The Young
by Nicholas John Powter
Genre: Fantasy / Sword & Sorcery
ISBN: 9781504321648
Print Length: 128 pages
Reviewed by JB Leddington
A father and son battle to survive in the blight-infested dystopian world of the Deluge.
A high fantasy novella featuring bold heroes, insidious creatures, and an epic quest to save the world from diabolical gods and villainous humans, Nicholas John Powter’s The Young is built with a rich backstory and set in a vividly imagined environment. The story is epic in scope, relatable in emotion, and in the end, an exciting adventure.
After their home is attacked by a loathsome beast known as a blight, former Telfmare warrior Sven reluctantly explains to his young son, Fren, the true nature of the world they inhabit, which is called the Deluge, and of “the great cataclysmic event [that] resulted in the destruction and downfall of numerous villages and settlements all across the world.” As he relates, more than 40 seasons ago, a seismic fissure split open a great mountain in the northwest and caused both green lava and a horde of subterranean creatures to flood to the surface.
This infestation was thought to be the work of all-powerful gods, and it caused death and destruction on a massive scale. However, things have been relatively quiet for years now, and it is believed that there is only one nest of blights left. Sven explains that he has downplayed the danger of the wider world in the hope that Fren is “destined not to even be a warrior,” although he acknowledges that Fren’s mother and brother have both left the safety of home and that Fren might do so too one day.
In the mistaken belief that they are safe again now that Sven has slain the blight—“This bulgy, rubbery scaled beast has pure-white tentacles and is as large as a man and shaped like a combination between an anthropodian creature and a thick-feathered bird”—Fren heads to the forest to pick some shrubs and berries. There, he is confronted by another terrible danger, this time in the form of Rodovan, “a hooded man wearing a velvet cloak,” who explains that his employer has sent him to collect a trinket—a severed head—from a man he would meet by the forest.
It’s immediately clear to Fren that his assailant is no ordinary man: “As Rodovan blinks, his pupils suddenly split into ten smaller ones, like cells splitting apart. His eyes flicker, changing from red to orange to green to blue to purple in quick succession. The pupils on the right spin counter-clockwise, while the ones on the left rotate clockwise. The rims of his eyes begin to flicker and change colours, shining like rings of fire or a full-moon eclipse.” Fortunately, Sven arrives on the scene just as Rodovan is about to strike.
Sven’s dream of a peaceful life for him and his son is shattered when they learn that their neighbor’s wife, Leah, has been kidnapped by a malevolent phantom-like creature that will only release her in exchange for Sven and Fren. “Our heroes find themselves at the beginning of the trail which descends into the forests, for soon they will travel and navigate through many things, the thick and thin, beautiful and violent. They will search every hole and corner, go to the very edges of the world for Leah.” And even that will not be the end of their troubles, as their quest also takes them in search of Sven’s estranged son, Dason, and of a way to end the war that is brewing among the gods, promising to bring about the destruction of all unfortunate mortals.
Featuring the epic journey of a father and son seeking to find peace, hope, and safety in an unforgiving world, The Young is almost like a version of The Road set in an extraordinary, otherworldly realm like that seen in The Lords of the Rings or The Belgariad. Saying that, Nicholas John Powter has certainly crafted a unique and highly detailed mythology for his story, particularly the concept of the conflict between the sun gods and the moon gods, as well as the monsters that dwell within the mountain. The various magical or horrific creatures that inhabit the Deluge are fascinating while the sentient fantastical villains are truly menacing.
Despite the detailed mythology that Powter has crafted for the Deluge and the pains he has taken to build such a rich fantasy world, a few anachronisms do crop up, like “run[ning] some errands,” and they can feel a tad jarring and prevent the story from always being fully immersive. Similarly, Sven’s dialogue can feel overblown yet unemotional at times.
Given that The Young centers on the journey of Sven and Fren and the adventures they have along the way, it is no surprise that they are the most well-developed characters. Likely due to his more advanced age, Sven has a particularly detailed backstory, including his time as a warrior and the implosion of his marriage to Elizabeth, although it might have been good to learn more about her.
Still, as Powter focuses especially on the “swords” aspect of this swords and sorcery story, Sven’s fight scenes and his various armor and weapons are very well described. For instance, “His fine silver blade is unique, for it has engravings of three tiny moons on the bottom of the handle and three suns at the top, all in a horizontal line. Neither warrior nor craftsman bears arms of such a kind—there is no other blade like it in the deluge.” Several of the characters have magical weapons that imbue them with special powers and protections, which adds surprise and excitement to the story. There are plenty of fight scenes to enjoy, but they are never gory or gratuitous.
The Young, it is very much a coming of age story for Fren. Being unaware of the history of the Deluge and the existence of blights and even worse evil, he has been protected from the real world in a way that has left him somewhat vulnerable. Despite this, he clearly has insight and a surprisingly philosophical outlook from the outset. For example, when Sven expresses the desire for him to remain safely at home, Fren states: “Father, I must leave one day, for I want to travel the world, explore the great highlands and traverse the majestic seas; I do not want to be kept in one home for the rest of my life, so I must journey on.”
Even though he is shocked and terrified by the blight, Fren is both brave and resourceful. As the story progresses, his skill as a fighter improves and he becomes more cunning when dealing with evil. Throughout it all, he remains a loyal son and brother. It’s great to see the relationship between Sven and Fren develop from one of protection to one of near equals, bound by mutual respect.
A rousing fantasy story chock-full of fantastical creatures and deadly danger, The Young presents an action-packed adventure for two brave heroes who learn much about themselves and each other as their quest progresses. While the story could have been longer with more detail, it whizzes along at a good pace and features a number of thrilling moments. It has plenty to offer fans of the swords and sorcery genre and those who enjoy an exciting epic quest.
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