Sunday, February 21, 2010

Black Blade Blues-J.A. Pitts

Black Blade Blues
J.A. Pitts
Tor, Apr 27 2010, $25.99
ISBN 9780765324672

In the Seattle, Washington area Sarah Beauhall works as a blacksmith and budget movies props guru. In between, instead of sleeping with her girlfriend Katie who frightens her with words of love, she is a medieval warrior reenactor. During a filming of Elvis versus the Goblins, her favorite unique sword is broken. To avoid costly delay, she agrees to repair the blade; a dwarf working as a goblin extra on the set offers to assist her.

The sword turns out to be the legendary Gram, which Nordic legend says Sigurd used to slay the dragon Fafnir; at least that is what her new “assistant” claims. However, evidence is on the way as a evil shape-shifting dragon and the Corpse Gnawer are coming to take Gram from Sarah, anyway they can.

This is a humorous entertaining Norse fantasy in twnety-first century Washington State. The fast-paced story line is action-packed as mythology and modernism converge on the heroine who holds the tale together as she struggles with shapeshifting dragons and other evil essences as well as with her relationship with Katie. Although too much circumstances occurs, readers will enjoy Black Blade Blues starting with the gender debate of the black sword Gram.

Harriet Klausner

No comments: