Writ of Years by Brit Mandelo

The Writ of Years: A Tor.Com Original - Brit Mandelo

I've read such stories before, of magical cursed objects and their owners, victims of avarice. Such stories never have happy endings, and this one spun slowly to its inevitable end. The keyword here, is slow. The pacing improved towards the end, but I felt it was a bit sluggish for most parts.

I think one of the themes in this story is addiction. From the introduction of the main character as an alcoholic, you know this guy is not going to be good at resisting temptations. True enough, he succumbed not once, not twice, but again and again, until his life is forfeit, and even at death's door he was in the grips of addiction, unable to let go.

This story is of horror, in more ways than one.