If you like fantasy of the gritty and grimdark variety, then these two short stories – the first from the author’s new Shadows of the Collegiate venture – should be right up your murky, cobbled alleyway.
Full of convincing characters, oozing atmosphere and violence, they are so exquisitely painted in DB Rook’s textured prose, I was hooked from the moment I started reading.

The setting is a fog-drenched town that is no stranger to crime, disease and public executions.
It lives under the shadow of the Collegiate, a mysterious entity described as a “timeless and foreboding seat of power” and the campus is a great place for any dark fantasy fiend to visit. A baroque and sinister institution, nestled beneath rain-lashed cliffs and only accessible via a creepy barge ride across an aquaduct, it has all the ancient stone, spooky ambience, and robed acolytes slinking through the damp that you could hope for.

In “The Price of Piety” we join a bunch of miscreants gathered in a rough tavern called the Dripping Bucket to plan a heist upon the Collegiate. Led by a behemoth of a man with a short temper, his wonderfully motley crew consists of a tough warrior, a silent elfin thief, a foul cutthroat and an ageing sorcerer.

The gang plan to steal a font of wealth and power from the dark catacombs of the Collegiate, but attempting to best the steampunk mechanics and supernatural guardians is no mean feat, and the heist doesn’t quite go to plan.

This story is thick with imagination and takes us to some immersive locations. Despite the murky vibes, I was bowled along by the crass camaraderie, drama, bickering, and occasional slapstick of the group. I particularly liked Kidd, the cutthroat: “His talents were few, but if you wanted a kitten ended, Kidd was your man.” He’s a vile character, but brings life and gallows humour to every scene he’s in.

This was a great introduction to the Shadows of the Collegiate world. It has surprises, skullduggery, and violence almost elegant in its ugliness, and the finale concludes it on a pleasingly wry note.

“Grawnden Tweed felt each decade scrabble up his spine as he tramped up the steps to the gallows.”

Thus begins “No Hook for a Hood” where we follow the grinding life of an axe-wielding executioner and professional maimer.
Jaded, addled by age, and very close to retirement, Grawnden Tweed lops off the heads, fingers and hands of the – usually juvenile – thieves of the plague-troubled town. Working under the jurisdiction of the High Justice of the Collegiate, he does his job with integrity, but is tormented by his deeds. Reminders are everywhere in the form of mutilated and homeless kids, and he is haunted by both his victims and the ghost of his disapproving mentor father.
The title neatly asks that when the hood comes off, can this damaged man escape the guilt and duty of his past?

After the drama of the heist, this is an introspective and much heavier piece, especially without the vulgar banter to buoy it. But it never becomes too much, achieving just the right level of bleak for enjoyment.

I savoured both of these stories. They aren’t just pure escapism; strong feelings and relatable moments abound, despite the fantasy setting. The author conjures a palpable sense of menace and decay, where everyone and everything is past its best, and even the weather seems malevolent.
“Light rain floated downward to settle on the square’s cobbles, leaving a slick sheen of underfoot treachery.”

Speaking of which, I enjoy DB Rook’s rich and somewhat literary style. Of course I like an “invisible” storyteller as much as the next reader, but I’m also a fan of fiction such as this where the sumptuous prose and clear love of language rises to the fore and brings a whole new level of enjoyment. It suits the ghastly mood, and brings the characters to life with panache.

“His bones attempted to pierce his skin at every angle and his dry white beard was likely to catch fire should he stand within a foot of reflected sunlight”.

As well as being so finely painted, the nefarious or broken characters we meet are nuanced and fully rounded, slipping seamlessly into the besmirched sense of place that the author has crafted.

If all this sounds like your grimdark thing, definitely give these Shadows of the Collegiate stories a read. Both tales drew me in with their intriguing glimpses of the town and its denizens. This is world-building perfectly done, and I very much look forward to finding out what troubled, dangerous folk and grisly nooks of the Collegiate’s dominion we will be treated to next.

Available from DB Rook’s Kindle store (Amazon or Amazon UK)
Visit the author’s site here.