A heartwarming, cosy tale of grief, knitted goods and necromancy by SFINCs semi-finalist, Adam Holcombe.

A Necromancer Called Gam Gam was a semi-finalist in the first annual Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship (SFINCS), and it’s been on my TBR for a little while. But, as a fellow SFINCS entrant, I couldn’t help but be curious about some of the other books in the contest. So I moved this one up, and I have to say, as someone who lost a parent at a young age, it made me cry.

Blurb

A grandmotherly necromancer seeking resolution for her past with the help of her loyal entourage: an undead cat and a spectral knight.

A girl on the run from the Eternal Empire for the mysterious power she possesses.

When a chance encounter pulls them together, Gam Gam will do what it takes to protect Mina from the rogue sergeant hounding her—including raising the dead. As long as they're dressed for the occasion.

Review

I loved the cosy vibes in this book, and the way that they came from such an unexpected subject-matter. The story was so heartwarming and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The plot was engaging with the grandmotherly Gam Gam helping Mina escape the ire of the soldiers hunting her for her powers, and how they grow and work through their grief together. I have to say, the story wasn’t entirely what I was expecting, but damn it all if it wasn’t cathartic.

The character work in this is great, and that’s not just for the living, but the undead who assist Gam Gam and Mina in their quest. The skeletons wearing knitwear in particular are weirdly cute, and there’s a skelly cat too! Gam Gam is wonderful as an kindly granny figure, and Mina’s grief, fear and anger are so raw and real. Learning to control her powers came perhaps more quickly than I would have expected, but this isn’t a long book.

Pacing was a tad uneven. The opening and introductions were fantastic, but I felt like we got into the action after that a bit quick. The prose for the more contemplative parts of the book was absolutely beautiful with vivid and imaginative descriptions—I especially loved how everyone’s powers were depicted, from Gam Gam’s necromancy, to Mina sifting through memories and projecting them outside of herself. I did feel like the writing in the action scenes was a little stilted, though. The way the concept of grief was dealt with in the story was excellent—sensitive and sympathetic—and it hit my emotions like a truck.

Really enjoyed this one. If you’re looking for more cosy fantasy, this definitely give this one a go.