Review - The Night of the Meld

From Flashing Swords, Issue 9
(Illustration "The Meld" © 2008 Miko)

"The Night of the Meld"
by Bruce Durham

This was the first S&S story I've read that featured Dalacroy, the mercenary protag who slashes, parries, feints, then graces has way through one adventure after another - "Meld" being the 4th of 5 tales written so far by a competent and imaginative Durham. In this episode, Dalacroy and his lover/sidekick Moirya rescue a princess from the clutches of an evil wizard. A trite plot, you say? Not when the real action occurs once dark magic is unleashed and our hero must face a monstrous melding of the living and the dead that even the wizard may not be able to control. The characters are nicely developed and, while there are a few dangling details, the story holds together as a stand alone very nicely.

Sword & Sorcery (PG-13)
About 5900 words
My Rating: 8.5 of 10
Take an early lunch and read it.