Conquistador de la Noche by Carrie Vaughn

“Conquistador de la Noche” is a 2009 science fiction novelette by Carrie Vaughn. It is about an ancient Spanish soldier who discovers the “other riches” of the New World.

All Because of A Great Video Game

When I was a kid I used to play a video game called The Seven Cities of Gold on my trusty old Commodore 64 computer. Not only was it fun, but it really heightened my interest in the history of South and Central America. Little did I realize that many years later that game’s influence would lead me to read this interesting story.

Non-spoiler Summary in a Nutshell

Ricardo de Avila served as a soldier in Coronado’s army, helping to search for the Cities of Gold. They never found them, but he stayed in the New World anyway, figuring he could still make a decent life for himself. Years later, working as a courier, he comes across an old friend from Coronado’s army, who invites him to experience the “true riches” of the land. When Ricardo investigates what that means he discovers something more horrible than he could ever imagine! The real question is: will he have the strength to do what is right?

My Two Cents…

• I absolutely loved the setting for this story! A good speculative fiction story set in the time of the conquistadors was brilliant!
• Although it is a bit of a classic story idea, the setting and characters here give it a very cool and unique twist.
• Ricardo de Avila was a great character. I very much enjoyed reading about his thoughts and feelings. A good guy through-and-through!

Interesting Tidbits About This Story:

• Page Count: 25
• Word Count: 11,694
• Did you know that Carrie Vaughn is a graduate of the Odyssey Fantasy Writing Workshop? Yep. You can learn more about this excellent author at her web site.
• If you like Ms. Vaughn’s style, be sure to check out her popular Werewolf DJ series: Kitty Norville.

Where You Can Find Conquistador de la Noche:

• This story was originally published in the Spring 2009 issue of Subterranean Press – where you can still read it online for free.

Craving More Stories?

If you liked “Conquistador de la Noche” then you’ll probably also enjoy Night Bird Soaring by T. L. Morganfield.

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