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A review by ericderoulet
Hurled Headlong Flaming by Matt Holder
adventurous
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Despite the strange directions the plot takes and the multiple forms in which this novella is told, Matt Holder clearly knows what he's doing and is well versed in the literary worlds in which he's writing. Namely, the influence of Milton (of Paradise Lost fame) is readily apparent here, yet the story has the visceral embodiedness and moral imperfection of a classic sword & sorcery tale. Hurled Headlong Flaming is an odd combination of genres and prose forms alike, and the story works all the better for this.
I didn't find the ending (no spoilers) wholly satisfactory, but perhaps it wasn't supposed to fully satisfy given the protagonist's ambivalence about his role in the Crusades and about the moral compromises that make up his journey. I have a mind to read this again sometime and see what else I get out of it.
I'm not really fond of book rating systems. That said, I'd probably give this a 4 or perhaps 4.5 if written by a widely published S&S/fantasy/horror author. But this is exceptional work, and even more so for one who hasn't put tons of fiction out there yet; frankly, there's a level of sophistication here that a number of fantasy and horror authors will never even aspire to. Really looking forward to seeing what else Holder will have published in the future.
I didn't find the ending (no spoilers) wholly satisfactory, but perhaps it wasn't supposed to fully satisfy given the protagonist's ambivalence about his role in the Crusades and about the moral compromises that make up his journey. I have a mind to read this again sometime and see what else I get out of it.
I'm not really fond of book rating systems. That said, I'd probably give this a 4 or perhaps 4.5 if written by a widely published S&S/fantasy/horror author. But this is exceptional work, and even more so for one who hasn't put tons of fiction out there yet; frankly, there's a level of sophistication here that a number of fantasy and horror authors will never even aspire to. Really looking forward to seeing what else Holder will have published in the future.