A review by thursdaygirls
Malice by John Gwynne

3.0

Things I liked:

• The use of perspective particularly with Corban, Veradis, and Kastell.
• An accurate characterisation of teenage boys becoming men with cowardice and a range in strength amongst the group.
• Varying family dynamics.
• The multiple reveals with some being intended as far more obvious and the only real surprise to me being the final one
  of Halion as a royal bastard.

Things I disliked:

• The overwhelming lack of female perspective especially when there were compelling narratives amongst them.
• How the obvious Tolkien inspiration sometimes bled too far into the novel, calling Asroth “the great deceiver” is taking the piss.
• Whilst I don’t mind a slow start I think there were moments that could’ve been cut down on in order to streamline the book.

An interesting read especially after his later work and good to see a solid commitment to improvement made with his writing of women for Bloodsworn Saga. It gives me much hope that the rest of this quartet will step up from what is just a solid debut.