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Desolada #1
A Blade Through Time
A young man with magical gifts is caught in an immortal battle between demons and demigods in the first book of this grimdark fantasy series.
Leones Ansteri was only sixteen when they came to kill him for the heresies his father had committed against the Archons—the mighty demigods who keep the peace in the Civilized Lands and prevent the evil Goetia from enslaving all of humanity. But even as the flames of the Magisters burned everything Leones knew to the ground, they awakened in him a power he didn’t know he possessed: the ability to manipulate time.
Alone and on the run, Leones finds refuge in the city of Odena, seeking out the opportunity to apprentice with the philosophers and build his skills in magic, mental manipulation, and swordsmanship. But as Leones grows more confident in his temporal abilities, he realizes all is not well in Odena.
Demons, long thought to be banished, have been spotted in the city, and Leones soon discovers he can’t trust his friends, his teachers, even his own memories. For unbeknownst to him, he’s become embroiled in a desperate battle for domination that will alter not only his own fate but the destiny of the entire world . . .
Leones Ansteri was only sixteen when they came to kill him for the heresies his father had committed against the Archons—the mighty demigods who keep the peace in the Civilized Lands and prevent the evil Goetia from enslaving all of humanity. But even as the flames of the Magisters burned everything Leones knew to the ground, they awakened in him a power he didn’t know he possessed: the ability to manipulate time.
Alone and on the run, Leones finds refuge in the city of Odena, seeking out the opportunity to apprentice with the philosophers and build his skills in magic, mental manipulation, and swordsmanship. But as Leones grows more confident in his temporal abilities, he realizes all is not well in Odena.
Demons, long thought to be banished, have been spotted in the city, and Leones soon discovers he can’t trust his friends, his teachers, even his own memories. For unbeknownst to him, he’s become embroiled in a desperate battle for domination that will alter not only his own fate but the destiny of the entire world . . .
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2022
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306 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
October 15, 2022
2.5
A Blade Through Time has an absolutely eye-catching, intriguing beginning that sucked me in immediately, so I had high hopes when I started this book. I'm sad to say the rest of the book didn't quite meet those expectations, but I think this was more the case of the book not working for me than it is the book's fault.
The story follows Leones, who is on the run when the crimes of his father threaten his life. As he flees to save himself and everything he knows gets destroyed, power is awakened in him - he discovers he can manipulate time. He seeks refuge in Odena, with the philosophers, where he tries to learn to master his magic as well as other skills. He grows stronger, but soon it is clear that Odena is not as it seems. There are demons in the city and the web of lies reaches farther than Leones could've imagined. There is more than just the city at stake though, and he finds himself right in the middle of this struggle for power.
As I said, the introduction to Leones and his powers was super interesting to me, and I expected this book to be fast-paced and action-packed. However, the bulk of the book, its middle, was much slower paced than I thought it would be. The plot did drag a bit, it was slow and there were a lot of philosophical thoughts and pondering that I didn't enjoy as much. That is probably on me, as the synopsis mentioned philosophers, I just didn't realize it would be as significant in the book as it ended up being.
That being said, I did really enjoy the world-building. I liked how everything was presented, the different cities, the different magic, the Archons - demigods in power. I liked how the story gradually introduced more lore and information, and how it explained the threat of demons and Goetia. The story had the perfect mix of giving enough information and also holding back enough that you stay interested in finding out more. The writing style in general was something I enjoyed (even if it did lean slightly YA at times, which isn't a bad thing, but I was under the impression this was adult fantasy).
I thought Leones was interesting enough as the main character, though I can't say I grew that attached to him. There was something in the story that kept me slightly detached at all times. I think the slow pacing of the middle really made me feel less invested in the story and the characters overall. His power was the most interesting thing about him, and I really liked the time-travel aspect of the story. I think the limitations that were set on his power did well to avoid some of the usual time-travel traps that create unnecessary plot holes. I do wish I felt more connected to the main character, and here I don't mean that he should've been more 'relatable', just that I wish he was more fleshed-out, with his personality/motivations developed a bit more. I do think he has a driving force throughout the book, sure, but those are all outside factors, I wished for more on his internal processes.
As far as the other characters go, I thought they were interesting ideas, but a lot of them needed more development. I thought Leones had a very interesting relationship with his friend Felix. Here I would just like to add that while I generally liked the writing style, the book suffered from repeated words/phrases. There was something slightly grating about Leones calling Felix 'my friend' every sentence, and never using his name or any other word at all. Nonetheless, I did like their friendship, but I wish Felix was a bit more developed outside of his connection with Leones.
I also wanted to add this - there were next to no female characters here, and while that by itself is not really an issue, the few female characters we saw seemed to fall under two stereotypes - a weak woman or a total bitch. The female characters were not fleshed-out and three-dimensional at all, and at this point, I would rather there be no women at all. I didn't particularly enjoy this, I felt like the female characters were just pushed to the side and that was the extent of them.
My biggest issue with the novel was that the bulk of it felt really slow, especially compared with the opening scenes of the book and it was failing to keep me interested at times. That combined with the fact I felt detached from the characters is what really sealed how I feel about this book. I liked the other worlds, and the magic aspects quite a bit, so I still might pick up the next book to see where the story takes us. I do think this was a case of the book simply not being for me and not the book being bad, so if you're interested I would still recommend you give it a go!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!
A Blade Through Time has an absolutely eye-catching, intriguing beginning that sucked me in immediately, so I had high hopes when I started this book. I'm sad to say the rest of the book didn't quite meet those expectations, but I think this was more the case of the book not working for me than it is the book's fault.
The story follows Leones, who is on the run when the crimes of his father threaten his life. As he flees to save himself and everything he knows gets destroyed, power is awakened in him - he discovers he can manipulate time. He seeks refuge in Odena, with the philosophers, where he tries to learn to master his magic as well as other skills. He grows stronger, but soon it is clear that Odena is not as it seems. There are demons in the city and the web of lies reaches farther than Leones could've imagined. There is more than just the city at stake though, and he finds himself right in the middle of this struggle for power.
As I said, the introduction to Leones and his powers was super interesting to me, and I expected this book to be fast-paced and action-packed. However, the bulk of the book, its middle, was much slower paced than I thought it would be. The plot did drag a bit, it was slow and there were a lot of philosophical thoughts and pondering that I didn't enjoy as much. That is probably on me, as the synopsis mentioned philosophers, I just didn't realize it would be as significant in the book as it ended up being.
That being said, I did really enjoy the world-building. I liked how everything was presented, the different cities, the different magic, the Archons - demigods in power. I liked how the story gradually introduced more lore and information, and how it explained the threat of demons and Goetia. The story had the perfect mix of giving enough information and also holding back enough that you stay interested in finding out more. The writing style in general was something I enjoyed (even if it did lean slightly YA at times, which isn't a bad thing, but I was under the impression this was adult fantasy).
I thought Leones was interesting enough as the main character, though I can't say I grew that attached to him. There was something in the story that kept me slightly detached at all times. I think the slow pacing of the middle really made me feel less invested in the story and the characters overall. His power was the most interesting thing about him, and I really liked the time-travel aspect of the story. I think the limitations that were set on his power did well to avoid some of the usual time-travel traps that create unnecessary plot holes. I do wish I felt more connected to the main character, and here I don't mean that he should've been more 'relatable', just that I wish he was more fleshed-out, with his personality/motivations developed a bit more. I do think he has a driving force throughout the book, sure, but those are all outside factors, I wished for more on his internal processes.
As far as the other characters go, I thought they were interesting ideas, but a lot of them needed more development. I thought Leones had a very interesting relationship with his friend Felix. Here I would just like to add that while I generally liked the writing style, the book suffered from repeated words/phrases. There was something slightly grating about Leones calling Felix 'my friend' every sentence, and never using his name or any other word at all. Nonetheless, I did like their friendship, but I wish Felix was a bit more developed outside of his connection with Leones.
I also wanted to add this - there were next to no female characters here, and while that by itself is not really an issue, the few female characters we saw seemed to fall under two stereotypes - a weak woman or a total bitch. The female characters were not fleshed-out and three-dimensional at all, and at this point, I would rather there be no women at all. I didn't particularly enjoy this, I felt like the female characters were just pushed to the side and that was the extent of them.
My biggest issue with the novel was that the bulk of it felt really slow, especially compared with the opening scenes of the book and it was failing to keep me interested at times. That combined with the fact I felt detached from the characters is what really sealed how I feel about this book. I liked the other worlds, and the magic aspects quite a bit, so I still might pick up the next book to see where the story takes us. I do think this was a case of the book simply not being for me and not the book being bad, so if you're interested I would still recommend you give it a go!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!
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September 13, 2023DNF at 48%
This book started so strong. The first chapter was intense and full of danger and tension... Unfortunately the rest of the book that I managed to wade through before I gave up wasn't as good.
We start with a vicious attack and a young boy who lost everything in the space of a day, almost died, and discovered that he can rewind time. So he flees the city and vows to master his time-shifting gift enough to come back and save his family. Wonderful premise for what could have been a great story.
But that potential is wasted, because absolutely nothing happens for the next half of the book. Leones gets to the philosophers... and the story comes to a grinding halt. We have pages upon pages of Leones training with weapons, or drinking and gambling in an opium den, or just brooding around. He does nothing productive. He doesn't even explore the city he ended up with beyond the philosopher's gardens and the gambling dens. He doesn't try to find out what happened in the city he fled. He only uses his time rewinding ability when it's convenient for him. And he mops around and he feels sorry for himself. It's boring.
I think I wouldn't have been as boring if this part of the book was populated with interesting characters, but Leones is so self-absorbed that he barely pays attention to anyone besides himself, and only if those people can serve him in some shape or form. As a result, the other apprentices are barely described. I don't know anything about them beyond their names and physical appearance. And because Leones never bothers to ask, I don't know anything about their pasts or their aspirations. Heck, I don't even know what most of them do outside of the philosophers' gardens. As a result, they seem more like cardboard cutouts then real people that I should care about.
Even when Leones's maybe girlfriend is assassinated, which should be a big traumatic discovery for him, my reaction was very lackluster. Probably because Leones didn't particularly grieve for her either.
Speaking of which, Leones as a character didn't work for me at all. He is depicted as being completely detached from his feelings. He is either a sociopath, or so traumatized by what happened in chapter 1 that he can't allow himself to feel anything for anyone. If it's the later, it's not made clear enough in the book, so he comes across as self-absorbed, selfish, and unfeeling. Not a character I want to spend a whole book with.
By the time the action finally picked up in the book, and things were finally starting to happen, I realized that I simply wasn't interested enough to continue. I mean one of the characters seemed to have been erased from existence, but I couldn't' are less. So I decided to call it quits, because I didn't care how this story ended enough to invest any more time into it.
PS: I received an advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you liked this review, check out my blog.
This book started so strong. The first chapter was intense and full of danger and tension... Unfortunately the rest of the book that I managed to wade through before I gave up wasn't as good.
We start with a vicious attack and a young boy who lost everything in the space of a day, almost died, and discovered that he can rewind time. So he flees the city and vows to master his time-shifting gift enough to come back and save his family. Wonderful premise for what could have been a great story.
But that potential is wasted, because absolutely nothing happens for the next half of the book. Leones gets to the philosophers... and the story comes to a grinding halt. We have pages upon pages of Leones training with weapons, or drinking and gambling in an opium den, or just brooding around. He does nothing productive. He doesn't even explore the city he ended up with beyond the philosopher's gardens and the gambling dens. He doesn't try to find out what happened in the city he fled. He only uses his time rewinding ability when it's convenient for him. And he mops around and he feels sorry for himself. It's boring.
I think I wouldn't have been as boring if this part of the book was populated with interesting characters, but Leones is so self-absorbed that he barely pays attention to anyone besides himself, and only if those people can serve him in some shape or form. As a result, the other apprentices are barely described. I don't know anything about them beyond their names and physical appearance. And because Leones never bothers to ask, I don't know anything about their pasts or their aspirations. Heck, I don't even know what most of them do outside of the philosophers' gardens. As a result, they seem more like cardboard cutouts then real people that I should care about.
Even when Leones's maybe girlfriend is assassinated, which should be a big traumatic discovery for him, my reaction was very lackluster. Probably because Leones didn't particularly grieve for her either.
Speaking of which, Leones as a character didn't work for me at all. He is depicted as being completely detached from his feelings. He is either a sociopath, or so traumatized by what happened in chapter 1 that he can't allow himself to feel anything for anyone. If it's the later, it's not made clear enough in the book, so he comes across as self-absorbed, selfish, and unfeeling. Not a character I want to spend a whole book with.
By the time the action finally picked up in the book, and things were finally starting to happen, I realized that I simply wasn't interested enough to continue. I mean one of the characters seemed to have been erased from existence, but I couldn't' are less. So I decided to call it quits, because I didn't care how this story ended enough to invest any more time into it.
PS: I received an advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you liked this review, check out my blog.
October 8, 2022
I was lucky enough to get a review copy of the audiobook from Podium!
I quite enjoyed this story, mostly because it was so different to almost all the other grimdark stuff I've read so far. I liked the idea of "time reversal magic". At first I thoiught this would take away from the suspense, knowing the main character can just redo whatever goes wrong, but there were enough limitations and obstacles built into how it worked to not be a problem.
The world stays a bit mysterious all the way through, and there's still plenty of question left at the end of book one - but at least for me not in an unsatisfying way, but rather the intriguing kind that keep me hooked.
The same went for some of the side characters - they at first felt a bit bland, but over time they just felt more like a mask that hides away hidden depths and chasms. I really like the story better with every minute I listened to it.
There's quite some moral and philosophical questions, but mixed with plenty of action, fights, and training sequences this made for a good balance.
Some bits of the background world seemed glossed over a bit, and I didn't always get a great feel for some of the scenes, which is my one star missing - otherwise this was a really enjoyable read, and I'll definitely keep an eye on the author!
I quite enjoyed this story, mostly because it was so different to almost all the other grimdark stuff I've read so far. I liked the idea of "time reversal magic". At first I thoiught this would take away from the suspense, knowing the main character can just redo whatever goes wrong, but there were enough limitations and obstacles built into how it worked to not be a problem.
The world stays a bit mysterious all the way through, and there's still plenty of question left at the end of book one - but at least for me not in an unsatisfying way, but rather the intriguing kind that keep me hooked.
The same went for some of the side characters - they at first felt a bit bland, but over time they just felt more like a mask that hides away hidden depths and chasms. I really like the story better with every minute I listened to it.
There's quite some moral and philosophical questions, but mixed with plenty of action, fights, and training sequences this made for a good balance.
Some bits of the background world seemed glossed over a bit, and I didn't always get a great feel for some of the scenes, which is my one star missing - otherwise this was a really enjoyable read, and I'll definitely keep an eye on the author!
September 27, 2022
I received an audio copy of this from the publisher through NetGalley.
DNF @ 34%
An intriguing beginning that soon got mired in a slog without seeming end. Not bad, just not interested enough to continue.
DNF @ 34%
An intriguing beginning that soon got mired in a slog without seeming end. Not bad, just not interested enough to continue.
December 11, 2023
Interesting but somewhat convoluted.
RTC
RTC
September 22, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc of the audiobook.
All in all, I did enjoy this audiobook. I thought the plot didn’t stall and kept moving, that the pace was great.
I really loved the use of time travel magic in this universe. I thought it was very well done. Im a person that struggles with the concept of time travel. I often times don’t like how it’s executed or explained. I loved the way the author incorporated it into the story and didn’t make it an immediate problem solver, rather making it a flawed but powerful magic skill to own and use.
I did have some issues with this. I had a hard time remembering who was who. Maybe it was because I listened to it on audiobook and didn’t always catch the names.
I also thought the world could of used better world building. Some questions I had weren’t answered.
• How do the powers just appear in someone?
• What is an echo and how does being one affect the world and how you interact with it?
• What are demons and why are there some with animalistic traits like foxes and spiders?
I also had some questions about Leonis.
• What happened to his mom?
• Where is she now?s
• What happened to the people that stayed at the house?
But the main question I have is:
• When will book 2 be released?
September 19, 2022
Time travel and demons! Need I say more about why you should be reading this book? The world we get thrown into in A Blade Through Time is so magical, gripping and overall so cool I couldn't stop finding more things I loved about this book. It was easy and fast paced, I wasn't able to put it down because I needed to know what would happen by the end of the book. It was a book where you literally couldn't predict the plot twists if you tried to. In a way, that's what made it much more interesting. At every turn I was excited to see what happened because I literally wasn't sure if what I was thinking was going to happen would actually happen. Such a great concept!
I cannot wait to read more! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this novel!
I cannot wait to read more! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this novel!
October 3, 2022
I voluntarily listened to an advanced copy of A Blade Through Time by Louis Kalman. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Podium Audio for providing an ARC to review.
Leones Ansteri was an interesting character who I often loved and hated at the same time. Often I simply wanted him to focus and do something, but then the action would kick in, and I was satisfied with where the plot was going. The biggest complaint was the final twist. I am still not sure if I liked where the book ended. It was unexpected. I give A Blade Through Time a solid 4/5 for the creative world-building aspect of the book.
March 20, 2023
DNF at 88 %.
The plot started very interesting if somewhat harsh. Given the MC´s abilities it held the promise of fast progress, exploration, mystery and action. Unfortunately however, the development slowed down to nothing, the MC only visits one place that he not really explores and uses his skill mostly just for material gain.
The MC is rather full of himself, keeps making wild assumptions and reacts erratically. In the end he just annoyed me too much to continue.
The plot started very interesting if somewhat harsh. Given the MC´s abilities it held the promise of fast progress, exploration, mystery and action. Unfortunately however, the development slowed down to nothing, the MC only visits one place that he not really explores and uses his skill mostly just for material gain.
The MC is rather full of himself, keeps making wild assumptions and reacts erratically. In the end he just annoyed me too much to continue.
August 20, 2023
Not progression fantasy
I enjoyed the story but hate mislabeled stories. It sets a certain expectation that only leads to disappointment. I wanted this story to be something else because it was labeled PF.
Well. It wasn't. If this is PF, then LOTR is PF. Eragon. Harry Potter. Literally everything.
I enjoyed the story but hate mislabeled stories. It sets a certain expectation that only leads to disappointment. I wanted this story to be something else because it was labeled PF.
Well. It wasn't. If this is PF, then LOTR is PF. Eragon. Harry Potter. Literally everything.
March 23, 2023
😌 Great book Fantastic plot 9/10
Looking Forward To A Book 2 Of Hopefully The Start Of A Great Series 😇
Great World Building
Magic was interesting
Smart Mc
Loved the flow
Intriguing ending
Twist
Action flowed nicely
Looking Forward To A Book 2 Of Hopefully The Start Of A Great Series 😇
Great World Building
Magic was interesting
Smart Mc
Loved the flow
Intriguing ending
Twist
Action flowed nicely
April 27, 2023
Overall Rating - ⭐⭐.5
World Building - ⭐⭐⭐
Character Development - ⭐
Trigger/Content Warnings - Gore, Death, Suicide
Overall Thoughts; I actually didn't dislike this. Not entirely. I think the story is good, it has a good backbone, it just... Isn't fleshed out right. There's a lot of detail and extra in parts that don't matter and a lot lacking where it does matter. The story though is good, I just think it would have been in a different format. This as an anime would be killer. As a book, no so much. I did enjoy the end plot twist, that was a nice surprise. I want to give it a 3 cause I enjoyed the premise, but I honestly had to force myself through a lot of it, and there were a few times I debated giving up. Again, I just think there could have been a better format for it.
Plot; The plot was actually really good. I think the pacing was very off, but the plot points were great. There were multiple points that I did actually get committed to what was happening because it's a decent plot, but the pacing killed it.
Characters; They were fine? I would say there's little to no character development, short of Leone's not being a spoiled rich kid anymore. They're very two dimensional. The characters are varried, which is nice, but very male heavy and everyone feels like random side characters that mostly exist exclusively for their plot point and nothing else.
Writing; The writing was not my favourite. This is honestly what gave this lower than a 3 for me. There was a bunch of time skipping, especially in the beginning, then it was just vomitting the things that happened during that period. Things were mentioned super briefly then brought back later like they had been more than a passing thought, the POV changes randomly without warning, especially at the end, it's just all over the place. The formatting of the digital version was also a hot mess, and I'm hoping it's just the formatting and not the paragraph structure, cause some of it was difficult to follow because of the layout.
World Building - ⭐⭐⭐
Character Development - ⭐
Trigger/Content Warnings - Gore, Death, Suicide
Overall Thoughts; I actually didn't dislike this. Not entirely. I think the story is good, it has a good backbone, it just... Isn't fleshed out right. There's a lot of detail and extra in parts that don't matter and a lot lacking where it does matter. The story though is good, I just think it would have been in a different format. This as an anime would be killer. As a book, no so much. I did enjoy the end plot twist, that was a nice surprise. I want to give it a 3 cause I enjoyed the premise, but I honestly had to force myself through a lot of it, and there were a few times I debated giving up. Again, I just think there could have been a better format for it.
Plot; The plot was actually really good. I think the pacing was very off, but the plot points were great. There were multiple points that I did actually get committed to what was happening because it's a decent plot, but the pacing killed it.
Characters; They were fine? I would say there's little to no character development, short of Leone's not being a spoiled rich kid anymore. They're very two dimensional. The characters are varried, which is nice, but very male heavy and everyone feels like random side characters that mostly exist exclusively for their plot point and nothing else.
Writing; The writing was not my favourite. This is honestly what gave this lower than a 3 for me. There was a bunch of time skipping, especially in the beginning, then it was just vomitting the things that happened during that period. Things were mentioned super briefly then brought back later like they had been more than a passing thought, the POV changes randomly without warning, especially at the end, it's just all over the place. The formatting of the digital version was also a hot mess, and I'm hoping it's just the formatting and not the paragraph structure, cause some of it was difficult to follow because of the layout.
September 27, 2022
3 stars for a Blade Through Time - I'm usually one who loves a good fantasy novel, especially one that tries to explain the logic of magic, but for some reason, none of the characters really resonated with me in a way that I was rooting for them or even loved to hate. The plot was intriguing, but felt slow in some parts and erratic in others. I never felt like I had a good hold of the motivation for anything that happened, other than it just being the next thing that happens. The overall mood of the book left me feeling rather tepid, but again that might be my disconnection to any of the characters and investment in their survival. Perhaps I'll be able to explore the world in any additional subsequent books in the series.
PS - the one plus I would say, is that the narrator for the audiobook version was a good voice actor. While the words and voice didn't sway me to tears, it provided the story in a steady and at times engaging manner.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC audio version to review.
PS - the one plus I would say, is that the narrator for the audiobook version was a good voice actor. While the words and voice didn't sway me to tears, it provided the story in a steady and at times engaging manner.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC audio version to review.
September 22, 2022
I received an eARC Audiobook from Netgalley thanks to Podium Audio in exchange for an honest review.
I don't think Grimdark just means that there are demons and death. The feeling of this book... was somehow YA, even though I could tell that wasn't the author's intention. There are intimations of characters having sex and there is death, but the main character's stilted delivery and the whole training arc feel of the middle part of this book make it feel like it's for a younger audience.
The world-building in this also feels very YA. A young adult book tends to build world-building in lore and mechanics and the politics of it all usually feel either incredibly bloated or underdeveloped. That's how this felt to me.
There is nothing inherently bad with this book, it just didn't bring any kind of spark to my life and it just failed to deliver on its promise of a Grimdark Fantasy.
I don't think Grimdark just means that there are demons and death. The feeling of this book... was somehow YA, even though I could tell that wasn't the author's intention. There are intimations of characters having sex and there is death, but the main character's stilted delivery and the whole training arc feel of the middle part of this book make it feel like it's for a younger audience.
The world-building in this also feels very YA. A young adult book tends to build world-building in lore and mechanics and the politics of it all usually feel either incredibly bloated or underdeveloped. That's how this felt to me.
There is nothing inherently bad with this book, it just didn't bring any kind of spark to my life and it just failed to deliver on its promise of a Grimdark Fantasy.
September 27, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
Did I like it? Yes. Did I wish there were ANY great female characters at all? Absolutely! Why do so many fantasy authors believe that women are just window dressing? Not cool. Like - every woman in this book is a weak, useless side character with the exception of one, and her story is tertiary at best and her ending terribly anticlimactic.
If you can look past the casual sexism in the author’s treatment of women, then this is a really fascinating story with amazing world building. Leones’s story is intriguing, and while I called the reveal at the end, it was still absolutely perfect! There were quite a few side characters that I really enjoyed as well, and I definitely want to explore more of the world. Do I want to know what happens next? Absolutely. Will I read the rest of the story? Maybe - if there is a possibility of some redeeming female characters.
Did I like it? Yes. Did I wish there were ANY great female characters at all? Absolutely! Why do so many fantasy authors believe that women are just window dressing? Not cool. Like - every woman in this book is a weak, useless side character with the exception of one, and her story is tertiary at best and her ending terribly anticlimactic.
If you can look past the casual sexism in the author’s treatment of women, then this is a really fascinating story with amazing world building. Leones’s story is intriguing, and while I called the reveal at the end, it was still absolutely perfect! There were quite a few side characters that I really enjoyed as well, and I definitely want to explore more of the world. Do I want to know what happens next? Absolutely. Will I read the rest of the story? Maybe - if there is a possibility of some redeeming female characters.
June 20, 2023
Solid start, Rough Ending
I throughly enjoy the time warping powers that tend to be in books like this. However, the story has to be good and you have to stick to the rules in what you write, if you do break the rules somehow an exception rule needs to be made. Even with this fault I could rate at 4/5.
Then we hit 75% through the book and the plot gets a little out of hand. At that point I could rate 3/5.
Then somehow at 90-95% You decide to let the crazy out and The book or story doesnt even make sense anymore. It was like the ending belonged in a completely different book. Very disappointed 2/5.
You could have just had the MC finished the Revenge story you started in the beginning, but no you had to get all mind bending.
I throughly enjoy the time warping powers that tend to be in books like this. However, the story has to be good and you have to stick to the rules in what you write, if you do break the rules somehow an exception rule needs to be made. Even with this fault I could rate at 4/5.
Then we hit 75% through the book and the plot gets a little out of hand. At that point I could rate 3/5.
Then somehow at 90-95% You decide to let the crazy out and The book or story doesnt even make sense anymore. It was like the ending belonged in a completely different book. Very disappointed 2/5.
You could have just had the MC finished the Revenge story you started in the beginning, but no you had to get all mind bending.
October 18, 2022
I can’t say I cared for this book. The premise is interesting, but the main character is meh. I don’t care for him or his struggle. It’s not that he’s unlikeable; he just has no depth. I assumed this would be a revenge plot, but it went somewhere out to left field.
The time manipulation aspect is interesting, but everything gets really weird really fast. More books are obviously being set up, yet I can’t say I care to ever read them.
There are also some chapters that make very little sense. Like, it switches from first person to third. I’m not sure of the narrating intent there, but I didn’t care for it.
The end/big reveal also did nothing for my interest in subsequent books.
The time manipulation aspect is interesting, but everything gets really weird really fast. More books are obviously being set up, yet I can’t say I care to ever read them.
There are also some chapters that make very little sense. Like, it switches from first person to third. I’m not sure of the narrating intent there, but I didn’t care for it.
The end/big reveal also did nothing for my interest in subsequent books.
August 17, 2023
5/5.
This won't be for anyone, as you can likely see from other reviews, but this novel absolutely did it for me in the best way. A Blade Through Time is a grimdark progression fantasy with excellent characters, prose, and a fascinating world with a vengeance plot and much more simmering in the background.
Our protagonist, Leones, was the son of a noble who is executed by the Magisters, mages serving the Archon, one of the eleven divine rulers who defend humanity against the Goethia, who are demons/fallen angels from Christian mythology, although their rulers and more powerful members are more accurately described as powerful Lovecraftian entities whose existence bends space and time.
Speaking of time, Leones learns he has the ability to go back one hour at a time, up to a total of around three hours a day. As a result, he needs to carefully use his power in order to avoid problems and win fights; I really enjoyed how he struggles with reversing time more than he should and having fractured memories of events that don't exist in his current timeline. He eventually goes to study with the philosophers, and his interactions with the characters, especially Felix, are interesting.
The book absolutely is a slow burn, with Leones slowly and gradually growing stronger during his time with the philosophers, until shit hits the fan in the last 20-30% as demon lords and powerful forces begin making their plays and the fabric of reality is tested, with twist after twist.
This is also one of the most intelligent progression fantasies and general fantasies I've read, with well-written prose to match; the discussions of philosophy, human nature, reality, the mind, memory, dimensionalism, demons and angels, the universe, and, of course, time, were well done and also tied in well with Leones's growth and the themes and worldbuilding of the novel. I also appreciated the nature of feeling small in comparison to the larger mysteries of the cosmos - Lovecraft would be proud.
The author has mentioned he plans for this to be a 4 book series, and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book. If anything about my review interests you, give this a read! It'll be worth it.
This won't be for anyone, as you can likely see from other reviews, but this novel absolutely did it for me in the best way. A Blade Through Time is a grimdark progression fantasy with excellent characters, prose, and a fascinating world with a vengeance plot and much more simmering in the background.
Our protagonist, Leones, was the son of a noble who is executed by the Magisters, mages serving the Archon, one of the eleven divine rulers who defend humanity against the Goethia, who are demons/fallen angels from Christian mythology, although their rulers and more powerful members are more accurately described as powerful Lovecraftian entities whose existence bends space and time.
Speaking of time, Leones learns he has the ability to go back one hour at a time, up to a total of around three hours a day. As a result, he needs to carefully use his power in order to avoid problems and win fights; I really enjoyed how he struggles with reversing time more than he should and having fractured memories of events that don't exist in his current timeline. He eventually goes to study with the philosophers, and his interactions with the characters, especially Felix, are interesting.
The book absolutely is a slow burn, with Leones slowly and gradually growing stronger during his time with the philosophers, until shit hits the fan in the last 20-30% as demon lords and powerful forces begin making their plays and the fabric of reality is tested, with twist after twist.
This is also one of the most intelligent progression fantasies and general fantasies I've read, with well-written prose to match; the discussions of philosophy, human nature, reality, the mind, memory, dimensionalism, demons and angels, the universe, and, of course, time, were well done and also tied in well with Leones's growth and the themes and worldbuilding of the novel. I also appreciated the nature of feeling small in comparison to the larger mysteries of the cosmos - Lovecraft would be proud.
The author has mentioned he plans for this to be a 4 book series, and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book. If anything about my review interests you, give this a read! It'll be worth it.
October 2, 2022
4.5 stars
ARC review - but it’s already published!
I loved this story so much and I can’t wait for a sequel (although you get a complete arc in the story!)
If you’ve had that fantasy / time-travel itch ever since The Licanius Trilogy, this is the book for you. I know time travel is hard to do effectively, but his limitations help keep the story in line and working well.
Louis Kalman’s debut novel introduces us to Leones Ansteri as a teenager when the governing body comes to his home to kill his whole family, and they do but this triggers a latent time-travel ability in him to travel back in time for a period of one hour. He tries to warn his father who sends him away telling him to hone his power to become stronger and provide more warning.
There are demi-gods, monsters, and demons in this world so we see Leones seek the philosophers to help teach him what he needs to know without revealing his talent. It’s a interesting story throughout the whole book and the narration at time can be unreliable because Leones remembers the events whenever he travels back but no one else does. This leads to him seriously questioning his own morality of these actions and weighing that against the challenges he faces as he learns more about the threats this world is full of.
It lost a half a star from me because there could’ve been some more world building to help the reader really understand things, but this can happen in the sequels hopefully.
Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer who provides an exceptional performance throughout the story.
Big thanks to Netgalley and Podium Audio for providing me with a chance to get in on this book early. I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
ARC review - but it’s already published!
I loved this story so much and I can’t wait for a sequel (although you get a complete arc in the story!)
If you’ve had that fantasy / time-travel itch ever since The Licanius Trilogy, this is the book for you. I know time travel is hard to do effectively, but his limitations help keep the story in line and working well.
Louis Kalman’s debut novel introduces us to Leones Ansteri as a teenager when the governing body comes to his home to kill his whole family, and they do but this triggers a latent time-travel ability in him to travel back in time for a period of one hour. He tries to warn his father who sends him away telling him to hone his power to become stronger and provide more warning.
There are demi-gods, monsters, and demons in this world so we see Leones seek the philosophers to help teach him what he needs to know without revealing his talent. It’s a interesting story throughout the whole book and the narration at time can be unreliable because Leones remembers the events whenever he travels back but no one else does. This leads to him seriously questioning his own morality of these actions and weighing that against the challenges he faces as he learns more about the threats this world is full of.
It lost a half a star from me because there could’ve been some more world building to help the reader really understand things, but this can happen in the sequels hopefully.
Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer who provides an exceptional performance throughout the story.
Big thanks to Netgalley and Podium Audio for providing me with a chance to get in on this book early. I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
September 24, 2022
𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Echoes of the Void
𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿: Paimon
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Normal
Type: Book
𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Demon HighISH Fantasy with sci-fi thoughts
4.3/𝟱
🌱THE EXCELLENT
~ High fantasy with realms, demons, angels & human idiots
~ Well-written intrigue & deaths
~ Somewhat gory
~ Considerations of loyalty, friendships, time, endurance, etc
~ Messing with time paradoxes
Leones is killed on his 16th year - incinerated - after watching the same fate come to his father & the staff within his wealthy house- OR is he?! Because Leones discovers that he can play with time, & it’s only a matter of days & moments when he’s sent out into the world to become stronger & to solve the mysteries of demons & ‘gods’ & their servants.
I jumped into this one blind & feel rewarded. In this world, demons, angels & ‘gods’ ATTEMPT to walk the earth & so there is a lot of ‘casual’ violence towards human-like people and weaker beings. I believed the writing & could understand the motivations of the main characters.
✨𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱.
🌱THE MEH
~ Women are mostly there to nag/complain, be sexual companions or be annoying & die. Sad. 😔
~ Something about the characters was just slightly annoying 🤔 not sure what though…
♡🌱 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲 ;)
𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿: Paimon
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Normal
Type: Book
𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Demon HighISH Fantasy with sci-fi thoughts
4.3/𝟱
🌱THE EXCELLENT
~ High fantasy with realms, demons, angels & human idiots
~ Well-written intrigue & deaths
~ Somewhat gory
~ Considerations of loyalty, friendships, time, endurance, etc
~ Messing with time paradoxes
Leones is killed on his 16th year - incinerated - after watching the same fate come to his father & the staff within his wealthy house- OR is he?! Because Leones discovers that he can play with time, & it’s only a matter of days & moments when he’s sent out into the world to become stronger & to solve the mysteries of demons & ‘gods’ & their servants.
I jumped into this one blind & feel rewarded. In this world, demons, angels & ‘gods’ ATTEMPT to walk the earth & so there is a lot of ‘casual’ violence towards human-like people and weaker beings. I believed the writing & could understand the motivations of the main characters.
✨𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱.
🌱THE MEH
~ Women are mostly there to nag/complain, be sexual companions or be annoying & die. Sad. 😔
~ Something about the characters was just slightly annoying 🤔 not sure what though…
♡🌱 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲 ;)
September 22, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Podium Audio for an advanced audio copy.
A Blade Through Time is the first book in the Desolada series. This serves as a great standalone story but also an excellent way to start a series. It has a little bit of everything; demigods, magic, demons, sword fights, and so much more. It was a little confusing at times but always action-packed.
The story follows Leones who was just sixteen years old at the start of the story. He goes through a traumatic event that awakens a power he didn’t know he had. He can manipulate time. After he was forced to watch his home burn along with everyone in it, he is able to rewind the devastation that he just endured and escape before it even happens. After that Leones is on a quest for redemption and survival.
Leones becomes an apprentice to a philosopher and is able to practice his magic along with other skills like sword fighting, and manipulation. I really enjoyed seeing Leones figure out how his power worked. I liked some of the wording used when he is using it, for example during a fight he is constantly rewinding time to stay ahead of the fight. He calls it “rationing” his power. Seeing how he uses it and learns how to use it differently was very clever writing.
Like I said this is a great first book in a series. It sets the world and characters up in great detail. However, I do not think this would be a good first book if you are just getting into science fiction. Parts can be confusing from a plot perspective and then you add in all the crazy names you get in a book like this and I can just see it not being friendly to newcomers to the genre.
I did not see the ending coming and I really like where the book went. I will be looking forward to seeing how this series progresses.
A Blade Through Time is the first book in the Desolada series. This serves as a great standalone story but also an excellent way to start a series. It has a little bit of everything; demigods, magic, demons, sword fights, and so much more. It was a little confusing at times but always action-packed.
The story follows Leones who was just sixteen years old at the start of the story. He goes through a traumatic event that awakens a power he didn’t know he had. He can manipulate time. After he was forced to watch his home burn along with everyone in it, he is able to rewind the devastation that he just endured and escape before it even happens. After that Leones is on a quest for redemption and survival.
Leones becomes an apprentice to a philosopher and is able to practice his magic along with other skills like sword fighting, and manipulation. I really enjoyed seeing Leones figure out how his power worked. I liked some of the wording used when he is using it, for example during a fight he is constantly rewinding time to stay ahead of the fight. He calls it “rationing” his power. Seeing how he uses it and learns how to use it differently was very clever writing.
Like I said this is a great first book in a series. It sets the world and characters up in great detail. However, I do not think this would be a good first book if you are just getting into science fiction. Parts can be confusing from a plot perspective and then you add in all the crazy names you get in a book like this and I can just see it not being friendly to newcomers to the genre.
I did not see the ending coming and I really like where the book went. I will be looking forward to seeing how this series progresses.
October 2, 2022
Thank you to Podium Audio and Netgalley for sending me an early copy of this audiobook! All opinions are my own!
This book is one that captures you from the very first chapter and doesn't let you go! Its style is one that is extremely engaging and keeps you needing more. I loved the world but did think that it was a tad confusing to tell if this was a world that just slightly diverged from our own or one that is completely different. I really enjoyed the world of demons vs angels and the way that it's somehow very unique even with such a familiar background.
The beginning was a bit slow but I feel as though it continuously picked up and the end definitely had me hanging on every last word. I was so surprised by the plot twists at the end and absolutely need to know more right this second! It's one of those books where I think I know what happened but I'm sure that will be proven false with the next book.
If you like high fantasy and want something that will completely ensnare you and leave you on the edge of your seat, this is the book for you!
This book is one that captures you from the very first chapter and doesn't let you go! Its style is one that is extremely engaging and keeps you needing more. I loved the world but did think that it was a tad confusing to tell if this was a world that just slightly diverged from our own or one that is completely different. I really enjoyed the world of demons vs angels and the way that it's somehow very unique even with such a familiar background.
The beginning was a bit slow but I feel as though it continuously picked up and the end definitely had me hanging on every last word. I was so surprised by the plot twists at the end and absolutely need to know more right this second! It's one of those books where I think I know what happened but I'm sure that will be proven false with the next book.
If you like high fantasy and want something that will completely ensnare you and leave you on the edge of your seat, this is the book for you!
September 17, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley, Podium Audio, and Audible for allowing me to review this advanced copy of A Blade Through Time!
I was drawn in by the cover artwork of this title. "A Grimdark Progression Fantasy"... I wasn't sure what that meant going into this book. But it did indeed become more and more dark as the story progressed. Another thing that drew me in was a fantasy title which deals with time as part of the magic system.
This story was quiet interesting. I loved the magic system. Time manipulation/dilation is fascinating to me, and it isn't used too often in a fantasy setting. But there were other forms of magic besides time, and some of those were fairly unique as well. The story was different than a lot of fantasy out there, as if it had just a little touch of science fiction added to it.
I do wish some of the character work was a little more fleshed out. I felt as though some characters did not have much depth to them. And at a time or two, I was a little confused as to what was happening (time shifts, change of perspectives).
Overall, I was pretty happy with this story and I am looking forward to more from this author.
I was drawn in by the cover artwork of this title. "A Grimdark Progression Fantasy"... I wasn't sure what that meant going into this book. But it did indeed become more and more dark as the story progressed. Another thing that drew me in was a fantasy title which deals with time as part of the magic system.
This story was quiet interesting. I loved the magic system. Time manipulation/dilation is fascinating to me, and it isn't used too often in a fantasy setting. But there were other forms of magic besides time, and some of those were fairly unique as well. The story was different than a lot of fantasy out there, as if it had just a little touch of science fiction added to it.
I do wish some of the character work was a little more fleshed out. I felt as though some characters did not have much depth to them. And at a time or two, I was a little confused as to what was happening (time shifts, change of perspectives).
Overall, I was pretty happy with this story and I am looking forward to more from this author.
December 11, 2022
The world-building in this book is very intricate and it drew me in immediately. Despite the main character Leones Ansteri having the extremely powerful gift of controlling time and being able to go back and fix his mistakes multiple times throughout the story, the author manages to do a good job of making the threats in the story feel significant and real. Leones being able to travel back in time does not mean that he never experiences real consequences to his actions.
He is not all powerful and experiences many limitations (both physical and mental) that in my opinion make him feel more human.
One negative thing I would have to say though, is that the ending of the story was extremely confusing. I genuinely didn’t fully understand what happened until I read the summary of the events of book one on the author’s royalroad account. There’s definitely a lot of information in this book to absorb, and sometimes the writing isn’t clear enough in my opinion.
He is not all powerful and experiences many limitations (both physical and mental) that in my opinion make him feel more human.
One negative thing I would have to say though, is that the ending of the story was extremely confusing. I genuinely didn’t fully understand what happened until I read the summary of the events of book one on the author’s royalroad account. There’s definitely a lot of information in this book to absorb, and sometimes the writing isn’t clear enough in my opinion.
October 7, 2022
There’s a lot going on here…
Just like it says, there’s a lot going on here. We start off with our MC discovering he has time magic, and then it goes to a revenge and gaining power setup, but the power gain is…delayed? Feels negligible? And the revenge never comes. Then we suddenly segue into a demonic invasion, and then we end the book. And there’s a twist at the end that isn’t really much of a twist, but it leaves us with questions about what will happen in the next book. All of this mixed with a pseudo-Christian reference to the most powerful member of the Goetia demons. Really a strange book.
Just like it says, there’s a lot going on here. We start off with our MC discovering he has time magic, and then it goes to a revenge and gaining power setup, but the power gain is…delayed? Feels negligible? And the revenge never comes. Then we suddenly segue into a demonic invasion, and then we end the book. And there’s a twist at the end that isn’t really much of a twist, but it leaves us with questions about what will happen in the next book. All of this mixed with a pseudo-Christian reference to the most powerful member of the Goetia demons. Really a strange book.
November 1, 2022
Thanks, Netgalley, and publisher for the opportunity to read and review!
Very intriguing read which is strongly centered around the development and the exploration of the main character, who has great potential. The world-building is truly unique and intriguing s well as the side characters that are presented. I find this first book as a really good start, but it still lacks the emotional depth the characters need, but still gives that feeling something greater that can be expected in the second installment. That tension of expectation is built really well through the story and keeps following you until the end. Can't wait to find out more in the next book!
Very intriguing read which is strongly centered around the development and the exploration of the main character, who has great potential. The world-building is truly unique and intriguing s well as the side characters that are presented. I find this first book as a really good start, but it still lacks the emotional depth the characters need, but still gives that feeling something greater that can be expected in the second installment. That tension of expectation is built really well through the story and keeps following you until the end. Can't wait to find out more in the next book!
July 8, 2023
I enjoyed the book from the start and I felt like the book had a lot of potential,When I heard that the mc had time related abilities , I was instantly interested ,there was so much that could have been done with such powers although the book got a little slow at the middle I didn't really mind , I was in the mood for slowburn,then all of sudden the shit just hits the fan, I feel like the writer got a little too excited with his ideas and crammed all of it in the last part of the book.
That last reveal in the book would have had more impact if it was done much later in the book, maybe like in book 2.
That last reveal in the book would have had more impact if it was done much later in the book, maybe like in book 2.
August 28, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. While I understand that some readers find the lack of supporting characters or exploration of the world around the protagonist to be not there cup of tea, I find Leones and his internal dialogue to be engaging, especially as the book progress past the 50% mark.
For readers that don’t finish the whole book there can be a lot of confusing writing and narrative threads left off that get explained and examined in the second half of the book, where it all ties together nicely.
I especially enjoyed the philosophical themes and how they eventually play into the story and the main character.
Looking forward to the sequel.
For readers that don’t finish the whole book there can be a lot of confusing writing and narrative threads left off that get explained and examined in the second half of the book, where it all ties together nicely.
I especially enjoyed the philosophical themes and how they eventually play into the story and the main character.
Looking forward to the sequel.
September 18, 2022
Time travel, demons, and a lot of death.
In a good way, the book was confusing at times making me wonder where the story was going and I couldn't have guessed how it ended. Other times it was just confusing due to time travel shenanigans. Even though shenanigans occurred, I did truly like this book due to a few reason. Plot twist after plot twist kept you guessing what was happening. The story itself was compelling, drawing me in to need to know what was going to happen next. And also, the cast of characters were developed well enough to make you feel for them when deaths occurred. I cannot wait to see where where the next book takes us in this series.
In a good way, the book was confusing at times making me wonder where the story was going and I couldn't have guessed how it ended. Other times it was just confusing due to time travel shenanigans. Even though shenanigans occurred, I did truly like this book due to a few reason. Plot twist after plot twist kept you guessing what was happening. The story itself was compelling, drawing me in to need to know what was going to happen next. And also, the cast of characters were developed well enough to make you feel for them when deaths occurred. I cannot wait to see where where the next book takes us in this series.
October 26, 2023
Unfortunately I have attempted to read this 3 times and each time I get to the 20% mark and lose all interest. The opening sequence is action packed and entertaining but then after that it just plummets. It got especially less interesting when Leones made it to the philosophical school.. temple or something, I’m not sure what it was anymore. After trying 3 times I’m just going to call it a dnf at 20%
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