Status Updates From The Iron Code: Stories in H...

Barclay, "One More Day": I think this was a cool story. I got confused a bit, and several times. Lost track of who was speaking and what the larger event was that was happening...though the up close and personal events and heroics I followed. I think I like this story, but I can't truly say as I don't truly grok what I've read.

Smith, "Know When to Walk Away": possibly the best story in this book. And you don't expect it. You don't expect this post-WWII, urban set tale told mostly from a 9 year old boy's point of view to nail the Iron Code. Or nail David Gemmell. Reading this felt like reading Gemmell's crime stories with heroic heart. Eh, that's what his crime stories are. Means this one felt like reading a new Gemmell tale. Thank you.

Whates, "The Hiring Fayre": okay tale of friendship and vengeance. Opens amidst a bit of confusion, tries to build tension, leaves open-ended.

Worrad, "A Trim Reckoning": a farcical use of the code here, though to sound effect. A twisted bit of humor and some bloody work, with a bit too much extraneous features.

Gwynne, "The Binding": didn't see that coming after the triumphant return home of warriors that kicked off the story. Bloody, big, bad people...it's controlled chaos that leaves ya begging for more.

Smith Spark, "A Mighty Battle between Mighty Armies": weird. Fell asleep reading this twice, skimmed most of it. Not to my taste at all.

Nicholls, "Bloodhorn": interesting, long, a little belabored. I guess heroic fantasy, though of a Western cowdrive version with some evil magic tossed in.

Green, "The Wolf in Winter": nice bit of subterfuge, misdirection, and reputation. Deadly, too.

Stephens, "Fae-blighted": must admit, the title discouraged me at first. I was proven wrong, however, and this is a terrific monster hunting tale. I guessed and was correct about the wee twist, but it detracted not at all. Good story.

Lawrence, "The Code": helluva story. Best thing I've read of Lawrence's work. Snorri is a terrificly real character. Purpose, violence, code, honor: it's all here.

McKenna, "Lessons in Life and Death": nice opening and good subterfuge. Good lesson, though odd parameters. A lot of movement and talking, a little bit of mild action. Yet a good code story.

Harris, "The Witchfinder": a perfectly entertaining story of comeuppance that's not what I expected to find within these pages.

Dean, "The Swordwoman's Daughter": what a fascinating story. Eloquently told, beautifully shared. Unexpected, even when some things were expected. Plenty *of* blood while little actual blood. I do not know this author, but I really liked this tale.

Nicholls, "The Calaker": starts out great! Love the brothers, love the action, love the setting, atmosphere, and threat. Ends far too simplistically and rather with a whimper compared to its banger start.

Finally back into it after a busy couple of weeks.

I just read Sunyi Dean and Joanne Harris’s entries, both 5 stars so fantastic.

What a treasure trove! All stories have been fantastic so far. So much intent in short stories.

Carey, "The Necessary Sword": cool story of a golem gaining a form of sentience he wasn't meant to have and giving soul to his purpose.

Deas, "The Apothecary": another version of revolution and standing in the gap, honoring those who came and stood before. A version of the fascists who tricked Germany and a dozen other places, though this time they were overcome.

Barker, "Shadow of the Ice Cross": dismal and ferocious tale of conquest and tradition and strength and sorrow. Damn dark, heroic in a different sense.

Chan, "Chung Kwai's Sister": odd story, oddly told, with a message. Good intentions did not make a good read.

Several typos on the last 2 tales.

Tchaikovsky, "Candles": slightly humorous slant on a revenant tale of salvation and revolution. And heroics.

Sperring, "Crows and Ashes": somber tale of just what one envisions with such a tale, though with the weest of twists. Abrupt ending slightly robs its power.

Abnett, "The Other": great old campaigners story of horrible wars against tireless foes and other things with a nicely done twist in the climax. Good start to this anthology, both homage to Gemmell and Druss, and as heroic fantasy.

Got my Kickstarter copy of this short story collection in honour of David Gemmell. A few pages into the first story by Dan Abnett and enjoying it greatly.