The Black Hawks by David Wragg REVIEW

Started: 12/06/20

Finished: 16/06/20

Spoilers: No

OMG!

This won’t be the last time I use all-caps in this review. Ye be warned.

And this wouldn’t be a fitting tribute to The Black Hawks and David Wragg as a writer if I didn’t use a little bad language of my own to describe this magnificent beast.

So prepare thyselves, cause imma ‘bout to freak the fuck out!

Characters

Don’t you just love those kinds of books that feature a cast of characters that feel more like a dysfunctional family? I sure do. And the Black Hawks are dysfunctional as they come.

Chel is unskilled but not unwilling. Rennic is a loveable bear-with-a sore-head, and Lemon is an absolute joy. She dominates every page she’s on. It’s so easy to fall in love with her loud, obnoxious personality. She’s high-energy, full-on, and has the dirtiest mouths you’ve ever read.

Loveless, Foss, Tarfel, the Spider. All these characters bring something different to the table and have such a memorable dynamic with each other. Even Damil. He’s a dick, but he’s a funny dick. Gotta love that banter. The growth and connection between everyone in this book are second to none.

Plot

Cliffhanger ending!!! Why u do dis?

This book, from start to finish, is a wild, energetic, crazy-fun ride. There’s literally never a dull moment. I barely had time to breathe between chapters and, yes, I stayed up until half two in the morning finishing this because that’s how damn bloody fantastic it is.

This gives me such Kings of the Wyld vibes in the best possible way. Disgruntled mercenaries should be its own sub-genre within fantasy. Seriously. I will never tire of fantasy books about disgruntled mercenaries.

This is a balls-to-the-wall plot with high stakes and full-on action, but also a hell of a lot of heart and humour. What more could you possibly want from a book?

Writing Style

Bravo! Bravo! A fucking masterpiece, sir.

Not only does Wragg have beautiful, masterful prose as gentle and serene as a watercolour, but he’s also not afraid to taint the pallet with gore, violence, and the most wonderful over-use of swearing I’ve ever seen. This might be a problem for some, but for me, (who swears on a daily—nay hourly basis, it was perfection)

It’s so refreshing to read a book so thickly and unapologetically sprinkled with swearing. Books need more swearing! It’s real. It’s human. It’s normal. Embrace it!

Wragg’s use of bad language is creative and inspiring. He’s like a vulgar poet.

The pacing is likewise expertly executed. I never got bored because I never had a moment to get bored. So much happens in this one book, it blows my mind how Wragg managed to squeeze it all in under 500 pages. Other authors might have used this as an opportunity to write an 800-page epic with extra padding (for the readers’ comfort as it sends them to sleep), but Wragg has shown impeccable restraint by not stretching 425 pages into 600/700/800 pages. Less is definitely more, and this book a testament to his skill as a writer to use just as much as he needs and still leave the readers wanting more.

This, THIS is how you write an engaging fantasy book, people.

Final Impression

More. More! MORE! FUCKING MMOORREE!! . . . please? *quietly cries in the corner*