Darkfall: Orchard of Flesh
Darkfall: Orchard of Flesh
Lee Mountford
The Sexton’s musings (spoilers are likely):
We open right where "Crimson Dawn" leaves off. Jack and Howard are on their way to London. I have to be honest, I am really worried about Edwin's blackmail as well as the lie that Jack told. Sebastian got what he deserved. He was too self absorbed to even stop and ask for the facts. He was just going to kill Jack. Self-defense all the way. Not sure that this would make any difference considering that the Deathborn are about as disposable as toilet paper, so far as the organization is concerned. The Knights of Olin in particular. I am not a fan of those shit heads. For being the strategists they don't really consider the human element in all of it which is vital to success.
Howard was Max's teacher and mentor (still struggling with the loss of Max) and seems like a decent bloke. Been around for a good clip and has very good instincts. Turns out that there is someone following them to London and it turns out to be Gus. Feckin’ Gus! Who actually fucks up his mission by losing them, but still. What a fucking looser! I just can't! I'm gonna say it again...I liked Gus so much in the begging...I really hate what has happened to him. While I agree with him that knowledge is very important; however, it's not so important that you turn your back on those that actually have your back. He's landed himself with people that don't give a fuck if he lives or dies and would kill him in a heart beat if it suited them.
We've met a couple of additional groups that are within the organization. The Stone Guard and the Cardinals. We've seen headquarters, or at least a main hub that's in London but we still don't know the official name of this organization and this is at 53% of the way through and the fourth book. It's very interesting.
Now let's talk about one of the featured monsters in this book. The Widowshade, at first I thought of it as any other monster until it talked to the hunters. It was afraid, afraid of dying and afraid of whatever entity is mostly responsible for the disappearances. Howard outright lies to her. Tells her that he will let her live if she agrees to leave the city and give them the information that she knows about what is going on. He makes a promise and then breaks his word. I suppose in his world breaking his word to a "monster" is okay but in mine it is dishonorable. Jack does not like that this happens but he needs to pass his trial so that his own life is not made forfeit so... Howard does express disappointment in Jack for his reaction but I say his reaction makes him an honorable man. There's a very fine line to being a monster hunter and becoming a monster yourself. I would advise caution.
The climax of this is exciting and very interesting. We have three wytchs here. One that is very dark, one that hangs in the middle and one that is a decent person who does the right thing even if it means sacrificing something she wants. I was happy to see Assandra return. I think there is something there between her an Jack. She seems to genuinely care about him. And she saved his ass again. Saved the worlds ass really.
As for this orchard of flesh...it's gross. It's like trees and bushes constructed from meat. Meat with roving eyeballs and teeth mixed in. Reminds me of some of the walls and pillars in the other series that Mountford has written. I'm still not sure if we are talking about the same dimension but it is definitely similar.
Closing thoughts:
With the way the story closes there is no way that Mountford is done with the Darkfall series. I do hope that we get another one soon so that we can find out what becomes of Gus and Vern (who escaped with the ancient wytch), see if Assandra joins the coven of white wytch's and see if Jack (now an official Junior Shadowhand) can deal with Edwin. Personally I'd just cut him down since no one seems to care if the Deathborn live or die but that's not Jacks style. I suppose we shall see.
Widowshade
