Three interrelated secondary-world fantasy novellas comprise The Kraken Imaginary. Each main character steps up to narrate a tale—Corax, the philosopher, Diarmuid, the cleric, and Marianne, the fighter. The reader is treated to wonderfully rendered characterization and worldbuilding, exciting plots and suspense, and rich growth for each character as an individual as well as part of the Kraken Imaginary team. Given the fantasy world, quest narrative, and adventuring party composition, I felt like I was part of a particularly well-run roleplaying game!
The Philosopher Meets the Kraken Imaginary
Corax narrates the first novella, in which they meet The Kraken Imaginary team and the actual kraken. Corax begins a process of self-discovery, a continuing theme throughout the three stories.
The second story takes both dark and farcical turns as Corax, Diarmuid, and Marianne accept a series of increasingly bizarre quests to lift a curse.
The third tale might be my favorite, in which Corax and Marianne travel with some new companions through a war-torn land, growing and changing in amazing ways.
Dispensing with Gender Roles
While telling exciting stories, the book also examines what it means to be a man, a woman, a hermaphrodite, a human, or a kracken. (Also, an elephant, a goat, a goddess, a pirate, a warrior, etc.) Yet all deep dives into character are organic to the story and unfold naturally.
Although The Kraken Imaginary is fantasy book, it manages to build a convincing world grounded in natural science, biology, and health sciences. The writing is strong and self-assured, and the voice has a sassy contemporary attitude that works surprisingly well in this fantasy setting.
The Kraken Imaginary is an amazing fantasy story you won’t easily forget. Sure to top my Best of 2022 list.
Disclosure: I have a business relationship with Montag Press, The Kraken Imaginary‘s publisher.
If you found The Kraken Imaginary interesting, you might enjoy reading my review of The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps.
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