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Book Review: The Dreams of Demhe (Lost Carcosa #3) by Joseph Sale

The Dreams of Demhe (Lost Carcosa #3) by Joseph Sale

Blood Bound Books, 2024

ISBN: 2370015765491

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

Buy: Amazon.com

 

This is the third book in the Lost Carcosa series.  Reviews for the prior two books, The Claw of Craving and The City of Corpses can be found on this site.

 

When we last left off, protagonist Alan Chambers and his companions had won a great victory over the forces of darkness, but the evil Princess Cali had escaped after killing her father.  The Dreams of Demhe covers their pursuit of Cali through the fabled Desert of Demhe, to stop her before she can join forces with the Demon King.

 

Not surprisingly, the book stacks up well against the previous two installments.  No doubt, Joseph Sale is a superbly gifted writer, and his prose is strong, as always.  The story does have a somewhat different feel from the prior two.  It’s more introspective, and focuses more on the inner strengths and weaknesses of the characters, as opposed to having them surmount various obstacles in the Carcosa world.  This is facilitated in the story by the Desert of Demhe, where most of the book takes place.  It’s a place of visions, where the apparitions seen are tailored to each character, and prey upon their deepest fears.

 

The setting is what gives the book its unique flavor, and is also likely to divide readers of the series.  Those that prefer stories that focus on what makes the main characters tick will likely have this ranked as the best in the series, while readers that prefer more action-oriented stories will probably prefer the previous volumes.  It’s a very good read, but an altered direction for the series.  There’s plenty of internal conflict built into the story, especially in Alan’s case.  He has to contend with the Claw he bears on his arm, which has an intelligence of its own, and is often in opposition to what Alan’s heart tells him.  Also, the visions of the Desert cause Alan to learn some things about his companions that would have been better left hidden, in the interest of keeping the companions unified in their purpose of stopping Cali.

 

The viewpoints of the other characters also factor in: can they keep supporting Alan, even though he knows their worst fears and failings?  People in the book (and in real life) keep secrets for a reason. When the veil of secrecy is lifted, it has the potential to tear the group apart, and the cracks start to show by the end of the story.  There are also two notable twists to the narrative that are likely to become pivotal in the series. One concerns Alan, the other concerns LeBarron, the actor in the group.  It’s an inward-looking book, and an entertaining one.

 

The bottom line here is, it’s another good entry in one of the best series to come out in a long time, in the dark fantasy genre.  Now, when do we get the next one?  Recommended.

 

 

Reviewed by Murray Samuelson

 

 

Posted on August 29, 2024 by , Reply

Book Review: Prince of the Wasteland (The Book of Thrice Dead #1) by Joseph Sale

Cover art for Prince of the Wasteland by Joaseph Sale

Prince of the Wasteland (The Book of Thrice Dead #1) by Joseph Sale

The Writing Collective, 2022 (originally published 2014)

ISBN: 9798841855231

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

Buy:  Amazon.com | Bookshop.org

 

 

With post-apocalyptic novels, there’s King’s The Stand, McCammon’s Swan Song…and then there’s everything else.  However, Joseph Sale’s Prince of the Wasteland ranks pretty high among the books of the “everything else” pile.  Mixing the bleakness of a post-nuclear world with a touch of magic and dark fantasy towards the end, it’s certainly worth the read.

 

Prince is set entirely in the ruins of New York City,  which is run by a small group of humans known as the Apostles, who have supernatural powers they received from somewhere (the answer to that comes later in the book).  Despite their powers, they are still all too human, as infighting and the problems of the old world still persist (apparently, nuclear war did not solve the problem of drug addiction).  However, they are united in their purpose to maintain their status as rulers, so they destroy anyone else in the city who shows any hint of having the same otherworldly abilities they possess.  The Apostles are certainly the most interesting part of the book. They have cool names like Slick, Bleak Heart, Razor, and the Man in the Black Hat, and their names often pertain to their abilities.  Some of the abilities are what you would expect, but others are quite creative, with Slick’s ability to turn his perspiration into an oily lubricant being the most intriguing, as well as handy for getting in and out of tight places!

 

The overall plot centers on the Man refusing to kill Lucy, a child with supernatural powers, and what he has to do to hide his disloyalty from the ruler of New York City, the Prince.  He wants to help Lucy, not an easy thing to do, since the Prince has powers of his own that make subversion difficult.  Lucy does play a critical part in the book, but she feels more like a foil to the others.  The real stars of the story are the Apostles, with all the intrigue and excitement that comes with a group of selfish backstabbers trying to work together to stay in power.

 

There’s also the separate plot thread of the Fool King, who maintains his own sort of kingdom in the sewers, that ties into the main story as it goes along.  It’s a fairly eclectic mix, but it all hangs together to provide a good read that most dark fantasy fans should love.  The main takeaway is although this was one of his first novels, it’s clear that with Prince, Joseph Sale was already a talent to be taken seriously.  His writing isn’t as developed here as it is in the incredible Carcosa series, but it was already a good deal better than many authors.

 

My bottom line on this one is: definitely worth reading, especially for post-nuke fans.  This is the first in a series of six books, who knows where it will go from here?  Recommended.

 

 

Reviewed by Murray Samuelson

 

 

Posted on May 8, 2024 by , Reply

Book Review: The City of Corpses (Lost Carcosa #2) by Joseph Sale

 

The City of Corpses (Lost Carcosa #2) by Joseph Sale

Blood Bound Publishing, 2024

ISBN: 9781940250595

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

Buy: Amazon.com

 

Much like its predecessor, The Claw of Craving, the sequel The City of Corpses is a wildly imaginative dark fantasy that’s beautifully written and imagined.  It has it all: twisting plotline, vivid characters, unholy magic, a touch of romance, and a huge, blood-soaked battle that Conan himself would have enjoyed.  Above all, it’s the author’s magical touch with his prose that puts this saga in a league of its own.  This is a must read for any fantasy/horror fans.  You need to read the first one before this one, though.

 

City continues the journey of Alan Chambers, the unlikely hero (and possibly savior) of Carcosa.  The first book established Alan as a power, with the fabled Claw of Craving as his weapon.  In this one, it’s up to him to decide how to wield that power, as he is needed to prevent the Yellow King’s treacherous daughter Cali from causing the overthrow of the king.  Alan really comes into his own as the driving force in this book.  In the first one, his companions Cassilda (and Cali, at that time) called most of the shots.  Here, Alan steps up as the leader of the group, and thankfully, he still has Cassilda, Petruccio the dwarf, and the irascible actor LeBarron along for help.  The characters are well-developed from the first book to now, getting bigger and more interesting roles.  Cassilda has grown into her role as a big player. In the first book, she was often overshadowed by Cali: now, she’s a leader in her own right, and she and Alan make a formidable team- and discover personal feelings for each other.    There are a few new characters, as well:: the enchantress Scarleth is particularly intriguing.

 

The story itself does a great job of continuing the first, the world of Carcosa is so well drawn you can see and feel it.  One good example is when the characters cross the icewater lake to the hidden city It’s so perfectly written, you can almost feel the cold of the lake bite into your feet.  That’s a testament to the author’s ability. This is higher level writing, the kind that not only reads well, but also sounds good.  This isn’t standard fiction writing: it’s edging towards the level of Clark Ashton Smith.  You won’t find writing like this often– which is another reason this is a must-read for fantasy fans.   There is a lot of imagination built into the story: examples include the entrances to the hidden city, and all the wildness of the final battle, complete with a deranged dinosaur sort of creature that annihilates everything.  I loved the battle sequences: it made me feel like I was there when the enemies poured over the walls.  It’s a good, messy battle, with enough to satisfy the gorehounds out there.

 

Bottom line?  There really isn’t a flaw in this, except that it ends.  Thankfully, it will continue, as there seems to be a ways to go, and many questions to be answered.  Let’s hope the ride continues a long time: this is something special.  Very highly recommended!

 

Reviewed by Murray Samuelson

 

 

Posted on February 28, 2024 by , Reply
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