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Blades Reforged
The world is on the brink of ruin. The Goddess’ chosen must fight back, lest Abomination consume everything.
Everything is hurtling towards catastrophe.
The Blade is lost. People have died. Abomination is still out there. No one knows what to do… but they have to do *something*.
Without the Blade tying him to the situation, Jamirh feels adrift and forgotten about as the government of Romanii tries to brace itself for what’s coming. Takeshi is still trying to navigate whether or not he wants to be a priest of Hades, but the effects of his encounter with the Truth Seekers are making everything more difficult. Ander blames himself for not foreseeing the events at Tilden Base and has locked himself away in his lab. After centuries of being controlled by the Empire, the Seekers themselves have their own plans – which may or may not align with those of the goddess.
But what even is Abomination? What is magic? Why do these two forces find themselves in conflict cycle after cycle, and what does it mean for the mortals who find themselves caught between them?
As Abomination begins to gain ground, can anything be done to stop it? Or will the world finally end in ruin?
Everything is hurtling towards catastrophe.
The Blade is lost. People have died. Abomination is still out there. No one knows what to do… but they have to do *something*.
Without the Blade tying him to the situation, Jamirh feels adrift and forgotten about as the government of Romanii tries to brace itself for what’s coming. Takeshi is still trying to navigate whether or not he wants to be a priest of Hades, but the effects of his encounter with the Truth Seekers are making everything more difficult. Ander blames himself for not foreseeing the events at Tilden Base and has locked himself away in his lab. After centuries of being controlled by the Empire, the Seekers themselves have their own plans – which may or may not align with those of the goddess.
But what even is Abomination? What is magic? Why do these two forces find themselves in conflict cycle after cycle, and what does it mean for the mortals who find themselves caught between them?
As Abomination begins to gain ground, can anything be done to stop it? Or will the world finally end in ruin?
- GenresFantasy
446 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 12, 2024
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Liz Sauco
6 books27 followersI’ve always loved stories. The more fantastical, the better. Unicorns were an early favorite of mine; I must have watched The Last Unicorn a thousand times as a child, driving my parents to near insanity. I journeyed with Bilbo and Frodo to their respective mountains, flew with the dragonriders of Pern, rode with the Heralds of Valdemar (and desperately wanted a Companion. Or a dragon. Any talking animal friend, really). I devoured every book I could get my hands on – trips to Barnes and Noble were hotly anticipated.
Anime (thanks, Toonami!) and video games were other favorites. I watched Sailor Moon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Gundam Wing, played Zelda and Mario. Some of my earliest memories are of watching my parents play A Link to the Past and Mario 64. A Link to the Past was the first game I ever finished. I found myself endlessly fascinated with how the Zelda games fit together. Mythology also grabbed me, made me think of how other cultures viewed the world.
And then I made up stories for myself when I ran out of media to consume.
In college, I decided I was going to write a book. NoNoWriMo was popular, and I had a few other friends who wrote a bit, so I decided I would give it a try in Nov of 2010. I outlined and outlined. My outline was almost twenty pages long (and only about three-quarters of the way through the story) when I decided it was not actually what I wanted to write. It was too much like a video game. I scrapped it, and went back to the drawing board. Then I realized – what if I told the story that came after that one? That would be more interesting.
(I missed that NaNoWriMo deadline by quite a bit.)
So I started again, worldbuilding with what would have happened in the thousand years between the two stories. I drew maps. I made races. I fleshed out my characters, some of whom were the same – the benefits of writing immortals. By the time NaNoWriMo 2011 came around, I was ready.
I wrote three and a half chapters. In that fourth chapter, I introduced my pirate characters – and writing their speech exhausted me so much that I just… stopped. The story sat in the back of my mind for almost a decade, untouched by any actual writing, but living and growing anyway. I consumed more media, more stories. Marvel, Star Wars, and Game of Thrones dominated conversations around me (I mentioned I’m a nerd, right? If not, you could probably tell). I started crocheting little cute plushies. I got a job teaching Latin.
Then came 2020. Everyone was staying at home. A friend of mine brought up a book she had been writing some time ago, and I mentioned mine. We decided to give them both another go, offering critique and support to each other as we went.
And this time, I successfully wrote Lost Blades, kicking off my journey as an author.
Nowadays, Destiny 2 and Genshin Impact make up the majority of my gaming, both franchises with lore-rich worlds ripe for theorycrafting. Go ahead, ask me anything about either of those, but be prepared for a dissertation in response. I still crochet plushies, and fantasy still makes up the majority of my world. I’m excited to embark on this publishing journey, and I’m glad you stopped by to check in! For more information on my books, or just getting to know me better in general, I hope you’ll take some time to explore my website, read my blog, or even send me a message.
Cheers!
Anime (thanks, Toonami!) and video games were other favorites. I watched Sailor Moon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Gundam Wing, played Zelda and Mario. Some of my earliest memories are of watching my parents play A Link to the Past and Mario 64. A Link to the Past was the first game I ever finished. I found myself endlessly fascinated with how the Zelda games fit together. Mythology also grabbed me, made me think of how other cultures viewed the world.
And then I made up stories for myself when I ran out of media to consume.
In college, I decided I was going to write a book. NoNoWriMo was popular, and I had a few other friends who wrote a bit, so I decided I would give it a try in Nov of 2010. I outlined and outlined. My outline was almost twenty pages long (and only about three-quarters of the way through the story) when I decided it was not actually what I wanted to write. It was too much like a video game. I scrapped it, and went back to the drawing board. Then I realized – what if I told the story that came after that one? That would be more interesting.
(I missed that NaNoWriMo deadline by quite a bit.)
So I started again, worldbuilding with what would have happened in the thousand years between the two stories. I drew maps. I made races. I fleshed out my characters, some of whom were the same – the benefits of writing immortals. By the time NaNoWriMo 2011 came around, I was ready.
I wrote three and a half chapters. In that fourth chapter, I introduced my pirate characters – and writing their speech exhausted me so much that I just… stopped. The story sat in the back of my mind for almost a decade, untouched by any actual writing, but living and growing anyway. I consumed more media, more stories. Marvel, Star Wars, and Game of Thrones dominated conversations around me (I mentioned I’m a nerd, right? If not, you could probably tell). I started crocheting little cute plushies. I got a job teaching Latin.
Then came 2020. Everyone was staying at home. A friend of mine brought up a book she had been writing some time ago, and I mentioned mine. We decided to give them both another go, offering critique and support to each other as we went.
And this time, I successfully wrote Lost Blades, kicking off my journey as an author.
Nowadays, Destiny 2 and Genshin Impact make up the majority of my gaming, both franchises with lore-rich worlds ripe for theorycrafting. Go ahead, ask me anything about either of those, but be prepared for a dissertation in response. I still crochet plushies, and fantasy still makes up the majority of my world. I’m excited to embark on this publishing journey, and I’m glad you stopped by to check in! For more information on my books, or just getting to know me better in general, I hope you’ll take some time to explore my website, read my blog, or even send me a message.
Cheers!
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 19, 2024
This is legit one of my favorite books. I love the authors writing style and the characters. It’s so detailed and there’s so many layers, it’s amazing. It’s also a unique story (which when you read too much fantasy-sci fi books can be difficult to find). I can’t recommend it enough. I can’t wait to reread the series!
September 10, 2024
Blades Reforged is the third book in the Blades of the Goddess series, a high fantasy with urban and sci-fi vibes. With the Blade lost and abomination still at large we find Ander, Takeshi, Jamirh and all the others, trying to find out what they can do to stop Abomination.
This ending to the series has the events of the previous books nicely woven through it, giving you a flashback at just the right time. The world-building is, as always, really well done. From Anders' lab to the Temple and the outskirts and factories, it isn't just a world, it really is an essential part of the story.
Character building is very much a part of Blades Reforged and I like how we get to know the characters on a different level. I personally really like the vibe of the twins Salisha and Desha, I love their positivity and quirkiness. And that is also exactly what is needed in a time like this.
Jamirh is trying to find his way and purpose now the sword is no longer. Takeshi is trying to figure out his calling. Ander has decided to lock himself in his lab, blaming himself for what happened with the Blade and trying to rectify things. And between all that we also have Jeri who is intend on hiding what happened to her in the last battle, Hades who spends every minute trying to find the source of the remaining abomination, and the Seekers who have decided to take their faith in their own hands.
And let's not forget Jitsu and the other wargs, so so very cute, but also really smart and a much needed support for Takeshi, and even for the goddess, the temple and the inhabitants of Tarvishte.
The world is facing all sorts of problems, one might even say impending doom, and so many of the characters are having their own existential crises, it feels like reading about real life, but in a high fantasy sci-fi setting. This book, this entire series, is such a refreshing read and I highly recommend it.
Thanks to the author Liz Sauco for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. I read this book as an ARC reader but my opinions are my own and my review is voluntarily.
This ending to the series has the events of the previous books nicely woven through it, giving you a flashback at just the right time. The world-building is, as always, really well done. From Anders' lab to the Temple and the outskirts and factories, it isn't just a world, it really is an essential part of the story.
Character building is very much a part of Blades Reforged and I like how we get to know the characters on a different level. I personally really like the vibe of the twins Salisha and Desha, I love their positivity and quirkiness. And that is also exactly what is needed in a time like this.
Jamirh is trying to find his way and purpose now the sword is no longer. Takeshi is trying to figure out his calling. Ander has decided to lock himself in his lab, blaming himself for what happened with the Blade and trying to rectify things. And between all that we also have Jeri who is intend on hiding what happened to her in the last battle, Hades who spends every minute trying to find the source of the remaining abomination, and the Seekers who have decided to take their faith in their own hands.
And let's not forget Jitsu and the other wargs, so so very cute, but also really smart and a much needed support for Takeshi, and even for the goddess, the temple and the inhabitants of Tarvishte.
The world is facing all sorts of problems, one might even say impending doom, and so many of the characters are having their own existential crises, it feels like reading about real life, but in a high fantasy sci-fi setting. This book, this entire series, is such a refreshing read and I highly recommend it.
Thanks to the author Liz Sauco for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. I read this book as an ARC reader but my opinions are my own and my review is voluntarily.
September 11, 2024
I enjoy this series in such a fun lighthearted way. Reading through each book is simply a joy, and even while stressful things are happening in the text, I am still happily sitting here with my nook and a cup of tea. In this way, the writing is sbsolutely amazing. It is such a joy reading about these silly little heroes, magic theory, and a giant dog.
This book in particular was a masterful conclusion to (I’ll say it again) one of the most underrated fantasy series I have read. Liz constructed a semi-dystopian world filled with a complex magic system, loveable characters, and life themes that are not overly chiche; everything a light fantasy reader could want. Unfortunately, today’s fantasy is so heavily saturated with spicy romantasy novels. *Sigh*
Up until now, the story has progressed without any focus on romantic feelings between characters. Allowing the characters to develop as themselves first before delving into these aspects was, I think, a genius move. It let the reader focus on each character instead of the budding relationship as well as pressed that romantic relationships do not make these characters who they are, the journey and choices they make for themselves do.
On that note, I also enjoyed the way magic theory was explored more intensely throughout this book. Many fantasy series talk about the rules of magic, or don’t, but Liz goes into the thinking of magic beyond how it works. The way it needs to be thought about in order to understand it so one can utilize it. It is an interesting point of view that I delight in being able to pick apart.
I am so sad this is the last book (maybe? 👀). I would love to see more of all the characters and learn how the world progresses with the consequences of what happens at the end of the book. Overall I just love the way the story, characters, and writing has progressed to this point. It is definitely a fun series I will eventoually go back to enjoy again.
**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book in particular was a masterful conclusion to (I’ll say it again) one of the most underrated fantasy series I have read. Liz constructed a semi-dystopian world filled with a complex magic system, loveable characters, and life themes that are not overly chiche; everything a light fantasy reader could want. Unfortunately, today’s fantasy is so heavily saturated with spicy romantasy novels. *Sigh*
Up until now, the story has progressed without any focus on romantic feelings between characters. Allowing the characters to develop as themselves first before delving into these aspects was, I think, a genius move. It let the reader focus on each character instead of the budding relationship as well as pressed that romantic relationships do not make these characters who they are, the journey and choices they make for themselves do.
On that note, I also enjoyed the way magic theory was explored more intensely throughout this book. Many fantasy series talk about the rules of magic, or don’t, but Liz goes into the thinking of magic beyond how it works. The way it needs to be thought about in order to understand it so one can utilize it. It is an interesting point of view that I delight in being able to pick apart.
I am so sad this is the last book (maybe? 👀). I would love to see more of all the characters and learn how the world progresses with the consequences of what happens at the end of the book. Overall I just love the way the story, characters, and writing has progressed to this point. It is definitely a fun series I will eventoually go back to enjoy again.
**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 20, 2024
It's hard to write a good ending. And to nail the end of a trilogy? Even harder. I have been a fan of this series from the beginning, and so I am BEYOND thrilled that Blades Reforged sticks the landing. Not that I had any doubts. The plot and worldbuilding were clearly well-thought-out from the beginning, so nothing feels out of place, or made up on the spot. Even the reveals (and there are some massive ones!), no matter how surprising, make sense in retrospect.
We spend more time with all our favorite characters, and the growth shown by our leads is great to see. Jamirh especially comes into his own by the story's end. Motivations continuously kept me on my toes, not sure who was friend or foe as strangers formed tenuous alliances to tackle bigger threats.
And, as always, the story builds to an incredible finale full of epic moments, gnarly monsters, and awesome imagery. While the main story is wrapped up nicely, there are plenty of intriguing little threads (and some intriguing BIG threads) that can be addressed in future stories, and I cannot WAIT to read them! The author has crafted such an incredible world in Gaia, full of mystery and possibility and potential adventures. And I hope to read those adventures for many years to come!
We spend more time with all our favorite characters, and the growth shown by our leads is great to see. Jamirh especially comes into his own by the story's end. Motivations continuously kept me on my toes, not sure who was friend or foe as strangers formed tenuous alliances to tackle bigger threats.
And, as always, the story builds to an incredible finale full of epic moments, gnarly monsters, and awesome imagery. While the main story is wrapped up nicely, there are plenty of intriguing little threads (and some intriguing BIG threads) that can be addressed in future stories, and I cannot WAIT to read them! The author has crafted such an incredible world in Gaia, full of mystery and possibility and potential adventures. And I hope to read those adventures for many years to come!
September 9, 2024
Not sure if this is going to be the final installment in the series as there is a lot left on the table to ponder. IMO this was not as good as the first two in the series. In one instance there were over sixty pages of pure dialogue, in hopes of creating depth for the various personalities. This was a major fail in the writing as the internal ruminations were wholly irrelevant to the story line. Characters are built with movement not static renderings.
When the story line finally takes off with movement, it ends abruptly, and we are back in Romani wandering about the castle in a collective mope and talking about feelings. There is a definitive break between building the characters and the movement in this novel. I think it hurt to overall story line quite a bit.
The writing excels in areas suited to movement. As a finale' to an exemplary series, it came up short.
Rating: 3.4/5
When the story line finally takes off with movement, it ends abruptly, and we are back in Romani wandering about the castle in a collective mope and talking about feelings. There is a definitive break between building the characters and the movement in this novel. I think it hurt to overall story line quite a bit.
The writing excels in areas suited to movement. As a finale' to an exemplary series, it came up short.
Rating: 3.4/5
October 23, 2024
Talk about satisfaction! I have read so many series that I feel leave me wanting as they fail to answer all the questions raised. Not so with BLADES REFORGED. Sure I would like to continue reading in this world with these characters because they are awesome but I feel the need because everything was wrapped up so nicely.
This series is one where you really need to start from the beginning as the reader will want to see the characters and their relationships develop. It gives this series such depth. Otherwise, the pacing is on par as is the dialogue. And the world building is excellent.
I will give a gentle warning that there is violence as the book is about the conclusion of a war. There is no sex so don’t worry if that concerns you. I do recommend this book and series to lovers of epic fantasy.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This series is one where you really need to start from the beginning as the reader will want to see the characters and their relationships develop. It gives this series such depth. Otherwise, the pacing is on par as is the dialogue. And the world building is excellent.
I will give a gentle warning that there is violence as the book is about the conclusion of a war. There is no sex so don’t worry if that concerns you. I do recommend this book and series to lovers of epic fantasy.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 25, 2024
Wow—what a way to wrap up a trilogy! This third installment was everything I hoped for and more. There’s a major plot twist that totally caught me off guard, and I loved how the story left room for future adventures. The author has such a talent for crafting a compelling narrative without any unnecessary fluff—it’s all action, emotion, and storytelling that keeps you glued to the pages.
The characters are incredible—so layered and realistic without being overly complex. They truly make you feel with them, whether it’s joy, heartbreak, or triumph. It’s been a while since I’ve connected with characters like this.
If you’re into stories that keep you captivated from start to finish, this series is a must-read. I can’t wait to dive into more books by this author! Highly recommend.
P.S. I'm a little mad I can't have my own warg
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The characters are incredible—so layered and realistic without being overly complex. They truly make you feel with them, whether it’s joy, heartbreak, or triumph. It’s been a while since I’ve connected with characters like this.
If you’re into stories that keep you captivated from start to finish, this series is a must-read. I can’t wait to dive into more books by this author! Highly recommend.
P.S. I'm a little mad I can't have my own warg
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Read
September 2, 2024An epic conclusion to a masterful story. Or is it?
The final book of the trilogy brings everything to a head. Abomination is out there, but where? As Jamirh and the rest of his friends search, others in the party seek to bring meaning to their own inner struggles. And the results are … Well, read the book and find out.
An incredible ending to the trilogy that has left me wanting more. I'll definitely be reading the additional short stories, but maybe there is more that will be told in this world? Only time can tell…
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The final book of the trilogy brings everything to a head. Abomination is out there, but where? As Jamirh and the rest of his friends search, others in the party seek to bring meaning to their own inner struggles. And the results are … Well, read the book and find out.
An incredible ending to the trilogy that has left me wanting more. I'll definitely be reading the additional short stories, but maybe there is more that will be told in this world? Only time can tell…
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 25, 2024
Liz Sauco delivers again. I suppose I should say she delivers again- AS ALWAYS. The conclusion of the Blades trilogy is wholly satisfying. Everyone keeps growing, self-actualizing, and working together for the good. Readers should absolutely begin with book one, but go ahead and grab all three. You won't want to wait before starting the next, and the next.
There's plenty of room for more in the universe Liz has created, and I'm excited for what comes next.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There's plenty of room for more in the universe Liz has created, and I'm excited for what comes next.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 2, 2024
I received an ARC provided by BookSirens for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily
There were moments, and then there were MOMENTS! I tried to savor every word like a ridiculously expensive meal. Bit by tiny bit. Blades Reforged left me invigorated, with a sense of peace. These characters are gonna stay with me for a very long time. This series, from start to finish, made me want to do… I am inspired. Thank you
There were moments, and then there were MOMENTS! I tried to savor every word like a ridiculously expensive meal. Bit by tiny bit. Blades Reforged left me invigorated, with a sense of peace. These characters are gonna stay with me for a very long time. This series, from start to finish, made me want to do… I am inspired. Thank you
December 4, 2024
This book was the most epic ending to the trilogy. I literally could not put it down, the action was so good. The world built is incredible and I really want to read more in this universe. Love it and HIGHLY recommend it!!
August 8, 2024
A perfect completion to a truly fantastic series! (But yes 360,000 words for the promise of a lunch date IS really too long, but worth every single page)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews