The Duck with an AX to Grind

Jin Lee’s The Duck with an AX to Grind presents a narrative set in the ruins of Moon Hollow, where the world has been reshaped by the Autarchy. This regime demands that citizens embrace erasure as a form of holiness. The story follows Lee Chungho, a character described as half-teen and half-weapon, who encounters a relic created from the Furnace's waste. This object is an ax capable of erasing whatever it touches. As Chungho wields this tool, he experiences a dual transformation. He gains power but loses his humanity. The weapon communicates with him through his bones, offering a promise identical to that of the Autarchy: to erase pain and self. He must contend with the voices of Yuna, Ji-Eun, and the Remnant, who struggle for survival in this new order. Villages pray for oblivion while rebels view Chungho as a savior. The narrative examines how hope can feel like poison when memory is forbidden. The book explores the tension between becoming a god of annihilation and retaining one's identity. It focuses on the idea that remembering acts as resistance against a society that worships forgetting. Readers who enjoy stories about moral decay, supernatural weapons, and the psychological cost of power will find this work compelling. Those seeking light-hearted fantasy or clear-cut victories may find the tone too bleak. The story concludes with Chungho fighting to remain himself despite the blade's influence.