Sasha

A Trial of Blood & Steel #1

by Joel Shepherd

Sasha turns her back on her regal heritage, forsakes the life she could have as the princess in a rich kingdom, and trains instead to be a powerful warrior, fighting for the good of the people her father commands. Sasha is a princess, the like of which the highland country of Lenayin has never seen before. Spurning her royal heritage to be raised by the great warrior, Kessligh, her exquisite swordplay astonishes all who witness it. But Sasha is still young, untested in battle and often led by her rash temper. In the complex world of Lenayin loyalties, her defiant wilfulness is attracting the wrong kind of attention. Lenayin is a land almost divided by its two faiths: the Verenthane of the ruling classes and the pagan Goeren-yai, amongst whom Sasha now lives. The Goeren-yai worship swordplay and honour and begin to see Sasha as the great spirit—the Synnich—who will unite them. But Sasha is still searching for what she believes and must choose her side carefully. When the Udalyn people—the symbol of Goeren-yai pride and courage—are attacked, Sasha will face her moment of testing. How will she act? Is she ready to lead? Can she be the saviour they need her to be?

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Adult, Military Fiction, Adventure

614 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Joel Shepherd is an Australian science fiction author. He moved to Perth, Western Australia with his family when he was seven, where he later studied film and television arts at Curtin University. He now lives in Adelaide.

Reviews

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating for this book changed a couple of time as I was reading it...why? Allow me to elaborate. After all, the author loves elaborating :) .

This is a medieval type fantasy with no magic to speak of in sight (not a problem for me by the way...just letting you know if it's important to you). The book takes place (basically) in Lenayin...or among its provinces. Lenayin has 13 provinces, it also has either 3 religions or, more accurately 2 religions and a philosophy. The map of course shows 13 nations (that's 12 beside Lenayin) apparently depending on how you count them. This of course doesn't count the Lisan Empire west of the mountains which is on the map but we haven't really dealt with yet. There is also one non-human race. They get discussed, but we don't really meet any of them till near the end of the book. These are the Serrin. They strike me as sort of Samurai-Elves...or possibly Ninja-Elves.

The geopolitics of this world can come close to putting the ones we actually live with to shame. The new religion hates the old religion, the philosophy wants everybody to live together peacefully, therefore it's not really trusted by anyone not subscribing to it. The people who are of the old religion are mostly the commoners(now) so the "royalty" is actively seeking to convert them in the time honored way of the fanatics of many religions...sword point or sword edge or possibly fire, etc. you know whatever works. (It's for their own good after all.) All this of course started long before the book opens...this means that with the amount of politics and intrigue the author has included we get treated to many long and "windy" discussions for the purposes of plot exposition. Add to this the fact that in time honored "fantasy" novel tradition we are treated to new, unknown, mostly unpronounceable and consonant heavy names. Names of people, names of kingdoms, names of provinces, names of religions (some hyphenated) and many similar "looking".

I looked up and read an interview with Mr. Shepherd and he goes on about how the world and it's politics are far more complicated than we find in most fantasy stories, even taking what I thought was a veiled swipe at Tolkien's worlds...I mean okay come-on. I'm giving you 4 stars but the book's not even in the same arena/league with The Lord of the Rings...get over yourself. Anyway...if he was intending to "intricate-up" his fantasy geopolitics, he succeeded.

Now please, don't leave me a message telling me how you managed to follow the politics. That you just had to concentrate and apply your obviously superior intellect to the matter. I followed it also. The story while overly complicated is readable and so far holds up along with Shepherd's world construction. But come on, it's a fantasy. Mr. Shepherd has a lot to say here and you can read a lot or a little subtext into the story as you prefer. I just felt that "The Story" would have profited by being a little more center stage.

This is a 421 page Trade Paper and I believe it was around page 200 that I actually found myself (finally) being drawn into the story. It faded in and out a few times but finally settled in to tell us the saga of Sasha and the other major players in the central story. In the end I liked it, mostly. There is what seems to be a lot of dead-wood in this novel, though for all I know he may be setting up an epic series that will run on for several more books and need it all. I had the impression that this was to be a trilogy...but now that the third one is out Amazon is referring to a "quartet". (This is an update, there are now 4 books)


Please not another Wheel of Time! Please!

So far I intend to order or obtain the next 2 books (the third one is due out this fall-this is an update. I haven't bought it yet.). This one I rate (in the end) a 4. I went back and forth along the gradation from 3 to 4 several times but once it manages to get "off the ground" it finally manages to spread its wings and flies pretty well.


Update: So far I've put off purchasing the next book(s). There are indeed 2 more already out and at least one more to come (in the not to distant future I assume as there is a title and cover and Amazon is taking pre-orders). I'll probably wait till I see if #4 is the final volume and it's out before I buy. I mean it's not like I don't have other books to read. :)

Update 2: I have purchased the books...have not yet read beyond this volume however. My "to be read" hoard (horde? I mean the books over-running me is becoming a real possibility) is out of hand. "So many books so little time" as it goes.

[Kitty G Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book on audible as a kind of spur of the moment 'I want some good fantasy' read and this certainly ticked all the 'good fantasy' boxes I had in mind. I would class this as an epic or classic fantasy crossover, becuase it's a longish read and it has some slower more political moments, but this one is DEFINITELY way better with lady characters than a lot of the more 'traditional' classic/epic fantasies I have read. What I love about this story is that although we do get a fair few fantasy 'tropes' being pandered to e.g. two rival religions and forces, a looming war, a chosen one, an heir killed off and a kind of useless king - We also have an amazing and wonderful female lead character who really does a lot to subvert all the damsel in distress tropes and promote ladies taking more of a leading and exciting role.

Sasha is a Princess who has given up her title in order to train as a warrior. She's from a long line of kings and she's got many other siblings who could take the throne, so she's fairly estranged from her father the King and her mother is dead. Instead Sasha is raised mostly by her teacher, Kessleigh, who is not only a very awesome teacher, but also a strict and very famous leader in battle, ware-fare and strategy. He comes from the Goeren-yai practises and he trains Sasha in their beliefs and ways, but Sasha also upholds her own Lenayin Verenthane heritage and she longs for a day when both peoples that she loves will see peace.

The Goeren-yai worship swordplay and honour and they believe Sasha is a great spirit—the Synnich—who will unite them, but they also believe that the ways of the Verenthane rulers are outdated and they need to shake things up. When a strong threat is posed to the neighbouring Udalyn people—the symbol of Goeren-yai pride and courage—Sasha has to step into a role she's been prepared for but never wanted...

What I really liked about this book was the characters and the world. I feel as though the plot was fairly standard for an adult fantasy, but the characters and the division of the two ways of life and religions/regions really helped to elevate this to a really exciting and intriguing story. Sasha and Sofy were by far my two favourite characters (for different reasons) as they both represented something very different and yet equally as valuable about women in wartime. I really feel like both overcame a lot and both made the story a lot more dimensional than it otherwise would have been.

Overall, this was a great read and I was inspired to move right onto book #2 which I am also really liking :) 4*s for this one :D

[Tamora Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's intricate and hard to get into at first, as the author throws a lot of world building and complex societies, peoples, and religions at you, but I kept reading and was rewarded with an outsider princess who took up a warrior's training to bring her closer to a beloved brother. When he was killed, she stayed with it for his sake and for her own, not realizing that by becoming the favored student of her father's former top general and counselor, she has placed herself in the spot of a prophesied hero who will bring peoples together and raise downtrodden pagans from beneath the rule of their conquerors. Throw in the battle between a harsh, vigorous new monotheism and non-human peoples who are beginning to come forward in response to word of this new hero, and SASHA is a fascinating read that's left me hungry for more!

The fight scenes are hard to follow, and I mentioned the dumps of information about peoples, politics, and history. Those are flaws that can be read past. Parts of the fight scenes truly rock, and the relationships between characters, the flux of power between noble houses and a king who is halfway a monk, with mixed loyalties for everyone, make this an engrossing book.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I would have enjoyed the book better if Sasha was not the only woman with skill and intelligence for most of the book. She is the sterotypical only woman who can do anything right. Still good world building. Strangely, the best character is Sofy.

[Stefan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sasha is the first volume in A TRIAL OF BLOOD AND STEEL, a projected 4-book fantasy series by Australian author Joel Shepherd, who previously also published a science fiction trilogy called the CASSANDRA KRESNOV series. His novels have been available in Australia for several years, and are now being released in the US thanks to Pyr, with Petrodor, the next volume in A TRIAL OF BLOOD AND STEEL, due out in March 2010. Based on the strength of Sasha, I expect Joel Shepherd to become a well-known name in US fantasy circles soon.

The land of Lenayin is spiritually divided into two different religions. The Goeren-yai faith, which is the original Lenayin religion and embraced by most of the common people, has a pagan flavor, its adherents guided by spirits and focused on strength and honor. The Verenthane belief more closely resembles a traditional organized religion and counts the vast majority of Lenayin's nobility amongst its followers. When the sole remaining Goeren-yai High Lord kills a neighboring province's Verenthane leader, a complex conflict begins that threatens to tear apart the fragile balance keeping Lenayin together.

In this setting we encounter the novel's fascinating heroine, Sasha (short for Sashandra), a younger daughter of the Lenay king who has abandoned her royal privileges to live among the Goeren-yai and study svaalverd fighting techniques with Kessligh, the hero of a past war with neighboring Cherrovan. She has also adopted the Nasi-Keth, a third belief system that follows the teachings of the non-human serrinim. Sasha is an interesting protagonist — a supremely talented sword fighter, but temperamental, stubborn, and torn in different directions by her desire to lead a simple life studying swordwork on the one hand, and the call of history and duty on the other hand... especially when it becomes clear that the Goeren-yai believe she is guided by the Synnich spirit that will liberate them from Verenthane oppression.

Complex as all of this may sound, it's only a very crude sketch of the intricate and frankly huge fantasy world Joel Shepherd has created in A TRIAL OF BLOOD AND STEEL. The novel introduces or hints at several other plot threads, and the country of Lenayin, which this entire novel is set in, barely takes up 5% of the map. It's very clear that there is a huge amount of space and story left for the next novels in the series to explore and develop, but at the same time, Sasha is a self-contained story. While the novel starts out slow due to the understandable need for some basic exposition early on, it quickly ratchets up the intensity to the point where I had trouble putting it down, and reaches an explosive conclusion.

One minor criticism: Sasha has a LOT of characters, and unfortunately, several of them have quite similar names. Not counting the historical names, the cast list has 66 names, and almost 50 of those contain the letter Y: Jaryd, Daryd, Garys... Tyrun, Tarryn, Tarynt... the Lords Usyn Telgar and Udys Varan... You get the idea. There's really nothing wrong with this in principle, but combined with the slower pace of the first few chapters, it makes this novel a bit harder to get into than it could be, and impatient readers may unfortunately lose interest and miss out on the big pay-off later on.

Aside from that minor point, I thought Sasha was excellent, especially given that this is Joel Shepherd's first fantasy novel. It offers a huge fantasy world, a fascinating heroine, heart-pounding descriptions of both small-scale sword fights and full-on warfare, several characters that genuinely grow and change, and — maybe most importantly — the hint that this is just the start of what could become a great series. While I wouldn't rank it quite as high as George R.R. Martin's A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, I think Sasha will go down very well with fans of that series because it shares some of its characteristics, including its huge scope and cast, its focus on politics and noble intrigue, and (at least in the early novels of ASoIaF) the almost complete absence of magic and mystical creatures. Based on the cover art of the recent Pyr edition (which, to my eyes, unfortunately resembles a screen capture of a bad video game and made more than one person ask me if this is a YA novel), I had low expectations for this novel, but those were quickly blown out of the water. Sasha is an excellent epic fantasy novel that promises great things for the rest of the series. Recommended.

(This review is also published on the Fantasy Literature website: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/shep... --- come visit us!)

[Di Maitland · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘She’s just a girl,’ Jaryd said shortly. ‘How much trouble can she cause?’

I knew I'd love this book before I even started. Its protagonist is a sword-wielding princess - it doesn't get much better than that! Fortunately, it's on Kindle Unlimited. 

Grieving for her beloved elder brother, Princess Sashandra finds solace and purpose learning the sword with her brother's tutor, Yuan Kessligh, best swords master in all of Leyanin. Despite snubbing the traditional, subservient female role, by twenty, Sasha has become a beloved part of Kessligh’s village community, outmatching the local warriors at arms and learning to appreciate their old beliefs. When her brother, Damon, and neighbouring Lord, Jaryd, come bearing news of troubles up north, Sasha and Kessligh join their party to help settle the dispute.

Whilst they’re able to alleviate many of the superficial grievances put forward, they’re unable to resolve the deeper tensions between the nobility, believers in the lowland Verenthane god, and the masses, followers of the old, spiritual, Goeren-yai ways. Sasha, born a Verenthane but living amongst Goeren-yai, must help bridge the divide before civil war breaks her nation apart. 

Sasha is archetypal lost heir - the chosen one, the Synnich-ahn. She is strong, self-confident, brave and protective. Cognisant of the damage likely to be caused by the self-deluded nobility, she doesn’t hesitate to champion the common people - all burly, bearded, tattooed inch of them. But she leads with her heart, and not her head, and very quickly ends up out of her depth. As she comments on the ignorance and naiveté of others, you, the reader, shout at her to recognise her own naiveté, to face the consequences of what it might mean to the people to have a true believer amongst the royal family. 

’Tales and legends are fun, but beliefs, Sasha. Beliefs are dangerous. Be very careful what you believe in, for beliefs are far more dangerous than swords.’

Kessligh is wise and humble, open-minded but exacting. He came to Lenayin from neighbouring Torovan as a young sergeant to volunteer to fight against the invading Cherrovan. He rose quickly through the ranks and came to command all the armies of Lenayin.

Sasha had always found it curious, this yawning gulf between the popular Lenay notion of Kessligh the vanquishing war hero, and her familiar, homespun reality.

He loves Sasha like a daughter and acts as uman to her - teacher of the Nasi-Keth, or Saalshen, way. Shepherd never calls the serrin (those from Saalshen) elves, however, they do seem to have many of their usual attributes: an emphasis on pacifism, acceptance and learning; superior skill at arms; and superhuman abilities like telepathy. In the end, it is Kessligh’s loyalty to his Nasi-Keth brethren that demands he leave Sasha to fight this battle alone.

'I have given so much to Lenayan, but now, I find I have no more left to give. But you do. Whatever you set your mind to, you can achieve. It is your gift. Be very careful what you set your mind to, for not all achievements are great. But know also that you make me proud beyond words.'

Sofy, Sasha’s kind younger sister, reminds me of Primrose from The Hunger Games. Compassionate and caring, she is the glue that brings her family together. Initially innocent, she is given a rude awakening when she joins Sasha on her crusade to save Udalyn and becomes a rounder, stronger, character because of it.

Damon, the spare to the royal succession, does his best to maintain his humanity and his perspective while also carrying out his responsibilities. Judgemental of Sasha to start, he slowly comes around to her way of thinking and must find a middle ground between her outright rebellion and the loyalty he must show to his brother and Heir, Koenyg. Meanwhile Koenyg, forever in the shadow of his martyred elder brother, Krystoff, has grown cold and hard. His idea of what’s best for Lenayin differs starkly from Sasha’s, though it isn’t necessarily wrong, just based on different priorities. He, too, hopes to unite Lenayin, however, his plan to achieve this depends upon Lenayin joining with the Verenthane Bacosh in their up-and-coming fight against Saalshen. Exactly how one leads to the other isn’t yet clear.

I had high hopes early on for a romance between Sasha and Jaryd, a fun-loving, rogue of a Lord. After a rocky start, friendship bloomed and their banter put a smile on my face.

‘Have you spent more than a heartbeat in her presence? Or merely admired her bosom from afar?’
‘It’s a very nice bosom, Your Highness.’
‘Master Jaryd never met a bosom with which he couldn’t hold a conversation,’ said Sasha with a sideways glance.
Jaryd grinned. ‘Yours is disappointingly quiet.’
‘You just haven’t asked it the right questions.’

As did their protectiveness towards one another:“You want him, you come and get him.” That said, my hopes for any romance between them quickly died. I’m now holding out for things between Sasha and Errollyn, the serrin (Saalshen) warrior who swoops in to help save the day. Hopefully we’ll be seeing a lot more of him.

The book had a great pace, a stunningly beautiful, medieval-type setting, and fabulous characters. The layered plot kept my interest with power struggles between men and women, old pagan ways and new, cosmopolitan religions, commoners and the nobility, and humans and the serrin. I imagine this last division will feature prominently in the ensuing books. I look forward to finding out!

[♥ Ashleigh ♥ Contrary to popular belief I'm not actually mad! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Im rating this book 3.5 Stars. The reason behind this is because for most of the book i thought it was only okay - good. but the last 20% was pretty awesome, i was tempted to go with 4 stars, but i just dont think only 20% no matter how good deserves a whole extra star. So there we have it. 3.5.

now onto the actual good bit ^_^

What i liked:
The world was incredibly well done, and i dont have much problems picturing it in my mind, especially Udalyn, which sounded incredibly and somewhere i'd love to visit!

The Battles where AWESOME and so extreme! very well described as well.

The different fractions of Lenayin while confusing most of the time and hard to keep track of did add alot to the story and was deff necessary. without all these different fractions/clans/races the story wouldnt of been half as good. I also enjoyed how they also managed to tie up into either Verethane or Goeren-yai. both formidable soldiers, but i must admit the Goeren-yai were my fave's.

[...]...
'Long, braided hair hung free on the shoulders of the three Goeren-yai, who marched with the slow, arrogant swagger of Goeren-yai manhood, a hand clasped to the hilt of each sword and threat in every step. The three Verenthane soldiers walked in line behind their comrades, with no less intimidating a posture for all their lack of swagger'...[..]

The characters, were all pretty great, too many to name really so here a few of my faves, though i wont list why for each one:

Kessligh, Peg, Sasha, Teriyan, Lynette, Jaryd, Damon, Sofy, Daryd and Errollyn.

The two im looking forward to seeing the most in the next book would be Errollyn and Jaryd.
Jaryd has pretty much gone bat-shit insane and is only holding it together by a thread, hes bound to be interesting no matter what and i'll be disappointed if he's not in the next book.
Im looking forward to seeing Errollyn on his home turfs and i imagine he'll bring some credit to Sasha when she visits - if she doesnt ride their with him.
Actually lets add another, Sofy. Im interested in how she'll handle her marriage and i can imagine her being on of those inspirational people who changes history. very much looking forward to that!

Im hoping to see a few others in the next book, mainly the Goeren-yai, mainly for the fact their awesome. but we'll see.

'Im betting he wont even be at full strength. After all, we're just a pagan, or pagen-loving, rabble of limp-wristed southerners led by a girl. What threat could we possibly be?'


Oh and no romance! can you believe that! was fantastic.

and i suppose onto...

What i didnt like:
It took me FOREVER to get into this book and the hang of this, there's just so many things to keep track of, people, what clans their from, what town their from, who they represent.... ect plus on top of that they all have similar names! who does that?! beyond cruel.

The fact that it took so long for my to really enjoy this book, though when i did it was pretty good. I also think this may of been because this is book one and it took a while to set everything up and explain all the nitty gritty details that couldnt be left out. I'm hoping (fingers crossed) the next book will be right into it and amazing the whole way through.

The bad guys - but thats the point, so no actual complaint here. they ever great bad guys. very hatable. though horses did die which sucked.

The descriptions at the beginning were full on and muddled up the story, quite annoying.

one more complaint i think, Sasha at the start of the book was so dumb and up herself, but she did grow on me as well as pulled her shit together. i didnt dislike her i just didnt overly like her. lol. im glad thats over and done with and hopefully she'll just be a cool badass chick from here on out.

Well. I believe thats all i have to say at this moment..... looking forward to the next book. oh also great Cover.

[Laz the Sailor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me after I read The Warrior's Path. There are some similarities in the setting, and the recommendation was valid.

This book involves lots of sword fighting and palace intrigue. There is no magic, and only a little mysticism. There are religious aspects to the various nations and their conflicts. Our heroine is raised to be an outstanding swordswoman who employs a style that takes advantage of her speed and grace while compensating for her smaller stature. Despite being the 4th child of the king, she is quite ignorant of the political machinations surrounding her. This gives her the ability to question the motives of kings and bishops, and find the best answers for everyone, except perhaps herself.

I am not a fan of "middle earth" style books with strange names and odd geography, and this story suffered a little of that, but the plot and the characters were well drawn (except when there were many people in the same room - I got confused). The battle scenes were excellent, and there were lots of small details that provided depth.

This is part of a series, and while I enjoyed this story, I probably won't read the next, mainly because I don't enjoy the genre.

[Clay Kallam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joel Shepherd's “Sasha” (Pyr, $16, 514 pages) is simply a tremendously satisfying fantasy that is a winner on pretty much all counts.

The Australian author has started a new tetraology with “Sasha” called A Trial of Blood and Steel, and it’s set on the typical pre-industrial world, but with limited magic. Since there are three other books to come, and Shepherd’s intricate plots depend as much on political and economic issues as on interpersonal relationships, it takes him a while to set the scene. But once through the exposition, “Sasha” is just my kind of book: Complex, action-packed, realistic and unpredictable.

The heroine is literally a warrior princess, young, stubborn and, due to her mastery of an unfamiliar discipline and her physical gifts, all but unbeatable with the sword. Political considerations have marginalized her, however, but the many competing forces – from religion to racism, from greed to a lust for power – drag her back into the mix.

I enjoyed “Sasha” as much as any book I’ve read recently, and was disappointed when I finished it. Volume two can’t come soon enough.

[Anna]

I'm going to have to DNF this book (though I don't think 6 pages even counts as started?) because I just can't.
Like. Get this:

"Rural Goeren-yai and city Verenthanes. The old Lenayin, and the new. The Goeren-yai believed in the ancient spirits of Lenay Hills, the Verenthane in the foreign, lowlands gods. Sasha was born Verenthane but lived amongst the Goren-yai...and was raised by Kessligh as Nasi-Keth, the followers of the teachings of the far-off Saalshen"

Like, just try reading that out loud.

Who the fuck can even keep up with all these names on the SIXTH FUCKING PAGE!?

I swear to God, I read that paragraph at least 6 times and found myself skimming over every other word so many times that I STILL had no idea what the fuck was going on.
I just cannot bring myself to read this book.

[Sherwood Smith]

I nearly put this book down. First, nearly all the names and made-up terms had Y as the main (or only) vowel, which made them all look exactly the same to me. (In fact, I wish that y as a common vowel as well as indiscriminate sprinklings of apostrophes would go out of fashion in fantasy and SF real soon). Then there were the long, long LONG Maid and Butler dialogues about religions, where everyone told each other at length what they didn't believe in, so why should the reader slog through this stuff?

But once we got to Sasha being saved from treachery and she began to take action, the story took off like a rocket. I really liked her as a character; I loved her conflicted father, and the banter and action. The second half was a page-turner, and I look forward to the next in this series.

[Soo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Notes:

Kate Reading did a fantastic job! Great narration.

I think there's a misunderstanding about what makes a story an epic. It's not about having a lot of characters in play, backstabbing being part of the norm or several portions at war with one another. It's not about having a foretold destiny and lines drawn to state where you stand.

It doesn't matter how many pieces are on the board if they are not drawn together, shaken and redrawn into intriguing patterns. That's the underlying part of what makes a story epic. Everyone has a preference on whether or not a plot is character or event driven. I actually like it best when it's a balanced mix.

This book was not an epic. It is an interesting YA and fun fantasy adventure story.

[Ladyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I started it based on a recommendation but did not realize at first the author was male. Call it what you will, I'm typically rather annoyed with men who think they can write strong female characters without being patronizing or bigoted. This time, however, I didn't feel that way. I found myself relating rather strongly to the character's personality and becoming absorbed in the story. Mayhaps that's an inditement of the recommender... *twitch*

Regardless, I read through the book rather quickly and am looking forward to the sequel(s), as I've developed a strong cathartic relationship with the characters. My only word of caution is to prepare other potential readers for an insane number of names -- people, places, things (and the maps at the beginning of the book were *not* helpful for ebook readers!)... Shepherd must be a student of Tolkein! It was difficult to muddle through and there was very little exposition to provide any info on the background/world history, etc. All must be gleaned from reading through the story, which is not a bad thing, but it does get rather frustrating at times. And some of the biggest questions I had (what the hell IS a serrin?!) were not explained in this book at all! Admittedly, it only make me want to tear into the further adventures that much more quickly, but I could easily see this becoming a "rage-quit" issue for some readers. Be forewarned and read with only with recognition of oneself! :)

[Scott James · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading this book, I honestly thought to myself, "why did I waste so much time on Song of Ice and Fire." I then castigated myself for waiting so long to read it--I've had it on my kindle for months.

I found Sasha to be an entertaining and refreshing story about the balance between privilege and responsibility. I like my fantasy magic-free when I can get it, and the way Shepherd balances religion(s) and philosophy was spot on for the culture he presented.

I feel somewhat lucky that I'm coming into an established series like this, and need not wait overlong for sequels.

[Lisa Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I read this book years ago, It was so good, I have to write something about the book Sasha.

The way Joel Shepherd writes in this series, captures you and keeps you reading, you don't want to put the book down. and amazingly my husband and myself both loved this book (something that doesn't often happen, due to liking different genres), and the 'A trial of blood and steel' series. Sasha is a strong female character that you want to travel on the journey with her as she discovers what she believes in and where her priorities lie.

A must read story and series

[Liviu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sadly I could not get into this one on several tries so I decided to fast browse it and the prose made me cringe to the end - I either did not get it and the novel is humorous in its pomposity and repeated use of "big words", or it wants to be serious and then it just does not work; naming conventions also grate badly. I hope it will find its audience, but I am not it, or at least not right now...

[April]

I've put this one aside for now. I don't think I'm in the right frame of mind for this one. It feels as if I missed out on a previous book as I don't know enough - there are too many cultures, religions etc. to understand the political upheaval going on in the story and I have no idea who is what and where. I may come back at some later date when my brain feels up to the challenge.

Probably not coming back to this one. Zero interest in the story so far. DNF

[Laer Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shepherd brings to this fantasy series the same thoughtful detailed world-building he did to his Kassandra Kresnov SF trilogy. The details and explanations are worked into the action so discreetly that you hardly notice it. The story moves right along, and you are immersed in this other world.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite good!

[Tiyrna Nightschild · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. The world was imaginative and awesome, and the clans and families realistic, characters believable and strong. I like how the characters grow and develop their world views throughout the course of this book, not only Sasha, but (semi SPOILER) Damon and Sofy and Jaryd and Daryd as well.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Sasha wasn't my favorite character, but surprisingly reading the book through her as the main character did not bother me very much, for although she was childish and infuriatingly blind and selfish at times, her heart was true, and I could understand her.

However, I really liked Sofy because of her stubbornness. It seems that strength runs in the family, and Sasha wasn't the only girl to inherit it. But Sasha herself seems to be a bit biased against the female gender as she never has much faith in Sofy, and I enjoyed it every time Sofy showed Sasha how wrong she was and how strong and determined she could be, despite all adverse circumstances. In fact, I think that Sofy may be stronger than Sasha (certainly more levelheaded), although it's hard to tell because their characters are different, because Sasha could have never accepted the Larosa marriage because she thought it was the right thing to do. Sofy did. She is a very unselfish girl.

I liked Daryd and Rysha as well for their strengths, hidden depths that served them when the situation forced it. Rysha reminds me of a smaller quieter version of Sofy, but no less intense or to be underestimated. I worry about Daryd, though, because he was forced to grow up, too fast, and he took on more of the burden than his sister. I hope he does not turn bitter, and keeps his eyes open still to the possibilities.

Damon I respected for admitting he's wrong, and being strong enough to act upon it, even though it was against his father and older brother and everything around him he has known all his life. That is not easy.

Teriyan was a character I found very interesting. For him to be so driven and cunning when on the surface he seems so.... joking and relaxed. He has depths, and I admire at how he keeps them hidden.

I really enjoyed Kessligh and Torvaal's character, both "good" men with larger than life figures, but I appreciated the fact that the author allowed them flaws. Kessligh for not always understanding Sasha, but being an impressive teacher and what she needed. Torvaal for failing Sasha, but supporting the kingdom. Ultimately he was just, and did the right thing. I respect him for that, and wonder at his thoughts to Koenyg's actions, wonder if he will view it as betrayal, as he perhaps should, or just as over ambition, and perhaps underestimate his son. I fear that he may be killed by his heir, in time. I was really entertained, though, when Torvaal finally recognized his daughter's strengths, and saw her for the formidable opponent she is. I wonder, perhaps, if he isn't a little bit proud of her? He should be.

None of the characters were perfect, and therein lies the beauty. I sort of hope, though, that Errollyn does stay with Sasha, because the serrin very much intrigues me and he especially.

I liked how in the story, good and bad things happened in equal parts to both the good and bad characters in the book. Things need a balance, and the book had it.

I can't wait to read the next one!

[Coucher de soleil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one -it was a fine read in the epic fantasy genre.

Good points: The world building was amazing -the author has built a complex and vivid world with a rich and detailed history. I very much liked the fact that this history is there, yet it was not 'dunped' (as in an 'infodump') on the reader. Rather, the book lets the reader enter the world and discover its history as events progressed. In particular, the nascent civil war in which the characters become embroiled is introduced as is the relevant history of the region, but this is done throughout several chapters and at least partly through characters' recollections and musings as prompted by various events, so that it does not feel forced (i.e. as opposed to various books where I couldn't help but wonder if there would be a quiz at the end in order to ensure the reader had paid attention!). For example, certain fairly recent events are learned of as Sasha (i.e. the main character) recollects them (e.g. the death of her beloved older brother Prince Krystoff) and this recollection leads to the gradual introduction of historical elements (i.e. in the case of Krystoff, the political situation which led to his death). In the end, this gradual yet thorough introduction led to my (as a reader) feeling the *reality* of this world in all its complexity.

The characterization was also very well done, beginning with the main character herself, the (former) princess Sashandra Lenayin. She is fallible, she is frightened, and she is in alone in a great many ways. On the other hand, she is utterly unique, beginning by defying her country's traditional gender roles in order to become a trained warrior and (eventually) a symbol and rallying point for justice in her nation. Sasha is very much the central character of this novel, and yet other characters are also very well drawn: for example the story of the young noble Jaryd Nyvar whose progression from a somewhat spoiled young lordling, to a man who loses everything as a result of simply wanting to be a decent human being, to a broken man without home or family is a gripping addition to the story and one which helps nuance it as well (i.e. because Jaryd, coming very much from a privileged background and from the ruling ethno-religious group, defies the stereotypes involved).

The plot moves along at a brisk pace and details of the civil war as well as Sasha's (leading) role in it make for a gripping story about a land torn apart by injustice as well as the greed and fanaticism of a few. I particularly liked the detailed account of the battles, as well as the main character's role in them, her fears and lack of experience as a leader tempered by her training and (definite) tactical and leadership abilities which combined to actually make it *believable* that an untried girl of twenty could lead a civil war and win.

Wow.

Bad points/constructive criticism: The only thing I could point to here is that perhaps this type of novel will not be to everyone's liking, in that there are many battle scenes and associated detail. OTOH however, nothing is ever to everyone's taste and this is a pretty darn fine novel!

All in all, I highly recommend this one and I will definitely be ordering the sequel!

[Mallori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book after it was recommended as "the one I'm steering my own daughter to first when she's ready for adult SF&F..The books are written with an understanding of what someone can and cannot realistically do when they weigh half as much as their opponent. This, it turns out, is a surprising amount! I find the realistically empowered female lead so much more refreshing than the sort of Buffy-style waif who can fight only because they have some inherited magical ability that sets them apart from real people. The books also have a very strong message about the ability of one individual to overcome cultural biases and change their world. They are very uplifting, while being anything but naive"
I did indeed find these books a realistic depiction of what a girl studying sword-fighting has to overcome to compete with stronger male warriors.

It was a good story, but a lot more than I bargained for. I enjoyed this book but also found it stressful to read because of the heavy world building and high-tension politics and religious struggles. You have to be in the right mood to read it. It doesn't deal in easy themes, examining religious persecution of conquered peoples, bucking familiy expectations, and finding political balance. However, I liked the character of Sasha- a stubborn princess who finds herself through studying sword-fighting, and despite outiside pressures, struggles to remain true to this vision of herself.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very nice break for me as it has been quite awhile since I delved into a this genre. I have stirred clear of the Kings and Midevil times in order to let the dust settle on these type of books, but with a great price on Kindle and an interesting premise, I took the leap and was rewarded for my gamble.

The story does begin in a confusing manner as you are introduced to a plethora of characters while the reader is also being introduced into the story's world. It did indeed take me a few re-reads to get every thing clear. But despite the author's attempt to creat new words for old ideas, the old ideas still ring true. So it soon becomes a conflict of church and power over peasants and the common man. However, in this case, the common man has a champion in the daughter of the king who has fallen from grace and has taken up the heathen ways of the common man.

What is the saving grace and what keeps the reader captivated is the growth of the main characters. Sasha, the fallen princess begins as a spoiled, ill-tempered student and ends as a true leader of the common man. All of the lesser characters also grow with Sasha, or end up dead. Either way, it is good reading.

I look forward to reading the next books in the series.

[Kala · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started out a five, went to a three, and finished at a four. Barely.

I really liked the main character; she was headstrong and stubborn and had her faults but the author showed by the actions of those around her that she deserved the starring role in the novel even when she was full of self-doubt. There was evidence of change and real character development as well.

For once, you didn't get the boring backstory that in a movie becomes a training montage. But in a sense this is also the book's downfall. The reader gets dumped into a world of political intrigue with no guide. I found the characters too similar to easily distinguish and the author had the bad habit of spelling names with a y, when an i would just as easily do.

But some of the scenes were really very good. The battles moved along with great description; our protagonist's skills were introduced in an inspirational way; the politics were finally explained and with just enough intrigue to make the second in the series a soon-to-pick-up for me.

[Ryne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the longest books I've ever read, or at the very least it took the longest. That said, I loved every moment. It felt so fresh and unique and every character showed development and depth, I couldn't get enough. I categorize this as a fantasy novel simply from the fact it's medieval fiction. There's no magic and only one non-human race in the Serrin, a somewhat elven or vulcan-like race that appear human despite them making it very clear they aren't. Sasha is possibly one of the best female characters I've ever read about and her evolving relationship with those around her is a huge reason I love this book. One other aspect that sets this story apart from others I've read is the emphasis on the competing religious views of the nobles and the peasants of Lenayin. I found this plot thread to be ultimately satisfying and fresh. The major themes of the story seem to be family, honor, and loyalty. If you want a long, satisfying adventure that is rich and vibrant in both character and world design, then this is a must read.

[Anabella Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is amazing. You know a book is incredible when you have so many things to do and you just CAN'T stop reading! i mean, I had a physics test, math quiz, physics lab, english project, and I knew I had to do it. i was like "Okay, one chapter and I swear I have to at least do half the lab to read another." LIES! I read the whole book. Im weak! That is how good this book is.

You're maybe wondering if she's just a superficial badass girl that complains throughout the book. She is very realistic and so are the people. No prince charming or wicked witch. Everyone has a reason. Well, maybe just one guy who is a complete d*ck. I admire her. She has her weakness, but she's to proud to say it at first, but then she matures and realizes there is no balck and white, but many shades of grey (don't even mention 50 shades of grey as a joke here.).

Just read it, ok? you will love the book.

downside: too many places, religion, and families. By the thrid quarter of the book I kind of got the hang of it.

[Vleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have given this five stars except that it took me longer to read. When I'm really gobbling something up, I tend not to pronounce names but recognize them as a set of symbols. This was problematic when there were two characters with names beginning with a K and having an "ss" within the name. I'd read a paragraph thinking it was about one character and then realize toward the end that I had been mistaken. This resulted in a lot of backtracking and rereading. Sometimes I would just have to step away from the book for several hours as it was quite frustrating (there are plenty of politics and players to keep straight). FYI - watch out for several characters with names beginning with the letters A, J and S as well.

I really enjoyed the book and will continue the series. Sasha is a little fireball who creates a stir wherever she goes but learns a lot about herself and others in the maturing process. Can hardly wait to see where this goes. No magic elements like Game of Thrones but a medieval feel if you enjoy that sort of thing.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would have to be one of the best fantasy books I've read in a long time. Contrary to what a lot of other people thought, I found myself dragged into the book's story from the first page and I couldn't put it down. I loved the intriguing politics and philosophical aspects of this series; it was more in-depth than you usually get from a fantasy book and really gets you thinking at times.
I loved Sasha as a character, though I often found myself wincing at some of the things she said or did, but part of my attraction to this series was watching her mature through out the books. The characters in the series evoked a lot of emotion: love and hate, and sometimes both simultaneously.
It really is a an emotional roller coaster and through the series the tension builds, until all the characters are in place.
It's one of those books that stay with you long after you put it down and I think I'll find myself rereading this series- something I never do.

[Darcey · Rating 4 out of 5]

While there were a fair number of info-dumps, the complexity of the book - and the fact that they didn't detract overmuch - stands to do them well. Sashandra (Sasha) Lenayin is the protagonist and former princess of Lenay, who left her family to spend time with a brother she loved - a brother who died and she "took over" from, as far as swordwork goes. The family relations are complex and pit Sasha against her kin, even as she has to pit her ideals and her dreams against those of friends - and enemies - and that same set of kin again. She must make hard decisions and does them well, and most importantly, Sasha is a woman who has flaws and foibles, making her not an idealised goddess or avatar of woman - but a woman who just happens to be really damn good -- and have her own hangups.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those like me who cannot get enough fantasy read this book! What I really loved about this book is the complexity of the politics and history that Shepherd has created. People are saying that they couldn't get into and that they feel as though they are missing a book that should be at the start - you obviously are not a true fantasy lover. I have read extensively and this book is incredibly easy to follow and once I started I had a lot of trouble putting it down to go to sleep!
I do feel that this book even surpasses Lord of the Rings - Yes I said it!! Lord of the Rings is complex and has a detailed history but spends hundreds of pages having to explain it. While Sasha and the following books are able to explain it quiet quickly!

5/5 for an amazing read!