stars.
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