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A review by readivine
Skullsworn by Brian Staveley
5.0
We all know that there's a thin line between a bruised purple prose from a lyrical masterpiece. Skullsworn, in fact, is the fcking embodiment of the latter.
If I would ever want to become a full-time writer in my life, I will hone my craft incessantly until I reach the tip of Brian Staveley's level of artistry. He definitely belongs in the God Tier with his exceptional and beautiful writing skill. The word beautiful doesn't even cut it. Neither does any other synonym. Which begs the question: "How can I ever justify this book's beauty in a review?" The answer is I can't.
There is a perfect blend of unerring bluntness and mellifluous cadence in the storytelling.
It is evident that there's a certain level of mastery present in Staveley's literary prowess that sets the bar high for epic fantasy writing. His is not the simplistic and conversational type that hooks the reader's attention easily, nor is it too ornate as to confound the reader of its elitist nature. It is weaved in such a way where one can enjoy the rhythmic ebbs and flows of the plot while still consciously appreciating the meticulous writing that painstakingly holds the strands of the book altogether. It's. So. Fcking. Beautiful.
But it's not just simply decadent for the sake of beauty alone, without knowing it you'd be surprised with the bittersweet aftertaste of reality in his writing. There is a perpetual balance of softness and bluntness that makes the reading experience all the more compelling. I've never read anything as beautiful as Staveley's prose.
Here is an excerpt from the book that I particularly love.
Meticulous approach in discussing religion, colonialism, and power dynamics.
Skullsworn is heavily navigated by the compass of religion; in fact, it is this certain aspect that elevates and coherently glues the world building. Right off the bat, you could already see East Asian references in the setting; from the forms of cutlery, fixtures, clothing, and climate. However, it is not what molds the geography alone. It is how Staveley stitched the various belief systems of the people in Dombang connect to their mundane activity, motivations, and perceptions. Religion makes Skullsworn's narrative all-encompassing and grounded in the real world.
The effects of colonialism are also discussed here without ever being glossed over. It's not a haphazard depiction and it somehow accurately displays it. As a Filipina, I know that my country's history is riddled with colonizers and reading Skullsworn in the context of colonialism made this all the more relatable or in a sense understandable.
There are a lot of historical references and world events that aligned in some of the parts in the book. The power dynamics presented was also an intriguing part of this one and contributed more to the richness of the narrative that made up for the world building.
Unconventional morally ambiguous characters and confounding yet compelling relationships
I know this would probably sound redundant. Morally ambiguous characters are afterall unconventional by nature but in my reading experience there are somehow formulaic representations of these types of characters that they become forgettable and repetitive. In Skullsworn however, the cast might be few but they were all distinct and well fleshed out that makes them stand out more from the roster of all the other fantasy books I've read.
Pyrre our MC most especially is quite a study in this book. She's a devout acolyte, an experienced assassin and so much more flawed. What I find endearing in her part was how she constantly becomes progressive by breaking and reforming her belief system through her experiences. Her development and monologues were a sweet one to see unfold.
All the other characters had held their own distinct flavor in the story but I won't discuss them, however. You just have to read the book to see them for yourself!
The relationships present in the book were sparse but because of that, there was room for delving in deep with their developments. This was probably the most confusing yet utterly realistic aspect of the book. Up until now, I still pore over the relationships in this book and how one thing led to another.
Atmospheric Narrative in the concept of Death and Love
I have honestly no words left for this. To put it easily (for my part ahhahaha) let me show you two excerpts from this book on death and love.
All in all, this was such a beautiful work of art and persuaded me to read more of Brian Staveley's books!
If I would ever want to become a full-time writer in my life, I will hone my craft incessantly until I reach the tip of Brian Staveley's level of artistry. He definitely belongs in the God Tier with his exceptional and beautiful writing skill. The word beautiful doesn't even cut it. Neither does any other synonym. Which begs the question: "How can I ever justify this book's beauty in a review?" The answer is I can't.
There is a perfect blend of unerring bluntness and mellifluous cadence in the storytelling.
It is evident that there's a certain level of mastery present in Staveley's literary prowess that sets the bar high for epic fantasy writing. His is not the simplistic and conversational type that hooks the reader's attention easily, nor is it too ornate as to confound the reader of its elitist nature. It is weaved in such a way where one can enjoy the rhythmic ebbs and flows of the plot while still consciously appreciating the meticulous writing that painstakingly holds the strands of the book altogether. It's. So. Fcking. Beautiful.
But it's not just simply decadent for the sake of beauty alone, without knowing it you'd be surprised with the bittersweet aftertaste of reality in his writing. There is a perpetual balance of softness and bluntness that makes the reading experience all the more compelling. I've never read anything as beautiful as Staveley's prose.
Here is an excerpt from the book that I particularly love.
My god is a great lover of music. Not the still, finished forms of painting or sculpture, but music. Music is inextricable from its own unmaking. Each note is predicated on the death of those before. Try to hold them all, and you have madness, cacophony, noise.
A song, like a life, is all in the letting go, in the knowing, the moment you begin, that it will end. And of all music’s variegated forms—fiddle and drum, harp and horn, plangent or joyous—Ananshael loves the human voice, the sound of the instrument giving song to the knowledge of its own impermanence.
Meticulous approach in discussing religion, colonialism, and power dynamics.
Skullsworn is heavily navigated by the compass of religion; in fact, it is this certain aspect that elevates and coherently glues the world building. Right off the bat, you could already see East Asian references in the setting; from the forms of cutlery, fixtures, clothing, and climate. However, it is not what molds the geography alone. It is how Staveley stitched the various belief systems of the people in Dombang connect to their mundane activity, motivations, and perceptions. Religion makes Skullsworn's narrative all-encompassing and grounded in the real world.
The effects of colonialism are also discussed here without ever being glossed over. It's not a haphazard depiction and it somehow accurately displays it. As a Filipina, I know that my country's history is riddled with colonizers and reading Skullsworn in the context of colonialism made this all the more relatable or in a sense understandable.
There are a lot of historical references and world events that aligned in some of the parts in the book. The power dynamics presented was also an intriguing part of this one and contributed more to the richness of the narrative that made up for the world building.
Unconventional morally ambiguous characters and confounding yet compelling relationships
I know this would probably sound redundant. Morally ambiguous characters are afterall unconventional by nature but in my reading experience there are somehow formulaic representations of these types of characters that they become forgettable and repetitive. In Skullsworn however, the cast might be few but they were all distinct and well fleshed out that makes them stand out more from the roster of all the other fantasy books I've read.
Pyrre our MC most especially is quite a study in this book. She's a devout acolyte, an experienced assassin and so much more flawed. What I find endearing in her part was how she constantly becomes progressive by breaking and reforming her belief system through her experiences. Her development and monologues were a sweet one to see unfold.
All the other characters had held their own distinct flavor in the story but I won't discuss them, however. You just have to read the book to see them for yourself!
The relationships present in the book were sparse but because of that, there was room for delving in deep with their developments. This was probably the most confusing yet utterly realistic aspect of the book. Up until now, I still pore over the relationships in this book and how one thing led to another.
Atmospheric Narrative in the concept of Death and Love
I have honestly no words left for this. To put it easily (for my part ahhahaha) let me show you two excerpts from this book on death and love.
“Love is not some eternal state, but a delight in the paradise of the imperfect. The holding of a thing is inextricable from the letting go, and to love, you must learn both.”
“Our human flesh is better than most things at keeping pace with its own decay, and yet it takes so little—a tiny knife dragged across the windpipe, a dropped roof tile, a puddle three inches deep—to unmake a man or woman. It’s amazing, given everything’s fragility, that we don’t live in a smashed world, all order and structure utterly undone, the whole land heaped with bone, charred wood, carelessly shattered glass. It amazes me sometimes that anything is still standing.”
All in all, this was such a beautiful work of art and persuaded me to read more of Brian Staveley's books!