SciFi/Fantasy Novella Review: The Gallows Black by Sam Sykes

The Gallows Black by Sam Sykes

The Gallows Black is a prequel story to Sam Sykes' novel, Seven Blades in Black, essentially featuring the first meeting of series protagonist Sal the Cacophany and her romantic interest, the Freemaker (mad scientist) Liette.  I liked but didn't love Seven Blades in Black (review here), but I enjoyed its grimdark world and most of its asshole protagonist, so I was certainly willing to read another story with this world and these characters.  And the result is fine, like a cut flashback from the novel - inessential but enjoyable for anyone who enjoyed the original novel but not likely to do anything for anyone else.


Quick Plot Summary:  Sal The Cacophany has finally tracked down one of the names on her list - Zanze the Beast - and vengeance may soon be hers.  There's just one problem: someone else has gotten their first, and Zanze - or well, the alias he's going by - is scheduled to be executed in the freehold of Last Word to satisfy the forces of both the Revolutionaries and the Imperium.  Sal can't have that, so she takes action to interrupt the execution so she can have some proper vengeance.  But of course, things don't go as planned, and Sal soon finds herself with both the Revolutionaries and mages of the Imperium after her, and Zanze back on the loose.  She'll have to team up with a freemaker, who goes by "Twenty-Two Roses in a Chipped Porcelain Vase," in order to get out of this alive...and with Zanze dead.  But there's something about that freemaker that Sal can't quite ignore, a feeling she hasn't had in a long time....

Thoughts: It should be noted that The Gallows Black is not just a prequel, but it's pretty much entirely dependent upon the reader having read Seven Blades in Black - the novella doesn't bother with too much explanation of the setting and spoils at least two twists from the original novel by midway through.  On the other hand, if you've read the novel, you're aware of what has to happen by the end of this story, so there isn't particularly much suspense of what is going to happen, just a question of HOW it's going to happen.  And that "how" is decently well done, for sure - Sykes is a solid writer - but there just isn't much in it honestly.  So yeah, this feels very much like an outtake from the novel, which is fine but really only for someone who really really loved the novel.  Otherwise, it just isn't adding much.