Title: The Beast of Blackmoor Bog
Author: Milla Vane
In: Night Shift (Nalini Singh)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Medieval fantasy, Romance
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: He stared into the fire, his broad chest rising on a series of deep breath.
A warrior princess must tame The Beast of Blackmoor to earn a place among her people. But she quickly discovers that the beast isn’t a monster, but a barbarian warrior who intends to do some taming himself.
This short story was a constant surprise for me – the tale never took me where I expected, which is always such a pleasant surprise when reading a new story and author. The twists and turns that The Beast of Blackmoor Bog took me on in such a short story were thrillingly enjoyable and I am now busy hunting for more writing by Vane.
This story had a really old school, medieval feel to it – I couldn’t help but think of Conan the Barbarian while I read it, and it was a really nice change from the majority of stories that I seem to be sinking my teeth into at the moment. The battle field and the setting in which this story takes place is all too easy to see and compare to the landscape of pre-Christian Europe. A locale full of potential when writing and reading a new story.
Vane excellently flicked between the POVs of the two main characters – it was subtly done, but all the more insightful for it. This change between third person POV allows the reader to gain understanding of both of the characters’ motivations and drivers, their hopes and fears throughout the tale. But, due to Vane’s incredible talent, it was done without interrupting the flow of the story.
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Earth and Skye 