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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
This follows the story of three siblings, children of the emperor. Adare, the emperors daughter, is the finance minister, working in the city to undercover the plot to kill her father, unable to take the throne due to her gender. Then there’s Valyn, the youngest, sent to train for the empire's deadliest fighting force (they fly big birds), leagues away. Finally, there’s Kaden, heir to the throne and studying in a remote monastery to unlock ‘ancient powers’ necessary to rule.
Kaden’s story was definitely my favourite - fast-paced filled with trials, fighting, team dynamics, and paranoia.
I loved the team Kaden is charged leader of - an explosive cast who seem to hate each other more than they value their teamwork.
Annick carried that bow of hers everywhere, Laith preferred to be on the bird's back, and Gwenna never seemed happy unless she was blowing something up.
Admittedly, I read the Unhewn Empire first, so don’t do what I did and read the sequel series before reading this one!
I think that’s what brought down my writing as I loved that book - the skunk, humour, characters… and this is obviously one of Staveley’s first entries, so the quality was lower.
However, this was an engaging read crossing genres - fantasy, grimdark, mystery, politics!
The Emperor’s Blades is the tale of two brothers (and a sister, but I’ll get into that later), the sons of the Emperor of Annur. Kaden, the heir to the throne, was sent to a remote monastery to learn the teachings of the Blank God while his younger brother Valyn was sent to join the Kettral, the Empire’s elite military unit. When the Emperor is murdered from within both suddenly find themselves facing more than a little bit of trouble. While Kaden and Valyn face their own threats their sister Adare does her best to hold the Empire together from within its ruling council. The basic structure of The Emperor’s Blades, particularly in how it deals with a geographically scattered ruling family looking to hold their Empire together reminded me a bit of David Anthony Durham’s splendid Acacia series.
Staveley has a keen eye for action and a willingness to delve into the dark and grim that makes The Emperor’s Blades an absolute blast to read. Where Kaden’s parts of the story remind me of traditional epic fantasy, Valyn’s trials in training to join the Kettral reads like excellent military fantasy. Staveley strikes a wonderful balance between these two sections using the visceral excitement of Valyn’s martial challenges to play a wonderful counter beat to the more cerebral nature of Kaden’s narrative. There is a fantastic and engaging dichotomy between those two narratives that really makes the pages fly by.
Unfortunately, where things fall apart is with Adare and the political aspects of the novel which don’t quite hold up to the rest. In truth, Adare, who has an important post in the government but is denied the regency due to being a woman, feels a bit tacked on. Adare’s perspective feels like a wasted opportunity. I don’t have any actual statistics to back this up but it certainly feels like Kaden and Valyn’s narrative take up a larger percentage of The Emperor’s Blades than Adare’s do. The style and pacing of Adare’s perspective mean that switching from either of her brothers to her perspective is jarring and makes her chapters feel like a chore. Adare’s chapters are particularly trying since her character doesn’t seem to be nearly as well-rounded as that of her brothers. She holds the prominent financial position in the Empire’s ruling council but we don’t ever really seem to see her do her job. Where both Kaden and Valyn have opportunities to aptly demonstrate the things they have learned during their respective training Adare doesn’t seem to do more than seethe at her fathers death and plot revenge.
Stavely has created an interesting world in The Emperor’s Blades. I was particularly enamored with the customs and practices of the Kettral and sort of Eastern-themed philosophy of the Blank God was also fascinating. Given the remote locations of both Kaden and Valyn this leaves comparatively little place to actually explore the Empire that Kaden is set to inherit. This is where Adare’s chapters are likely intended to help and while they do reveal some details of the Annur Empire particularly the tension between the entrenched nobility and the religious elite (who primarily hold sway over the common folk). Intentionally or not Adare’s chapters, and some of Kaden’s, reveal that the Annur Empire is not the most benevolent of kingdoms a notion that sort of deadens the reader’s support for Kaden and Valyn. However, Stavely takes pains to demonstrate the characters of of both Kaden and Valyn and at the very least both seem less dedicated to the notion of empire than they do towards their love of one another. Of course there is more to the Annur throne than simply political power and Kaden’s education by the monks of the Blank God reveal deeper and more troubling machinations from outside the bounds of Empire.
The Emperor’s Blades is an excellent debut novel that while familiar in some respects and stumbling in others makes up for its shortcomings with a blistering narrative and keen sense of both action and wonder. While I was disappointed in Adare’s narrative and characterization I maintain a hope (particularly given the revelations later in the novel) that we will see those elements improve. Stavely barely scratches the surface on the more magical elements of his world and while it is somewhat intrinisic to the nature of his world he doesn’t lay out the details too neatly. There is more to be discovered; a sentiment that I think is a worthwhile accomplishment not only in a debut novel but in the first novel of a series. Brian Stavely is one to watch and if you enjoy epic fantasy I think that The Emperor’s Blades is definitely worth checking out.
Staveley has a keen eye for action and a willingness to delve into the dark and grim that makes The Emperor’s Blades an absolute blast to read. Where Kaden’s parts of the story remind me of traditional epic fantasy, Valyn’s trials in training to join the Kettral reads like excellent military fantasy. Staveley strikes a wonderful balance between these two sections using the visceral excitement of Valyn’s martial challenges to play a wonderful counter beat to the more cerebral nature of Kaden’s narrative. There is a fantastic and engaging dichotomy between those two narratives that really makes the pages fly by.
Unfortunately, where things fall apart is with Adare and the political aspects of the novel which don’t quite hold up to the rest. In truth, Adare, who has an important post in the government but is denied the regency due to being a woman, feels a bit tacked on. Adare’s perspective feels like a wasted opportunity. I don’t have any actual statistics to back this up but it certainly feels like Kaden and Valyn’s narrative take up a larger percentage of The Emperor’s Blades than Adare’s do. The style and pacing of Adare’s perspective mean that switching from either of her brothers to her perspective is jarring and makes her chapters feel like a chore. Adare’s chapters are particularly trying since her character doesn’t seem to be nearly as well-rounded as that of her brothers. She holds the prominent financial position in the Empire’s ruling council but we don’t ever really seem to see her do her job. Where both Kaden and Valyn have opportunities to aptly demonstrate the things they have learned during their respective training Adare doesn’t seem to do more than seethe at her fathers death and plot revenge.
Stavely has created an interesting world in The Emperor’s Blades. I was particularly enamored with the customs and practices of the Kettral and sort of Eastern-themed philosophy of the Blank God was also fascinating. Given the remote locations of both Kaden and Valyn this leaves comparatively little place to actually explore the Empire that Kaden is set to inherit. This is where Adare’s chapters are likely intended to help and while they do reveal some details of the Annur Empire particularly the tension between the entrenched nobility and the religious elite (who primarily hold sway over the common folk). Intentionally or not Adare’s chapters, and some of Kaden’s, reveal that the Annur Empire is not the most benevolent of kingdoms a notion that sort of deadens the reader’s support for Kaden and Valyn. However, Stavely takes pains to demonstrate the characters of of both Kaden and Valyn and at the very least both seem less dedicated to the notion of empire than they do towards their love of one another. Of course there is more to the Annur throne than simply political power and Kaden’s education by the monks of the Blank God reveal deeper and more troubling machinations from outside the bounds of Empire.
The Emperor’s Blades is an excellent debut novel that while familiar in some respects and stumbling in others makes up for its shortcomings with a blistering narrative and keen sense of both action and wonder. While I was disappointed in Adare’s narrative and characterization I maintain a hope (particularly given the revelations later in the novel) that we will see those elements improve. Stavely barely scratches the surface on the more magical elements of his world and while it is somewhat intrinisic to the nature of his world he doesn’t lay out the details too neatly. There is more to be discovered; a sentiment that I think is a worthwhile accomplishment not only in a debut novel but in the first novel of a series. Brian Stavely is one to watch and if you enjoy epic fantasy I think that The Emperor’s Blades is definitely worth checking out.
4,5 stars but I'm not quite bumping it up to 5 stars. The book is amazing but for it to be a 5 star read it had to have moved me more in an emotional way.
Great book: great writing, great characters, great plot and great worldbuilding. Everything you want out of a fantasy book. The pacing was a little slow at first (it took a while for the plot to come together) but what a reward in the end! Unpredictable yet everything just worked. It had me gasping and telling my husband multiple times 'you HAVE to read this book!' Can't wait to get my hands on the sequel.
My only negative: Adare deserved more of a storyline. She was unforgettable but I wanted to get to know her better. Hope this happens in the next installments.
Great book: great writing, great characters, great plot and great worldbuilding. Everything you want out of a fantasy book. The pacing was a little slow at first (it took a while for the plot to come together) but what a reward in the end! Unpredictable yet everything just worked. It had me gasping and telling my husband multiple times 'you HAVE to read this book!' Can't wait to get my hands on the sequel.
My only negative: Adare deserved more of a storyline. She was unforgettable but I wanted to get to know her better. Hope this happens in the next installments.
Huh, well, I disagree with a large number of reviews here.
To be vague and brief, there's an ancient race(?) of evil(?) people, returned again and bent on revenge. That's the high level Big Bad we don't see much of after the beginning. The low level Big Bad of this particular book is a coup that kills the current emperor, leaving the children to pick up the pieces. Kaden is the oldest (and now the emperor), and was sent to a remote monastery ostensibly to learn monk things, but also for other more specific plot reasons. Valyn, his younger brother (and the more interesting of the two, IMO) is training to be a Kettral, highly skilled bird warriors who can do basically anything and do it with style. He finds out about the coup and wants to go protect his brother/the new emperor, but is waylaid with his training and unravelling his own set of plot problems before he can do so. Adare, their sister, is in the capitol at the time of the coup, survives, but cannot take the throne because, whoops, she's a girl. Instead, she's been made Minister, and is evidently highly skilled at politics or somesuch. She thinks she knows who's behind the coup, and wants to see them punished. We don't see much of her in this book.
I didn't think it was a perfect fantasy book by any means, but I don't think it was slow (a common problem I see mentioned here). I agree Valyn's storyline was the most interesting of the three, but I also think Kaden's was necessary to set up his development as a character, and also establish what he can do later on. I think both characters suffer a bit from the Chosen One(s?) trope, where they both seem incredibly capable by merit of being the main characters, though. And Adare, who exists in this book, definitely needed something more to keep her apace of her brothers and not made to feel like she's a less capable sibling.
All that said, I thought the story that's set up is interesting to me, and I do feel compelled to continue to see where it goes. It's not a perfect fantasy book, but if it's fun for me to read and interesting enough for me to want to continue with it, that's enough for me.
To be vague and brief, there's an ancient race(?) of evil(?) people, returned again and bent on revenge. That's the high level Big Bad we don't see much of after the beginning. The low level Big Bad of this particular book is a coup that kills the current emperor, leaving the children to pick up the pieces. Kaden is the oldest (and now the emperor), and was sent to a remote monastery ostensibly to learn monk things, but also for other more specific plot reasons. Valyn, his younger brother (and the more interesting of the two, IMO) is training to be a Kettral, highly skilled bird warriors who can do basically anything and do it with style. He finds out about the coup and wants to go protect his brother/the new emperor, but is waylaid with his training and unravelling his own set of plot problems before he can do so. Adare, their sister, is in the capitol at the time of the coup, survives, but cannot take the throne because, whoops, she's a girl. Instead, she's been made Minister, and is evidently highly skilled at politics or somesuch. She thinks she knows who's behind the coup, and wants to see them punished. We don't see much of her in this book.
I didn't think it was a perfect fantasy book by any means, but I don't think it was slow (a common problem I see mentioned here). I agree Valyn's storyline was the most interesting of the three, but I also think Kaden's was necessary to set up his development as a character, and also establish what he can do later on. I think both characters suffer a bit from the Chosen One(s?) trope, where they both seem incredibly capable by merit of being the main characters, though. And Adare, who exists in this book, definitely needed something more to keep her apace of her brothers and not made to feel like she's a less capable sibling.
All that said, I thought the story that's set up is interesting to me, and I do feel compelled to continue to see where it goes. It's not a perfect fantasy book, but if it's fun for me to read and interesting enough for me to want to continue with it, that's enough for me.
A lot of the plot was predictable but the engaging writing more than made up for it.
3.8/5
3.8/5
DNF @ 12%. I see, skimming other reviews, I stopped short of meeting all three children of the dead emperor, but I doubt I'm missing much.
I found this to have a fairly smooth and readable style, but not to be anything I felt was worth reading about.
I'm simply not interested in a story that has devoted so much world-building time to pain. Kaden is physically abused, supposedly in the name of teaching him their ways, by the order of monks who raised and sheltered him. The order of elite fighters that Valyn belongs to is apparently so violent in its training that many cadets don't make it to their Trial, plus the cadets like to beat each other up on top of that. As I didn't get to the female protagonist, the Emperor's daughter, I've been spared whatever horrible and painful upbringing and daily life she's got, but I'm sure it's awful, based on her brother's lives.
I get that having the protagonists suffer is an important way to demonstrate conflict, but on a plot level "suffering" should mean the much broader sense of them struggling or failing to achieve their goals, or losing something important to them. It doesn't mean that the characters have to be introduced as victims of abuse, especially when the author doesn't seem to view them that way (even in my limited reading so far.) They're clearly supposed to be badasses tempered by their harsh environment, or whatever, but all I see is misery, and I don't want to keep reading about it.
Also, though I have far fewer examples and won't go into depth because other reviewers have done it better, there's some rampant misogyny and fatphobia already on display, even this early. Bored with it, moving on.
I found this to have a fairly smooth and readable style, but not to be anything I felt was worth reading about.
I'm simply not interested in a story that has devoted so much world-building time to pain. Kaden is physically abused, supposedly in the name of teaching him their ways, by the order of monks who raised and sheltered him. The order of elite fighters that Valyn belongs to is apparently so violent in its training that many cadets don't make it to their Trial, plus the cadets like to beat each other up on top of that. As I didn't get to the female protagonist, the Emperor's daughter, I've been spared whatever horrible and painful upbringing and daily life she's got, but I'm sure it's awful, based on her brother's lives.
I get that having the protagonists suffer is an important way to demonstrate conflict, but on a plot level "suffering" should mean the much broader sense of them struggling or failing to achieve their goals, or losing something important to them. It doesn't mean that the characters have to be introduced as victims of abuse, especially when the author doesn't seem to view them that way (even in my limited reading so far.) They're clearly supposed to be badasses tempered by their harsh environment, or whatever, but all I see is misery, and I don't want to keep reading about it.
Also, though I have far fewer examples and won't go into depth because other reviewers have done it better, there's some rampant misogyny and fatphobia already on display, even this early. Bored with it, moving on.
My biggest problems with the book were tropes, obvious plot lines and extremely poor characters.
Story telling - I normally enjoy having a story told from multiple POVs, however I found that whenever the POV would change, I would be dreading it. No matter how interesting the POV had been when it ended, when it started back up, I didn't have any of that interest remaining. The plot and twists felt really obvious,.
Characters - I didn't like any of the characters (I am not going to discuss the side characters, as this will make the review far too long):
Adare (why her POV even exists when she only has about 3-chapters, I don't know) - The only sibling who has been brought up to understand the political landscape, intelligent and capable enough to be the finance minister and some how, constantly being goaded/manipulated into making political, emotional missteps by all of the male side characters in her story line.
Valyn - First off, every side character in Valyn's POV are complete unbelievable tropes, I felt nothing for any of them. Valyn isn't the best fighter, shooter or demolitions guy, however he is supposed to be a good leader and tactician. I can't remember any moment in the book where he made a decision that was impressive,.
Kaden - Has the slowest story, however it didn't have as many frustrating elements as the other two main character story lines, so I tended to prefer Kaden. That didn't mean I liked him though, I just didn't dislike him until about 75% of the way through..
World Building - Probably has the most potential. We have a couple of races, a magical system, political & religious factions. I can see there is a chance for interesting world building that could give for better story telling. However for me, it isn't enough to continue reading the series.
Story telling - I normally enjoy having a story told from multiple POVs, however I found that whenever the POV would change, I would be dreading it. No matter how interesting the POV had been when it ended, when it started back up, I didn't have any of that interest remaining. The plot and twists felt really obvious,
Spoiler
I can't believe the obvious bad guys in the Ketteral ended up being the bad guys in the endCharacters - I didn't like any of the characters (I am not going to discuss the side characters, as this will make the review far too long):
Adare (why her POV even exists when she only has about 3-chapters, I don't know) - The only sibling who has been brought up to understand the political landscape, intelligent and capable enough to be the finance minister and some how, constantly being goaded/manipulated into making political, emotional missteps by all of the male side characters in her story line.
Valyn - First off, every side character in Valyn's POV are complete unbelievable tropes, I felt nothing for any of them. Valyn isn't the best fighter, shooter or demolitions guy, however he is supposed to be a good leader and tactician. I can't remember any moment in the book where he made a decision that was impressive,
Spoiler
which means that the Ketteral who claim to not care what station a person was at before joining, raised him to lead because he is the Emperors son/brother. Him suddenly becoming 'dark' because he murdered Yurl was seriously lame too. He also chose to keep people with Talal just a moment before to keep him safe, I don't think its all that 'dark' that he made Yurl so scared before killing himKaden - Has the slowest story, however it didn't have as many frustrating elements as the other two main character story lines, so I tended to prefer Kaden. That didn't mean I liked him though, I just didn't dislike him until about 75% of the way through.
Spoiler
Him learning about the vaniate and being able to reach it at the exact moments he needed to, was pretty awful writing. The whole scene with Triste where we're supposed to clap Kaden on the back for not sleeping with a young and extremely scared girl was incredibly frustrating too, I think it was here that I could no longer care for Kaden's story line either.World Building - Probably has the most potential. We have a couple of races, a magical system, political & religious factions. I can see there is a chance for interesting world building that could give for better story telling. However for me, it isn't enough to continue reading the series.
Good book, a little slower paced than I had anticipated, but very well written.
Plot (Story / Pacing / Ending): 4/5
Characters (Characters / Development): 5/5
Writing (Prose / Dialogue / Style): 5/5
Other (Enjoyment / Read Pace / Worldbuilding / Etc): 5/5
Characters (Characters / Development): 5/5
Writing (Prose / Dialogue / Style): 5/5
Other (Enjoyment / Read Pace / Worldbuilding / Etc): 5/5