I recall vividly the day I stumbled upon this book at my local bookstore as a teenager. I remember seeing the ridiculous cover art and picking it up to read a few pages just to see how stupid the novel was. But then something really significant happened to me: I had an epiphany. You see, by this point, I assumed I was a fantasy aficionado. Nothing in fantasy could surprise me. I mean, I had read all of the stuff by Tolkien, Donaldson, Feist, Brooks, and other 80s fantasy fare of that time period. Hell, I even considered myself more hardcore than other local fantasy aficionados because I read Glen Cook, Moorcock, Howard, and other sword-and-sorcery authors. But none of that had prepared me for this little known book that showed me that there was grittiness beyond The Black Company. I can honestly say that as I read Morigu it was like reading the Simarillion on acid! It absolutely grabbed me by the throat and drug me through its gore coated world whether I willed it or not.And what a world the author had created. It both dazzled in its simple, fantasy norms of dwarf, elves, goblins,, etc. yet rang true to life much as The Black Company novels did but with a depth which mimicked LOTR and The Land. And in this land, we see our heroes grappling with an apocalypse on the scale of The Stand. These heroes bestride this tortured fantasy world, striding into the pages, bringing with them their own personal weaknesses and issues but always rising up to meet insurmountable odds - even when they fail. And that is another thing about this book, the heroes do fail and some turn bad. It isn't always their fault, but the author isn't shy about casting one or two under the wheels of the chariot to drive home to his readers that this is an apocalypse, not a rainbow and unicorn fantasy tale.
Yes, Morigu was a turning point in my fantasy reading. It made an impact on me, and for years afterwards I always looked in bookstores for further novels in the series. But alas, there were none forthcoming after book two, and as of right now, I have no idea how this story ends. But you know that is okay, because I just appreciate the time I was allowed to journey in the Morigu's world and see the bravery of its few heroes, fighting a fight they didn't believe they could win. And if you try this one, I honestly believe you will feel the same way I do.
