Release date: April 11 2025
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 47
Find it: Goodreads Amazon
Source: I received an e-copy of this book free from the author’s newsletter
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

A duel to the death in three parts. A conversation of sorts between the last two men left alive after a brutal battle.

One soldier from each side. Both want to survive. Neither can walk away.

Review

The Last Gasp of Midnight is a short fantasy novelette that packs a huge punch. The story follows two soldiers who are on opposing sides of a battle. They are the last two left alive and only one can walk away. Both soldiers have their own, desperate reasons for trying to stay alive but which will be victorious, and at what cost?

I’m not a particularly big novelette reader as I tend to prefer stories that are a bit longer, but I thought this story was executed perfectly. It was gripping right from the outset and I devoured it in a single sitting. The writing was engaging and I thought the fight sequences were really well written. This is quite a gruesome story and there were definitely a few descriptions that were particularly dark and bloody.

While this is an action packed tale, what I didn’t expect was that it would be an incredibly emotional one too. This story definitely tugs on your heart strings, and I loved it from start to finish. If you’re looking for a dark, gritty fantasy story you can read in an afternoon I would highly recommend The Last Gasp of Midnight. I thought this was a fantastic read and I can’t wait to try more from Thomas Howard Riley.