Book Two of the Heroes of Legend

Hammer’s fantasy short story continues the adventure of the author’s debut novella.

Matthew, a young boy mystically destined to save the world, has been captured, along with his pet dragon, Utredius, by a demon. Matthew was supposed to be under the protection of a friendly magical being named Zhu Bajie, but when Bajie went off in search of medicine for the boy to treat a serpent’s bite,the demon was free to strike—much to the consternation of Matthew’s friend, Sun Wukong, the mighty magical Monkey King, who furiously assaults the demon’s cave to no avail. The Monkey King tries to bargain with the demon, offering to trade the boy’s safety for a few drops of precious, fortified Heavenly Peach Elixir, but the demon refuses, snidely saying that he prefers a ritual that will give him blood from Utredius, regardless of what happens to the boy. When Bajie returns, he and Sun Wukong use a bit of the Elixir to summon the Buddha, who disables a force-shield and enables them to breach the demon’s cave and give the ailing Matthew a few drops of the Elixir, which greatly enhances his magical abilities. Meanwhile, the story’s other two young leads face challenges of their own: Tristan, armed with his Replenishing Quiver, and his companion, the fabled white wolf, Neverend, try to plumb the secrets of the Stone Egg; the young Elysia, under Tristan’s protection, struggles to fend off the dreaded Jinn-Magician. The narrative moves all three characters toward a confrontation with the Vampire King Drahkuhl.

Hammer writes with energy—the characters rush from one danger to another, always with high stakes and mysterious artifacts involved. But this short story cannot stand apart from the overarching narrative from which it comes; it will be all but incomprehensible to readers who haven’t already taken in the novella that precedes it. “When Sun Wukong learnt that the boy Matthew had been bitten by the Serpent, he flew from heaven to return to the boy as fast as he could manage,” reads the very first sentence. “Carrying the heavenly horse on his cloud is what slowed him down.” “An Elder God, Balin, had stormed the Elven Palace, over some dispute regarding his honour,” reports the narrator; “and Balin brandished the Spear of Destiny, with which he had wounded King Brethalladir Even-Star, King over all of the Elves.” These events don’t play out on the page, and the characters referenced are never fleshed out; significant objects, such as the Replenishing Quiver, the Maiden’s Ward, and the Stone Egg, are never given more than inadequate, cursory explanations. Hammer’s prose is often oddly flat and stilted, and the book’s turns of phrase often make little sense (“like a cornered feral cat facing off against a cougar cub” is one example among many). All of the book’s fantasy concepts (including Balin, Elves, and the Spear of Destiny) are derived from other sources, and the story makes no sense when separated from its context—even the most die-hard fantasy readers are advised to approach with caution.

Familiar fantasy tropes are rendered incomprehensible in this narrative fragment.