Ahoy there me mateys!

Just finished book one of this trilogy series. It is the second book I have read by this British novelist. I am not sure where I heard about it but I do remember the person claiming this was one of the best modern fantasy trilogies. Well the beginning was fun.

So, overall I love the main character, Vaelin Al Sorna. The book is mostly told from his point of view. He and his mates seem to be the heart of this story, and as I liked those characters that is a good thing. I really liked the characters of Sollis, Dentos, and Frenis. Unfortunately there are not enough women in this series. I mean, the Order that Vaelin belongs in doesn’t allow for marriage or women so I get that on some level there is a reason for the absence. One of the few women that do exist is Princess Lyrna, and I kinda hated her and had a hard time finding any compassion for her. Two other women, Sherrin and Sella, are much better.

I also love most of the world building that was there but I wanted way more details. The politics of the Orders are a little strange and the history of the world seems spotty, but the book did have plenty of plot twists so maybe we are just not meant to know yet.

The pace of the book was fairly good at the beginning and end but had a several low points in the middle, like where there is a skirmish in the woods that went on for too long, and I could have done without. Also, the segments of the story told from the historian’s point of view were also not that interesting though I understood why they were there.

Could have probably been a shorter book overall in places with no major harm done. My copy was 575 pages. When I went to pick up the second novel I realized that I have no real interest in continuing the story. I don’t need to know what happens next. Perhaps this series will work better for ye . . . but I am done.

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