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The Seven Virtues #1
A Sellsword's Compassion
War sweeps the land as the sons and daughters of the late King Marcus battle over who will claim their father’s throne and able-bodied men and women flock to one cause or the other in the hopes of a better tomorrow. At least, most of them. If life has taught the jaded sellsword, Aaron Envelar, anything, it’s that hope is for fools and causes are a sure remedy for breathing. But when his latest job leads him to the corpse of a prince and a conspiracy that threatens to destroy the entire realm, Aaron is forced to choose sides in a war he doesn’t want, between forces he doesn’t understand. Thrust into a world of mythical assassins, a madman with a superhuman strength, and a nagging ball of light with a superiority complex who claims to be the embodiment of compassion, Aaron takes on his hardest job yet—staying alive.
415 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 5, 2017
2425 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
March 25, 2020
This was a decent fantasy tale that fell just a tiny bit short of being anything special or memorable. The writing, plot, characters, and world were all good but just lacked that special something to make this book able compete with the very best the genre has to offer. It did still prove a worthwhile and enjoyable read and a good start to a new fantasy trilogy!
It is hard to say what sort of fantasy tale we got in this one. It felt a bit like reading a Brandon Sanderson or Michael Sullivan style story mixed with a bit of Abercrombie style "grit". It felt like Jacob Peppers was a fan of both Sanderson and Abercrombie and was inspired to write a story that was a weird love child of both! It leaned slightly more towards Sanderson than Abercrombie which is probably why I ended up enjoying it as much as I did.
I really liked the premise of the story. Aaron Envelar is a jaded sellsword who's latest commission is to rescue a guy from a group of thugs who captured him. The job sounds dangerous but pays well enough for it to be worth the risk. Things go wrong when Aaron arrives to find the thugs towards the end of torturing his target and way more skilled than described by his paymaster! Things get even more complicated when the guy he is meant to save dies right after revealing he is actually a prince of the realm. As if getting caught up in a massive political assassination scheme was not bad enough Aaron also finds himself lumbered with the Prince's annoying magical companion. Co, a floating orb of light who claims to be the embodiment of compassion, is putting a serious crimp in his style with her chronic nagging at him to be a better man!
The world was a decent one as well. The story was set in a kingdom which has been divided for years after King Marcus died with no clear heir. His children have been warring among themselves since and it has made for harsh times for the people.
The story was a fun one. I liked the mix of action and intrigue and we also got a tiny bit of humor and romance thrown into the mix to keep things interesting as well. Another big success was that the characters were a likeable and/or interesting bunch. The story mainly focused on the jaded sellsword Aaron but he was supported by a fun core group of secondary characters and some decent characters outside the core group as well. Aaron could be an ass at times but he was mostly likeable enough and easy to root for as his job gone wrong got him stuck on the right side of the battle lines. He also showed some positive character growth over the story which I always enjoy.
If I was to point at a flaw I'd say both the romance and the humor could have been a little smoother and better. They were still decent enough but I felt like if Peppers had really nailed both of those then this could have been a 5 star read as this story did have most of what I'm looking for in a fantasy tale. He just never quite put it together in a way that worked every single time. Plus I feel like Aaron's relationship with his nagging orb of compassion companion could have been way more fun that it was! It was fun but felt like it could have been even more fun if that makes sense?
Outside of the Orbs and their magic the story was fairly light on magic. What we did learn of the Orbs (there was 7 of them altogether) seemed pretty interesting and hopefully we will learn even more about them and their powers in the sequels.
A big plus for the story was the way Peppers used tiny flashback scenes to flesh out his characters and give us a deeper understanding of them. This worked mostly for Aaron but Co's magic helped us get a tiny glimpse into a few of the other characters minds as well which I liked.
All in all I enjoyed this one. It might not be super original fantasy but it was fun and I'll definitely be reading the sequels.
Rating: 3.5 stars. I'm rounding up to 4 stars here on Goodreads as I feel like rating this one 3 stars would be harsh!
Audio Note: This was narrated by Steven Brand. I always feel like Brand is a weird narrator to rate as some of what he does is really good but that he has some big drawbacks as well. He has a great voice for general narration and is easy to listen to but does not voice act at all. I feel like that lack of voice acting can hurt a story when there is a focus on humorous dialogue or a lot of female characters as Brand does not act out the scenes or voice the characters!
It is hard to say what sort of fantasy tale we got in this one. It felt a bit like reading a Brandon Sanderson or Michael Sullivan style story mixed with a bit of Abercrombie style "grit". It felt like Jacob Peppers was a fan of both Sanderson and Abercrombie and was inspired to write a story that was a weird love child of both! It leaned slightly more towards Sanderson than Abercrombie which is probably why I ended up enjoying it as much as I did.
I really liked the premise of the story. Aaron Envelar is a jaded sellsword who's latest commission is to rescue a guy from a group of thugs who captured him. The job sounds dangerous but pays well enough for it to be worth the risk. Things go wrong when Aaron arrives to find the thugs towards the end of torturing his target and way more skilled than described by his paymaster! Things get even more complicated when the guy he is meant to save dies right after revealing he is actually a prince of the realm. As if getting caught up in a massive political assassination scheme was not bad enough Aaron also finds himself lumbered with the Prince's annoying magical companion. Co, a floating orb of light who claims to be the embodiment of compassion, is putting a serious crimp in his style with her chronic nagging at him to be a better man!
The world was a decent one as well. The story was set in a kingdom which has been divided for years after King Marcus died with no clear heir. His children have been warring among themselves since and it has made for harsh times for the people.
The story was a fun one. I liked the mix of action and intrigue and we also got a tiny bit of humor and romance thrown into the mix to keep things interesting as well. Another big success was that the characters were a likeable and/or interesting bunch. The story mainly focused on the jaded sellsword Aaron but he was supported by a fun core group of secondary characters and some decent characters outside the core group as well. Aaron could be an ass at times but he was mostly likeable enough and easy to root for as his job gone wrong got him stuck on the right side of the battle lines. He also showed some positive character growth over the story which I always enjoy.
If I was to point at a flaw I'd say both the romance and the humor could have been a little smoother and better. They were still decent enough but I felt like if Peppers had really nailed both of those then this could have been a 5 star read as this story did have most of what I'm looking for in a fantasy tale. He just never quite put it together in a way that worked every single time. Plus I feel like Aaron's relationship with his nagging orb of compassion companion could have been way more fun that it was! It was fun but felt like it could have been even more fun if that makes sense?
Outside of the Orbs and their magic the story was fairly light on magic. What we did learn of the Orbs (there was 7 of them altogether) seemed pretty interesting and hopefully we will learn even more about them and their powers in the sequels.
A big plus for the story was the way Peppers used tiny flashback scenes to flesh out his characters and give us a deeper understanding of them. This worked mostly for Aaron but Co's magic helped us get a tiny glimpse into a few of the other characters minds as well which I liked.
All in all I enjoyed this one. It might not be super original fantasy but it was fun and I'll definitely be reading the sequels.
Rating: 3.5 stars. I'm rounding up to 4 stars here on Goodreads as I feel like rating this one 3 stars would be harsh!
Audio Note: This was narrated by Steven Brand. I always feel like Brand is a weird narrator to rate as some of what he does is really good but that he has some big drawbacks as well. He has a great voice for general narration and is easy to listen to but does not voice act at all. I feel like that lack of voice acting can hurt a story when there is a focus on humorous dialogue or a lot of female characters as Brand does not act out the scenes or voice the characters!
September 30, 2019
* I read this as it's an entry into the #SPFBO this year and I'm a judge *
This book was actually the most-rated of all the titles I had to read this year for my batch so I did expect to like this one and I think I can see why it's had a lot of love. This is certainly a 'classic' fantasy in that it tells a story using magic, and medieval settings, a backdrop of a fractured land and a sellsword as the main character. We also have some tropes such as the princess who is beautiful beyond belief and some lesser-seen magic in the form of a little orb who bonds with the sellsword, Aaron.
I think that readers of fantasy would certainly like this, but I struggle to pinpoint something hugely unique about this story. There's the orb-creature, but I have see this in other series, some done better, and there's the Rebellion. I did like the scenes involving the smugglers, but I think there just wasn't one thing that stood out enough from the crowd for my liking.
Pacing in this was good and I managed to read it over just a day so that was enjoyable. However there were some grammatical errors in the story, but these didn't take me out of it much.
Overall I think it has a lot of potential and I imagine the series would grow as the story goes on, but for me it was just likeable and less memorable than some of the others. 3/5*s which is 6/10 for #SPFBO.
This book was actually the most-rated of all the titles I had to read this year for my batch so I did expect to like this one and I think I can see why it's had a lot of love. This is certainly a 'classic' fantasy in that it tells a story using magic, and medieval settings, a backdrop of a fractured land and a sellsword as the main character. We also have some tropes such as the princess who is beautiful beyond belief and some lesser-seen magic in the form of a little orb who bonds with the sellsword, Aaron.
I think that readers of fantasy would certainly like this, but I struggle to pinpoint something hugely unique about this story. There's the orb-creature, but I have see this in other series, some done better, and there's the Rebellion. I did like the scenes involving the smugglers, but I think there just wasn't one thing that stood out enough from the crowd for my liking.
Pacing in this was good and I managed to read it over just a day so that was enjoyable. However there were some grammatical errors in the story, but these didn't take me out of it much.
Overall I think it has a lot of potential and I imagine the series would grow as the story goes on, but for me it was just likeable and less memorable than some of the others. 3/5*s which is 6/10 for #SPFBO.
September 23, 2018
This is a very odd book.
The action scenes are so well written and enticing, but as soon as a character opens their mouth I loose any immersion.
The protagonist is a so-called mercenary, but except for a couple scenes at the very beginning of the book he sure doesn't act like one. He has almost no instincts and has to think through any action making me think his backstory is for another character entirely.
The premise for the 7 and the result plotline doesn't make much sense either. They are some of the few that actually know what's going on, but all their actions seem to be from the perspective of the public knowledge.
I didn't find any of the characters likable which made it very difficult to stick with it.
I might consider coming back once the series is complete. If it keeps showing good ratings the whole way I must be missing something.
The action scenes are so well written and enticing, but as soon as a character opens their mouth I loose any immersion.
The protagonist is a so-called mercenary, but except for a couple scenes at the very beginning of the book he sure doesn't act like one. He has almost no instincts and has to think through any action making me think his backstory is for another character entirely.
The premise for the 7 and the result plotline doesn't make much sense either. They are some of the few that actually know what's going on, but all their actions seem to be from the perspective of the public knowledge.
I didn't find any of the characters likable which made it very difficult to stick with it.
I might consider coming back once the series is complete. If it keeps showing good ratings the whole way I must be missing something.
January 7, 2019
I have truly enjoyed reading this book! Ending took me by surprise and I wasn't ready for it to finish..
There's a bad boy with the hero potential, a princess as pretty as they come, a Virtue which just adds this special thing to the story plus of course the bad guys!
Personally I like story to be bit more detailed so was on the fence between 4 and 5 stars. However for first book and massive potential for more books I'm hooked! Will definitely buy book 2! And more
There's a bad boy with the hero potential, a princess as pretty as they come, a Virtue which just adds this special thing to the story plus of course the bad guys!
Personally I like story to be bit more detailed so was on the fence between 4 and 5 stars. However for first book and massive potential for more books I'm hooked! Will definitely buy book 2! And more
October 17, 2021
Notes:
Popcorn adventure story that started out rough and ended up as entertaining as long as you don't think about it too hard.
Got the audio on sale. Maybe listen to the rest if there's a good sale or via library.
Popcorn adventure story that started out rough and ended up as entertaining as long as you don't think about it too hard.
Got the audio on sale. Maybe listen to the rest if there's a good sale or via library.
January 21, 2021
Quite enjoyable
Good storytelling with an endearing protagonist. Not a slam-bam action fest, yet filled with intrigue and character growth and some grand theatrics. Enjoyable and leaves me wanting the next book.
Good storytelling with an endearing protagonist. Not a slam-bam action fest, yet filled with intrigue and character growth and some grand theatrics. Enjoyable and leaves me wanting the next book.
December 6, 2018
Unfinished, felt rushed and forced.
Overall the book was a decent read it had decent scenes and situations that could of been amazing. However the way they were written, it never able to capitalize on it.
Through the whole book, there are no “wow” moment, no page turning movement, no standout moment.
The MC was meant to be this harden and amazing fighter but was so scared of 2 assassins in the beginning of the book. The “companion” was ok but nothing was explored in this first book. For someone who claimed he is tired of running, all they do is run.
There was minimal action, with MC showing no skill what’s so ever. He was either running or wounded when fighting. There was very little situation where we could flex his skill and show the reader we was a skilled/harden fighter. To be honest, it really felt like the MC just picked up a sword and don’t know to use. Sure, there were scene where it mention his amazing, but we don’t see any of it.
The romance also seem so rushed. They literally fell in love at first sight. With them is the back ground so different, this felt like a let down and tbh should be left to simmer for a while longer.
The book also left the MC and friends in a weird place. It felt like it the author chopped the book in half and maybe left all the good parts in the next book.
As it is, this book felt rush and forced. I will continue to read the next book in hope for a better experience, but unfortunately I can’t seem to shake the feeling of been let down.
Overall the book was a decent read it had decent scenes and situations that could of been amazing. However the way they were written, it never able to capitalize on it.
Through the whole book, there are no “wow” moment, no page turning movement, no standout moment.
The MC was meant to be this harden and amazing fighter but was so scared of 2 assassins in the beginning of the book. The “companion” was ok but nothing was explored in this first book. For someone who claimed he is tired of running, all they do is run.
There was minimal action, with MC showing no skill what’s so ever. He was either running or wounded when fighting. There was very little situation where we could flex his skill and show the reader we was a skilled/harden fighter. To be honest, it really felt like the MC just picked up a sword and don’t know to use. Sure, there were scene where it mention his amazing, but we don’t see any of it.
The romance also seem so rushed. They literally fell in love at first sight. With them is the back ground so different, this felt like a let down and tbh should be left to simmer for a while longer.
The book also left the MC and friends in a weird place. It felt like it the author chopped the book in half and maybe left all the good parts in the next book.
As it is, this book felt rush and forced. I will continue to read the next book in hope for a better experience, but unfortunately I can’t seem to shake the feeling of been let down.
February 9, 2021
Sight I hate how dumb this mc is. He is a halfwit. Think about this. You basically get caught up in the assassination of the prince. You didn't do it but you are seen leaving the building that he was killed in. You know they have seen you and are in trouble. Do you just go back to where you are known to stay and go shouting about the city looking for the women who gave you the job? Or do you go into hiding and lay low and try to remain hidden? Well the mc goes and starts drinking at his favorite inn. Then when he gets told he should run as they are coming he goes and yells at the people trying to kill him which then gets all their attention. He even called himself a idiot for that. That is a insult to any idiot out there. This guy doesn't have half a brain cell to work with sigh. It progressively gets worse as the story goes on. You learn he gets offered to basically commit suicide and he litterally states there is nothing you can offer me to make me do that. The next offer he is like gold isn't of any use to the dead so she offers a bit more gold and he is like. Sounds great! At this point the book is tossed in the trash.
February 3, 2024
The kingdom is torn asunder in a violent grasp for power. Within the chaos one sellsword desperately attempts to survive.
An action packed popcorn thrill. Humour, mystery & mayhem. Quick read light & fun. Wonderfully entertaining!
An action packed popcorn thrill. Humour, mystery & mayhem. Quick read light & fun. Wonderfully entertaining!
September 5, 2019
All in all this is an excellent read that has just about the right balance of grit and humour throughout and is brought together with a strong cast of characters and an immersive writing style. I really enjoyed following Aaron, our lead character, through the journey. He may not be the most likable character but with his cutting and sardonic ways, he is certainly entertaining. The dark and mysterious hero angle is carried well here and I found myself drawn into his inner thoughts and monologues as much as the banter and the action.
There are certainly a few cliched tropes rolled out here with a kingdom at war, a disillusioned anti-hero, a rebellious princess and some pirates thrown in for good measure... but in all honesty, I was enjoying myself too much to care. My interest was sparked right from the opening pages and it never really waned due to the well crafted characters and tension filled narrative. It was interesting to watch the characters develop throughout and see how their actions reverberated in the future. This is also a cutting analysis of human nature at its best and its worst, and the are moments that sting like a physical slap.
All in all, this is definitely one to recommend and I look forward to picking up the second in the series. I suspect that the weaves of the narrative will truly start coming together as the story progresses and I am interested to see where Peppers goes with it.
There are certainly a few cliched tropes rolled out here with a kingdom at war, a disillusioned anti-hero, a rebellious princess and some pirates thrown in for good measure... but in all honesty, I was enjoying myself too much to care. My interest was sparked right from the opening pages and it never really waned due to the well crafted characters and tension filled narrative. It was interesting to watch the characters develop throughout and see how their actions reverberated in the future. This is also a cutting analysis of human nature at its best and its worst, and the are moments that sting like a physical slap.
All in all, this is definitely one to recommend and I look forward to picking up the second in the series. I suspect that the weaves of the narrative will truly start coming together as the story progresses and I am interested to see where Peppers goes with it.
February 22, 2020
We have a lot of tropes in this one. A snarky, grumpy and disillusioned sell-sword with world class fighting skills and a (potential) heart of gold and a sheltered, beautiful, and intelligent princess team up to fight the evil high prince, who is also her brother, and who cares nothing for the common man.
It's all been before and better, but there is still something delightful about this. It's easy to read, fast paced from page one, there's a bit of mystery, a bit of the old "man vs woman dynamics" with a man's man and a woman's woman where it's arguments that matter, and not the Disney cardboard style we get mostly now, a tropy love story, the fool servant and a lot of run of the mill minor cast that are decently incorporated in the story. Magic exists in some form, but besides a 'little' continual spell, we don't see it.
3,4 stars.
It's all been before and better, but there is still something delightful about this. It's easy to read, fast paced from page one, there's a bit of mystery, a bit of the old "man vs woman dynamics" with a man's man and a woman's woman where it's arguments that matter, and not the Disney cardboard style we get mostly now, a tropy love story, the fool servant and a lot of run of the mill minor cast that are decently incorporated in the story. Magic exists in some form, but besides a 'little' continual spell, we don't see it.
3,4 stars.
August 29, 2018
A Sellsword's Compassion is full of action, colorful characters, great dialogue, fun world building, and plenty of twists and turns. This is an original story in the world of dark fantasy. The main character is a type of antihero, but pull away his prickly attitude and thick walls, and there's a good man inside. I would have liked the princess to be a bit braver, but she's still likable. We learn about the battles between the deceased king's children and all the suffering that goes along with kingdoms at war. Another layer in the story are the seven virtues and we meet two of them in Book 1. I'm looking forward to reading Book 2!
October 28, 2020
Frustrating....
The author has a comfortable writing style and I really wanted to like this book, but it's just so frustrating. The main character is supposed to be a street-smart deadly mercenary, yet he acts like a complete dumb-ass that nearly gets killed at every turn of the plot. The Princess doesn't act very Royal and their progress relies more on the goodwill and sacrifice of unlikely peripheral characters. In fact it's difficult to admire and cheer for any of the main characters. Bottom line.....having read it......I just don't care enough to read the next book and suffer through more inept behaviour, stumbling from crisis to crisis. I feel disappointed.
The author has a comfortable writing style and I really wanted to like this book, but it's just so frustrating. The main character is supposed to be a street-smart deadly mercenary, yet he acts like a complete dumb-ass that nearly gets killed at every turn of the plot. The Princess doesn't act very Royal and their progress relies more on the goodwill and sacrifice of unlikely peripheral characters. In fact it's difficult to admire and cheer for any of the main characters. Bottom line.....having read it......I just don't care enough to read the next book and suffer through more inept behaviour, stumbling from crisis to crisis. I feel disappointed.
August 15, 2021
An entertaining enough fantasy tale (or opener of one, anyway), though I can't really pinpoint anything about it that stands out as unique. Characters, worldbuilding and plot elements are all fairly standard fare. The romance, which felt rushed and tediously predictable, I could have done entirely without. (In fact, Adina I could have done entirely without, that woman just annoyed me in so many ways.) Frankly, I found Aaron more interesting before he started getting qualms where ruthlessness would have served him better and developing feelings (or so we're told, they didn't exactly leap off the page) for princess goody two shoes.
August 4, 2021
1 ⭐
the book was complete garbage . I was intruiged by this book when i first saw the synopsis but when I read it the first20 pages or saw was good and the rest was downhill from there. I liked the protagonist at first but after the ship scene he was just a completely different man when i mean by different he got infactuated by a typical I will save the world princess and he lost all his ideals teachings and all to it . No likable characters , action sequences were okay , world building was intriguing but done poorly, All was a complete hot mess
the book was complete garbage . I was intruiged by this book when i first saw the synopsis but when I read it the first20 pages or saw was good and the rest was downhill from there. I liked the protagonist at first but after the ship scene he was just a completely different man when i mean by different he got infactuated by a typical I will save the world princess and he lost all his ideals teachings and all to it . No likable characters , action sequences were okay , world building was intriguing but done poorly, All was a complete hot mess
July 22, 2018
Brief review --
A damn good 'fun' read. Brutal, great world-building, engaging characters.
A bit 'waffly' in places hence only 4 stars but I am already reading the second book in this series :)
A damn good 'fun' read. Brutal, great world-building, engaging characters.
A bit 'waffly' in places hence only 4 stars but I am already reading the second book in this series :)
August 7, 2018
A promising start to what can shape up to be a winner, interested in reading further into series as I really enjoyed the characters, the fights and the manipulation, good stuff...
August 20, 2019
Good read and I will definitely be carrying on with this series
November 17, 2025
The action scene are well written, but the plot and characters make no sense at all.
The sellsword has no idea how to complete the mission, openly admits it’s basically suicide, and even says “the dead have no use for gold.” The princess then tries to persuade him by offering more gold—despite admitting she doesn’t even have it, since she’s on the run from her brother—and somehow he immediately agrees and takes the job. Then it gets even worse. He agrees to assassinate the Duke and taking the princess and chamberlain with him like it's a sightseeing tour. Thought he knows they won't help and will make things more difficult.
The dialogues during their escape doesn’t help either. They spend the whole time yelling at each other how terrible they think the others is. Yet we’re supposed to believe the princess suddenly falls for the ruthless, merchant-type character who despises nobles. The entire exchange feels forced and illogical.
At least the plan to assassinate duke fails. That's something.
The sellsword has no idea how to complete the mission, openly admits it’s basically suicide, and even says “the dead have no use for gold.” The princess then tries to persuade him by offering more gold—despite admitting she doesn’t even have it, since she’s on the run from her brother—and somehow he immediately agrees and takes the job. Then it gets even worse. He agrees to assassinate the Duke and taking the princess and chamberlain with him like it's a sightseeing tour. Thought he knows they won't help and will make things more difficult.
The dialogues during their escape doesn’t help either. They spend the whole time yelling at each other how terrible they think the others is. Yet we’re supposed to believe the princess suddenly falls for the ruthless, merchant-type character who despises nobles. The entire exchange feels forced and illogical.
At least the plan to assassinate duke fails. That's something.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2020
I have mixed feelings about this book. First of all, the bad grammar, typos and awkward sentences made it really annoying to read. This book needed some heavy editing and proofreading. “Drug” instead of “dragged”, “staid” instead of “stayed”. Ugh. With so many glaring errors, it’s hard to focus on the story.
Second, the characters felt inconsistent. They start one way then do a complete 180 without rhyme or reason. There was no progression, no realization, just a sudden change of attitude.
There were also too many unexplained things.
However, I thought the book had potential. It could’ve been a great story, but it needed some polishing.
Second, the characters felt inconsistent. They start one way then do a complete 180 without rhyme or reason. There was no progression, no realization, just a sudden change of attitude.
There were also too many unexplained things.
However, I thought the book had potential. It could’ve been a great story, but it needed some polishing.
June 25, 2021
It’s a pretty standard, fun, fantasy novel. Sometimes cliché, but that’s okay, it’s an interesting book.
March 13, 2018
Heck Yeah
Surprise read that was thoroughly enjoyable from the main characters perspective. The supporting cast need to be fleshed out more and not a lot of world building occurring but the authors voice is smooth enough that I really enjoyed the book.
Surprise read that was thoroughly enjoyable from the main characters perspective. The supporting cast need to be fleshed out more and not a lot of world building occurring but the authors voice is smooth enough that I really enjoyed the book.
August 16, 2022
3.75
“to his mind, if life was a book, it was nothing short of horror. and poorly done horror at that”
"The 'commoners' grow our food, working long, hard days so
that their families, as well as ours, might not starve. While
the nobles boast of our certain victory in the war it is the
commoners who give up their sons, their fathers and
husbands, to fight it. Which seems more noble to you, dear Sister?"
“to his mind, if life was a book, it was nothing short of horror. and poorly done horror at that”
"The 'commoners' grow our food, working long, hard days so
that their families, as well as ours, might not starve. While
the nobles boast of our certain victory in the war it is the
commoners who give up their sons, their fathers and
husbands, to fight it. Which seems more noble to you, dear Sister?"
December 22, 2022
Robuster
This is a good read. I liked the protagonist and his story.
The Princess was written well . The story was filled with action and a few well timed twist and turns.
Here is why I didn’t rate this book a little higher.
In these stories the Villain must be as well written as his counterpart. This story never really brought a truly evil Villain to the reader. The Author hinted at one in the Princesses brother but we never actually meet him. Instead their is the journey filled with triumphs and failure. Which is fine but it’s not going to get the book Four or Five stars which for the most part it deserves.
I also don’t like the waffling the Protagonist goes through. I think his background should have been better introduced. The orphan warden could have been a great second Villain. But we don’t get enough of that part of the story.
I do like the Virtue side of the story. That is a great hook and should be explored more It’s easy to see the story was told with talent.Good hook and the crafting was above average.
This is a good read. I liked the protagonist and his story.
The Princess was written well . The story was filled with action and a few well timed twist and turns.
Here is why I didn’t rate this book a little higher.
In these stories the Villain must be as well written as his counterpart. This story never really brought a truly evil Villain to the reader. The Author hinted at one in the Princesses brother but we never actually meet him. Instead their is the journey filled with triumphs and failure. Which is fine but it’s not going to get the book Four or Five stars which for the most part it deserves.
I also don’t like the waffling the Protagonist goes through. I think his background should have been better introduced. The orphan warden could have been a great second Villain. But we don’t get enough of that part of the story.
I do like the Virtue side of the story. That is a great hook and should be explored more It’s easy to see the story was told with talent.Good hook and the crafting was above average.
December 24, 2019
Book one and two were interesting, things happened, characters were developing, the plot advanced. Nothing spectacular, but some fresh ideas. A bit too much sudden information dumping in the middle of random actions. As if a tour guide interrupted the fight sequence kind of stuff. Not ideal, but he's just starting this brand new world, maybe he'll grow into it eventually.
Book three, more of the same, but with information dumping and random author philosophy lessons. The plot slows. Book four, Ugh. Main character wants to do something heroic and by himself, and everyone disagrees, because Aaron is so uber and important and can't possibly put himself at risk, now, multiply that scene by every single acquaintance he knows. the first third of the book is Aaron repeating his "please don't go" farewell tour. Ugh. Interspersed are some lovely throw-away backstories to prove the bad guy is bad.
Repetition, information dumping, meaningless plot meandering. Needs a professional editor to trim this into a trilogy.
Book three, more of the same, but with information dumping and random author philosophy lessons. The plot slows. Book four, Ugh. Main character wants to do something heroic and by himself, and everyone disagrees, because Aaron is so uber and important and can't possibly put himself at risk, now, multiply that scene by every single acquaintance he knows. the first third of the book is Aaron repeating his "please don't go" farewell tour. Ugh. Interspersed are some lovely throw-away backstories to prove the bad guy is bad.
Repetition, information dumping, meaningless plot meandering. Needs a professional editor to trim this into a trilogy.
May 22, 2018
While Aaron Envelar is still looking for those who stole his mother's necklace he must also make a living. His latest job is to find and rescue a Prince of the kingdom who has been kidnapped. The person who hires him is a sister of the Prince. When Aaron arrives just in time to watch the Prince die he knows he won't get the original amount of money he was promised but money is money so he goes to the Princess to give her the bad news.
Aaron eventually learns that he must now save the Princess and her companion from the brother who is killing all his siblings so he can be sole heir to the throne. As they run from the people out to kill them Aaron learns that he now has a Virtue hiding in his body. She left the body of the dead Prince and entered Aaron without his knowledge and now because of her he feels something he has never felt before, compassion.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters here, including Co, the Virtue that now must help Aaron survive so that she can too.
Aaron eventually learns that he must now save the Princess and her companion from the brother who is killing all his siblings so he can be sole heir to the throne. As they run from the people out to kill them Aaron learns that he now has a Virtue hiding in his body. She left the body of the dead Prince and entered Aaron without his knowledge and now because of her he feels something he has never felt before, compassion.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters here, including Co, the Virtue that now must help Aaron survive so that she can too.
March 31, 2018
If this is just the start then can't wait to continue......
I read a lot of Sci-Fi and Fantasy books and every now and then I discover one where I think, yes, this is going to be good.
From the outset it didn't disappoint. It got my attention and kept me wrapped up in the story from beginning to end.
Many books tend to start well, tail off and then rush to finish everything in the last chapter leaving you feeling cheated. Not this one. The story and characters evolve steadily, drawing you into their world.
Jacob's style is reminiscent of Gemmel and Jordan and I look forward to reading the next in the series.
I read a lot of Sci-Fi and Fantasy books and every now and then I discover one where I think, yes, this is going to be good.
From the outset it didn't disappoint. It got my attention and kept me wrapped up in the story from beginning to end.
Many books tend to start well, tail off and then rush to finish everything in the last chapter leaving you feeling cheated. Not this one. The story and characters evolve steadily, drawing you into their world.
Jacob's style is reminiscent of Gemmel and Jordan and I look forward to reading the next in the series.
January 2, 2020
After reading the Jacob Peppers' prequel to this series, The Silent Blade, I was ready to jump into an adventure on a much grander scale. Aaron Envelar, a.k.a. Silent Blade, starts the story while staking out a bad section of the city in the hopes of rescuing someone who has been kidnapped - a job given to him by a mysterious woman with the promise of a very lucrative return. Armed with the smallest bit of information, he gets inside in time to witness the final breaths of a prince whose realm is in the northern reaches of the country. That realm is also being targeted by another prince who wants to take it over for his own.
Having discovered a prince who has been kidnapped and killed by yet another prince puts a big target on Aaron's back and starts him on an adventure taking him in and around the underworld of his neutral city, across the high seas and across the north of the country.
The writing was sound and the adventures good, but I especially enjoyed the humor. (It was snarky, so that’s probably why I liked it.) Aaron Envelar is a gruff sellsword, i.e. mercenary, who will work for anyone who can pay, so he has plenty of experience to back up his snarkiness. While the short story, the Silent Blade introduced him, this book gave him more of a back story. And while he may not appear to care about anyone but himself, he has a code and his word is his word, so he follows through with promises.
That sense of honor – and being targeted - is what got the story rolling.
Naturally with a female main character there are hints of romance, but it’s kept to the side and doesn’t interfere with the story. Other characters are entertaining and well-written and by the end of the book, helped reveal a larger conspiracy at play.
Intertwined throughout the story is one of the seven virtues, Co, which bonds with Aaron and becomes a part of him whilst imbuing him with memories and feelings of powerful characters from days gone by. This is where a lot of the humor came into play and I look forward to getting to know the other virtues throughout this series.
I started this book yesterday late afternoon and finished it yesterday evening. At 408 pages, I was surprised at how quickly I devoured this novel. When I finished it last night, I immediate picked up book #2: A Sellsword’s Wrath. I have a feeling I’ll work my way through this whole series in no time at all.
Having discovered a prince who has been kidnapped and killed by yet another prince puts a big target on Aaron's back and starts him on an adventure taking him in and around the underworld of his neutral city, across the high seas and across the north of the country.
The writing was sound and the adventures good, but I especially enjoyed the humor. (It was snarky, so that’s probably why I liked it.) Aaron Envelar is a gruff sellsword, i.e. mercenary, who will work for anyone who can pay, so he has plenty of experience to back up his snarkiness. While the short story, the Silent Blade introduced him, this book gave him more of a back story. And while he may not appear to care about anyone but himself, he has a code and his word is his word, so he follows through with promises.
That sense of honor – and being targeted - is what got the story rolling.
Naturally with a female main character there are hints of romance, but it’s kept to the side and doesn’t interfere with the story. Other characters are entertaining and well-written and by the end of the book, helped reveal a larger conspiracy at play.
Intertwined throughout the story is one of the seven virtues, Co, which bonds with Aaron and becomes a part of him whilst imbuing him with memories and feelings of powerful characters from days gone by. This is where a lot of the humor came into play and I look forward to getting to know the other virtues throughout this series.
I started this book yesterday late afternoon and finished it yesterday evening. At 408 pages, I was surprised at how quickly I devoured this novel. When I finished it last night, I immediate picked up book #2: A Sellsword’s Wrath. I have a feeling I’ll work my way through this whole series in no time at all.
April 12, 2020
A Very Interesting Start
I'm not usually one for reviews but every once in a while I'm inspired to put down a few words and The Sellsword's Compassion has done that. Everything has been written and every story told so for me the mark of a good writer is one who can take a story and make it new again. Jacob Peppers crosses that like quite easily with the first volume in the Seven Virtues series. I started reading with trepidation as I've come to be skeptical about fantasy novels on Kindle Unlimited as there tends to be more chaff than wheat in the selection but I was quickly won over.
To be honest the story is a bit rough around the edges at first but it quickly comes together and becomes interesting in no time at all. Aaron is not a likable character for more than half of the book. He is sympathetic as his story is revealed and pitiable but for me, at least, it wasn't the protagonist that drove me forward. The supporting cast is vibrant and likeable and it's their interaction with Aaron that bring the story and the world to life. I'm a sucker for worldbuilding but it's personal interactions that drive this book and I truly enjoyed that aspect. Now, don't get me wrong, the worldbuilding is good. It's highly unlikely that I'd enjoy an author that doesn't do some decent job of that but even with that being good it's still the human condition that drives this story forward.
And no, you're not going to find me talking a lot about the plot. That's already covered in the blurb, your either interested after reading that or you're not. I'm simply here to tell you that the story is good, the writing is easy to read, and that I've enjoyed the book. Character driven stories are hit or miss for me and Peppers hit the target with this one. I will say that the last couple of chapters did pique my interest in the rest of the series snd I'll be continuing down the road with Aaron and the rest of the crew.
I'm not usually one for reviews but every once in a while I'm inspired to put down a few words and The Sellsword's Compassion has done that. Everything has been written and every story told so for me the mark of a good writer is one who can take a story and make it new again. Jacob Peppers crosses that like quite easily with the first volume in the Seven Virtues series. I started reading with trepidation as I've come to be skeptical about fantasy novels on Kindle Unlimited as there tends to be more chaff than wheat in the selection but I was quickly won over.
To be honest the story is a bit rough around the edges at first but it quickly comes together and becomes interesting in no time at all. Aaron is not a likable character for more than half of the book. He is sympathetic as his story is revealed and pitiable but for me, at least, it wasn't the protagonist that drove me forward. The supporting cast is vibrant and likeable and it's their interaction with Aaron that bring the story and the world to life. I'm a sucker for worldbuilding but it's personal interactions that drive this book and I truly enjoyed that aspect. Now, don't get me wrong, the worldbuilding is good. It's highly unlikely that I'd enjoy an author that doesn't do some decent job of that but even with that being good it's still the human condition that drives this story forward.
And no, you're not going to find me talking a lot about the plot. That's already covered in the blurb, your either interested after reading that or you're not. I'm simply here to tell you that the story is good, the writing is easy to read, and that I've enjoyed the book. Character driven stories are hit or miss for me and Peppers hit the target with this one. I will say that the last couple of chapters did pique my interest in the rest of the series snd I'll be continuing down the road with Aaron and the rest of the crew.
April 23, 2019
"A Sellsword's Compassion" by Jacob Peppers very nearly earned a full five stars from me, simply because I enjoyed reading about the hero of the title, Aaron Elandar, Silent One, the Dark Killer. He is not an easy man to like. Cynical, cruel, relentless, amoral and unforgiving (especially of himself) , the killer for hire stalks through the pages Nevertheless, he is a true dark hero, and the story line held my attention throughout.
Mr. Pepper has given the reader a very credible world of a kingdom in turmoil that provides the setting in which to become immersed. A princess in rebellion against a tyrannical usurper in a land wracked by wars and by the high taxes necessary to finance them, makeup the medieval-like background. (You can read the book's blurb for more a plot summary, if you wish.) There is plenty of sword-clashing combat, hairy escapes, treachery and a bit of romance in the book, and an exciting climax where the hero must fight for his life in an arena tournament. It is here that the reader finds out that there is more going on than previously revealed. This sets the series in motion for the subsequent installments.
I held off on the fifth star in my rating only because this the first of seven installments (book One of the Seven Virtues" and I wonder if Mr . Peppers can sustain the great characters, writing and story line over so long a series. I think he can and it will be a pleasure to find out.
I look forward to reading the next book. ( I think all the books are available as of this date.)
**** Highly recommended to all lovers of dark, gritty fantasy with the understanding that violence abounds. Note : I remember no gratuitous sex, thought there is ribaldry and leering aplenty.
Put this one on your list.
Mr. Pepper has given the reader a very credible world of a kingdom in turmoil that provides the setting in which to become immersed. A princess in rebellion against a tyrannical usurper in a land wracked by wars and by the high taxes necessary to finance them, makeup the medieval-like background. (You can read the book's blurb for more a plot summary, if you wish.) There is plenty of sword-clashing combat, hairy escapes, treachery and a bit of romance in the book, and an exciting climax where the hero must fight for his life in an arena tournament. It is here that the reader finds out that there is more going on than previously revealed. This sets the series in motion for the subsequent installments.
I held off on the fifth star in my rating only because this the first of seven installments (book One of the Seven Virtues" and I wonder if Mr . Peppers can sustain the great characters, writing and story line over so long a series. I think he can and it will be a pleasure to find out.
I look forward to reading the next book. ( I think all the books are available as of this date.)
**** Highly recommended to all lovers of dark, gritty fantasy with the understanding that violence abounds. Note : I remember no gratuitous sex, thought there is ribaldry and leering aplenty.
Put this one on your list.
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