Murder baby by G.J. Stoutimore
The high saturation of the Fantasy genre is both a blessing and a curse. With so many options inside a genre that lends itself to tropes, there is plenty for readers to explore, however some books can become lost in the chaff. With that being said, I’m happy to report that G.J. Stoutimore’s new novel Murder Baby, book one in his new Knights of Sadira series, does in fact separate itself from the chaff. Instead of falling for the tired, edgy clichés that authors tend to when writing within the dark fantasy space, Stoutimore crafts a grim, emotional narrative full of nuanced characters, action and trauma that combines tried and true tropes with his own unique flair.
Unfolding as a series of narratives that take place over decades, this is a sprawling tale of honor, deception, horror, and revenge. Raffi Okamoto, last knight of the angel Sadira, is a thoroughly-trained female Japanese warrior who lives and dies by the way she was taught, “Don’t overthink. Getting into your head is what gets you killed. Use your mind clearly and quickly. Act with instinct. Trust what you already know. The rest will take care of itself.” Alongside a magic-practicing teenager, a child assassin and a host of other characters both benevolent and despicable, all while being constantly taunted by the ancient demon residing in the blade of her fabled sword, Raffi undergoes a perilous journey that will decide the outcome of the world as they know it.
A TOUR DE FORCE OF A DEBUT
My favorite aspect of the novel is the deep, realistic and nuanced characters, of which there are many, both sympathetic and thoroughly evil. One of the main driving forces of the narrative is trauma, and nearly every character has experienced some in one way or another. Writing a character who has suffered trauma in the past is often a trap for many authors who have not suffered the same in real life, as it often comes across as cliched, unrealistic and at times offensive. However, as someone familiar with abuse himself, Stoutimore uses his own experience to craft troubled, broken characters that feel real. I enjoyed seeing how this trauma informed the decisions each character makes, and how each one develops throughout the novel.
I was particularly impressed with the way Stoutimore writes women. Many male fantasy authors, even the likes of Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, often write women in a way that comes across as contrived and stereotypical. Stoutimore expertly dodges this pitfall, and makes all of his characters feel real and individual. Raffi is one of the most interesting leads I’ve read in recent memory, and the Knights of Sadira, an order comprised entirely of females was a breath of fresh air.
I also enjoyed the sprawling, serpentine narrative. As a fan of doorstop fantasy, I was excited when I saw the book’s 600-page runtime, however I was also apprehensive, as many authors have trouble balancing exposition and story pacing. I was happy to find my reservations completely unfounded as I was immediately drawn in by a narrative that burns slowly, but leaves just enough breadcrumbs to keep readers enthralled up through the major twist at the finale.
As I mentioned earlier, Murder Baby successfully raises itself above and beyond the sea of chaff that is the fantasy genre. Perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas’ Throne of Glass series and Joe Abercrombie’s The First Law trilogy, readers will not want to miss this tour de force of a debut.
