Book Review: Karnov: Phantom-Clad Rider of the Cosmic Ice (2019) Matthew Knight, Howie K. Bentley and Byron A. Roberts

Author: Matthew Knight, Howie K. Bentley and Byron A. Roberts
Book: Karnov: Phantom-Clad Rider of the Cosmic Ice
Year: 2019
Pages: 204
Part of Series: Solo
Genre: Sword and Sorcery
Reading Time:  28 February to 8 March 2021
Rating: 7 Stars


First of all this book was not written solely by Matthew Knight but also Howie K Bentley & Byron A Roberts.

In true - the novel was written like this- first write wrote a several short stories (around 30 pages) and then another write taking in consideration of that tale and then the last. In the end the first take was 90 pages and the second one was 110. (ish)

The writing is not similar at all. Byron from Bal-Sagoth is without doubt the best writer and his prose show. Although since I am not a english speaking native some stuff I had to search for - which for me it's great. Bentley is also a interesting writer and Matthew was to me the weakest - althought lets be real still far better than most writers I've beeng reading. Without doubt they enjoy sword and sorcery - Bal sagoth was memorable, so memorable than I couldn't read this without remember one of their song.. I will put here for ye...

Thwarted By The Dark (Blade Of The Vampyre Hunter)
The contemplations of Joachim Blokk:
As my sword drips black now with the unclean blood of another slain fiend, it
Occurs to me that history will most probably record me a fanatic... as for
More years than I care to remember I have dedicated my life to the caseless
Pursuit and destruction of the loathsome undead. Indeed, it was long ago that
I commenced with the wreaking of my grim vengeance upon the denizens of the
Dark, and by the blade of my sorcerous katana, Fiend's Bane, I vow they shall
All pay for taking my beloved from me! Fanatic? Mayhap. But by all the gods of
Vengeance, I'll leave a fearsome legacy 'ere I die... a legacy wrought in
Retributive bloodshed and screaming terror!

Drowned in the icy lake of tragedy
Forged in the fires of revenge
Driven by the winds which compel a man to destiny
Haunted by the whispers of the dead

Blood is black in the moonlight
As it was when I pierced the heart of my betrothed
Blood is black in the moonlight
Her undead gaze gleaming ire upon me
Blood is black in the moonlight
I held aloft her head to my grim gods
Blood is black in the moonlight
(Now I am eternally bonded to my blade)
And ever I am thwarted by the dark!

Gods of wrath, hear my vow... sate me with revenge this night!
Come to me, darksome fiends, taste the edge of ensorcelled steel!
Night has fallen, the hunt begins...
Vengeful carnage 'neath the moon!

And as I put brand to her pyre, I swore then to my gods that those vile
Creatures who tore the life and hope from my beloved's breast and replaced it
With that unspeakable sanguineous ravening would repay a hundredfold in
Slaughter and bloodshed for their misdeed... I would hunt them to their
Worm-ridden tombs, wherever they crept or slithered upon the earth, and wreak
My honed steel revenge ceaselessly unto my own grave. Such was my vow!

Aye, this bride of Masayuki steel, ensorcelled by wizards at its forging... to
Me she is as pure as the newly fallen snow, kissed by the breeze at dusk...
And yet she has supped deep of the ichors of many men and fiends alike

Shadow spawned demons ravening for my blood
Yet the thirst of my blade is greater!
Aye, all they shall feast upon this night will be cold steel!
I hear the slither of scales on silk
Fiend's Bane replete with undead slaughter!

I am the scourge of the devils who dwell in darkness...
(but the darkness writhing in my own soul is so much deeper...)
Their flesh burns at the touch of my blade of searing vengeance
And I cast their malign spirits screaming into limbo!

Darkfall, and the autumn moon glimmers on my steel...
Now it is time to hunt and slay once more
For the night has come!

Change the name from Joachim to Karnov and you've got the resumé of this take.
This is a tale of revenge from Karnov a vampire killer against all manners of vampirism after having to kill his wife and child that were turn into vampirism.

So the land was invaded by vampires while Karnov was fighting somewhere else and Karnov without anything to lose he thrown himself against the army of vampires. With the help of D'Vartha and later on a vampire Arsenthine they go from place to place killing vampires. I really thought reading this I was in another bal-sagoth novel but focused on Vampire Hunter D/Castlevania.

I've also bought Lord Byron Caylen-Tor novel and I will read it in the coming weeks.
I am enjoying the sword and sorcery themes and returning to the origins.

Advisable to sword and sorcery, bal-sagoth friends.