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William Schlichter is an award-winning screenwriter and author who enjoys writing science fiction, fantasy, and horror and exploring the phantasmagorical world of the undead. His popular No Room in Hell zombie series (The Good, the Bad, and the Undead; 400 Miles to Graceland; Aftershocks) and SKA: Serial Killers Anonymous about a serial killer support group are fan favorites, and he enjoys spending time on the convention circuit.
His full-length feature script, Incinta, is a 2014 New Orleans Horror Film Festival finalist, a 2015 Beverly Hills Film Festival finalist, and an Official Selected finalist in the 2016 Irvine Film Festival. His TV spec script episode of The Walking Dead placed third in the 2013 Broadcast Education Association National Festival of Media Arts.
William has a Bachelor of Science in Education from Southeast Missouri State and a Masters of Arts in Theater from Missouri State University. When not writing, William enjoys traveling, and teaching acting, composition, and creative writing. He resides in Missouri where he is currently working on his next novel.
Reviewed by Jane Cairns for Readers' Favorite
Sirgrus Blackmane--dwarf, war veteran, and detective--seeks the murderer of Craig Mason. Although Mason is human, Blackmane and Mason fought the orcs together in the world war and subsequently opened a detective agency as partners. America is a land of humans and demihumans and other creatures. Dwarves, mages, fauns, trolls, and other creatures inhabit this world with humans. After Mason's death, Blackmane investigates a case concerning Doris, a dancer whose death may have been suicide, or maybe murder. Was this death linked to Mason’s death? Blackmane has a slightly twisted sense of humor. When interacting with a rock giant at The Dark-Elf (a bar), Blackmane thinks, “They’re immune to magic-edge weapons, and I left my howitzer in my other coat.” Blackmane declares he hates magic. But magic, in the form of FBI Agent Edgeangel, a mage, helps him solve his cases.
Looking for a well-written mystery mixed with some fantasy? Then Sirgrus Blackmane Demihuman Gumshoe & The Dark-Elf by William Schlichter is a must-read. Schlichter does well at mixing the real world with his created fantasy world. Although no specific time frame is mentioned, there's been a world war and Prohibition is still in full effect. Blackmane is an unreliable narrator. He says, “I don’t speak about the war.” But allusions to the Great War are forever creeping into his narration of the story. In fact, it inhabits a lot of the story. Segregation rules, with races confined to different sections of the city where Blackmane resides. Interactions between the demihuman, magical creatures, and humans are natural and convincing, even down to stereotypical attitudes so similar to the ones in our current culture. Schlichter’s solid prose and good characterization kept the plot moving and my interest level high. I look forward to reading more about Sirgrus Blackmane in the future.
