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3.1 AVERAGE
3.1 AVERAGE
4.25
This book is one of my new favorites for sure! The Bloodprint does all the things I want in a fantasy novel and even more. I love the aspects regarding the blood print itself and the plot is highly original and fits in with todays society and how we look at these kinds of things. The cult-like group of women, the king from another nation, the magic that involved chanting words and just the mystery of finding the bloodprint really intrigued me. So this book is one I will gladly recommend and I cannot thank the publisher and edelweiss enough for the opportunity to read this before its release.
This book is one of my new favorites for sure! The Bloodprint does all the things I want in a fantasy novel and even more. I love the aspects regarding the blood print itself and the plot is highly original and fits in with todays society and how we look at these kinds of things. The cult-like group of women, the king from another nation, the magic that involved chanting words and just the mystery of finding the bloodprint really intrigued me. So this book is one I will gladly recommend and I cannot thank the publisher and edelweiss enough for the opportunity to read this before its release.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Here's another fantasy I wanted to love, but it fell flat.
'The Bloodprint' launches the reader into a world torn apart by conflicting ideologies. The forces of The Talisman, led by a mysterious entity known as the One-Eyed Preacher, conquer more lands every year, subjugating women and selling them as slaves, and burning libraries and banning scholarly pursuits. Few seem able to stand against them, but an order of women known as the Companions of Hira may have a chance against Talisman forces.
We meet Arian and her friend/apprentice Sinnia in the opening pages breaking up a slave chain. Arian is First Oralist of the Companions and a master of the Claim. The Claim is magic derived from memorized lines passed down from a sacred text unseen for centuries. Its words offer comfort and power to their wielders. Arian has lost her family to the Talisman and fears she can trust only a few, even other members of her order are suspect. Thankfully it seems she is super bad-ass and powerful and can do just about anything she wants, until she can't. Khan shows us Arian at the height of her strength and early on has her accomplish a nigh-impossible task and collects an artifact of Extreme Importance. We know this because we are told so.
I wanted to like this more, but on the whole I couldn't get into the deeper mysteries or lore of this fantasy universe because Khan started us at the top. She may have wanted to skip the cliché of the humble beginning and get to the good stuff, but Arian ends up becoming more of a Mary-Sue than a strong woman of fantasy. We see little peaks of her training, but its too little, too late.
Supporting characters and subplots, Sinnia especially, seemed underdeveloped and I would have liked to have spent more time with her as something other than Second Prettiest Girl in the Room.
I don't know, Khan is on to something here, and I like the trend in genre fiction this diverse, female-centric title represents, but the execution fell short of where it needed to be.
Khorasan Archive
Next: 'The Black Khan'
'The Bloodprint' launches the reader into a world torn apart by conflicting ideologies. The forces of The Talisman, led by a mysterious entity known as the One-Eyed Preacher, conquer more lands every year, subjugating women and selling them as slaves, and burning libraries and banning scholarly pursuits. Few seem able to stand against them, but an order of women known as the Companions of Hira may have a chance against Talisman forces.
We meet Arian and her friend/apprentice Sinnia in the opening pages breaking up a slave chain. Arian is First Oralist of the Companions and a master of the Claim. The Claim is magic derived from memorized lines passed down from a sacred text unseen for centuries. Its words offer comfort and power to their wielders. Arian has lost her family to the Talisman and fears she can trust only a few, even other members of her order are suspect. Thankfully it seems she is super bad-ass and powerful and can do just about anything she wants, until she can't. Khan shows us Arian at the height of her strength and early on has her accomplish a nigh-impossible task and collects an artifact of Extreme Importance. We know this because we are told so.
I wanted to like this more, but on the whole I couldn't get into the deeper mysteries or lore of this fantasy universe because Khan started us at the top. She may have wanted to skip the cliché of the humble beginning and get to the good stuff, but Arian ends up becoming more of a Mary-Sue than a strong woman of fantasy. We see little peaks of her training, but its too little, too late.
Supporting characters and subplots, Sinnia especially, seemed underdeveloped and I would have liked to have spent more time with her as something other than Second Prettiest Girl in the Room.
I don't know, Khan is on to something here, and I like the trend in genre fiction this diverse, female-centric title represents, but the execution fell short of where it needed to be.
Khorasan Archive
Next: 'The Black Khan'
I should have cared but i just didnt?? Its not badly written or anything tho, not sure I appreciated how possessive daniyar was either,,,
4.5/5 but rounding up to 5 because the 3.23 score on this book makes absolutely no sense to me.
Such a good fantasy! I don't understand the GoodReads rating at all! I do think this is a YA though it is labeled as Adult so maybe that is why? Not sure but it's so good!
Such a good fantasy! I don't understand the GoodReads rating at all! I do think this is a YA though it is labeled as Adult so maybe that is why? Not sure but it's so good!
DNF at 284 of 425 pages
The Bloodprint sounds like such an awesome fantasy novel that revolves around kickass female characters and an in-depth use of religion all wrapped up with feminist tones. Unfortunately, The Bloodprint is a poorly written novel that is not what it’s advertised to be.
Within the first 120 pages the magic system is not properly explained. Their magic is derived from religious texts, but the connect between the two is never explained or how it came to be. The main character often uses and relies upon her magic, so it’s a central part of this novel that is left vague and confusing.
Khan has created an interesting world in that the women are forced to become slaves and a group of women who call themselves the Companions of Hira are trying to liberate the women and the world. Unfortunately, the Companions of Hira are also poorly written. Their order, formation, rank, and traditions are hardly touched upon and only explained when they relate directly to the plot. Khan wrote the Companions of Hira to feature a complex hierarchy with politics and infighting, however it all falls flat because of the lack of world building and character development.
Near the beginning of the novel, the reader is introduced to a male character that is described as handsome every time he’s introduced in a scene. It quickly becomes apparent that this male character and the main character have a complicated romantic history. Khan tried to create sexual and romantic tension between the two, but, unfortunately, it also falls flat. This is due in part to the writing itself. Khan’s writing style is pompous and overly poetic making it hard to connect to the characters and story.
Despite the very obvious feminist themes in the synopsis, the book has a hard time actually utilizing those themes and overtones. This is further hindered by the fact that male characters are used to further the plot and save the main character every time she finds herself backed into a corner with no apparent way out.
Overall, The Bloodprint is an absolute disappointment. I expected an intricate story about oppression, religion, and feminism, but instead received a poorly written novel with little to feminist tones and a boring main character.
The blurb on the front comparing this to N.K. Jemisin and George R.R. Martin is an insult to those amazing writers.
The Bloodprint sounds like such an awesome fantasy novel that revolves around kickass female characters and an in-depth use of religion all wrapped up with feminist tones. Unfortunately, The Bloodprint is a poorly written novel that is not what it’s advertised to be.
Within the first 120 pages the magic system is not properly explained. Their magic is derived from religious texts, but the connect between the two is never explained or how it came to be. The main character often uses and relies upon her magic, so it’s a central part of this novel that is left vague and confusing.
Khan has created an interesting world in that the women are forced to become slaves and a group of women who call themselves the Companions of Hira are trying to liberate the women and the world. Unfortunately, the Companions of Hira are also poorly written. Their order, formation, rank, and traditions are hardly touched upon and only explained when they relate directly to the plot. Khan wrote the Companions of Hira to feature a complex hierarchy with politics and infighting, however it all falls flat because of the lack of world building and character development.
Near the beginning of the novel, the reader is introduced to a male character that is described as handsome every time he’s introduced in a scene. It quickly becomes apparent that this male character and the main character have a complicated romantic history. Khan tried to create sexual and romantic tension between the two, but, unfortunately, it also falls flat. This is due in part to the writing itself. Khan’s writing style is pompous and overly poetic making it hard to connect to the characters and story.
Despite the very obvious feminist themes in the synopsis, the book has a hard time actually utilizing those themes and overtones. This is further hindered by the fact that male characters are used to further the plot and save the main character every time she finds herself backed into a corner with no apparent way out.
Overall, The Bloodprint is an absolute disappointment. I expected an intricate story about oppression, religion, and feminism, but instead received a poorly written novel with little to feminist tones and a boring main character.
The blurb on the front comparing this to N.K. Jemisin and George R.R. Martin is an insult to those amazing writers.
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
No
The Bloodprint by Ausma Zehanat Khan is a high fantasy I've had my eye on for quite a while now, and now I'm on a high fantasy kick, I've finally picked it up. While I found some aspects of the story confusing, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Bloodprint is set in a world that has been taken over by the Talisman, followers of the One-Eyed Preacher who has twisted the Claim, the scriptures of the One, to suit his views. Women are subjugated and controlled by their fathers and husbands, and those without are captured by the Talisman's slave chains. Arian is the First Oralist of the Council of Hira, strong in the Claim, and a trained warrior. She has spent the last ten years chasing down slave chains and rescuing the women, killing their Talisman guards, in an attempt to find her sister, who was abducted when their parents were murdered, when Arian was a child. But now Arian has been set a task by the High Companion; rumours have been cropping up that the Bloodprint, a sacred magical text thought to be legendary, is real. It's the Companions of Hira's only hope in opposing the One-Eyed Preacher. Along with fellow Companion Sinnia and a young slave boy they freed, Wafa, Arain follows the rumours on the hunt for the Bloodprint, the journey leading to more revelations and other dangers, and questions about the High Companion's motives.
The Bloodprint dives in right from the very beginning, as Arian and Sinnia are about to attempt a rescue on a slave chain. I was completely fascinated by the world, though it enraged me, and fell in love with Arian and her quest pretty early on the mystery surrounding the search for the Bloodprint, as well as what is learnt and discovered along the way. However, there isn't much in the way of background with the world building. The world has existed under the rule of the One-Eyed Preacher for quite a while now, with the Council of Hira trying to oppose his rule. But I have no real idea who the Talisman are, other than people who were swayed by the One-Eyed Preacher’s interpretation of the Claim, where women must be subjugated, all writing destroyed, and reading not taught. Their history and that of the Preacher are unknown. I don't know where he sprung up from, why people listened to him, and how he was able to sway people. Equally, I don't know a huge amount about the Council of Hira. They're a religious order of women, known as Companions, who have an aptitude with the Claim, each with a different gift or speciality. There's no real history to the Council either; I've no idea how or why they formed, or when. we only know that they’re against the Talisman. The Companions are given Audacies - a task to help in the fight against the Talisman, but other than Arian, we never know what anyone else's Audacies are. Though we know what certain other Companions specialities are, we don't really know what they do. Honestly, the Council of Hira and the Talisman are a bit of a mystery to me.
Then there's the Claim itself. The Claim is scripture, but more than that, it's also magic that works through the spoken word of those with aptitude. They recite certain verses, the Claim building in their throats and released with their words; different verses have different effects. I thought this was so cool, and not like anything I've read before. We've all heard of "magic words," but this is different, especially with the words being scripture. Sometimes you it was easy to see what specific verses would do, because of their subject matter, but not always. We're never told Arian's plans before she starts speaking, so we don't know what her intentions are until we see the effects. However, not all effects match up to Arian's intentions, so it was great to see Arian's moral dilemma at times. Was the Claim actually a power for good? The sacred text, the Bloodprint, is the Claim written down, but books are few and far between, burned by the Talisman, books and reading illegal. But with effects of the Claim being surprising, Arian starts to question the Bloodprint, too. If she's able to find it, what will it lead to, if the Claim is questionable. And what are the High Companion's real intentions? There are things she's held back, information she's not revealed, it's only when Arian stumbles across certain things that she realises the High Companion knew of them. Why wasn't she fully informed and prepared for what her task was to entail?
I loved the journey and the quest itself, which I can't really talk too much about without giving away spoilers. It felt similar to plots I've seen before that I don't normally enjoy; where the protagonist has a taks, but obstacles are put in their way at every turn, obstacles they have to overcome before they can move on. Kind of stop-start, stop-start. It didn't bother me in The Bloodprint, though, because each obstacle was actually an opportunity to learn more about the world, to get certain answers, and unravel elements of finding the Bloodprint. There is mystery and riddles thrown in, locations and peoples thought to also be myth. It was just so gripping, and I loved travelling along with these characters, as well as meeting the other characters along the way.
However, I did have some other issues with it. The Bloodprint is written in third person, and for the most part, we follow Arian's perspective. But sometimes we get the perspectives of Sinnia, and Daniyar, an old acquaintance that joins the three on the journey, and very occasionally, Wafa, too. But the perspectives jump about with no clear indication as to who you’re currently with. It takes a few sentences to figure out if you’re with Arian as she witnesses another character react to something (or similar), or if you’re currently reading that character's perspective. There’s also some dialogue that we don’t see which is confusing. Are we getting someone’s thoughts, and we're now seeing their perspective? No, they said something, we just don’t get to see it. For example, the text will say something like, ‘Sinnia didn’t think they would be able to get through the Talisman guards and survive. Daniyar disagreed.’ And then Daniyar would voice his disagreement. But it’s not automatically clear whether Sinnia is thinking and we have access to her thoughts, or if she spoke out loud, and we don’t see what she actually said.
I have to say though despite The Bloodprint confusing me in numerous ways, I was fully engrossed in the story and the mystery. Honestly, I bloody loved it! And it ends on such a cliffhanger! Oh my god, that ending! So many twists! So many questions! So I bought myself a finished copy, and thankfully, I immediately bought the sequel, The Black Khan, which I'll be starting soon. I'm so looking forward to reading it, and seeing where Arian's story takes her next!
The Bloodprint is set in a world that has been taken over by the Talisman, followers of the One-Eyed Preacher who has twisted the Claim, the scriptures of the One, to suit his views. Women are subjugated and controlled by their fathers and husbands, and those without are captured by the Talisman's slave chains. Arian is the First Oralist of the Council of Hira, strong in the Claim, and a trained warrior. She has spent the last ten years chasing down slave chains and rescuing the women, killing their Talisman guards, in an attempt to find her sister, who was abducted when their parents were murdered, when Arian was a child. But now Arian has been set a task by the High Companion; rumours have been cropping up that the Bloodprint, a sacred magical text thought to be legendary, is real. It's the Companions of Hira's only hope in opposing the One-Eyed Preacher. Along with fellow Companion Sinnia and a young slave boy they freed, Wafa, Arain follows the rumours on the hunt for the Bloodprint, the journey leading to more revelations and other dangers, and questions about the High Companion's motives.
The Bloodprint dives in right from the very beginning, as Arian and Sinnia are about to attempt a rescue on a slave chain. I was completely fascinated by the world, though it enraged me, and fell in love with Arian and her quest pretty early on the mystery surrounding the search for the Bloodprint, as well as what is learnt and discovered along the way. However, there isn't much in the way of background with the world building. The world has existed under the rule of the One-Eyed Preacher for quite a while now, with the Council of Hira trying to oppose his rule. But I have no real idea who the Talisman are, other than people who were swayed by the One-Eyed Preacher’s interpretation of the Claim, where women must be subjugated, all writing destroyed, and reading not taught. Their history and that of the Preacher are unknown. I don't know where he sprung up from, why people listened to him, and how he was able to sway people. Equally, I don't know a huge amount about the Council of Hira. They're a religious order of women, known as Companions, who have an aptitude with the Claim, each with a different gift or speciality. There's no real history to the Council either; I've no idea how or why they formed, or when. we only know that they’re against the Talisman. The Companions are given Audacies - a task to help in the fight against the Talisman, but other than Arian, we never know what anyone else's Audacies are. Though we know what certain other Companions specialities are, we don't really know what they do. Honestly, the Council of Hira and the Talisman are a bit of a mystery to me.
Then there's the Claim itself. The Claim is scripture, but more than that, it's also magic that works through the spoken word of those with aptitude. They recite certain verses, the Claim building in their throats and released with their words; different verses have different effects. I thought this was so cool, and not like anything I've read before. We've all heard of "magic words," but this is different, especially with the words being scripture. Sometimes you it was easy to see what specific verses would do, because of their subject matter, but not always. We're never told Arian's plans before she starts speaking, so we don't know what her intentions are until we see the effects. However, not all effects match up to Arian's intentions, so it was great to see Arian's moral dilemma at times. Was the Claim actually a power for good? The sacred text, the Bloodprint, is the Claim written down, but books are few and far between, burned by the Talisman, books and reading illegal. But with effects of the Claim being surprising, Arian starts to question the Bloodprint, too. If she's able to find it, what will it lead to, if the Claim is questionable. And what are the High Companion's real intentions? There are things she's held back, information she's not revealed, it's only when Arian stumbles across certain things that she realises the High Companion knew of them. Why wasn't she fully informed and prepared for what her task was to entail?
I loved the journey and the quest itself, which I can't really talk too much about without giving away spoilers. It felt similar to plots I've seen before that I don't normally enjoy; where the protagonist has a taks, but obstacles are put in their way at every turn, obstacles they have to overcome before they can move on. Kind of stop-start, stop-start. It didn't bother me in The Bloodprint, though, because each obstacle was actually an opportunity to learn more about the world, to get certain answers, and unravel elements of finding the Bloodprint. There is mystery and riddles thrown in, locations and peoples thought to also be myth. It was just so gripping, and I loved travelling along with these characters, as well as meeting the other characters along the way.
However, I did have some other issues with it. The Bloodprint is written in third person, and for the most part, we follow Arian's perspective. But sometimes we get the perspectives of Sinnia, and Daniyar, an old acquaintance that joins the three on the journey, and very occasionally, Wafa, too. But the perspectives jump about with no clear indication as to who you’re currently with. It takes a few sentences to figure out if you’re with Arian as she witnesses another character react to something (or similar), or if you’re currently reading that character's perspective. There’s also some dialogue that we don’t see which is confusing. Are we getting someone’s thoughts, and we're now seeing their perspective? No, they said something, we just don’t get to see it. For example, the text will say something like, ‘Sinnia didn’t think they would be able to get through the Talisman guards and survive. Daniyar disagreed.’ And then Daniyar would voice his disagreement. But it’s not automatically clear whether Sinnia is thinking and we have access to her thoughts, or if she spoke out loud, and we don’t see what she actually said.
I have to say though despite The Bloodprint confusing me in numerous ways, I was fully engrossed in the story and the mystery. Honestly, I bloody loved it! And it ends on such a cliffhanger! Oh my god, that ending! So many twists! So many questions! So I bought myself a finished copy, and thankfully, I immediately bought the sequel, The Black Khan, which I'll be starting soon. I'm so looking forward to reading it, and seeing where Arian's story takes her next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Racism, Slavery, Torture
Minor: Rape
Explicit, detailed description of an execution, brief mention of forced dependency on drugs.
2.5
This was actually pretty confusing to read. It felt like we were dumped straight into the story and we didn't get much explanation for anything at all. The writing made the whole story/pacing feel really off. I liked the general plot but it took ages for it to happen and somehow not much actually happened. I appreciated the difficult the characters had for getting what they want, some fantasy stories make it too easy for them to achieve their plans. I should have expected the plot twist, it was pretty obvious, I just wasn't thinking. I have no clue where this story is going (not a good thing) but I think I will continue reading it
This was actually pretty confusing to read. It felt like we were dumped straight into the story and we didn't get much explanation for anything at all. The writing made the whole story/pacing feel really off. I liked the general plot but it took ages for it to happen and somehow not much actually happened. I appreciated the difficult the characters had for getting what they want, some fantasy stories make it too easy for them to achieve their plans. I should have expected the plot twist, it was pretty obvious, I just wasn't thinking. I have no clue where this story is going (not a good thing) but I think I will continue reading it
Book Review
Title: The Bloodprint (The Khorasan Archives, #1)
Author: Ausma Zehanat Khan
Genre: Epic Fantasy/Dark Fantasy/Horror
Rating: ****
Review: The opening begins with Arian and Sinnia, members of the council of Hira a freeing some enslaved women which was quite an interesting scene and have me vibes like Nevernight and Throne of Glass but in a more Rebel of the Sands setting. In the first chapter alone, we have been introduced to a magic system and a societal hierarchy, so I hope we will get some background information too. We learn that Arian’s gift of the Claim she gets from being the first oralist is magic given to ancient words that not many have knowledge of or possess.
Despite being four chapters into the book I was very confused, this book generally seems like a sequel rather than a first book in a series. There are so many questions I have and no answers like when did Arian get her power, what is the history between her and Daniyar, what is the history between Ilea and Rukh, how did Arian get on the Council of Hours and why is Ilea worried about being able to control her? Then there's the question of the Sacred Cloak, what does it do, why is it sort after and how can it be used as a weapon of war when the war hasn't supposedly begun yet. So many questions and while readers included myself don't like info dumping more information isn't needed than is present to provide clarity and alleviate confusion. When the girls retrieve the cloak, we do get some history about the legend surrounding it which was helpful we also get some information about Arian and Daniyar’s history although the full extent of their relationship is not known yet. However, I did really enjoy how the friendship between Arian and Sinnia is written.
After retrieving and wearing the Sacred cloak which is said to be impossible for women as they are unclean and impure. The legend tells that women will burst into flames if they put on the cloak and when Arian doesn't out cause disruption among the masses. Although the pair make a slim escape with yet more help from Daniyar they soon find themselves heading back to the citadel where the Council of Hira resides. Things begin to make more sense when we learn that Rukh has been admitted the Council because he has read the manuscript of the Claim known as the Bloodprint, the same scripture seen on the Talisman flag. It is clear to see that Arian is wary of Rukh and fears putting all her faith and hope in his word. As she and Sinnia set off in search of the Bloodprint and unlikely ally comes to their aid in the form of the blue-eyed boy they had freed previously who joins herself and Sinnia on their journey now known as Wafa. Despite the slow and confusing start, I found myself really getting into the novel.
Wafa is a nice introduction the mainly female cast of characters we follow except for Daniyar and Rukh who make brief appearances throughout. As the trio rest at a tower they learn it holds the key to the right path towers their goal, but the cryptic words of the Claim seem to be throwing off Arian. Arian and the others eventually find the ice city and take refuge there, but Arian fears the Talisman aren't far behind and she isn't wrong although the last thing she expects is to be rescued by Daniyar. She also realises that Ilea is hiding things from her and she seeks to uncover what those things are although she feels that the mission she has been sent on is a lie and seeks Daniyar’s assistance once more as she did in the past. It is also here we learn more about who Daniyar of and his relationship to Arian. It turns out that Daniyar also had a gift of the Claim although rather than reciting he can see the truth in people's words written and spoken. We learn that Daniyar is the fabled Silver Mage and even commands the respect of the Companions of Hira making me see him in a new light. Despite this he and Arian have a complex relationship; one minute they are arguing and then they seem close sharing small intimate touches and it is very confusing trying to figure out where to stand with this pair. Daniyar agrees to help them on their journey although it seems the journey will be more perilous that Arian first thought and she begins to question whether she can trust Rukh and by extension Ilea.
As they enter the Blue Mountain Daniyar uses his rank as he is one of the Shin War in order to gain them entrance with the others under a guise of being sent by the Immolan but Arian knows should everything go to plan or not Daniyar will be isolated and hunted by his own people, his own family. As they attempt to escape from the cap with their price the group are suddenly confronted with an unfamiliar fighting force. The force turns out to be the Buzkashi, the people of the hidden cloud door to which the group seeks passage through although now the Buzkashi have the lajward they need something new to barter with and Sinnia had taken an interest in the leader: Zerafshan. We also get know more about what it means to be a Companion, apparently, they must remain chaste which is one of the reasons that Arian actively stamps down her feelings for Daniyar and continues to refuse him.
With the help of the Buzkashi Arian learns more of what lies behind the wall and what the Preacher seeks, and she realizes that her mission it’s going to be more perilous than she first thought. She also is starting to learn that there are more important jobs then kinship or duty that she has been pushing away for most of her life. She also struggles to comprehend what Ilea wants, she knows that Rukh spoke truth about the Bloodprint, but she still doubts Ilea’s motives and is unsure whether she can trust the High Companion and the Council she has devoted her life to. The buzkashi seek to fulfil their traditions without realizing the weight of what they are asking for, to enter through the Cloud Door something must be offered in exchange as the lajward id out of the question they ask for Wafa, but he chooses to stay with the Companions. It was great breaking to see both Arian and Daniyar offer their most sacred possessions: The Candour and the Tahweez. Zerafshan recognises the worth of these offering and waves the exchange for Arian but not without a warning from his mother. The warning states that one of their company will fall another will be lost in their journey but she gives no indication of who these two are although I highly doubt it will be Arian or Daniyar leaving Wafa, Turan and Sinnia at risk of being lost to Arian’s quest. All the while Arian is watching Ilea`s falcon follow aware of what it means should she fail and ever-present remainder of what waits ahead. Despite all this it was nice to see Arian admits her feelings about Daniyar although the statement it’s made by Zerafshan.
As the company moves onward Arian learns many things from Turan that were withheld by Ilea and Rukh about the Bloodprint and those who guard it. As they arrive at the encampment of the army of the right Arian is struck by how many men are there, but she is troubled by the fact that Daniyar doubts her despite the fact she was willing to sacrifice everything including her sisterhood to spare him the pain of parting with his birth right. The relationship between Daniyar and Arian is so complex but I am hitting for some resolution soon. The group arrive at the wall and gain enter to the city beyond, but all Arian can think of is her sister could be alive somewhere and she wants to opportunity to find her despite being waist deep in enemy territory.
The threat of war becomes real inside the war as the Authoritarians men train for battle much like the Buzkashi. Before they know it, the group have been captured and spilt up, Wafa and Turan are taken to the blood shed while Daniyar is taken for question and the captain takes Sinnia and Arian is left at the gold house. As her friends are possibly being tortured Arian finds Rukh’s "men" in Marakand and she seeks to get them back before it’s too late especially for Turan and Wafa. Arian`s new mission before continuing with Ilea’s one is finding a way to review her friends. With help Arian manages to find not the whole Bloodprint but a single page, a page that contains the verse of the throne and with its power she wants to review her friends from the bloodshed. The prophecy made in the land of the Buzkashi comes back to haunt Arian when one is killed, and the other taken to a place of depravity and violence. The remaining three now must rescue the fourth and only one can help them get passage through the black aura gate.
As they head through the city to the Tower of the Claim to retrieve the one who was lost and the Bloodprint, but we finally get the resolution of Arian and Daniyar’s relationship finally speaking their love allowed and together they use their gifts to try and break into the Tower, but the risks are great. They eventually manage it and they discover something that could not only change the gate of the war but change the face of the world as they know it. As they unravel the mystery of their quest piece by piece the more danger it brings them, and the more Arian feels the Claim changing within her but bloodied and bruised they press on.
In the final pages of the Bloodprint the true level of deception is revealed although with the sole person who has been moulding everyone including Arian herself. Trapped and alone in the Ark the only thing Arian can do is pray. While the ending of this novel was dramatic I felt it should have ended a chapter soon and the final chapter here would have made a great opening for the next book. Despite having a lot of reservations and issues with this novel early on I really enjoyed it and weighs recommend it to other fantasy fans although with a warning that this book did gets graphic and extremely dark in places. Overall, I found the Bloodprint to be a very entertaining read with lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing right until the end. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book, but I feel it may have something to do with Arian escaping the Ark and rescuing her friend and the Bloodprint along the way. Highly recommended!
Title: The Bloodprint (The Khorasan Archives, #1)
Author: Ausma Zehanat Khan
Genre: Epic Fantasy/Dark Fantasy/Horror
Rating: ****
Review: The opening begins with Arian and Sinnia, members of the council of Hira a freeing some enslaved women which was quite an interesting scene and have me vibes like Nevernight and Throne of Glass but in a more Rebel of the Sands setting. In the first chapter alone, we have been introduced to a magic system and a societal hierarchy, so I hope we will get some background information too. We learn that Arian’s gift of the Claim she gets from being the first oralist is magic given to ancient words that not many have knowledge of or possess.
Despite being four chapters into the book I was very confused, this book generally seems like a sequel rather than a first book in a series. There are so many questions I have and no answers like when did Arian get her power, what is the history between her and Daniyar, what is the history between Ilea and Rukh, how did Arian get on the Council of Hours and why is Ilea worried about being able to control her? Then there's the question of the Sacred Cloak, what does it do, why is it sort after and how can it be used as a weapon of war when the war hasn't supposedly begun yet. So many questions and while readers included myself don't like info dumping more information isn't needed than is present to provide clarity and alleviate confusion. When the girls retrieve the cloak, we do get some history about the legend surrounding it which was helpful we also get some information about Arian and Daniyar’s history although the full extent of their relationship is not known yet. However, I did really enjoy how the friendship between Arian and Sinnia is written.
After retrieving and wearing the Sacred cloak which is said to be impossible for women as they are unclean and impure. The legend tells that women will burst into flames if they put on the cloak and when Arian doesn't out cause disruption among the masses. Although the pair make a slim escape with yet more help from Daniyar they soon find themselves heading back to the citadel where the Council of Hira resides. Things begin to make more sense when we learn that Rukh has been admitted the Council because he has read the manuscript of the Claim known as the Bloodprint, the same scripture seen on the Talisman flag. It is clear to see that Arian is wary of Rukh and fears putting all her faith and hope in his word. As she and Sinnia set off in search of the Bloodprint and unlikely ally comes to their aid in the form of the blue-eyed boy they had freed previously who joins herself and Sinnia on their journey now known as Wafa. Despite the slow and confusing start, I found myself really getting into the novel.
Wafa is a nice introduction the mainly female cast of characters we follow except for Daniyar and Rukh who make brief appearances throughout. As the trio rest at a tower they learn it holds the key to the right path towers their goal, but the cryptic words of the Claim seem to be throwing off Arian. Arian and the others eventually find the ice city and take refuge there, but Arian fears the Talisman aren't far behind and she isn't wrong although the last thing she expects is to be rescued by Daniyar. She also realises that Ilea is hiding things from her and she seeks to uncover what those things are although she feels that the mission she has been sent on is a lie and seeks Daniyar’s assistance once more as she did in the past. It is also here we learn more about who Daniyar of and his relationship to Arian. It turns out that Daniyar also had a gift of the Claim although rather than reciting he can see the truth in people's words written and spoken. We learn that Daniyar is the fabled Silver Mage and even commands the respect of the Companions of Hira making me see him in a new light. Despite this he and Arian have a complex relationship; one minute they are arguing and then they seem close sharing small intimate touches and it is very confusing trying to figure out where to stand with this pair. Daniyar agrees to help them on their journey although it seems the journey will be more perilous that Arian first thought and she begins to question whether she can trust Rukh and by extension Ilea.
As they enter the Blue Mountain Daniyar uses his rank as he is one of the Shin War in order to gain them entrance with the others under a guise of being sent by the Immolan but Arian knows should everything go to plan or not Daniyar will be isolated and hunted by his own people, his own family. As they attempt to escape from the cap with their price the group are suddenly confronted with an unfamiliar fighting force. The force turns out to be the Buzkashi, the people of the hidden cloud door to which the group seeks passage through although now the Buzkashi have the lajward they need something new to barter with and Sinnia had taken an interest in the leader: Zerafshan. We also get know more about what it means to be a Companion, apparently, they must remain chaste which is one of the reasons that Arian actively stamps down her feelings for Daniyar and continues to refuse him.
With the help of the Buzkashi Arian learns more of what lies behind the wall and what the Preacher seeks, and she realizes that her mission it’s going to be more perilous than she first thought. She also is starting to learn that there are more important jobs then kinship or duty that she has been pushing away for most of her life. She also struggles to comprehend what Ilea wants, she knows that Rukh spoke truth about the Bloodprint, but she still doubts Ilea’s motives and is unsure whether she can trust the High Companion and the Council she has devoted her life to. The buzkashi seek to fulfil their traditions without realizing the weight of what they are asking for, to enter through the Cloud Door something must be offered in exchange as the lajward id out of the question they ask for Wafa, but he chooses to stay with the Companions. It was great breaking to see both Arian and Daniyar offer their most sacred possessions: The Candour and the Tahweez. Zerafshan recognises the worth of these offering and waves the exchange for Arian but not without a warning from his mother. The warning states that one of their company will fall another will be lost in their journey but she gives no indication of who these two are although I highly doubt it will be Arian or Daniyar leaving Wafa, Turan and Sinnia at risk of being lost to Arian’s quest. All the while Arian is watching Ilea`s falcon follow aware of what it means should she fail and ever-present remainder of what waits ahead. Despite all this it was nice to see Arian admits her feelings about Daniyar although the statement it’s made by Zerafshan.
As the company moves onward Arian learns many things from Turan that were withheld by Ilea and Rukh about the Bloodprint and those who guard it. As they arrive at the encampment of the army of the right Arian is struck by how many men are there, but she is troubled by the fact that Daniyar doubts her despite the fact she was willing to sacrifice everything including her sisterhood to spare him the pain of parting with his birth right. The relationship between Daniyar and Arian is so complex but I am hitting for some resolution soon. The group arrive at the wall and gain enter to the city beyond, but all Arian can think of is her sister could be alive somewhere and she wants to opportunity to find her despite being waist deep in enemy territory.
The threat of war becomes real inside the war as the Authoritarians men train for battle much like the Buzkashi. Before they know it, the group have been captured and spilt up, Wafa and Turan are taken to the blood shed while Daniyar is taken for question and the captain takes Sinnia and Arian is left at the gold house. As her friends are possibly being tortured Arian finds Rukh’s "men" in Marakand and she seeks to get them back before it’s too late especially for Turan and Wafa. Arian`s new mission before continuing with Ilea’s one is finding a way to review her friends. With help Arian manages to find not the whole Bloodprint but a single page, a page that contains the verse of the throne and with its power she wants to review her friends from the bloodshed. The prophecy made in the land of the Buzkashi comes back to haunt Arian when one is killed, and the other taken to a place of depravity and violence. The remaining three now must rescue the fourth and only one can help them get passage through the black aura gate.
As they head through the city to the Tower of the Claim to retrieve the one who was lost and the Bloodprint, but we finally get the resolution of Arian and Daniyar’s relationship finally speaking their love allowed and together they use their gifts to try and break into the Tower, but the risks are great. They eventually manage it and they discover something that could not only change the gate of the war but change the face of the world as they know it. As they unravel the mystery of their quest piece by piece the more danger it brings them, and the more Arian feels the Claim changing within her but bloodied and bruised they press on.
In the final pages of the Bloodprint the true level of deception is revealed although with the sole person who has been moulding everyone including Arian herself. Trapped and alone in the Ark the only thing Arian can do is pray. While the ending of this novel was dramatic I felt it should have ended a chapter soon and the final chapter here would have made a great opening for the next book. Despite having a lot of reservations and issues with this novel early on I really enjoyed it and weighs recommend it to other fantasy fans although with a warning that this book did gets graphic and extremely dark in places. Overall, I found the Bloodprint to be a very entertaining read with lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing right until the end. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book, but I feel it may have something to do with Arian escaping the Ark and rescuing her friend and the Bloodprint along the way. Highly recommended!