Blackwing

By: Ed McDonald

Narrated by: Colin Mace

“A remarkably assured fantasy debut that mixes of the inventiveness of China Miéville with the fast paced heroics of David Gemmell.”—Anthony Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of The Legion of Flame

Set on a postapocalyptic frontier, Blackwing is a gritty fantasy debut about a man’s desperate battle to survive his own dark destiny...
Hope, reason, humanity: the Misery breaks them all.

Under its cracked and wailing sky, the Misery is a vast and blighted expanse, the arcane remnant of a devastating war with the immortals known as the Deep Kings. The war ended nearly a century ago, and the enemy is kept at bay only by the existence of the Engine, a terrible weapon that protects the Misery’s border. Across the corrupted no-man’s-land teeming with twisted magic and malevolent wraiths, the Deep Kings and their armies bide their time. Watching. Waiting.

Bounty hunter Ryhalt Galharrow has breathed Misery dust for twenty bitter years. When he’s ordered to locate a masked noblewoman at a frontier outpost, he finds himself caught in the middle of an attack by the Deep Kings, one that signifies they may no longer fear the Engine. Only a formidable show of power from the very woman he is seeking, Lady Ezabeth Tanza, repels the assault.

Ezabeth is a shadow from Galharrow’s grim past, and together they stumble onto a web of conspiracy that threatens to end the fragile peace the Engine has provided. Galharrow is not ready for the truth about the blood he’s spilled or the gods he’s supposed to serve…

Critic reviews

Praise for Blackwing

“Blackwing quickly gained the rare distinction of being one of those books that felt as if it had been written especially for me...Ed McDonald handles the action with a deft hand and has created a compelling central character who remains likeable despite a lengthy list of flaws.”—Anthony Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of The Legion of Flame

“Original world-building and unforgettable characters make Blackwing a dark, powerful debut.”—Brian Staveley, author of Skullsworn

“Blackwing is a bloody, gritty fantasy novel that manages not to sacrifice its heart. I love the world, which feel strange and lived-in, and the strength of the voice is fantastic. Fans of Glen Cook’s The Black Company or Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law series will be very happy with this one.”—Django Wexler, author of The Guns of Empire

“Blackwing is potent, gritty, bloody, and splendid.”—Faith Hunter, New York Times bestselling author of Cold Reign

“Vivid characters, visceral combat and a twist of an ending that I really should have seen coming and didn’t...Suffice to say, I bloody loved it and I am officially an Ed McDonald fan. He deserves to go far.”—Elspeth Cooper, author of The Songs of Earth

“Gritty and immersive, Blackwing is a hugely enjoyable tale.”—Edward Cox, author of The Watcher of Dead Time

Good Dark Fantasy

The ominous setting is perfect for this dark fantasy geared towards adults. A likeable narrator helps move the tale along.

Fantastic Grimdark

if you like your fantasy grim. bleak, dark. bloody, and gruesome this is for you. This reminds me of one of my favorite series, The War for the Rose Throne, by Peter McLean. The pacing is excellent, and it never falls into long exposition or info dumps. This is as close to a perfect Grimdark book as exists.

Loved it!

Wonderful dark fantasy. Somewhat reminiscent of Iconoclasts by Mike Shel. Thrilling read from start to finish.

Quick pace action packed

This story makes time fly by. It has great details BUT it seems like parts are missing. I wont doing the story for a technical. The world is quickly built and the protagonist is a real awesome BRUtE.

I want to listen more.

Dark, Wry, Fast

I mostly knew what I was getting into based on descriptions. The voice of the MC—wry, sarcastic, grimly witty—was a pleasant surprise. Closest comparison I can think of in terms of plot, tone, and voice is The Blacktongue Thief.