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The Bladeborn Saga #1
The Song of the First Blade
In the heart of Vandar, as dark forces close in, Elyon, a gifted Bladeborn, fights for his family’s survival.
In the war-torn northlands of Tukor, a servant girl with a mysterious past is forced on the run, propelling her on a journey that will change her world forever.
From the Shadowfort, a secret power is unleashed, one that will set into motion a series of events that will bring the world to its knees.
With the world on the verge of chaos and countless lives at stake, a new First Blade must be selected, but obstacles stand in the way. Alliances are broken. Enemies are born. Only the strong will survive.
Follow this epic tale as the battle for power, land, and the divine gifts of the Fallen Gods determine who lives and dies and who possesses ultimate control.
In the war-torn northlands of Tukor, a servant girl with a mysterious past is forced on the run, propelling her on a journey that will change her world forever.
From the Shadowfort, a secret power is unleashed, one that will set into motion a series of events that will bring the world to its knees.
With the world on the verge of chaos and countless lives at stake, a new First Blade must be selected, but obstacles stand in the way. Alliances are broken. Enemies are born. Only the strong will survive.
Follow this epic tale as the battle for power, land, and the divine gifts of the Fallen Gods determine who lives and dies and who possesses ultimate control.
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Published October 29, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
June 7, 2022
This book is a perfect example of why its not just good writing thats important, but proper research as well, even for a fantasy series. Few chapters in, and I was feeling really positive. Its not often you get good new books on Kindle Unlimited. When I reached to ~50% of the way, I had changed my mind from 4* rating to a solid 3*. And then past 80% I just had to drop it and settle on 1*. Reason? Complete lack of believability. The problems had been surfacing since early on though.
You have characters suddenly "developing" just in a single chapter, instead of it being a gradual realistic process. This is by no means a small book. The author could have had ample time to slowly modify the characters' personalities, but he choose to do them like snapping your finger. A certain event happens, snap, character A is now mature. Another event happens, snap, character B is now completely new person. Same thing again, and its time for character C to become a new man. And so it goes on.
Second problem: the plot is as subtle as a brick. With whatever information is available to you, you can easily work out what the author is going to do with it. Even the character themselves are subtle as bricks, and usually there is no thought process behind them doing anything. It feels more like the author makes them do stupid thoughtless things because otherwise there's nothing to get excited about in this book.
And the final and main thing that brings this down, as mentioned earlier: lack of research. That even includes poor editing and a dire need of proof reading. I read the KU version, and the author constantly spelled 'okay' as 'OK'. This is medieval fiction. You don't use abbreviations. There are cases where 'captain' is shortened to 'cap'. Phrases like 'I screwed up', or 'he gave her a high-five'. I would have forgiven that though, cause other than these few things, the writing is generally good and feels more or less authentic to the period.
What don't feel authentic are parts of the story that are vital to the believability of it. For example (vague spoiler warning):
1. In one instance you have a captain escorting a lord in a very high position with a bunch of knights and soldiers having to do all duties himself.
A captain is going to be in charge of the security. He's not going to do basic stuff like arranging provisions, logistics and stays on their travel. All those tasks will be delegated. He'll oversee them, but not do them himself.
2. In another instance this same captain is sent to a traditional enemy empire thats temporarily been in a peace treaty, and is now showing signs of border aggression. He's sent as a peace ambassador.
He's a freaking captain! With absolutely zero diplomatic training! And worse, its not even the king who sends him, but a lord! There used to be ambassadors for this kind of thing, you know?! Its like the author is unaware that the king had anyone other than knights and soldiers under him. Why the heck would the rival empire entertain anyone who's not officially sent by the king? No surprises then that the diplomatic dialogue which ensues is godawful.
3. Lords are only respected for their own individual battle prowess.
What? The whole point of a lord is that he's in charge of a large piece of land, on which he raises knights, who in turn raise soldiers to basically form his own small army that the king can call upon in time of need. It is why nobles held power, not because of their own bloody battle prowess! It is why kings had to be careful to not displease powerful houses because they were essentially carrying a large chunk of his army.
No such thing here. Here we have a king blatantly insulting his most powerful lord because he's now physically unable to fight. What nonsense.
Other than that, we have the somewhat common cases of characters with minimal combat training suddenly able to kill and hold off trained villains, people falling in love at a drop of a hat, and other such random happenings which do nothing to enhance the realistic feel of the story. Conclusion - a good attempt, but fell really short.
You have characters suddenly "developing" just in a single chapter, instead of it being a gradual realistic process. This is by no means a small book. The author could have had ample time to slowly modify the characters' personalities, but he choose to do them like snapping your finger. A certain event happens, snap, character A is now mature. Another event happens, snap, character B is now completely new person. Same thing again, and its time for character C to become a new man. And so it goes on.
Second problem: the plot is as subtle as a brick. With whatever information is available to you, you can easily work out what the author is going to do with it. Even the character themselves are subtle as bricks, and usually there is no thought process behind them doing anything. It feels more like the author makes them do stupid thoughtless things because otherwise there's nothing to get excited about in this book.
And the final and main thing that brings this down, as mentioned earlier: lack of research. That even includes poor editing and a dire need of proof reading. I read the KU version, and the author constantly spelled 'okay' as 'OK'. This is medieval fiction. You don't use abbreviations. There are cases where 'captain' is shortened to 'cap'. Phrases like 'I screwed up', or 'he gave her a high-five'. I would have forgiven that though, cause other than these few things, the writing is generally good and feels more or less authentic to the period.
What don't feel authentic are parts of the story that are vital to the believability of it. For example (vague spoiler warning):
1. In one instance you have a captain escorting a lord in a very high position with a bunch of knights and soldiers having to do all duties himself.
A captain is going to be in charge of the security. He's not going to do basic stuff like arranging provisions, logistics and stays on their travel. All those tasks will be delegated. He'll oversee them, but not do them himself.
2. In another instance this same captain is sent to a traditional enemy empire thats temporarily been in a peace treaty, and is now showing signs of border aggression. He's sent as a peace ambassador.
He's a freaking captain! With absolutely zero diplomatic training! And worse, its not even the king who sends him, but a lord! There used to be ambassadors for this kind of thing, you know?! Its like the author is unaware that the king had anyone other than knights and soldiers under him. Why the heck would the rival empire entertain anyone who's not officially sent by the king? No surprises then that the diplomatic dialogue which ensues is godawful.
3. Lords are only respected for their own individual battle prowess.
What? The whole point of a lord is that he's in charge of a large piece of land, on which he raises knights, who in turn raise soldiers to basically form his own small army that the king can call upon in time of need. It is why nobles held power, not because of their own bloody battle prowess! It is why kings had to be careful to not displease powerful houses because they were essentially carrying a large chunk of his army.
No such thing here. Here we have a king blatantly insulting his most powerful lord because he's now physically unable to fight. What nonsense.
Other than that, we have the somewhat common cases of characters with minimal combat training suddenly able to kill and hold off trained villains, people falling in love at a drop of a hat, and other such random happenings which do nothing to enhance the realistic feel of the story. Conclusion - a good attempt, but fell really short.
March 12, 2022
4.25/5
A very well written Epic Fantasy that deals with a lot of themes like Honour, Family, Political intrigue, Slavery and many other conflicts and I also loved the mystery elements in it and how the author handled the reveals. All characters were written really well with a lot of depth to them each.
But it's waaaaaayyyy too long in my opinion. They could have easily cut down like 100 pages or so and I had trouble reading Saska's POV not because it wasn't written well because other's POV were more exciting.
Starting book 2 real soon. 🤘👍
A very well written Epic Fantasy that deals with a lot of themes like Honour, Family, Political intrigue, Slavery and many other conflicts and I also loved the mystery elements in it and how the author handled the reveals. All characters were written really well with a lot of depth to them each.
But it's waaaaaayyyy too long in my opinion. They could have easily cut down like 100 pages or so and I had trouble reading Saska's POV not because it wasn't written well because other's POV were more exciting.
Starting book 2 real soon. 🤘👍
November 24, 2024
By the gods, this was magnificent. Solid first outing for this series. Looks to be an 8 book series. And, yeah, this will be epic AF. It's been a while since I danced around in a longform epic fantasy series. So pumped for this journey.
Let's take a step back though. This book is not perfect, it is not flawless. Yes, there are a few spelling errors not caught in editing. Yes, some of the plotting and decisions made need some fine tuning. Fine. I get it. The good with prose and plotting, though, does vastly outweigh the bad here.
This world. Y'all...this world. The amount of lore and history provided here; one book in and this world is ALIVE. Gods, demigods, powerful relics, dragons. Gifted bloodlines. Creatures whispered of in taverns. Distinct cultures. Just a living, breathing backdrop to this tale.
The character work here was top tier as well. Primary, secondary, and tertiary characters all had their own identities and agendas. Some of these secondary characters got their own POV chapters as this book progressed. We start with 3 POVs and end with 6 (with a 7th acting as epilogue). The initial 3 were all easy to connect to and had compelling arcs throughout. One of the latter 3 might have been my favorite, existing in a character type that I love in fantasy.
Very little of this book feels self pub. This feels like the kind of epic fantasy book that you find in bookstores everywhere and gets talked about all over our geeky little community. Read. This. Book.
Let's take a step back though. This book is not perfect, it is not flawless. Yes, there are a few spelling errors not caught in editing. Yes, some of the plotting and decisions made need some fine tuning. Fine. I get it. The good with prose and plotting, though, does vastly outweigh the bad here.
This world. Y'all...this world. The amount of lore and history provided here; one book in and this world is ALIVE. Gods, demigods, powerful relics, dragons. Gifted bloodlines. Creatures whispered of in taverns. Distinct cultures. Just a living, breathing backdrop to this tale.
The character work here was top tier as well. Primary, secondary, and tertiary characters all had their own identities and agendas. Some of these secondary characters got their own POV chapters as this book progressed. We start with 3 POVs and end with 6 (with a 7th acting as epilogue). The initial 3 were all easy to connect to and had compelling arcs throughout. One of the latter 3 might have been my favorite, existing in a character type that I love in fantasy.
Very little of this book feels self pub. This feels like the kind of epic fantasy book that you find in bookstores everywhere and gets talked about all over our geeky little community. Read. This. Book.
July 11, 2022
4.5 stars
I really liked this. I wanted to read some more self published worked after finishing Wheel of Time and this was a great one to start with. It has all the things I like. Interesting main and side characters, a large expansive world, political maneuvering, and some solid action. My only minor gripes is that the characters talk weird sometimes. Like it’s not always consistent and sometimes modern phrases or words will be said randomly but it didn’t take away from the story or anything which I thoroughly enjoyed start to finish. Book Two will be read in August!
I really liked this. I wanted to read some more self published worked after finishing Wheel of Time and this was a great one to start with. It has all the things I like. Interesting main and side characters, a large expansive world, political maneuvering, and some solid action. My only minor gripes is that the characters talk weird sometimes. Like it’s not always consistent and sometimes modern phrases or words will be said randomly but it didn’t take away from the story or anything which I thoroughly enjoyed start to finish. Book Two will be read in August!
October 29, 2020
While this book is quite different from the other books I've read by TC Edge, it is equally enthralling.
I would say that The Song of the First Blade is in the same subgenre as The Tolkien Lord of the Rings trilogy.
It is set in a land filled with magic, fallen Gods and fierce warriors. That the warriors are also very human, and feel immense love and loyalty to their families, friends and allies, makes them wonderful characters.
Elyon Daecar is the second son of the First Blade of Vandar. He has enjoyed the status, engaging in various entitled activities and acting very much the carefree younger son, though he has not neglected his sword training. Elyon has always accepted and welcomed the fact that his older brother, Aleron, would be the one to challenge for First Blade when their father was ready to stand down.
The land has been mostly at peace for a while now, after a terrible war with the people and their dragon allies in the south ended when Elyon's father, Amron Daecar crippled the king of Agarath in that war.
But, the tides seem to be changing, and there is much talk of a war between Tukor and Rasalan, with Tukor's ruler, Janilah, urging Vandar to join them in attacking Vasalan.
In Tukor, Saska, a serving girl who looks to be a mixture of northern and southern blood, is thrown onto a path that is totally unexpected and discovers that she has a role to play in the future of the world.
I absolutely loved this book and can't wait for the second book in this saga. I highly recommend this book.
I would say that The Song of the First Blade is in the same subgenre as The Tolkien Lord of the Rings trilogy.
It is set in a land filled with magic, fallen Gods and fierce warriors. That the warriors are also very human, and feel immense love and loyalty to their families, friends and allies, makes them wonderful characters.
Elyon Daecar is the second son of the First Blade of Vandar. He has enjoyed the status, engaging in various entitled activities and acting very much the carefree younger son, though he has not neglected his sword training. Elyon has always accepted and welcomed the fact that his older brother, Aleron, would be the one to challenge for First Blade when their father was ready to stand down.
The land has been mostly at peace for a while now, after a terrible war with the people and their dragon allies in the south ended when Elyon's father, Amron Daecar crippled the king of Agarath in that war.
But, the tides seem to be changing, and there is much talk of a war between Tukor and Rasalan, with Tukor's ruler, Janilah, urging Vandar to join them in attacking Vasalan.
In Tukor, Saska, a serving girl who looks to be a mixture of northern and southern blood, is thrown onto a path that is totally unexpected and discovers that she has a role to play in the future of the world.
I absolutely loved this book and can't wait for the second book in this saga. I highly recommend this book.
December 16, 2021
This was soooo long but it was good. I found myself skimming a few pages here and there though. I was far more interested in Jonik. He made my heart ache for him and even after all he’s been forced to do, I feel bad for him. I was really hoping that he wouldn’t take that last life towards the end and he could finally possibly have a family but that wasn’t meant to be. *sigh* I still have some hope that someone will care for him at some point. I liked all these characters but I dislike Amalia with a passion. She was so annoying and just one of those women you can’t stand. Ugh. I’m off to start the next book. I hope I really enjoy it cause it’s pretty long.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2024
Lackluster! Just ok!
December 7, 2021
A sprawling,, all encompassing, truly epic fantasy of world shaping events.
Well written, sharply paced, truly broad in scope. Imaginative, creative, epic world building with fatal, deadly consequences . This story is filled with intriguing characters that are developed with a professional depth and quality of a master storyteller. My first discovery of TC Edge, and his incredible talents, I am thankful to have found this gifted writer and captivating storyteller. Highly recommend, starting book two immediately, well done TC Edge, well done! Thank you, I am a fan .
Well written, sharply paced, truly broad in scope. Imaginative, creative, epic world building with fatal, deadly consequences . This story is filled with intriguing characters that are developed with a professional depth and quality of a master storyteller. My first discovery of TC Edge, and his incredible talents, I am thankful to have found this gifted writer and captivating storyteller. Highly recommend, starting book two immediately, well done TC Edge, well done! Thank you, I am a fan .
April 30, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. The world-building is great, and so are the characters. Definitely continuing with this series.
October 30, 2025
I thought it was a good introduction to what promises to be a long saga. The fact that it wasn't a well-known work initially discouraged me, making me think I might be reading anything. However, it turned out to be a good piece of work. It's clear that T.C. Edge has experience writing and is delving into the epic fantasy genre, respecting the tropes we love so much.
Let's state the obvious: the inspiration from Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings is evident. Ancient weapons, a noble family with a warrior tradition, and a mysterious assassin… Yes, you have to pretend that all of this is a coincidence to enjoy the book. Although this isn't necessarily a bad thing. My favorite series, The Wheel of Time, also begins as an imitation of The Fellowship of the Ring, and the same is true for many other sagas. What I mean is that, however much the beginning may seem like an imitation, once the story takes off, there's no telling where it might go. I hope that's the case here.
Furthermore, this saga might correct some of the shortcomings of The Stormlight Archive, which became unnecessarily complex with multiple subplots, the inclusion of Cosmere characters, and certain modern elements (gay shit) that made the reading more tedious. It never recovered after Words of Radiance.
The novel's pacing is good: it doesn't drag on too long, but it also doesn't rush things. The characters are interesting; I've always liked the system of races with distinct abilities and personalities, and the world it presents is varied. The only thing the author should work on more are the combat scenes, as they are quite simple, and you end up waiting for the outcome instead of enjoying them.
I wasn't bored at any point despite its considerable length, which is why I'm giving it 4 stars, even though this book primarily serves as an introduction. I hope the next book doesn't disappoint.
Let's state the obvious: the inspiration from Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings is evident. Ancient weapons, a noble family with a warrior tradition, and a mysterious assassin… Yes, you have to pretend that all of this is a coincidence to enjoy the book. Although this isn't necessarily a bad thing. My favorite series, The Wheel of Time, also begins as an imitation of The Fellowship of the Ring, and the same is true for many other sagas. What I mean is that, however much the beginning may seem like an imitation, once the story takes off, there's no telling where it might go. I hope that's the case here.
Furthermore, this saga might correct some of the shortcomings of The Stormlight Archive, which became unnecessarily complex with multiple subplots, the inclusion of Cosmere characters, and certain modern elements (gay shit) that made the reading more tedious. It never recovered after Words of Radiance.
The novel's pacing is good: it doesn't drag on too long, but it also doesn't rush things. The characters are interesting; I've always liked the system of races with distinct abilities and personalities, and the world it presents is varied. The only thing the author should work on more are the combat scenes, as they are quite simple, and you end up waiting for the outcome instead of enjoying them.
I wasn't bored at any point despite its considerable length, which is why I'm giving it 4 stars, even though this book primarily serves as an introduction. I hope the next book doesn't disappoint.
February 1, 2023
A really great book! A lot of proper nouns and country names that I kept forgetting though. I wish I had been reading a paper copy that had a map on it.
May 4, 2025
Aptuveni 20 gadus The Bladeborn Sāgas sērijas zemēs kopš iepriekšējā lielā kara starp ziemeļu un dienvidu kontinenta karalistēm ir valdījis trausls miers, bet vismaz ir savs gals, lai cik ļoti daži to nevēlētos. Vai varbūt tieši pretēji un kā Tukoras karalis Janala to alkst, būt par varoni, kam lemts pielikt punktu teiksmainajam pēdējam karu ciklam, apvienojot visus maģiskos Vandaras zobenus.
https://poseidons99.com/2025/05/04/t-...
https://poseidons99.com/2025/05/04/t-...
April 21, 2025
Soooo... This just did not work for me.
It started out strong. I was enjoying and drawn into both Saska's and Jonik's story lines in the beginning. I was curious to find out where their paths would take them.
November 5, 2022
Good characters, compelling story but...
I really hated the end. Some books like Eye of the World have amazing endings, and wondrous possibilities open up. Some have soft landings that make things worse. This was definitely the latter.
The book needs an editor. There are too many misused or wrong words. There is a lot of weird sentence structure. The use of some mid-evil words is okay, but some of it seemed forced. It rambles some. It isn't too distracting though.
I have to admit I like the characters, so I am reading book 2. I want good things to happen for them.
The other concern is morality. If you don't care, you'll be fine with this book. It regards sex lightly and uses the threat of rape.... It does close the door to bedroom follies, but has a lot of adult bedroom talk in it.
On the plus side, there are super swords and dragons. I am definitely left with mixed feelings regarding the book.
I really hated the end. Some books like Eye of the World have amazing endings, and wondrous possibilities open up. Some have soft landings that make things worse. This was definitely the latter.
The book needs an editor. There are too many misused or wrong words. There is a lot of weird sentence structure. The use of some mid-evil words is okay, but some of it seemed forced. It rambles some. It isn't too distracting though.
I have to admit I like the characters, so I am reading book 2. I want good things to happen for them.
The other concern is morality. If you don't care, you'll be fine with this book. It regards sex lightly and uses the threat of rape.... It does close the door to bedroom follies, but has a lot of adult bedroom talk in it.
On the plus side, there are super swords and dragons. I am definitely left with mixed feelings regarding the book.
January 3, 2022
Very, very good.
An epic as detailed as this takes a great deal of attention, the reward is worth the effort. Savor this read. Toby has stepped up his game regarding dialog and though his character development has been very good in all his stories these characters live and breath in the pages.
I have minor continuity issues that may be the fault of my own memory or assumptions that were not written in the book. All in all, my hat's off to the writer. Editing is as perfect as ever. Toby claims a quality youthful education is the reason for the cleanliness of his first drafts. We should all be so lucky.
I follow Toby's work on Amazon and Goodreads, and tend to take advantage of the Kindle Unlimited offerings for loan. I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment!
An epic as detailed as this takes a great deal of attention, the reward is worth the effort. Savor this read. Toby has stepped up his game regarding dialog and though his character development has been very good in all his stories these characters live and breath in the pages.
I have minor continuity issues that may be the fault of my own memory or assumptions that were not written in the book. All in all, my hat's off to the writer. Editing is as perfect as ever. Toby claims a quality youthful education is the reason for the cleanliness of his first drafts. We should all be so lucky.
I follow Toby's work on Amazon and Goodreads, and tend to take advantage of the Kindle Unlimited offerings for loan. I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment!
November 4, 2020
I am an avid fan of TC Edge and so far have absolutely LOVED all of his books! However, this one isn’t a genre that I enjoy so therefore I did not like the book. But when I say I didn’t like the book, I mean that simply as I didn’t enjoy the story. With that being said, it (like all of his books) was extremely well written, had fantastic characters and character development and flowed very very well. If you’re into the fantasy/magic type genre then you will love this book! It’s kind of reminiscent of some of Tolkien’s work. Although I didn’t enjoy the story, I’m still giving this review 5 stars simply because it’s a great book; it’s just not for me.
September 26, 2021
4.5 stars of slow burn epic fantasy that is full of court intrigue, treacherous ploys, betrayal, revenge, assassin, war and so on. This is quite a long read and the pace is slow and steady, at first I thought I would get bored but nope, not at all. I'm enthralled. The story is told from many POV but each has their own interesting story. I'm most impressed with the characters development. Especially with Elyon, his character development starts from early chapter and continue to the last. It was engaging and intense. Jonik's is mysterious and his inner conflict is what I want to explore more. I love Saska and oh her mysterious past is also what I'm waiting for too. Thumbs up.
April 13, 2023
I tried reading it and made it 85% through before I got sick of it and had to stop reading. Don't get me wrong, the story idea is brilliant and in the hands of a consistent writer this book would be fantastic. However, the writing is pretty bad. The author switches between old world and modern day terms of speech so frequently that it is truly jarring. In an escapist/fantasy story it really does not work. I mean, it works if you're writing something similar to A Knight's Tale but this is not the case. This is just inconsistent writing. Its a shame. It seemed so promising.
April 4, 2024
Exceedingly Long, Exceedingly Boring
Sooooooo long, I skimmed several pages because it was sooooooo boring. I do not like the format where each chapter changes characters. Saska chapters were especially boring, towards the end of the book I skipped 2 Saska chapters completely and it never seemed to affect me understanding the story. Another thing, what is with midevil times using current slang and sayings? That really threw off trying to get involved with the characters. I wouldn't recommend this book nor am I getting book 2.
Sooooooo long, I skimmed several pages because it was sooooooo boring. I do not like the format where each chapter changes characters. Saska chapters were especially boring, towards the end of the book I skipped 2 Saska chapters completely and it never seemed to affect me understanding the story. Another thing, what is with midevil times using current slang and sayings? That really threw off trying to get involved with the characters. I wouldn't recommend this book nor am I getting book 2.
June 28, 2024
Boring
This a new author for me so I decided to give it a shot. The writing is technically good but I have read so many fantasy novels in my life that this story just seems derivative of so many other stories that have come before. There is just nothing unique or interesting about it. I made it to the fifth chapter of the first book and was just bored. Put it down and picked up another book I purchased by a another author who is new to me and found a more unique and gripping story. By the second chapter was engrossed. I think I will read that book and put this one away.
This a new author for me so I decided to give it a shot. The writing is technically good but I have read so many fantasy novels in my life that this story just seems derivative of so many other stories that have come before. There is just nothing unique or interesting about it. I made it to the fifth chapter of the first book and was just bored. Put it down and picked up another book I purchased by a another author who is new to me and found a more unique and gripping story. By the second chapter was engrossed. I think I will read that book and put this one away.
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February 20, 2021Fantastic story!!!
I downloaded this book after comments I saw on Facebook. This is not my typical genre of book, but I decided to branch out. Boy, am I glad I did. Character and story development were amazing. I was engaged from start to finish. I love the way each chapter focuses on a character. The book flows so well. I have already ordered the second book in the series out on March 4.
I downloaded this book after comments I saw on Facebook. This is not my typical genre of book, but I decided to branch out. Boy, am I glad I did. Character and story development were amazing. I was engaged from start to finish. I love the way each chapter focuses on a character. The book flows so well. I have already ordered the second book in the series out on March 4.
April 23, 2023
Wow, what a brilliant start to this entertaining fantasy series. I loved the characters, especially Saska, the several plots, the magic and the sense of place.
It's a long and detailed tale that incudes, injustice, politics, treachery, chivalry, betrayal and magical concepts. The characters were intriguing and with believable personalities...villains and heroes and those in between. And dragons!
Excellent and recommended.
It's a long and detailed tale that incudes, injustice, politics, treachery, chivalry, betrayal and magical concepts. The characters were intriguing and with believable personalities...villains and heroes and those in between. And dragons!
Excellent and recommended.
April 21, 2021
Great!
Love the story, great characters and the book had me immediately from the opening. I can hardly wait to read on.
Makes me think of belgarath, best ever!
Love the story, great characters and the book had me immediately from the opening. I can hardly wait to read on.
Makes me think of belgarath, best ever!
April 14, 2022
Good story telling but fraught with characters with their minds in the gutter. The hints are there in the beginning but got worse with time. It wasn't worth finishing.
July 26, 2022
DNF 66%
Good world-building, an okay magic system, and reasonably realistic. I just wasn't engaged by the characters. I had the sense that it was building to something but I ran out of energy.
Good world-building, an okay magic system, and reasonably realistic. I just wasn't engaged by the characters. I had the sense that it was building to something but I ran out of energy.
November 14, 2022
A brilliantly crafted fantasy and a new favourite author
I absolutely loved this epic fantasy from T.C. Edge. I read a lot of books from this genre and think, for me, this first volume was every bit as good and grand in scope and storytelling as Brent Weeks’ Night Angel, Miles Cameron’s Red Knight or Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera series and I can’t wait to tuck into book two.
Now initially, reading the prologue I was not that smitten. It was okay but it just didn’t grip me. It was a scene between two of the most powerful demi-gods, Varin and Ilith and was set 3500 years before our tale unfolds but it did set the scene and let you know early on that gods and demi-gods were a thing rather than the invention of man and it is a central foundation block in which this world is set.
The story is a third-person narrative told from the point of view of three main protagonists. Elyon is a gifted Bladeborn and the second son of the First Blade Amron Daecar the most famed warrior and Overlord of the day. Saska is a mysterious servant girl with a past she is running from and a history untold because somehow she can hold godsteel. Finally, Jonik, a Shadow Knight from the Shadowfort wielding the infamous Shadowblade (A lot of shadows going on there I know) sent on a clandestine mission. However, as the story grows we get to meet many more characters along the way and without fail they are all richly imagined and unique in their own right. I really must applaud the degree of character building, it propels what would be a good tale into a truly great story.
The world-building too is well-imagined and vivid. The history and the detail were simply told yet vast. I never felt like I was getting a history lesson or reading through pages of exposition that detracted from the flow of the story, the various lands and the people who inhabit them were a joy to read about.
I don’t like giving any spoilers in my reviews so I won’t here but suffice it to say there is plenty of action but also intrigue and hidden agendas that start to layer up taking a simple premise of a warmonger king and giving machiavellian glimpses of a larger story at play. Really, it is quite magnificently done.
T.C. Edge is now firmly cemented in my favourite authors' list. As you can tell from my review, I wholeheartedly recommend this book especially if you love reading fantasy.
What? You’re still here? Why? There is nothing else to say…except go! Download this book, treat yourself.
I absolutely loved this epic fantasy from T.C. Edge. I read a lot of books from this genre and think, for me, this first volume was every bit as good and grand in scope and storytelling as Brent Weeks’ Night Angel, Miles Cameron’s Red Knight or Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera series and I can’t wait to tuck into book two.
Now initially, reading the prologue I was not that smitten. It was okay but it just didn’t grip me. It was a scene between two of the most powerful demi-gods, Varin and Ilith and was set 3500 years before our tale unfolds but it did set the scene and let you know early on that gods and demi-gods were a thing rather than the invention of man and it is a central foundation block in which this world is set.
The story is a third-person narrative told from the point of view of three main protagonists. Elyon is a gifted Bladeborn and the second son of the First Blade Amron Daecar the most famed warrior and Overlord of the day. Saska is a mysterious servant girl with a past she is running from and a history untold because somehow she can hold godsteel. Finally, Jonik, a Shadow Knight from the Shadowfort wielding the infamous Shadowblade (A lot of shadows going on there I know) sent on a clandestine mission. However, as the story grows we get to meet many more characters along the way and without fail they are all richly imagined and unique in their own right. I really must applaud the degree of character building, it propels what would be a good tale into a truly great story.
The world-building too is well-imagined and vivid. The history and the detail were simply told yet vast. I never felt like I was getting a history lesson or reading through pages of exposition that detracted from the flow of the story, the various lands and the people who inhabit them were a joy to read about.
I don’t like giving any spoilers in my reviews so I won’t here but suffice it to say there is plenty of action but also intrigue and hidden agendas that start to layer up taking a simple premise of a warmonger king and giving machiavellian glimpses of a larger story at play. Really, it is quite magnificently done.
T.C. Edge is now firmly cemented in my favourite authors' list. As you can tell from my review, I wholeheartedly recommend this book especially if you love reading fantasy.
What? You’re still here? Why? There is nothing else to say…except go! Download this book, treat yourself.
March 31, 2025
A great start to some epic fantasy!
This one has been sitting on my TBR for a while and I'm really glad I gave it a listen / read between kindle and audio.
This is a true high fantasy with multiple POVs and epic scope. The main characters are Saska, a servent girl who is soon on an adventure to find out more about herself and her connection to the world. Elyon, son of the first blade and second born in the family of a highly revered house. And Jonik (pronounced with a Y) an assassin on a deadly quest and facing a moral struggle with it.
Everything is extremely fantasy as you can tell already and the world is full of magic Blades infused with the souls of the Gods and war between the lands. It's truly epic scope makes for a rich world that, considering it's indie publishing status, could really have been hard to pull off.
I'm very happy to say Toby did an amazing job of keeping this connected to the characters and moving things at a steady but enjoyable pace between all of the main points of view, plus the odd extra character getting a chapter here and there.
While, on occasion there were parts that were a bit overly descriptive or repeated things already covered, it was an excellent first book and one I'm sure will get more polished as the series goes on.
I'll definitely be on the journey for it, with another 6 books out and more to be published, I'm going to be back for more with this one and highly recommend this for fans of traditional fantasy.
This one has been sitting on my TBR for a while and I'm really glad I gave it a listen / read between kindle and audio.
This is a true high fantasy with multiple POVs and epic scope. The main characters are Saska, a servent girl who is soon on an adventure to find out more about herself and her connection to the world. Elyon, son of the first blade and second born in the family of a highly revered house. And Jonik (pronounced with a Y) an assassin on a deadly quest and facing a moral struggle with it.
Everything is extremely fantasy as you can tell already and the world is full of magic Blades infused with the souls of the Gods and war between the lands. It's truly epic scope makes for a rich world that, considering it's indie publishing status, could really have been hard to pull off.
I'm very happy to say Toby did an amazing job of keeping this connected to the characters and moving things at a steady but enjoyable pace between all of the main points of view, plus the odd extra character getting a chapter here and there.
While, on occasion there were parts that were a bit overly descriptive or repeated things already covered, it was an excellent first book and one I'm sure will get more polished as the series goes on.
I'll definitely be on the journey for it, with another 6 books out and more to be published, I'm going to be back for more with this one and highly recommend this for fans of traditional fantasy.
January 13, 2024
*Might contain spoilers...nothing specific*
Everything Lovers Of Fantasy Will Want To Eagerly Dive Into:
The title of the review speaks for itself. I won't go into every detail about what makes the series so engaging. If you read and love the Fantasy genre in general, you will not be disappointed. That's not to say that the genre is formulaic or predictable. There are however several key elements one expects to find in a good Fantasy series. You know them even if you can't exactly explain what they are. Each Author finds a way to develop and use these elements in a unique way.
One thing that stood out to me most in the series are the characters. More specifically the growth of the characters and the possibility of redemption. Even the most heinous of villains can rise above their pasts and actually make the reader hope for their success. This happens in other stories of course, but in this one, it happens so often that the reader is forced (in a good way) to see every character as potentially more dynamic. Whether a villain can become good and whether a hero can become evil. I found this constant guessing to be quite engaging. By the third book I found myself looking for indications or hints left by the author that might foreshadow a change in the character somewhere later in the story. It makes the whole experience somewhat addictive and I've never read a series of books that had that effect on me.
Everything Lovers Of Fantasy Will Want To Eagerly Dive Into:
The title of the review speaks for itself. I won't go into every detail about what makes the series so engaging. If you read and love the Fantasy genre in general, you will not be disappointed. That's not to say that the genre is formulaic or predictable. There are however several key elements one expects to find in a good Fantasy series. You know them even if you can't exactly explain what they are. Each Author finds a way to develop and use these elements in a unique way.
One thing that stood out to me most in the series are the characters. More specifically the growth of the characters and the possibility of redemption. Even the most heinous of villains can rise above their pasts and actually make the reader hope for their success. This happens in other stories of course, but in this one, it happens so often that the reader is forced (in a good way) to see every character as potentially more dynamic. Whether a villain can become good and whether a hero can become evil. I found this constant guessing to be quite engaging. By the third book I found myself looking for indications or hints left by the author that might foreshadow a change in the character somewhere later in the story. It makes the whole experience somewhat addictive and I've never read a series of books that had that effect on me.
October 21, 2025
This book isn't bad, per se. It simply feels unedited. There's many instances of descriptions repeating themselves or dreadful choices of allegory, metaphors, and if I see one more characterization of eyes doing things that eyes absolutely cannot do, I will lose it. Every facial expression in this book is described by the eyes doing the thing rather than the part of the face that is actually doing the thing or somehow ending up under a frown? How are the eyes getting under the mouth? All of this to reach 26.5 hrs on audiobook. I guarantee with editing that would not be the case.
That said, I do enjoy the characters (for the most part). I feel like many of them have realistic reactions to situations (again for the most part), with a few exceptions later in the book. But for a book so long, for some reason it feels like people are constantly making snap decisions and changing the core of who they are almost overnight. Again, I feel like this is an editing issue. The book has potential, but why is it so long yet events so jarring all at once?
Not sure if I would continue this series. If sequels are a similar length, I may have to assume they have the same description bloat issues and strange pacing on character development.
That said, I do enjoy the characters (for the most part). I feel like many of them have realistic reactions to situations (again for the most part), with a few exceptions later in the book. But for a book so long, for some reason it feels like people are constantly making snap decisions and changing the core of who they are almost overnight. Again, I feel like this is an editing issue. The book has potential, but why is it so long yet events so jarring all at once?
Not sure if I would continue this series. If sequels are a similar length, I may have to assume they have the same description bloat issues and strange pacing on character development.
February 9, 2022
This review will be repeated for the first three books of "The Bladeborn Saga". Essentially it is the story of a kingdom threatened with an expansive war driven by a power hungry king. There are multiple players as this drama expands but the story line is given a modest start with a powerful advisor to the king, his sons, and an assassin who actions alter the dynamics of a kingdom struggling to maintain a peace.
There is a classical theme presented involving the assassin taking the direction of his superiors without knowledge of great tragedy that may ensue should he become successful.
There is also a young maidservant girl, Saska, that had escaped her hateful master and begins a journey filled with surprises and challenges.
Other players are gradually introduced and the story line begins to jell more masterfully toward the middle of the first book.
The following 2 books are masterfully written and leaves the reader with several open questions that need to be addressed in book 4.
There is a classical theme presented involving the assassin taking the direction of his superiors without knowledge of great tragedy that may ensue should he become successful.
There is also a young maidservant girl, Saska, that had escaped her hateful master and begins a journey filled with surprises and challenges.
Other players are gradually introduced and the story line begins to jell more masterfully toward the middle of the first book.
The following 2 books are masterfully written and leaves the reader with several open questions that need to be addressed in book 4.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews