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Brutal Saga #1
Brutal
He has no name. His past is a mystery. His future is etched in blood…
The Sellsword knows an opportunity when he sees one. When he rides into the border city of Aldreth, he can tell that the power struggle between two feuding wizards needs a solitary spark to ignite into all-out-war. As he sets the corrupt paladins and demonic adepts against each other, he’s not surprised when the blood begins to flow…
But after the alluring duchess catches his eye, the Sellsword puts himself in harm’s way to protect her and the innocent people of Aldreth. To save the noble few, spells and blades won’t stop the Sellsword from leaving a swath of righteous carnage in his wake…
The Sellsword knows an opportunity when he sees one. When he rides into the border city of Aldreth, he can tell that the power struggle between two feuding wizards needs a solitary spark to ignite into all-out-war. As he sets the corrupt paladins and demonic adepts against each other, he’s not surprised when the blood begins to flow…
But after the alluring duchess catches his eye, the Sellsword puts himself in harm’s way to protect her and the innocent people of Aldreth. To save the noble few, spells and blades won’t stop the Sellsword from leaving a swath of righteous carnage in his wake…
Brutal is an action-packed grimdark fantasy in the vein of classic pulp fiction and Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns. If you like gory battles, larger-than-life characters, and witty humor, then you’ll love James Alderice’s gritty tale.
- GenresFantasy
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 11, 2017
188 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 28, 2025
BRUTAL: AN EPIC GRIMDARK FANTASY by James Alderice is an homage to the classic Western A FISTFULL OF DOLLARS, 1920s gangster movie LAST MAN STANDING, and samurai story YOJIMBO. The premise for it is a remarkably flexible one. Basically, a lone warrior goes into a town which is controlled by two rival gangs. Playing the two against one another, he attempts to make a fortune but things quickly spiral out of hill.
Brutal takes the premise and applies it to a high fantasy setting. An unnamed warrior, clearly standing in for the Man with No Name and going by "The Sellsword" visits a Duchy where two wizards have divided the region in two. The local Duchess soon attempts to win over the Sellsword with softer methods and he proves to be a lot smarter than his stoic mercenary demeanor suggests. Who is he really working for? Himself? The Kingdom? The Duke? One of his employers? These are the mysteries which guide the story.
Despite its title as an epic grimdark fantasy, this is actually a fairly self-contained story that is for adults but not particularly gritty or dark. Individuals who don't like grimdark will be able to enjoy it while those who don't like sacharrine good versus evil will find it sufficiently cynical to be enjoyed. I put it roughly on par with Conan the Barbarian or the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser stories. Which is to say R-rated but not trying to go to extremes.
The Sellsword is hurt by the fact they don't even bother to give him an alias. There's also the fact the book deliberately obfuscates almost every element of his past, which tends to work better onscreen than in fiction. Nevertheless, we get enough of his personality from encountering various characters to know who he is and what he stands for. One of my favorite moments is the encounter with a bandit on the road to his destination where he is patient rather than threatened before finally losing his amusement after the poor fool refuses to take a hint.
I liked the romance between him and the Duchess as well. Too often authors try to make true love stories between manipulative and lying characters. In this case, both the Duchess and the Sellsword play each other from beginning to end, which is a far more interesting dynamic. The fact both come to respect each other versus love each other is entertaining and reminds me a bit of the Mel Gibson/Jodie Foster dynamic of Maverick.
There's a bit of a mystery spread throughout the book with a secondary one as to the Sellsword's identity. I figured out the latter fairly quickly, remembering the Conan influences, but the central mystery as to what the hell is actually going on behind the scenes was a lot more difficult to figure out. The results were quite satisfying and had plenty of clues which made sense in retrospect.
Brutal is a solid piece of fantasy and while a bit rough around the edges in places, it's still always entertaining. James Alderice created a good work here with well-done world-building, fun characters, and a classic but not-overused plot adapted to a new setting. I think people looking for an afternoon's read could do much worse.
9/10
Brutal takes the premise and applies it to a high fantasy setting. An unnamed warrior, clearly standing in for the Man with No Name and going by "The Sellsword" visits a Duchy where two wizards have divided the region in two. The local Duchess soon attempts to win over the Sellsword with softer methods and he proves to be a lot smarter than his stoic mercenary demeanor suggests. Who is he really working for? Himself? The Kingdom? The Duke? One of his employers? These are the mysteries which guide the story.
Despite its title as an epic grimdark fantasy, this is actually a fairly self-contained story that is for adults but not particularly gritty or dark. Individuals who don't like grimdark will be able to enjoy it while those who don't like sacharrine good versus evil will find it sufficiently cynical to be enjoyed. I put it roughly on par with Conan the Barbarian or the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser stories. Which is to say R-rated but not trying to go to extremes.
The Sellsword is hurt by the fact they don't even bother to give him an alias. There's also the fact the book deliberately obfuscates almost every element of his past, which tends to work better onscreen than in fiction. Nevertheless, we get enough of his personality from encountering various characters to know who he is and what he stands for. One of my favorite moments is the encounter with a bandit on the road to his destination where he is patient rather than threatened before finally losing his amusement after the poor fool refuses to take a hint.
I liked the romance between him and the Duchess as well. Too often authors try to make true love stories between manipulative and lying characters. In this case, both the Duchess and the Sellsword play each other from beginning to end, which is a far more interesting dynamic. The fact both come to respect each other versus love each other is entertaining and reminds me a bit of the Mel Gibson/Jodie Foster dynamic of Maverick.
There's a bit of a mystery spread throughout the book with a secondary one as to the Sellsword's identity. I figured out the latter fairly quickly, remembering the Conan influences, but the central mystery as to what the hell is actually going on behind the scenes was a lot more difficult to figure out. The results were quite satisfying and had plenty of clues which made sense in retrospect.
Brutal is a solid piece of fantasy and while a bit rough around the edges in places, it's still always entertaining. James Alderice created a good work here with well-done world-building, fun characters, and a classic but not-overused plot adapted to a new setting. I think people looking for an afternoon's read could do much worse.
9/10
December 5, 2021
Yojimbo rewoven into a Conan flavored sword and sorcery tale with some fun extra plot bits thrown in.
If this story form interests you, check out Red Noise to see the space-station and cyborg version.
If this story form interests you, check out Red Noise to see the space-station and cyborg version.
November 28, 2025
BRUTAL: AN EPIC GRIMDARK FANTASY by James Alderice is an homage to the classic Western A FISTFULL OF DOLLARS, 1920s gangster movie LAST MAN STANDING, and samurai story YOJIMBO. The premise for it is a remarkably flexible one. Basically, a lone warrior goes into a town which is controlled by two rival gangs. Playing the two against one another, he attempts to make a fortune but things quickly spiral out of hill.
Brutal takes the premise and applies it to a high fantasy setting. An unnamed warrior, clearly standing in for the Man with No Name and going by "The Sellsword" visits a Duchy where two wizards have divided the region in two. The local Duchess soon attempts to win over the Sellsword with softer methods and he proves to be a lot smarter than his stoic mercenary demeanor suggests. Who is he really working for? Himself? The Kingdom? The Duke? One of his employers? These are the mysteries which guide the story.
Despite its title as an epic grimdark fantasy, this is actually a fairly self-contained story that is for adults but not particularly gritty or dark. Individuals who don't like grimdark will be able to enjoy it while those who don't like sacharrine good versus evil will find it sufficiently cynical to be enjoyed. I put it roughly on par with Conan the Barbarian or the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser stories. Which is to say R-rated but not trying to go to extremes.
The Sellsword is hurt by the fact they don't even bother to give him an alias. There's also the fact the book deliberately obfuscates almost every element of his past, which tends to work better onscreen than in fiction. Nevertheless, we get enough of his personality from encountering various characters to know who he is and what he stands for. One of my favorite moments is the encounter with a bandit on the road to his destination where he is patient rather than threatened before finally losing his amusement after the poor fool refuses to take a hint.
I liked the romance between him and the Duchess as well. Too often authors try to make true love stories between manipulative and lying characters. In this case, both the Duchess and the Sellsword play each other from beginning to end, which is a far more interesting dynamic. The fact both come to respect each other versus love each other is entertaining and reminds me a bit of the Mel Gibson/Jodie Foster dynamic of Maverick.
There's a bit of a mystery spread throughout the book with a secondary one as to the Sellsword's identity. I figured out the latter fairly quickly, remembering the Conan influences, but the central mystery as to what the hell is actually going on behind the scenes was a lot more difficult to figure out. The results were quite satisfying and had plenty of clues which made sense in retrospect.
Brutal is a solid piece of fantasy and while a bit rough around the edges in places, it's still always entertaining. James Alderice created a good work here with well-done world-building, fun characters, and a classic but not-overused plot adapted to a new setting. I think people looking for an afternoon's read could do much worse.
Brutal takes the premise and applies it to a high fantasy setting. An unnamed warrior, clearly standing in for the Man with No Name and going by "The Sellsword" visits a Duchy where two wizards have divided the region in two. The local Duchess soon attempts to win over the Sellsword with softer methods and he proves to be a lot smarter than his stoic mercenary demeanor suggests. Who is he really working for? Himself? The Kingdom? The Duke? One of his employers? These are the mysteries which guide the story.
Despite its title as an epic grimdark fantasy, this is actually a fairly self-contained story that is for adults but not particularly gritty or dark. Individuals who don't like grimdark will be able to enjoy it while those who don't like sacharrine good versus evil will find it sufficiently cynical to be enjoyed. I put it roughly on par with Conan the Barbarian or the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser stories. Which is to say R-rated but not trying to go to extremes.
The Sellsword is hurt by the fact they don't even bother to give him an alias. There's also the fact the book deliberately obfuscates almost every element of his past, which tends to work better onscreen than in fiction. Nevertheless, we get enough of his personality from encountering various characters to know who he is and what he stands for. One of my favorite moments is the encounter with a bandit on the road to his destination where he is patient rather than threatened before finally losing his amusement after the poor fool refuses to take a hint.
I liked the romance between him and the Duchess as well. Too often authors try to make true love stories between manipulative and lying characters. In this case, both the Duchess and the Sellsword play each other from beginning to end, which is a far more interesting dynamic. The fact both come to respect each other versus love each other is entertaining and reminds me a bit of the Mel Gibson/Jodie Foster dynamic of Maverick.
There's a bit of a mystery spread throughout the book with a secondary one as to the Sellsword's identity. I figured out the latter fairly quickly, remembering the Conan influences, but the central mystery as to what the hell is actually going on behind the scenes was a lot more difficult to figure out. The results were quite satisfying and had plenty of clues which made sense in retrospect.
Brutal is a solid piece of fantasy and while a bit rough around the edges in places, it's still always entertaining. James Alderice created a good work here with well-done world-building, fun characters, and a classic but not-overused plot adapted to a new setting. I think people looking for an afternoon's read could do much worse.
May 21, 2020
A startling entry into this dark fantasy genre by James Alderdice, ...my first time reading this authors work,...with an equally stunning and unexpected conclusion reveal, well done James, well done! I sense great possibilities in this series and am excited to start book two asap. The book includes many of my favorite styles, is a little rough around the edges, however, it is a strong story with potential. I enjoyed the main characters, the romances, the fights and battles, particularly the slow simmering of romances as the story drew me in. The writer does a strong job of engaging my interest, and I found the book to be intriguing and a fresh entry into this genre that inspires me to read more. I am a fan, well met, James Alderdice.
January 21, 2018
This book is just dumb. I can't believe I made it halfway through. DNF.
November 8, 2018
I was given this book to read as a judge for the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off.
Brutal is a book that was possibly spawned when Mad Max, Conan, and the Wild West had a threesome.
The world is a shitty place full of shitty people doing shitty things to each other for shitty pay. Brutal is grimdark. The bad guys are bad, the good guys are bad, and the folk caught in the middle are probably bad but lack enough back story for an accurate assessment.
The town of Aldreth (lovingly nicknamed Alldeath) is an old mining town gone belly up when the mines ran dry. Luckily for the town, there's a wizard who says he can wizard up some alchemy to replenish said mines and get the whole town working again. Actually, there's two wizards. Both are promising the same thing, but neither one is willing to do a damned thing until the other is swimming with the worms. Then along came a sellsword with no name. This giant of a man, known as the Sellsword, is handy with a blade and likes to dream up convoluted ways to solve problems... despite the fact that he is clearly quite capable of ending all world conflict with his swordmanship skills.
Brutal is full of action set pieces, combat, severed limbs, sexy time, and a loose grasp on the word loyalty. As the Sellsword meets more and more of the players in this faltering town, things get more and more convoluted, and soon enough there's something of a shadow war consuming the whole place.
The book is basically a western. The unnamed swordsman (gunslinger) rolls into town and finds himself in the centre of war between the opposing powers, and must decide who to help, who to kill, and who to screw. The western vibe comes across strongly, an the setting evoked a feeling similar to Mad Max to me. People are struggling to survive in a crapsack world, and the people in charge are murderess bastards with only their own profits in mind.
But the whole thing felt a bit shallow to me. The Sellsword came across as nigh on invincible, able to dispatch countless foes at will, and was a typical grimdark antihero only without much in the way of charisma. Dialogue is a bit of a sticking point to me, and it felt a bit unnatural throughout the book, as though most of the characters had information to give and it doesn't matter if they got there realistically or not. Adding onto that the number of times the Sellsword seems to change sides (I actually forgot who is pretending to help once or twice), and the book just felt like it could have used a bit of cutting down. It's a short book, but it felt long to me.
So the thing is, there is a market for this type of book. A big market. If you like violent romps full of action, swordplay, and sex this book is probably for you. Unfortunately, I like my books a little deeper and more complex.
Brutal is a book that was possibly spawned when Mad Max, Conan, and the Wild West had a threesome.
The world is a shitty place full of shitty people doing shitty things to each other for shitty pay. Brutal is grimdark. The bad guys are bad, the good guys are bad, and the folk caught in the middle are probably bad but lack enough back story for an accurate assessment.
The town of Aldreth (lovingly nicknamed Alldeath) is an old mining town gone belly up when the mines ran dry. Luckily for the town, there's a wizard who says he can wizard up some alchemy to replenish said mines and get the whole town working again. Actually, there's two wizards. Both are promising the same thing, but neither one is willing to do a damned thing until the other is swimming with the worms. Then along came a sellsword with no name. This giant of a man, known as the Sellsword, is handy with a blade and likes to dream up convoluted ways to solve problems... despite the fact that he is clearly quite capable of ending all world conflict with his swordmanship skills.
Brutal is full of action set pieces, combat, severed limbs, sexy time, and a loose grasp on the word loyalty. As the Sellsword meets more and more of the players in this faltering town, things get more and more convoluted, and soon enough there's something of a shadow war consuming the whole place.
The book is basically a western. The unnamed swordsman (gunslinger) rolls into town and finds himself in the centre of war between the opposing powers, and must decide who to help, who to kill, and who to screw. The western vibe comes across strongly, an the setting evoked a feeling similar to Mad Max to me. People are struggling to survive in a crapsack world, and the people in charge are murderess bastards with only their own profits in mind.
But the whole thing felt a bit shallow to me. The Sellsword came across as nigh on invincible, able to dispatch countless foes at will, and was a typical grimdark antihero only without much in the way of charisma. Dialogue is a bit of a sticking point to me, and it felt a bit unnatural throughout the book, as though most of the characters had information to give and it doesn't matter if they got there realistically or not. Adding onto that the number of times the Sellsword seems to change sides (I actually forgot who is pretending to help once or twice), and the book just felt like it could have used a bit of cutting down. It's a short book, but it felt long to me.
So the thing is, there is a market for this type of book. A big market. If you like violent romps full of action, swordplay, and sex this book is probably for you. Unfortunately, I like my books a little deeper and more complex.
April 25, 2018
An awesome well written story that reminded me a lot of K.J Parker's the Folding knife with the way Sellsword was able to outplay and outmanoeuvre everyone. I hope there are more stories planned because the world and characters are interesting.
February 12, 2019
A lone swordsman enters a remote rundown mining town dominated by two feuding wizards, kinda a fantasy restaging of "A Fist Full of Dollars". Sounds like a cool idea, right? That it is; but it is all in the execution which regrettably I found flawed. All we know about the central character "the Sellsword" is that he's a huge man and very handy with weapons. By the end we don't know much more, there is no character growth, no backstory. He's not just handy with weapons, he is unfeasibly unbelievably good. if he has a motive or a plan we never know it. The world-building of the mining town seems flawed too. We are frequently told how rundown and poor it is, yet there are regular banquets and huge drinking sessions with no sign of the infrastructure to support them. There are smelters all over the place, where did the fuel for them come from?
If you are happy with a relentless action story without character development then you'll like this, I require more.
If you are happy with a relentless action story without character development then you'll like this, I require more.
January 8, 2018
Best fantasy I've read in awhile.
Outstanding, exactly what I want out of my fantasy. Must read, can't wait for the sequel. Read it, right now.
Outstanding, exactly what I want out of my fantasy. Must read, can't wait for the sequel. Read it, right now.
March 18, 2018
You know the old Western movie trope of the man with no name riding into a border town with two gangs feuding over control of the city, and going out and cleaning house? Well, James Alderdice takes that old trope of many a Clint Eastwood movie, places it in a medieval type setting, then proceeds to turn the whole thing on it's head and make it his own! This leads to the creation of a unique, brutal, dark and at times humorous story with an interesting collection of characters.
The book starts out with the man who becomes known as Sellsword attacked by bandits on the way to the small city of Aldrith. He dispatches them like the boss he is, although his horse falls off a cliff during the fight. Shame, it was a good horse. He then travels on foot towards Aldrith, and discovers the city, although it has a Duke, power is actually split between two warring wizards. There is also a group of dark cultists in the mix, as well as a dark version of the kingdom's religion stirring the volatile mixture of power politics.
Arriving at the Duke's manor, Sellsword finds the Duke gone, but does meet the Duchess. Receiving a note, the Duchess leaves suddenly. It turns out The Duke was murdered, setting off a chain event of actions as people, including the Duchess, scramble for power. Sellsword starts to approach each party offering his services. This leads to some epic fights, as Sellsword goes and proves his worth to the various parties. The best, and both most hilarious and gory, example of this is when he goes to the local casino run by one of the wizards and asks to see the wizard. when told no, he tells the guards to disarm themselves or he will. all six of them then rush him, where he proceeds to disarm them by removing all their arms! This type of dark humor runs throughout the book. He also runs into the town Paladins, basically the constabulary, who are corrupt and work for the highest bidder, and has several run ins with them.
This is the mix the Sellsword has to deal with, as alliances shift, plots are hatched and tensions boil to the breaking point as each side jockeys for the ultimate power in the town, with an unseen menace over it all providing even worse danger. With some epic city battles, betrayals on all sides and shocking revelations, the plot rushes forward headlong into the final confrontation that will determine the fate of the city!
This book has everything I look for in a fantasy book. Its dark tonally, with just enough humor to keep it from becoming brooding. The setting is well drawn out, reminding me of classic hives of villainy and scum like Lankhmar and Sanctuary without being a knockoff of them. You really get a feel for the city, feeling as though you are right there on the streets. The characters are all very well written, from the mysterious Sellsword to the Duchess through all the other supporting characters. The villains, of which there are several, are some of the best I can remember in recent memory for a small scale story that isn't world shaking. The reasons behind their actions are reasonable in their own minds, and actually make some of them even a bit sympathetic. Sellsword, though, is the star of the show. He is a mystery, but you can piece together the mystery of his identity with the clues you're left. He is definitely one of my favorite characters in recent memory.
I had never heard Liam Gerrard narrate before, but I was extremely happy to discover him. He has an excellent range, and he really brings the various characters to life. He uses a variety of tones and accents to differentiate the characters, and he has excellent pacing on the narration parts. I am definitely keeping an eye out for his work in the future.
Overall, this is one of the top stories I've read in the last couple years. I would rank it up with Nicholas Eames's Kings of the Wyld, Ed. McDonald's Blackwing and CT Phipps Wraith Knight as my favorite reads of the last year. Definitely a recommended read!
November 8, 2017
Yojimbo
This book was a pretty entertaining read. It reminds me a LOT of the Japanese movie “Yojimbo”
“Well, come and get them,” challenged the gap-toothed brawler. “It’ll hurt,” said the Sellsword.
This book was a pretty entertaining read. It reminds me a LOT of the Japanese movie “Yojimbo”
“Well, come and get them,” challenged the gap-toothed brawler. “It’ll hurt,” said the Sellsword.
January 2, 2023
A well written fantasy with excellent world building.
The Main Protagonist is The Sellsword who is a fierce warrior. He uses his knowledge and strength to fight the bandits on his way to Aldreth. He helps to bring order back in Aldreth by helping the Duchess as the Duke was massacred. In the end he is made the King! The story has wizardry, villainy, and battle facets. It is a well packed narration with tons of thrilling escapade.
It is a series, so the story will continue. However, this one does not end in a cliffhanger. I found the author's writing style to be engaging and since I am a fan of world building, this one truly fascinated me.
The Main Protagonist is The Sellsword who is a fierce warrior. He uses his knowledge and strength to fight the bandits on his way to Aldreth. He helps to bring order back in Aldreth by helping the Duchess as the Duke was massacred. In the end he is made the King! The story has wizardry, villainy, and battle facets. It is a well packed narration with tons of thrilling escapade.
It is a series, so the story will continue. However, this one does not end in a cliffhanger. I found the author's writing style to be engaging and since I am a fan of world building, this one truly fascinated me.
October 12, 2017
Brutal is a wild tale of a strong man who hires out as a Sellsword. He comes to the town of Aldreth where two wizards are battling for power and control of the people and the riches found there. This book is not for the weak stomach as the Sellsword is quick with his sword and not to be taken lightly by his enemies, which most find out way too late. The body count is high as so many foolishly go up against the Sellsword.
I truly liked this character as I found him to be somewhat of an "Anti-Hero" at times. He dishes out justice where he sees fit but on the other hand protects those whom he feels needs his attention and compassion. There are many bright characters that almost jump off of the pages of this book and this story plays out as an action movie in your mind while reading. The action is almost non-stop and it rushes along at a very fast pace. It's been a long time since I've read a book that doesn't give you much breathing room.
I was surprised by some of the twists the story took in the last 1/4 of the book. I won't be giving any details away but let's just say you probably won't see it coming either. This dark fantasy book is about war so it's very violent but is well written, full of magic, betrayal, and a lot of things to keep you intrigued until the very last page.
I truly liked this character as I found him to be somewhat of an "Anti-Hero" at times. He dishes out justice where he sees fit but on the other hand protects those whom he feels needs his attention and compassion. There are many bright characters that almost jump off of the pages of this book and this story plays out as an action movie in your mind while reading. The action is almost non-stop and it rushes along at a very fast pace. It's been a long time since I've read a book that doesn't give you much breathing room.
I was surprised by some of the twists the story took in the last 1/4 of the book. I won't be giving any details away but let's just say you probably won't see it coming either. This dark fantasy book is about war so it's very violent but is well written, full of magic, betrayal, and a lot of things to keep you intrigued until the very last page.
October 17, 2017
Frozen, Tangled, and Brave aren't quite my thing. But I thoroughly enjoyed Brutal! Alderdice tells a gripping story with plenty of twists and turns and no lack of action. I love fantasy that doesn't have tons of stereotypical monsters in it, and this story is all about people dealing with harsh situations.
October 9, 2017
James Alderdice crafts an excellent story filled with intrigue and action. Sword fights and dark magic fit into a perfectly paced story that will leave you craving for more. A sellsword, wizards, and a duchess all play their part in a truly brutal story.
March 12, 2018
You know the old Western movie trope of the man with no name riding into a border town with two gangs feuding over control of the city, and going out and cleaning house? Well, James Alderdice takes that old trope of many a Clint Eastwood movie, places it in a medieval type setting, then proceeds to turn the whole thing on it's head and make it his own! This leads to the creation of a unique, brutal, dark and at times humorous story with an interesting collection of characters.
The book starts out with the man who becomes known as Sellsword attacked by bandits on the way to the small city of Aldrith. He dispatches them like the boss he is, although his horse falls off a cliff during the fight. Shame, it was a good horse. He then travels on foot towards Aldrith, and discovers the city, although it has a Duke, power is actually split between two warring wizards. There is also a group of dark cultists in the mix, as well as a dark version of the kingdom's religion stirring the volatile mixture of power politics.
Arriving at the Duke's manor, Sellsword finds the Duke gone, but does meet the Duchess. Receiving a note, the Duchess leaves suddenly. It turns out The Duke was murdered, setting off a chain event of actions as people, including the Duchess, scramble for power. Sellsword starts to approach each party offering his services. This leads to some epic fights, as Sellsword goes and proves his worth to the various parties. The best, and both most hilarious and gory, example of this is when he goes to the local casino run by one of the wizards and asks to see the wizard. when told no, he tells the guards to disarm themselves or he will. all six of them then rush him, where he proceeds to disarm them by removing all their arms! This type of dark humor runs throughout the book. He also runs into the town Paladins, basically the constabulary, who are corrupt and work for the highest bidder, and has several run ins with them.
This is the mix the Sellsword has to deal with, as alliances shift, plots are hatched and tensions boil to the breaking point as each side jockeys for the ultimate power in the town, with an unseen menace over it all providing even worse danger. With some epic city battles, betrayals on all sides and shocking revelations, the plot rushes forward headlong into the final confrontation that will determine the fate of the city!
This book has everything I look for in a fantasy book. Its dark tonally, with just enough humor to keep it from becoming brooding. The setting is well drawn out, reminding me of classic hives of villainy and scum like Lankhmar and Sanctuary without being a knockoff of them. You really get a feel for the city, feeling as though you are right there on the streets. The characters are all very well written, from the mysterious Sellsword to the Duchess through all the other supporting characters. The villains, of which there are several, are some of the best I can remember in recent memory for a small scale story that isn't world shaking. The reasons behind their actions are reasonable in their own minds, and actually make some of them even a bit sympathetic. Sellsword, though, is the star of the show. He is a mystery, but you can piece together the mystery of his identity with the clues you're left. He is definitely one of my favorite characters in recent memory.
I had never heard Liam Gerrard narrate before, but I was extremely happy to discover him. He has an excellent range, and he really brings the various characters to life. He uses a variety of tones and accents to differentiate the characters, and he has excellent pacing on the narration parts. I am definitely keeping an eye out for his work in the future.
Overall, this is one of the top stories I've read in the last couple years. I would rank it up with Nicholas Eames's Kings of the Wyld, Ed. McDonald's Blackwing and CT Phipps Wraith Knight as my favorite reads of the last year. Definitely a recommended read!
The book starts out with the man who becomes known as Sellsword attacked by bandits on the way to the small city of Aldrith. He dispatches them like the boss he is, although his horse falls off a cliff during the fight. Shame, it was a good horse. He then travels on foot towards Aldrith, and discovers the city, although it has a Duke, power is actually split between two warring wizards. There is also a group of dark cultists in the mix, as well as a dark version of the kingdom's religion stirring the volatile mixture of power politics.
Arriving at the Duke's manor, Sellsword finds the Duke gone, but does meet the Duchess. Receiving a note, the Duchess leaves suddenly. It turns out The Duke was murdered, setting off a chain event of actions as people, including the Duchess, scramble for power. Sellsword starts to approach each party offering his services. This leads to some epic fights, as Sellsword goes and proves his worth to the various parties. The best, and both most hilarious and gory, example of this is when he goes to the local casino run by one of the wizards and asks to see the wizard. when told no, he tells the guards to disarm themselves or he will. all six of them then rush him, where he proceeds to disarm them by removing all their arms! This type of dark humor runs throughout the book. He also runs into the town Paladins, basically the constabulary, who are corrupt and work for the highest bidder, and has several run ins with them.
This is the mix the Sellsword has to deal with, as alliances shift, plots are hatched and tensions boil to the breaking point as each side jockeys for the ultimate power in the town, with an unseen menace over it all providing even worse danger. With some epic city battles, betrayals on all sides and shocking revelations, the plot rushes forward headlong into the final confrontation that will determine the fate of the city!
This book has everything I look for in a fantasy book. Its dark tonally, with just enough humor to keep it from becoming brooding. The setting is well drawn out, reminding me of classic hives of villainy and scum like Lankhmar and Sanctuary without being a knockoff of them. You really get a feel for the city, feeling as though you are right there on the streets. The characters are all very well written, from the mysterious Sellsword to the Duchess through all the other supporting characters. The villains, of which there are several, are some of the best I can remember in recent memory for a small scale story that isn't world shaking. The reasons behind their actions are reasonable in their own minds, and actually make some of them even a bit sympathetic. Sellsword, though, is the star of the show. He is a mystery, but you can piece together the mystery of his identity with the clues you're left. He is definitely one of my favorite characters in recent memory.
I had never heard Liam Gerrard narrate before, but I was extremely happy to discover him. He has an excellent range, and he really brings the various characters to life. He uses a variety of tones and accents to differentiate the characters, and he has excellent pacing on the narration parts. I am definitely keeping an eye out for his work in the future.
Overall, this is one of the top stories I've read in the last couple years. I would rank it up with Nicholas Eames's Kings of the Wyld, Ed. McDonald's Blackwing and CT Phipps Wraith Knight as my favorite reads of the last year. Definitely a recommended read!
March 17, 2018
I haven't been writing long reviews lately, but after reading BRUTAL I felt compelled to explain my seemingly low rating. It is unusual for me to give a book less than three stars, but in this case I think it was warranted. That isn't to say this book was awful. It wasn't. In fact, the premise is phenomenal. As a fan of both westerns and fantasy I was intrigued. A nameless mercenary liberating an oppressed town from the yoke of two wizards warring for control? Sure. Here's my money.
I think Mr. Alderdice had an excellent idea. I just think the execution fell flat. A story like this is, by design, formulaic. We've seen Clint Eastwood and John Wayne in the Sellsword's role countless times. A piece of literature doesn't need to reinvent he wheel to be entertaining, and Mr. Alderdice's twist on the old Western trope is an excellent one.
Mr. Alderdice's reach, however, exceeded his grasp. Or, more's the pity, his patience. I can't help but think that this book really would've benefited from a professional editor. One of two things would have happened--the book would have been fleshed out and the characters would have been made more three-dimensional, or the book would've been distilled to its essence and halved in length. Either way, I suspect it would have been devoid of the repetitious phrasing and "and then the Sellsword did this and then he did THIS and then he slept and then he did THIS" pacing.
The book felt like a first draft. And that left me very disappointed. The quality of prose is secondary, in my mind, to the economy of word in which an author trades. Be a book extra long or novella length, a good story need only be written WELL to be entertaining. Mr. Alderdice decided to settle for his version of "good enough" and I think he did his wonderful idea a disservice. I don't think he accomplished what he set out to do, and that's a shame.
I think Mr. Alderdice had an excellent idea. I just think the execution fell flat. A story like this is, by design, formulaic. We've seen Clint Eastwood and John Wayne in the Sellsword's role countless times. A piece of literature doesn't need to reinvent he wheel to be entertaining, and Mr. Alderdice's twist on the old Western trope is an excellent one.
Mr. Alderdice's reach, however, exceeded his grasp. Or, more's the pity, his patience. I can't help but think that this book really would've benefited from a professional editor. One of two things would have happened--the book would have been fleshed out and the characters would have been made more three-dimensional, or the book would've been distilled to its essence and halved in length. Either way, I suspect it would have been devoid of the repetitious phrasing and "and then the Sellsword did this and then he did THIS and then he slept and then he did THIS" pacing.
The book felt like a first draft. And that left me very disappointed. The quality of prose is secondary, in my mind, to the economy of word in which an author trades. Be a book extra long or novella length, a good story need only be written WELL to be entertaining. Mr. Alderdice decided to settle for his version of "good enough" and I think he did his wonderful idea a disservice. I don't think he accomplished what he set out to do, and that's a shame.
March 26, 2018
This book was very well written. The sellsword has some amazing adventures. Being familiar with the Book of Mormon and living in Montana I am familiar with some of the things that influenced this book. Butte Montana was the inspiration for the city our story takes place in . Butte was a wild mining town at the turn of the century and beyond. I kind of wish this had been turned into something similar to David J West's Porter Rockwell series instead of a man with a sword. . There are a few funny scenes involving a cow though. It isn't the Authors fault that I am just not that into sword fighting right now. The ending was like your typical Brandon Sanderson craziness and it went out on a high note. As you can see from this review writing is not my particular strong point and I am glad we have men such as Mr Alderdice to entertain us with their imaginations coupled with compelling writing.
May 11, 2019
Reader, you will not find many of the traditional fantasy tropes here. Oh, there are plenty of swords, a couple of beasties, and a handful of wizards, but that's about as far as it goes. If anything, the tropes presented here are much more aligned with the genre of the Western. In fact, if you're a fan of Sergio Leone, Akira Kurosawa, Dashiell Hammett, or even Carlo Goldoni, you will recognize the basics of the story here. That being said, there are also plenty of surprises to be found. This was just a fun, hard-hitting tale of rugged adventure. There's even an additional novella, "The Mad Song," which is much more rooted in the traditions of Sword & Sorcery and a fine tale in and of itself. If you like sword-swinging and skull-splitting action, do yourself a favor and read this book.
January 9, 2023
Had me glued to the story for days!
Absolutely amazing read. I picked it up from a recommendation. I usually read R. A. Salvatore, Terry Brooks etc. The author did an amazing job with the dialogue and all the characters were interesting, for a fantasy book the plot was great and it had a lot of suspense. Based on the word count you would think it to short but the story was fast paced. I truly enjoyed it and I’d highly recommended this one to my friends. This year just started but this book might just be the best book I’ve read for this year, although again there is a lot of year left.
Absolutely amazing read. I picked it up from a recommendation. I usually read R. A. Salvatore, Terry Brooks etc. The author did an amazing job with the dialogue and all the characters were interesting, for a fantasy book the plot was great and it had a lot of suspense. Based on the word count you would think it to short but the story was fast paced. I truly enjoyed it and I’d highly recommended this one to my friends. This year just started but this book might just be the best book I’ve read for this year, although again there is a lot of year left.
November 2, 2022
yay!
I’m running out of things to say about these books. I am reading every single book. By this author I can get my hands on, and all of his other pen names as well. I’m thoroughly enjoying his storylines and his writing is just super unique.
This particular book is extremely high fantasy and definitely has some graphic, brutal scenes, a lot, like his other ones. My favorite part is definitely the description of the reptilian body, if you read this, you will immediately know what I mean.
I’m running out of things to say about these books. I am reading every single book. By this author I can get my hands on, and all of his other pen names as well. I’m thoroughly enjoying his storylines and his writing is just super unique.
This particular book is extremely high fantasy and definitely has some graphic, brutal scenes, a lot, like his other ones. My favorite part is definitely the description of the reptilian body, if you read this, you will immediately know what I mean.
January 7, 2022
Not a bad book
There are a lot of things I enjoyed about this novel: setting, description, characters, and world building. But unfortunately the execution in part of the plot and writing style didn’t do it for me. It slows down often. And a lot of the language is hard to follow, and there are some typos scattered throughout. I’m interested to see what else James Alderice can do, but this book didn’t really make an impact on me.
There are a lot of things I enjoyed about this novel: setting, description, characters, and world building. But unfortunately the execution in part of the plot and writing style didn’t do it for me. It slows down often. And a lot of the language is hard to follow, and there are some typos scattered throughout. I’m interested to see what else James Alderice can do, but this book didn’t really make an impact on me.
August 21, 2017
Fantasy with a very Western feel
No surprises here, Brutal is as Brutal does. If you like bad guys getting what's coming to them, swords, an evil goddess and a beautiful femme then this is the tale for you. Read and enjoy.
No surprises here, Brutal is as Brutal does. If you like bad guys getting what's coming to them, swords, an evil goddess and a beautiful femme then this is the tale for you. Read and enjoy.
January 21, 2019
While the writer could use some extra editing, the overall story and idea behind it were entertaining. I bumped this from 3 to 4 stars based on the fact that upon finishing the first book I was compelled to immediately go online and get the second.
October 2, 2019
If you like sword-&-sorcery, pulp, and grim dark, filtered through Red Harvest, the Man With No Name, Kurosawa, etc, then Alderdice delivers exactly what is promised. A nameless mercenary arrives in a failing mining city, divided by two wizards at odds with each other. Caught up in 'gang' warfare and politics, with danger, women, violent men, and monsters at every turn, the anonymous sellsword must stay one step ahead to stay alive.
January 28, 2022
Good story
I love the warriors constantly swinging swords and traveling to unknown places. It reminds me of Lord of the rings a bit. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. Good job.
I love the warriors constantly swinging swords and traveling to unknown places. It reminds me of Lord of the rings a bit. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. Good job.
June 17, 2025
A fistful of dollars meets Conan the Barbarian
A good laugh. Exciting. Not intellectual but fun. What you want to pass the time. One of the funnest books I have read in a long time.
A good laugh. Exciting. Not intellectual but fun. What you want to pass the time. One of the funnest books I have read in a long time.
August 25, 2017
Well-written and entertaining fantasy novel with an old-school flair. It conjured up images of a Conan movie directed by Sergio Leone.
November 7, 2017
Nicely done
Well written. Nice character development smooth flowing story looking for two and three, hopefully it won't take long for them to come out
Well written. Nice character development smooth flowing story looking for two and three, hopefully it won't take long for them to come out
June 10, 2018
Wow!!!
This book is beautiful written and fantastic from start to ending there's not one sentence in this story I didn't have fun reading just very exciting!! Can't wait for book 2.
This book is beautiful written and fantastic from start to ending there's not one sentence in this story I didn't have fun reading just very exciting!! Can't wait for book 2.
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