A review by rachratesreads
Reforged by Seth Haddon

adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

Reforged by Seth Haddon - 3.5/10 
 
Reforged is a second chance/bodyguard fantasy romance between a Paladin and his new King. King Zavrius never expected to become a ruler, but after the tragic death of his siblings, he is put on the throne. Paladin Balen is pledged to serve his king, who happens to be his ex-lover. Their kingdom becomes the target of various enemies, trying to seize control during this unstable transition between rulers, and our protagonists are forced to navigate these threats, as well as their bottled-up emotions. It sounds like something that is right up my alley. So why didn’t I like it? 
 
The concept was strong and enticing, but fell flat in the execution. There were a lot of problems that should have been caught by the editor long before it reached the publishing stage. At this stage, Reforged reads like a first draft that hasn’t reached its full potential yet. The pacing was off from the very beginning, the magic system was not explained, and the characters were lacking depth and complexity. This book is proof that you can have a great concept, but you need and editor to make it attainable. 
 
I don’t like giving critical reviews to debut authors, especially indie authors. Writing a book is no easy task, but this book needs a professional editor. A lot of these mistakes could have been avoided if there was a critical editing process. I look forward to seeing what Haddon does in the future, because I do really like the general premise. This just wasn’t the book I was hoping for. 
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