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The Afterlight Chronicles #0.5
The Swordmaster
In Evrallon, skeletons have a way of escaping their closets. Before he captured Aerietta. Before he was betrayed by the princess. Before he became the Swordmaster. He still had secrets. Lyom Livingstone wasn’t supposed to live to the age of twenty-two. He’s never touched a sword in his life. He’s known as the reckless, impulsive kid Blancathey can’t get rid of. Get trapped in Rose Reid’s spellbinding prequel to Crown of Crimson. Learn the secrets the Children have been guarding, discover the truth behind Evrallon’s history, and uproot the hidden past the Swordmaster has done everything to bury.
584 pages, Paperback
First published August 9, 2016
3 people are currently reading
601 people want to read
About the author
Rose Reid
5 books151 followersStorytelling enthusiast, professional chameleon, 100% genuine cowgirl, and brash contrarian. The strangest of combinations.
You can check out my novels here or on Amazon, visit my website at www.rosereid.com, or check out my Instagram @rosereidd.
You can check out my novels here or on Amazon, visit my website at www.rosereid.com, or check out my Instagram @rosereidd.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 30, 2016
Actual rating: 4.5/5 Rising Stars
***Mild spoilers in the following review***
The Swordmaster is the prequel of The Afterlight Chronicles series so not surprisingly, it's all about the Swordmaster, Lyom Livingstone's, past and how he became an Afterlighter/Riser. Like most prequels, I strongly suggest you read this one before stucking your nose in Crown of Crimson. The book provides you with necessary information about Lyom and you'll certainly find them helpful in the following installments. All I can tell you is that Lyom basically bargained with a devil and being a Riser was the consequence he had to take. The story isn't beautiful, not in a way that'll allow you to fantasize about such a young, good-looking, atheletic guy, or in a way that'll make you swoon. There's no such thing as a "perfect" image of Lyom, nor is there a predictable outcome for everything he experienced. In other words, Rose Reid took the whole story up a notch and made it a spectacular work by adding these features into her book.
To begin with, the story starts pretty slowly at first because apparently, that was a long, long time ago before Lyom met Aerietta. Besides, you'll realize that it's a rather young, lively, original version of Mr. Livingstone and thus, it kind of makes sense afterwards. What really captivates me is the idea of being turned into something you were not before; I not only got the big picture of the transformation, but actually felt it from how the process was demonstrated and vividly described as well.
When I was reading the first book of the series, Crown of Crimson, I've always wondered the age of the Swordmaster because of the way he behaved, as if he knew so much more than the fellow 21-year-old swordsmen and that made him look much, much older than he said he was. Well, according to the book, it appears that 23 years have passed before he met Aerietta and I dare not do the math of it! *covered my eyes for fear that I might accidentally see the result of his real ageof mind* I mean, even though he was "forever 21," the truth behind it was still hard to swallow.
Thankfully, the more I know about him, the better I can accept his immortality. Though I wouldn't deny how hard it was to change my mind about the whole thing (truth is, I don't even know why I care about his age so much), the story eventually convinced me with its meaning and I came up with my own theory at the same time.
Aside from the age theory, the only thing that didn't sit well with me is the instalove issues in the story. Lyom wasn't a chaste man but I seriously couldn't stand the fact that he was too attracted to beautiful women to see through their real intentions. I mean, he seemed to make the same mistake over and over again during the past 23 years but still, when there's another flirtatious girl showing up in front of him, he falls for her almost immediately. THAT's not what I expected him to be in the first place, and I'll never, ever want him to act like that.
Seriously, how can a guy kiss a girl ONCE and bring her to bed right away?! Call me a conservative as you like but even in modern days, I do not like the idea of instalove. However, I held a contradictory opinion on his history with girls. On the one hand, he was undoubtedly a Casanova and satiated his desire by spending nights with young ladies; on the other hand, he may learn some lessons in these failures at last and hopefully, won't walk the same, dangerous path again.
Furthermore, I can see certain potential developments in process and the story is indeed getting more and more interesting. Not to mention that by the end of the book, Lyom met Aerietta and the rest of it matched perfectly with Crown of Crimson. Overall, he wasn't as stoic and cold-blooded as Aerietta thought and there weren't questions left unanswered...for now.
To sum up, in spite of some teeny tiny flaws I may not appreciate, The Swordmaster is still a book I'd recommend to everyone. Just like Crown of Crimson, you'll never know what to expect or what will happen in the next second because the author's writing style is impressively brilliant and she's also an outstanding storyteller. Besides, I genuinely think the series can't be complete without this prequel since it gave us some flashback of Lyom's life before becoming the invincible Swordmaster. So, why not give this series a try?
*Thanks to the author for offering an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
***Mild spoilers in the following review***
The Swordmaster is the prequel of The Afterlight Chronicles series so not surprisingly, it's all about the Swordmaster, Lyom Livingstone's, past and how he became an Afterlighter/Riser. Like most prequels, I strongly suggest you read this one before stucking your nose in Crown of Crimson. The book provides you with necessary information about Lyom and you'll certainly find them helpful in the following installments. All I can tell you is that Lyom basically bargained with a devil and being a Riser was the consequence he had to take. The story isn't beautiful, not in a way that'll allow you to fantasize about such a young, good-looking, atheletic guy, or in a way that'll make you swoon. There's no such thing as a "perfect" image of Lyom, nor is there a predictable outcome for everything he experienced. In other words, Rose Reid took the whole story up a notch and made it a spectacular work by adding these features into her book.
To begin with, the story starts pretty slowly at first because apparently, that was a long, long time ago before Lyom met Aerietta. Besides, you'll realize that it's a rather young, lively, original version of Mr. Livingstone and thus, it kind of makes sense afterwards. What really captivates me is the idea of being turned into something you were not before; I not only got the big picture of the transformation, but actually felt it from how the process was demonstrated and vividly described as well.
Darkness is setting in, like the darkness of the Forest, and I feel it clawing its way into my chest like an unwanted house guest. It sits where my heart used to be, crowning itself the king, and begins to spread outward from there. ... until all I see is the empty throne where my soul used to live.
When I was reading the first book of the series, Crown of Crimson, I've always wondered the age of the Swordmaster because of the way he behaved, as if he knew so much more than the fellow 21-year-old swordsmen and that made him look much, much older than he said he was. Well, according to the book, it appears that 23 years have passed before he met Aerietta and I dare not do the math of it! *covered my eyes for fear that I might accidentally see the result of his real age
Thankfully, the more I know about him, the better I can accept his immortality. Though I wouldn't deny how hard it was to change my mind about the whole thing (truth is, I don't even know why I care about his age so much), the story eventually convinced me with its meaning and I came up with my own theory at the same time.
Aside from the age theory, the only thing that didn't sit well with me is the instalove issues in the story. Lyom wasn't a chaste man but I seriously couldn't stand the fact that he was too attracted to beautiful women to see through their real intentions. I mean, he seemed to make the same mistake over and over again during the past 23 years but still, when there's another flirtatious girl showing up in front of him, he falls for her almost immediately. THAT's not what I expected him to be in the first place, and I'll never, ever want him to act like that.
Seriously, how can a guy kiss a girl ONCE and bring her to bed right away?! Call me a conservative as you like but even in modern days, I do not like the idea of instalove. However, I held a contradictory opinion on his history with girls. On the one hand, he was undoubtedly a Casanova and satiated his desire by spending nights with young ladies; on the other hand, he may learn some lessons in these failures at last and hopefully, won't walk the same, dangerous path again.
Furthermore, I can see certain potential developments in process and the story is indeed getting more and more interesting. Not to mention that by the end of the book, Lyom met Aerietta and the rest of it matched perfectly with Crown of Crimson. Overall, he wasn't as stoic and cold-blooded as Aerietta thought and there weren't questions left unanswered...for now.
For a moment--a brief moment--I falter. Because when I look in the Queen of Crimson's eyes, I see the pain of betrayal, the fear of being captured, and the sorrow of lost friends. I see every agonizing emotion I have ever experienced playing out in her eyes in this one moment and I pity her.
To sum up, in spite of some teeny tiny flaws I may not appreciate, The Swordmaster is still a book I'd recommend to everyone. Just like Crown of Crimson, you'll never know what to expect or what will happen in the next second because the author's writing style is impressively brilliant and she's also an outstanding storyteller. Besides, I genuinely think the series can't be complete without this prequel since it gave us some flashback of Lyom's life before becoming the invincible Swordmaster. So, why not give this series a try?
*Thanks to the author for offering an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
September 5, 2016
If you’ve read the Crown of Crimson, you know about the enigma that is Lyom Livingstone. Don’t let his surname fool you, this guy is everything but a living stone in this prequel to Crown of Crimson. This book represents a very interesting take on his life and everything that led to him becoming an Afterlighter and a Swordmaster. It also shows us his mysterious relationships with some characters that appear later in the first book, the whole transformation of his character, all the things he had to go through during his… well, quite immortal life. I loved that Rose showed us the origins of his friendship with Prince Dryden. Rose’s writing is amazing, as always, and she makes the story simply flow with an elegant ease. She developed this unique world beautifully and with a precise idea that is easily transferred into the reader’s mind. However, when it comes to romance and picking love interest, Lyom Livingston is an absolute idiot.
Well, Lyom is a bit of a drama queen when it comes to girls. He’s got a weak spot for beauties that he needs to control. Bad decision after bad decision and he’s just there like:
I am very protective of Aerietta and I really, really don’t want to see her get hurt. But I am ready to hop right into the train of death that is Aerietta+Lyom even if it means everyone gets hurt in the end. Including me and my feelings.
*Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
You can read this review on BookishFever.
August 10, 2016
So what is The Swordmaster?
Before I answer, I must ask another question. Have you read Crown of Crimson?
WHAT?
Go do that now and you will thank me later. If you're having Throne of Glass withdrawals, you can read CoC and, like me, find it to be far more enjoyable.
Anyway, so, The Swordmaster is the prequel to the amazing and incredibly addictive YA action-fantasy Crown of Crimson, but, instead of telling the backstory of the Queen of Crimson herself, it tells the tragic RISE (see how I did that? You'll know how clever that was when you read it) of the series' most enigmatic and magnificent creature, the glacially blue-eyed and raven-haired immortal Lyom Livingstone and his Faustian deal with Anguis, the überbad baddie rending the veil between the world of the living and the world of the undead.
Now, sounds like the kind of thing that puts handcuffs on you the moment you open it up, right? Doesn't allow you to go to work and invades your dreams until you've finished it? Well, you'd be right and then some. And, already having made the investment with Crown of Crimson and the yet-to-be-released sequel to Crown of Crimson (the name of which I shall not yet reveal!!!) this was like unlocking a secret level in an already rich video game that I'd explored back to front and covered every square inch of. Rose Reid's command of visceral physical content (like, fighting, you know, punching and shooting arrows) is so dead on you'd think she goes out and kicks butt more than she actually sits at the computer and writes, but her incredible talents are not limited to action alone. Reading Rose's writing is like watching a movie, and the delicious combination of twists and turns and heart-wrenching character development only help to cement Lyom Livingstone as one of my favorite male characters in all YA.
Reading this truly was a joy, and I have Rose to thank for sharing it with me. She even asked, should I cut some out? NO! If anything, make it longer! Don't take anything out! It's positively engrossing!
And, well, as this review is nothing but me rambling and not actually telling you anything about the story and the world itself, I figure you're just going to have to check it out for yourself, and read my review of Crown of Crimson.
The thing is, this whole thing has just inspired me to try and make an The Afterlighters fan club here on Goodreads. As Rose is a veritable Swiss-Army knife of talent, reading one of her only exemplifies the fact in spades, and The Swordmaster is a breathless foray into a world that you will run for your life once you enter but will never want to leave.
Here's to looking forward to the release of The Swordmaster!!! :D
And the sequel!!!
I can't wait!
Thank you so much, Rose, for letting me be a part of your outrageously beautiful and deadly fantasy world. Let me grab my tenz. ;)
Recommended for everyone, only if you have adequate time to commit to the whole series because you'll be hooked. :D
Before I answer, I must ask another question. Have you read Crown of Crimson?
WHAT?
Go do that now and you will thank me later. If you're having Throne of Glass withdrawals, you can read CoC and, like me, find it to be far more enjoyable.
Anyway, so, The Swordmaster is the prequel to the amazing and incredibly addictive YA action-fantasy Crown of Crimson, but, instead of telling the backstory of the Queen of Crimson herself, it tells the tragic RISE (see how I did that? You'll know how clever that was when you read it) of the series' most enigmatic and magnificent creature, the glacially blue-eyed and raven-haired immortal Lyom Livingstone and his Faustian deal with Anguis, the überbad baddie rending the veil between the world of the living and the world of the undead.
Now, sounds like the kind of thing that puts handcuffs on you the moment you open it up, right? Doesn't allow you to go to work and invades your dreams until you've finished it? Well, you'd be right and then some. And, already having made the investment with Crown of Crimson and the yet-to-be-released sequel to Crown of Crimson (the name of which I shall not yet reveal!!!) this was like unlocking a secret level in an already rich video game that I'd explored back to front and covered every square inch of. Rose Reid's command of visceral physical content (like, fighting, you know, punching and shooting arrows) is so dead on you'd think she goes out and kicks butt more than she actually sits at the computer and writes, but her incredible talents are not limited to action alone. Reading Rose's writing is like watching a movie, and the delicious combination of twists and turns and heart-wrenching character development only help to cement Lyom Livingstone as one of my favorite male characters in all YA.
Reading this truly was a joy, and I have Rose to thank for sharing it with me. She even asked, should I cut some out? NO! If anything, make it longer! Don't take anything out! It's positively engrossing!
And, well, as this review is nothing but me rambling and not actually telling you anything about the story and the world itself, I figure you're just going to have to check it out for yourself, and read my review of Crown of Crimson.
The thing is, this whole thing has just inspired me to try and make an The Afterlighters fan club here on Goodreads. As Rose is a veritable Swiss-Army knife of talent, reading one of her only exemplifies the fact in spades, and The Swordmaster is a breathless foray into a world that you will run for your life once you enter but will never want to leave.
Here's to looking forward to the release of The Swordmaster!!! :D
And the sequel!!!
I can't wait!
Thank you so much, Rose, for letting me be a part of your outrageously beautiful and deadly fantasy world. Let me grab my tenz. ;)
Recommended for everyone, only if you have adequate time to commit to the whole series because you'll be hooked. :D
August 27, 2016
The Swordmaster is the prequel to Rose Reid’s captivating debut Crown of Crimson and grants a glimpse into Lyom Livingstone's, also known as the Swordmaster, twisted past.
The storyline follows the Swordmaster’s beginnings in a small village as a smart-mouthed young man, who constantly got himself into trouble, up to his rising in the ranks of the king. Narrated in first person POV and with simple but serviceable writing, The Swordmaster recounts the loves and losses, the struggles and victories of Lyom Livingstone. It dives deeper into the history of The Afterlight Chronicles, offering goodies such as Lyom’s first encounter with Anguis as well as his friendship with a young but ambitious Prince Dryden, known as the Cruel King in Crown of Crimson.
While the prequel has a lot of content to offer, the tension of the storyline starts high and then does a low swoop in the middle, rising again towards the ending where The Swordmaster had me at the edge of my seat.
Recommended for those of you who 1) wish to know more about the becoming of the Swordmaster and/or 2) cannot wait to be reunited with Lyom Livingstone in the upcoming sequel to Crown of Crimson.
An eARC was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own.
The storyline follows the Swordmaster’s beginnings in a small village as a smart-mouthed young man, who constantly got himself into trouble, up to his rising in the ranks of the king. Narrated in first person POV and with simple but serviceable writing, The Swordmaster recounts the loves and losses, the struggles and victories of Lyom Livingstone. It dives deeper into the history of The Afterlight Chronicles, offering goodies such as Lyom’s first encounter with Anguis as well as his friendship with a young but ambitious Prince Dryden, known as the Cruel King in Crown of Crimson.
While the prequel has a lot of content to offer, the tension of the storyline starts high and then does a low swoop in the middle, rising again towards the ending where The Swordmaster had me at the edge of my seat.
Recommended for those of you who 1) wish to know more about the becoming of the Swordmaster and/or 2) cannot wait to be reunited with Lyom Livingstone in the upcoming sequel to Crown of Crimson.
An eARC was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own.
August 15, 2016
As the author, I'm kind of required to give it five stars.
September 12, 2016
You know that feeling that you get when you finish a book and it was so good that it sticks with you for some time after? I got that feeling when I read Reid's Crown of Crimson and it was everything I could've asked for in a fantasy book. Now, I've just finished the Swordmaster and I have that same feeling again!! The Swordmaster was a solid prequel that gives us a great look into the life of Lyom Livingstone. He's a character that you don't really know much about in the first book but the prequel does an amazing job showing his strengths, weaknesses, and flaws.
After reading this book you really come to love the characters more once you understand their background. Reid is such a talented writer and she knows how to eliminate the normal YA fantasy cliches that I find in most books. My only criticism is that the first part was a little slow, but once you get over that small hump it's amazing afterwards. Her books are amazing and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us with Lyom and Aerietta in the next book!
After reading this book you really come to love the characters more once you understand their background. Reid is such a talented writer and she knows how to eliminate the normal YA fantasy cliches that I find in most books. My only criticism is that the first part was a little slow, but once you get over that small hump it's amazing afterwards. Her books are amazing and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us with Lyom and Aerietta in the next book!
April 8, 2017
2.5 stars.
No one's more shocked than me by that rating, but this book wasn't what I was expecting.
What I liked:
- We get to learn more about this world. I found the world-building in Crown of Crimson pretty vague and Afterlighters a total mystery, but The Swordmaster made things a lot clearer.
- We get to understand Lyom Livingstone a lot better too.
- Some of the humour was right up my alley.
- The last few chapters were the best, much more reminiscent of the action-packed sequel.
- Lady Joëlle. She's the only character I actually liked.
What I didn't like:
- The pacing was off. It's a very long book and it has very little plot. I feel like Lyom's story was very patchy and kind of messy. Some parts dragged out for pages and pages, even though they weren't important; and others (like Lyom's process of becoming a Swordmaster) took one page.
- There's insta-love. And not once, but THREE times. Gag.
- There were quite a few comments made that bothered me. Just little things like Lyom saying a guy's tattoo didn't look very manly, or that a woman wasn't behaving properly, or calling a girl a whore (I don't care what a bitch she was to you, just don't). He was very judgemental, in general, which I don't like.
- No character aside from the vampire and Lyom himself are memorable or likeable.
Despite my low-ish rating, I will say that I do recommend reading Crown of Crimson, just maybe not this prequel.
No one's more shocked than me by that rating, but this book wasn't what I was expecting.
What I liked:
- We get to learn more about this world. I found the world-building in Crown of Crimson pretty vague and Afterlighters a total mystery, but The Swordmaster made things a lot clearer.
- We get to understand Lyom Livingstone a lot better too.
- Some of the humour was right up my alley.
- The last few chapters were the best, much more reminiscent of the action-packed sequel.
- Lady Joëlle. She's the only character I actually liked.
What I didn't like:
- The pacing was off. It's a very long book and it has very little plot. I feel like Lyom's story was very patchy and kind of messy. Some parts dragged out for pages and pages, even though they weren't important; and others (like Lyom's process of becoming a Swordmaster) took one page.
- There's insta-love. And not once, but THREE times. Gag.
- There were quite a few comments made that bothered me. Just little things like Lyom saying a guy's tattoo didn't look very manly, or that a woman wasn't behaving properly, or calling a girl a whore (I don't care what a bitch she was to you, just don't). He was very judgemental, in general, which I don't like.
- No character aside from the vampire and Lyom himself are memorable or likeable.
Despite my low-ish rating, I will say that I do recommend reading Crown of Crimson, just maybe not this prequel.
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