What do you think?
Rate this book
Tainted Dominion
Dark Ends: A Dark Fantasy Anthology
Everything ends. Some go peacefully. Others, less so. A starving thief. Lovers with an impossible choice. A broken-hearted soldier. Demons bound in flesh. A cat from hell. In this collection, the end comes with the encroaching dark...
Whispers & Wonder proudly presents Dark Ends, an anthology of dark fantasy novelettes from the minds of five extraordinary authors.
The Laughing Heart by Stabby Nominee Luke Tarzian
Once marked, always marked.
Tainted by Krystle Matar
We all have our dead, who we carry with us.
Strays by SPFBO 4 Semi-Finalist D.P. Woolliscroft
Old Thief Motto: No matter how much you prepare, there is always a cat ready to f*ck it up.
Dragonmeat by SPFBO 5 Finalist and Stabby Nominee Angela Boord
What does dragon taste like? It tastes like freedom...
Savages by SPFBO 5 Semi-Finalist and Stabby Nominee Clayton Snyder
Fixer Jack Nyx is about to find out some jobs aren't worth the money...
All proceeds go to Feeding America. Pick up your copy today!
Whispers & Wonder proudly presents Dark Ends, an anthology of dark fantasy novelettes from the minds of five extraordinary authors.
The Laughing Heart by Stabby Nominee Luke Tarzian
Once marked, always marked.
Tainted by Krystle Matar
We all have our dead, who we carry with us.
Strays by SPFBO 4 Semi-Finalist D.P. Woolliscroft
Old Thief Motto: No matter how much you prepare, there is always a cat ready to f*ck it up.
Dragonmeat by SPFBO 5 Finalist and Stabby Nominee Angela Boord
What does dragon taste like? It tastes like freedom...
Savages by SPFBO 5 Semi-Finalist and Stabby Nominee Clayton Snyder
Fixer Jack Nyx is about to find out some jobs aren't worth the money...
All proceeds go to Feeding America. Pick up your copy today!
- GenresAnthologiesFantasy
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 29, 2020
4 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Luke Tarzian
30 books81 followersFantasy Author. Long Doggo Enthusiast. Snoot Booper. Shouter of Profanities. Drinker of Whiskey.
Subscribe to my newsletter at https://luketarzian.mailerpage.io and receive a FREE ebook copy of THE WORLD MAKER PARABLE.
Subscribe to my newsletter at https://luketarzian.mailerpage.io and receive a FREE ebook copy of THE WORLD MAKER PARABLE.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 6, 2020
I haven’t read an anthology in years. Like dozens of years. I used to read those Dragon Lance short story collections, including some that I could never remember purchasing but somehow owned. Did I steal them from somewhere? Regardless, my desire is typically to dive deep and want more, meaning that shorter stories aren‘t usually enough for me.
But I decided to give Dark Ends a shot. I’d bought it months ago, mostly because some cool/nice people I know on Twiiter were involved and because proceeds went to fight world hunger. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and the quality.
In an anthology, you don’t expect every story to be for every person, and that was true of me and Dark Ends. My review of the stor ies are below in no particular order:
Dragon Meat by Angela Board (5 stars)
This was my favorite story of the anthology. A story about a poor girl, living in poor times, who made a study of thieving to support her sick father. It was emotional and dark, but also a damned cool world. I felt immersed in moments, and I cared about the characters. There were mysteries, enough to keep you reading, and a couple of small twists that used the short runtime (page time?) to excellent effect. I am certainly adding Fate’s Fool—the start of the main series—to my TBR.
Vultures by Luke TarzIan (4.25 stars)
Beautiful and haunting is how I would describe this story. The writing is near poetic but not purple, and I was amazed by it. Granted, I had no idea what the fuck was going on in this strange world of humans, demons, angels, and resurrection, but I kept reading anyway. The short of it is some dude is seeking revenge on a demon for killing his husband. I ended up buying Vultures and am currently reading it, if that’s any sort of recommendation.
Savages by Clayton Snyder (3 stars)
I’ve never been a big urban fantasy fan, and so I was pretty sure the setting was a miss for me right out of the gate. The story, following a dude possessed by demons, was certainly action-packed. The dude should have been ripped to shreds plenty of times, but he generally pulls through ok and punches his way through problems. I’m sure that urban fantasy fans will like this; I felt a mismatch here, since it’s not my preference. I’ll also note, since some will notice, this was the least polished story, with plenty of typos, extra letters, and weird sentences (e.g., I spent two hundred dollars on the coat that I scraped two hundred dollars together to buy”). I’m usually unbothered by such stuff, but it was pretty noticeable. (EDIT: Apparently, since I was a day-1 purchase, I got the lucky 'wrong version' file. Sounds like these issues should be cleaned up for anyone buying this moving forward).
Tainted by Krystle Matar (3.5 stars)
Movie voice guy: “in a world where magic users are enslaved by The Authority, and two dare to find love...”. This was a bit more of a modern setting, at least with trains that were powered by near-enslaved mages, forced to register their identities and powers (felt a little Nazi Germany-ish). The world was interesting, probably moreso than the characters. (e.g. Why does she love that guy? He’s so bland!”). While this wasn’t a page turner fire me, I appreciate the neat world and Matar is definitely in my periphery now.
Strays by DP Wooliscraft (3.5 stars)
A cyclical heist leveraging characters from other books, Strays was a fun and quick read. There was some great comedic timing between the characters, and though not much happened (I turned the page, expecting there to be more, but the story was over), I still did enjoy it. I have to wonder if the story would have been more enriching has I already known the characters from the other books.
There you have it. Are there authors you’ve found through anthologies?
But I decided to give Dark Ends a shot. I’d bought it months ago, mostly because some cool/nice people I know on Twiiter were involved and because proceeds went to fight world hunger. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and the quality.
In an anthology, you don’t expect every story to be for every person, and that was true of me and Dark Ends. My review of the stor ies are below in no particular order:
Dragon Meat by Angela Board (5 stars)
This was my favorite story of the anthology. A story about a poor girl, living in poor times, who made a study of thieving to support her sick father. It was emotional and dark, but also a damned cool world. I felt immersed in moments, and I cared about the characters. There were mysteries, enough to keep you reading, and a couple of small twists that used the short runtime (page time?) to excellent effect. I am certainly adding Fate’s Fool—the start of the main series—to my TBR.
Vultures by Luke TarzIan (4.25 stars)
Beautiful and haunting is how I would describe this story. The writing is near poetic but not purple, and I was amazed by it. Granted, I had no idea what the fuck was going on in this strange world of humans, demons, angels, and resurrection, but I kept reading anyway. The short of it is some dude is seeking revenge on a demon for killing his husband. I ended up buying Vultures and am currently reading it, if that’s any sort of recommendation.
Savages by Clayton Snyder (3 stars)
I’ve never been a big urban fantasy fan, and so I was pretty sure the setting was a miss for me right out of the gate. The story, following a dude possessed by demons, was certainly action-packed. The dude should have been ripped to shreds plenty of times, but he generally pulls through ok and punches his way through problems. I’m sure that urban fantasy fans will like this; I felt a mismatch here, since it’s not my preference. I’ll also note, since some will notice, this was the least polished story, with plenty of typos, extra letters, and weird sentences (e.g., I spent two hundred dollars on the coat that I scraped two hundred dollars together to buy”). I’m usually unbothered by such stuff, but it was pretty noticeable. (EDIT: Apparently, since I was a day-1 purchase, I got the lucky 'wrong version' file. Sounds like these issues should be cleaned up for anyone buying this moving forward).
Tainted by Krystle Matar (3.5 stars)
Movie voice guy: “in a world where magic users are enslaved by The Authority, and two dare to find love...”. This was a bit more of a modern setting, at least with trains that were powered by near-enslaved mages, forced to register their identities and powers (felt a little Nazi Germany-ish). The world was interesting, probably moreso than the characters. (e.g. Why does she love that guy? He’s so bland!”). While this wasn’t a page turner fire me, I appreciate the neat world and Matar is definitely in my periphery now.
Strays by DP Wooliscraft (3.5 stars)
A cyclical heist leveraging characters from other books, Strays was a fun and quick read. There was some great comedic timing between the characters, and though not much happened (I turned the page, expecting there to be more, but the story was over), I still did enjoy it. I have to wonder if the story would have been more enriching has I already known the characters from the other books.
There you have it. Are there authors you’ve found through anthologies?
September 26, 2021
I will be the first to admit, I rarely read anthologies. Moreover, I do not turn to Grimdark as my fantasy sub-genre of choice – I am more of the high, epic fantasy preference. But a set of dark fantasy snippets by some of the top Indie fantasy authors out there today was a bit too much to resist. So, I was led to the compilation of short stories called "Dark Ends".
No doubting the resumes of Stabby Nominee Luke Tarzian, author of the widely-acknowledged “Indie Fantasy Book-of-the-Year” Krystle Matar, Self Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPBFO) Semi-Finalist D.P. Woolliscroft, Stabby Nominee and SPFBO Finalist Angela Boord, and Stabby Nominee and 3 time SPFBO Semi-Finalist and SPFBO Finalist Clayton Snyder. One would be hard pressed to find such an assembly of Indie fantasy luminaries compiling a book together, anywhere.
For me, the “darkest” story was that of Tarzian’s, called “The Laughing Heart”. The prose was outstanding, instinctive, lyrical, haunting. Tarzian is poetic in his narrative, yet the feeling of the story at times was hallucinogenic, dissociative. It was visceral, raw, and disorienting. There were times, frankly, I was completely lost in terms of where I was in the story and where it was going. With Tarzian’s brilliant, yet chaotic style of writing, it took a bit to find footing again. The depth of emotion and poignancy with which Tarzian writes can be dizzying, and bring one to one’s knees. The heart of the story is about an ethereal war, in which a human warrior, Caliean, is grieving for the loss of his husband Bar, who has been murdered by the demon Galska Nuul. Caliean lusts for revenge, and his quest to destroy Galska Nuul takes him on a fantastical journey of pain, fury, and ultimately wonder. Caliean will bring the reader along for the ride, and the bizarre journey will leave you stunned, confused and reeling. Powerful stuff. If you find yourself weeping openly for Caliean, don’t be surprised – that is a what a gifted writer can accomplish.
Krystle Matar’s entry is called “Tainted.” It is part of the Brightwash universe, was done in her trademark style: she pulls on the reader’s heartstrings, makes one examines one’s own values and beliefs, and leaves one feeling emotionally exposed. It’s an ill-fated love story between Gianna and Galen, two “Tainted”, whose forbidden love (people with Tainted powers are not permitted to fraternize) runs them afoul of Authority Regulation Officer Tashue Blackwood (protagonist of Matar’s heralded “Legacy of the Brightwash”). Tashue’s stoic enforcement of the law, coupled with Galen’s confusion over the fact that Tashue does not seem to hate the Tainted, and that Tashue’s own son is imprisoned by the Authority, leads to Galen’s intense animosity toward the lawman. Meeting Tashue’s son only serves to further Galen’s resentment of the father, and tragedy strikes, leading to a fateful confrontation. Matar’s world feels real in every aspect: her vivid, descriptive writing will suck you into the surroundings and mindset of the characters, and refuse to let you go. She is an utterly brilliant writer.
Angela Boord’s “Dragonmeat”, only cements her reputation as a master of detailed world building, outstanding character development, and compelling themes. Set in the island city of Medeas, the story centres around Peri, daughter of a former prominent father, who has suffered a disability. Peri’s mother has run off, abandoning the family and consigning them to poverty. Peri has tried to save her sister by sending her away from Medeas, and struggles to care for her father. Medeas suffers under the oppressive rule of a cruel governor, who has allowed famine to take hold of the city. Peri is forced to steal to keep her and her father alive, until caught by a stranger, who changes her fate. Meanwhile, human sacrifices to dragons - who terrorize the city - are recruited in cult-like fashion, in order to satisfy the monsters and keep them at bay. Angela Boord’s evocative writing will make you feel like you are seeing, smelling, hearing and tasting what Medeas has to offer. Read “Dragonmeat” and become immersed in the delightful world Boord has created; it will only leave you wanting more.
“Strays” by D.P. Woolliscroft is a classic heist story, and fun to read. The world Woolliscroft creates is realistic and gritty. There’s plenty of satire, and the camaraderie and comedic play between the rouges, led by Trypp, is right on point. Trypp is a master thief, and although he and his band have just successfully completed a huge job, always count on the greed of those searching for one more big payday. Trypp meets an attractive girl, and with her involvement, a tantalizing target is developed, that the gang can acquire. The job is fraught with danger, and Woolliscroft writes the violence in the story with crisp precision. The author is also not afraid to address issues such as racism and classicism, and it was well-handled. This short story packs a lot into its pages, and it was excellent. Woolliscroft had long been on my radar as someone to read, and reading “Strays” has only prompted me to push his books up my TBR list.
Finally, “Savages” by Clayton Snyder, lives up to the author’s tag as one of Indie fantasy’s best grimdark creatives. This story reeks of savagery, ruthlessness, and despair. Jack Nyx is the protagonist, and he is an enforcer, a private detective, and a mercenary all in one. He is also possessed by demons, whose power he cannot completely control. His best friend Ivy, a dangerous witch, has destroyed the body of Jack’s lover’s, confining it to a receptacle in Jack’s apartment – a talking receptacle. In the story, Synder tackles child abuse, domestic violence, torture, murder, possession in the adroit fashion of a grimdark maestro. The reader feels physical and mental anguish along with Jack, feels the helpless watching their own blood pouring onto the floor, feels their guts twisted in a knot with fear, feel the rage and swollen knuckles as Jack punches his way out of danger, trying to stay alive. The dark humour is utterly sarcastic and merciless, the pacing relentless, the climax tremendous. “Savages” feels like a mash up between dark fantasy and a crime noir classic, and is extremely well-done.
I have tried to evaluate “Dark Ends” on the sum of its parts, rather than the individual stories on their own merits. Each writer has their unique strengths, and have written their own books, but chose to compile these particular stories together, and have them judged together. Therefore, I have rated the anthology in that spirit.
“Dark Ends” is exceptional, and highly recommended. If you have been contemplating reading bigger works by these five authors, but have not yet had the opportunity, I suggest you start with “Dark Ends”, then work your way up to the more expansive narratives by these talented writers. Five out of five star overall rating for this anthology!
No doubting the resumes of Stabby Nominee Luke Tarzian, author of the widely-acknowledged “Indie Fantasy Book-of-the-Year” Krystle Matar, Self Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPBFO) Semi-Finalist D.P. Woolliscroft, Stabby Nominee and SPFBO Finalist Angela Boord, and Stabby Nominee and 3 time SPFBO Semi-Finalist and SPFBO Finalist Clayton Snyder. One would be hard pressed to find such an assembly of Indie fantasy luminaries compiling a book together, anywhere.
For me, the “darkest” story was that of Tarzian’s, called “The Laughing Heart”. The prose was outstanding, instinctive, lyrical, haunting. Tarzian is poetic in his narrative, yet the feeling of the story at times was hallucinogenic, dissociative. It was visceral, raw, and disorienting. There were times, frankly, I was completely lost in terms of where I was in the story and where it was going. With Tarzian’s brilliant, yet chaotic style of writing, it took a bit to find footing again. The depth of emotion and poignancy with which Tarzian writes can be dizzying, and bring one to one’s knees. The heart of the story is about an ethereal war, in which a human warrior, Caliean, is grieving for the loss of his husband Bar, who has been murdered by the demon Galska Nuul. Caliean lusts for revenge, and his quest to destroy Galska Nuul takes him on a fantastical journey of pain, fury, and ultimately wonder. Caliean will bring the reader along for the ride, and the bizarre journey will leave you stunned, confused and reeling. Powerful stuff. If you find yourself weeping openly for Caliean, don’t be surprised – that is a what a gifted writer can accomplish.
Krystle Matar’s entry is called “Tainted.” It is part of the Brightwash universe, was done in her trademark style: she pulls on the reader’s heartstrings, makes one examines one’s own values and beliefs, and leaves one feeling emotionally exposed. It’s an ill-fated love story between Gianna and Galen, two “Tainted”, whose forbidden love (people with Tainted powers are not permitted to fraternize) runs them afoul of Authority Regulation Officer Tashue Blackwood (protagonist of Matar’s heralded “Legacy of the Brightwash”). Tashue’s stoic enforcement of the law, coupled with Galen’s confusion over the fact that Tashue does not seem to hate the Tainted, and that Tashue’s own son is imprisoned by the Authority, leads to Galen’s intense animosity toward the lawman. Meeting Tashue’s son only serves to further Galen’s resentment of the father, and tragedy strikes, leading to a fateful confrontation. Matar’s world feels real in every aspect: her vivid, descriptive writing will suck you into the surroundings and mindset of the characters, and refuse to let you go. She is an utterly brilliant writer.
Angela Boord’s “Dragonmeat”, only cements her reputation as a master of detailed world building, outstanding character development, and compelling themes. Set in the island city of Medeas, the story centres around Peri, daughter of a former prominent father, who has suffered a disability. Peri’s mother has run off, abandoning the family and consigning them to poverty. Peri has tried to save her sister by sending her away from Medeas, and struggles to care for her father. Medeas suffers under the oppressive rule of a cruel governor, who has allowed famine to take hold of the city. Peri is forced to steal to keep her and her father alive, until caught by a stranger, who changes her fate. Meanwhile, human sacrifices to dragons - who terrorize the city - are recruited in cult-like fashion, in order to satisfy the monsters and keep them at bay. Angela Boord’s evocative writing will make you feel like you are seeing, smelling, hearing and tasting what Medeas has to offer. Read “Dragonmeat” and become immersed in the delightful world Boord has created; it will only leave you wanting more.
“Strays” by D.P. Woolliscroft is a classic heist story, and fun to read. The world Woolliscroft creates is realistic and gritty. There’s plenty of satire, and the camaraderie and comedic play between the rouges, led by Trypp, is right on point. Trypp is a master thief, and although he and his band have just successfully completed a huge job, always count on the greed of those searching for one more big payday. Trypp meets an attractive girl, and with her involvement, a tantalizing target is developed, that the gang can acquire. The job is fraught with danger, and Woolliscroft writes the violence in the story with crisp precision. The author is also not afraid to address issues such as racism and classicism, and it was well-handled. This short story packs a lot into its pages, and it was excellent. Woolliscroft had long been on my radar as someone to read, and reading “Strays” has only prompted me to push his books up my TBR list.
Finally, “Savages” by Clayton Snyder, lives up to the author’s tag as one of Indie fantasy’s best grimdark creatives. This story reeks of savagery, ruthlessness, and despair. Jack Nyx is the protagonist, and he is an enforcer, a private detective, and a mercenary all in one. He is also possessed by demons, whose power he cannot completely control. His best friend Ivy, a dangerous witch, has destroyed the body of Jack’s lover’s, confining it to a receptacle in Jack’s apartment – a talking receptacle. In the story, Synder tackles child abuse, domestic violence, torture, murder, possession in the adroit fashion of a grimdark maestro. The reader feels physical and mental anguish along with Jack, feels the helpless watching their own blood pouring onto the floor, feels their guts twisted in a knot with fear, feel the rage and swollen knuckles as Jack punches his way out of danger, trying to stay alive. The dark humour is utterly sarcastic and merciless, the pacing relentless, the climax tremendous. “Savages” feels like a mash up between dark fantasy and a crime noir classic, and is extremely well-done.
I have tried to evaluate “Dark Ends” on the sum of its parts, rather than the individual stories on their own merits. Each writer has their unique strengths, and have written their own books, but chose to compile these particular stories together, and have them judged together. Therefore, I have rated the anthology in that spirit.
“Dark Ends” is exceptional, and highly recommended. If you have been contemplating reading bigger works by these five authors, but have not yet had the opportunity, I suggest you start with “Dark Ends”, then work your way up to the more expansive narratives by these talented writers. Five out of five star overall rating for this anthology!
September 6, 2021
I’ve not read many anthologies, but when this was recommended on the run up to Self-Published Fantasy Month, I couldn’t resist dropping my current read to dive in because it contained stories from some of my favourite self-published authors in the writing community, as well as new voices I hadn’t yet read. Dark Ends: A Dark Fantasy Anthology by Whispers & Wonder is a collection of short stories based within the pre-established worlds of the following authors: Angela Boord, Krystle Matar, Clayton W. Snyder, Luke Tarzian, and D.P. Woolliscroft. Each focus on an ending or new beginning of sorts, though naturally, being a dark fantasy anthology, some of these stories don’t end in cheerful ways.
I’ll give a quick overview of each story:
Tainted by Krystle Matar
So my confession is that Krystle Matar is the only author I’ve previously read thanks to her romantic gaslamp grimdark fantasy, Legacy of the Brightwash – a review that will be coming to this blog soon! Having already emersed myself in this world, it was easy enough for me to slip back into the grim city of Yaelsmuir. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this short story was told through the eyes of a minor character in Legacy of the Brightwash, and we witness those early interactions through a completely different perspective. As I read on, I wondered just how far the story would take me, as I already knew where it led, and I was again pleasantly surprised to see the story continue and also drop hints as to where Legacy of the Brightwash will be heading in the future! To make a video game comparison, reading this felt like unlocking some secret bonus content, and I was delighted to get the chance to view Legacy of the Brightwash from a different angle, albeit one that doesn’t lead to a happy ending.
The Laughing Heart by Luke Tarzian
I’ve not read Luke Tarzian’s books before, despite them sitting pretty on my TBR, and this is now a mistake I must rectify. Tarzian’s writing style blew me away, and I was instantly pulled into an unknown and somewhat alien world as the main character seeks vengeance against a dangerous and dark angel, only to discover that his reality may not be what it seems. This was a haunting tale which cut to the heart of love and betrayal, and has now firmly bumped Tarzian up my TBR pile!
Dragonmeat by Angela Boord
While both Tainted and The Laughing Heart dealt with heavy themes, Dragonmeat, while grim in places, was a more lighthearted tale of one person’s struggle to survive starvation in an occupied city besieged by dragons. Okay, when I put it like that, it doesn’t sound lighthearted! But what I enjoyed about Dragonmeat was the sense of mystery and adventure as the main character chooses to trust a mysterious stranger who offers a magical solution to her problems instead of stealing food. This is again another story which has put Angela Boord in my sights!
Strays by D.P. Woolliscroft
Another lighthearted story of theft, Strays was a fun and fast-paced tale of a group of thieves planning a heist and watching it all go wrong thanks to a, uh, cat. Yes, cats are the true villains! What I enjoyed about Strays was the RPG-feel of a quest as the main character scouts out his target, and the comaraderie and banter of his team of thieves as they work together to pull it off.
Savages by Clayton Snyder
Savages is an urban fantasy with a main character who can call upon the demons trapped inside of him, quite literally. As he takes on the case of a missing child, we learn more about the wretched state of his life, and naturally, not all is what it seems! As the case takes a turn for the supernatural, our hero relies on the assistance of his witch friend to get the job done and get the demons (again, literally!) off his back. Savages was my personal favourite of these short stories, and the crafted world-building intrigued me enough to want to know more! I’m also massively impressed that Clayton Snyder was able to pack so much story into such a short space.
While I enjoyed these stories, I think you’d probably get more enjoyment out of them if you’ve already read the author’s works, as these stories come from pre-existing worlds. As I felt when reading Krystle Matar’s Tainted, these are fantastic bonus stories for these worlds! But, on the flip side, this anthology has now introduced me to new authors I may not have otherwise come across, so for that reason, Dark Ends has done its job.
My only real complaint is that I felt this anthology could have been longer, and I hope if Whispers & Wonder ever host another anthology, they’ll be able to invite more authors to take part. I’d certainly love to read another one!
These short stories truly covered the dark fantasy themes of protagonists daring to seek the light in their otherwise grim worlds. Some of these ends on optimistic notes, and some really made me stop and think. But what this anthology has done is introduce me to some extraordinary authors and their amazing worlds which I must now explore, beginning a dark journey of my own.
Dark Ends: A Dark Fantasy Anthology is a wonderfully dark collection of short stories from talented authors who need to be on your TBR pile.
I’ll give a quick overview of each story:
Tainted by Krystle Matar
So my confession is that Krystle Matar is the only author I’ve previously read thanks to her romantic gaslamp grimdark fantasy, Legacy of the Brightwash – a review that will be coming to this blog soon! Having already emersed myself in this world, it was easy enough for me to slip back into the grim city of Yaelsmuir. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this short story was told through the eyes of a minor character in Legacy of the Brightwash, and we witness those early interactions through a completely different perspective. As I read on, I wondered just how far the story would take me, as I already knew where it led, and I was again pleasantly surprised to see the story continue and also drop hints as to where Legacy of the Brightwash will be heading in the future! To make a video game comparison, reading this felt like unlocking some secret bonus content, and I was delighted to get the chance to view Legacy of the Brightwash from a different angle, albeit one that doesn’t lead to a happy ending.
The Laughing Heart by Luke Tarzian
I’ve not read Luke Tarzian’s books before, despite them sitting pretty on my TBR, and this is now a mistake I must rectify. Tarzian’s writing style blew me away, and I was instantly pulled into an unknown and somewhat alien world as the main character seeks vengeance against a dangerous and dark angel, only to discover that his reality may not be what it seems. This was a haunting tale which cut to the heart of love and betrayal, and has now firmly bumped Tarzian up my TBR pile!
Dragonmeat by Angela Boord
While both Tainted and The Laughing Heart dealt with heavy themes, Dragonmeat, while grim in places, was a more lighthearted tale of one person’s struggle to survive starvation in an occupied city besieged by dragons. Okay, when I put it like that, it doesn’t sound lighthearted! But what I enjoyed about Dragonmeat was the sense of mystery and adventure as the main character chooses to trust a mysterious stranger who offers a magical solution to her problems instead of stealing food. This is again another story which has put Angela Boord in my sights!
Strays by D.P. Woolliscroft
Another lighthearted story of theft, Strays was a fun and fast-paced tale of a group of thieves planning a heist and watching it all go wrong thanks to a, uh, cat. Yes, cats are the true villains! What I enjoyed about Strays was the RPG-feel of a quest as the main character scouts out his target, and the comaraderie and banter of his team of thieves as they work together to pull it off.
Savages by Clayton Snyder
Savages is an urban fantasy with a main character who can call upon the demons trapped inside of him, quite literally. As he takes on the case of a missing child, we learn more about the wretched state of his life, and naturally, not all is what it seems! As the case takes a turn for the supernatural, our hero relies on the assistance of his witch friend to get the job done and get the demons (again, literally!) off his back. Savages was my personal favourite of these short stories, and the crafted world-building intrigued me enough to want to know more! I’m also massively impressed that Clayton Snyder was able to pack so much story into such a short space.
While I enjoyed these stories, I think you’d probably get more enjoyment out of them if you’ve already read the author’s works, as these stories come from pre-existing worlds. As I felt when reading Krystle Matar’s Tainted, these are fantastic bonus stories for these worlds! But, on the flip side, this anthology has now introduced me to new authors I may not have otherwise come across, so for that reason, Dark Ends has done its job.
My only real complaint is that I felt this anthology could have been longer, and I hope if Whispers & Wonder ever host another anthology, they’ll be able to invite more authors to take part. I’d certainly love to read another one!
These short stories truly covered the dark fantasy themes of protagonists daring to seek the light in their otherwise grim worlds. Some of these ends on optimistic notes, and some really made me stop and think. But what this anthology has done is introduce me to some extraordinary authors and their amazing worlds which I must now explore, beginning a dark journey of my own.
Dark Ends: A Dark Fantasy Anthology is a wonderfully dark collection of short stories from talented authors who need to be on your TBR pile.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews