Obviously, since we are now here, and you have clearly read the title of this post, I requested and received a copy!
And I absolutely did enjoy reading it.
So scroll on down and take a look for yourself, and have a gander at my thoughts!
A spy lurking in the shadows, a nation on the verge of an invasion, a man desperate to protect his home.
Lucian is the Blade of Castrial, the kingdom's spymaster and first line of defence, lauded for his success in repelling an invasion from Garaner. But the war has left Castrial's economy in shambles, and when the neighbouring kingdom of Sarian musters their armies and sends spies into Castrial, Lucian realises two things: they have a spy in their midst, and they can't afford the cost of fighting off another invasion.
And if that wasn't trouble enough, there is Alaric, the Shield of Castrial and the only man in the Echelon whose power is equal to Lucian's. Returned from banishment like the vengeful spirit of their long-lost relationship, Alaric carries a deep-set grudge against Lucian, a grudge that may well be justified.
Lucian’s desire to protect his nation is nearly equal to his wish to reconcile with Alaric, but if he cannot get his act together and convince the Shield to work with him, Castrial will fall.
Blade Broken is a queer, sword-and-sorcery fantasy and the first book in The Echelon Series. If you love flawed characters, betrayals and redemption, and gritty worldbuilding with lots of political machinations, you will love this book.
My Review!
The kingdom of Castrial is just coming out the other side from their war with Garaner. They might have been victorious, but they have a long way to go on the road to recovery. The last thing Castrial needs is another war, but something is looming, and the consequences could be deadly. Alongside the Sarian refugees making their way into Castrial, spies are slipping through, and Sarian forces are starting to assemble.
War against Sarian would ruin Castrial. With so little recovery time after their victory against Garaner, it would be impossible for Castrial to prove themselves victorious a second time, so quickly. The only option seems to be to stop the fight before it starts, but to do that, the King must have his very best team on hand. He already has Lucian, the Blade of Castrial, who’s role was integral in their successes against Garaner. But Castrial needs it’s Shield back, and there is one man who is a clear contender for the role – and he has just been invited back into Castrial after banishment. Not only that, but he and Lucian have a difficult past, one which they must attempt to move past in order to focus their efforts on Castrial’s continued security and safety.
Alaric returning to Castrial is long awaited, but also dreaded – to return and immediately walk into such a high-commanding role as the Shield of Castrial is certain to draw everyone’s attention, and Alaric must steel himself for everything he will face on his return. Alaric is a character you cannot help but instantly like. He has been through hell in banishment, and it was all he could do to keep himself alive while he wasn’t allowed home. And yet, he is still kind, and thinks carefully about how his actions can affect those around him. Despite his traumatic exile, and although he continues to struggle with the events surrounding it, Alaric is a gentle soul, and one you just want to wrap up in a big hug.
There is much tension on Alaric’s return between himself and Lucian. The Blade and the Shield of Castrial must work together closely, and both hold high rank in the King’s office, but they are at odds. Alaric has returned from exile with a distrust towards Lucian, a resentment and bitterness that he can’t see possible to move past. They might have been incredibly close in the past, but Alaric’s time away has changed that. The emotion surrounding the two men truly hits you as you read – it is impossible to ignore, and they feel so deeply you can almost feel their pain yourself while reading. It is clear they still care for the other’s wellbeing, but whether Alaric can truly trust Lucian, whether they can spend time in each other’s company without Alaric feeling such a deep disdain towards Lucian, is another matter. Both characters have been crafted so carefully, they come alive within the pages. Every ounce of joy, pain, and emotion comes across in the writing so immensely you fall in love with them both as you read, and putting the book down feels like walking away from dear friends.
This is certainly a novel of political intrigue and strategic plotting. With spies slipping into Castrial, and attempts to keep plans hidden from those who would report them back to Sarian, Castrial must attempt to use its own methods of finding out Sarian’s motives, and attempt to stop the attack before it comes. Sylvester is an interesting character, for he is a spy himself, placing himself where the King requires him, in an attempt to find out information that would give Castrial the high ground. The intricacies of his job, as well as his devotion to his nation, make Sylvester’s perspective in this novel one that will certainly pique your interest. His is a high-stake role, and as another instantly likeable character, he will have you on the edge of your seat.
The world created inside this novel is truly magnificent. There is no block text of description, telling the reader the intricacies of how the nations are laid out, how the King’s office and laws are set out, or how the magical side of the world works, and yet, all of these things are revealed so subtly the reader never feels out of place, or as though they do not understand the world. The reader is guided through Castrial as though they have always lived there among the characters. With such carefully and well-crafted characters, it is only right that they have a fully fleshed out world to live in, and the author has done just that with Castrial.
This is a novel you can’t get enough of as you read. You can never have ‘just one more chapter’, for you will finish that chapter and begin the next one. There is no such thing as free will when the next chapter is right there, and it would be so easy to just keep reading. This is the kind of novel you will simply devour, and be left waiting at the end wanting more. If I had one complaint, it would be that I don’t yet have book 2.
And done!
I really am so glad I asked for an ARC of this book. I started reading it one evening in the bath, and I absolutely could not put it down. Every time I turned to the start of a new chapter, my ereader's display would only show me the first sentence or so. The problem being, I would read that, then be so intrigued and not want to stop that I would keep reading. I ended up stuck in a loop and couldn't stop reading it for over an hour. My bath was quite cold by the time I managed to get out of the spell!
Anyway, that's all for now...
Bye!
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