A Touch of Stone and Snow, by Milla Vane

Once again, first things first: heed all the warnings. The world of A Gathering of Dragons is very, very dark.

These are romances, there is always consent between the protagonists, the world building is very progressive in its sexual politics, but the background is of violence, sexual and otherwise. There’s gore and a lot of very explicit sex on the page, and the language reflect this. Also, while considerably shorter than the first novel, this one is still almost 400 pages. Reader, beware.

A Heart of Blood and Ashes, by Milla Vane

Once upon a time, I read a novella called “The Beast of Blackmoor”, from the Night Shift anthology. Like all the best short stories, it introduced me to a world I got utterly lost into, where I wanted more, more, MORE!

Years passed, and while that novella was the one memorable one in the anthology, I stopped checking the author’s website for updates on upcoming books (oh, reader slump from hell, you most hideous of fiends!). Then, on the last day of the horrible, terrible, no-good year of our doom 2021, a tweet crossed my feed: the first two full-length books in the series were on sale for just $1.99US each. What’s a reader to do?

“The Beast of Blackmoor”, by Milla Vane

I first read this story shortly after it was published as part of the Night Shift ¹ paranormal romance anthology, back in late 2014. I was lost in the story from the word go, while well aware that it is set in a very dark world, with violence of every kind and abundant gore, and graphic sex on the page.

Reader, beware.

I finished it wishing for more stories, and I’m very glad they are now available.

(Also worth noting, Milla Vane is a pseudonym for Meljean Brook. ²)

“Wrecked” by Meljean Brook

I have said before, all over these intrawebs, that I am a fan of Meljean Brook’s Iron Seas stories.

First, there’s the top-notch world-building: steampunk, alternative history that involves actual political and economic forces behind the different players’ actions, and internal consistency. Then, there are the wonderfully realized characters. What’s not to like?

Well, there’s one teenie teensie tiny snag: how few of these stories there are, and the likelihood that no more are forthcoming. :sigh:

Ah, well, fans of the series can always re-read the published stories–which is what I’ve been doing lately.

Behold, a review!

“Wrecked” by Meljean Brook¹

While this story is set in the Iron Seas universe, and was published after the first three length novels, it is not connected to any of those characters or stories, so I believe it can be read on its own. Keep in mind that that is hard to judge, though, because I read the stories in order, and I cannot un-know what I already know about the world Ms Brook has created.

Here’s a blurb:

Elizabeth has spent the past five years running from her father; her father’s huntsman, Caius, has spent the past five years pursuing her. But when he finally catches up to her on an airship flying above Europe’s zombie-infested cities, Elizabeth discovers that Caius isn’t the only danger she has to fear—and now that he’s found her, Caius doesn’t intend to let her go…