I would be lying if I said I didn't have some initial apprehension after the prologue of Bryn Hammond's entry in New Edge's forthcoming Double-Edge release. Hot off the heels of Dariel Quiogue's blistering, action-packed, fever-paced Orhan adventure the initial few pages of "Waste Flowers" was a little jarring. While obviously difficult to compare the works of two very diffenet pens, I can't help but do so seeing as the two novellas are packaged together. While Quiogue has a very breathless, pulp-ish approach to prose, Hammond presents a different beast altogether. For a lack of better words, I will say that "Waste Flowers" pushes forward distinctly more "literary" vibes in that the prose is sometimes elaborate, uniquely formed, and occasionally challenging. That said, I am glad I persisted because when my brain finally adjusted after a another half-chapter or so, the whole thing really clicked for me.
I am admittedly far less familiar with the title's heroine, Goatskin, than I am Orhan Timur. As such, I hesitantly identify the lead as the shorter of the two prominent women on the cover art by artist Goran Gligović. There is a scene early on the describes a woman with "inch-long hair" and using spear that is distinctly not Goatskin. If I read that wrong, I need to seriously reconsider my comprehension. Goatskin is a nomad and apparently a sort-of-bandit by trade, though willing to take more honest work as it comes. She carries with her an old, single-edged sword of some sentimental value and uses it well. She is also quite acrobatic, displaying feats of climbing and aglity that makes a lot of sense to me in a Sword & Silk setting. The other woman, the spear-user, is named Qi Miao and is Goatskin's long-term lover as well as a notorious bandit cheif.
While much of the action is centered on Goatskin, the moments she spends with her partner are well done. The two make a good fighting pair and there is a tryst early one that doesn't linger but clearly conveys the mood. Like "Walls of Shira Yulun", there is a larger cast at play here, and many of them are given moments to shine. Of particular note for me is a one-armed bandit in Qi Miao's cadre that has a spectacular bit during a prolonged action-sequence about 1/3 of the way through the novella. Doing a bit of research, it seems that author Hammond has an interested in 12th Century Mongol history, having written two historical fiction novels about the era. This cylce clearly informed the setting of Goatskin and does not shy from name-dropping period accurate place names and cultural titles. For example, Goatskin is Tangut, a group of people that I had to look up due to my own unfamiliraity with that part of the world. As I mentioned in the review of "Shira Yulun" it doesn't feel necessary to actually KNOW all this stuff, but it is there - and frequently.
The gist of the plot has Goatskin and her friends, the bandit troupe led by Qi Miao, hired on to protect a caravan travelling across the Gobi Desert in order to trade with Tchingis Khan (as written by Bryn). Early on in their travels, while following the course of a massive rampart (the Great Wall?? I don't know enough Eastern geogrpahy to be sure.) the party encounters a horde of living dead, though they are not the usual sort of zombie that one might have encountered in genre fiction and they have a very weird element to them reminiscent of"Conan and the Emerald Lotus" by John C. Hocking, "The Ruins" by Scott Smith, and the Korean political-horror series "Kingdom". I really enjoyed this bit, as I'm always a fan of the undead as enemies and I liked the mechanism behind their army. As the company continues on their journey, they are met with other supernatural obstacles involving dinosaur bones and a Mongol Death God who's pressence seems to be foreshadowing some historical event and also perpetuating the stragness in the region. The travelling set-up and the variety of encounters on the adventure lend it a sort of Ray Harryhausen film type of feeling (albeit more dark), with Sinbad or Jason stand-ins encountering all manner of deviltry while on the way to their ultimate goal.
I think this, the weird element, stands starkly against "Walls of Shira Yulun" and offers up a vastly different reading experience. Bryn Hammond doesn't shy away from sorcery and horror as it is present even in the prologue. This very early bit really stuck with me because the visual of it was so interesting to me. And it distinctly reminded me of something I probably died to a bajillion time in From Software's "Elden Ring". Between there and the next large set-piece of sorcery, there is a relatively brief interlude just to set up the plot and the characters. This is a great reflection to the "less-is-more" approach taken by Dariel Quiogue's more historical epic feeling tale. It is interesting to me that the secondary-world novella feels more like history with a dash of magic while the historically set piece is brimming with sorcery. Regardless, it is in this aspect (coupled with the differing prose styles) where I sense a sort of evil genius in editor Oliver Brackenberry's selection.
If there was one bit that I felt weaker than the rest, I seemed that there was a lot of covnersation between finally reaching the courts of Tchingis and the climax. The final battle itself is an excellent though brief large-scale affair between the young Khan, his allies, and an advancing Jin army. That said, it also seems like it ends just a bit too abruptly for me. I would personally have liked to see some more description of the battle and how it played out. I did like how one specific character, Jamuqa (Temujin's dead brother), fits into the finale. I think, after the superb early battle with the undead and the one after that (that I thought was too cool to elaborate further), I maybe expected a little more out of this. Not a deal breaker, really. Just something that stood out to me.
Overall, "Wate Flowers" is an interesting, if sometimes challenging read. Occasionally author Hammond gives readers a glimpse at greater philosophies and always presents the material with unique prose and eloquent turns of phrase. The first act of the novella was sperb, with its characters, action, and weirdness, with act two a very slight step down, and act three slightly lower than that (at least for me). However, the author's ability to weave in historical and mythological context within the overarching journey is something to be marveled at. Hammond's novella is a definitely a contrast to Quiogue's "Walls of Shira Yulun". For S&S readers expecting and/or wanting something more in the vein of Robert E. Howard, "Waste Flowers" won't scratch that itch. It is very much its own unique animal that makes it hard to compare. Perhaps there is some Moorcock influence to it? Some Clark Ashton Smith? It might even have more in common with newer, more experimental works, like Matt Holder's "Hurled Headlong Flaming". For S&S readers looking for something new, a story and style that pushes on the boundaries of the genre, I think "Waste Flowers" will be right up your alley.
As a complete package, it is difficult not to recommened this "Double-Edged Sword & Sorcery" release. The quality of both novellas is top-notch and offers something to chew on for different moods, readers, and S&S afficionados. At an $18.00 price tag for paperback and $8.00 for ebook, the asking price is on par with other anthologies, if slightly on the cheaper side. I do appreciate the focus on novella length stories, as opposed to the typical array of short stories. The love of S&S is clearly on display in these two volumes and, if nothing else, if has me excited for the further adventures of Orhan Timur and Goatskin.
I've been told the Double-Edged paperback will be available for purchase "Late April" through the New Edge website: https://newedgeswordandsorcery.com/shop/
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