Haunt on the Island of Esmer Review

Fantasy and Weird Horror

The Haunt on the Island of Esmer takes place in a world of sword and sorcery. At first, it seems like a heroic fantasy story, perhaps inspired by a DnD campaign—focused on a small group of relic hunters (“the 9^th”) as they prepare to enter a Haunt, fight monsters, and disable traps in order to claim the treasures inside. As the story continues, however, the setting becomes wider and more complex.

Slow burn tension brings a mood to the narrative, giving the story the more distinctive weird horror vibe. The whole party is damaged, mentally and spiritually, from exploring Haunts over the years; their sanity is slipping. The explanation of what a Haunt is precisely is not given until late in the tale, which leaves the reader understanding it primarily from its effects on the characters.

While the horror itself is not cosmic, the Lovecraftian motif of madness drives the experience, separating it from mere dark fantasy. The haunting descriptions of the world enhance this effect. The learned character Scrolls has some understanding of the things that they see inside the Haunt, but much of it is left unexplained and disturbing in its strangeness. And looking too closely at many of the things they find can cause greater disorientation and even insanity.

All of this contributes to a pressing tension and intriguing reader questions.

Virtuous Characters

The characters are driven by simple motivations and virtues, and their struggle against madness in order to achieve their goals makes them quickly sympathetic. The reader wants to learn more about who they are and see them overcome to do and achieve awesome things.

The two main characters are Allred, the veteran warrior with a cross-bow, and Lookout, the boy guard with a knighthood dream. While this combination of viewpoints serves the obvious benefit of showing the reader what is happening simultaneously in different places, the characters are also frequently together, showing their unique perspectives on the events at hand.

These two warriors, one who is beginning to feel the tax on his mind and body and the other still a child with a naïve daydream, are what give this story its hopeful tone, despite the dark nature of the world. Lookout grows throughout the tale, going from cowering through his first battle to charging in ready to die beside the warriors. He remakes himself in the image of his ideal—the brave knight of legend, uncaring whether such a thing actually exists. Allred manages to live up to his reputation, delivering some satisfying battles including one on a small dragon. Furthermore, he does not die at the end, a fate which he always seems ready for, but instead takes on a new role as Lookout’s mentor. He, too, is changing in positive ways.

The other characters are compelling as well, not least of which are Cole, the enigmatic leader of the party, and Helga, who appears as a third viewpoint character late in the narrative. I also really liked Lookout’s friend Boph and the battle mage. And the mad doctor and Scrolls. In fact, all of the characters in the sizable cast are likeable and interesting.

Gritty Action

Although I consider the opening a “slow burn,” driven more by suspense and impending doom than action, there is plenty of the latter. They fight demonic monsters, Imperial soldiers, enemy mages and their minions.

These clashes are violent and detailed (you can read my thoughts on gore on our Content Concerns page). They have the same harrowing quality as the rest of the narrative, giving the reader the impression that anything could happen—and any of the major players could be injured or even die.

Lookout’s rose-tinted misconception of the glory of battle is brutally corrected in the first combat he experiences. But it is important to point out that even though the story makes a point of this harsh reality, Lookout’s continued desire to be a noble warrior is never disparaged. Rather, the courage he must possess, and the skills and loyalty of the veterans, are understood more valuable as a result.

Loyalty and Obedience

A strong theme in The Haunt on the Island of Esmer is the treatment of obedience as part of loyalty to a good leader.

This is seen in the bonds between the veterans and Cole. Even as the questions about his nature are posed, everyone agrees that they would follow him anywhere. During one conversation with Stoneburner about the troubling changes they see in Cole, Allred says, “I follow Cole. His hands gave the proof. That’s enough for me.” Stoneburner agrees, “Cole I’ll follow to the end.”

Cole’s hands and part of his face were burned in the City of Fire in the betrayal that set him and his men on their current course in rebellion against the Empire. His scars are a testament to his character and his resolve to avenge them.

After another battle, Helga reflects on why she feels so strongly towards Cole: “Because when the attack had come, he had stood at the front with the others, in the teeth of the Optri mage, fighting not beside them but in front of them all.…It was wonder and fear and a knowing that this fight on an unnamed mountain was a small thing, and he meant much more blood in the future… a hero and a subject of poetry….Cole was a spirit of vengeance more than a man at all.” Her conclusion is that she will “ask to follow him where he went.”

Christ Archetype

Why do I find this appealing? Perhaps it is the reflection of a greater reality—the Leader we follow as Christians.

Cole fits well into the Ruler archetype, embodying control, structure (especially important to his men’s fraying minds), and responsibility. For this book, he is benevolent towards his followers and unrelenting towards his enemies. It is not difficult to see him as an at least partial Christ archetype—especially when adding the scars on his hands.

But his men’s faith in him also reflects our own in God. The act of obedience is rooted in a trust of his character, not their understanding of his actions. Even if he seems to have private motives, even if he isn’t telling them everything, his men trust that he “has the plan” and their best interests at heart. Their actions flow out of this confidence.

That is what gets them through the trial of the Haunt and the events that follow. It remains to be seen long-term if resolving to follow Cole despite their misgivings is a blind obedience to a master manipulator or a virtuous loyalty to a worthy, if enigmatic, ruler. Either way, I am eager to see where Cole leads them!

Check Out The Haunt on the Island of Esmer!

The Haunt on the Island of Esmer is a compelling dark fantasy full of great characters and gritty action. I look forward to reading more about the exploits of the 9^th!