BREAKHEART

Author:  Mel Keegan 

Cover by Jade

Published by DreamCraft

10,500 words (chapbook)

eBook only

$2.99 

PDF, EPUB, Kindle, Mobi, Stanza... 

5 out of 5

Reviewed by Yancy Carpentier

Mel Keegan’s endearing fantasy “Breakheart” is the one short story I return to again and again.

When there’s never enough time to read, a story must be richly drawn and uniquely compelling to lure me. Keegan is masterful at creating fantasy, and I consider “Breakheart” to be his little gem.

Winter is always more dangerous in the foothills above Breakheart. Cast out of the prestigious Scryer’s Guild, Richard Leon was left wounded and afoot by bandits. For him, the only way back to honor in Moorkind is through the hunt and the sword. Finding the mysterious stranger encircled by wolves, young Fendel’s skill with an arrow is fortune for them both. Together, they return to Brennan’s Rath, where Fendel lives a nightmarish existence as a bondsman. For the outcast, Breakheart could bring life or death. For the bondsman, Richard Leon could bring hope.

The fantasy world of “Breakheart” is beautifully conceptualized, and Keegan’s prose is a joy. Skillfully crafted in a compact format, the story is highly detailed and the characters developed with style.

Always a favorite, if only “Breakheart” could have been longer!  

For me, the relationship between Fendel and Richard Leon is particularly endearing, as their challenges and vulnerabilities are deftly explored. This is world-building at its best, and Keegan’s prose is dramatic and memorable. ‘Even the wolves were starving that winter. The wind screaming out of the north cut with a knife’s edge, and only desperate men made the journey to Breakheart.’

I’ve read all of Keegan’s work, and recommend each one. In the mood for more like this one?  ‘Shadow and Flame’ and ‘Umbriel’ are delightful reads as well.

Endearing and original, “Breakheart” is a fantasy you will remember.