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Crown Service #1
Blades of Magic
Alternate Cover edition here
It is not a peaceful time in the Algardis Empire. War is raging between the mages and seventeen-year-old Sara Fairchild will be right in the middle of it.
She just doesn't know it yet.
Sara is the daughter of a disgraced imperial commander, executed for desertion. Sara is also the best duelist and hand-to-hand combatant in Sandrin. She lives quietly with her family’s shame but when challenged about her family’s honor, her opponent inevitably loses.
On the night she finds out her father’s true last actions, she takes the Mercenary Guilds’ vows to serve in the emperor’s army. Using her quick wits and fierce fighting skills, she earns a spot in the first division.
There she discovers secrets the mages on both sides would prefer stay hidden. Dark enemies hunt her and soon it's not just Sara questioning the motivation behind this war.
While fighting mages, blackmailing merchants and discovering new friends, Sara comes across something she’s never had before - passion. The question is - can she fight for her empress against a mage who might unwittingly claim her heart?
This is year one of the Initiate Wars. Sara is hoping it doesn't become the year she dies.
It is not a peaceful time in the Algardis Empire. War is raging between the mages and seventeen-year-old Sara Fairchild will be right in the middle of it.
She just doesn't know it yet.
Sara is the daughter of a disgraced imperial commander, executed for desertion. Sara is also the best duelist and hand-to-hand combatant in Sandrin. She lives quietly with her family’s shame but when challenged about her family’s honor, her opponent inevitably loses.
On the night she finds out her father’s true last actions, she takes the Mercenary Guilds’ vows to serve in the emperor’s army. Using her quick wits and fierce fighting skills, she earns a spot in the first division.
There she discovers secrets the mages on both sides would prefer stay hidden. Dark enemies hunt her and soon it's not just Sara questioning the motivation behind this war.
While fighting mages, blackmailing merchants and discovering new friends, Sara comes across something she’s never had before - passion. The question is - can she fight for her empress against a mage who might unwittingly claim her heart?
This is year one of the Initiate Wars. Sara is hoping it doesn't become the year she dies.
302 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2014
1390 people are currently reading
3840 people want to read
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Terah Edun
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews
June 2, 2018
The Kickbutt Heroine Fantasy Genre is pretty much my favorite. It's a genre with lots of tropes, but they're tropes I can't get enough of -- particularly the trope of a strong young heroine with a secret and unusual power she is only just discovering. There are infinite ways to handle this trope, making it feel fresh, but it's full of universal relevance at the same time. (How many of us women need to realize that WE also have unusual power we haven't yet begun to discover?)
Blades of Magic is a great example of the genre. It started out a little bit rocky for me--Sara, the protagonist, is NOT a likeable person! Her magic is battle-magic, and she is a bloodthirsty, violent character with a huge chip on her shoulder. The kind of personality that is really cool in a thirty-something heroine, but in a seventeen-year-old . . . it's jarring! So for the first chapter or two, I just wasn't certain I would end up liking the book.
But . . . the author was super clever. She realized that her heroine needed a contrast, needed a foil to give her balance. So she introduced the character of Ezekiel -- a bespectacled geek-type who curator of unusual oddments in a warehouse which Sara is hired to guard. They are SUCH an odd pairing that at first I didn't even believe Ezekiel would survive more than a chapter or two!
Instead, he went on to become Sara's companion throughout a breathtaking adventure, helping her in her search to discover the secret of what TRULY happened to her father (who was executed for treason, leaving Sara's family disgraced and Sara herself brokenhearted). The story quickly turns into a more and more and more complex mystery, with unpredictable turns in every chapter. And at the heart of it, these two mismatched souls coming to a real and life-changing friendship.
Note--this relationship is a friendship only. It may or may not turn into a romance later (?), but there's no hint of anything like that in this book. You see the two of them learning to truly care for each other and help each other, but without a romantic element. And . . . it's really refreshing and delightful! Usually I like a healthy dose of romance in my kickbutt heroine fantasies (as long as it doesn't overwhelm the rest of the adventure), but I kind of loved that this one side-stepped neatly around that issue and made us see these people simply as two people. (Not EVERY male-female relationship has to be romantic!)
Anyway, this story surprised me and delighted me and thrilled me by turns. For the first few chapters I didn't think I'd like it, but now I think those chapters were necessary to the success of the story--without them, I wouldn't have fully appreciated everything else to come.
I'm super excited to have discovered this amazing author, and I look forward to seeing where Sara and Ezekiel's adventures take them in this ongoing series!
Blades of Magic is a great example of the genre. It started out a little bit rocky for me--Sara, the protagonist, is NOT a likeable person! Her magic is battle-magic, and she is a bloodthirsty, violent character with a huge chip on her shoulder. The kind of personality that is really cool in a thirty-something heroine, but in a seventeen-year-old . . . it's jarring! So for the first chapter or two, I just wasn't certain I would end up liking the book.
But . . . the author was super clever. She realized that her heroine needed a contrast, needed a foil to give her balance. So she introduced the character of Ezekiel -- a bespectacled geek-type who curator of unusual oddments in a warehouse which Sara is hired to guard. They are SUCH an odd pairing that at first I didn't even believe Ezekiel would survive more than a chapter or two!
Instead, he went on to become Sara's companion throughout a breathtaking adventure, helping her in her search to discover the secret of what TRULY happened to her father (who was executed for treason, leaving Sara's family disgraced and Sara herself brokenhearted). The story quickly turns into a more and more and more complex mystery, with unpredictable turns in every chapter. And at the heart of it, these two mismatched souls coming to a real and life-changing friendship.
Note--this relationship is a friendship only. It may or may not turn into a romance later (?), but there's no hint of anything like that in this book. You see the two of them learning to truly care for each other and help each other, but without a romantic element. And . . . it's really refreshing and delightful! Usually I like a healthy dose of romance in my kickbutt heroine fantasies (as long as it doesn't overwhelm the rest of the adventure), but I kind of loved that this one side-stepped neatly around that issue and made us see these people simply as two people. (Not EVERY male-female relationship has to be romantic!)
Anyway, this story surprised me and delighted me and thrilled me by turns. For the first few chapters I didn't think I'd like it, but now I think those chapters were necessary to the success of the story--without them, I wouldn't have fully appreciated everything else to come.
I'm super excited to have discovered this amazing author, and I look forward to seeing where Sara and Ezekiel's adventures take them in this ongoing series!
August 4, 2024
Blades of Magic is a young adult fantasy. I usually avoid young adult reads, but I picked this one up for free from Amazon and deiced to give it a go.
I was soon drawn into a world full of unexpected things, a variety of different magics, and a young character who has a backbone, a sense of honor, and strength. The writing was easy and fluid allowing me to get immersed in the story. The world is vast and we only get a taste. Their are hints of a complex political situation which created a civil war and more going on under the scene between different factions. It’s exciting, adventurous, and fast paced.
I try to avoid young adults aka teenagers; because their always seems to be a lot of drama with them. They come off selfish and immature. That was not the case here with Sara the daughter of a disgraced imperial commander. She is well developed, approachable, and likable. Her methods may not always be agreeable, but she was trained to think in a certain way. We see that the world is against her all because of what happened with her father and so she has learned to keep everyone except her mother at a distances, yet Ezekiel kinda sneaks under her defenses. I liked Ezekiel he balances Sara out. They make a nice team. It was nice to see Sara’s hard mask crack at times showing that she is a person after all and I admire her willpower.
I will say the book ends quickly and I wish their was more. The ending felt like ending in the middle of a story or chapter. That is my only issue with Blades of Magic. Other then that I throughly enjoyed the first installment in the Crown Service series and plan on continuing, just to find out what happens next.
Blades of Magic is a light, easy read with a young heroine who is tough and strong in a world that is almost entirely agains her.
Rated: 3.5 Stars
I was soon drawn into a world full of unexpected things, a variety of different magics, and a young character who has a backbone, a sense of honor, and strength. The writing was easy and fluid allowing me to get immersed in the story. The world is vast and we only get a taste. Their are hints of a complex political situation which created a civil war and more going on under the scene between different factions. It’s exciting, adventurous, and fast paced.
I try to avoid young adults aka teenagers; because their always seems to be a lot of drama with them. They come off selfish and immature. That was not the case here with Sara the daughter of a disgraced imperial commander. She is well developed, approachable, and likable. Her methods may not always be agreeable, but she was trained to think in a certain way. We see that the world is against her all because of what happened with her father and so she has learned to keep everyone except her mother at a distances, yet Ezekiel kinda sneaks under her defenses. I liked Ezekiel he balances Sara out. They make a nice team. It was nice to see Sara’s hard mask crack at times showing that she is a person after all and I admire her willpower.
I will say the book ends quickly and I wish their was more. The ending felt like ending in the middle of a story or chapter. That is my only issue with Blades of Magic. Other then that I throughly enjoyed the first installment in the Crown Service series and plan on continuing, just to find out what happens next.
Blades of Magic is a light, easy read with a young heroine who is tough and strong in a world that is almost entirely agains her.
Rated: 3.5 Stars
May 18, 2015
This book couldn't decide what its plot was. There were about seven plots jammed together in a haphazard, Frankensteinian fashion. The characters were jarring and abrasive, with no redeeming qualities. This was an ignoble beginning to 2015's reading list.
Some basics: if you're going to give your main character superpowers that have severe drawbacks to counter them, introduce them in balanced fashion. If your main character had a life of wealth and privilege and is suddenly brought low, for the love of Shakespeare, SHOW some of the consequences instead of having the main character think about them in an abstract way. Job hunting and finding a job on the first try doesn't count. Also, if your main character's employer is sinister and running some sort of mysterious operation, it IS ok to take the plot elsewhere, but you should either wrap it up or do something to hint that it will be back.
Imagine if Luke Skywalker escaped the Death Star, but then instead of going to Yavin and joining the last desperate fight he went to a bar and hired on as a circus performer. This book has that level of plot dissonance.
Some basics: if you're going to give your main character superpowers that have severe drawbacks to counter them, introduce them in balanced fashion. If your main character had a life of wealth and privilege and is suddenly brought low, for the love of Shakespeare, SHOW some of the consequences instead of having the main character think about them in an abstract way. Job hunting and finding a job on the first try doesn't count. Also, if your main character's employer is sinister and running some sort of mysterious operation, it IS ok to take the plot elsewhere, but you should either wrap it up or do something to hint that it will be back.
Imagine if Luke Skywalker escaped the Death Star, but then instead of going to Yavin and joining the last desperate fight he went to a bar and hired on as a circus performer. This book has that level of plot dissonance.
June 13, 2018
I enjoyed this first book in this series. Looking forward to reading more about Sara, the young battlemage and her friend the archivist, Ezekial.
February 2, 2015
First, the good: There is a sense of a larger world here, with hints at some complexity in the political situation that created the civil war that serves as the story's backdrop. There is an interesting variety of magic (more on this later) and mentions of an unexpected past that informs the culture that main character Sara lives in.
The mediocre: The basic story is of the often-used "special young person sets off on a quest to right family wrongs" variety, with a side of "chosen one who doesn't realize how special she is who will save us all!" Nothing wrong with that, but nothing particularly new. The writing is uneven, with large chunks of exposition that break up the flow of the story and a tendency toward redundancy.
The bad: Sara is difficult to like, and worse, difficult to relate to. She is primarily emotionless except when angry. Her sudden friendship with curator/treasure hunter Ezekiel seems unlikely at best, given how deliberately callous she is most of the time. All of that could be overcome, however, if everything weren't so easy for her.
Sure, her life has been tragically ruined by circumstances outside her control, and this spoiled brat is now destitute and shamed for her dead father's sins. Big whoop. There's no tension in this story. Every time someone challenges her to a fight (spoiler: VERY OFTEN) she easily defeats her attacker(s). At no point is there a sense that Sara is actually in any danger. Her plans always work, with minimal obstacles. Worst of all, the one instance where it seems like something may be going wrong turns out to be authorial deception. Even though this is written from Sara's perspective and the reader often shares her thoughts, there is a section where the author writes about Sara's troubles getting along with her comrades as though she were upset and puzzled by their behavior--only to reveal that Sara herself fabricated all of the incidents. This is bad writing. Rather than making the character sympathetic, it jerks me out of the story with the urge to shake a finger at the author for trying to trick me.
Several other reviews mention the fact that this ends on a cliffhanger. This is true, but the problem is deeper than that. The story does not resolve, along any of the plot threads. There is a sort-of climax (again, with very little sense that the protagonist is ever in danger) and then it simply ends, with an exhortation to buy the next book if you want to know what happens next. None of the plot questions are answered and nothing in the world changes significantly. There is no character arc; Sara does not grow or change as a person at all. If this had been presented as the first part of a serialized novel, then the ending would make sense. However it is presented as a novel, and it simply isn't one. This book is incomplete.
I find it baffling that this was written by a bestselling author. I can only conclude that her other series must be better, or perhaps that this book was written in haste.
The mediocre: The basic story is of the often-used "special young person sets off on a quest to right family wrongs" variety, with a side of "chosen one who doesn't realize how special she is who will save us all!" Nothing wrong with that, but nothing particularly new. The writing is uneven, with large chunks of exposition that break up the flow of the story and a tendency toward redundancy.
The bad: Sara is difficult to like, and worse, difficult to relate to. She is primarily emotionless except when angry. Her sudden friendship with curator/treasure hunter Ezekiel seems unlikely at best, given how deliberately callous she is most of the time. All of that could be overcome, however, if everything weren't so easy for her.
Sure, her life has been tragically ruined by circumstances outside her control, and this spoiled brat is now destitute and shamed for her dead father's sins. Big whoop. There's no tension in this story. Every time someone challenges her to a fight (spoiler: VERY OFTEN) she easily defeats her attacker(s). At no point is there a sense that Sara is actually in any danger. Her plans always work, with minimal obstacles. Worst of all, the one instance where it seems like something may be going wrong turns out to be authorial deception. Even though this is written from Sara's perspective and the reader often shares her thoughts, there is a section where the author writes about Sara's troubles getting along with her comrades as though she were upset and puzzled by their behavior--only to reveal that Sara herself fabricated all of the incidents. This is bad writing. Rather than making the character sympathetic, it jerks me out of the story with the urge to shake a finger at the author for trying to trick me.
Several other reviews mention the fact that this ends on a cliffhanger. This is true, but the problem is deeper than that. The story does not resolve, along any of the plot threads. There is a sort-of climax (again, with very little sense that the protagonist is ever in danger) and then it simply ends, with an exhortation to buy the next book if you want to know what happens next. None of the plot questions are answered and nothing in the world changes significantly. There is no character arc; Sara does not grow or change as a person at all. If this had been presented as the first part of a serialized novel, then the ending would make sense. However it is presented as a novel, and it simply isn't one. This book is incomplete.
I find it baffling that this was written by a bestselling author. I can only conclude that her other series must be better, or perhaps that this book was written in haste.
June 4, 2015
Review Originally Posted At: FictionForesight
Review:
Blades of Magic was a book with so much potential…but ended up being a disappointment. Set in the fantasy world of the Algardis Empire, the daughter of a disgraced military leader tries to find out what happened to her father who was executed on the battlefield for a mysterious act of treason. The more the protagonist, Sara, finds out, the more dangerous and mysterious her life becomes.
The Good:
The best thing about this book was the magic! Each type of magic was well-developed and so diverse that you never knew what to expect from a mage battle, but you knew it would be good. The only other good element of the story is that the main character was relatable and easy to like.
The Bad:
Where to begin? Well first and foremost the story had absolutely no resolution! I have reviewed books before like Cold Burn of Magic, that had some resolution, but this book had none. In fact the story seems to end at the beginning of the rising action. This book felt like a 244 page teaser trailer that left you wanting so much more. If this book did not already have a sequel for it, as a reader, I would be really pissed! Nope, scratch that, still upset!
The other thing that I did not like about this book was Sara’s only friend. This guy drove me up a wall! I wanted to like him so much, but one minute he was a clumsy, ignorant, coward, and the next he was skilled, wise, and brave. Now this would not normally bother me if this change happened over time as a result of personal growth. But this was not the case. He did not learn from his experiences and become better as a result. Instead, he would frequently alternate between these two completely polar opposite personalities.
Oh and one other point. When you are under fire in the middle of the battlefield…YOU DON’T STOP TO HAVE A Q&A SESSION! Once I could forgive, but this was a common occurrence.
Overall:
Honestly if not for the main character and the magic, I would have given Blades of Magic one star. This book had the potential to be great…but the elements that I loved so much, just could not carry the bad – i.e. the rest of this book. I wish that I had been reading a first draft, that way I could have sent it back to Terah Edun and had her fix it. I just can’t get over what this book could should have been! I don’t think I could recommend this book to anyone, except as a demonstration of a literary letdown, and an awesome magic system.
Review:
Blades of Magic was a book with so much potential…but ended up being a disappointment. Set in the fantasy world of the Algardis Empire, the daughter of a disgraced military leader tries to find out what happened to her father who was executed on the battlefield for a mysterious act of treason. The more the protagonist, Sara, finds out, the more dangerous and mysterious her life becomes.
The Good:
The best thing about this book was the magic! Each type of magic was well-developed and so diverse that you never knew what to expect from a mage battle, but you knew it would be good. The only other good element of the story is that the main character was relatable and easy to like.
The Bad:
Where to begin? Well first and foremost the story had absolutely no resolution! I have reviewed books before like Cold Burn of Magic, that had some resolution, but this book had none. In fact the story seems to end at the beginning of the rising action. This book felt like a 244 page teaser trailer that left you wanting so much more. If this book did not already have a sequel for it, as a reader, I would be really pissed! Nope, scratch that, still upset!
The other thing that I did not like about this book was Sara’s only friend. This guy drove me up a wall! I wanted to like him so much, but one minute he was a clumsy, ignorant, coward, and the next he was skilled, wise, and brave. Now this would not normally bother me if this change happened over time as a result of personal growth. But this was not the case. He did not learn from his experiences and become better as a result. Instead, he would frequently alternate between these two completely polar opposite personalities.
Oh and one other point. When you are under fire in the middle of the battlefield…YOU DON’T STOP TO HAVE A Q&A SESSION! Once I could forgive, but this was a common occurrence.
Overall:
Honestly if not for the main character and the magic, I would have given Blades of Magic one star. This book had the potential to be great…but the elements that I loved so much, just could not carry the bad – i.e. the rest of this book. I wish that I had been reading a first draft, that way I could have sent it back to Terah Edun and had her fix it. I just can’t get over what this book could should have been! I don’t think I could recommend this book to anyone, except as a demonstration of a literary letdown, and an awesome magic system.
June 18, 2019
I wished this book had taken the time to do some world building before launching into the action, instead concepts were introduced, half explained and then used. Sadly, usually only once, so at one point during the climax, it felt like a string of tropes. With some good editing and some explanation as to what the geopolitical situation actually is (anywhere! it didn't happen), I could have enjoyed this. As it is, I feel no compunction to continue with the series.
April 11, 2014
NOW AVAILABLE
Amazon
January 30, 2019
I wanted to like this because the general plot is interesting. But the writing and the copyediting leave a lot to be desired. And that ended up being too distracting. Because I hate when sentences are split up like this. Hate it.
December 12, 2018
Meh.
I have conflicted feelings about this book. On the one hand, I think it does some things really well, like changing some tropes that are seen in all YA books. But on the other hand, there were still a lot of clichés and the protagonist was insufferable. And though I haven't read Throne of Glass, as I understand, it is very similar to it.
Things I liked about this book:
Things I hated about this book:
I have conflicted feelings about this book. On the one hand, I think it does some things really well, like changing some tropes that are seen in all YA books. But on the other hand, there were still a lot of clichés and the protagonist was insufferable. And though I haven't read Throne of Glass, as I understand, it is very similar to it.
Things I liked about this book:
Things I hated about this book:
May 29, 2020
Full review: https://girlswithguns.org/blades-of-m...
I suspect the problems here are mostly related to reading this as a one-off. For example, the entire first half of the book, with Sarah working for Cormar, serves absolutely no purpose except to introduce her to Ezekiel. Now, I’m thinking it’s quite likely there is a payoff further into the series, with the artifacts he collects eventually proving to be useful in the battle against the mages. But for the purpose of this book, it’s a complete dead-end. If a story is going to be crippled in this way by dividing it into four parts, maybe it shouldn’t be divided into four parts? It certainly does nothing to encourage me to pick up the three subsequent volumes.
I suspect the problems here are mostly related to reading this as a one-off. For example, the entire first half of the book, with Sarah working for Cormar, serves absolutely no purpose except to introduce her to Ezekiel. Now, I’m thinking it’s quite likely there is a payoff further into the series, with the artifacts he collects eventually proving to be useful in the battle against the mages. But for the purpose of this book, it’s a complete dead-end. If a story is going to be crippled in this way by dividing it into four parts, maybe it shouldn’t be divided into four parts? It certainly does nothing to encourage me to pick up the three subsequent volumes.
May 7, 2014
DESCRIPTION:
It is not a peaceful time in the Algardis Empire. War is raging between the mages and seventeen-year-old Sara Fairchild will be right in the middle of it.
She just doesn't know it yet.
Sara is the daughter of a disgraced imperial commander, executed for desertion. Sara is also the best duelist and hand-to-hand combatant in Sandrin. She lives quietly with her family's shame but when challenged about her family's honor, her opponent inevitably loses.
On the night she finds out her father's true last actions, she takes the Mercenary Guilds' vows to serve in the emperor's army. Using her quick wits and fierce fighting skills, she earns a spot in the first division.
There she discovers secrets the mages on both sides would prefer stay hidden. Dark enemies hunt her and soon it's not just Sara questioning the motivation behind this war.
While fighting mages, blackmailing merchants and discovering new friends, Sara comes across something she's never had before - passion. The question is - can she fight for her empress against a mage who might unwittingly claim her heart?
This is year one of the Initiate Wars. Sara is hoping it doesn't become the year she dies.
REVIEW:
We are introduced to Sara very dramatically, and I absolutely loved the opening fight scene. We're immediately dropped into her life as a daughter of a disgraced soldier. Sara was treated as a pariah, where her survival rested on the sword skills her father had taught her. Despite having everything taken from her, she refused to lose her honor, too.
But when Sara discovered that her father might not be guilty, she can't let go of the need to uncover what really happened. Her decision changed the course of her life. Now she was on the run from people who will do everything in their power to stop her from discovering the truth. It will take all her skill with her sword and magic to survive.
I absolutely enjoyed reading this adventure. Sara's sword fighting ability was amazing, not to mention the fascinating way she controlled her magic - Berserkers anyone? Her sidekick was a hoot! Their introduction just phenomenal. The combination of action and mystery, plus magic and drama kept me hooked. I've enjoyed both the story and the characters. Unfortunately, the ending just stopped in the middle of the action. Very disappointing. I will be reading part two, grudgingly, but only because the book was so enjoyable.
Posted from my site: www.StaceyBrutger.com
It is not a peaceful time in the Algardis Empire. War is raging between the mages and seventeen-year-old Sara Fairchild will be right in the middle of it.
She just doesn't know it yet.
Sara is the daughter of a disgraced imperial commander, executed for desertion. Sara is also the best duelist and hand-to-hand combatant in Sandrin. She lives quietly with her family's shame but when challenged about her family's honor, her opponent inevitably loses.
On the night she finds out her father's true last actions, she takes the Mercenary Guilds' vows to serve in the emperor's army. Using her quick wits and fierce fighting skills, she earns a spot in the first division.
There she discovers secrets the mages on both sides would prefer stay hidden. Dark enemies hunt her and soon it's not just Sara questioning the motivation behind this war.
While fighting mages, blackmailing merchants and discovering new friends, Sara comes across something she's never had before - passion. The question is - can she fight for her empress against a mage who might unwittingly claim her heart?
This is year one of the Initiate Wars. Sara is hoping it doesn't become the year she dies.
REVIEW:
We are introduced to Sara very dramatically, and I absolutely loved the opening fight scene. We're immediately dropped into her life as a daughter of a disgraced soldier. Sara was treated as a pariah, where her survival rested on the sword skills her father had taught her. Despite having everything taken from her, she refused to lose her honor, too.
But when Sara discovered that her father might not be guilty, she can't let go of the need to uncover what really happened. Her decision changed the course of her life. Now she was on the run from people who will do everything in their power to stop her from discovering the truth. It will take all her skill with her sword and magic to survive.
I absolutely enjoyed reading this adventure. Sara's sword fighting ability was amazing, not to mention the fascinating way she controlled her magic - Berserkers anyone? Her sidekick was a hoot! Their introduction just phenomenal. The combination of action and mystery, plus magic and drama kept me hooked. I've enjoyed both the story and the characters. Unfortunately, the ending just stopped in the middle of the action. Very disappointing. I will be reading part two, grudgingly, but only because the book was so enjoyable.
Posted from my site: www.StaceyBrutger.com
September 8, 2016
This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Normally, I like books that start off in the middle of action. I like to jump into a scene, get my blood pumping, and learn just enough about the main character to keep me turning the pages. Although Ms. Edun starts us off in the middle of a fight scene, I'm left cold and, even, bored.
I don't connect with Sara. In the story, she says she'll kill anyone who belittles her family (even if such belittlement occurred three months prior). However, her emotions, the outrage she should be feeling, does not come across. To me, reading this tale through her eyes, it is as though she doesn't even care.
Not to mention the gore. Starting the story off with it is tough, because the most important part of an opening is connecting with the main character. Given the lack of emotion in this fight scene, I can tell that Ms. Edun has never killed and can't imagine the mark that combat would leave on a person, let alone an impressionable seventeen-year-old. If, like one short sentence states, she has battle magic, its use is shown only in one movement. Not in the unbelievable speed or calculated moves she uses to kill.
From that lacklustre opening, Blades of Magic continues with a series of explanations that make my eyes glaze over. While they give insight as to what I felt lacking in the fight scene, these tidbits are out of place and boring when listed here. I'd rather have seen the information fed in gradually. Naturally. By the end of the second chapter, I still couldn't connect with Sara.
I promise myself to give every book a chance for at least 50 pages. But by the time those pages finally came around it was clear this book was not for me. No fault to the book. The prose and editing is clean, if a little passive at times. The city of Sandrin and the world Ms. Edun weaves seems interesting, but I wasn't able to connect with the main character and for me, that makes all the difference in a book. I encourage other readers to give it a shot if it seems like the sort of book they might like.
Normally, I like books that start off in the middle of action. I like to jump into a scene, get my blood pumping, and learn just enough about the main character to keep me turning the pages. Although Ms. Edun starts us off in the middle of a fight scene, I'm left cold and, even, bored.
I don't connect with Sara. In the story, she says she'll kill anyone who belittles her family (even if such belittlement occurred three months prior). However, her emotions, the outrage she should be feeling, does not come across. To me, reading this tale through her eyes, it is as though she doesn't even care.
Not to mention the gore. Starting the story off with it is tough, because the most important part of an opening is connecting with the main character. Given the lack of emotion in this fight scene, I can tell that Ms. Edun has never killed and can't imagine the mark that combat would leave on a person, let alone an impressionable seventeen-year-old. If, like one short sentence states, she has battle magic, its use is shown only in one movement. Not in the unbelievable speed or calculated moves she uses to kill.
From that lacklustre opening, Blades of Magic continues with a series of explanations that make my eyes glaze over. While they give insight as to what I felt lacking in the fight scene, these tidbits are out of place and boring when listed here. I'd rather have seen the information fed in gradually. Naturally. By the end of the second chapter, I still couldn't connect with Sara.
I promise myself to give every book a chance for at least 50 pages. But by the time those pages finally came around it was clear this book was not for me. No fault to the book. The prose and editing is clean, if a little passive at times. The city of Sandrin and the world Ms. Edun weaves seems interesting, but I wasn't able to connect with the main character and for me, that makes all the difference in a book. I encourage other readers to give it a shot if it seems like the sort of book they might like.
August 25, 2014
Welcome to the beautiful world of Sandrin, a magical place where the most unexpected things happen and where your imagination runs away with you.
Edun’s breathes life into this remarkable story. Her easy and fluid writing style allows you to immerse yourself fully in the story at hand. She creates a remarkable world that is larger than life at times. The mix of magic and humanity completes the picture for this unforgettable tale. It’s exciting and adventuresome, taking you a fast paced ride. The treasure hunting and mystical artefacts were an added bonus. It added an element of mystery and of history to the entire tale.
I love the main character in this novel. She is exceptionally well developed without being overdone. She remains approachable and likeable, even if you don’t always agree with her decisions or methods. Her partner in action is equally loveable. The contrast between these two characters is both revealing and inviting. The dialogue in this novel was also quite well done. It was natural and really added to the story.
Overall, this was a light, easy read with a kick. It is a must read novel for all lovers of fantasy.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
Edun’s breathes life into this remarkable story. Her easy and fluid writing style allows you to immerse yourself fully in the story at hand. She creates a remarkable world that is larger than life at times. The mix of magic and humanity completes the picture for this unforgettable tale. It’s exciting and adventuresome, taking you a fast paced ride. The treasure hunting and mystical artefacts were an added bonus. It added an element of mystery and of history to the entire tale.
I love the main character in this novel. She is exceptionally well developed without being overdone. She remains approachable and likeable, even if you don’t always agree with her decisions or methods. Her partner in action is equally loveable. The contrast between these two characters is both revealing and inviting. The dialogue in this novel was also quite well done. It was natural and really added to the story.
Overall, this was a light, easy read with a kick. It is a must read novel for all lovers of fantasy.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2018
This book is desperately in need of a good editor. The author sets up many scenarios that just don't make sense.
For example: The author describes in painstaking detail the warehouse where the magical artifacts are kept. All those benches, and exactly how tall they are, and exactly 5 artifacts per bench and so on. It seems like a fairly crowded place full of easily damaged items. The author then proceeds to have the heroine have several knock-down-drag-out fights in the warehouse... all without knocking over a single bench. Seems unlikely.
Another example: In the second half of the book, when the heroine abruptly joins the mercenaries, she signs up and then... is promptly ignored by the entire company. What, she isn't assigned to a unit? No superior officers taking care of the new recruits? It rivals The Cold Between for worst military discipline ever.
The writing style is odd, very choppy and full of sentence fragments. I couldn't tell if it was an intentional choice intended to say something about the heroine's personality, or if the author doesn't know any better. I'd have to read more of her books to find out, and I haven't decided if I want to attempt the next book in this series.
For example: The author describes in painstaking detail the warehouse where the magical artifacts are kept. All those benches, and exactly how tall they are, and exactly 5 artifacts per bench and so on. It seems like a fairly crowded place full of easily damaged items. The author then proceeds to have the heroine have several knock-down-drag-out fights in the warehouse... all without knocking over a single bench. Seems unlikely.
Another example: In the second half of the book, when the heroine abruptly joins the mercenaries, she signs up and then... is promptly ignored by the entire company. What, she isn't assigned to a unit? No superior officers taking care of the new recruits? It rivals The Cold Between for worst military discipline ever.
The writing style is odd, very choppy and full of sentence fragments. I couldn't tell if it was an intentional choice intended to say something about the heroine's personality, or if the author doesn't know any better. I'd have to read more of her books to find out, and I haven't decided if I want to attempt the next book in this series.
March 29, 2018
It only got 2 stars because of the world-building/magic. I was shocked to discover this is an established, apparently good, author. I honestly thought this was one of the Kindle First self-published offerings.
The trope setup didn't help: a coming-of-age story with a supremely talented protagonist (genetic battle magic with personal training), a hard luck story in the background, and a quest to redeem her family honor. Oh, and she's essentially cursed too.
There's a distinct lack of show vs tell, especially when it comes to Sara herself. We get a lot of "show" only during her frequent fights. Nothing about her character or family. Magical abilities just appear when convenient. Her friendship develops fast and they're suddenly conversant with each other's "looks" after just 2 days. (At least her arrogance is displayed when she arbitrarily renames a whole group of people for her own convenience.)
And it really didn't help that - at least the copy I had - lacked polish and a final round of editing. Everything from grammatical errors to calling laudanum a plant.
This review covers the rest. This was my first and probably last Terah Edun book.
The trope setup didn't help: a coming-of-age story with a supremely talented protagonist (genetic battle magic with personal training), a hard luck story in the background, and a quest to redeem her family honor. Oh, and she's essentially cursed too.
There's a distinct lack of show vs tell, especially when it comes to Sara herself. We get a lot of "show" only during her frequent fights. Nothing about her character or family. Magical abilities just appear when convenient. Her friendship develops fast and they're suddenly conversant with each other's "looks" after just 2 days. (At least her arrogance is displayed when she arbitrarily renames a whole group of people for her own convenience.)
And it really didn't help that - at least the copy I had - lacked polish and a final round of editing. Everything from grammatical errors to calling laudanum a plant.
This review covers the rest. This was my first and probably last Terah Edun book.
January 2, 2022
Note: the edition of this book that I read was published in a collection of novels called "epic: fourteen books of fantasy."
Bearing that in mind, the edition I read SORELY needed at least one more round of edits. There were continuity issues (i.e. Sara putting down her weapons on the way into her home but suddenly having them again when she needed them a minute later), missing words, poorly constructed sentences, and even spelling errors.
The magic system is the fever dream of someone who had played many tabletop rpg's, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but requires the reader to be familiar with the same systems in order to reasonably track how it works.
The one nice thing about this book is the egalitarianism. Edun took pains to ensure the world is equally accessible regardless of gender or skin color. Good worldbuilding on that point, and a nice break from imperial tropes prominent in European and American writing.
The collection, which was free to download, is designed to wrap you in the story so you pay for the rest of the series.
I will not be reading the rest, nevermind paying for them.
Bearing that in mind, the edition I read SORELY needed at least one more round of edits. There were continuity issues (i.e. Sara putting down her weapons on the way into her home but suddenly having them again when she needed them a minute later), missing words, poorly constructed sentences, and even spelling errors.
The magic system is the fever dream of someone who had played many tabletop rpg's, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but requires the reader to be familiar with the same systems in order to reasonably track how it works.
The one nice thing about this book is the egalitarianism. Edun took pains to ensure the world is equally accessible regardless of gender or skin color. Good worldbuilding on that point, and a nice break from imperial tropes prominent in European and American writing.
The collection, which was free to download, is designed to wrap you in the story so you pay for the rest of the series.
I will not be reading the rest, nevermind paying for them.
December 13, 2014
I liked this well enough to be thinking it would end up being a 'keep to re-read' which doesn't happen too often with me. A lot of things to like, characters, interesting world and storyline although the plot was pretty standard. That was until the last 10 pages or so, as it ended as an absolute cliffhanger, just as the characters were stepping forward into a major battle.
Cliffhanger endings are a personal major issue for me, hate them. Won't be re-reading, won't be reading any more of what is apparently going to be a series.
Cliffhanger endings are a personal major issue for me, hate them. Won't be re-reading, won't be reading any more of what is apparently going to be a series.
June 4, 2015
I wasn't able to finish this book (I read half of it). It wasn't attrocious, but did very little for me by way of making me care about the characters (Sara the protagonist in particular) and what was going to happen to them. The prose was simplistic and annoying in parts, the last straw being when Sara "thought something in her mind". Ooofff....! Too many other books out there to continue with this, I only bought it as part of a 13-pack fantasy collection for a dollar or something. Lesson learned...
April 1, 2014
Holy cow! This book was a crazy, hot, violent mess of awesomeness! Love it. While I miss my Ciardis stories, this was a great change of pace. If you think you know Algardis, you ain't seen nothin' yet! Sara will totally knock your socks off(then kick your a$& and take your weapons)!
January 21, 2018
3.5 stars, solid first installment to a new fantasy series featuring magic and intrigue.
Blades of Magic follows Sara Fairchild, daughter of disgraced former gladiator and Commander for the Empress Vincent Fairchild. It's been months since her father was labeled a deserter and executed, but Sara and her mother never really were told why. After uncovering the mystery surrounding her father's death extends beyond the military's willingness to disclose the circumstances, she joins the mercenaries and goes to the frontlines of battle in the hopes of answers... but of course finds more than she bargained for.
Sara is the epitome of a strong female character, although her pride certainly gets in the way.
The reason that I rated the book 3.5 stars instead of four stars is solely due to the structure of the story. This is a fast read, but there are a few points in the book where I lost interest and skimmed for a couple of pages until my interest was regained. But my main issue with the book is that the world-building and exposition was left to the last 20% of the book and it felt rather unbalanced. I wish that there had been more world-building throughout (for example, not waiting until page 260 to finally explain what was going on with the civil war that had been mentioned multiple times throughout the book). I love character driven books, but I am equally interested in an understanding of the world that those characters inhabit - the politics, the war - especially when those things are crucial to the overall plot of the series.
Those that have read Edun's Courtlight series will notice a drastic improvement in the writing and editing of this book comparatively. This book is technically well written and edited well and has the air of a professionally written and edited book. Edun has the creativity to weave an interesting tale, and she is starting to come into her own as she continues to develop as a writer.
I'd recommend this book to those interested in strong female characters, battles, magic, and the intrigue of uncovering a family secret. This book is the first in a series but does not end in a cliffhanger. It is currently on sale for free on Amazon kindle.
Blades of Magic follows Sara Fairchild, daughter of disgraced former gladiator and Commander for the Empress Vincent Fairchild. It's been months since her father was labeled a deserter and executed, but Sara and her mother never really were told why. After uncovering the mystery surrounding her father's death extends beyond the military's willingness to disclose the circumstances, she joins the mercenaries and goes to the frontlines of battle in the hopes of answers... but of course finds more than she bargained for.
Sara is the epitome of a strong female character, although her pride certainly gets in the way.
The reason that I rated the book 3.5 stars instead of four stars is solely due to the structure of the story. This is a fast read, but there are a few points in the book where I lost interest and skimmed for a couple of pages until my interest was regained. But my main issue with the book is that the world-building and exposition was left to the last 20% of the book and it felt rather unbalanced. I wish that there had been more world-building throughout (for example, not waiting until page 260 to finally explain what was going on with the civil war that had been mentioned multiple times throughout the book). I love character driven books, but I am equally interested in an understanding of the world that those characters inhabit - the politics, the war - especially when those things are crucial to the overall plot of the series.
Those that have read Edun's Courtlight series will notice a drastic improvement in the writing and editing of this book comparatively. This book is technically well written and edited well and has the air of a professionally written and edited book. Edun has the creativity to weave an interesting tale, and she is starting to come into her own as she continues to develop as a writer.
I'd recommend this book to those interested in strong female characters, battles, magic, and the intrigue of uncovering a family secret. This book is the first in a series but does not end in a cliffhanger. It is currently on sale for free on Amazon kindle.
May 22, 2019
I've been having a run of mediocre to downright bad books lately, but this one started off so well I actually hoped it might be the one to break the spell for a moment there. As it turns out, that hope evaporated rather quickly, because even though I really like the world and the story kept me entertained, Sara's character began to grate after very little time spent in her company - her bitchy, arrogant attitude got old fast, and with her super awesome fighting skills and magic and ridiculous luck she's just too perfect to be interesting - and whiny, largely useless Ezekiel didn't particularly grow on me either. I'm also not a big fan of how the book hopped from subplot to subplot without ever resolving any of them, or of the cliffhanger ending which essentially meant that all of this book was build-up with no pay-off - I don't think I care enough to read on.
September 11, 2018
Blades of Magic was such a fun, light epic fantasy read. Author Terah Edun does a fantastic job of jumping straight into the action while delivering a witty, sassy but vulnerable heroine. The mood and tone of the book begin with a fun blend of Victorian/Steampunk with swashbuckling fantasy. The rules of battle magic and mages, in general, made for some awesome and alternately hilarious moments. And the larger world we soon explore with Sarah is fascinating as much as it is deadly. I couldn't help wanting to read more and devoured this in an afternoon.
September 29, 2018
3.5 stars. OK, but some realism issues
March 5, 2020
Good characters and strong plot. I really enjoyed the story and plan to continue the series.
March 29, 2022
Fast paced YA fantasy which I very much enjoyed
May 21, 2019
No estoy segura tiene buena narración, pero seria mejor historia como novela gráfica o así. Me mantuvo en la historia pero al final no me gusto como termino. Creo que aunque lo vayan a dejar con un final abierto típico de las series deberían tener clausura. Me parece que eso se esta perdiendo.
June 12, 2014
Originally posted at City of Books
Blades of Magic is an intriguing start to the Crown Service series, with lots of action and an awesome protagonist. This series is set in the same world as Terah's Courtlight series, but way back during the Initiate Wars. I found it pretty interesting to see a different perspective on things, though I hope to see more of the world in the coming books.
Sara spends her time fighting in the streets to uphold her family honour, after her father was killed for supposedly deserting the army. The act brought shame to her family, but Sara will not listen to any of it. She knows who her father was, and she loved him. So she still fights for him. When Sara begins looking for a job, she comes across one that she decides to take - that of a watcher for a collection of ancient artifacts. There she meets Ezekiel, the curator, and makes the first friend she's ever known. But when Sara discovers her father's files and realizes his journals aren't there, she knows she needs to find them. And to do so, she joins the emperor's army. Though the secrets she discovers there are nothing she'd ever expected.
Sara is a battle mage, which are mages that can use magic while fighting to strengthen their abilities. But there's a downside to that - the battle magic can take over, turning them berserk, hence the term berserkers. Sara knows she's in danger of that, and so rarely uses her battle magic while fighting. But regardless of that, she's an exceptional fighter. Sara has a pretty detached personality, which made it hard to connect with her. But I did like her almost immediately. She's tough and strong in a world that is almost entirely against her, and I really admire her willpower. It's also nice to see her hard mask crack at times, showing she's a person after all.
Ezekiel is the one that steals the show in this book, though. He starts off as a sort of afterthought - a skinny bespectacled guy who's more concerned with books and history than anything else. Ezekiel and Sara are so different from each other but end up being friends really quickly. And his character also develops from the time he meets Sara - he becomes more confident and stands up for himself and Sara. I can't wait to see more of him in the next book!
I think the synopsis for this book reveals more about the coming books as well rather than just this one. There's no romance in this, for example, and we don't get to see much time spent in the army. Though this was a short read, it was fast-paced from the beginning and I really liked that. I just wish there was more! This felt more like an introduction to the series than an entire novel on its own. So I'm hoping we get some answers in Blades of Illusion. Needless to say, I'm very eager to get my hands on it.
*Thank you to Terah Edun for providing me with an eARC for review*
Rating: 3.5/5
Blades of Magic is an intriguing start to the Crown Service series, with lots of action and an awesome protagonist. This series is set in the same world as Terah's Courtlight series, but way back during the Initiate Wars. I found it pretty interesting to see a different perspective on things, though I hope to see more of the world in the coming books.
Sara spends her time fighting in the streets to uphold her family honour, after her father was killed for supposedly deserting the army. The act brought shame to her family, but Sara will not listen to any of it. She knows who her father was, and she loved him. So she still fights for him. When Sara begins looking for a job, she comes across one that she decides to take - that of a watcher for a collection of ancient artifacts. There she meets Ezekiel, the curator, and makes the first friend she's ever known. But when Sara discovers her father's files and realizes his journals aren't there, she knows she needs to find them. And to do so, she joins the emperor's army. Though the secrets she discovers there are nothing she'd ever expected.
Sara is a battle mage, which are mages that can use magic while fighting to strengthen their abilities. But there's a downside to that - the battle magic can take over, turning them berserk, hence the term berserkers. Sara knows she's in danger of that, and so rarely uses her battle magic while fighting. But regardless of that, she's an exceptional fighter. Sara has a pretty detached personality, which made it hard to connect with her. But I did like her almost immediately. She's tough and strong in a world that is almost entirely against her, and I really admire her willpower. It's also nice to see her hard mask crack at times, showing she's a person after all.
Ezekiel is the one that steals the show in this book, though. He starts off as a sort of afterthought - a skinny bespectacled guy who's more concerned with books and history than anything else. Ezekiel and Sara are so different from each other but end up being friends really quickly. And his character also develops from the time he meets Sara - he becomes more confident and stands up for himself and Sara. I can't wait to see more of him in the next book!
I think the synopsis for this book reveals more about the coming books as well rather than just this one. There's no romance in this, for example, and we don't get to see much time spent in the army. Though this was a short read, it was fast-paced from the beginning and I really liked that. I just wish there was more! This felt more like an introduction to the series than an entire novel on its own. So I'm hoping we get some answers in Blades of Illusion. Needless to say, I'm very eager to get my hands on it.
*Thank you to Terah Edun for providing me with an eARC for review*
Rating: 3.5/5
April 19, 2014
My copy was provided by Netgalley.
Sara is the daughter of a disgraced imperial commander, but it's not like it's her fault. She loves her father, but she didn't force him to desert his army. Yet that's the way people see her family and so she shall forever be looked upon in disgust. Sara is a battle mage, but she can't find a job to help her family because no one will hire her. No one trusts her, but Sara needs to make some money to help support her mother.
When Sara is offered the chance to join the emeror's army, she finally gets her chance to learn more about her father's death and why he deserted his army. She can finally take away the black shadow shrouding her family. Yet Sara learns all is not what they seem to be when she has to fight enemies from both sides of the war and she begins to questions the motives of her "friends" and herself as well.
This book took you immediately into the action. There was no backstory or descriptions. This book transported you directly into the story. There was no time to catch up which made the story exciting, but it was also confusing during the beginning because you had no idea what was going on.
I love how real Sara felt. She wasn't perfect even though she had these amazing powers. Every day, she felt the fear that she would lose control, that she would become the thing she hates and fears the most. She kept this fear bottled inside her and I felt so sorry for Sara. Everyone is so afraid of her that they don't realize Sara is afraid of herself as well.
I also loved Ezekiel. He was so funny and he seems like he's a bit dim-witted, but there is so much going on with him that it feels as if he's two different people. At first, he's this clumsy curator, but you learn that he had this whole secret life in the past and he has all these secrets, dangerous ones. I can't wait to learn more about him and I would love it if he showed up even more in the second book.
There was never a dull moment in this book. There's a lot of violence in this book and Edun doesn't skimp out on any of the details.
At times, I found it difficult to really connect to Sara. It might be because she's killed people and I've (obviously) never done that, but with the troubles she faced, I couldn't connect to her through them.
This book was awesome and absolutely filled with action. I can't wait to read the second book and learn even more about Ezekiel and all the secrets he keeps.
Sara is the daughter of a disgraced imperial commander, but it's not like it's her fault. She loves her father, but she didn't force him to desert his army. Yet that's the way people see her family and so she shall forever be looked upon in disgust. Sara is a battle mage, but she can't find a job to help her family because no one will hire her. No one trusts her, but Sara needs to make some money to help support her mother.
When Sara is offered the chance to join the emeror's army, she finally gets her chance to learn more about her father's death and why he deserted his army. She can finally take away the black shadow shrouding her family. Yet Sara learns all is not what they seem to be when she has to fight enemies from both sides of the war and she begins to questions the motives of her "friends" and herself as well.
This book took you immediately into the action. There was no backstory or descriptions. This book transported you directly into the story. There was no time to catch up which made the story exciting, but it was also confusing during the beginning because you had no idea what was going on.
I love how real Sara felt. She wasn't perfect even though she had these amazing powers. Every day, she felt the fear that she would lose control, that she would become the thing she hates and fears the most. She kept this fear bottled inside her and I felt so sorry for Sara. Everyone is so afraid of her that they don't realize Sara is afraid of herself as well.
I also loved Ezekiel. He was so funny and he seems like he's a bit dim-witted, but there is so much going on with him that it feels as if he's two different people. At first, he's this clumsy curator, but you learn that he had this whole secret life in the past and he has all these secrets, dangerous ones. I can't wait to learn more about him and I would love it if he showed up even more in the second book.
There was never a dull moment in this book. There's a lot of violence in this book and Edun doesn't skimp out on any of the details.
At times, I found it difficult to really connect to Sara. It might be because she's killed people and I've (obviously) never done that, but with the troubles she faced, I couldn't connect to her through them.
This book was awesome and absolutely filled with action. I can't wait to read the second book and learn even more about Ezekiel and all the secrets he keeps.
July 10, 2015
I received a copy of this audiobook for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
Man, I love audiobooks. I'm really into them now, and they make me so happy. If my eyes are tired, I can still immerse myself in a book! Take an exciting story, add a talented narrator, and you have Blades of Magic. Listening to this book made me even more excited about audiobooks as well as the fantasy genre.
Sara pulled me into her story right away. I was mystified by her father's death and wanted to find out what happened to him. Sara's faith in her father was touching, and I trusted her belief that if he was a deserter, he must have had a good reason for it. I loved how kick ass Sara is - it's always thrilling to find out the heroine is strong and self-reliant. She doesn't need to lean on a significant other - she stands tall all on her own.
It took me a while to warm up to Ezekiel, but I ended up liking him quite a lot. The back and forth between Sara and him was a lot of fun to listen to. He reminded me of the kind of character who's really book smart but doesn't have much common sense. I pictured him as Wesley from the TV show, Angel. That's who Ezekiel's character reminded me of right away, and the image stuck in my mind, glasses, hair cut and all.
Ezekiel's disdain for fighters like Sara is evident in the beginning, but once he got to know her, he found out there was much more to her like her honor, faith, and intelligence.
There's plenty of action with a touch of romance in Blades of Magic. I loved the magic, especially the possibility that Sara could become what's known as a beserker - a mage who becomes so immersed in using his/her powers that it overpowers them. That was a scary possibility but also a cool twist to the story.
It took me a little bit of time to get into the story in the beginning. I listened to the first chapter twice, and the second time was pulled in quickly.
Sylvia Roldn Dohi, the narrator for Blades of Magic, had a pleasant voice to listen to and varied her tone accordingly with what was going on in the story. She was in tune with what she was narrating, and it was easy to tell which character was speaking because she also varied her voice for each person.
This was my first Terah Edun book as well as audiobook and certainly won't be my last. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series as well as her other series.
Man, I love audiobooks. I'm really into them now, and they make me so happy. If my eyes are tired, I can still immerse myself in a book! Take an exciting story, add a talented narrator, and you have Blades of Magic. Listening to this book made me even more excited about audiobooks as well as the fantasy genre.
Sara pulled me into her story right away. I was mystified by her father's death and wanted to find out what happened to him. Sara's faith in her father was touching, and I trusted her belief that if he was a deserter, he must have had a good reason for it. I loved how kick ass Sara is - it's always thrilling to find out the heroine is strong and self-reliant. She doesn't need to lean on a significant other - she stands tall all on her own.
It took me a while to warm up to Ezekiel, but I ended up liking him quite a lot. The back and forth between Sara and him was a lot of fun to listen to. He reminded me of the kind of character who's really book smart but doesn't have much common sense. I pictured him as Wesley from the TV show, Angel. That's who Ezekiel's character reminded me of right away, and the image stuck in my mind, glasses, hair cut and all.
Ezekiel's disdain for fighters like Sara is evident in the beginning, but once he got to know her, he found out there was much more to her like her honor, faith, and intelligence.
There's plenty of action with a touch of romance in Blades of Magic. I loved the magic, especially the possibility that Sara could become what's known as a beserker - a mage who becomes so immersed in using his/her powers that it overpowers them. That was a scary possibility but also a cool twist to the story.
It took me a little bit of time to get into the story in the beginning. I listened to the first chapter twice, and the second time was pulled in quickly.
Sylvia Roldn Dohi, the narrator for Blades of Magic, had a pleasant voice to listen to and varied her tone accordingly with what was going on in the story. She was in tune with what she was narrating, and it was easy to tell which character was speaking because she also varied her voice for each person.
This was my first Terah Edun book as well as audiobook and certainly won't be my last. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series as well as her other series.
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