Review of *Farewell to Tyrn* by Ryan Harvey

Lying in bed I found myself stumbling through the Amazon book store and I located a novelette I've been reading about in the blogs, titled, Farewell to Tyrn, by Ryan Harvey.

I hadn't intended on buying anything. I had intended on reading some M.R. James. But, there I was, lying in bed, looking at a new novelette that costs 99 cents. And before I know what was happening...!

I bought it. I read it. I enjoyed it. I fell asleep.

And here I am drinking coffee and reviewing it.

Let me say this up front: it was worth 99 cents. And, truth be told, probably more, though I think 99 cents, is, at this point, a kind of threshold. It was just cheap enough for me to say, "What the hell? Why not try something new?" I'm glad I did.

Some details: it's approximately 9000 words, and it reads, I'd say, in about an hour. The novelette is a good genre for a lunch break or a last read before bed. A comparison to other media: in terms of narrative pace, think of a Star Trek episode.

What's it about? Two things: the story of a little girl and a threat to her and an interesting "secondary" world. In other words, there seem to be two functions to this story: (1) to showcase an interesting science-fantasy setting and (2) to tell an exciting story about a girl whose life changes. Let me take these one at a time.

(1) The world showcased is very interesting and beautifully sketched. I've learned Ryan Harvey has another story in the Writers of the Future anthology series (volume 27) "An Acolyte of Black Spires," that is also set in this world, and so I'm eager to read it. The world, Ahn-Tarqa, is a kind of hybrid. It's shaded by "science-fictional" and "fantasy" tropes. Put simply, there are references to swords, sorcerers, wilderness, towered cities; and there are also references to technology and dinosaur-like creatures.

(2) The story about the little girl, Belde, drew my interest. I won't give it away. Suffice it to say, some parts of it are leisurely, allowing you to enjoy the milieu and to understand the character; other parts surge at breakneck speed and are very exciting. Some characters were flat, but not for want of characterization; rather, they show up, enticing you with their mysterious presence, and then leave, and you find you want to know more about them.

How's it written? Quite well. It's written from a first person perspective, which carries with it both its own challenges and affordances. Challenge: would the protagonist, a little girl, be this articulate? This observant.  Affordance: what better way to immerse your reader in your world and characters than putting them "behind the eyes" of the main character. Harvey strikes a balance between these poles.

Conclusion: A wonderful reading experience. A good "entry point" for Harvey's Ahn-Tarqa. I hope Ryan Harvey writes more.