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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow. I was absolutely blown away by Anthony Ryan's debut novel! Every page of this book captivated me with its beautiful writing and intricate world-building. The characters were so well developed, and their motivations felt so real that it was easy to vemotionally invest in their story. Vaelin was by far my favourite character, as he's meant to be. I think I fell slightly in love with him by the end. His flaws, his power, his empathy, his incredibly kind heart coupled with his viciousness as a warrior... what's not to love?
The world - populated with unique customs and intriguing political machinations - is incredibly detailed and believable; I could easily imagine stepping into it myself. This attention to detail made for a truly immersive reading experience that kept me eagerly turning pages to discover what would happen next.
The novel's first half, which takes place at the Order where Vaelin and his brothers learn to fight, was incredibly engaging. The second part was terrific, too, but some parts of the plot felt rushed as we sped toward the inevitable climax. Still, Blood Song was a fantastic read – one that I'm delighted to end my year on! So if you're looking for a captivating read full of adventure and mystery, look no further; Blood Song is sure to please!
The world - populated with unique customs and intriguing political machinations - is incredibly detailed and believable; I could easily imagine stepping into it myself. This attention to detail made for a truly immersive reading experience that kept me eagerly turning pages to discover what would happen next.
The novel's first half, which takes place at the Order where Vaelin and his brothers learn to fight, was incredibly engaging. The second part was terrific, too, but some parts of the plot felt rushed as we sped toward the inevitable climax. Still, Blood Song was a fantastic read – one that I'm delighted to end my year on! So if you're looking for a captivating read full of adventure and mystery, look no further; Blood Song is sure to please!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Violence, Blood, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Murder
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Blood Song is a very unique Epic fabtasy novel that delivers it's story in a very different way. A way I found made the story exciting and confusing at the same time. The story of Blood Song follows Vaelin Al Sorna as he grows up in the Sixth Order and his adventures there and so on. I enjoyed this book a lot and Vaelin is an excellent protagonist to read about. The story is actually told through flashbacks of Vaelin as an adult recanting his life to Vernier. This storytelling mechanic was such a good idea, but after a while the story jumps and jumps and I found myself getting confused and that made it harder for me to read.
The plot itself deals very heavy on politics and religion or in this books case "Faith". There was so much talk about faith that I felt like I was being suffocated by it. Now I know none of this is real but with so much it being talked about I almost felt myself believing in said Faith. The politic end of the plot didn't really come into effect until half way into it. I found myself enjoying that more but I know this is only the first book and Anthony Ryan is building up to something because that ending was like, "WTF".
My only other negative about this book probably would be about the cast of characters in this book. I found myself not really caring about anyone other then Vaelin. I love stories that focus on one character but have an amazing ensemble of characters but this first entry in the Ravens Shadow trilogy was very much lacking in that aspect for me!
All in all I really did enjoy this novel and I cannot wait to continue on with the rest of the series!!
The plot itself deals very heavy on politics and religion or in this books case "Faith". There was so much talk about faith that I felt like I was being suffocated by it. Now I know none of this is real but with so much it being talked about I almost felt myself believing in said Faith. The politic end of the plot didn't really come into effect until half way into it. I found myself enjoying that more but I know this is only the first book and Anthony Ryan is building up to something because that ending was like, "WTF".
My only other negative about this book probably would be about the cast of characters in this book. I found myself not really caring about anyone other then Vaelin. I love stories that focus on one character but have an amazing ensemble of characters but this first entry in the Ravens Shadow trilogy was very much lacking in that aspect for me!
All in all I really did enjoy this novel and I cannot wait to continue on with the rest of the series!!
Loved it and am eagerly awaiting the next book, but I will also confess that I was hoping it would be superior to GRRM or Patrick Rothfuss based upon the ratings here. I can't say that I found this book superior to those reads, but it was very, very good. Highly recommended.
Pretty good fantasy, with a similar structure to The Name of the Wind. Ended well, although the reviews for the rest of the trilogy are poor so I think I will leave the series here.
I have many thoughts on this book and will probably review it in my channel! Just know I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it to all who enjoy fantasy!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
