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Tales of Ashkar #1
Broken Blades Don’t Sing
An alternate cover for this ASIN can be found here.
Elementalists—those that have the ability to command the elements. Only recently has humanity witnessed such unfathomable power. Some believe that it is a curse. That elementalists are possessed by demons. Others claim that it is a gift from the deities above.
It is neither.
Some use it for good, helping those in need and dedicating their lives to selflessness. Others use it for power and personal gain.
Neither understand what elementalism truly is.
Serraemas—one of the first of human elementalists—sees the world not how it is, but how it should be. Able to manipulate the element of ice, he sets out to realize that dream. What he has yet to discover is that in trying to save the world, he might just bring about its end instead.
Elementalists—those that have the ability to command the elements. Only recently has humanity witnessed such unfathomable power. Some believe that it is a curse. That elementalists are possessed by demons. Others claim that it is a gift from the deities above.
It is neither.
Some use it for good, helping those in need and dedicating their lives to selflessness. Others use it for power and personal gain.
Neither understand what elementalism truly is.
Serraemas—one of the first of human elementalists—sees the world not how it is, but how it should be. Able to manipulate the element of ice, he sets out to realize that dream. What he has yet to discover is that in trying to save the world, he might just bring about its end instead.
- GenresScience Fiction
263 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2015
16 people are currently reading
573 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 21, 2015
Once again, I ventured into the sci-fy world to explore a different genre. I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As I read about Serraemas, his mission, & the battles, I thought this was an ok read. At times, I did get lost and had to re-direct. I found the names & storyline unique. I would like to wish Kayl Kahradijian the best with his future writings.
October 20, 2015
This One Is Well Worth Having A Nibble On!
This story had every element a good story should have. An exciting plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well illustrated scenes that really make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that's something I really look for in a good book.
This captivating and commendable work had me immersed from the beginning. The story flows from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional skill when it comes to storytelling. There are twists and turns in this page turner that will take the reader on a thrilling journey!
It’s one of those stories that come along once in awhile that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader!
A highly recommended read.
I’ll certainly be looking forward to reading more from Kayl Karadjian in the future!
This story had every element a good story should have. An exciting plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well illustrated scenes that really make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that's something I really look for in a good book.
This captivating and commendable work had me immersed from the beginning. The story flows from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional skill when it comes to storytelling. There are twists and turns in this page turner that will take the reader on a thrilling journey!
It’s one of those stories that come along once in awhile that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader!
A highly recommended read.
I’ll certainly be looking forward to reading more from Kayl Karadjian in the future!
October 8, 2015
This newly beloved story will take you on a journey to remember. With characters that embodies an authenticity, that I have only witnessed a couple times before. A true insight into the minds of characters who are neither good nor evil, but seeking a greater purpose. With mystery, dramatic battles, philosophical provoking layers, a hint of humor, and the emotional battle between loss and the ideas of nobility. Broken Blades Don't Sing, left me with a new perspective on honor and love, and with anticipation for the next novel in the Tales of Ashkar series.
October 16, 2015
"Broken Blades Don't Sing (Tales of Ashkar Book One)" by Kayl A. Karadjian is my first read by this author. The book was given to me for a honest review and I have to say that I liked it. It is not my usual genre but I read it with an open mind and it was well written. The premise of the story is a bit of mystery, and battles for good. There is more to the story, but without telling you about the whole book you should pick it up for yourself and read it.
November 11, 2015
Broken Blades Don't Sing (BBDS) is a good book. Author Kayl Karadjian's first novel is a resounding success, and this is only the beginning.
The world of BBDS is filled with equal parts magic and mystery. It is a world that lives and thrives in fantasy.
From the very beginning, the reader is introduced to the prominent magical system that is deeply rooted within the concept of the natural elements: fire, wind, earth, and water. The way Kayl blends the intangibility of the concepts of the elements and the tangibility of the sword is magnificent and I must say that I'm left thinking of what combination of the two I would like to possess if I were a character in his fictional world. I'll address these concepts more in depth later in this review.
BBDS has a lot of good and a little bit of bad. I'll first be going over what I think could have improved the book!
-Overuse of Adverbs
Kayl seems to favor adverbs in his writing: "Abruptly, Serraemas dashed to the left and behind the base of one of the trees."
Adverbs do more harm than good because it slows down the pace of the story, and it pulls the reader away from what s/he's supposed to be doing: reading. I would have written the sentence above as: "Serraemas dashed to the left and landed behind the base of a tree." Dashed already tells the reader that Serraemas's movement has urgency, so we don't need Kayl to tell us that.
-Clunky sentences and dialogue
This is Kayl's first attempt at writing creatively, so it is only normal that his execution of technical writing is at it's infancy: "It wasn't long until they were a few dozen feet from the entrance. There were two guards that stood watch, and they became alerted to their presence."
In the sentences above, there is a group nearing an entrance, and there are two guards stationed at the entrance. I have an issue reading the second clause of the second sentence, because as I'm reading it, my eyes don't register whom "they" and "their" is referring to. I know what Kayl is trying to say, but the writing has done what it shouldn't have: it pulled me away from the flow of reading.
-Too verbose at times and awkward word usage
This is a minor issue, but an issue nonetheless. There are words that when read make you stop and think. And when you're stopping mid paragraph, that's a bad thing!
"They waited with patience and expectant visages."
I get what Kayl wants to say, but when I read this I stopped at the end of the sentence and though to myself: "Visages?"
As you can tell, all of the issues I had with BBDS had more to do with the execution of the writing rather than the content: definitely a good problem to have.
Let's look at what Kayl did well!
-Multiple Perspectives
A lot of writers try to pull-off the whole multiple-perspective thing, and very few of them get it right. I must say that Kayl got it right. Both the length and timing of each character perspective is on point, and Kayl's ability to end scenes is one of his greatest strengths. You can't help but want to keep on going because you don't get bored by reading the same voice for too long.
-Characters
All of Kayl's characters are phenomenal. There isn't one character, save for Elena, that doesn't go through some form of impactful character development. There is a tangible progression and it's very satisfying to see that progression first hand!
Kayl does well with the interactions between characters. The way Serraemas, Erendil, Raxxil and their Elementals interact with each other is absolutely entertaining! One of this book's highlights for sure.
-Elements and Elementals
The idea of controlling the natural elements isn't new, but I do like the twist Kayl puts on the concept.
Each of Kayl's characters has the ability to control one or more of the natural elements: fire, water, earth, wind, lightning, ice, light, dark, time, and space. The twist is that in order to control these elements, each character must build a connection to an elemental spirit. To make things more interesting, the conduit to these elemental bonds is a physical weapon. To illustrate this concept, I'll use Serraemas, one of the protagonists of BBDS, as an example.
Serraemas is able to control the element of ice. His elemental spirit is named Zaranet. Serraemas uses a staff, which is the physical manifestation of his bond with Zaranet, to communicate with his elemental spirit.
Every Elementalist has a similar bond with their elemental spirit, which I've got to say is a neat idea.
-Depth of Lore
As you go through the book, you get the impression that there is a lot more to the world than Kayl first lets on. This is the kind of depth to content of writing that I grew up with and I can't get enough.
I'm going to end this review by going over individual portions of the story that I liked!
-Serraemas
Serraemas is one of the protagonists of BBDS. He's the cool and collected character of the bunch, but Kayl does well to challenge Serraemas to the point that we see another, and much darker, side of him. His relationship with his elemental spirit, Zaranet, is one based on respect. The following poem describes Serraemas's character well:
"Chilling rain pours down from the crying sky
Two figures standing apart
A gaping chasm in my cold, dark heart
Don't give up, don't let it die
Arms outstretched, but now you're gone forever
Powerless, hopeless
There is nothing left; all of this is meaningless
Take my hand and we will transcend together."
-Raxxil
The best character in this book, hands down. I loved Raxxil! Not only is his character concept great, but also his voice and perspective led me to a lot of laughs. What I loved the most, though, was that Kayl progressed Raxxil from a hotheaded brute to a strong-willed protector. Like Serraemas, there is much more to Raxxil than first meets the eye. Also, Raxxil's elemental spirit, Vrand, is awesome.
"Golden dreams of false hope lie
I wasn't able to say goodbye
The flames expel, they consume all in woe
Where did you go?
Fire burns inside me
The inferno rages, I am set free
Alone, I can barely stand
Promise me you'll hold my hand."
Reading the poem above, I instantly knew it was about Raxxil. Magnificent.
-Erendil
I didn't care much for Erendil throughout the story, but I learned to empathize with him the more the story progressed. His story is definitely one of the darkest, especially with the twists regarding his elemental spirit Akaba.
"My heart is black and hollow
I can feel the darkness rising
Withdrawing inside where none can follow
Only to find this is where you're hiding.
I cannot bear this
My hands shake, unsteady as my soul
Return me to bliss
I am no longer in control."
I must say that his poem resonated with me as well.
There were other notable characters:
Samantha: I liked her dynamic as a Lt. of the Order of the Faith. I'd love to learn more about her past involvement with the Faith.
Wu: I have a feeling this guy has a big role in the future of this series.
Graeme Warren: Same as above.
Sevag: Big future villain logo written all over him!
Sanjin: Character perspective in future installments?
Blue Swords: Interested in seeing where this storyline goes!
As you can probably tell, I enjoyed this book! I don't want to spoil the story, so I tried to leave out as much detail as possible. Who would I recommend this book to? People who enjoy:
Extremely deep and interesting lore
Character-driven stories
Strong usage of multiple-perspectives
Thorough and consistent magical systems
Series-long story arcs
Author Kayl has a lot of room for growth, and that's a really good thing because his first creation is a success. I'm looking forward to his future works.
The world of BBDS is filled with equal parts magic and mystery. It is a world that lives and thrives in fantasy.
From the very beginning, the reader is introduced to the prominent magical system that is deeply rooted within the concept of the natural elements: fire, wind, earth, and water. The way Kayl blends the intangibility of the concepts of the elements and the tangibility of the sword is magnificent and I must say that I'm left thinking of what combination of the two I would like to possess if I were a character in his fictional world. I'll address these concepts more in depth later in this review.
BBDS has a lot of good and a little bit of bad. I'll first be going over what I think could have improved the book!
-Overuse of Adverbs
Kayl seems to favor adverbs in his writing: "Abruptly, Serraemas dashed to the left and behind the base of one of the trees."
Adverbs do more harm than good because it slows down the pace of the story, and it pulls the reader away from what s/he's supposed to be doing: reading. I would have written the sentence above as: "Serraemas dashed to the left and landed behind the base of a tree." Dashed already tells the reader that Serraemas's movement has urgency, so we don't need Kayl to tell us that.
-Clunky sentences and dialogue
This is Kayl's first attempt at writing creatively, so it is only normal that his execution of technical writing is at it's infancy: "It wasn't long until they were a few dozen feet from the entrance. There were two guards that stood watch, and they became alerted to their presence."
In the sentences above, there is a group nearing an entrance, and there are two guards stationed at the entrance. I have an issue reading the second clause of the second sentence, because as I'm reading it, my eyes don't register whom "they" and "their" is referring to. I know what Kayl is trying to say, but the writing has done what it shouldn't have: it pulled me away from the flow of reading.
-Too verbose at times and awkward word usage
This is a minor issue, but an issue nonetheless. There are words that when read make you stop and think. And when you're stopping mid paragraph, that's a bad thing!
"They waited with patience and expectant visages."
I get what Kayl wants to say, but when I read this I stopped at the end of the sentence and though to myself: "Visages?"
As you can tell, all of the issues I had with BBDS had more to do with the execution of the writing rather than the content: definitely a good problem to have.
Let's look at what Kayl did well!
-Multiple Perspectives
A lot of writers try to pull-off the whole multiple-perspective thing, and very few of them get it right. I must say that Kayl got it right. Both the length and timing of each character perspective is on point, and Kayl's ability to end scenes is one of his greatest strengths. You can't help but want to keep on going because you don't get bored by reading the same voice for too long.
-Characters
All of Kayl's characters are phenomenal. There isn't one character, save for Elena, that doesn't go through some form of impactful character development. There is a tangible progression and it's very satisfying to see that progression first hand!
Kayl does well with the interactions between characters. The way Serraemas, Erendil, Raxxil and their Elementals interact with each other is absolutely entertaining! One of this book's highlights for sure.
-Elements and Elementals
The idea of controlling the natural elements isn't new, but I do like the twist Kayl puts on the concept.
Each of Kayl's characters has the ability to control one or more of the natural elements: fire, water, earth, wind, lightning, ice, light, dark, time, and space. The twist is that in order to control these elements, each character must build a connection to an elemental spirit. To make things more interesting, the conduit to these elemental bonds is a physical weapon. To illustrate this concept, I'll use Serraemas, one of the protagonists of BBDS, as an example.
Serraemas is able to control the element of ice. His elemental spirit is named Zaranet. Serraemas uses a staff, which is the physical manifestation of his bond with Zaranet, to communicate with his elemental spirit.
Every Elementalist has a similar bond with their elemental spirit, which I've got to say is a neat idea.
-Depth of Lore
As you go through the book, you get the impression that there is a lot more to the world than Kayl first lets on. This is the kind of depth to content of writing that I grew up with and I can't get enough.
I'm going to end this review by going over individual portions of the story that I liked!
-Serraemas
Serraemas is one of the protagonists of BBDS. He's the cool and collected character of the bunch, but Kayl does well to challenge Serraemas to the point that we see another, and much darker, side of him. His relationship with his elemental spirit, Zaranet, is one based on respect. The following poem describes Serraemas's character well:
"Chilling rain pours down from the crying sky
Two figures standing apart
A gaping chasm in my cold, dark heart
Don't give up, don't let it die
Arms outstretched, but now you're gone forever
Powerless, hopeless
There is nothing left; all of this is meaningless
Take my hand and we will transcend together."
-Raxxil
The best character in this book, hands down. I loved Raxxil! Not only is his character concept great, but also his voice and perspective led me to a lot of laughs. What I loved the most, though, was that Kayl progressed Raxxil from a hotheaded brute to a strong-willed protector. Like Serraemas, there is much more to Raxxil than first meets the eye. Also, Raxxil's elemental spirit, Vrand, is awesome.
"Golden dreams of false hope lie
I wasn't able to say goodbye
The flames expel, they consume all in woe
Where did you go?
Fire burns inside me
The inferno rages, I am set free
Alone, I can barely stand
Promise me you'll hold my hand."
Reading the poem above, I instantly knew it was about Raxxil. Magnificent.
-Erendil
I didn't care much for Erendil throughout the story, but I learned to empathize with him the more the story progressed. His story is definitely one of the darkest, especially with the twists regarding his elemental spirit Akaba.
"My heart is black and hollow
I can feel the darkness rising
Withdrawing inside where none can follow
Only to find this is where you're hiding.
I cannot bear this
My hands shake, unsteady as my soul
Return me to bliss
I am no longer in control."
I must say that his poem resonated with me as well.
There were other notable characters:
Samantha: I liked her dynamic as a Lt. of the Order of the Faith. I'd love to learn more about her past involvement with the Faith.
Wu: I have a feeling this guy has a big role in the future of this series.
Graeme Warren: Same as above.
Sevag: Big future villain logo written all over him!
Sanjin: Character perspective in future installments?
Blue Swords: Interested in seeing where this storyline goes!
As you can probably tell, I enjoyed this book! I don't want to spoil the story, so I tried to leave out as much detail as possible. Who would I recommend this book to? People who enjoy:
Extremely deep and interesting lore
Character-driven stories
Strong usage of multiple-perspectives
Thorough and consistent magical systems
Series-long story arcs
Author Kayl has a lot of room for growth, and that's a really good thing because his first creation is a success. I'm looking forward to his future works.
September 30, 2018
Swords and elemental magic
I learned of this book on Goodreads and read it using Kindle Unlimited. This is a classic tale of wondering warriors saving the kingdom. In this world, magic is the result of certain people bonding with Elementals. The internal dialogues between each pairing are the highlights of the book. Raxxil and Enderil are the best characters. Their story is explored more in later books. Everything is done well enough in this book, but nothing truly stood out. It's got hellhound mounts and action galore, but it also slows down for a trial and to tease other characters whose importance has yet to be determined. Ultimately the story can be read as a standalone adventure, but many will want the teases resolved.
I learned of this book on Goodreads and read it using Kindle Unlimited. This is a classic tale of wondering warriors saving the kingdom. In this world, magic is the result of certain people bonding with Elementals. The internal dialogues between each pairing are the highlights of the book. Raxxil and Enderil are the best characters. Their story is explored more in later books. Everything is done well enough in this book, but nothing truly stood out. It's got hellhound mounts and action galore, but it also slows down for a trial and to tease other characters whose importance has yet to be determined. Ultimately the story can be read as a standalone adventure, but many will want the teases resolved.
May 9, 2020
This is the first book I have read from front to back in literally years. I was genuinely excited to keep reading this and yet hesitant to turn the page because I did not want it to end (and I had already bought all of his books). It kept me engaged, interested and amused. It felt like a book I would have read as a teenager but it was a more grown-up version.
There were two different scenarios and both kept me engaged though I was much more into Serraemas and Raxxil's story. Raxxil was my favorite character almost immediately. My favorite thing about this book was their relationship and unraveling the reason for their journey. You won't be disappointed with this book of to decide to pick it up.
There were two different scenarios and both kept me engaged though I was much more into Serraemas and Raxxil's story. Raxxil was my favorite character almost immediately. My favorite thing about this book was their relationship and unraveling the reason for their journey. You won't be disappointed with this book of to decide to pick it up.
September 7, 2017
It was my first read from Karadjian and i have to say i was not mightily impressed. Though the story line is good and the characters themselves are well made. But due to his constant shifting of characters it was kinda hard to follow what was actually going on. I mean for the most part of the book half i was just confused as hell.
The mark of a true writer is that his novels immerse the readers whether they are reading in hard copy or soft copy, and although I found the 2nd half of the book immersive the first half was a bit confusing. I regret to say that his first nook(that i have read) wasn't much of read according to me😢😢
The mark of a true writer is that his novels immerse the readers whether they are reading in hard copy or soft copy, and although I found the 2nd half of the book immersive the first half was a bit confusing. I regret to say that his first nook(that i have read) wasn't much of read according to me😢😢
October 24, 2015
There’s a lot of fantasy here, fantasy that requires a decent amount of imagination. This book actually feels more like an adventurous anime than a novel but its good. The concept of Elementalists really reminded me of one of my favorite pastime shows; Avatar: The Last Airbender, in which humans with the ability to manipulate the elements waged war.
The plotline of Broken Blades kind of breaks into more than one story, which shouldn’t surprise anyone who’s ever read a smidge of fantasy before. We start off with a young Serraemas, eight years old, he’s at home with his mother who’s making stew when his father comes home with seemingly big news. News that will take them from their class of peasants to the higher-ups. Unfortunately their late dinner is interrupted by a sudden attack which leaves our protagonist nearly dead. Lucky for him, he’s rescued from the cold by the beautiful Elena who serves as our main romantic interest for the story.
From there we have plenty of good old fight scenes, narrow escapes, and highly emotional exchanges between the complex characters.
Serraemas is a character I somewhat enjoyed, I liked his growth as the story progressed. He goes from eight to around eighteen and we clearly see a difference between the scared boy who’d been left for dead to the caring boyfriend with instincts sharper than a two-edged sword.
Serraemas is the kind of hero every girl wants to read about. He’s gorgeous, he’s protective, and he fights for a cause. He’s a well-developed guy, to the point where it becomes clear to the reader that author Karadjian obviously had fun layering the depths of his personality.
Admittedly, I was expecting to find a guy who’d choke in battle and annoy me with a hundred thousand flashbacks of that gruesome night in his childhood. While there were hints of his past that came up throughout the book, they were all totally necessary and, in my opinion, they only helped to push the story along. I never felt trapped in Serraemas’ past, and I wasn’t annoyed by the emotion he brought to the story. It was all believable and very well put together.
Now….Elena….
What to say about her? When I first started reading, I just wanted her to die. Not even a full page into her character’s introduction and I wanted her to go away. She was utterly useless except to serve as another reason to keep Serraemas’s fighting spirit alive. I get it, sometimes a story has a character who is simply the ‘pretty girl’ and that’s OK except this version of the beautiful, innocent, damsel in distress was a complete turn-off. I could have accepted the fact that she was just a nice squeeze for the protagonist but I felt like her whole ‘innocent beauty in an ugly world’ getup was a really annoying hit and miss. There was nothing to her except that she was so beautiful and her skin was so soft, and her lips so pink, and she was so innocently gorgeous and did I mention how beautiful she was?
Yeah…
Other than Elena, I really liked this story. And in the author’s defense, she wasn’t actually in it much so I guess I really enjoyed it.
Raxxil was someone I loved and hated. He was cool but he was also a little arrogant and a bit aggressive too. Most of his lines were shouted, barked, or hollered; it was entertaining and annoying which is a good thing because that shows how much I was into the story! You can tell you have a good author with a great story when they make you want to chuck their book across the room and fall asleep reading it at the same time.
Broken Blades Don’t Sing was unique and original, full of deeply pained characters with their own stories that brought you closer to them and in turn brought you deeper into the plot as a whole. The concept of the Elementalists was intriguing, there was more than just the four simple elements and the way their powers were portrayed was actually cool. The structure of the book was well thought out, it was clearly planned from cover to cover, you could tell that just by how much detail was pumped into each page. Even gestures from the characters were mentioned, their outfits were described, sometimes their food too—all of this helped me get to know them a little better.
My favorite thing about this book was the vivid detail and the way the author set up each scene. I felt like I was guided through the book, as if I were sitting back and watching all this play out before me. I will admit, the narration was a little odd for me. It was GOOD, but it was odd. Only because the world was recreated around nations and Lords and sometimes the characters said things like “The Master wishes…” but then they would go and say “Son of a b—!” to me, that didn’t match up well. I just didn’t think the inclusion of foul language that kids use today matched with the kind of foul language that would have been used in the Age of the Lion or Rimas, or the other Ages.
That’s not to say that the writing or the editing was bad though. It was pretty great actually, and the story still flowed well. With a cast as large as the one in this book, you’d think I’d be confused from bouncing from character to character but no. Each location, character, and action was easy to follow. Broken Blades Don’t Sing deserved each of the five stars I gave it. I’m pleased to say I got to read a quality book written by a talented and imaginative author. I look forward to the next book in the series.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
The plotline of Broken Blades kind of breaks into more than one story, which shouldn’t surprise anyone who’s ever read a smidge of fantasy before. We start off with a young Serraemas, eight years old, he’s at home with his mother who’s making stew when his father comes home with seemingly big news. News that will take them from their class of peasants to the higher-ups. Unfortunately their late dinner is interrupted by a sudden attack which leaves our protagonist nearly dead. Lucky for him, he’s rescued from the cold by the beautiful Elena who serves as our main romantic interest for the story.
From there we have plenty of good old fight scenes, narrow escapes, and highly emotional exchanges between the complex characters.
Serraemas is a character I somewhat enjoyed, I liked his growth as the story progressed. He goes from eight to around eighteen and we clearly see a difference between the scared boy who’d been left for dead to the caring boyfriend with instincts sharper than a two-edged sword.
Serraemas is the kind of hero every girl wants to read about. He’s gorgeous, he’s protective, and he fights for a cause. He’s a well-developed guy, to the point where it becomes clear to the reader that author Karadjian obviously had fun layering the depths of his personality.
Admittedly, I was expecting to find a guy who’d choke in battle and annoy me with a hundred thousand flashbacks of that gruesome night in his childhood. While there were hints of his past that came up throughout the book, they were all totally necessary and, in my opinion, they only helped to push the story along. I never felt trapped in Serraemas’ past, and I wasn’t annoyed by the emotion he brought to the story. It was all believable and very well put together.
Now….Elena….
What to say about her? When I first started reading, I just wanted her to die. Not even a full page into her character’s introduction and I wanted her to go away. She was utterly useless except to serve as another reason to keep Serraemas’s fighting spirit alive. I get it, sometimes a story has a character who is simply the ‘pretty girl’ and that’s OK except this version of the beautiful, innocent, damsel in distress was a complete turn-off. I could have accepted the fact that she was just a nice squeeze for the protagonist but I felt like her whole ‘innocent beauty in an ugly world’ getup was a really annoying hit and miss. There was nothing to her except that she was so beautiful and her skin was so soft, and her lips so pink, and she was so innocently gorgeous and did I mention how beautiful she was?
Yeah…
Other than Elena, I really liked this story. And in the author’s defense, she wasn’t actually in it much so I guess I really enjoyed it.
Raxxil was someone I loved and hated. He was cool but he was also a little arrogant and a bit aggressive too. Most of his lines were shouted, barked, or hollered; it was entertaining and annoying which is a good thing because that shows how much I was into the story! You can tell you have a good author with a great story when they make you want to chuck their book across the room and fall asleep reading it at the same time.
Broken Blades Don’t Sing was unique and original, full of deeply pained characters with their own stories that brought you closer to them and in turn brought you deeper into the plot as a whole. The concept of the Elementalists was intriguing, there was more than just the four simple elements and the way their powers were portrayed was actually cool. The structure of the book was well thought out, it was clearly planned from cover to cover, you could tell that just by how much detail was pumped into each page. Even gestures from the characters were mentioned, their outfits were described, sometimes their food too—all of this helped me get to know them a little better.
My favorite thing about this book was the vivid detail and the way the author set up each scene. I felt like I was guided through the book, as if I were sitting back and watching all this play out before me. I will admit, the narration was a little odd for me. It was GOOD, but it was odd. Only because the world was recreated around nations and Lords and sometimes the characters said things like “The Master wishes…” but then they would go and say “Son of a b—!” to me, that didn’t match up well. I just didn’t think the inclusion of foul language that kids use today matched with the kind of foul language that would have been used in the Age of the Lion or Rimas, or the other Ages.
That’s not to say that the writing or the editing was bad though. It was pretty great actually, and the story still flowed well. With a cast as large as the one in this book, you’d think I’d be confused from bouncing from character to character but no. Each location, character, and action was easy to follow. Broken Blades Don’t Sing deserved each of the five stars I gave it. I’m pleased to say I got to read a quality book written by a talented and imaginative author. I look forward to the next book in the series.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
December 30, 2017
Being a fantasy lover myself, I was immediately intrigued by the cover of this book. I bought it without a second thought! I didn't expect much of the book, but when I read through it, I was lured into its characters and their backstories, how detailed the setting of different scenes was described. The battles throughout the book were very action-packed, and each battle introduced a new aspect in the characters. When I finished the book, I had so many questions! ( I am not going to state them here, because of spoilers) I'd highly recommend this book to fantasy readers!
May 14, 2017
This is the second book by Kayl Karadjian that I have read and unfortunately, I am more undecided about BBDS than I was about Dragonsoul.
Like Dragonsoul, BBDS was very well written with a host of different characters, all who bought something different to the plot. I did feel like there was a lot going on throughout the book and sometimes struggled to remember how the characters fit together. I preferred the Academy of the Eight plot opposed to Serraemas’s journey. I felt the Academy plot was better defined whereas Serramis almost felt like he was just wandering and there was little plot development.
Overall BBDS was well written but plot wise, not for me. Fans of fantasy epics would really enjoy this.
Like Dragonsoul, BBDS was very well written with a host of different characters, all who bought something different to the plot. I did feel like there was a lot going on throughout the book and sometimes struggled to remember how the characters fit together. I preferred the Academy of the Eight plot opposed to Serraemas’s journey. I felt the Academy plot was better defined whereas Serramis almost felt like he was just wandering and there was little plot development.
Overall BBDS was well written but plot wise, not for me. Fans of fantasy epics would really enjoy this.
December 5, 2015
Serraemas, Raxxil, and Erendil form a team with special powers. One controls ice, another fire, and another air. Their mission? Find a man who has stolen a grimoir with the intent of calling forth a great demon into the world. During their pursuit, they fight many battles. It is through these battles that we learn the depths of these three, their losses and their desires. Each struggles against personal weakness but together can destroy an army of demons. And that's what it will take for them to succeed in their quest.
Here is entertainment and great imagination. We quickly enter the action. And it continues apace, except where the author showcases the world he's created by overloading us with too much geography, too many organizations, and too many individuals. I marvel, however, at how he can make characters so distinct from one another. Even minor ones we see only once. As for the important ones, he takes care to develop them as we move along. And I like the depth he gives the story through their philosophical statements.
Nevertheless this book was published too soon. Thorough editing could make it shine. Presently, the writing is uneven. While we savor strong verbs and vivid images, we are jolted by odd word usage or typos, by confusing sentence structure, by holes in the narrative, by scattered elements, and by too much background and too many characters. This book begs for an appendix that includes a map and a glossary.
An example of a hole in the narrative occurs when Serraemas is attacked and we suddenly learn he is gifted with special powers. The story seems scattered when each of several chapters introduces another bunch of characters that seem unrelated to our team. It had me wondering where the story was going.
Much of the awkwardness disappears by Chapter 4 or 5 when the author seems to have found his pace. Then we can appreciate his ability to move his characters, whether in conversation or in battle. We can appreciate his descriptive abilities.
A surprise ending gives us a reason why one character, inactive in this novel, is introduced. We expect he will play a big role, possibly as the antagonist, in the next book of this series. Perhaps certain happenings, as the death of a girl, will have downstream effects in the next novel. Certainly multiple points of view among many minor characters suggest we will meet them in later books. I feel though, that some of the introductions could wait until those books are written.
This book reads like a young adult story, but with the language that is chosen, it seems more suited for a particular kind of adult, the kind who enjoys internet gaming. Such will delight in the many action scenes that are clearly detailed.
Here is entertainment and great imagination. We quickly enter the action. And it continues apace, except where the author showcases the world he's created by overloading us with too much geography, too many organizations, and too many individuals. I marvel, however, at how he can make characters so distinct from one another. Even minor ones we see only once. As for the important ones, he takes care to develop them as we move along. And I like the depth he gives the story through their philosophical statements.
Nevertheless this book was published too soon. Thorough editing could make it shine. Presently, the writing is uneven. While we savor strong verbs and vivid images, we are jolted by odd word usage or typos, by confusing sentence structure, by holes in the narrative, by scattered elements, and by too much background and too many characters. This book begs for an appendix that includes a map and a glossary.
An example of a hole in the narrative occurs when Serraemas is attacked and we suddenly learn he is gifted with special powers. The story seems scattered when each of several chapters introduces another bunch of characters that seem unrelated to our team. It had me wondering where the story was going.
Much of the awkwardness disappears by Chapter 4 or 5 when the author seems to have found his pace. Then we can appreciate his ability to move his characters, whether in conversation or in battle. We can appreciate his descriptive abilities.
A surprise ending gives us a reason why one character, inactive in this novel, is introduced. We expect he will play a big role, possibly as the antagonist, in the next book of this series. Perhaps certain happenings, as the death of a girl, will have downstream effects in the next novel. Certainly multiple points of view among many minor characters suggest we will meet them in later books. I feel though, that some of the introductions could wait until those books are written.
This book reads like a young adult story, but with the language that is chosen, it seems more suited for a particular kind of adult, the kind who enjoys internet gaming. Such will delight in the many action scenes that are clearly detailed.
December 28, 2015
Broken Blades Don't Sing is an adventure loaded with larger-than-life characters, fantastic enemies, and epic battles galore. This book will probably appeal immensely to fans of anime and similar fantastical tales. While it wasn't exactly my style of story, it was an interesting and amusing tale with a few unexpected and unusual twists.
Probably the most prominent is that the main characters are both protagonists and antagonists. Fighting for what they consider a higher ideal, they cast many preconceived notions by the wayside and do what they consider necessary in virtually every situation. Sometimes this means fighting demons and saving the day; sometimes it means killing people who get in the way of their higher calling. It's a different technique in a book of what would normally be larger-than-life heroes. Are they really the heroes? That's sort of left to the reader's interpretation.
The book has some amusing humor in it, typically the banter between the two main protagonists who, while they are partners and (presumably) best friends, are also polar opposites based on their elemental masteries. The way they play off each other as both foil and complement is well done. There are a few scattered swears here and there, but they are used for a jolt of emphasis, and the book is not teeming with language.
The characters are an enigma, because while they clearly have deep, dark pasts, those pasts aren't explained or explored in too much detail. The reader is given enough to understand that they've been through a lot, and the influences of their elementals on their personalities is also a major factor. Clearly a lot of story is being accrued for future volumes, and there seems to be a lot to be explored as the series goes on. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, either: too much info dump can make mysterious characters dull in a hurry. Karadjian has avoided that pitfall well, if one can accept the wait for future explanation.
The only other minor critique I would offer is that there are certain scenes, and characters therein, that are completely irrelevant to this story, but that will likely become more central to future volumes in the series.
Overall, an enjoyable work. For those who like anime and similar stories, I think this will be a real winner.
* - I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Probably the most prominent is that the main characters are both protagonists and antagonists. Fighting for what they consider a higher ideal, they cast many preconceived notions by the wayside and do what they consider necessary in virtually every situation. Sometimes this means fighting demons and saving the day; sometimes it means killing people who get in the way of their higher calling. It's a different technique in a book of what would normally be larger-than-life heroes. Are they really the heroes? That's sort of left to the reader's interpretation.
The book has some amusing humor in it, typically the banter between the two main protagonists who, while they are partners and (presumably) best friends, are also polar opposites based on their elemental masteries. The way they play off each other as both foil and complement is well done. There are a few scattered swears here and there, but they are used for a jolt of emphasis, and the book is not teeming with language.
The characters are an enigma, because while they clearly have deep, dark pasts, those pasts aren't explained or explored in too much detail. The reader is given enough to understand that they've been through a lot, and the influences of their elementals on their personalities is also a major factor. Clearly a lot of story is being accrued for future volumes, and there seems to be a lot to be explored as the series goes on. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, either: too much info dump can make mysterious characters dull in a hurry. Karadjian has avoided that pitfall well, if one can accept the wait for future explanation.
The only other minor critique I would offer is that there are certain scenes, and characters therein, that are completely irrelevant to this story, but that will likely become more central to future volumes in the series.
Overall, an enjoyable work. For those who like anime and similar stories, I think this will be a real winner.
* - I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
October 26, 2015
Interesting fantasy adventure set in a galaxy far far away! There are creatures on the planet who have their own inner plus-one: i.e. beings that give them the power over one of the 8 elements: Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Ice, Lightning, Time, and Space.
The main hero is Serraemas, whose elemental being is Zaranet, giving him the power over Ice.
Raxxil, whose elemental essence is Vrand, giving him the power of Fire.
Erendil, whose elemental being is Akaba, giving him the power of Space (or at least sensing the outlines of shapes and things).
The three are either the followers or graduates of The School of Eight founded by elementalists including Masters Wu and Graeme Warren.
Samantha Kell, whose elemental being is Kavem - controls Air and heads a regiment of eleven men as Lieutenant of the 11th battalion of the Order of the Faith - basically working for the bureaucracy / king.
The paths of all four converge when they must fight the rising demonic force that threatens to annihilate the planet’s creatures. That demon, Orbo, is residing within swashbuckling cynical do-no-gooder Aramal because he carries a grimoire (book, which he found).
Karadjian has clearly conceived this as a trilogy, so readers can look forward to more action and mysteries. I had a bit of trouble following the timeline: Serraemas is first introduced as an 8-year old boy in ‘176th Dusk of the 4907th Age of Rimas’; most of the action takes place during ‘347th Dawn of the 4999th Age of Rimas’ with the climax occurring in ‘4th Dusk of the 5000th Age of Lion’ and the book ends at ‘34th Dawn of the 5000th Age of Lion’ when Serraemas is still alive - so how old is the dude? 100? 150? 10,000?
Love the nerdy ‘comic book’ cover.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair, unbiased and non-reciprocal review.
The main hero is Serraemas, whose elemental being is Zaranet, giving him the power over Ice.
Raxxil, whose elemental essence is Vrand, giving him the power of Fire.
Erendil, whose elemental being is Akaba, giving him the power of Space (or at least sensing the outlines of shapes and things).
The three are either the followers or graduates of The School of Eight founded by elementalists including Masters Wu and Graeme Warren.
Samantha Kell, whose elemental being is Kavem - controls Air and heads a regiment of eleven men as Lieutenant of the 11th battalion of the Order of the Faith - basically working for the bureaucracy / king.
The paths of all four converge when they must fight the rising demonic force that threatens to annihilate the planet’s creatures. That demon, Orbo, is residing within swashbuckling cynical do-no-gooder Aramal because he carries a grimoire (book, which he found).
Karadjian has clearly conceived this as a trilogy, so readers can look forward to more action and mysteries. I had a bit of trouble following the timeline: Serraemas is first introduced as an 8-year old boy in ‘176th Dusk of the 4907th Age of Rimas’; most of the action takes place during ‘347th Dawn of the 4999th Age of Rimas’ with the climax occurring in ‘4th Dusk of the 5000th Age of Lion’ and the book ends at ‘34th Dawn of the 5000th Age of Lion’ when Serraemas is still alive - so how old is the dude? 100? 150? 10,000?
Love the nerdy ‘comic book’ cover.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair, unbiased and non-reciprocal review.
November 19, 2015
Broken Blades Don’t Sing is an engaging and fast paced fantasy novel which entices the reader to turn the page. Karadjian creates the fantasy world superbly, painting a vivid image of the environment which makes the reader genuinely feel like they are within it. The characters were strong, and I found myself feeling genuine concern and empathy towards the majority of them. Having said this, at times I found myself struggling to remember who was who and distinguish between the lesser characters. I feel this stems from being introduced to too much, too quickly – within the first couple of chapters the reader is introduced to an entirely new fantasy worlds with various kingdom’s, species, characters and ideologicals, and at times I found it a little overwhelming and confusing. There were occasions where I had to flick back to earlier parts of the book to remind myself of exactly who a character was or what they were. Having said this, the wide breadth of the fantasy world sets up the opportunity for a lengthy, refreshing series, something which excites me as I believe that it is something which the genre is crying out for. The book was well written, with only an occasional error and overall I would highly recommend it. Parents should exercise some caution in allowing younger children to read the book due to some occasional expletives.
November 10, 2015
It's been a number of years since I've read a book in the fantasy genre. I think it might well have been the Harry Potter series. Perhaps this is why Kayl A. Karadjian's "Broken Blades Don't Sing" reminded me of it a little, which is not a bad thing at all! I can see how this book might appeal to a younger set, as it has the age-old student/master theme that is so compelling and widespread in today's stories. I love an author that wields their creativity like a broadsword, crafting a completely unique world. The use of elements has been done in many other fantasy novels, but here they are used with their own original twists. Add to that, the author's deft way with dialogue, some exciting action, and interesting main characters, and it is a novel that you can tell the author has spent has poured his heart and soul into.
My main critique, is that I did get a little lost at times in its complexity, and I had a hard time making sense of the different ages/dusks/dawns introduced at the beginning of the chapters. While I appreciate the effort to be imaginative, sometimes too many unique names for objects, beings, etc, can pull a reader from the flow of a good story.
But overall, a good, solid run at a difficult genre to nail. Well done!
My main critique, is that I did get a little lost at times in its complexity, and I had a hard time making sense of the different ages/dusks/dawns introduced at the beginning of the chapters. While I appreciate the effort to be imaginative, sometimes too many unique names for objects, beings, etc, can pull a reader from the flow of a good story.
But overall, a good, solid run at a difficult genre to nail. Well done!
November 20, 2015
This sword-and-sorcery fantasy shows imagination and creativity by the author. There's plenty of complex world-building and an interesting magic system that's internally consistent. Clearly the author has a gift for story-telling.
Where the book falls down is in the mechanics of word use and grammar rules. The result is a bumpy ride that makes the reader stop to reread in order to figure out what the author means. The story shows promise; the writing isn't ready for prime time yet, but it could be with a solid edit.
I'd give the story four stars for plotting, setting, and characters, but only two stars for technical execution of getting the right words on the page.
I received this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
Where the book falls down is in the mechanics of word use and grammar rules. The result is a bumpy ride that makes the reader stop to reread in order to figure out what the author means. The story shows promise; the writing isn't ready for prime time yet, but it could be with a solid edit.
I'd give the story four stars for plotting, setting, and characters, but only two stars for technical execution of getting the right words on the page.
I received this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
Read
December 19, 2016Overall I thought this was a very interesting book. There is a lot of information to process, but although it starts out slowly its a pretty good book. The story shows alot of promise and I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Where the book falls down is in there is a lot of jumping around in times and place, some of the characters and places were overly explained and others not enough. Some of the dialogue seems too contrived & jerky. The result is a bumpy ride that makes the reader to reread sections to figure out what the author means. There are many adverbs which slow the reading down. The story shows promise; and could use a solid edit.
I received this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
Where the book falls down is in there is a lot of jumping around in times and place, some of the characters and places were overly explained and others not enough. Some of the dialogue seems too contrived & jerky. The result is a bumpy ride that makes the reader to reread sections to figure out what the author means. There are many adverbs which slow the reading down. The story shows promise; and could use a solid edit.
I received this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
November 10, 2015
While I personally thought this book started out a little slowly, having now finished it, I must say I am hooked! I cannot wait to read about the further adventures of Sarraemas, Raxxil, and the rest of the Elementalists! And to find out exactly what Master Wu's plan is for poor little Quinn.
Usually I am not a huge fan of the typical epic sci-fi series, but I have to say, this book is full of twists, turns, and "I didn't see that coming!" moments, enough to keep you guessing right up until its very end. I am very thankful I was given the opportunity to read and provide my honest opinion, and I am changed for the better after having finished this book!
Usually I am not a huge fan of the typical epic sci-fi series, but I have to say, this book is full of twists, turns, and "I didn't see that coming!" moments, enough to keep you guessing right up until its very end. I am very thankful I was given the opportunity to read and provide my honest opinion, and I am changed for the better after having finished this book!
October 19, 2015
Broken Blades Don't Sing by author Kayl Karadjian is a book with characters who are neither good or bad. There are epic battles, mystery and a dash of humor in this book which will take you on a memorable journey all the way through til the end. This is a good book to read even though I feel as though it is geared towards a younger generation than myself but, putting that aside I was very impressed with this first book. I highly recommend this well written book to anyone. Kudo's Mr. Karadjian well done.
December 10, 2016
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
This sci-fi fantasy genre isn't my normal read so I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did. It is a very imaginative, unique story. The main characters are multi-faceted and display distinct personalities. The action moves quickly and keeps one engrossed. The book could do with a little smoothing but certainly sets the scene for more excitement in the next books in the series.
This sci-fi fantasy genre isn't my normal read so I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did. It is a very imaginative, unique story. The main characters are multi-faceted and display distinct personalities. The action moves quickly and keeps one engrossed. The book could do with a little smoothing but certainly sets the scene for more excitement in the next books in the series.
December 6, 2015
Elementalist's
Because I had just read a book from another genre, it took me a bit to get into this book, but once I focused and re-read, I fell in love with the characters and the story. It's action-packed and full of intrigue.
I look forward to reading the next in this series. Although, I was provided a free copy, for an honest review, I liked it so much, I bought it.
Because I had just read a book from another genre, it took me a bit to get into this book, but once I focused and re-read, I fell in love with the characters and the story. It's action-packed and full of intrigue.
I look forward to reading the next in this series. Although, I was provided a free copy, for an honest review, I liked it so much, I bought it.
September 28, 2017
It wasn't really what I thought it would be and honestly, it was much better.
At first, I was a bit skeptic but then I found myself deeply involved in both the story and the main characters.
However, what unsettled me, especially at the beginning, was the shift of point of view between quite a lot of characters. But I persevered because it was interesting and the battle scenes were my cup of tea.
I didn't regret it.
The more the story went on, the more I empathized with these strange elementalists. Their fights were mine and I grieved with them. The plot, though, was not the most interesting and neither the reason why I read until the end.
I also really liked the world-building and, at the end, I was left with questions I hope the following book will answer.
At first, I was a bit skeptic but then I found myself deeply involved in both the story and the main characters.
However, what unsettled me, especially at the beginning, was the shift of point of view between quite a lot of characters. But I persevered because it was interesting and the battle scenes were my cup of tea.
I didn't regret it.
The more the story went on, the more I empathized with these strange elementalists. Their fights were mine and I grieved with them. The plot, though, was not the most interesting and neither the reason why I read until the end.
I also really liked the world-building and, at the end, I was left with questions I hope the following book will answer.
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