Of King Gaslark’s Leading in the Attempt on Carce in the Dark, and how he Prospered therein, and of the Great Stand of Lord Juss and Lord Brandoch Daha
The account of the small, bold company of Demons and their Goblin allies attacking the stronghold of the witch king is highly Arthurian in tone and well executed, particularly from an armchair perspective.
The tone of doom is well set with the line:
“And dour midnight waited over all.”
The author’s repeated invocation of night as a living thing, as a veritable god of dooms, is consistently well-delivered throughout the narrative.
Chapter 6 is rather uneventful other than the battle itself, which will not be spoiled in this summation. Now that the poor decision—made in rash, emotion—has been joined, all criticism of the fools is put aside by the narrator, for the fools are now heroes, elevated above their stupidity by their embracing the ultimate risk of death in battle.
Of Lions and Men
