Seven Blades in Black
(Grave of Empires #1)
by Sam Sykes
fantasy
copyright 2019
read in February 2021
rated 7/10: well worth reading
This book has an enormous scope. A well-imagined world with a mix of magic and mechanisms. Plus enormous quantities of blood. A lot of fun in an imaginative and violent way.
Enjoyable but -- several times -- I almost gave up reading.
The heroine suffers so. Not a worry. Except that she has a habit of describing a really terrible time in her past -- then saying that today is even worse.
She also has a mission to kill people. Then, when they are in her sights -- she pauses. Thinks about it. Perhaps talks to the intended victim. Stalls for so long that... the victim escapes. Or just walks away while the hero is philosophising.
Hero? Heroine? Is there a standard? Just to be clear: "she".
There is a lot of philosophising. A. Lot.
So it's an exciting story with ... not quite tedium but... near-tedium. Unless you read for the exploration of the character's angst.
So, the plot. She has a list of people to kill. The seven blades of the title. There is one name crossed off near the beginning of the story. The gradual reveal of the reason for killing is well done.
Then the list grows to -- or is now said to be -- more than thirty people. Okaaayyy. She has killed one. How obvious is it that this book is just one of a series? Okay -- good -- it does say "book one" near the front.
There's a bit of a rush at the end. Several names wiped off the list. Okay, I lost count -- but it seems to be less than seven. Sure there's a lot of violent action... actual advancement of the plot is... dead... slow.
So I finished reading the book. Skimming some introspection to avoid boredom. Yes, I enjoyed it. Yes, the ending is a solid conclusion: well wrapped up yet leaving me wanting more. Well worth reading but with slow patches.
btw: Is there a fantasy equivalent of "space opera"?
Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
... Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved
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I'd rather be super rich than completely stupid... Ginger Meggs
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Dying for you to read my blog, at https: // notdotdeaddotyet .blogspot. com. au/ :-)
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