“Find the clever things he said, Scribe, and change them around.”

Steven Erikson “The Wurms of Blearmouth”  (Tor, 2014)

Loosely related to Erikson’s significantly larger Malazan Books of the Fallen, the Tales of Bauchelain & Broach are asides of quick, black humor.  After all, what’s funnier than the ongoing adventures of a demonologist and a necromancer?

And that’s the series in a nutshell.  It’s not for everyone.  In fact, I’d wager that many people know immediately that it’s not the series for them.

For those who like that sort of thing, The Wurms of Blearmouth is a fantastic read.  

Our protagonists (when has the word “hero” been so wrong?) wash ashore after a shipwreck.  The village in which they find themselves is built around these shipwrecks.  Valuables are taken, and any survivors promptly executed.  Ruling over all of this is Lord Fangatooth Claw the Render, as much of a mustache twirling, scenery chewing villain as you’ve ever met.  Needless to say, the locals make Bauchelain & Broach seem delightful!  And hilarious chaos ensues!

There are many things I’ve come to expect from Steven Erikson – memorable characters, exotic locales, crisp dialogue, and The Wurms of Blearmouth have it all.  Thanks Tor for republishing this in an accessible format!