Fantasy Book Critic: Book review: In The Shadow of Their Dying by Michael R. Fletcher & Anna Smith Spark

Michael R. Fletcher: Michael R. Fletcher lives in the endless suburban sprawl north of Toronto. He dreams of trees and seeing the stars at night and being a ninja. He is an unrepentant whiskey-swilling reprobate of the tallest order and thinks grilled cheese sandwiches are a food group.

Anna Smith Spark: Anna Smith Spark lives in London, UK. She loves grimdark and epic fantasy and historical military fiction. Anna has a BA in Classics, an MA in history and a PhD in English Literature. She has previously been published in the Fortean Times and the poetry website www.greatworks.org.uk. Previous jobs include petty bureaucrat, English teacher and fetish model.

Anna's favourite authors and key influences are R. Scott Bakker, Steve Erikson, M. John Harrison, Ursula Le Guin, Mary Stewart and Mary Renault. She spent several years as an obsessive D&D player. She can often be spotted at sff conventions wearing very unusual shoes.

Publisher: Grimdark Magazine (March 19, 2024) Length: 143 pages Formats: ebook, paperback

In the Shadow of Their Dying is such an evocative title. It suggests a story that touches on themes of mortality. But whose dying the title refers to?

Well, everyone’s, of course. It’s Fletcher’s and Smith Spark’s book, after all. And if they specialize in anything, it’s in beautifully written death, chaos, and mayhem.

The narrative almost literally swims in blood and gore. In the hands of lesser authors, it could have easily turned into something gratuitous and over-the-top. Here, though, it’s visceral and immersive. And yes, somewhat over the top. Definitely dark, but also sad, despite excellently timed moments of humor.

The story unfolds in a city under siege where the third-best (available) assassin, Tash, takes on a job to kill the king. Things go south when it turns out a demon named Iananr is guarding the king's chambers. Calling the demon bloodthirsty would be an understatement of the year. Yet, its chapters are poetically brutal and expertly written by Anna. Iananr's point of view is something else, a unique experience that takes you on a wild, gore-soaked ride.

Tash’s POV carries Fletcher’s trademark dark humor and wit, and the combination of the two makes the novella a treat to follow. The pace is breakneck, and with everything constantly in motion, there's never a dull moment.

I won't dive into the plot or characters too much—it's a novella that zips by, and all the reveals come in due time. Suffice it to say that both authors have done a stellar job with the concept of the attacked city, and people acting petty for monetary gain despite their reality crumbling around them.

If you enjoy dark fantasy and concise storytelling, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. Just be prepared to see your “goremeter” explode.