Vile
Keith Crawford

Published by Little Wonder Books

Science fantasy with a deeper social meaning. I saw symbolism everywhere in this story, but first, let's ignore all that and just talk about the story. It's an action-packed fantasy story with a mapped out setting. One word stayed with me from my conversation with the author when he reached out to me about reading this book. EXPLOSIONS. Yes, there are explosions and some very well written fight scenes throughout the book, but there is so much more to the social aspects or the underlying moral of the story.

We are following Elianor Paine. She is a magistrate in the Kingdom of Trist and is sent to Shadowgate to investigate the disappearances of women around the community. It is rumored the perpetrator is a mysterious, murderous black dog creature. She is there for the investigation but has limited time to solve the mystery before the 2nd part of her mission takes over. She must get a representative from Shadowgate Castle to return with her to the capital to cast a vote in favor of the queen. However, and this is right from the synopsis, Elianor is a double agent and she is actually out to get votes against the royal family in favor of a senator-led republic. A more democratic based "for the people" type of government. This is a 350-page book and the story is big. There is a lot to the family that inhabits the castle. There is a depth to the eventual discoveries about this black dog and the disappearances. All the while a civil war is brewing between the classes of Shadowgate.

The book starts way in the future. 2218 to be exact. While the rest (and I mean the rest of the story) takes place with Elianor in 1682. In 2218, we are with a professor and his students. They are discussing the Shadowgate Massacre. So we know right away that we are headed into a fiery, bloody massacre. The society has a feel of a technologically advanced utopia. The gist is that the societal situation that we are getting a glimpse of has been directly accomplished by the happenings in 1682 Shadowgate.

The Deeper Stuff

Class Warfare: The civil war in Shadowgate is brewing and WILL come to a head in this book. The farmers vs the mine (and other business) owners vs the high blood folks of the castle.

Feminism: Strong female lead character. Strong female characters as a whole. There is a lot more to this, but I will leave it for you to find out.

Racism: There is a constant threat of another race invading from the West. There is an ingrained hatred for this "other" race. However, we are at a place where the veil between the races is slipping. And again - I do not want to say anything else about this.

I am not a science fiction reader. I don't read many stories based in this type of "other world fantasy". This would have been a fast paced, action packed read just based on the mystery, the fight scenes, the creature. For me though, the extra stuff that I talked about, that made it more.

Rating: 4 Stars 

Link to purchase:   https://www.amazon.com/Vile-Keith-Crawford/dp/2957035308/

Review by Well Read Beard

Twitter: @WellReadBeard

I received this book from the author for review consideration.

YouTube:             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWPxJP5tEuw&t=65s