Death Angel's Shadow

Kane is to most fantasy as Jack the Ripper is to Disney characters. My respect and admiration for the Kane books and stories is exceeded only by my sorrow that there will be no more.

This book and another Kane book "Night Winds" contain some of the best short stories and novellas ever written in the fantasy form in my opinion. I've managed to collect most of the out of print Kane books over the years and wouldn't sell for just about any price. Kane is a far better example of the "anti-hero" than Michael Moorcocks Elric that there really isn't any comparison. This particular book has 3 fantastic stories, and though I agree with the prior reviewers that the 2nd is probably the best, I also rate the 1st and 3rd among my all time favorite fantasy short stories. All-in-all, this is required reading for any fan of the fantasy genre.

All 3 novellas this book are excellent reading. The first, about a werewolf's attack in a snowbound castle/hunting lodge is the closest I have ever seen any fantasy author get to true mystery tales of Sherlock Holmes/Arthur Conan Doyle calibre. Next is an action-filled bounty hunt where "good" confronts evil. A moral study and a ripping sword and sorcery yarn woven into a mesmermizing tapestry. The last is a chilling tale of lust and vampiric possession. The emptiness this tale leaves behind is trademark Karl Edward Wagner ("Never Dessylyn" and "Last Song of Valdese" are other fine examples (Night Winds)). After years of re-reading these tales and discussing them with friends, I still cannot decide upon a favourite. Wagner's skill in describing action realistically, mystery tantalizingly and weird occult phenomena in a way that tingles are showcased in each story of this book, his crowning masterpiece of dark fantasy. If you can get your hands on a copy, pay any price. You'll enjoy reading them many times. Get the other KEW titles first (Darkness Weaves, Dark Crusade, Bloodstone and Night Winds) and save Death Angel's Shadow for the grand finale. You'll be wishing there were more stuff that was even close to this good...

This is a compilation of three novellas. The first and last are about Vampires and Werewolves respectively. While the are good it it the second story "Cold Light" that is truely amazing. It is the story of the heroic knight who takes morality to the extreme. The question that "Cold Light" asks is; is extreme goodness worse than evil? Read "Cold Light" and find out

In an excellent twist on the Biblical story of Cain and Able, Wagner has created an immortal swordsman doomed to wander the earth sowing destruction wherever he lingers. Kane's adventurers are set in the days of Elder Earth when fantastic monsters from beyond the stars wandered the world. Kane, who has played many roles in his endless wandering (mercenary, king, wizard, poet, etc.) fights beside these creatures as often as he battles against them. "Death Angel's Shadow" tells of Kane's early journey's through the hostile dawn of our race. It makes for intrigueing reading, if you can find it. If you can, you won't be disappointed