Knaves: A Blackguards Anthology (3)
Tales of the Otori #4.9 - Wine, Knife, Sword
by Melanie R. Meadors, Alana Joli Abbott, Maurice Broaddus, Cullen Bunn, Toiya Kristen Finley, Shanna Germain, Lian Hearn, Walidah Imarisha, Mercedes Lackey, Dennis Lee, Cat Rambo, Linda Robertson, Clay Sanger, Anna Smith Spark, Kenny Soward, Anton Strout, Sabrina Vourvoulias, Howard Tayler, Linda Robertson Reinhardt
Narrated by Scott Aiello, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Raphael Corkhill, Jonathan Davis, Victor Bevine, Lauren Fortgang, Ryan Vincent Anderson, Kyla Garcia, Barrie Kreinik
Why You'll Love This
Nine narrators, one taut collection: morally complex stories where villains have noble sides and heroes face darker choices, making this anthology actually land.
About This Book
Moral ambiguity takes center stage in this third Blackguards anthology, where fourteen original fantasy short stories explore the blurred line between villainy and heroism. Edited by Melanie R. Meadors and featuring contributions from Mercedes Lackey, Cullen Bunn, Lian Hearn, Anton Strout, and a dozen other voices, the collection presents characters who defy easy categorization: swindlers, mercenaries, and reluctant champions each navigating situations where right and wrong refuse to stay fixed. The stories range across varied fantasy settings, bound together by a shared fascination with conscience and consequence.
Nine narrators bring this sprawling anthology to life, including Jonathan Davis, Victor Bevine, and Lauren Fortgang, matching vocal personality to each story's distinct tone. The rotating cast prevents listener fatigue across nine hours, letting each tale breathe on its own terms. The format rewards attentive ears: short fiction thrives in audio, where a single well-delivered line can reframe an entire character's moral standing in ways the page alone rarely achieves.