Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
Sadly I don't think I'm the right reader for this book. I struggled with a lot of elements though greatly admire the innovative nature of the story.
I found that I couldn't root for Jyosh. He was such a whirlwind of a character, one minute he's telling you how ruthless and careless and cruel he is in order to meet his goals and in the next he is whining about being unlovable and undeserving. I would have believed in him more if he were the kind of character that simply stood by justifying his wrongdoings with the aim of taking on evil. I also found some of the relationships in here not only difficult to root for but uncomfortable at times. I did find the descriptions and overall writing style to be compelling and easily digestible so I'm certainly interested in reading more books from this author.
Overall I think it's an incredibly innovative story that will attract a lot of readers, I'm just not the right fit for this book.
I found that I couldn't root for Jyosh. He was such a whirlwind of a character, one minute he's telling you how ruthless and careless and cruel he is in order to meet his goals and in the next he is whining about being unlovable and undeserving. I would have believed in him more if he were the kind of character that simply stood by justifying his wrongdoings with the aim of taking on evil. I also found some of the relationships in here not only difficult to root for but uncomfortable at times. I did find the descriptions and overall writing style to be compelling and easily digestible so I'm certainly interested in reading more books from this author.
Overall I think it's an incredibly innovative story that will attract a lot of readers, I'm just not the right fit for this book.
Lightblade by Zamil Akhtar is one of the most unique books I’ve read, unlike anything I’ve read previously.
It’s fantasy, and it’s sci-fi. It’s the matrix and inception and star wars and total recall, with Middle Eastern influences. It feels dystopian but also wondrous and magical and I really feel like the author has taken a bold leap that really makes you pay attention. That’s good, because it’s a book that you certainly have to pay attention to, in order to follow the plot and the various elements at play.
Parts of the book feel like a fever dream. This is mostly achieved because our main character Jyosh is able to travel to a seemingly boundless world in his sleep, where time passes much slower. Akhtar’s writing and imagination really shines during these sequences, where the limits of the real world don’t have to be followed.
For the most part, the author has a control on what must be a big challenge in keeping the plot moving, when there are endless possibilities to diverge into. Despite being quite action packed (and I love the light blades, which are essentially lightsabers) this isn’t a short book at over 500 pages, and the pacing can go between a real frentic page turner to more of a meandering speed. I do feel there is enough interest and intrigue to keep you reading when the action isn’t happening though. Because you know as much as the characters, it helps keep you interested as you learn about what’s going on along with Jyosh as he navigates the story.
I had to concentrate more than I had to for the other two books of Akhtar’s that I’ve read (Death Rider and Gunmetal Gods) mainly because this is a different subgenre with different themes than I usually read, and the subject matter is a little more mind-bending. Saying that, I’m glad I gave something a go that isn’t usually my sort of read as I was able to experience a really colourful, imaginative story.
I think to fully appreciate Lightblade, it’s definitely one of those books you need to be in the right mood for – in this way it could easily be a favourite, 5 star read of some readers whilst others might decide to take a short break and come back to it when they’re ready. I also think I probably missed some references or parts that were inspired by mythologies/stories I don’t know and those readers who understand them will benefit from an extra layer of cleverness.
In Gunmetal Gods, I was really impressed with how the author was able to write captivating characters and you can really hear Jyosh’s voice too and feel his emotions in this too, aswell as the continuing theme of antagonists not being pure evil – or at least, having their own motivations they believe to be the right ones.
Akhtar’s imagination is perhaps the biggest star of the show though, with some beautiful prose and scenery you can really fall in love with. Often this is like one of those dreams where you wake up in the morning and fall back to sleep; vivid, wondrous and expansive. You wake up and it feels almost real. I’m not sure I’ve read many (if any) authors who have such a fantastic, ambitious imagination and the ability to put the world on paper in such a striking way, and this often blew me away. Of course, I also really enjoyed the writing alot (but I already knew I would) and many of the ideas presented were really thought provoking, in the sense that you are still thinking about some of the ideas later in the day.
In addition to this, despite being a regular fantasy reader I am actually not usually a fan of magic – yet I loved the magic system here. The titular lightblade and the magic system surrounding them, with different colours of light having different power for example, I really enjoyed.
I have a massive admiration for Zamil Akhtar taking this book in a direction quite unfamiliar to many readers (or at least most of the books I’ve seen advertised).
Fiction is often an escape from reality and this is the perfect read for leaving the real world and experiencing a dream – complete with lightblades, dragons and stunning descriptions.
Thankyou to the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
It’s fantasy, and it’s sci-fi. It’s the matrix and inception and star wars and total recall, with Middle Eastern influences. It feels dystopian but also wondrous and magical and I really feel like the author has taken a bold leap that really makes you pay attention. That’s good, because it’s a book that you certainly have to pay attention to, in order to follow the plot and the various elements at play.
Parts of the book feel like a fever dream. This is mostly achieved because our main character Jyosh is able to travel to a seemingly boundless world in his sleep, where time passes much slower. Akhtar’s writing and imagination really shines during these sequences, where the limits of the real world don’t have to be followed.
For the most part, the author has a control on what must be a big challenge in keeping the plot moving, when there are endless possibilities to diverge into. Despite being quite action packed (and I love the light blades, which are essentially lightsabers) this isn’t a short book at over 500 pages, and the pacing can go between a real frentic page turner to more of a meandering speed. I do feel there is enough interest and intrigue to keep you reading when the action isn’t happening though. Because you know as much as the characters, it helps keep you interested as you learn about what’s going on along with Jyosh as he navigates the story.
I had to concentrate more than I had to for the other two books of Akhtar’s that I’ve read (Death Rider and Gunmetal Gods) mainly because this is a different subgenre with different themes than I usually read, and the subject matter is a little more mind-bending. Saying that, I’m glad I gave something a go that isn’t usually my sort of read as I was able to experience a really colourful, imaginative story.
I think to fully appreciate Lightblade, it’s definitely one of those books you need to be in the right mood for – in this way it could easily be a favourite, 5 star read of some readers whilst others might decide to take a short break and come back to it when they’re ready. I also think I probably missed some references or parts that were inspired by mythologies/stories I don’t know and those readers who understand them will benefit from an extra layer of cleverness.
In Gunmetal Gods, I was really impressed with how the author was able to write captivating characters and you can really hear Jyosh’s voice too and feel his emotions in this too, aswell as the continuing theme of antagonists not being pure evil – or at least, having their own motivations they believe to be the right ones.
Akhtar’s imagination is perhaps the biggest star of the show though, with some beautiful prose and scenery you can really fall in love with. Often this is like one of those dreams where you wake up in the morning and fall back to sleep; vivid, wondrous and expansive. You wake up and it feels almost real. I’m not sure I’ve read many (if any) authors who have such a fantastic, ambitious imagination and the ability to put the world on paper in such a striking way, and this often blew me away. Of course, I also really enjoyed the writing alot (but I already knew I would) and many of the ideas presented were really thought provoking, in the sense that you are still thinking about some of the ideas later in the day.
In addition to this, despite being a regular fantasy reader I am actually not usually a fan of magic – yet I loved the magic system here. The titular lightblade and the magic system surrounding them, with different colours of light having different power for example, I really enjoyed.
I have a massive admiration for Zamil Akhtar taking this book in a direction quite unfamiliar to many readers (or at least most of the books I’ve seen advertised).
Fiction is often an escape from reality and this is the perfect read for leaving the real world and experiencing a dream – complete with lightblades, dragons and stunning descriptions.
Thankyou to the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was so excited to read this and it did not disappoint. The writing was great. The character development and found family aspects of the book were lovely to see.
I liked that the main character wasnt initially your typical strong MC. I never knew what was eral and what was not.. it has a bit of a sci fi twist which i didnt expect bit really enjoyed. 100% recommend
I liked that the main character wasnt initially your typical strong MC. I never knew what was eral and what was not.. it has a bit of a sci fi twist which i didnt expect bit really enjoyed. 100% recommend
I picked this up because of the epic blurb, but … dang. Really, really wanted to like this, but on the whole, it’s a bit of a mess – tonally, plot-wise, pacing-wise, character-wise, trope-wise.
Conceptually, I am all for a pseudo-lightsaber wielding, revenge-seeking, progression-fantasy protagonist who’s out to murder the tyrannical emperor whose government has enslaved him. I mean, just the sound of that just hits all the beats of cool.
The reality of it, is unfortunately, less so. For one thing, this book is nothing like the blurb. Instead, it reads more like a salad of lifted elements from other SFF works, from the. It wouldn’t be a big deal if the book does anything interesting (or different from the original) with these lifted elements… but it doesn't. So I’m mostly left with recurring reminders of other works, which really only serve to distract me from the actual book.
Thematically as well, it feels like this book is stuffed full of pantomiming of deeper contemplation of Big Concepts, only without heft or originality. Reality, freedom, personhood etc... None of it felt significantly touched on, or in a substantial, original, or different way, than other works of SFF have done. I kept going, OK so what? I think another reviewer said it best - "In the end, everything is quite confusing, and although there are moments of explanation, I still don't understand."
Tonally, the book shifts in really jarring ways. It just makes it hard to take anything seriously, and makes the emotional beats in the story shallow.
And on other threads of incoherence – the was... not easy to slog through. Their connection never felt like anything but surface-level, considering it was built on bland and trite interactions. Ultimately, the at the end of the book feels contrived and emotionally flat.
This one was just not for me.
Conceptually, I am all for a pseudo-lightsaber wielding, revenge-seeking, progression-fantasy protagonist who’s out to murder the tyrannical emperor whose government has enslaved him. I mean, just the sound of that just hits all the beats of cool.
The reality of it, is unfortunately, less so. For one thing, this book is nothing like the blurb. Instead, it reads more like a salad of lifted elements from other SFF works, from the
Spoiler
Inception-esque dream time to lightsabersThematically as well, it feels like this book is stuffed full of pantomiming of deeper contemplation of Big Concepts, only without heft or originality. Reality, freedom, personhood etc... None of it felt significantly touched on, or in a substantial, original, or different way, than other works of SFF have done. I kept going, OK so what? I think another reviewer said it best - "In the end, everything is quite confusing, and although there are moments of explanation, I still don't understand."
Tonally, the book shifts in really jarring ways.
Spoiler
Like when Jyosh goes to train in his dreams, and the story goes from serious-and-austere-training montage to slapstick comedy with frying pans. It also doesn’t help that these training montages are usually preceded by some tear-jerking account of Jyosh’s trauma regarding his family’s death/his brother’s betrayal/his enslavement. But then mere paragraphs later, he’s messing about with a frying pan.And on other threads of incoherence – the
Spoiler
relationship between Jyosh and ZauriSpoiler
despair Jyosh feelsThis one was just not for me.
I read Gunmetal Gods a little over a year ago and while the storyline took a turn that wasn’t to my liking, I was really impressed with the writing itself. It felt well crafted and was a breeze to get through. I was therefore excited to give another book by the same author a try. While I can see why this one would work for others (again, check out Jamedi’s review here), sadly this one didn’t quite turn out to be for me either. There were some elements that were really cool and the author is obviously super creative, it just overall isn’t my kind of story.
Compared to what I remember of his other book, the writing for this one felt a little choppier in places, I struggled with feeling the emotions I should based on the words and scenes, and the dialogue felt a little awkward here and there as well. I also really struggled to picture the world this was set in with its mix of fantasy and tech aspects.
I didn’t read the blurb before reading the book so I didn’t know about this comparison until getting my blog post ready but it very much had a Matrix feeling to it. The dreams were a cool way to allow for more training time without risking weird timeline issues in the real world that would’ve made the reader skeptical about the MC’s experience and skills. Using the light spectrum/sunshine as a base for magic was also very different from anything I’ve read before so I enjoyed that as well. I was a little apprehensive about this book being considered progression fantasy as I haven’t felt too happy with that in the past but I thought this particular element was integrated into the story really well.
Sadly overall though, the book was a little too weird for me between the craziness that happened within and outside of the dreams. I also had no clue what was going on for a while towards the end and found the ending a little bit cheesy.
In contrast to that again though, the main trio was a really good group of characters to follow. They felt consistent in their personalities and had some fun humor. I especially enjoyed the self-doubt and questions of the main character as that felt very familiar to me personally. I also liked some of the reveals we finished up with.
So as you can tell, this book left me with quite a mixed bag of feelings. There were multiple pros and cons. Again, I can see the talent of the author despite not quite enjoying where the story takes me and will probably pick up more of his books in the future.
Compared to what I remember of his other book, the writing for this one felt a little choppier in places, I struggled with feeling the emotions I should based on the words and scenes, and the dialogue felt a little awkward here and there as well. I also really struggled to picture the world this was set in with its mix of fantasy and tech aspects.
I didn’t read the blurb before reading the book so I didn’t know about this comparison until getting my blog post ready but it very much had a Matrix feeling to it. The dreams were a cool way to allow for more training time without risking weird timeline issues in the real world that would’ve made the reader skeptical about the MC’s experience and skills. Using the light spectrum/sunshine as a base for magic was also very different from anything I’ve read before so I enjoyed that as well. I was a little apprehensive about this book being considered progression fantasy as I haven’t felt too happy with that in the past but I thought this particular element was integrated into the story really well.
Sadly overall though, the book was a little too weird for me between the craziness that happened within and outside of the dreams. I also had no clue what was going on for a while towards the end and found the ending a little bit cheesy.
In contrast to that again though, the main trio was a really good group of characters to follow. They felt consistent in their personalities and had some fun humor. I especially enjoyed the self-doubt and questions of the main character as that felt very familiar to me personally. I also liked some of the reveals we finished up with.
So as you can tell, this book left me with quite a mixed bag of feelings. There were multiple pros and cons. Again, I can see the talent of the author despite not quite enjoying where the story takes me and will probably pick up more of his books in the future.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Violence, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Slavery, War
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The premise for this book, Cradle meets The Matrix, had the potential to be a very entertaining and engaging story. Unfortunately, it falls far short of that, and to me at least, was rather bland having failed to capture my interest.
The characters were all lacking that spark of personality that allows you to become invested in them, while the plot seemed to be on the verge of shifting up a gear but failing to do so.
Overall, this was a disappointing read.
The characters were all lacking that spark of personality that allows you to become invested in them, while the plot seemed to be on the verge of shifting up a gear but failing to do so.
Overall, this was a disappointing read.
I received an arc provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Disclaimer: This is my first Zamil Akhtar book but I've heard a lot of praise recently - Lightblade definitely confirms why. In three days, Jyosh will slay the God Emperor, or die trying. But first he must train his lightblade skills. While asleep. Each hour of sleep equals a day in a lucid dream, plenty of time to master the essential lightblade techniques and hopefully get skilled enough to defeat the monster who enslaved him and beheaded his parents and sister.
When Jyosh awakens to learn that the God Emperor has surrendered to an even crueller foe, a mysterious lightblade master who can summon divine dragons to burn whole cities, he’ll face a trial by fire against forces far more frightening than he could ever dream. That is, if he’s not still in one.
This was a brilliantly crafted piece of art. It is clear that Zamil has taken influence from many mind-bending works like Star Wars and the Matrix but has weaved culture into this story. The action was gritty and edgy, with sprays of blood infused with intelligent workings. This was a solid foundation for a series that looks to be truly epic and influential. The vision that Zamil has introduced is evolutionary and the world-building is phenomenal. The cyberpunk-esque designs and the descriptive markers really helped create an image and world in my mind which is reminiscent of the story.
There is a weirdness to the concept that is perfectly captured along with the hopelessness of waking life. Each chapter provided an unexpected narrative change but was progressively nurturing. The level of complication to the characters was brutal yet intriguing. This is a promising start to a solid series that requires re-read upon re-read to digest its many layers.
If this is the level of work that we get with Zamil Akhtar then I can honestly say that I am excited for the rest of the series and look to previous books.
Disclaimer: This is my first Zamil Akhtar book but I've heard a lot of praise recently - Lightblade definitely confirms why. In three days, Jyosh will slay the God Emperor, or die trying. But first he must train his lightblade skills. While asleep. Each hour of sleep equals a day in a lucid dream, plenty of time to master the essential lightblade techniques and hopefully get skilled enough to defeat the monster who enslaved him and beheaded his parents and sister.
When Jyosh awakens to learn that the God Emperor has surrendered to an even crueller foe, a mysterious lightblade master who can summon divine dragons to burn whole cities, he’ll face a trial by fire against forces far more frightening than he could ever dream. That is, if he’s not still in one.
This was a brilliantly crafted piece of art. It is clear that Zamil has taken influence from many mind-bending works like Star Wars and the Matrix but has weaved culture into this story. The action was gritty and edgy, with sprays of blood infused with intelligent workings. This was a solid foundation for a series that looks to be truly epic and influential. The vision that Zamil has introduced is evolutionary and the world-building is phenomenal. The cyberpunk-esque designs and the descriptive markers really helped create an image and world in my mind which is reminiscent of the story.
There is a weirdness to the concept that is perfectly captured along with the hopelessness of waking life. Each chapter provided an unexpected narrative change but was progressively nurturing. The level of complication to the characters was brutal yet intriguing. This is a promising start to a solid series that requires re-read upon re-read to digest its many layers.
If this is the level of work that we get with Zamil Akhtar then I can honestly say that I am excited for the rest of the series and look to previous books.
4 stars
For a novel I came close to DNFing, boy am I glad I pushed through because the last quarter or so of Lightblade is phenomenal.
This was my first foray into progression fantasy and my first time reading a novel from an indie author via recommendations on Reddit and by booktubers, so I didn't really know what to expect going in other than the blurb. Lightblade goes in a completely different direction a few chapters in and it is kind of jarring and confusing, which is alleviated by the MC, Jyosh, feeling the exact same way. This sequence of events begins to unveil this absurdly creative and fantastical world which is easily the best part of this novel and the biggest draw to read the sequel when it releases. I have no idea how Akhtar formed all these ideas about the very nature of the world the characters inhabit, but as you learn more particularly towards the end, it is honestly mindblowing.
One of my biggest criticisms is that at times, without delving into spoilers, the characters and their interactions can feel a bit unnatural or absurd, which I initially believed was a result of unsatisfactory writing and nonsensical plot developments. I did not give Akhtar enough credit, it all makes sense by the end, trust me. This is a novel that I feel would be even better to read the second time around knowing all the twists and turns.
The other main criticism, and the one that almost caused me to DNF was the pacing. I'm not sure if this is a staple of the progression fantasy genre, but there are few times throughout Lightblade where there is a chapter or two dedicated to training, often during the middle of significant action/developments due to the nature of the dream stones, and the pace would slow dramatically. And the worst part is, Akhtar leaves the reader with a lot of questions and unresolved threads about the real world that I wanted to progress further towards answering with each chapter, but these dream training chapters, while obviously necessary, feel like a complete diversion in terms of flow. All I will say though is push through, but as the climax nears Akhtar allows everything to kick into full gear and that's where Lightblade truly shines.
I've seen the comparisons to Star Wars, The Matrix etc., but I feel like one comparison that hasn't been mentioned all that much is to Neon Genesis Evangelion. If you've seen it and already read Lightblade, you'll probably know what I'm talking about, but if you like NGE, particularly End of Evangelion, there's a good chance you'll like Lightblade.
Guess I'll have to check out Gunmetal Gods now until the sequel is released. Hopefully Akhtar smooths out the pacing for the followup, but at the very least Lightblade is a strong foundation that requires some faith and trust in the author throughout the first half that is then very highly rewarded with an incredible latter half.
For a novel I came close to DNFing, boy am I glad I pushed through because the last quarter or so of Lightblade is phenomenal.
This was my first foray into progression fantasy and my first time reading a novel from an indie author via recommendations on Reddit and by booktubers, so I didn't really know what to expect going in other than the blurb. Lightblade goes in a completely different direction a few chapters in and it is kind of jarring and confusing, which is alleviated by the MC, Jyosh, feeling the exact same way. This sequence of events begins to unveil this absurdly creative and fantastical world which is easily the best part of this novel and the biggest draw to read the sequel when it releases. I have no idea how Akhtar formed all these ideas about the very nature of the world the characters inhabit, but as you learn more particularly towards the end, it is honestly mindblowing.
One of my biggest criticisms is that at times, without delving into spoilers, the characters and their interactions can feel a bit unnatural or absurd, which I initially believed was a result of unsatisfactory writing and nonsensical plot developments. I did not give Akhtar enough credit, it all makes sense by the end, trust me. This is a novel that I feel would be even better to read the second time around knowing all the twists and turns.
The other main criticism, and the one that almost caused me to DNF was the pacing. I'm not sure if this is a staple of the progression fantasy genre, but there are few times throughout Lightblade where there is a chapter or two dedicated to training, often during the middle of significant action/developments due to the nature of the dream stones, and the pace would slow dramatically. And the worst part is, Akhtar leaves the reader with a lot of questions and unresolved threads about the real world that I wanted to progress further towards answering with each chapter, but these dream training chapters, while obviously necessary, feel like a complete diversion in terms of flow. All I will say though is push through, but as the climax nears Akhtar allows everything to kick into full gear and that's where Lightblade truly shines.
I've seen the comparisons to Star Wars, The Matrix etc., but I feel like one comparison that hasn't been mentioned all that much is to Neon Genesis Evangelion. If you've seen it and already read Lightblade, you'll probably know what I'm talking about, but if you like NGE, particularly End of Evangelion, there's a good chance you'll like Lightblade.
Guess I'll have to check out Gunmetal Gods now until the sequel is released. Hopefully Akhtar smooths out the pacing for the followup, but at the very least Lightblade is a strong foundation that requires some faith and trust in the author throughout the first half that is then very highly rewarded with an incredible latter half.
adventurous
dark
slow-paced