Broken Blade
New author (to me), more shadowy rogue fantasy. And I liked it. I wasn't stricken either way by the writing, perhaps, but the story wasn't padded out with meandering or anything. It told what it needed to. I'm a little sorry that the second book isn't due out 'til July, when this is probably the beginning of a trilogy or longer.
Aral works - a trained assassin of a religious order under a goddess of something approaching justice, he was one of the best and brightest until the other gods turned on his patron and the order was destroyed. While he's fallen into drinking and generally lost his way, the book covers a turning point of sorts where he has to face everything he's become. I like that, in addition to the obviously, he has to face that he's in a position to make his own choices now and things are a lot more "shades of grey" without divine direction.
And I like Triss, Aral's bound shade familiar that literally inhabits his shadow and allows a good deal of the abilities that make their team above average. It seems all mages have familiars of some sort as part of the process in this world. ... I wonder if I read some excerpt somewhere, since I envisioned my (mostly-created, but not played) Immortal character as having a shadowy drake familiar...
I did find one element a little odd, where Aral observes a noblewoman and internally comments on her physique as if it's the norm for nobles to be fit combatants. While nobles would have time to practice with blades that commoners would not, it seems like that's usually more a hobby of a few than a standard - at least in most settings. Ah well, it's not like I can't accept that it may be otherwise in this one.
Aral works - a trained assassin of a religious order under a goddess of something approaching justice, he was one of the best and brightest until the other gods turned on his patron and the order was destroyed. While he's fallen into drinking and generally lost his way, the book covers a turning point of sorts where he has to face everything he's become. I like that, in addition to the obviously, he has to face that he's in a position to make his own choices now and things are a lot more "shades of grey" without divine direction.
And I like Triss, Aral's bound shade familiar that literally inhabits his shadow and allows a good deal of the abilities that make their team above average. It seems all mages have familiars of some sort as part of the process in this world. ... I wonder if I read some excerpt somewhere, since I envisioned my (mostly-created, but not played) Immortal character as having a shadowy drake familiar...
I did find one element a little odd, where Aral observes a noblewoman and internally comments on her physique as if it's the norm for nobles to be fit combatants. While nobles would have time to practice with blades that commoners would not, it seems like that's usually more a hobby of a few than a standard - at least in most settings. Ah well, it's not like I can't accept that it may be otherwise in this one.
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