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There is no plague in Enfaire… Dead things have been found in the fields of Enfaire, a God-fearing town north of Reams. Not just dead things but twisted forms… unholy shapes. And there are rumours, too—of a blasphemous union and of fell creatures that haunt the night. Yet, even as plague and witch pyres blacken the sky, the town remains untouched by the malady that has already claimed thousands and will claim thousands more. It is here, in Enfaire, that an old Franciscan friar and his ward take shelter from a storm. It is here, in a little town on the edge of civilization, that they will have their faith truly tested. His Black Tongue is a tale of medieval horror, plunging the reader into the plague-torn land of 14th century France, when pestilence and death walked hand-in-hand, and life was little more than a sputtering candle, waiting to be put out. But there are worse things than death, than sickness and decay… and it comes upon leathery black wings. Includes The Bone Fields novella and the short stories The Knights of the Non-Euclidean Table and Necropolis.
Publication Year: 2021
Ok, it’s the first time I experience an audiobook like this, you hear the rain, wind, people walking, music in the background.. this is very cool!!
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The first story is the best by leagues in this small collection, and I 100% recommend the audiobook as it has cast, music, sound effects and more that really help bring the story to life. Most of the budget for the audiobook clearly went to the first story because as it went on I noticed less and less of the music, sounds, and voice cast, which I do think was a contributing factor for my low enjoyment for the other stories. If the first story was to ever be fleshed out and made longer I would grab it up in a heartbeat because the way it ended made me want more.
The Norse inspired on was my least favorite of the set, just didn't deliver on the scare/horror side like the first did.
The Arthurian based one was interesting just for the fact that it didn't revolve around Merlin or a retelling of the sword in the stone. I liked the darker aspect and it taking place after the death of Arthur. Wasn't mind blowing but I loved the idea of going the route for horror, not an idea I had ever thought about with Arthurian tales and it makes me want to have more.
His Black Tongue is a collection of four short stories by Mitchell Lüthi. The first story, the titular, is set during the Black Plague in a town called Enfaire. The town is mysteriously free from the plague and the story plunges the reader into the world of witchcraft and demons. The second, the Bone Fields follows Vikings on a sea journey, confronting old faiths and ancient creatures. The third story is an Arthurian horror, and the last, Necropolis, follows the last inhabitant of an orbiting sepulchre.
The tales are an exploration of humanity in uncertain situations. I think the strongest of the four was His Black Tongue and Necropolis. Despite being fiction, I really enjoyed the historical framework of the stories and I thought Lüthi was excellent at world building. I removed some stars because I thought the middle stories dragged a bit, and the stories sometimes focuses on action too much.
However the collection was a solid read and excellent for fans of Lovecraft, Poe, occults, Christian and Historical Horror.