Black City Saint by Richard A Knaak

I received a free copy of the audiobook from the narrator in exchange for an honest review.

You know the way there are really prolific authors who you’ve always wanted to read, and for whatever reason, you never get around to? Well, I can scratch Richard A Knaak off that list. The ridiculously prolific writer, who has written in (amongst others) the Warcraft and Dragonlance universes, finally got around to trying his hand at urban fantasy. What we have is some very familiar legends intermingled with a very familiar setting. The hero is Nick Medea, a gumshoe in 1920s Chicago. He doesn’t hunt down Maltese Falcons or solve random murders, instead he protects the city from the worst of Feirie (his spelling), who seem to be ramping up their activity. Can Nick figure out what’s going on and save the day, or will dark days come to the Windy City? Here are my thoughts on the book:

• The whole idea of Nick Medea is an interesting twist on an old tale. Nick is actually St George — yeah, that St George — and he slew that Dragon. The problem is, that Dragon was actually a guardian, keeping the worst of Feirie from entering into our world. Now Nick has to do the job for him, and he’s possessed by said Dragon, which gives him greater strength and powers. This is most useful, but he also has to battle the Dragon for control, and he is not overly pleased at being slain, or being trapped in his slayer’s body
• Nick doesn’t have to battle alone though. His love interest Claryce, who has been with him throughout the years, but is doomed to die in every incarnation. She is unaware of her impending doom, and despite Nick knowing the truth, he still attempts to save her from her fate, sometimes risking everything to try and save her. There’s also Fetch, a shape-shifter and useful ally to have on hand for dealing with the worst Chicago can throw at them
• The scenario seems genuine (for someone who didn’t live in 1920s Chicago). We have speakeasies, mob wars, Prohibition and corrupt cops. There’s also nods to baseball and everything else you could imagine for this time-frame. Bear in mind that my knowledge comes from old movies, but the author is a native, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Still, even if he’s completely wrong, once you get caught up in the story line, you won’t care
• I like how the melding of old world legends mixes with a more modern setting, but I guess this is how urban fantasy works. If this is the case, then it works here. I’m well familiar with Feirie or the Fey or the Sidh or whatever you like to call them, but I struggle to recall reading of George and the Dragon outside of retellings of the actual legend itself. How Knaak conceived of the Dragon as a guardian of the Underworld, and how he and George/Nick were tied together through time is quite ingenious
• Oh yeah, the narrator! How could I forget him? He was terrific, capturing the gumshoe feel well, and echoing the jaded cynicism that apparently came with the job. However, at peak times, he switched over, capturing the stress that Nick would have likely been under in a real setting. His Oirish accents were a bit off though, but accents are tough for the best of narrators.

Verdict

A novel and intriguing urban fantasy, with a great main character.