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Genre - Fantasy
Rating - PG13 - no graphic sex
More details about the book
When I was asked to do a Ford 99 assessment of
my book, I hadn’t a clue as to what to do or go about writing it. Heck, I never even heard of it, so it
dismayed me to find that this short story collection doesn’t go to page 99 or
69. (It goes to 62). So I did the next best thing and picked page
9.
It was somewhat of a relief that page 9 is the
first page of the second story of the collection, The Troll Kind. I had been
asked to write a short story for Tales of
the Talisman. This story was one
that has huge Beowulf influences, and was one I was interested in writing a
female bad guy. Not only was she a
villain, but an adversary that provided sexual tension.
I had already introduced the hero, Shadowhelm,
in an earlier story, but since this was the first story of the paperback novel
and a standalone at one time, Shadowhelm gets introduced. Illithya, the slaver and head of the slaver
operation appears with Shadowhelm in the slave pit. She’s desperate to arm him so he can fight
the Troll Kind that has been killing both slavers and slaves. She picks Shadowhelm because of his unusual
heritage, being a mixed breed of two races.
This page sets Shadowhelm as being dangerous and
confident, despite the serious situation he’s in. It sets Illithya as an equal adversary and
one who knows she has just enough control over Shadowhelm as someone who has a
lion in a cage.
The story sets the stage of a battle of wills
between Illithya and Shadowhelm. She
offers him his freedom if he does what she asks—only she sets him up for what
appears to be a suicide mission.
Shadowhelm accepts but only because he can’t do anything in the slave
pit.
The
Troll Kind isn’t your typical monster story, although the
beginning may make you think it is. I
added little nuances such as Illithya’s alpha attitude and Shadowhelm’s obvious
warrior background to make them equals.
Shadowhelm may appear the big, stupid barbarian at first, but his
knowledge and consideration for others slowly rounds him out.
*****
M.H. Bonham is a multiple award-winning author
of more than 30 books, including Serpent
Singer and Other Stories, Amazon bestsellers Prophecy of Swords and Howling
Dead, and Runestone of Teiwas.
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