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A review by ngreads
The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
5.0
I feel like I have been punched very hard in the gut, but in the very best way possible.
How can I even explain this coherently? This book blew me away at every possible level, and I think the only way I can explain is to give a list.
Here's why I loved this book:
- The best way I can describe how this book made me feel is tense. It reminded me of the first time I watched Breaking Bad, the feeling of utter dread as consequences for small actions in the beginning of the series began to pile up and take effect. The building tension is intense and almost stressful. If you've ever watched the show, you know what I mean.
This book gave me that same feeling. The building consequences from small actions were incredible, making every action feel like it had weight, and I'm sure that those consequences are only going to ramp up in the sequel.
- I don't tend to relate to characters. I can enjoy them, and get into them, but the whole idea of "relatable" characters has never struck a chord with me. Then I read Helena.
Reading Helena's character felt, at times, like looking back at myself as a nineteen year old. Not in background, not in action or situation, but just in emotion. I felt like I was reading a nineteen year old who felt like a nineteen year old, and I could so easily sympathize with her struggles with her emotions. It was a wholly new feeling for me, and it was one that I really enjoyed.
Her voice as our narrator was also strong and interesting. I just plainly like her character, and her view on events as a more Watson-like narrator. (As in, the assistant to the hyper-competent lead who is learning and chronicling the events being the narrator rather than the hyper-competent leader being the narrator, if that makes sense.) I quite enjoyed it.
- The other characters were just as wonderful to read about. Bressinger and Radomir, of course, were great, but the true standout here was Vonvalt. I really love his character, and I look forward to learning more about him. I'd love to see at least a short story or novella from his POV someday, and I can't wait to see how his character evolves. The villains were also just truly despicable, almost to the point of me wanting to yell at the book. I hated them, and that is exactly the emotion a good villain should bring.
- On the same note as characters, the relationship between Helena and Vonvalt is so beautiful to me. I love that it's complicated, and a bit messy, and that they struggle with one another. I love their father-daughter dynamic, and I especially love that they actually slow down and communicate about their problems rather than letting them fester for the sake of drama. It's a depressingly rare thing to see characters sit down and talk things through, rather than just being stubborn idiots about it.
- Richard Swan understands the complexities of how an empire works and applies it properly to a fantasy novel! It wasn't until I read this that it struck me how uncommon it is to see an empire actually written well, with the complexities of it actually thought out properly. Freaking awesome.
- You can really tell that Richard Swan's background is in law, as the justice system and law side of the book is meticulously thought out and well written. I'm looking forward to seeing more of it in the rest of the series.
- THAT ENDING. No spoilers, but if you've read it, you know.
OVERALL:
This was incredible. This was beautiful. I can't wait for book two. Richard has knocked it out of the park with this, and I can't wait to see what else he writes. Welcome to the list of auto-buy authors, sir. I look forward to seeing where you and this story go.
How can I even explain this coherently? This book blew me away at every possible level, and I think the only way I can explain is to give a list.
Here's why I loved this book:
- The best way I can describe how this book made me feel is tense. It reminded me of the first time I watched Breaking Bad, the feeling of utter dread as consequences for small actions in the beginning of the series began to pile up and take effect. The building tension is intense and almost stressful. If you've ever watched the show, you know what I mean.
This book gave me that same feeling. The building consequences from small actions were incredible, making every action feel like it had weight, and I'm sure that those consequences are only going to ramp up in the sequel.
- I don't tend to relate to characters. I can enjoy them, and get into them, but the whole idea of "relatable" characters has never struck a chord with me. Then I read Helena.
Reading Helena's character felt, at times, like looking back at myself as a nineteen year old. Not in background, not in action or situation, but just in emotion. I felt like I was reading a nineteen year old who felt like a nineteen year old, and I could so easily sympathize with her struggles with her emotions. It was a wholly new feeling for me, and it was one that I really enjoyed.
Her voice as our narrator was also strong and interesting. I just plainly like her character, and her view on events as a more Watson-like narrator. (As in, the assistant to the hyper-competent lead who is learning and chronicling the events being the narrator rather than the hyper-competent leader being the narrator, if that makes sense.) I quite enjoyed it.
- The other characters were just as wonderful to read about. Bressinger and Radomir, of course, were great, but the true standout here was Vonvalt. I really love his character, and I look forward to learning more about him. I'd love to see at least a short story or novella from his POV someday, and I can't wait to see how his character evolves. The villains were also just truly despicable, almost to the point of me wanting to yell at the book. I hated them, and that is exactly the emotion a good villain should bring.
- On the same note as characters, the relationship between Helena and Vonvalt is so beautiful to me. I love that it's complicated, and a bit messy, and that they struggle with one another. I love their father-daughter dynamic, and I especially love that they actually slow down and communicate about their problems rather than letting them fester for the sake of drama. It's a depressingly rare thing to see characters sit down and talk things through, rather than just being stubborn idiots about it.
- Richard Swan understands the complexities of how an empire works and applies it properly to a fantasy novel! It wasn't until I read this that it struck me how uncommon it is to see an empire actually written well, with the complexities of it actually thought out properly. Freaking awesome.
- You can really tell that Richard Swan's background is in law, as the justice system and law side of the book is meticulously thought out and well written. I'm looking forward to seeing more of it in the rest of the series.
- THAT ENDING. No spoilers, but if you've read it, you know.
OVERALL:
This was incredible. This was beautiful. I can't wait for book two. Richard has knocked it out of the park with this, and I can't wait to see what else he writes. Welcome to the list of auto-buy authors, sir. I look forward to seeing where you and this story go.