Fans of science fiction and fantasy may be most likely to associate the name David Drake with military science fiction; however, the collection Balefires showcases how diverse his writing really is. This single author anthology also serves another purpose, since Drake writes a brief introduction to each of the stories included. These introductions give some insight into the author’s creative process, as well as showing his development as a writer. These stories are largely from the earlier portion of his career, and Drake most certainly isn’t the slightest bit shy when it comes to admitting mistakes he feels he made in the stories, nor does he hesitate in pointing those mistakes out to readers. Those introductions make Balefires a bit of a study guide and resource for anyone who would like to write horror or fantasy short stories.
The stories themselves run the gamut from historical detective stories with a decidedly supernatural bent, such as “The False Prophet,” to tales of contemporary dark fantasy like “Smokie Joe,” to Vietnam-based horror stories like “The Hunting Ground.” The variety of the stories in the book should make it possible for almost anyone who likes darker stories to find something that they’ll like. Most of the stories in the book have a high and somewhat gory body count, and horror fans will find blood and terror aplenty, but there are some great fantasy stories included that are in a more traditional vein.
Drake himself criticizes his use of military jargon in stories such as “Arclight,” a tale of soldiers in Vietnam who find a mysterious cache of artifacts and decide to take souvenirs, only to disover how bad that particular idea was. While the use of the jargon might be off-putting to some readers, it gives the story a feeling of authenticity and lends an atmosphere of truth that makes the story’s climax even more visceral. It seems as if explanations for readers who don’t know much military vocabulary would both get in the way of the story and ruin the flow. Drake is a veteran, and therefore his use of military terminology gives his characters depth and realism. He doesn’t use a lot of specilized terminology where it isn’t appropriate, and it doesn’t creep into any stories where it probably wouldn’t belong.
“Children of the Forest” is a far more traditional fantasy story, about a girl who gets adopted by a group of large Sasquatch-like primates. The story follows the girl’s life as she grows into a young woman who becomes curious about the humans who live outside the forest. The story is compelling and heart-breaking, and it is one I would recommend to anyone who thinks that it takes large amounts of dialogue to establish a character’s identity.
“Smokie Joe” is a tale of a gangster who gets in over his head when he contracts the wrong group of thugs to assist him with his problems. It is, most definitely, a horror story, and the ending is a stomach-turning shock, making it an excellent read for horror enthusiasts who enjoy stories that hit hard.
Perhaps my favorite stories in the anthology, though, were “The False Prophet,” “Black Iron,” and “The Shortest Way,” which feature the characters Marcus Licinius Dama and Lucius Vettius. Dama is a merchant, and Vettius is a soldier. All three stories take place during Roman times and all three are historical fantasies that involve mysteries. Marcus Licinius Dama and Lucius Vettius become friends over the three-story cycle presented in the book as they get involved in their amatuer investigations. There is some sly humor in the stories, and they are highly enjoyable.
Balefires is a very interesting mix of stories from David Drake’s early career. There are tales here that cover several different genres, and it should appeal to a fairly large and diverse group of readers. My only real complaint with the book is that it is printed in very small type, so it can get a just a little trying to read, but the stories make it well worth the effort.
My favorite parts of this book were the forewords to the stories. Not a knock on the fiction, but I just enjoyed reading the tidbits of history.
That was an aspect of the book I really enjoyed as well. I thought that it really gave good insight into his creative and thought processes and really helped show how he grew as a writer.