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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pretty good book, it sort of read like a DnD campaign that the DM hasn't fully written and throws some twists into mid story with no real idea of the repercussions they'll have later on. There were a few threads I would have liked to see tied up, but over all it was a satisfying read.
Content warning for SA:
Rape and sexual abuse play an oddly pivotal role in this story, from the main character's backstory all the way up to his actions at the end of the book. Including these themes are not inherently a reason to write off a book for me, but I would have liked to see them portrayed in a more negative light.
Content warning for SA:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Rape, Sexual violence, Cannibalism
Ableism: The main baddie is physically disabled as a result of him raping a woman. Troubling connotations.>
This is the second book of Alex's that I've read, following Blood Groove, which was from nearly three years ago. I'm sort of surprised that it took me that long to get back to it (though I really shouldn't; for whatever reason, none of my local bookstores tend to carry his stuff without me having to special order it, and I'm one of those "But I want to have it now" sorts of people), because Alex is someone I know. I used to work with him, I used to play card games with him over lunch, I used to be this guy’s boss, and I knew even then that this was what he wanted to be doing. Of course I'm going to support him and read his books.
Anyway, the book that I really wanted to read was The Hum and the Shiver, since it sounded a bit closer to the kind of fiction I prefer (I've never been a big reader of fantasy, at least not since I gave up Piers Anthony so many years ago), but I figured it would make more sense to go back to his first novel, and start from there. That way, I could get a good sense of how his style developed over the years.
The Sword-Edged Blonde is a mash-up of hardboiled mystery, like Raymond Chandler, and your typical sword-wielding fantasy novel. It leans a bit farther on the fantasy side of things, but several parts of the story are a neat throw-back to a typical mystery novel. The start of the story has Eddie, the main character, in his office when someone comes in to hire him for a job. It's not a woman with a shady background, with "gams up to there," but it sets the tone of the novel fairly well. Eddie is a private dick for hire, and he's not one to get sidetracked too easily once he's on the job.
One of the reasons I'm not a big fantasy reader is because of the names of the characters. I have a hard time keeping up with who's who, since names like Kvothe and Cersei and Aragorn don’t seem to stick in my mind as well as names like Eddie or Phil or Mike (though the fact that I could remember Kvothe, Cersei, and Aragorn well enough to cite them as examples probably proves me wrong). The Sword-Edged Blonde is a nice relief to traditional fantasy names, since the characters are named Eddie, Phil, and Mike. So I got what I wanted with this particular novel.
The thing is, now parts of the novel read like a parody of a fantasy novel, which The Sword-Edged Blonde clearly isn't. I first noticed it in the first 50 pages or so, when Eddie is taken back to the castle where he spent time as a young boy. He reminisces about his time there, when there had been a different king, and wonders if things have changed with this new king; I couldn't imagine Phil being any different, thinks Eddie. And I have a hard time envisioning someone named "King Phil" without thinking of John Goodman in King Ralph, which then totally takes me out of the moment in the story. This isn't a comedy any more than anything A. Lee Martinez writes is a comedy (that is, there are light-hearted moments, but the stories are still deadly serious), and the name suggests that this is supposed to be funny.
Now, I got used to it, but the point is that it was something to get used to, which was unexpected. Wasn't this what I always wanted out of my fantasy fiction? Didn't this make it easier for me to read the novel?
I'm not a fan of the hardboiled mystery genre, and have never read anything by Raymond Chandler (the closest I ever got was reading The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan, and I can't remember much about it), so I can't really compare this book to that genre. Regardless, the book was easy to read, kept me intrigued, and had a great ending that didn't cheat the reader on the hows and whys of the details.
The only thing I didn't like about the novel was the portrayal of the female characters. They all seemed to be defined by their attractiveness; they either were or weren't, and their status in the novel and in the culture of the story was based on it. Even Alex's stronger female characters were there for the men. They served the story appropriately, but it bugged me a bit when every woman was defined and described that way, first and foremost. I'm not sure if that's an intentional throw-back to the mystery genre or more a sentiment of the author's, but either way it wasn't something I liked.
Aside from that, though, the book was a solid read, and even had me giddy at some points (not that I was laughing or excited about what was happening, just that I was giddy with being wrapped up in a good story, well told). I’ll definitely be reading the rest of the series, but I'll admit that I'm still most curious to read The Hum and the Shiver, if only to see if the female characters are better represented.
Anyway, the book that I really wanted to read was The Hum and the Shiver, since it sounded a bit closer to the kind of fiction I prefer (I've never been a big reader of fantasy, at least not since I gave up Piers Anthony so many years ago), but I figured it would make more sense to go back to his first novel, and start from there. That way, I could get a good sense of how his style developed over the years.
The Sword-Edged Blonde is a mash-up of hardboiled mystery, like Raymond Chandler, and your typical sword-wielding fantasy novel. It leans a bit farther on the fantasy side of things, but several parts of the story are a neat throw-back to a typical mystery novel. The start of the story has Eddie, the main character, in his office when someone comes in to hire him for a job. It's not a woman with a shady background, with "gams up to there," but it sets the tone of the novel fairly well. Eddie is a private dick for hire, and he's not one to get sidetracked too easily once he's on the job.
One of the reasons I'm not a big fantasy reader is because of the names of the characters. I have a hard time keeping up with who's who, since names like Kvothe and Cersei and Aragorn don’t seem to stick in my mind as well as names like Eddie or Phil or Mike (though the fact that I could remember Kvothe, Cersei, and Aragorn well enough to cite them as examples probably proves me wrong). The Sword-Edged Blonde is a nice relief to traditional fantasy names, since the characters are named Eddie, Phil, and Mike. So I got what I wanted with this particular novel.
The thing is, now parts of the novel read like a parody of a fantasy novel, which The Sword-Edged Blonde clearly isn't. I first noticed it in the first 50 pages or so, when Eddie is taken back to the castle where he spent time as a young boy. He reminisces about his time there, when there had been a different king, and wonders if things have changed with this new king; I couldn't imagine Phil being any different, thinks Eddie. And I have a hard time envisioning someone named "King Phil" without thinking of John Goodman in King Ralph, which then totally takes me out of the moment in the story. This isn't a comedy any more than anything A. Lee Martinez writes is a comedy (that is, there are light-hearted moments, but the stories are still deadly serious), and the name suggests that this is supposed to be funny.
Now, I got used to it, but the point is that it was something to get used to, which was unexpected. Wasn't this what I always wanted out of my fantasy fiction? Didn't this make it easier for me to read the novel?
I'm not a fan of the hardboiled mystery genre, and have never read anything by Raymond Chandler (the closest I ever got was reading The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan, and I can't remember much about it), so I can't really compare this book to that genre. Regardless, the book was easy to read, kept me intrigued, and had a great ending that didn't cheat the reader on the hows and whys of the details.
The only thing I didn't like about the novel was the portrayal of the female characters. They all seemed to be defined by their attractiveness; they either were or weren't, and their status in the novel and in the culture of the story was based on it. Even Alex's stronger female characters were there for the men. They served the story appropriately, but it bugged me a bit when every woman was defined and described that way, first and foremost. I'm not sure if that's an intentional throw-back to the mystery genre or more a sentiment of the author's, but either way it wasn't something I liked.
Aside from that, though, the book was a solid read, and even had me giddy at some points (not that I was laughing or excited about what was happening, just that I was giddy with being wrapped up in a good story, well told). I’ll definitely be reading the rest of the series, but I'll admit that I'm still most curious to read The Hum and the Shiver, if only to see if the female characters are better represented.
I really liked this story of sword jockey (read P.I.) Eddie LaCrosse, an investigator for hire in a sword-and-sorcery world. I have a weakness for wise-cracking heroes, and Eddie is one of the good ones. The book was original, the plot worked well, and the characters were interesting and fun.
This was fun and for the most part not too deep. Did have a bit of rough backstory for one of the characters but otherwise fun. Reminded me a bit of Garrett, p.i. Since that hasn't come out in audiobook yet - this is the hardboiled detective/fantasy mash up I found.
This is like a medieval Dresden Files and I’m totally down for that.
1.5
So...
Ok, for most of the book I'd say it was probably a 2-star read. It wasn't great, but it was an ok read. But it had it's issues.
One thing that was kinda cool was the use of Epona and Rhiannon. A fun fact that not everyone might know:
Epona is the name of the and Rhiannon is
Also the whole is part of the Rhiannon story in the Mabinogi.
That, and the general premise, are the best things about the story.
Of the complaints, one of my main ones was that while one of the main selling-points is that it has the feel of a UF detective story, it's set in a more traditional fantasy/medieval sort of time period. (Even though this isn't the first book to do this, it does seem to be a selling point for many people.) But my first complaint is that the traditional/medieval time period felt sort of tacked on. With the modern naming conventions and slang and whatnot, it read like a modern UF detective story, except there were horses instead of cars and swords instead of guns - and even that's not a given in more contemporary UF because even modern magical users seem to like their swords (see Michael and Morgan in Dresden, for example). So that was issue number one.
(The series most reminded me of was Hawk & Fisher by Simon R. Green. And, actually, this is one of those instances in which reading this book gave me a higher regard for Hawk & Fisher. I mean, say what you will about that series - 'cause it was certainly not without its own issues and flaws - but at least it felt to me like a more traditional/medieval fantasy setting and it had some decent female characters.)
Anyway, issue number two was that the detecting style in the book seems to be of the "lucky to be in the right time and place to get the vital piece of information you need" variety as opposed to the actual hunting down clues variety. It's a problem a lot of detective-type stories seem to have, though, so this, alone, wasn't the kiss of death.
So what was?
Well, here's where the ranting begins.
Ya know, I could forgive the fact that the character's are all kinda thin, and that I never really clicked with Eddie. I could even sort of look past the over-abundance of abuse/rape as tragic back-story, and even the kind of skeeviness of the sex scene with Eddie and Epona. I mean,, 'cause, hey, .
But when, towards the end, when Eddie goes into Rhiannon's cell and he
And speaking of WTF moments - what's with the - what's the fucking point of that whole scene?
And then there's something which is actually from the next book, but which you see in the preview section at the end of this book. Lola, his horse - the one, like, freaking healthy relationship developed in the whole first book -
I mean - WTF?
They couldn't have just taken the horse? They have to drive her off a cliff?
I mean, if you want to make sure Eddie's dead why don't you, oh, I don't know, fucking stab him in the heart... or chop off his head. I mean, yes, he has to live, obviously, 'cause he's the protagonist, but come on.
It doesn't make sense for the group to kill the damned horse when they could've taken her and sold her, even if they didn't want to keep her. Maybe she was fighting them or something, I guess... who knows.
And that HEA ending that was totally lame and came outta nowhere! Ugh!
So, yeah...
I so totally will not be continuing with this series. I mean, even if I can get past some of the WTF-osity of it, it'd still only be a 2, 2.5 star rating at best.
So after this, and not liking the first Tufa novel all that much, either, I think Alex Bledsoe is going into the "will never read again" pile. Buh-bye.
So...
Ok, for most of the book I'd say it was probably a 2-star read. It wasn't great, but it was an ok read. But it had it's issues.
One thing that was kinda cool was the use of Epona and Rhiannon. A fun fact that not everyone might know:
Epona is the name of the
Spoiler
Gaulic horse and sovereignty goddessSpoiler
often considered a Welsh cognate to her.Also the whole
Spoiler
being wrongfully accused of killing her son and performing cannibalism on himThat, and the general premise, are the best things about the story.
Of the complaints, one of my main ones was that while one of the main selling-points is that it has the feel of a UF detective story, it's set in a more traditional fantasy/medieval sort of time period. (Even though this isn't the first book to do this, it does seem to be a selling point for many people.) But my first complaint is that the traditional/medieval time period felt sort of tacked on. With the modern naming conventions and slang and whatnot, it read like a modern UF detective story, except there were horses instead of cars and swords instead of guns - and even that's not a given in more contemporary UF because even modern magical users seem to like their swords (see Michael and Morgan in Dresden, for example). So that was issue number one.
(The series most reminded me of was Hawk & Fisher by Simon R. Green. And, actually, this is one of those instances in which reading this book gave me a higher regard for Hawk & Fisher. I mean, say what you will about that series - 'cause it was certainly not without its own issues and flaws - but at least it felt to me like a more traditional/medieval fantasy setting and it had some decent female characters.)
Anyway, issue number two was that the detecting style in the book seems to be of the "lucky to be in the right time and place to get the vital piece of information you need" variety as opposed to the actual hunting down clues variety. It's a problem a lot of detective-type stories seem to have, though, so this, alone, wasn't the kiss of death.
So what was?
Well, here's where the ranting begins.
Ya know, I could forgive the fact that the character's are all kinda thin, and that I never really clicked with Eddie. I could even sort of look past the over-abundance of abuse/rape as tragic back-story, and even the kind of skeeviness of the sex scene with Eddie and Epona. I mean,
Spoiler
she's described as being sickly and emaciated, with pussing sores on her arms, but he's filled with inordinate lust for her anywaySpoiler
she's a goddess so we'll write that one offBut when, towards the end, when Eddie goes into Rhiannon's cell and he
Spoiler
pushes her down, holding her down, and forcing her legs open with his knees, making her fear for herself, just so he can see her tattoo? I mean, he couldn't have just fucking asked? No - let's put our hero in a creepy position where he comes off as borderline rapey. And, no, it really doesn't matter that he wasn't actually trying to rape her because HE COULD'VE JUST FUCKING ASKED TO SEE THE GODDAMN TATTOO!And speaking of WTF moments - what's with the
Spoiler
hillbilly and his inbred son at the cottage? I mean, aside from being minor foils to his getting in the cabinAnd then there's something which is actually from the next book, but which you see in the preview section at the end of this book. Lola, his horse - the one, like, freaking healthy relationship developed in the whole first book -
Spoiler
gets killed in the first fucking chapter. And she does just die, or even get stabbed... no, she gets run off a goddamned cliff by people who threw Eddie off the cliff and then send her down to land on top of him. (She misses, obviously.)I mean - WTF?
They couldn't have just taken the horse? They have to drive her off a cliff?
I mean, if you want to make sure Eddie's dead why don't you, oh, I don't know, fucking stab him in the heart... or chop off his head. I mean, yes, he has to live, obviously, 'cause he's the protagonist, but come on.
It doesn't make sense for the group to kill the damned horse when they could've taken her and sold her, even if they didn't want to keep her. Maybe she was fighting them or something, I guess... who knows.
And that HEA ending that was totally lame and came outta nowhere! Ugh!
So, yeah...
I so totally will not be continuing with this series. I mean, even if I can get past some of the WTF-osity of it, it'd still only be a 2, 2.5 star rating at best.
So after this, and not liking the first Tufa novel all that much, either, I think Alex Bledsoe is going into the "will never read again" pile. Buh-bye.
Notes:
Series is currently on Audible Plus
4 Stars for Narration:
Stefan Rudnicki is always going to be Hari/Caine to me. He was also pretty good as Eddie LaCrosse.
Solid jump into a new series without any cliffhangers. I enjoyed the adventure & getting to know Eddie.
Series is currently on Audible Plus
4 Stars for Narration:
Stefan Rudnicki is always going to be Hari/Caine to me. He was also pretty good as Eddie LaCrosse.
Solid jump into a new series without any cliffhangers. I enjoyed the adventure & getting to know Eddie.
DNF I was uncomfortable how the female characters were described in this book, the author seems obsessed with describing females by their breasts and most of the women he meets have been raped. I could have coped with this as the mystery was slightly interesting But the thing which made me put the book down is the hero meeting a diseased goddess and making love to her
I liked idea of swords & sorcery plus noir, but the fact that all the characters felt like they came from modern day California kind of put me off the conceit.
This genre-melding fantasy novel has it all: gruff PI lead, whitewashed mock-medieval setting, possibly supernatural influences, political intrigue, PG-13 level attention to breasts, and lots of wry snark. I loved every page.
Deep this is not, but fun, it is. Set in a series of fantasy kingdoms, all ambigu-medieval in feel (swords, horses, pre-gunpowder weapons, mercantile economy, kings), the novel follows Eddie LaCrosse, a former mercenary turned independent contractor, who is asked to investigate a scandalous murder mystery in his home kingdom. The case brings back some of the most painful memories of his past, and unsurprisingly, those fraught events still impact the present.
The mystery isn't a mystery meant to be solved by the reader; we just trail along with Eddie, which is fine by me (I never like to solve the mystery anyway). There's a fair amount of flashback and back story to set up Eddie and his world, which I liked it, but it made for a rather introspective action thriller. The characters aren't enormously deep but I don't come for that in books like this; Bledsoe uses stock shorthand from the PI and noir genre which is amusing and fun when paired with medieval fantasy shorthand. The plot has everything from open nods to Chandler (a character named Canino) as well as literal translations of Welsh/Celtic myth (with Epona/Rhiannon). There's plenty of bodies, the women are always admiring of our hero, and breaks and coincidences help the story along as needed.
The irreverently snarky tone is what I loved about this book; it was like The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. meets A Knight's Tale (minus the anachronistic soundtrack). The very obvious nod to Hammett and Chandler is seen right in the novel's opening, and I loved the usual merging of genres. If you're not for tongue-in-cheek, mixed genre homages, this probably isn't your book. (My wife didn't get past five pages and she's still huffy about this one. Women.) But I liked this book for what it was -- breezy, brazen, banter-y -- and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Deep this is not, but fun, it is. Set in a series of fantasy kingdoms, all ambigu-medieval in feel (swords, horses, pre-gunpowder weapons, mercantile economy, kings), the novel follows Eddie LaCrosse, a former mercenary turned independent contractor, who is asked to investigate a scandalous murder mystery in his home kingdom. The case brings back some of the most painful memories of his past, and unsurprisingly, those fraught events still impact the present.
The mystery isn't a mystery meant to be solved by the reader; we just trail along with Eddie, which is fine by me (I never like to solve the mystery anyway). There's a fair amount of flashback and back story to set up Eddie and his world, which I liked it, but it made for a rather introspective action thriller. The characters aren't enormously deep but I don't come for that in books like this; Bledsoe uses stock shorthand from the PI and noir genre which is amusing and fun when paired with medieval fantasy shorthand. The plot has everything from open nods to Chandler (a character named Canino) as well as literal translations of Welsh/Celtic myth (with Epona/Rhiannon). There's plenty of bodies, the women are always admiring of our hero, and breaks and coincidences help the story along as needed.
The irreverently snarky tone is what I loved about this book; it was like The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. meets A Knight's Tale (minus the anachronistic soundtrack). The very obvious nod to Hammett and Chandler is seen right in the novel's opening, and I loved the usual merging of genres. If you're not for tongue-in-cheek, mixed genre homages, this probably isn't your book. (My wife didn't get past five pages and she's still huffy about this one. Women.) But I liked this book for what it was -- breezy, brazen, banter-y -- and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.