Traitor's Blade by Sebastien de Castell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I think I may have found a new fantasy favorite. Or one among a handful I can go ga-ga over, anyway. :)

It's refreshing as hell. I think it's the writing and the dialogue more than anything, but I still feel refreshed and eager even when really horrible stuff is happening. I think it's how the information is conveyed rather than the fact of it. I mean, getting a room in an inn with a duke's head in a bag, going out back to bury it properly with the innkeeper? Brilliant.

I've heard others describe this as Three Musketeers in a fantasy setting and that may be. If it is, then I really really need to get off my ass and read the original, because this book was pretty kickin and extremely enjoyable.

I don't really think the title does it justice and I the whole outside idea of what a Greatcloak happens to be just didn't spark my imagination, but when I was actually reading this, I was like... Oh! Dishonored but classically GOOD knights all wrapped up in the idea of justice for the downtrodden, etc, despite the fear and the classically horrible dukes of this kingdom driving everyone into misery.

I'm not doing this book justice. Maybe the Greatcloaks should come at me.

Truly, it's a rip-roaring good time even with all the revenge and the mad berserker rages and the loss and the slim silver threads of redemption. The world is really horrible. That's why these Greatcloaks shine so damn bright. And the way it's written makes it both witty, a charming read, and fun. :)

What more can we ask for?

Some writers just have that spark and this one has it. :)

View all my reviews