Broken Crossroads

Knights of the Shadows #1

by Patrick LeClerc

The city of Laimrig, once a mighty hub of commerce and a seat of power sinks into corruption and decay. Slavers, crime lords and corrupt officials hold sway while the ruling nobility wallow in decadence. War rages beyond the borders, while within rebellion simmers and sinister plots unfold.

Trilisean is an acrobat turned burglar. Conn is a jaded former mercenary. Against the background of deadly blades, subtle schemes, glittering treasures, dark sorceries and fell servants of forgotten gods, fate has thrown them together.

Fate has a sense of humor.

Broken Crossroads is a fast paced, witty, swashbuckling modern pulp fantasy adventure in the tradition of Fritz Leiber and Robert E Howard.

Genres: Fantasy

224 pages, ebook

Published January 18, 2016

About the author

Patrick LeClerc makes good use of his history degree by working as a paramedic for an ever- changing parade of ambulance companies in the Northern suburbs of Boston. When not writing he enjoys cooking, fencing and making witty, insightful remarks with career-limiting candor.

In the lulls between runs on the ambulance --and sometimes the lulls between employment at various ambulance companies-- he writes fiction.

Reviews

[Paul Mouchet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read.
The book was very well written. Full of wit, some good humour, and lots of traditional S&S fun.
The world building is very good, the characters are all believable, within the context of an S&S story.
The only negative thing I might have said was that I found the story jumped around a bit more than I'd have liked, and yet, in the end, it all came together very nicely.
The ending was very satisfying. I like that in a book.

[Esme · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the opening to this book, it had a very storyteller feel while describing the personality of the city of Laimrig. I felt like it set the tone and mood of the book to come pretty well. It was also very short, it was only one page while also accomplishing what it set out to do without boring me as a reader and got me interested in seeing who the characters were going to be.

So it opens with this woman in a bar eyeing up a potential mark for a robbery. Not a strong arm robbery, a slight of hand while flirting with a drunk and lifting his purse and leaving. Turns out he wasn’t that drunk, nor was he an idiot, and he caught her in the act. Being a gentleman, he didn’t run her through with his sword and even asked her to sit down and have a drink. So they get to chatting and it turns out they kinda work well together and she convinces him to help her steal a jewel from a slave trader and they can both get stupid rich. He’s a soldier, but he’s thought about deserting for a long time now … but not because he’s a coward, or gets squeamish with killing people., but because he doesn’t believe in the cause anymore, and doesn’t want to spill any more blood for something he doesn’t support. So, he goes along with it. Even though maybe he shouldn’t.

There’s a good deal of banter in this book, so if you like snarky back and forth foil characters this book could be for you. A lot of dick jokes too, for those of us who never aged past middle school. (cough not me I’m too mature to find those funny… cough) The writing style is very, very quick. There’s a little too much exposition in the dialogue for me, I got to know her backstory mostly through her straight up telling him. I guess it does make sense since they are just getting to know each other, but we get some of Conns background through dialogue as well, but that was to his soldier friend – shouldn’t his friend already know some of the stuff he was telling him? It’s not awkward dialogue, though, so I mostly gave it a pass.

For people who like thief stories where a pair of misfits gets up to all sorts of trouble, robbing merchants, slavers, exploring temples, finding ruins etc. There’s a mild amount of magic, enough to distinguish this from a historical fantasy. The jewel they want to steal at the beginning of the book has memories stored in it and Seer’s would have access to them – and there are also non human fantasy creatures that play small roles during their adventures. But, I think people who like lower fantasy would be a fan of this one, it’s not exactly a magic heavy book.

Mostly follows Trilisean and Conn, but briefly diverts to other side POVs that gave a broader scope of the plot and world. They are easy to like characters who mean well despite being thieves. These guys aren’t brutal and take the less violent route if it makes sense to, no unnecessary butchering. They have a good back and forth that made for light and pleasant reading.

Overall, I’d recommend this one for anyone who likes thieves and con artists, quick banter, and fun adventures.

Ratings:
Plot: 11/15
Characters: 11/15
World Building: 11/15
Writing: 12/15
Pacing: 13/15
Originality: 11/15
Personal Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Final Score: 76/100

[E.G. Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some days, instead of sinking my teeth into a book the size of my thumb, with a massive cup of tea, I like to read a fun, fast paced fantasy novel. (Still with a massive cup of tea.) Patrick LeClerc’s Broken Crossroads, the first book in his Knights of the Shadows series, is a perfect book for that desire.

1. Thoughts on the plot
This book follows two characters: Trilisean, a thief with the skills of an acrobat and the arrogance to match, and Conn, a former mercenary needing a new path in life. Fate throws these two together in the broken down, dirty, crime-ridden city of Laimrig when Trilisean needs some help on a job.
This book takes place in almost episodic segments, with each chapter representing a full tale that then leads into the next segment. It’s like watching a television show where each episode is its own story, but there is an overarching plot that you only get when you see the whole thing. It was a different format than I usually see in a novel, as it felt more like a collection of short stories, but I really did like it quite a bit. The plot of each story was fun and easy to follow, and once I got through the whole book, I began to see connections between each scene and the whole story. I really liked it.

2. Thoughts on the characters
These two characters were just…fun to read. Trilisean was definitely on the arrogant side, but she had the skill-set to match. Conn, while also sure of his skills, was more snarky trending towards sarcastic. The combination was humorous and worked perfectly for the story. I do think that they were maybe a bit too skilled, as all the difficulties they came across stumped their fellow thieves and fighters, but were almost child’s play for these two. Granted, they were well-trained, but it seemed almost too easy. However, for a book of this sort, I don’t think that this was a problem, as the story was the more important and the situations were never absolutely ridiculous in what they could do.
I especially enjoyed the banter between the characters. When things got rough, the banter got more entertaining.

3. Favourite part
Definitely the characters. They really made this story what it is.
And, on a completely different note, the male character on the cover looks weirdly like David Tennant as Doctor Who. Not at all relevant, but interesting.

4. Critique
I know this book is meant to be part of a series, but the ending did not really indicate that there was more to come. I wouldn’t suggest a cliff-hanger ending, not for this format or style, but perhaps an epilogue with some scurrilous character preparing to cause trouble would have moved the reader to seek out the next book. That’s my only critique, though. The rest of the story was great fun.

Overall, I really enjoyed Broken Crossroads. The story was fast and fun, entertaining and every so slightly absurd without crossing into the realm of the ridiculous. I think the characters were great and I had such fun reading this book. A very good read.

[Kevin Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of LeClerc's previous two books and was lucky enough to snag an advanced reader copy of Broken Crossroads. It's awesome. It's a return to old school pulp sword and sorcery fantasy, like Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser and Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles, but with a modern take on the genre. Like all of LeClerc's works, the characters are vibrant and the dialogue is clean and witty. A great read for fans of LeClerc, pulp fantasy, and just great writing in general.

[M.H. Thaung]

Broken Crossroads follows the escapades of Trilisean and Conn, in and around the run-down city of Laimrig. Their adventures are presented in an episodic format with a loose sense of progression from start to end.

There's magic and otherworldly powers, although not directly accessible by the main characters, and I got a nice sense of the city, its hazards and opportunities. The threat of war is occasionally touched on as a background element, and I'd guess the sequel will develop it further.

The style feels very much in the vein of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser (minus the sex), and it's fun to have characters who aren't virtuous although they still tend to end up doing "the right thing."

There's action aplenty and clever tricks. I enjoyed finding out what the duo got up to. That said, I never really felt they were in serious danger or that there was much risk of things going very wrong, and I didn't feel as immersed as I might have. This might be because they were depicted rather distantly, and we visited plenty of other characters' heads in quick succession throughout the stories. Also, although there were plenty of injuries and deaths in combat, details were glossed over. Not that I'm keen on gory descriptions, but even with dead bodies lying around, the aftermath of combat felt muted. Still, that fits the episodic approach where we know the characters will continue on their way and fight another day.

Overall, a well-written and entertaining light read.

[Alan Behan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Thief and the Mercenary

After an unlikely meeting in a tavern, well she did after try to Rob him first, pair up together for a big heist that will get them rich, The Thief and the run away Mercenary the unlikely duo, great performance by Hank Hayden, brings the whole book to life with his a range of character voices, Fast pacing, hilarious and action packed, The characters and story are brilliant, I will be checking out more of the author's work cause that was such a fun read, highly recommended...😁

[David Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rollicking pulpy fun.

The real draw here is the witty vibrant characters. The plot gallops by at a brisk pace, but the standout characterisation really makes Broken Crossroads memorable.

As Raymond E. Feist once said, "a ripping yarn."

[Nobody Loser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken CrossroadsI've read plenty of fantasy books I my day. The genre can be a game of hit and miss. Generally, it is. When I picked this book up, I was not in the least bit frightened that I would have an issue with the contents, as Patrick Leclerc has been a safe bet for me in the past. Not only does he write a fun story, but he writes it well.

Broken Crossroads is the story of a couple of wayward characters, a young female thief and an aging warrior, meeting in an untoward situation which quickly turns convenient for the both of them. As it would happen, the warrior has decided to abandon the Free companies for a simpler life, a life which isn't lived at the behest of greedy rulers. Why wouldn't he take the company of a pretty lass and become her muscle in calculated jewel heists? The story comes together, employing amazing wit and sarcasm, and the story never dulls. At some point, you begin to figure out that the two main characters really rather an easier lifestyle, but every once in a while, they each get wrapped up in their own complicated political missions, not to mention, they tend to spend enough that, sooner or later, they find themselves picking rich men's locks for loot again.

I thought this book was amazing. I've never read a book like this. The story isn't over told. It isn't too serious either, but it is very believable within the context of a fantasy genre book. I loved it. Plenty of magic. Plenty of shenanigans. Plenty of fun.
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[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have an advanced review copy of this book, hence I am posting this before its official release. This is the kind of witty, pacey, neatly observed writing you come to expect from Patrick LeClerc whether with his urban fantasy, or this more traditional sword and sorcery fare. There is great fun to be had in this book, which is a series of linked stories really detailing the friendship of ex soldier Conn and wily thief Trilisean. And it is a friendship, which I rather liked. However attractive each character is, the story holds back from thrusting them at one another. Instead they are colleagues who become friends and, slowly, as friendships do, they change one another.
Having said that this is hardly an introspective book. There are ancient jewels, swordfights, giant snake monsters and any number of booby trapped goodies just waiting for a careless thief. Our thieves aren't careless. They are great fun and I hope they will live to rob their way through many more pages yet.

[Ray Curto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Broken Crossroads is the first novel I have read that is written by Patrick Leclerc.

I think this novel fall squarely in the genre of fantasy, and possibly sword and sorcery. More sword than sorcery.

Broken Crossroads is the first in the Knights of the Shadow series.

This review will include mild spoilers.

Broken Crossroads is a story about a budding partnership between a thief, who was a slave and acrobat, with a fighter who was a rebel who became a soldier and deserter. This story is about how they formed their partnership and their early jobs.

Mr. Leclerc creates two very engaging main characters as they come alive while the story unfolds. The banter between the two characters is witty, light, and fun. Overall, the dialogue in this story is very entertaining and realistic.

The author introduces some interesting side characters such as Sergeant Niath of the City Watch, Fayl the fence, Moread, Fingers, and Ioresh and I wanted to spend some more time with them.

I like the way Mr. LeClerc features the city of Laimrig which is where most of this story takes place. Magic is in this story, but only in patches and glimpses.

As interesting and engaging as the characters are in this story, there were some things that diminished my enthusiasm for the story.

The first issue I have with this story is what I thought to be a couple of missed opportunities that could have made the story have more of an impact.

The first instance is when the fighter makes the decision to stop fighting the war and to desert his comrade-in-arms. There is his friend who tried to talk him out of his decision and another soldier confronts him a few moments later which escalates to a brief confrontation. When I read the scene where he decides to become a deserter, I became locked into the story and thought will be some real stakes and danger. There are no consequences, in the story, of his decision to desert.

The second instance is when the thief and fighter travel to a temple to steal a rare and powerful magic item for a fence. While they are in the temple after they have purloined the magic item and before they escape, they encounter a golem-type creature. The creature, revealed in his thoughts, would stop at nothing to retrieve the powerful magic item, and maybe that holds true while the thief and fighter are still in the temple. It would have been more compelling and possibly higher-stakes if the golem-type creature or another minion of the god who the temple was built to pursue the thief and fighter for stealing the magic item.

Maybe either or both plot points will be picked up in a subsequent book in this series.

The second issue I have with this story which is alluded to in previous couple of paragraphs and there are no real stakes in this story. For example, the fighter is engaged in several armed confrontations where he is fighting several people, I thought the fighter was not in any real danger. He does get wounded, but they do not linger because the thief gives him something magical and gets better.

The third issue I have with this story is the minor plot point of a slave, a young woman, vanishing from the baron who rules the city. Finding the slave becomes the top priority for the City Watch, and the sergeant ropes the thief and fighter into the search. I thought there is more telling than showing of this plot point. While reading this part of the story, I wanted to learn about this young woman. I think if this part of the story was expanded to show the slave and the baron, it would have added another interesting and compelling aspect to the story. The plot point of the vanishing slave concludes at the end of this story and it appears what happens occurs off-page.

I will rate Broken Crossroads 3 stars.

[M. Vess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great sword and sorcery

This was a fun, fast-paced, sword and sorcery fantasy featuring the exploits of Trilisean, an ex-slave turned master thief, who teams up with Conn, a disenfranchised mercenary. I really enjoyed these characters and how they earn each other's trust. It’s fairly light hearted but touches on themes of free will, duty and friendship. I loved the little twist at the end, and the author left enough loose threads to keep me interested in what the pair will get up to next.

[Kachina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining! Sometimes felt a little choppy and there were a few typos, but still a really fun story.