Thune’s Vision: A Collection of Stories by Schuyler Hernstrom
570 words
Thune’s Vision: A Collection of Stories is the first book by Schuyler Hernstrom. Released in 2016, this slim volume includes four short stories and a novella. The opening piece, "The Challenger’s Garland," first appeared in Heroic Fantasy Quarterly 20 (2014); other stories included are original to the volume. The cover of this paperback, replete with pastel vista of a lizard-rider approaching a skull-domed hillock, as well as a Yr rune of the Younger Futhark accompanying the book title, signals to the reader what lays in wait.
Hernstrom’s rich prose situates the author in the best traditions of classic sword and sorcery (S&S) and Appendix N. In an interview at The Dacian, Hernstrom has cited Jack Vance as a strong influence on his writing; indeed the fatalism inherent to the Dying Earth stories is likewise present in Thune’s Vision. "Doomed" is perhaps the best singular term to describe the protagonists and worlds in Thune’s Vision. Even so, this book is not a dour read. Rather, Hernstrom’s protagonists have little time for self-pity, and his characters face their fate head on. Further, the author manages to imbue every story with a feeling of triumphant defiance. In that regard, Hernstrom’s literary voice is one of the most powerful and invigorating in the burgeoning contemporary wave of sword and sorcery.
As another constant, Hernstrom’s stories possess a mythic, mystical quality. Magic is deific, rarified, and unknowable in Thune’s Vision. Invisible threads connect the characters in Hernstrom’s worlds, and while his characters (and readers) may feel the presence of such connections, the why and how of the connections are tantalizingly unknowable. Prophecy guides the narratives of "The Challenger’s Garland" as well as "Athan and the Priestess," Foreshadowing in "The Saga of Adalwolf" is omnipresent. The lattermost story is a novella with a plot that unspools heartbreaking destiny reminiscent of Poul Anderson’s The Broken Sword. Given its length, "The Saga of Adalwolf" is the dominant narrative in the collection. Here, Hernstrom presents his own edda, blending of Germanic tribal culture and Norse myth. Lest the story be spoiled, it will suffice to state the seasons of Adalwolf’s life are truly epic; a longer narrative approach allows Hernstrom to better plumbs the depths of humanity and hubris.
As a final thematic line, the barbarous nature of Hernstrom’s protagonists lends verisimilitude to story settings--Hernstrom’s protagonists aren’t heroes. The Black Knight of "The Challenger’s Garland" serves dark forces, Athan of the eponymous "Athan and the Priestess" is a slave-owning warlord of the steppes, the alien race in "The Movements of the Ige" are blood-crazed zealots, the seemingly playful jabs between the faerie and wizard of "The Ecology of the Unicorn" bely deadly seriousness, and the aforementioned Adalwolf’s hubris telegraphs the story’s ending. Hernstrom’s characters and settings are not necessarily likeable, but they are relatable. This fact ensconces the characters of Thune’s Vision in the S&S tradition of those such as Karl Edward Wagner’s Kane.
Herntrom’s more recent The Eye of Sounnu was published by DMR Books in 2020 to much praise, and is readily available. While Thune’s Vision has been an affordable print-on-demand paperback from Amazon, it has recently become unavailable. Here’s to hoping a reprinting or second edition of this volume is forthcoming. While varied in plot and setting, the stories in Thune’s Vision share a masterful use of genre elements that establish Hernstrom as a force in the modern S&S resurgence.
About the Reviewer: Luke E. Dodd is a scientist, devourer of music, and collector of hobbies. He is one of the three hosts of The Cromcast, a podcast dedicated to the works of Robert E. Howard and other weird fiction. He lives in Kentucky with his wife and son.
About Spiral Tower Reviews: The authors who maintain the pulp genres of sword and sorcery and cosmic horror merit support. Financial support is key but there are other ways the cash-strapped can show support: engaged reading and thoughtful analysis. Literary movements emerge through the interactions of editors, authors, publishers, and amateur literary journalists. Learn more about contributing your review here.
