In Brayan’s Gold, Peter V. Brett gives us yet another slice of Arlen’s unwritten story as he tells of a daring messaging run he makes while he is still a young guild apprentice. Being deep into the mountains, the run can only be described as arduous at best and wouldn't normally have been given to an untested messenger at all. That is, of course, if the usual messenger hadn't broken his leg. With no-one else to turn to, the messenger’s guild must give the mission to Arlen and the wizened messenger who is asked to take him beyond the safety of the city’s walls.
As always, Arlen is desperate to test himself against the savage Corelings that stalk the wilds and is only too eager to take on the mission – being determined to deliver a cache of thundersticks to the count of Lord Brayan’s coveted gold mine. However, he quickly finds that the run isn't as easy as he first anticipated and finds that not only is the delivery of his wares jeopardised, but his life nearly comes to a violent and untimely end.
My Thoughts
Just like The Great Bazaar, Brayan’s Gold is a short novella that fills the gap between two of the Demon Cycle’s main instalments. The novella is set between The Painted Man and The Desert Spear, and provides a captivating escape into the ruins of Brett’s desolate world. Aside from being well written and imaginative, Brayan’s Gold is fast paced right from the first page and was extremely difficult for me to put down. It really shows the true grit of Arlen’s character, revealing once again the lengths he will go to in order to survive the Corelings and resist bowing down to them out of fear. In fact, I will say that Brayan’s Gold is a gripping read that will leave you more than ready for the third novel in the series, The Daylight War.
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