Wraithblade

The Wraithblade Saga #1

by S.M. Boyce

Connor Magnuson is going to conquer Death itself.

A penniless drifter, Connor has survived the last eight years alone in a cursed woodland teeming with monsters that eat grown men whole. Shunned, forgotten, and with nowhere else to go, he looks death in the eye every night and draws his sword to face it. The forest, after all, burned the fear out of him long ago.

Still, it hasn’t hardened the last shreds of his heart quite yet. When Connor hears a mysterious girl scream in the middle of nowhere, he ends up in a brutal battle that nearly costs him his life. His bravery does not go unrewarded, and in the aftermath of the fight, he finds himself bonded to the most infamous enchantment the world has ever seen: the Wraith King. The undead abomination grants him godlike power, but legendary magic always comes with a cost. Even as his fellow outcasts flock to him for help, Connor is branded as an outlaw. Kings and lords alike know where the wraith has gone, and they’ll slit his throat to take it from him. To them, a peasant like Connor is unworthy. He's a mistake to be corrected, and nothing more.

But Connor is no ordinary man, and he’ll drag those hunters to hell with him if that’s what it takes to protect what is his.

Genres: Fantasy, Magic, High Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Audiobook, Action, Paranormal

772 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 11, 2020

About the author

Boyce is known for action-packed epic fantasy, powerful heroes, and riveting magical stories filled with twists and intrigue. And, of course, a bit of humor sprinkled through it all. Pick up your kindle and get lost in the journey.

Reviews

[Sander · Rating 2 out of 5]

During my read I constantly wavered between giving this book two or three stars. In the end I rounded down because even if it was good enough for me to finish, it doesn't make me want to continue the series.

I love the premise of Wraithblade. Lone commoner fuses with the undead wraith of an ancient king? Sounds like something I want to read. The plot is decent, if unsurprising and a bit slow, and the magic system is actually delightfully simple.

But I didn't enjoy the writing at all. The use of short paragraphs make for a fast read, but the writer is overly fond of using the following technique, and it's unnecessary.

Repetitive.

Irritating.

Anyone who read the book will know what I mean.

The chapters also make no sense. At first I believed they were switches to another character's point of view, but sometimes a new chapter begins without any change in viewpoint or even in scene. Sometimes the viewpoint changes without starting a new chapter. One time, time skips forward in the middle of a chapter without any indication that it happened, leaving me slipping back and forward to see if I missed something. All in all, it's a bit of a mess.

But for me, the real let down of this book is the characterisation. Everyone in this book is serious. Dead serious. And intense. So very intense. Even the one character who seems to be a bit of a jokester had a scene at the end where he proves how very serious he is. Besides that, everyone is a walking cliche.

The main character is called Connor, but he might as well have been called Grim McGritface because that describes him perfectly. He's a Loner with a Dark and Mysterious Past, and wins his battles with the sheer Power of Will.
Along his way, he meets the Sorceress with a Dark and Mysterious Past, and the Lovable Rogue with a Dark and Mysterious Past. Together with the Dark and Mysterious Wraith with a Dark and Mysterious Past, and Misguided Potential Love Interest, they will take on the evil antagonists of this book, and boy, are they evil and one dimensional.

First, we have the Evil Schemer. He's in league with Evil Arrogant Ass (senior AND junior, but they're interchangeable), or is he? Who knows, being evil, they're backstabbing eachother all of the time. There's also Evil-and-Batshit-Crazy, but at least that one gets turned into ice and smashed into pieces.

At least none of them have a Dark and Mysterious Past, which at this point is almost a redeeming quality.

Finally, the fight scenes are slowed down so every sword stroke can be described in detail, but the tension is lost completely. People will magically duck and avoid serious injuries, but get hit by lesser strikes for no other reason than to draw out the fight. And when they inevitably get stabbed and do receive serious injuries, they fight on anyway, because, you know, the Power of Will.

I finished this, but I won't read the sequel. I actually want to know what happens next, but the grating prose and one dimensional characters are too off putting to me.

[Matthew · Rating 2 out of 5]

41% after much effort and lacking other reading materials.

Started off good, with lots of fluff to help set the tone and the dialogue was never once offputting.
Fluff never ended as the story progressed. Leaves won't stop rustling, branches won't stop swaying, wolves won't stfu.
Get to 41% MC now has a friend in the woods and dialogue still good. Bam retarded necromancer who... just retarded entire encounter...that author forces on reader harshly so MC can do a flip. *claps hands sarcastically* moves on...
F******g leaves rustle, branches sway exponential life crisis that each char goes through whilst swords clang hits me. Harder than author story.
Realise there is no story just woo woo entry explanations, if this was ever made into a series it'd just be a bunch of people standing there with their capes blowing.
Open a support group for loggers, want every single tree that rustles to be murdered.
MFW this author made me hate the great outdoors out of sheer redundancy.

[Gavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This action fantasy is a bit of a weird book to rate as it had a terrible start but actually recovered from it to end up a pretty enjoyable tale by the end!

The premise was fun. Outlaw, Conner Magnusson, is hiding in the woods to keep a low profile when he goes against his king honed survival instincts and runs no towards danger when he hears a scream in the night. The woods are always a dangerous place but Connor gets more than he bargained for when he has to rescue a family from a badly injured madman. Things go from bad to worse when more folks appear through a magic portal chasing the first man and decide to get rid of both Connor and the family he was trying to rescue. The magic twist here is the fact that an evil wraith lord attached itself to Connor after he kills the first assailant and promises him magic, power, and riches if only he listens to the wraith and brings the world under his heel!

On the whole this action based fantasy was pretty fun. It was a dark fantasy world but that was offset by the fact that Connor was a super easy lead to like and root for. Despite being a loner with an evil wraith lord in his ear he was a good guy. Which had the added benefit of hilariously infuriating his new wraithlord companion!

The series was heavy on the action as right from the get go folks were coming hard to kill Connor in order to cover up their own crimes or seize the wraith, and its power, for themselves!

Connor was the lead but we got a few other POV chapters from some of the various villains and from Quinn Starling (a warrior tasked with brining in the new Wraithblade). The villains and the companions Connor ran into over the course of the story all ended up being fairly interesting and well drawn characters in their own right. I also enjoyed the fact that multiple different villains each with their own agendas were present as I felt like that added a bit of depth to this fantasy world.

If this book had a serious flaw it was the awful start and the fact it has a penchant for overly lengthy action sequences. There is no denying the start was really rough. We got a fight sequence that went on for literal hours in the audio but it all happened before we really learned anything about Connor as a character or the fantasy world in general so it was hard to engage with it. I’d not be surprised if a lot of folks quit early. I persevered and the effort did end up worth it as this developed into a fun action fantasy that offset the dark world and happenings by having some humorous moments and likeable characters.

All in all I think this recovered from a really dull start to end up a decent read. I’ll read the next book for sure.

Rating: I’ll go with 3.5 stars and round down due to that sluggish start. I’d have rounded up without that sluggish start as by the end I was really enjoying this one!

Audio Note: This was narrated by Wayne Mitchell. I thought he did OK but can definitely see folks having a few issues with him. He was very melodramatic in terms of his performance style. He also struggled a bit voicing the female characters.

[a. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting indie fantasy that follows Connor Magnuson, a drifter who unintentionally bonds with The Wraith King after he saves a child one night in the woods.

I’m a mood reader and this book was exactly what I was looking for when I picked it up on a whim from my tbr - It’s filled with amazing fight scenes, has a very likeable protagonist and other interesting PoV characters, and cool creatures (winged tigers, giant talking wolves, unicorns)! I really love fantasy books with MC’s that are extremely powerful, so I was happy to find that in this book. I’m looking forward to seeing how his abilities develop in the sequel. Overall, I really enjoyed this book despite finding some parts slow and the ending a bit anticlimactic. I’m definitely looking forward to the release of book two!

[NiteHaze · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a 2.5 than a solid 3 but I am rounding up because it wasn't sexist.
If you are looking for a progression fantasy this is not the book for you. This is a 'I'm a Badass' fantasy which is not my cup of tea but I did read 27 hours of it so I can't say it didn't catch my interest.

The premise is interesting a penniless drifter bonding to the Wraith King a powerful being obsessed with death and war. The problem is Conner is already a badass who kills nine elite kingsmen guards in the first hour and doesn't even blink an eye at the Wraith King arguing with him as if he sees undead kings every day.

Almost every character has a bland 'I'm a badass' personality which is a shame because with some changes they could have been interesting characters.

The book really picked up as soon as he got his companions though because they had more interesting personalities.

Best Fight: Xander vs Wraith King, Wraith Blade, a Necromancer, and a BlackGaurd he was way better than his sister who technically only fought the Wraith Blade.

[Xerxes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review contains minor/major spoilers – you read at your own risk.
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wraithblade is one of those stories where you don’t get bored at all. The story’s blurb itself sets out the path for you. There’s a crazy King called Henry who uses the Wraith King for expansion, for greed, for conquest and as a result, ends up dying. The King loses himself, his self-being, and his sense of morality almost. And in comes Connor, a man that no one knows about but he is a peasant and he gets connected to the Wraith King. And in between all of this, he becomes entangled in a plot of myriad political conspiracies involving powerful families and a jealous lord named Ottwell who is a despicable man, a man that is for sure the puppeteer. Ottwell often drives the story forward, and when you read the book, you’ll see traces of his grand plan here and there, subtly or not. If it’s one thing Ottwell excels at, he’d make a really good disciple of Darth Vader. That’s for sure. Ottwell reminds me of those men in history who have only ever served their lords and masters until the time is right to betray them. I wouldn’t trust Ottwell with a stick. Ottwell is the type that will betray you for coin or sacrifice your ambitions for his. That’s how well written Lord Ottwell is written.

This story is vast, and it contains many character arcs that have some good ending’s in my opinion. My favorite character was the disgraced Blackguard Murdoc masquerading himself as one of those stubborn, highly arrogant actors from a play that thinks too highly of himself. Murdoc is one of those rogue-like characters that surprise you in the end. Murdoc was funny, witty and his reactions were very engaging. Many times I felt that if Murdoc hadn’t been there, well the story needed him. He felt real enough, and he is good as a device to make the story for you to guess often of what might happen next. The Wraith King was one of those characters that I didn’t expect to like, but I’ve grown attached to him.

I have a nagging suspicion that the Wraith King could be Connor’s father, my reason for this is because sure, the Wraith King is a powerful lord that thirsts for war and power. But you’ll notice, he often keeps an eye on Connor as if he were a son to him. My theory could be false, and let it be so. But when you see a shrouded skeleton hovering over you and talking to you intensely, I wonder if some secrets need to be revealed. As for Connor, our main character, I felt his personality didn’t shine enough because this is the first book. In the first book of any fantasy series, I’ve come to accept that the main character doesn’t always need to be compelling within the first few pages. It takes time for us humans to express our personalities given in a new environment and we won’t be perfect right off the bat. Within the next 2-3 books, you will see his personality shine through. Because Connor is a perfect example of an interrogator crossed with a good man’s principles. Connor is a truth-seeker. He can expose the truth out of anyone. He’s dangerous. He’s forewarned a lot of people not to mess with him. This is why we have Murdoc and Sophia. Sophia is an elegant, beautiful woman who has also been involved in the arts of necromancy. She’s brash, she’s opinionated and she often is a loyal friend. She has loyalty, something which is rare in a world full of monsters and creatures trying to eat each other. Murdoc and Sophia balance Connor perfectly, and I think this chemistry will expand on into the second book.

There were some particularly favorite moments in the book. There was a scene in particular where Ethan the burly carpenter had helped Connor so to say and arrives in an Inn. A couple arrives saying they were attacked by fearsome beasts. Then comes a mysterious rumor of a ‘shade’. A hero that helps people. Ethan bursts out in embarrassment when drinking his ale. That scene made me laugh. Ethan and his family were really good characters and I want to see them in the second book. There are many such scenes in this book, involving some really powerful characters. Quinn was also good with her large fearsome pet, Blaze. I liked how she reacted to the world around her and she’s not stupid. I like that in a character. But there’s a lot more of her that I won’t discuss because you’ll figure it out.

Aside from this, I have immense respect for the author and her ability to write fighting scenes in elaborate detail, and her ability to write good prose. Good prose is hard to come by. She often balances the prose between elaborate details of grand buildings and contrasts that with the uniforms of soldiers, nobles and guards. This is a good detail. However, sometimes I felt the story became too bogged down with those elaborate details when it wasn’t needed. As a nitpick, I sometimes found this to become almost too technical. For example, some scenes had too much detail of sword-fighting, and while I don’t mind that, it slowed the pace down for me a lot. The sword fighting was realistic and accurate. It didn’t feel to me that it was some elaborate battle design set-piece with fancy moves. Connor’s ability to become powerful helps from his connection to the Wraith King. The story often picks up when certain truths are exposed. Connor, Murdoc, and Sophia are all holding truths that they don’t want to reveal.

My criticism of this that sometimes it went into the niche of well we have characters that are brooding, and I’ve read in other fantasy novels characters that are brooding all the time. My only suggestion is to have Connor and Murdoc have their personalities shine more in the second book. I want them to start enjoying life a little more, I want them to laugh at a comedy play or something like that. And the book does that well, but I’d also want way more interaction between Murdoc and the Wraith King. That really would be a fun and plentiful exchange and would be a delight to read. Sometimes there was a lot of telling vs showing which is inevitable because, in a 700-page book, you can’t get everything right. There were some errors with the spacing of full stops in the quotation marks when I read on my kindle fire. Some scenes were slow-paced and I think that dragged the story down. Some scenes weren’t needed in my opinion. It doesn’t detract from the wonderful story that it is, but it feels like another round of editing would have gone away with some filler scenes here and there.

I feel that in the end, writing a 700-page book is not easy, and the author has done a wonderful job. The story was strong enough to come across the pages, confident of its elaborate worldbuilding. My criticism is that there wasn’t a map provided and that there was talk of a world beyond a desert. I do hope the author will add some fantasy Arabian/Indian style kingdoms or empires, or even an Ottoman Inspired empire. I would like to see something like that. But that is only a wish, not a suggestion. I believe that in the end, this story is thoroughly worth reading. It’s a fun fantasy read at the end of the day. I also listened to some ambience music: Pillars of Eternity Ambience which if you search on YouTube you’ll find. It’s a really good story and I recommend it.

[The Mysterious Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

S. M. Boyce is an author who consistently produces books that are addictively great. That’s certainly the case with her latest, Wraithblade, the first book in her new The Wraithblade Saga series. This is a case where the Publisher’s Note is precisely accurate. Definitely the start of a sprawling epic, filled with monsters and destruction, magic and adventure, and plot twists with enemies turned allies and the flip-side of that. I loved the inner battle of Connor to stay true to himself, and the whole idea behind the Wraithblade and Wraith King. A great start with a superb plot and wonderful characters. What more could one ask for?

[Georgia Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I really enjoyed this book. It is packed with action and deception. The big picture is the classic fight of good versus evil but as the story progresses, the line between the two becomes blurred. Connor's fight to stay true to who he is when he was forced to become the Wraithblade is mesmerizing. Although a loner, he pulls together an unusual team, each member with their own secrets and demons to face. Their desire for personal redemption unites them in a quest to do the impossible. I can't wait for the next book to come out.

[ShannaBanana✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally found one! I finally found a good fantasy book with an MC that’s a grown ass man and is crazy powerful and does not need coddling. Praise baby Jesus!🙏🏼 With a snarky wraith companion at that. The story also kept me entertained and rooting for the main characters. The side characters were also badass. I really hope the next installment comes out soon cause I need it now.

[Joanne (Lyra) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have very mixed feelings about this story, even though I enjoyed the reading experience. The characters were the main let down for me and why I couldn’t rate this higher.

Connor at first reads like an edgy male protagonist with a hidden soft side from a shounen manga, which I won't lie, was really refreshing to follow in novel form. He doesn't kill/punish anyone who hasn't deserved it; he treats women with respect; he won't steal or coerce for his own gain unless he's manipulated into doing it, etc. What a lad! Yet, all these traits can be seen as lacklustre for a protagonist in a fast-paced high-fantasy setting, especially seeing how brutal the world is. I was expecting more rogue action with his intense nature.

It felt aggravating at times see him disagree to do something fraudulent just because it went against his interests. The plot could have been condensed so much if we had fewer situations where Connor was having an argument with the side characters on what was right. Alas, I really can't fault him in his justice since he’s the first character I have read who passionately abides by his morals.

Though the constant flashbacks to his father telling him to be a good man with virtues were becoming overused and just damn annoying, like yes, he didn't want to sully his father’s life lessons. I didn’t need to be reminded persistently of his good nature, and for it to be shoved at me from every angle every time he is in a situation that could use something unlawful to get him out quicker. He is obviously skilled enough to do things the roguish way!

All these lead to the dialogue which read as too simple in cases, and in other times, come off really well written. For the most part, scenes and characters read cartoonish, bringing me out from my immersion. Richard, Otmund and the Wraith King were my main gripes with this. I couldn't take Richard seriously throughout his confident ‘villain bravado’. Yes, he's a scum of a man, but he was so minuscule compared to other villains I've read before. As for the Wraith King, I can't believe he's this cold killer and he just lets Connor off in so many instances, having a change of heart so suddenly after an intense scene. Don’t even get me started on Otmund calling everyone his puppets. The author clearly is making him out to be this manipulative fella, but everyone is just too dumb not to see. He can be ruthless, but I just can’t take him seriously. The author will clearly make everyone sound cleverer and more ruthless than they actually sound, and I am hoping this improves somewhat in the next book.

My last mini point was the fight scenes which dragged on. I mostly glossed over the final fight – a fight that didn’t need to last that many pages.

This is all starting to sound like me bashing this book, but I genuinely did have a nice time. It was interesting reading how Connor adapts to the world outside the forest he called home and the alliances/friendships he forged with people. I also want to see how the plot plays out in the later books. Though the next book is over 1,000 pages on kindle so I may put off diving in for the time being.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously happy I stumbled upon this tale! A wraith king needs a mortal host. You definitely know it will be a power struggle and this author had me spellbound with every facet of this epic tale. Alliances, betrayals, suspense so many intriguing layers upon layers! Truly one of those storylines that will make you forget about time and reality. Be forewarned! All my reviews are always voluntarily written.

[Roberto Flores · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am getting tired of character bait-and-switch.

Do not go to the trouble of setting up a character with distinctive qualities if you have no intention of following through. I am tired of situational choices purely to advance story that do not fit the character presented. I did not make them, I did not choose their actions, but I have to read through that rubbish? No. No, I don't.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

This book if the first of at least 2 series and I can’t wait to read the second book. Strong characters, huge power struggles on many different levels, and a world of intrigue. From the peace of the deep forest to a complicated conflict in the same forest set the stage for this action-packed book.

The evil King Henry dies after being chased through a portal that crossed paths with Connor, a vagrant peasant living alone in the forest. He is faced with a life or death decision and decides to fight for his life. Connor succeeds only to find out he is in a greater contest for his future. This book has everything you want in an epic fantasy tale. I couldn’t put it down until my eyes gave me away.

Serious fantasy lovers will not regret picking up this book. Be prepared to spend long hours reading this exciting tale. I would recommend this book to any and all fantasy readers and lovers of epic tales. Pick it up and be prepared for hours of entertainment.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since the author is my best friend, I feel the need to say that this review is bias but the book is really good. I just want to brag about being friends with this talented author. I loved hearing my friend come through these characters and to see her vision come to life. This book was special to me because I got to watch it grow from a seed and then got to experience it as a final product. I’m not a fan of the fantasy genre so the storyline wasn’t my cup of tea, but the character development was great. It was subtle but evident with each obstacle they faced. Reaching the end the character arc is clear but it never hits you over the head or seems unnatural for any of the characters. I also enjoyed the moral ambiguity of several of the characters, the antagonists in particular are finely nuanced. The plot is fast- paced and moves quickly. It has a nice flow to it though, especially as the narrator changes. The multiple perspectives make the story seem even faster and gave it more tension, in my opinion. Overall, I would recommend this book especially to fantasy fans.

[Marilyn Hunt custer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the WraithBlade Saga. SM Boyce has created quite a tapestry in world building. I thought it was a very good book. In the beginning it was a little bit slower because the author was building her world. Things do pick up and the beginning world building was necessary I think. There's lots of action, adventure, humor and surprises. I found the characters believable and some of the moral struggles that were faced by a couple of the characters. I found it a very good book and can't wait to read the second book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional writing, world building, and magic system

Outstanding writing, SM Boyce creates an epic tale of characters with a creative story of legends. Titantic skills, weapons, and battles, complete with non stop action, whiplash inspiring twists, turns, the discoveries abound on every page of this non stop fantasy thrill ride. I am a fan, cant wait to read rest of this series, asap. Thank you SM Boyce, well met, well done, indeed!

[Silver Surfer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this is one hell of a book, I was enraptured from the start to the finish. Where on earth does this author get her idea’s from. So much intricacy woven in this story it’s astonishing. This is one series I will not be missing out on that’s for sure. I you like epic fantasy you’ll love this. Highly recommended.

[Rick Ecclesiastes 12:12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read 2 scathing reviews of this book. And because of those reviews I almost didn’t pick up this book to read. I have read it. It was a fine, fun read.

The negative reviews make me shake my head. I’m sure some people just can’t be pleased.

I found the ending a bit of a fizzer. But will be sure to read the next 2 books.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievable from beginning to end. I was completely hooked from the characters to the plot. Can’t wait for the next.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great first book

I certainly enjoyed this first book and I am looking forward to the rest in the series to watch the characters unfold and the story to continue. I recommend

[Angela Jones-Cuéllar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had some The Witcher vibes but was way more my cup of tea and I cannot wait to sink into book two!

[Full review to come]

[Aryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down!

This is one of those fast paced and imaginative stories that you just can’t seem to put down! I am super excited to start book two!

[Skanda Ram · Rating 5 out of 5]

How is this book not more popular?

[Denise]

I am just getting going in this book as I write this review for the release. I really like it so far, though the world-building is still happening so there has only been so much of the expected action. The main character is Connor who is a drifter who made the mistake of getting involved. He is sleeping up in a tree in the woods where no man wants to be at night due to the creatures that roam there. He sees a green light, which apparently signals the use of magic, and hears a young girl scream. When he gets to where she is there is a man dragging her through a field and leaving a bloody trail as he does so. As the man dies he tells Connor that he has now doomed himself. I am not going to say any more for now. I will add to this review when I finish the book.

Added later:
I love the world-building in this book and can't wait to find out what happens next. Connor manages to put together a somewhat loyal crew, and one prisoner, to help him. He will fight plenty of battles and even save some more innocents. Of course the story is not over yet.

[Maggie Lynn Heron-Heidel]

DNF at 20%. It dragged on and never took off. So wanted to like it, but oh well.

[Cristin Rappel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me hooked from page one! I couldn't stop reading what was going on with Connor or Quinn or Otmund. There's so much at play here, so much juicy detail! Give me the next one already!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeremiah Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can a violent fantasy novel be quirky?

This book was an odd duck for sure. I can't tell if this was meant for YA but that is definitely the feeling I get from the writing. The story definitely seems geared towards adults though. The story btw is actually pretty interesting and I enjoyed seeing the interaction of the Wraith with the other characters. I am nitpicky though so lets get to the not so good....some small things like repeatedly referring to a group of 10 men as an "army" were surprisingly annoying to me. And a section in the middle of the book the story suddenly grinds to a halt and it seems like the characters are shopping for 1/4 of the book. Some interactions also seem unearned, most of them really. Pretty much everyone the wraithblade meets end up becoming like family to him. This despite him being a self described loner who has lived in the woods alone for the last 10 years. It was not believable to me that even people who were trying to kill him suddenly become family like 10 pages later. Lastly, there are far too many instances of the author filling in the blanks when letting us use our imagination would have been the more enjoyable experience. Almost every inner monologue is followed by a one sentence description of exactly what the character was thinking. It would be like me writing a paragraph about eating a bowl of cereal and immediately following it with "He was really hungry and loved to eat cereal". Like, some things are just implied. If you describe someone ravenously eating a bowl of cereal there is no reason to mention that they were hungry since it is obvious already. Anyhow, I enjoyed the story and if the author can just take a little more time and bring her writing up to the level of her storytelling I think the next book might be a 4 or 5 star instead of 3.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring

Some how the author turned a sword fight into a boring pages long affair. I had to give up at only 5% due the the lack of imagination of a sword fight. The premise is good but the execution is just bad

[K.B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

One hell of a ride!

The praise

-The beginning scenes with the fight in the meadow were told in such beautiful, intricate detail that it instantly hooked me. Unlike some authors who tell fight scenes as "their blades clashed for a few minutes", the author of Wraithblade captures every single thrust and deflection of a fight scene, leaving the reader immersed in each moment and breath.

-The world-building was solid, immersive and detailed enough to feel reminiscent of a video game, complete with collectible reagents. The potions and augmentations were described in just enough detail to whet the appetite, let leave enough surprises for the remainder of the series.
Connor was a strong and inspiring character; even when he was taken to new lows, his resilience kept him going.

-The dual-wielding fighting style and the shadow blades was just...oh, there are no words for how freaking awesome that is. If any reader doesn't flick their wrists occasionally in the hope that they too will be able to summon swords from nothing, I'm prepared to call BS.

-I enjoyed how all of the characters, even the 'good' ones, had their own motivations and agendas, such that there was no immediate jumping onto the Hero Wagon, but a steady journey of acceptance and realisation.

-The banter between Connor and the Wraith King was fabulously well-written; the author has a subtle sense of humour that only occasionally shone through into her writing, but when it did, it was gold.

-The author's writing is not capable of criticism on a micro level. I think I found maybe one clunky sentence towards the end, and the rest of it just continually surprised me in its quality. Really, really well done.

The constructive criticism

-I don't want to say the length per se, because long books of themselves are not a turn-off for me. But if a novel is 235k, then I expect it to be an epic work told from dozens of separate perspectives, essentially several characters' stories in a single volume, a la A Song of Ice and Fire. Wraithblade was epic, I don't deny that, but it was still a single story. In my opinion (and I'm just one person!), it should have been cut by at least 50k - specifically, a large chunk of the time with the Finns at the beginning, because that was exceptionally slow, and if it were not for the fantastically-written opening fight scenes and my duty as an ARC reader, I'm not sure I would have continued with it. We got the point that it was a change of pace for Connor and he was surprised by their generosity early on, and then it was hammered home several more times before we were finally allowed to leave the treetop house and search for some actual tension/adventure. It was beautiful, I don't deny it, but it was not interesting.

-Secondly, I would have cut all of the alternate POVs except for Quinn. The others did not add anything to the story but allow for some megalomaniac monologuing (Otmund and Zander) and hints at a backstory (Sophia and Murdoc). And a talented author such as Sam could have revealed both of those (in fact, she did) through the POVs of Connor and Quinn. Including the others served only to increase the wordcount, disrupt the flow of the story, and spoil things for the reader that I think would have been better off revealed later when Quinn/Connor discovered them. For example, we knew about the Starlings' plan for Quinn before we even met her, so that shadowed everything we knew about her. But imagine if we hadn't, and we discovered it with Quinn herself as she eavesdropped in the tunnel? We would have felt the betrayal and shock with her, instead of thinking "yeah, catch up girl. We knew about this over 100 pages ago". The reader felt disconnected to the characters because we, as God-like readers, knew things they didn't, and then we couldn't empathise with their reactions when they learned them. And this is what I meant earlier about no criticism on a micro level: I think it's the macro level that needed some tweaking.

Summary

Overall, Wraithblade is a well-written and fun fantasy that will particularly resonate with gamers for the clear parallels in some of the world-building and magic system, but I don't recommend it to casual readers. 4 stars, recommended read.

[Richard Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A homeless drifter named Connor is wandering through the woods when he hears the scream of a peasant girl being threatened by a corrupt and dying king. No sooner does our hero rush to the rescue than the tyrant gives up the ghost entirely, and the evil wraith that had possessed him now moves into Connor.

What’s worse, the small army of henchmen who have chased the dead king through a portal with murderous intent now turn on Connor, who suddenly finds himself in the fight of his life. But is the sinister wraith now possessing Connor’s soul granting him unprecedented powers as well as excruciating pain?

“Wraithblade” by S. M. Boyce is an epic fantasy novel that packs a punch. Featuring a noble hero burdened by a curse that may be a blessing in disguise, a small band of “found family” sidekicks who tag along on his quest, and a rich tapestry of scenery-chewing villains, this grimdark actioner is vividly brought to life in lively, professional prose.

I listened to the audiobook version of “Wraithblade,” and the outstanding reading by Wayne Mitchell, whose energetic and indefatigable performance never lets up for a moment, made me so want to give this a full five stars that I procrastinated quite some time before sitting down to write this review. Alas, in the end I must deduct one star.

As others have noted, the prose can be overwritten at times; however, by the standards of indie fiction, I found “Wraithblade” to be very professionally penned. Yes, the world of the story can be a sadistically violent place, grimmer than grimdark and darker than night, but I actually liked that.

Ultimately, the issue that persuaded me to drop a star is the protagonist himself. Not only is he overpowered once the wraith lends him the full benefit of his supernatural talents, but there is a generic blandness to this every-hero that made me struggle to stay interested in his story. Although his need to get rid of the wraith king was understandable, and it’s certainly noble to rush to the rescue of every lost babe in the woods, I never really understood what made Connor tick. What he wanted, what he dreamed of—his heart’s desire.

That said, there’s a ton of fantastic content here and much to recommend this professionally written and brilliantly read audiobook. While I may not continue to follow this particular series, S. M. Boyce is clearly a force to be reckoned with, and I will follow her career with keen interest going forward.