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Magelands Eternal Siege #1
The Mortal Blade
A city ruled by Gods, a mortal champion, a misfit girl and a disobedient dragon…
Stolen from his home, Corthie Holdfast has arrived in the City of the Eternal Siege as a new Champion.
He must fight alongside the Blades, whose lives are dedicated to the defence of the City against the hordes of monstrous Greenhides; or die at the hands of the Gods who rule.
Maddie Jackdaw, a young Blade, faces her last chance. Thrown out of every unit defending the City, either she takes on a new role, or she will be sent to the Rats, a company of misfits given the perilous tasks beyond the Great Walls.
Her new role, if she takes it, will bring her face to face with her deepest fears, for beneath the walls, in a secret and hidden lair, lies a dragon, imprisoned and waiting…
Stolen from his home, Corthie Holdfast has arrived in the City of the Eternal Siege as a new Champion.
He must fight alongside the Blades, whose lives are dedicated to the defence of the City against the hordes of monstrous Greenhides; or die at the hands of the Gods who rule.
Maddie Jackdaw, a young Blade, faces her last chance. Thrown out of every unit defending the City, either she takes on a new role, or she will be sent to the Rats, a company of misfits given the perilous tasks beyond the Great Walls.
Her new role, if she takes it, will bring her face to face with her deepest fears, for beneath the walls, in a secret and hidden lair, lies a dragon, imprisoned and waiting…
446 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 28, 2020
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5942 people want to read
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Christopher Mitchell
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I love deserts, which is too bad as I live in Scotland, but the mountains, glens and lochs more than make up for it. My other love is Greek Tragedy, especially Euripides, and I also read history, science, fantasy, and pretty much anything about the Beatles…
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About Me
I love deserts, which is too bad as I live in Scotland, but the mountains, glens and lochs more than make up for it. My other love is Greek Tragedy, especially Euripides, and I also read history, science, fantasy, and pretty much anything about the Beatles…
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
May 6, 2022
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Actual Rating: 3.5 stars or 7/10 for SPFBO!
Read this as a guest judge (With FanFiAddict) for SPFBO 7.
The Mortal Blade starts in a very interesting way with a demigod changing her appearance and going for an assassination and it got my attention quite fast. I usually read the synopsis before jumping into any book but for SPFBO I am not doing that because I want to go blind as possible and I don’t want to see reviews and ratings and get biased. The story is one that involves politics mainly and it follows 4 main characters.
The prose was average, it is the kind of prose that is easy to read and follow, not bad at all but not very memorable either. I wanted to highlight more quotes that I resonated with but unfortunately there were not many.
There are four characters and the chapters move between them subsequently. First we have Aila, the aforementioned demigod who happens to sympathize and help humans which is rare among these deities! She can create illusions and make people perceive her as she wants which is interesting. She was probably my favorite POV. Second is Corthie, a human champion who fights with the blades. He is a mortal but he seems to be more than that because he has powers that mortals are not supposed to have and is kind of immune to the demigods powers. Third is Maddie who is given a secret mission and I have to confess I hated her at first but she grows a lot through the story and finally we have Daniel who I had mixed feelings about. Initially the focus is how he is a part of nobility and how his moms tries to control his life but after that things take a different turn and his arc seems a bit distant from the rest of the story which made caring about him harder.
The story has an average pacing with middle-length chapters. I was interested in the story but I was waiting for something big with each chapter and I never got that. It seems like the whole book is trying to set the stage for something larger and then I checked the book page on GR and was surprised to see it is a part of an ambitious 12 books series -I thought it was a trilogy- which made things make more sense for me! I really want to know what happens with Aila and more about Corthie but I feel it takes dedication and some risk to finish a series this long. I don’t think the length of the series is a con but I just wanted more from the first book!
Summary: Overall, I think this book is good. It has good writing and pacing. The world building is interesting too. I just wanted more from the story in terms of the story line and characters. I am still interested in the characters and I want more answers but I don’t know if a 12 series book is something I can commit to currently!
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars or 7/10 for SPFBO!
Read this as a guest judge (With FanFiAddict) for SPFBO 7.
The Mortal Blade starts in a very interesting way with a demigod changing her appearance and going for an assassination and it got my attention quite fast. I usually read the synopsis before jumping into any book but for SPFBO I am not doing that because I want to go blind as possible and I don’t want to see reviews and ratings and get biased. The story is one that involves politics mainly and it follows 4 main characters.
The prose was average, it is the kind of prose that is easy to read and follow, not bad at all but not very memorable either. I wanted to highlight more quotes that I resonated with but unfortunately there were not many.
There are four characters and the chapters move between them subsequently. First we have Aila, the aforementioned demigod who happens to sympathize and help humans which is rare among these deities! She can create illusions and make people perceive her as she wants which is interesting. She was probably my favorite POV. Second is Corthie, a human champion who fights with the blades. He is a mortal but he seems to be more than that because he has powers that mortals are not supposed to have and is kind of immune to the demigods powers. Third is Maddie who is given a secret mission and I have to confess I hated her at first but she grows a lot through the story and finally we have Daniel who I had mixed feelings about. Initially the focus is how he is a part of nobility and how his moms tries to control his life but after that things take a different turn and his arc seems a bit distant from the rest of the story which made caring about him harder.
The story has an average pacing with middle-length chapters. I was interested in the story but I was waiting for something big with each chapter and I never got that. It seems like the whole book is trying to set the stage for something larger and then I checked the book page on GR and was surprised to see it is a part of an ambitious 12 books series -I thought it was a trilogy- which made things make more sense for me! I really want to know what happens with Aila and more about Corthie but I feel it takes dedication and some risk to finish a series this long. I don’t think the length of the series is a con but I just wanted more from the first book!
Summary: Overall, I think this book is good. It has good writing and pacing. The world building is interesting too. I just wanted more from the story in terms of the story line and characters. I am still interested in the characters and I want more answers but I don’t know if a 12 series book is something I can commit to currently!
January 3, 2021
Oh hello book two of this wonderful year. Ever since I saw this on KU, I was really intrigued to dive into it. After doing so, I will admit that The Mortal Blade did start off a bit slow for me. It was mostly because I was just getting introduced to everyone and getting to know what they did and where they lived. So, yeah, not super exciting stuff but from the first four chapter - I was definitely forming my own opinions and guesses as to what was going to happen throughout the book.
Long story short, I suck at guessing anything but this book was definitely entertaining. I can honestly say that I enjoyed all but one of the main characters. As for side characters, I loathed a ton and it just so happen that they were selfish demigod assholes. I'm wondering if my opinion on one of the MC's will change in the next book because he does have potential. Maybe.
Then there's that damn ending. Ugh, cliffhangers will always be the death of me. I feel like I have so many questions now and I'm hoping/wondering what the heck book two will bring me. Hopefully revenge because I'm all for that. So much betrayal went down in this book. I was constantly on the edge of my seat while receiving each twist and turn in this book.
That being said, I'm super excited to dive into the next book.
Long story short, I suck at guessing anything but this book was definitely entertaining. I can honestly say that I enjoyed all but one of the main characters. As for side characters, I loathed a ton and it just so happen that they were selfish demigod assholes. I'm wondering if my opinion on one of the MC's will change in the next book because he does have potential. Maybe.
Then there's that damn ending. Ugh, cliffhangers will always be the death of me. I feel like I have so many questions now and I'm hoping/wondering what the heck book two will bring me. Hopefully revenge because I'm all for that. So much betrayal went down in this book. I was constantly on the edge of my seat while receiving each twist and turn in this book.
That being said, I'm super excited to dive into the next book.
March 20, 2022
I read 'The Mortal Blade' for the SPFBO7 contest as part of the last batch of remaining finalists (10!) My review will be part of FanFiAddict's. This will reflect only my personal rating and opinion and is not the final score for FFA.
The Mortal Blade has left me somewhat conflicted. There were moments when I was completely enamored. The story started out very intriguing and there were plot choices that have me really excited to see where the story goes.
The story begins with the introduction of each of the 4 POVs within their own chapter - with each POV giving us insight into the world. I loved the demigod, Aila's POV the best. Her chapters were always the most interesting and I loved her magical abilities. The other 3 POVs became very tropey and I struggled with some dialogue. I loved the gods and demigods but felt that the magical abilities went a little unexplained. The dragons were a big bonus. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I will continue with the series.
The Mortal Blade has left me somewhat conflicted. There were moments when I was completely enamored. The story started out very intriguing and there were plot choices that have me really excited to see where the story goes.
The story begins with the introduction of each of the 4 POVs within their own chapter - with each POV giving us insight into the world. I loved the demigod, Aila's POV the best. Her chapters were always the most interesting and I loved her magical abilities. The other 3 POVs became very tropey and I struggled with some dialogue. I loved the gods and demigods but felt that the magical abilities went a little unexplained. The dragons were a big bonus. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I will continue with the series.
December 26, 2021
Just what I was looking for , a nice self published classic fantasy series.
Decent start with likeable characters that I will be wanting to read more about 👍
Decent start with likeable characters that I will be wanting to read more about 👍
Read
January 6, 2022Read this book entry finalist for the SPFBO7 contest as part of the last remaining ten novels for phase two to be read.
My review will be part of the judges panel when we post it on THE FANTASY HIVE in a few weeks.
My review will be part of the judges panel when we post it on THE FANTASY HIVE in a few weeks.
June 19, 2021
*I was assigned this book for SPFBO7*
I had high hopes for this story. From the cover to the description, it seemed right up my alley. And I wasn't disappointed.
The Mortal Blade follows four characters in a City. This City is ruled first and foremost by the God-King and God-Queen, and then is sectioned off to their children, demigods, to implement their rule. Each demigod has special powers - healing, for instance, or vision (where they can see into the the future or read minds), or battle-vision, where they are unstoppable in battle. From the outset, I was a bit confused as I tried to piece together each demigod and which section of the City they were in charge of. I wasn't aware of the explanation in the back of the book... oh well.
A large section of this book involves the politics, treason, and back biting of these demigods as they vie for power. 300 years ago, there was a Civil War, where gods were killing each other and scrapping for more power. The poor mortals under their rule couldn't do much about it. And now, in the present day, there is an upsurge in this type of behavior. A riot breaks out in the poorest part of the City, causing mayhem and carnage.
We are introduced to four characters - there is Corthie, a mortal who has battle vision, which is unheard of. Mortals are not supposed to have powers. There are hints that he is more than what he seems, and has come from another world. He was captured and enslaved, and was placed among the Blades, the men and women responsible for fighting the greenhides. They are large bug like monsters who have been besieging the City for a loooooong time. Corthie rises to fame, and the demigods want to use him and his prestige to their own ends.
Then there is Maddie, a private recently added to the Blades. Maddie is headstrong, doesn't follow orders, and is finally placed with just one other Captain as last-ditch effort to see if she can behave before becoming a Rat, the front-line soldiers fighting the greenhides. Maddie is sworn to secrecy with her new mission - and it is definitely NOT what she expected.
Next there is Aila - a demigod with the power to change her appearance. She is rogue god, not much interested in the politics of her cousins. She actually has a liking for the mortals, and wants what's best for them. But she hides it behind a tough exterior. If the other gods had inklings of this "weakness" they would do doubt exploit it. She spends her time hunting down the mortal gang leaders and killing them, if necessary, using an alter-ego called Stormfire.
Lastly, there is Daniel. He's part of the Aurelian nobility, and recently graduated from military school. He's assigned to lead troops to the outskirts of the riots, and in so doing, gains fame when he is in charge of a particular occurrence (no spoilers). He himself is disgusted with how he handled it, but the rest of the mortal nobility claim he is a hero.
It was interesting to me to see these four characters and how their stories intertwined. The pacing is well done, although it did take me awhile to get caught up in the story, initially, since I was still trying to figure out how the City infrastructure worked. It is complex, for sure. I wasn't a huge fan of Daniel's POV, and found it a bit boring. I didn't find him to be a character that I could root for. However, the other three were spectacular. There is magic, and mayhem, and monsters and dragons (!!!) and scheming and politics... I loved it.
The plot could have used some fine tuning. It took me awhile to figure out what the book was actually about, and where it was headed. This is a heavy dose of god-politics and scheming. The riot didn't seem to be the center-point of the story until more towards the end of the book. And the greenhides were just... there. I would have liked to see a bit more about the world as a whole, since the story only took place in one city. As mentioned above, there are hints of the existence of other worlds. I'm sure this will come out more in the sequel.
The writing is very well done. The author has a talent for drawing the reader in to the characters and their lives. It's clear that a lot of work was put into this City and the structure, which I appreciated. And the writing itself was crisp, with only a few grammatical errors. For an indie book, that is very well done, indeed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and instantly downloaded the second installment when I was finished. It was intricate, exciting, engaging, and all around a worthy addition to the epic fantasy genre.
*This review originally published on Booknest.eu*
I had high hopes for this story. From the cover to the description, it seemed right up my alley. And I wasn't disappointed.
The Mortal Blade follows four characters in a City. This City is ruled first and foremost by the God-King and God-Queen, and then is sectioned off to their children, demigods, to implement their rule. Each demigod has special powers - healing, for instance, or vision (where they can see into the the future or read minds), or battle-vision, where they are unstoppable in battle. From the outset, I was a bit confused as I tried to piece together each demigod and which section of the City they were in charge of. I wasn't aware of the explanation in the back of the book... oh well.
A large section of this book involves the politics, treason, and back biting of these demigods as they vie for power. 300 years ago, there was a Civil War, where gods were killing each other and scrapping for more power. The poor mortals under their rule couldn't do much about it. And now, in the present day, there is an upsurge in this type of behavior. A riot breaks out in the poorest part of the City, causing mayhem and carnage.
We are introduced to four characters - there is Corthie, a mortal who has battle vision, which is unheard of. Mortals are not supposed to have powers. There are hints that he is more than what he seems, and has come from another world. He was captured and enslaved, and was placed among the Blades, the men and women responsible for fighting the greenhides. They are large bug like monsters who have been besieging the City for a loooooong time. Corthie rises to fame, and the demigods want to use him and his prestige to their own ends.
Then there is Maddie, a private recently added to the Blades. Maddie is headstrong, doesn't follow orders, and is finally placed with just one other Captain as last-ditch effort to see if she can behave before becoming a Rat, the front-line soldiers fighting the greenhides. Maddie is sworn to secrecy with her new mission - and it is definitely NOT what she expected.
Next there is Aila - a demigod with the power to change her appearance. She is rogue god, not much interested in the politics of her cousins. She actually has a liking for the mortals, and wants what's best for them. But she hides it behind a tough exterior. If the other gods had inklings of this "weakness" they would do doubt exploit it. She spends her time hunting down the mortal gang leaders and killing them, if necessary, using an alter-ego called Stormfire.
Lastly, there is Daniel. He's part of the Aurelian nobility, and recently graduated from military school. He's assigned to lead troops to the outskirts of the riots, and in so doing, gains fame when he is in charge of a particular occurrence (no spoilers). He himself is disgusted with how he handled it, but the rest of the mortal nobility claim he is a hero.
It was interesting to me to see these four characters and how their stories intertwined. The pacing is well done, although it did take me awhile to get caught up in the story, initially, since I was still trying to figure out how the City infrastructure worked. It is complex, for sure. I wasn't a huge fan of Daniel's POV, and found it a bit boring. I didn't find him to be a character that I could root for. However, the other three were spectacular. There is magic, and mayhem, and monsters and dragons (!!!) and scheming and politics... I loved it.
The plot could have used some fine tuning. It took me awhile to figure out what the book was actually about, and where it was headed. This is a heavy dose of god-politics and scheming. The riot didn't seem to be the center-point of the story until more towards the end of the book. And the greenhides were just... there. I would have liked to see a bit more about the world as a whole, since the story only took place in one city. As mentioned above, there are hints of the existence of other worlds. I'm sure this will come out more in the sequel.
The writing is very well done. The author has a talent for drawing the reader in to the characters and their lives. It's clear that a lot of work was put into this City and the structure, which I appreciated. And the writing itself was crisp, with only a few grammatical errors. For an indie book, that is very well done, indeed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and instantly downloaded the second installment when I was finished. It was intricate, exciting, engaging, and all around a worthy addition to the epic fantasy genre.
*This review originally published on Booknest.eu*
March 21, 2022
3.5/5
Mitchell has a knack for creating exciting plots and relatable characters. The Mortal Blade begins in the middle of the action and maintains good pacing throughout. His dialog is also top-notch - most of the time, anyway (if you like snappy dialog).
I enjoyed the book, but not all of it. I'd rate it higher if it weren't for a forced (totally subjective opinion) romance plot. The romance made little sense (a nearly thousand-year-old goddess swooning like a teenager over a boy ), and the characters lacked any believable chemistry. It decreased my enjoyment and felt like an add-on to satisfy readers who expect romance in their books. I know many readers will disagree with my assessment, and that's okay :)
Overall, The Mortal Blade is a solid book, and I can understand its success. For me, however, it offers nothing new or truly exciting. It's a solid, well-crafted, and well-produced book.
Mitchell has a knack for creating exciting plots and relatable characters. The Mortal Blade begins in the middle of the action and maintains good pacing throughout. His dialog is also top-notch - most of the time, anyway (if you like snappy dialog).
I enjoyed the book, but not all of it. I'd rate it higher if it weren't for a forced (totally subjective opinion) romance plot. The romance made little sense (a nearly thousand-year-old goddess swooning like a teenager over a boy ), and the characters lacked any believable chemistry. It decreased my enjoyment and felt like an add-on to satisfy readers who expect romance in their books. I know many readers will disagree with my assessment, and that's okay :)
Overall, The Mortal Blade is a solid book, and I can understand its success. For me, however, it offers nothing new or truly exciting. It's a solid, well-crafted, and well-produced book.
June 26, 2021
I literally didn't finish this book, and I really tried.
Honestly, what I noticed with the worldbuilding it was all telling, like LITERALLY TELLING. Side characters would literally TELL you what was going on and what was happening. Like it's difficult to explain but the characters would dump information on you as to what was happening. Also, the descriptions of the world also all tell, no show. The writing was the opposite of lyrical and made it seem like it was a rough draft. As far as I read, it all felt like a rough draft, as if someone was going to go back and add parts and take other parts out. A lot of the characters were really boring and Maddie just pissed me off. The pick-me vibes that girl gave off- she had "not like other girls" written on her forehead. She also felt like a protagonist from a Wattpad story, ya know? No like I'm serious, her first chapter started with her waking up and rushing out the door to military academy, and because she's not like other girls; she punches someone. Like she literally said, "I'm not like the others, I don't like taking orders". And when Corthie was introduced he woke up in this room (also it literally said he woke up, no other descriptions, just he woke up) and some dude literally told him "we're here for the next ten years to serve, because you're the chosen one." (I thought he was joking and he was gonna be like JK, any idea where we actually are?). A little mystery and suspense as to why he was there would have gone a long way. And this wasn't the only instance where the author would literally tell you stuff like this. And then when Maddie went to see the dragon, that whole scene was so annoying, the old woman literally told her "the dragon likes you, and only you." Like there are so many ways of dressing up "chosen" or "special" characters, but the author just didn't do that at all.
Everything I read felt really underdeveloped, everything was either moving super-fast (but not like rich and action-packed more like short because nothing was described or talked about in-depth) or it was super slow and a bunch of pointless dialogue. I understand that you can't go into major depth and describe every blade of grass that grows on the sidewalk but a little bit more effort would have helped. I feel like the plot had potential but everything else was just not good. I hate giving bad reviews, I feel so terrible for the author because he probably had fun writing it but I'm sorry. It's just not good at all.
Honestly, what I noticed with the worldbuilding it was all telling, like LITERALLY TELLING. Side characters would literally TELL you what was going on and what was happening. Like it's difficult to explain but the characters would dump information on you as to what was happening. Also, the descriptions of the world also all tell, no show. The writing was the opposite of lyrical and made it seem like it was a rough draft. As far as I read, it all felt like a rough draft, as if someone was going to go back and add parts and take other parts out. A lot of the characters were really boring and Maddie just pissed me off. The pick-me vibes that girl gave off- she had "not like other girls" written on her forehead. She also felt like a protagonist from a Wattpad story, ya know? No like I'm serious, her first chapter started with her waking up and rushing out the door to military academy, and because she's not like other girls; she punches someone. Like she literally said, "I'm not like the others, I don't like taking orders". And when Corthie was introduced he woke up in this room (also it literally said he woke up, no other descriptions, just he woke up) and some dude literally told him "we're here for the next ten years to serve, because you're the chosen one." (I thought he was joking and he was gonna be like JK, any idea where we actually are?). A little mystery and suspense as to why he was there would have gone a long way. And this wasn't the only instance where the author would literally tell you stuff like this. And then when Maddie went to see the dragon, that whole scene was so annoying, the old woman literally told her "the dragon likes you, and only you." Like there are so many ways of dressing up "chosen" or "special" characters, but the author just didn't do that at all.
Everything I read felt really underdeveloped, everything was either moving super-fast (but not like rich and action-packed more like short because nothing was described or talked about in-depth) or it was super slow and a bunch of pointless dialogue. I understand that you can't go into major depth and describe every blade of grass that grows on the sidewalk but a little bit more effort would have helped. I feel like the plot had potential but everything else was just not good. I hate giving bad reviews, I feel so terrible for the author because he probably had fun writing it but I'm sorry. It's just not good at all.
December 3, 2021
This is the story of a city ruled by gods (mostly demigods at this point) and some of the mortals that live there. We see the story from a few different points of view, mostly that of Corthie Holdfast, who is the newest Champion in the city, and Maddie Jackdaw, who is a mischievous Blade who has been placed in so many different companies that she’s down to the last posting she can have before she gets shoved into the worst one.
I liked Corthie. He’s a mortal but has powers, unlike every other mortal in the city. He’s immune to the gods’ powers too, which is also very unique in this place. He seems to be from another world, one where mortals with powers are more common. He was brought to the city by one of the demigods for the purpose of fighting the creatures that are eternally sieging the city.
I didn’t start out liking Maddie, but as the story went on and we met Blackrose, who is the dragon she is charged with taking care of, I started liking her and her part in the story much, much more. Blackrose is a great character: a big, grumpy dragon who refuses to fight for the city and so is therefore imprisoned and kept a secret from everyone else.
The story was well written, and the world was well built, but there were parts that I didn’t like as much. I found the parts from Daniel’s POV largely boring, and I didn’t really like him or his parts of the story, and wished I could skip them. There was also a romance between Corthie and one of the other POV characters, and it largely made me roll my eyes with how completely instantaneous it was. 900 Year old goddess gets kissed by like a 17 year old and is just 100% in love from that point on. *snort* okay.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Shaun Grindell, did a good job. His voices for each character, especially Corthie, were entertaining and made it easy to listen to the book for a few hours at a time.
All told, I liked The Mortal Blade and found it entertaining most of the time, but I didn’t love it. However, I think that someone that was into YA fantasy, with snarky talking dragons, magical powers, and some political maneuvering should give this one a try, because they might love the things about it that I didn’t.
I liked Corthie. He’s a mortal but has powers, unlike every other mortal in the city. He’s immune to the gods’ powers too, which is also very unique in this place. He seems to be from another world, one where mortals with powers are more common. He was brought to the city by one of the demigods for the purpose of fighting the creatures that are eternally sieging the city.
I didn’t start out liking Maddie, but as the story went on and we met Blackrose, who is the dragon she is charged with taking care of, I started liking her and her part in the story much, much more. Blackrose is a great character: a big, grumpy dragon who refuses to fight for the city and so is therefore imprisoned and kept a secret from everyone else.
The story was well written, and the world was well built, but there were parts that I didn’t like as much. I found the parts from Daniel’s POV largely boring, and I didn’t really like him or his parts of the story, and wished I could skip them. There was also a romance between Corthie and one of the other POV characters, and it largely made me roll my eyes with how completely instantaneous it was. 900 Year old goddess gets kissed by like a 17 year old and is just 100% in love from that point on. *snort* okay.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Shaun Grindell, did a good job. His voices for each character, especially Corthie, were entertaining and made it easy to listen to the book for a few hours at a time.
All told, I liked The Mortal Blade and found it entertaining most of the time, but I didn’t love it. However, I think that someone that was into YA fantasy, with snarky talking dragons, magical powers, and some political maneuvering should give this one a try, because they might love the things about it that I didn’t.
January 5, 2021
This was a slow world building as each of the first 4 chapters featured a different MC giving us a different look at the world. Aila, a demigod, former traitor, pardoned and now Adjutant in one of the towns, secretly continuing her rebellion. Corthie, brought from outside to battle the invading horde, with an almost godlike skill. Maddie, a reject from every branch of service in the Blades where the defense of the City is everyone's life and there is no escape, who ends up in a life or death job. And lastly Daniel, son of a noble family just graduated from officer training, and engaged to marry into another noble family who does not want to be in the military or responsible for saving the family name.
I want to know what is going to happen to the main characters but I really don't feel the pull of the drama. I feel slightly removed as an observer rather than drawn in. Not sure if I really care enough about these people to read any more volumes especially since I'm sure we will have another cliff-hanger before getting resolution in volume 3.
I want to know what is going to happen to the main characters but I really don't feel the pull of the drama. I feel slightly removed as an observer rather than drawn in. Not sure if I really care enough about these people to read any more volumes especially since I'm sure we will have another cliff-hanger before getting resolution in volume 3.
March 21, 2022
I read this for SPFBO. My review only. More about the contest and links at the bottom.
This was a hard one to summarize-
The city and surroundings are made up of tribes that are ruled by god-kings and their demi-god children (most of which have magical powers). Their history is full of powerplays and bad blood from failed coups.
The Mortal Blade is told from several pov’s from those different areas, helping to fill in the entirety of the picture- past and present, and the problems arising around the city and its surroundings.
Because of this broader scope it does take a while to get a handle on the world, and especially to get to a point where the society and its inner workings feels familiar.
*
This is one of those times when I felt like the page count really suited the size of the story, and what it was telling us.
The pacing was really well-done and for me, the story was interesting throughout- if it was slow in one pov the other is taking up the slack with something exciting to counterbalance, so it never felt draggy even in the pov’s I wasn’t as fond of. Though this does end in a stepping-off point and is not going to answer everything right now, it tells us enough to feel satisfied.
*
I enjoyed Daniel and Maddie’s pov the most of the four.
Daniel’s wasn’t a surprise because I love military fantasy, I would have been happy to stay in his pov more, or even for the whole book. He was also an interesting character, as he has a very powerful family name and despite his position seems to be more empathetic to the citizens than most in his station of life (maybe because he knows what its liked to be ruled under the iron thumb of his mother). But that idealistic view gets dirtied pretty quickly and he makes some choices that are not the best, even if they gave him great results.
Maddie’s was a surprise. I don’t generally like the ‘spunky kid’ but I liked her sections, and of course her interactions with Blackrose. Probably my enjoyment here was a lot to do with the cranky dragon and wondering how she is going to play into the rest of story.
I had expected that I would love Alia the most, because I enjoy the assassin characters, and her position gave me all the political maneuverings and family politics, that I love so much but, I felt her story got weighed down with Corthie.
(I really liked the ease in which her shapeshifting was shown. It was straight to the point and easy to know when and who she was being during those scenes)
Corthie was interesting to me, because I was curious about where he came from and the whole sci-fi feeling vibe to how he got there, and his sister coming to rescue him etc but that was about it. I found his personality annoying but I might be holding a grudge for sullying Alia’s story.
Though we did have a good last scene with his character that makes me more interested in him and wanting to come back and see what happens next for him.
*
I loved the powerplays, the military aspects, and even the dragons have such personalities that I was invested in them.
My only complaint was the rather juvenile feeling love between the Alia and Corthie. She seemed a little naïve and consumed for someone who has seen so much (even having been locked in the palace for 300 years) when it came to the whole attraction between those two.
On the whole this was a cool and interesting world, and story, with an amazing amount of history stuffed in.
There are a lot of things that were only touched on, and there is just so much potential in the storylines that were opened up for these characters, to continue into the next book.
spfbo score 6.5 or 4 stars (6.5-8/10)
Phase one is here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Finalist board is here
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
This was a hard one to summarize-
The city and surroundings are made up of tribes that are ruled by god-kings and their demi-god children (most of which have magical powers). Their history is full of powerplays and bad blood from failed coups.
The Mortal Blade is told from several pov’s from those different areas, helping to fill in the entirety of the picture- past and present, and the problems arising around the city and its surroundings.
Because of this broader scope it does take a while to get a handle on the world, and especially to get to a point where the society and its inner workings feels familiar.
*
This is one of those times when I felt like the page count really suited the size of the story, and what it was telling us.
The pacing was really well-done and for me, the story was interesting throughout- if it was slow in one pov the other is taking up the slack with something exciting to counterbalance, so it never felt draggy even in the pov’s I wasn’t as fond of. Though this does end in a stepping-off point and is not going to answer everything right now, it tells us enough to feel satisfied.
*
I enjoyed Daniel and Maddie’s pov the most of the four.
Daniel’s wasn’t a surprise because I love military fantasy, I would have been happy to stay in his pov more, or even for the whole book. He was also an interesting character, as he has a very powerful family name and despite his position seems to be more empathetic to the citizens than most in his station of life (maybe because he knows what its liked to be ruled under the iron thumb of his mother). But that idealistic view gets dirtied pretty quickly and he makes some choices that are not the best, even if they gave him great results.
Maddie’s was a surprise. I don’t generally like the ‘spunky kid’ but I liked her sections, and of course her interactions with Blackrose. Probably my enjoyment here was a lot to do with the cranky dragon and wondering how she is going to play into the rest of story.
I had expected that I would love Alia the most, because I enjoy the assassin characters, and her position gave me all the political maneuverings and family politics, that I love so much but, I felt her story got weighed down with Corthie.
(I really liked the ease in which her shapeshifting was shown. It was straight to the point and easy to know when and who she was being during those scenes)
Corthie was interesting to me, because I was curious about where he came from and the whole sci-fi feeling vibe to how he got there, and his sister coming to rescue him etc but that was about it. I found his personality annoying but I might be holding a grudge for sullying Alia’s story.
Though we did have a good last scene with his character that makes me more interested in him and wanting to come back and see what happens next for him.
*
I loved the powerplays, the military aspects, and even the dragons have such personalities that I was invested in them.
My only complaint was the rather juvenile feeling love between the Alia and Corthie. She seemed a little naïve and consumed for someone who has seen so much (even having been locked in the palace for 300 years) when it came to the whole attraction between those two.
On the whole this was a cool and interesting world, and story, with an amazing amount of history stuffed in.
There are a lot of things that were only touched on, and there is just so much potential in the storylines that were opened up for these characters, to continue into the next book.
spfbo score 6.5 or 4 stars (6.5-8/10)
Phase one is here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Finalist board is here
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
March 2, 2022
excellent well worth reading.
If you want fantasy with sarky dragons, twisty family dealings on a city wide scale. Decent combats scenes and a touch of humour. Then give this one a read.
Part of the spfbo 7, this is a worthy finalist of the ten books in the final.
If you want fantasy with sarky dragons, twisty family dealings on a city wide scale. Decent combats scenes and a touch of humour. Then give this one a read.
Part of the spfbo 7, this is a worthy finalist of the ten books in the final.
March 27, 2023
Very good start to the series. I especially liked the dragons as characters and their interactions with the people around them.
Really nice but low character-work and the start of a wide world that I would love to explore further.
I am still a bit confused about some things concerning the characters and where they fit in but intrigued enough to continue the series. This book is a set-up for a broader adventure to come and I cannot wait to dive into the next book.
Really nice but low character-work and the start of a wide world that I would love to explore further.
I am still a bit confused about some things concerning the characters and where they fit in but intrigued enough to continue the series. This book is a set-up for a broader adventure to come and I cannot wait to dive into the next book.
July 21, 2025
Seriously can't believe I haven't heard anyone on socials talk about this series. It was fast paced, had a cast of likable characters, including a Captain America like super soldier and dragons with snark, lots of mysteries and even a romantic subplot. I will say the latter is probably what kept this from being a five star read for me. The romance felt a tad bit cheesy and very rushed but I still had a great time with this book and have already started book 2!
June 12, 2021
This audiobook has 3 problems, as far as I'm concerned.
The first was the narrator.
I really reaaally struggled with his BBC anchorman rendition, and worked hard not to get distracted by it all the time. BBC anchors have a special quirk in that they drop the pitch of the second to last syllable for every sentence, then raise it again for the last one. It's bearable for 15 mins of news reports, but for a 14+h book? That's just torture. Thank God for dialogue scenes, where the affectation was blessedly dropped.
The second is the world-building.
It looks like in this dimension, the whole human world has been reduced to a single city for centuries, but little is explained of how it manages to remain functional. The social dynamics are just too sketchy. The green invaders make no sense either in their single-minded and incredibly ruinous attempts at conquering the city from only one angle. How come there's only one battlefront, and not a siege around the whole of the city? If it was explained, I missed it. Finally the "gods" themselves make no sense, both in their origin, the way they... umm... proliferate, and their praxis. I just couldn't buy their long life. They shared too many human mortality-based flaws to be credible.
The third is gravitas.
For some reason, especially with Corthie, nothing ever seemed to matter. His confusing equanimity in the face of abduction and enslavement doesn't match his avowed powers. Especially when he's shown time and time again to be impervious to god powers, and when he manages to single-handedly slaughter hordes of towering beasts. Aila is presented as a potential drug addict, and that is dangled in front of our faces the very first chapter, but nothing, either in characterization or plot, makes use of that fact (yet?). Maddie's personality is confusing as well. Her bravado is incomprehensible in face of the consequences. It's almost as if she has no survival instinct, or is an outworlder herself.
In spite of all that, I found myself enjoying the general political plot, the human stories, and the interactions. Credit goes to the author's impressive talent with creating vivid dialog scenes.
And that ending! That was very very satisfying and enticing at the same time. Talk about a cliff-hanger. But I don't begrudge the author that, because I hope the next book starts painting a more accurate picture of the land we're living in.
All in all, passing marks. Or slightly better, actually. It's between a 3+ or a 4-, depending on your outlook. But I'll leave the rating at 3 because there's a lot I did find wrong with the book anyway.
The first was the narrator.
I really reaaally struggled with his BBC anchorman rendition, and worked hard not to get distracted by it all the time. BBC anchors have a special quirk in that they drop the pitch of the second to last syllable for every sentence, then raise it again for the last one. It's bearable for 15 mins of news reports, but for a 14+h book? That's just torture. Thank God for dialogue scenes, where the affectation was blessedly dropped.
The second is the world-building.
It looks like in this dimension, the whole human world has been reduced to a single city for centuries, but little is explained of how it manages to remain functional. The social dynamics are just too sketchy. The green invaders make no sense either in their single-minded and incredibly ruinous attempts at conquering the city from only one angle. How come there's only one battlefront, and not a siege around the whole of the city? If it was explained, I missed it. Finally the "gods" themselves make no sense, both in their origin, the way they... umm... proliferate, and their praxis. I just couldn't buy their long life. They shared too many human mortality-based flaws to be credible.
The third is gravitas.
For some reason, especially with Corthie, nothing ever seemed to matter. His confusing equanimity in the face of abduction and enslavement doesn't match his avowed powers. Especially when he's shown time and time again to be impervious to god powers, and when he manages to single-handedly slaughter hordes of towering beasts. Aila is presented as a potential drug addict, and that is dangled in front of our faces the very first chapter, but nothing, either in characterization or plot, makes use of that fact (yet?). Maddie's personality is confusing as well. Her bravado is incomprehensible in face of the consequences. It's almost as if she has no survival instinct, or is an outworlder herself.
In spite of all that, I found myself enjoying the general political plot, the human stories, and the interactions. Credit goes to the author's impressive talent with creating vivid dialog scenes.
And that ending! That was very very satisfying and enticing at the same time. Talk about a cliff-hanger. But I don't begrudge the author that, because I hope the next book starts painting a more accurate picture of the land we're living in.
All in all, passing marks. Or slightly better, actually. It's between a 3+ or a 4-, depending on your outlook. But I'll leave the rating at 3 because there's a lot I did find wrong with the book anyway.
April 27, 2022
So far one of my favorite SPFBO reads this year. Not perfect by any means, but really quick to read, good fun, and the audio version is also really well narrated.
What I loved most is the sheer amount of magic, gods, demigods, creatures, and just plain fantasy in there. From monsters to dragons - that is one aspect that made me fall in love with fantasy in the first place! A lot of world building that didn't feel boring, but gave the whole city a lot of depth and had it become real. I was walking through those streets and hearing the drunken soldiers tell their tales. Even though we only see one city in book one, I loved that there was a whole other world hinted at for later books.
Some of the characters could have been worked out a bit better, some moments seemed a bit shallow, but overall I did like (most) of the main characters and was happy to follow along. I liked how they were so very different (even if it made them a bit stereotypical at times)
Daniel is the son of a well standing noble family, who doesn't like his position, but has to do what it takes to keep his place (and thereby his family's position) in society. He struggles with morals vs duty vs the easy way out. While he wasn’t necessarily likable, I did think him relatable.
Corthie is the happy go lucky hero. The good guy who just goes along with everything, and seems to think he is invincible. He loves to drink, tell tales and has a rather loud mouth, but because of his battle prowess he largely gets away with it.
Maddie is a lowly soldier, but coming from a well respected soldier family. Because she can never keep her mouth shut, or follow orders she doesn't agree with, she has been booted from pretty much every military station there is - and now at her last chance placement. Caring for a secretly enslaved dragon...
Aila, a demigod, who likes humans a lot more than she probably should. She was my favorite character right from the start! Even though she is rather overpowered, that is quickly explained by her not being a mere mortal. I found the differences between puny humans and gods /demigods well handled.
And then of course the two dragons! One who is a great match for our hero, and one who is a grumpy old lady, who enjoys eating the people she doesn't like. Or accidentally break them. Puny humans, you know...
All in all I really enjoyed this tale full of magic and fantasy, and will definitely continue the series!
What I loved most is the sheer amount of magic, gods, demigods, creatures, and just plain fantasy in there. From monsters to dragons - that is one aspect that made me fall in love with fantasy in the first place! A lot of world building that didn't feel boring, but gave the whole city a lot of depth and had it become real. I was walking through those streets and hearing the drunken soldiers tell their tales. Even though we only see one city in book one, I loved that there was a whole other world hinted at for later books.
Some of the characters could have been worked out a bit better, some moments seemed a bit shallow, but overall I did like (most) of the main characters and was happy to follow along. I liked how they were so very different (even if it made them a bit stereotypical at times)
Daniel is the son of a well standing noble family, who doesn't like his position, but has to do what it takes to keep his place (and thereby his family's position) in society. He struggles with morals vs duty vs the easy way out. While he wasn’t necessarily likable, I did think him relatable.
Corthie is the happy go lucky hero. The good guy who just goes along with everything, and seems to think he is invincible. He loves to drink, tell tales and has a rather loud mouth, but because of his battle prowess he largely gets away with it.
Maddie is a lowly soldier, but coming from a well respected soldier family. Because she can never keep her mouth shut, or follow orders she doesn't agree with, she has been booted from pretty much every military station there is - and now at her last chance placement. Caring for a secretly enslaved dragon...
Aila, a demigod, who likes humans a lot more than she probably should. She was my favorite character right from the start! Even though she is rather overpowered, that is quickly explained by her not being a mere mortal. I found the differences between puny humans and gods /demigods well handled.
And then of course the two dragons! One who is a great match for our hero, and one who is a grumpy old lady, who enjoys eating the people she doesn't like. Or accidentally break them. Puny humans, you know...
All in all I really enjoyed this tale full of magic and fantasy, and will definitely continue the series!
November 20, 2021
I don't read as much fantasy as I used to. I tend to get impatient with the multiple povs and excessive worldbuilding nowadays. That being said, The Mortal Blade provided everything that I hope for when I pick up a fantasy and it did it without needlessly dragging me into a mire of infodumps regarding the world.
There are four pov characters in this book and only one of them (Daniel) dragged for me. I liked the characters of Corthie and Aila, and was always interested in the happenings around them. I wasn't as big of a fan of Maddie, but the events surrounding her more than made up for it. Daniel was a bit boring to me since he was a character who things happened to rather than one who made things happen. The events surrounding him were rather important to the plot, but not that interesting, so his chapters felt a bit obligatory to me rather than enjoyable.
Overall, the fact that the story focused on events in a single city was the key to maintaining my attention. When the povs are all on different continents to start a story, I just can't get into it since I inevitably don't give a damn about at least one character or the events that are coming down the pipe around them even if it will become important later.
I prefer tight, character-driven tales nowadays. This story is a bit more than that, but it managed to keep my interest since all of the events and characters were so close together geographically.
This was a fun read by what appears to be a prolific writer, so I'm excited to make my way through this series as well as the parallel/prequel series.
There are four pov characters in this book and only one of them (Daniel) dragged for me. I liked the characters of Corthie and Aila, and was always interested in the happenings around them. I wasn't as big of a fan of Maddie, but the events surrounding her more than made up for it. Daniel was a bit boring to me since he was a character who things happened to rather than one who made things happen. The events surrounding him were rather important to the plot, but not that interesting, so his chapters felt a bit obligatory to me rather than enjoyable.
Overall, the fact that the story focused on events in a single city was the key to maintaining my attention. When the povs are all on different continents to start a story, I just can't get into it since I inevitably don't give a damn about at least one character or the events that are coming down the pipe around them even if it will become important later.
I prefer tight, character-driven tales nowadays. This story is a bit more than that, but it managed to keep my interest since all of the events and characters were so close together geographically.
This was a fun read by what appears to be a prolific writer, so I'm excited to make my way through this series as well as the parallel/prequel series.
May 16, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5
A city ruled by Gods, a mortal champion, a misfit girl and a disobedient dragon
The story follows three main perspectives:
Corthie - a warrior boy who fights for the ruling gods against the monstrous, never-ending Greenhides.
Maddie is a let-down, past from post to post until she’s down to the last position that will take her. It doesn’t take long to figure out why.
Finally, Alia. A fallen member of the gods, under their thumb but heart aching for the corruption around her.
I immediately fell in love with Maddie and her uncontrollable sass.
Similarly, Corthie is as ambitious, wily and irresponsible of authority as Maddie seems.
Overall, this was a stunning fantasy that deserves more hype. It has a cast of intriguing, colourful, endearing characters, nail-biting politics, disguises, rouses and stunning, fast-paced and engaging fight scenes that never felt over-done.
Bookstagram
A city ruled by Gods, a mortal champion, a misfit girl and a disobedient dragon
The story follows three main perspectives:
Corthie - a warrior boy who fights for the ruling gods against the monstrous, never-ending Greenhides.
Maddie is a let-down, past from post to post until she’s down to the last position that will take her. It doesn’t take long to figure out why.
Finally, Alia. A fallen member of the gods, under their thumb but heart aching for the corruption around her.
I immediately fell in love with Maddie and her uncontrollable sass.
“Oh, I listen, ma'am, but I often feel compelled to disagree.”
Similarly, Corthie is as ambitious, wily and irresponsible of authority as Maddie seems.
For the first time, the dragon smiled. Either that, or he wanted to eat Corthie, he couldn't tell.
“Just what did you think you'd achieve by angering a dragon?'
Corthie walked to the stairs and began to descend. 'I'm bored.'
Overall, this was a stunning fantasy that deserves more hype. It has a cast of intriguing, colourful, endearing characters, nail-biting politics, disguises, rouses and stunning, fast-paced and engaging fight scenes that never felt over-done.
Bookstagram
January 15, 2021
The events and threads of this story were really well-written and came together in an engaging way. After I got through the first quarter of the book, which was slow and disjointed since it was bouncing around between several difference characters, it became difficult to put the book down. It's an easy read and the world building, factions, and conflicts are interesting. I wanted to give this book five stars but the characters had little-to-no development and the love story between two of the main characters moved unrealistically quickly. Overall I recommend this and will be reading the next in the series!
September 5, 2023
I thought there was some really interesting worldbuilding here—it seems to be a very expansive world with quite a lot going on. There's a good opening chapter with some interesting magic and action and then so much else going on that you don't get back to the character from that opening for another five chapters or so. I liked the living gods here and the different powers that they have and then the "mortal" aspect, as noted by the title, introducing some of those powers as well.
This is such a big series that it can be quite intimidating, but my understanding is that it can be read in arcs of about three books each, so don't let the series size put you off if you're interested in trying this one out, because I quite enjoyed it.
This is such a big series that it can be quite intimidating, but my understanding is that it can be read in arcs of about three books each, so don't let the series size put you off if you're interested in trying this one out, because I quite enjoyed it.
September 29, 2020
I am sure glad I stuck with reading this book. I bet in physical format I would have never attempted this guy because I feel like it is exceptionally long...HOWEVER it was all necessary.
The plot development pieced together amazingly. Seriously - super awesome connecting pieces. Character development was top notch as well. Corthie, Maddie, Aila, Hilde and so much more...I love them!
Buckler and Blackrose were a huge part of my love for this book! I can't wait to read #2!
The plot development pieced together amazingly. Seriously - super awesome connecting pieces. Character development was top notch as well. Corthie, Maddie, Aila, Hilde and so much more...I love them!
Buckler and Blackrose were a huge part of my love for this book! I can't wait to read #2!
Read
August 16, 2024It's a soft DNF
I think I'll come back to finish it at some point but I'm not in the mood for this type of fantasy.
The magic so far was intriguing and I want to learn more about the creatures (the dragons especially)
I think I'll come back to finish it at some point but I'm not in the mood for this type of fantasy.
The magic so far was intriguing and I want to learn more about the creatures (the dragons especially)
February 27, 2025
Mediocre at best.
Too long to develop the storyline and characters.
Thin plotline. I've read better. Could not hold my focus more than one chapter at a time. Will not read sequels.
Too long to develop the storyline and characters.
Thin plotline. I've read better. Could not hold my focus more than one chapter at a time. Will not read sequels.
September 1, 2021
I broke one of my rules and have read other book since finishing this... without writing the review. Partly because I've been really busy, but mostly because the other books were the next 2 books. I couldn't put them down! Each book was progressively better. The challenge now is to remember what happened in which book.
The Mortal Blade introduces us to the 4 main characters we follow through the series and, while I grew to love them all, at the start I was really only interested in a couple.
1. We first meet demi-god Aila. As demi-gods go, her ability to appear to mortals as anyone whom she chooses is pretty cool, but also pretty weak. She fought several hundred years ago on the wrong side and after a spending a good portion of those hundred years on "house arrest" she's now serving the winning side, while working as a rebel on the side. Even though I did Lik Alia at the start, I wasn't as invested in her story. Her life was very caught up with the god-queen and god-queen politics of the city and it got a bit confusing for me in this book. There's a lot of gods and demigods in this world and it took me a little bit to get used to and understand who they all were.
2. I think the next character we meet is Maddie Jackdaw. She was a character I loved from the get-go and was really invested in early on. She's mouthy and doesn't just automatically obey, she questions and thus, gets into a lot of trouble. She's been kicked out of just about every unit when we meet her and her mouth lands her into probably the greatest, but potentially scariest, assignment possible. This would be a spoiler, so I want say what she does, but it's cool and makes following her exciting.
3. Another character we meet is Corthie Holdfast - a Champion for the city who was kidnapped from his home world. He's a mortal but has super abilities, like the demigods/gods, like Battle Vision. I grew to like him, but at the start he was confusing to me in a similar way that Aila was confusing. He kept talking about how his sister was going to rescue him and I didn't fully understand the god/demigod/battle vision stuff at this point in the series.
4. Finally we met Daniel Aurelian and he pretty much immediately became my favorite character. He's Roser nobility and the only child with a lot of expectations weighing him down. His complaints and concerns showed him pretty quickly to be someone of good character, but flawed. So yeah, I liked him a lot.
The world - as I've already hinted it - is a bit complex. This has an epic fantasy feel and in some ways made me think of Game of Thrones. I'd very much like to see a map of this world as it feels like it could take place on a land mass about the size of Great Britain. And the city is under almost constant siege from these creature-people called greenhides that they're all fighting against in their own ways. There's a lot to grasp in this first book - but there's also plenty of magic, dragons, gods, and action to make up for it. And I was very compelled, thanks in part to a cliff hanger, to keep going through the next 2 books.
I listened to this, narrated by Shaun Grindell and his narration was really good. I was a little surprised at first that it was a male narrator, since our first main character to meet is Aila. But he did a really god job with both the male and female characters. Really glad I choose to try it and in audio!
Daniel Aurelian
The Mortal Blade introduces us to the 4 main characters we follow through the series and, while I grew to love them all, at the start I was really only interested in a couple.
1. We first meet demi-god Aila. As demi-gods go, her ability to appear to mortals as anyone whom she chooses is pretty cool, but also pretty weak. She fought several hundred years ago on the wrong side and after a spending a good portion of those hundred years on "house arrest" she's now serving the winning side, while working as a rebel on the side. Even though I did Lik Alia at the start, I wasn't as invested in her story. Her life was very caught up with the god-queen and god-queen politics of the city and it got a bit confusing for me in this book. There's a lot of gods and demigods in this world and it took me a little bit to get used to and understand who they all were.
2. I think the next character we meet is Maddie Jackdaw. She was a character I loved from the get-go and was really invested in early on. She's mouthy and doesn't just automatically obey, she questions and thus, gets into a lot of trouble. She's been kicked out of just about every unit when we meet her and her mouth lands her into probably the greatest, but potentially scariest, assignment possible. This would be a spoiler, so I want say what she does, but it's cool and makes following her exciting.
3. Another character we meet is Corthie Holdfast - a Champion for the city who was kidnapped from his home world. He's a mortal but has super abilities, like the demigods/gods, like Battle Vision. I grew to like him, but at the start he was confusing to me in a similar way that Aila was confusing. He kept talking about how his sister was going to rescue him and I didn't fully understand the god/demigod/battle vision stuff at this point in the series.
4. Finally we met Daniel Aurelian and he pretty much immediately became my favorite character. He's Roser nobility and the only child with a lot of expectations weighing him down. His complaints and concerns showed him pretty quickly to be someone of good character, but flawed. So yeah, I liked him a lot.
The world - as I've already hinted it - is a bit complex. This has an epic fantasy feel and in some ways made me think of Game of Thrones. I'd very much like to see a map of this world as it feels like it could take place on a land mass about the size of Great Britain. And the city is under almost constant siege from these creature-people called greenhides that they're all fighting against in their own ways. There's a lot to grasp in this first book - but there's also plenty of magic, dragons, gods, and action to make up for it. And I was very compelled, thanks in part to a cliff hanger, to keep going through the next 2 books.
I listened to this, narrated by Shaun Grindell and his narration was really good. I was a little surprised at first that it was a male narrator, since our first main character to meet is Aila. But he did a really god job with both the male and female characters. Really glad I choose to try it and in audio!
Daniel Aurelian
September 3, 2020
Oh, the agony of having to wait for the next book which won't be released until October 9th.
The only character in this book from the previous Magelands series is Corthie. It's four and a half years after he was captured. Those years are not detailed but I personally would be interested in reading about them. He is unshaken in his belief that his sister, Karalyn, will rescue him. He isn't even aware of the new powers she possesses so he really does have a lot of faith in her.
Corthie is an unthinkable aberration in this new world due to his battle powers. No mortals have powers - only the God-King, God-Queen and their demigod offspring. He soon becomes the Champion of this city, along with a dragon, for their abilities to smite the eternal enemy, AKA greenhides. Why the greenhides persist in endlessly attacking the City for thousands of years with little success is never revealed. It's clear that the greenhides have their own land since they retreat during the rain/fog seasons and obviously procreate since there appear to be a never ending number of them. But I digress...
So, Corthie becomes a pawn in the squabbles between the demigods. He does choose a side, primarily due to his attraction to one of said demigods. He additionally learns of a second dragon kept hidden from the majority of the populace and vows to help her escape.
Lots of intrigue, new players and a stimulating storyline. Five stars.
The only character in this book from the previous Magelands series is Corthie. It's four and a half years after he was captured. Those years are not detailed but I personally would be interested in reading about them. He is unshaken in his belief that his sister, Karalyn, will rescue him. He isn't even aware of the new powers she possesses so he really does have a lot of faith in her.
Corthie is an unthinkable aberration in this new world due to his battle powers. No mortals have powers - only the God-King, God-Queen and their demigod offspring. He soon becomes the Champion of this city, along with a dragon, for their abilities to smite the eternal enemy, AKA greenhides. Why the greenhides persist in endlessly attacking the City for thousands of years with little success is never revealed. It's clear that the greenhides have their own land since they retreat during the rain/fog seasons and obviously procreate since there appear to be a never ending number of them. But I digress...
So, Corthie becomes a pawn in the squabbles between the demigods. He does choose a side, primarily due to his attraction to one of said demigods. He additionally learns of a second dragon kept hidden from the majority of the populace and vows to help her escape.
Lots of intrigue, new players and a stimulating storyline. Five stars.
October 29, 2021
A city besieged. An internal civil war. Ruled by gods and demigods. Two incredible dragons (one being SO great!) Such a fun incredible read!
February 18, 2022
I probably got about 80% through this book before deciding to DNF. There were too many issues I had with the book, but mainly, I really didn’t like any of the characters. Maddie had some potential. Maybe Daniel too. But their chapters didn’t capture my attention long enough for me to fully be invested. The whole story seemed to be progressing at a snail’s pace.
I had no idea what the characters looked like. Corthie was tall and had muscles. I think some of the characters were described briefly but then no further mention of their physical attributes to remind me of their looks.
The dialogue was too wordy and felt like it was written by a teenager, making all the characters feel young - even though many of them had been around for centuries. Corthie probably bothered me the most in this aspect. Every time he opened his mouth he sounded like a 14 year old cocky teen who liked to spend his time fighting and drinking. It wasn’t just him. Every conversation felt a like a “rough draft” to me. The author didn’t include the little details that help the reader contextualize the scene or characters. I’d find myself wondering, “where are they standing in proximity to one another?” “What kind of small gestures or facial expressions are being made?” Every single character felt like a paper cut-out because of this. And it wasn’t just in the dialogue. There seemed to be a lack of imagery throughout. Yes, things were stated, places were explained and described but I still struggled to have a vivid reading experience. For example, a main character gets stabbed but I had no idea what he was feeling during that moment. We know what’s going on, but there is a distinct lack of feeling and emotion.
Probably the biggest component that contributed to my dissatisfaction was the insta-love. Two characters fall in love after having one real conversation at their first meeting. The second time they meet they pretend to not know each other so there is no heartfelt interaction between them and yet, after that meeting they are already using words like love and desire. I didn’t get how a Demi-god, who has been around for centuries could fall for a mortal boy who speaks and acts like an immature teen. I absolutely DID NOT understand it. It was shortly after this I put the book down.
The reason this book did not get one star was because I really liked the plot and backstory. I thought it was well thought-out. I enjoyed the distinct social groups and the friction between them which was leading toward eventual civil war. I found the world interesting and was intrigued by the hints that there were other worlds. But it just wasn’t enough to keep me going.
I had no idea what the characters looked like. Corthie was tall and had muscles. I think some of the characters were described briefly but then no further mention of their physical attributes to remind me of their looks.
The dialogue was too wordy and felt like it was written by a teenager, making all the characters feel young - even though many of them had been around for centuries. Corthie probably bothered me the most in this aspect. Every time he opened his mouth he sounded like a 14 year old cocky teen who liked to spend his time fighting and drinking. It wasn’t just him. Every conversation felt a like a “rough draft” to me. The author didn’t include the little details that help the reader contextualize the scene or characters. I’d find myself wondering, “where are they standing in proximity to one another?” “What kind of small gestures or facial expressions are being made?” Every single character felt like a paper cut-out because of this. And it wasn’t just in the dialogue. There seemed to be a lack of imagery throughout. Yes, things were stated, places were explained and described but I still struggled to have a vivid reading experience. For example, a main character gets stabbed but I had no idea what he was feeling during that moment. We know what’s going on, but there is a distinct lack of feeling and emotion.
Probably the biggest component that contributed to my dissatisfaction was the insta-love. Two characters fall in love after having one real conversation at their first meeting. The second time they meet they pretend to not know each other so there is no heartfelt interaction between them and yet, after that meeting they are already using words like love and desire. I didn’t get how a Demi-god, who has been around for centuries could fall for a mortal boy who speaks and acts like an immature teen. I absolutely DID NOT understand it. It was shortly after this I put the book down.
The reason this book did not get one star was because I really liked the plot and backstory. I thought it was well thought-out. I enjoyed the distinct social groups and the friction between them which was leading toward eventual civil war. I found the world interesting and was intrigued by the hints that there were other worlds. But it just wasn’t enough to keep me going.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2022
A world and setting that's original, alive, and enthralling.
This was a fascinating start to what I believe is a pretty massive series.
Basically, The Mortal Blade was about a city-nation's eternal war with a mindless horde of enemies, paired with politics between the ruling class of gods. Throw in a few characters are interesting positions within the strata of society, and it was a solid combination for an intriguing story!
While I struggled a bit in the beginning as we bounced to several protagonists with seemingly little connection to each other, as the threads began to merge, the story began to really fly by.
Each protagonist (Corthie, Maddie, Aila, might be forgetting one) was interesting in their own right. I had small quibbles with their believability and consistency at times, but they were minor enough not to ruin my enjoyment.
The setting itself is a major highlight of the book. The city is a fascinating place, and you get hints of multiple worlds that I'm still hankering to find out more about.
All in all, though it's a decent sized book, it was a read that flew by and thoroughly entertained me. I'd definitely recommend it!
This was a fascinating start to what I believe is a pretty massive series.
Basically, The Mortal Blade was about a city-nation's eternal war with a mindless horde of enemies, paired with politics between the ruling class of gods. Throw in a few characters are interesting positions within the strata of society, and it was a solid combination for an intriguing story!
While I struggled a bit in the beginning as we bounced to several protagonists with seemingly little connection to each other, as the threads began to merge, the story began to really fly by.
Each protagonist (Corthie, Maddie, Aila, might be forgetting one) was interesting in their own right. I had small quibbles with their believability and consistency at times, but they were minor enough not to ruin my enjoyment.
The setting itself is a major highlight of the book. The city is a fascinating place, and you get hints of multiple worlds that I'm still hankering to find out more about.
All in all, though it's a decent sized book, it was a read that flew by and thoroughly entertained me. I'd definitely recommend it!
August 17, 2022
The Mortal Blade starts this incredible saga. From the first chapter, I was totally entranced by the book, as Mitchell introduces a very innovative magic system. Aila, a demigod, is using her will to transform her appearance, shifting from one disguise to the next with a simple statement of fact: "You see me as..." Brilliant! A really evocative introduction to a system of magic that helped me become engaged with the world right away. And all three of the main plotlines are just as interesting--in fact, at this point Aila is maybe my least favorite of the three. The story also follows Maddie Jackdaw, a young woman making her last stand as a member of the elite military force fighting the dangerous greenskins, and the naive young nobleman, Daniel. All of these characters have such clear and specific perspectives, and help bring this fascinating world to life.
I'm excited for the rest of the series!
I'm excited for the rest of the series!
March 21, 2023
It was kind of a grind to read at about 25% in I just told myself to push through because people seem to really like it. But at 50% I just had to call it. The characters are all very typical, the world is kind of arostocratical and boring. I thought maybe I could start just pushing through but then they name every person in history and every house etc. That combined with literally 5 different view points/main characters. Maybe it does get better later on but overall I just couldn't get into it.
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