This is my snippet this
week for SFFSat. SFFSat is a
place where a number of authors post snippets from their written
works, and give the opportunity for comments, support and encouragement.
Please also explore the other blogs that are part of this set - you
can find the information here.
The creature was at least seven feet
long, small bat wings behind its neck beating wildly to lift the
gigantic head away from the ground as the dozen spindly legs carried
the snake-body towards us. This thing was never meant to fly, but the
wings enabled it to rear up well above my head, even if I had been
standing. The sleek, brilliantly-coloured blue and scarlet hide was
rippling as it flung itself at us. The head divided where its mouth
should have been into a cluster of long, writhing violet tentacles,
each tipped with a vicious-looking spine. It did not appear to have
any eyes, but it was homing in upon us without any difficulty.
The graalur spun, and hacked at the
three-foot tentacles as they lashed at him. I couldn't fault him for
courage - I just flung myself away, leaving him to face the
monstrosity. I had no idea what this thing was - it could be a
ruzdrool or an inskiir, or even an adjalik. Frankly, I didn’t care.
I snatched up Crest's sword - he wouldn't be needing it again - and
turned to see what was happening...
Comments welcomed!
Great snippet...love the descriptiveness of the surroundings. Also, the line about Crest not needing his sword.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteI really liked the descript of the creature itself and that it had wings just to support its head. That's a cool detail that I've never seen before. Sorrel just leaning back and watching but grabbing a weapon - great character building details.
ReplyDeleteCan't claim it as entirely original - there's a monster in D&D which gave me the idea (another dreadful secret of my murky past revealed!).
DeleteCool description of the creature. Very much a tense scene.
ReplyDeleteThanks - my aim was to come up with something very alien and terrifying.
DeleteLovely description. I think I might get one of these as a pet.
ReplyDeleteYou'll need a steady supply of orcs, corpses and pilots to feed to it...
DeleteJudging from the description, I'd put my money on it being an inskiir (African, not European) although the blue and scarlet coloring of its hide does call that into question. Either way, the beast is entirely creepy, and I do NOT envy Sorrel at this moment.
ReplyDeleteSorry - you'd lose your money. It's a ruzdrool (Sorrel runs into another one later in the book and barbecues it). But thanks for the kind words!
DeleteSo, my instant response was "oh, hell no," but once I got past how visual and ick your descriptions was (very effective, if I might add), I was totally impressed with Sorrel's self-preservation. Running sounds fantastic. Killer snippet, Peter.
ReplyDeleteOne of the rare instances where Sorrel actually demonstrates common sense...
DeleteBrilliant descriptions! Cannot wait to tuck into this book. It's waiting its turn.... ;D
ReplyDeleteI know that problem - too many books, not enough free time...
DeleteHasn't Sorrel seen any of the three?
ReplyDeleteNo - she's a stranger in the Chasm. She was warned about all three local horrors, but didn't get any details. (She was in a mood at the time so didn't bother to ask).
DeleteThat's one freaky monster! I'd leave the graalur to deal with it, too!
ReplyDeleteDon't call it freaky to its face - it'd probably attack.
DeleteActually, it'd probably attack anyway, so as you were...
Very action-packed and the reader is invested in the outcome. Nice going.
ReplyDelete