When I started writing reviews for Inkshares, I made a daily habit of perusing the site for appealing projects. Among the projects I found interesting was Blood Dawn, by John Robin, an epic fantasy with hints of horror and what appears to be a mountain of world building behind it.
Through various mechanisms, John has quickly gone from author-whose-book-I-preordered, to collaborator-and-group-mentor to the Inkshares community at large, to co-blogger, and finally to part-time employer. In that time, I’ve exchanged a substantial number of typed words with John, and I say, confidently, that he is the genuine article. He can write, he cares deeply about the craft and community, and is inspired by the shifting world of publishing. He’s a go-getter, and when it comes time to put my own self-marketing hat back on, I’ll be going to him for some pro tips.
Now, on to One Who Waits.
One Who Waits is a short story that acts as a prelude to John Robin’s aforementioned forthcoming debut novel, Blood Dawn.
The world of Blood Dawn goes deep, and One Who Waits provides the barest, tantalizing glimpse of the darkness that lurks behind the cover of the novel. Blood magic, dragons, betrayal, murder, patricide—and that’s just in the short story!
In One Who Waits we find a twisted retelling of the Binding of Isaac, wherein a boy, too curious for his own good, awaits the bite of a magical blade held firmly in his father’s hand. Things get a bit out of hand when, as the knife begins to drink the boy’s blood, his magic awakens.
The short story has just enough exposition to attract your interest before slamming you into action, building the world and characters alongside the budding conflict. I raced through the short and, completely satisfied by the scene’s conclusion, gnashed my teeth at the wait for Blood Dawn which was made to feel that much longer by the teaser of One Who Waits.
If One Who Waits is any indication, I’m going to gobble up Blood Dawn with a ferocious appetite. John Robin’s writing skills shine in this short, and I’m already hungry for more.
One Who Waits can be purchased on Amazon.
Blood Dawn, which will head into its publication phase in April, is available for preorder on Inkshares.
