Theok The Indomitable: A Spill of Sorcerer's Blood by James R. Tuck
Blammo! Books
2015

After reading the recent anthology, Blood on the Blade, which includes “The Unlidded Eye,” my friend David Malaski clued me into this collection that James R. Tuck independently published in 2015. As is my wont, this paperback languished in my cart for weeks before I finally purchased it.

The paperback has a good heft to it and clocks in at 221 pages. The cover adds to the fun of the book with gritty artwork by Tuck. The layout is busy, with a lot to look at and read. I'm quite taken with it actually. The one detractor is the font used for Theok on the cover, at a glance it looks like it reads The Ok. This doesn't ruin anything, in fact, my wife and kids had a good laugh over it. "Dad, what is The Ok?"

The book has five stories, and a rather large font. It features illustrations from Tuck throughout. The stories vary in quality and length, and all but one concern Theok. In the back of the book Tuck has included a section titled About These Stories. It is exactly what it says. Tuck gives you some background on each story and its genesis.

“Where the Red Blossoms Weep” finds Theok the only survivor on the battlefield. The usual carrion eaters are arriving including ghouls. As he attempts to exit this scene of carnage, he must confront the ghouls and the sorcerer controlling them. Theok holds all sorcery in contempt. This was a short bit of fun.

In “Angels of Scrawl,” Theok is waylaid in an alley by an unlikely pair. The pair have fallen in with Lord Scrawl and become his fallen angels, a sisterhood of sinners seeking redemption through ministry in his service. Sounds benign but it is actually a front for theft and murder. Theok tracks the pair back to Scrawl's lair, where he is beset by sorcerous guardians. Theok hates sorcery. A good story about abuse, redemption, and justice.

“Viscera of a God-Thing” was my favorite of the bunch. A café has been taken over by some priests of Set. Theok enters alone and confronts a macabre scene of nightmare. If it lives, it can die, but what do you do when edged weapons won't cut it? Hellish fun!

The fourth story boasts an excessive title: “Theok the Indomitable: Stem of the Black Dawn Book 1: Children's Crusade.” Child abuse and molestation is a very ugly and real topic. Theok travels to a city that worships a foul god by abusing and defiling children. Many heads roll before Theok is done. This was a very long story with many typos throughout. This was the first iteration of Theok and he's rough around the edges. The villain seems to have a history with Theok, even though he doesn't appear in stories written later.

The last story, “One Last Time,” is set within a tavern and concerns two mercenaries getting a divorce. Both have their reasons for wanting to stay and to go, but both know reconciliation would be a mistake. The story closes with them doing what they do best together.

Overall, this was a collection of mixed quality. The stories do not add to a cohesive whole. Each is a one-off, seeming to develop and refine the character by increments. I would certainly welcome more about Theok the Indomitable in the future.