Kenny Soward

Lonnie is a gofer to a low-level Cincinnati gang, the 8th Street Gang. He’s been working for them for years and his memories, both long-term and day-to-day, are fuzzy. He has vague memories of a wife and 7 year old daughter but he also has memories of riding a dragon once upon a time. Obviously, he chocks that up to all the drug use, at least until a drawn out gun fight reveals to him that his boss, Selix, has some supernatural powers.

This is both a gritty and drug-hazy urban fantasy. Lonnie and his gang live in this grungy, questionable place and spend quite a bit of time watching bad TV, doing a variety of drugs, and screwing around. That’s when they aren’t involved in illegal activities like gun fights and selling drugs. Lonnie himself is in a perpetual drug haze for most of the book and as he starts to break through that haze, more and more memories come to the forefront, causing him to question what’s real and what’s not.

I really enjoyed this story because it wasn’t the typical mystery + magic urban fantasy and Lonnie wasn’t your typical hero. He’s mopping up blood while listening to the news, letting his mind wander. He does whatever he’s told to do because he’s the lowest man in the gang though he often doesn’t like it. In fact, we learn that early on when he decides not to take a call from the Brit, who is second in command of the little gang. I had fun with this character because he can be so proper and deadly at the same time.

Then the shooting starts. There’s this great fight scene that is probably one of the longest in fantasy literature. This prolonged fight acts like a trigger for the real Lonnie that’s buried under years of drug use and mind manipulation. It turns out Selix, leader of the gang, has some supernatural powers that include memory manipulation. As with all the members of the gang, the right combination of drugs can bolster their supernatural powers or keep them suppressed. I was a little concerned that this would be used as an excuse to do as they please, and there is a bit of that with some of the characters (such as with the raven-haired goth twins Ingrid and Elsa). After all, they do live in pretty dismal conditions. Crash (who has a Jamaican accent), one of the biggest guys Lonnie has ever seen, acts as muscle for the gang. Then we learn there’s a bigger secret they are trying to keep hidden and that one centers around Lonnie.

Now let’s talk a little bit about the Fade. That’s where Selix and the rest draw their power from. For Selix, dancing and the right drugs can help her pull on that power. However, there’s more going on there as well. There’s a revenge story in the middle of all this and Lonnie has his part to play. This tale was never boring! With that said, I would have liked a bit more explanation on the Fade and how is works with this gang.

I liked that the author included specific weapons. For instance, Lonnie uses a Springfield XDS instead of the author just saying Lonnie had a handgun.

I received a free copy of this book.

The Narration: Scott Aiello was a great pick for this book. His narration was a great performance. He was perfect for Lonnie as he goes through all the changes he does in this book. His female voices were believable and he kept all the characters distinct. He even threw in some well done accents, like British and Jamaican.… (meer)

My original Fade Rippers audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

A peculiar book about drugs, street gangs, hell on earth and dragons … Lonnie is a young man with a drug problem and many more issues. He is the secret street runner for his crew doing all the buying and selling of packages and fetches anything needed. During one run he is called home by his crew to help in a street fight. This is where it becomes peculiar! His friends are dealers and thugs but because of their past and who he is … things begin to unravel and he discovers new uses for his drugs of choice. He can’t remember the name of his wife or child, but there is so much that he does remember … or does he? Kenny Soward weaves a fantastic tale that will have you on the edge of your seat. There were a few moments where I felt lost but Soward solved that confusion quickly and completely.

Soward takes his characters and builds them neatly into the plot but gives them depth that is interesting and meaningful – in other words they are much more than they seem. The twist this story takes is unexpected and amazing. It’s one of those “what, huh? Oh … wow” moments. This book is one of those rare finds where you are blindsided by the outcome.

Soward does a magnificent job of storytelling, not leaving anything to chance – instead, Soward takes the common response and turns everything upside down.

The narrator, Scott Aiello does an excellent job of performing the cast of characters especially the Jamaican and the Brit. Loved his performance! His voice was smooth and reflected the energy of each character.

There were no issues with the production or quality of this audiobook.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author.… (meer)

Review copy

Kenny Soward is a relatively new author, one of his first published stories was a short in Manifesto: UF, an Urban Fantasy anthology edited by Tim Marquitz and Tyson Mauermann, published in September of 2013.

Since that time he's written the Gnomesaga series, my personal favorite, and co-authored two Dead West novels with Marquitz and Joe Martin. Another highly entertaining series.

Kenny's latest project is Galefire. This first book in a new series took a while to sink its hooks into me. On the surface it appears to be about one of the most unlikable characters put to paper, or in this case, to digital text. Lonnie, please don't call me "Lons", is a street runner for the 8th Street Gang in Cincinnati, a heroin addict who can't even remember the names of the wife and daughter he's left behind. But the truth is much more complex, the author's synopsis of the story says it better than I could. "Outcasts from another world find sanctuary on Earth, at least until the friends and monsters from their past find them..."

Galefire is one very twisted story and takes its time unraveling, but it is ultimately satisfying and features a well-written final conflagration. Plus, there are monsters and fiends and atrocities...oh, my.

Galefire is available now as an e-book from Broken Dog Press. It is book one in a new series, with book two, Galefire II: Fade Rippers coming in the Spring of 2016. I'll be looking forward to it.

Recommended.

Kenny Soward grew up in Crescent Park, Kentucky, a small suburb just south of Cincinnati, Ohio, listening to AC/DC, Quiet Riot, and Iron Maiden. In those quiet 1970’s streets, he jumped bikes, played Nerf football, and acquired many a childhood scar.

The transition to author was a natural one for Kenny. His sixth grade teacher encouraged him to start a journal, and he later began jotting down pieces of stories, mostly the outcomes of D&D gaming sessions. At the University of Kentucky, Kenny took creative writing classes under Gurny Norman, former Kentucky Poet Laureate and author of Divine Rights Trip (1971).

By day, Kenny works as a Unix professional, and at night he writes and sips bourbon.

Kenny lives in Independence, Kentucky, with three cats and a gal who thinks she’s a cat.… (meer)