7 ways to identify a fantasy villain

Tags

am reading, epic fantasy, fantasy, villain motivation, villains

If you’ve just started a new fantasy series and aren’t sure who the villain is, there are some easy ways to find out. Watch for a few key traits and if more than four show up in a character, you’ve definitely found the series baddie.

1. Miserable childhood

Morgana Pendragon, basically the cover girl for Daddy Issues Monthly.

Fantasy villains cannot have happy childhoods—EVER. In the slim chance one or both their parents weren’t awful, said parent(s) must die a gruesome death, preferably with the young villain watching.

2. Anger management difficulties

Even if the character displays a cold, controlled exterior most the time, they cannot be a villain without an eventual angry outburst, usually in which they do something horrible and violent. Most likely, this results in the death of a character you really liked.

3. Ugly pets/minions

A face only a villainous taskmaster could love.

Anyone who hires deformed, aesthetically challenged creatures no one else would even look at must surely be a bad guy. However, there is a loophole, so long as the beautiful minions are used for seduction-based intelligence gathering.

4. Racism/Elitism/Sexism/Religious purism/Some other nasty “ism”

The villain will probably be the most prejudiced character in the book. Genocide and lines such as “she’s only a woman” and “it’s my birthright” are dead giveaways.

5. Dysfunctional love life

Xena and Drago. Some whacked out stuff going on there.

The villain must either a) have lost their soulmate which spurs them on this hellish crusade and/or b) have a long string of serial relationships to put Henry VIII to shame and/or c) wants someone who wants them dead.

6. Is secretly the protagonist’s father/sibling/miscellaneous lost relative

Assuming the villain did not kill the protagonist’s father/mother, then this one of the spot-on ways to identify him/her. Families suck and that is the moral of the story.

7. Creepy obsession with protagonist/protagonist’s love interest

WTH Rahl? Do you have any idea how bad this looks???

If the villain and protagonist are of the opposite sex, the villain probably has a thing for him/her. If the protagonist is a girl, there will be some rape-y comments in there at minimum, same for a male protagonist’s love interest. The “we could rule the galaxy” speech may also come into play.

Did this list miss your favorite typical fantasy villain trait? Let me know in the comments!

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Review: Anomaly of Blaze (The Fireblade Array, #3) by H.O. Charles @HOCharles

Tags

epic fantasy, fantasy, indie author, indies, paranormal romance, the fireblade array

An Anomaly of Blaze is the cause of a great many troubles, but he may also offer a solution to the woes faced by our heroes.

In Calidell, The Fireblade must deal with her wars alone, and the battles she faces are nothing like those of the ten millennia before.

A new monster has taken up residence in her mind, and it seeks to control her power. She must do all she can to protect the ones she loves, but can she achieve this before her will to fight leaves her?

Volume 3 of The Fireblade Array

4 out of 5 stars

WARNING AND DISCLAIMER: Some spoilers for previous books in the series. Also, this book contains mature themes and  is not Young Adult.

I…have many emotions regarding this series. The books are huge, the timelines covered in each installment can span for decades, and the author most likely stays up late thinking “how can I hurt these characters next?”

The plot:

This book picks up just a few days after the end of the previous installment with a grieving Artemi and her children. Again, there is the same story style that takes on more of a chronicle/episodic format that your usual plot arch. There might be years lapsed between chapters, but in a world where old age doesn’t exist, the characters all stick around.

I admit I panicked a few times in reading this. I did not see the twist about who Morghiad’s reincarnated self thought Artemi was and once that was revealed…well, I can see how he would be upset over her trying to seduce him.

The characters:

There were a few times I wanted to upside Artemi with a good smack, but not for the reasons the other characters did. I suppose she’s entitled to make mistakes, but she should have taken a cue from how Morghiad dealt with her back when she didn’t remember him. Just give the dude some space!

I freaked out when Morghiad came back, especially when we started seeing things in his POV. I had no idea what the hell was wrong with him or where he got all these outlandish theories. To make matters worse, he never fully explains anything until BOOM we’re in big trouble and he’s about to make the biggest mistake of both his lives. Still…he’s my favorite character and darling little cabbage.

To be brutal, I do not like Silar. He started to redeem himself to me in book 2, but he’s pretty much fixated with Artemi and it only appears to be getting worse. At this rate, in two or three books he’ll be the new super villain/stalker that’s obsessed with her. Seriously, the poor slob needs to find a new girl or a new hobby or hard core therapy before this gets out of hand.

Morghiad and Artemi’s children, particularly the older two, can take all the ❤ ‘s. Medea and Tallyn’s relationship is precious and adorable and I could just hug them both to bits. The youngest, Kalad, is kind of the stereotypical rebellious teenager. Kalad and his father’s reincarnated version do not get along at all I am not looking forward to this blowing up down the road.

Wow, that review got long fast. There’s probably a whole other review I could write just about the secondary characters and assorted villains who make their appearance over the course of the book, but I’ll stop there.

To sum up, I am still hooked on this series, I have downloaded the next book. If you’re a fan of romance epics with monogamous, multi-lifetime stories, for the love of Earl Grey, pick this up.

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Rise (Order of the Krigers, #1) by Jennifer Anne Davis

Tags

fantasy, jennifer anne davis, month9, order of the krigers, rise, ya, young adult

The people of Nelebek live in fear of persecution from the evil Morlet, who reigns with a dark and destructive magic. The kingdom’s only hope lies with the Order of the Krigers—twelve warriors with mysterious powers linked to magical weapons.

For over a century, Morlet has been annihilating the Order, picking them off one by one. Eleven Krigers have been hunted down, tortured, and imprisoned in his dungeon. Now, only one remains.

Sixteen-year-old Kaia survives by keeping her head down and minding her own business. But when she finds herself in the middle of a public execution where the mysterious Morlet is in attendance, an odd compulsion she can’t resist comes over her.

Kaia looks into Morlet’s eyes.

Soon, an ancient power awakens and Kaia can no more blend into the scenery. Will she heed the call of the Krigers or will Morlet’s dark magic destroy the last of the Order?

Blurb and cover from Goodreads

3.5 out of 5 stars

Honest review, right? Okay. This is going to hurt me a lot more than you, but okay.

I love this author, truly, and her debut novel was knock-your-socks-off awesomesauce, but I just felt like this piece didn’t have that level of nuance. I’ve come to expect a great deal more because I know she’s capable of incredible pieces and with another round of revision I think this could have been a fantastic book, but I’ve got to evaluate it as-is. (It’s like 4-H horse judging all over again.)

The plot:

There was an intriguing premise here, but a few things that seemed a little contrived. At the very beginning, it seemed odd that Kaia just so happens to be the one sent to meet Anders who just so happens to pick the (very public) square as a meeting place as Morlet just so happens to be at an execution. All of that could have been smoothed out with just a few tweaks, but…oh, well. It was mostly little things like that building up that demoted this book from 5 stars.

Actually, most of the dings against this story came from the plot. In certain places, some characters seemed to behave out of character and coincidences occurred. There were times it almost seemed the story was bending over backwards in order to make sense.

The characters:

It’s hard to get a bead on Kaia’s character, but she’s having trouble understanding herself. She’s basically lived in a box her whole life, she doesn’t really know who or what she is. I did like that she’s gutsy and smart despite being a bit sheltered. I most loved the balance of her character and the conflict of who to trust—and how it made sense that she doubted the “good” guys. In many cases, the heroine/hero will mistrust the people who are trying to help them and you know they’re messing up, but in her case, I wasn’t quite sure. The thing I most hated about her was that she didn’t knee Vidar in his particulars, but I have my hopes up for the next book.

The subplot with aforementioned Vidar rankled me a lot little. It wasn’t just that I ship her with Anders (and shut up, I know everyone who read this book is on my side), but the way the Vidar subplot was handled made me uncomfortable. There were some kind of rape-y comments in there with the “that is what I will do” and “must” and he was really a jerk with regard to the whole thing. Then he SPOILER brings her father in on it in an effort to force her into marrying him (rat bastard) and Kaia’s father agrees because apparently the girl needs someone to take care of her even though he’s raised her to be strong and independent and every woman requires man to survive and that made me SO MAD ALL AROUND. SPOILER OVER.

*Envision a deep breath here*

Anyway, I didn’t count off for that, just for the perceived inconsistency with regard to her father’s character.

And yes, I loved Anders because he’s spooky and mysterious and an assassin and I’m into those right now. Still, I think my favorite character was Morlet.

Morlet seems pretty cut-and-paste fantasy villain from the blurb up there, but we don’t really have any idea what the hell is going on with him by the end. I feel like there’s almost two personas meshed together in that head of his, fighting over what’s going to happen. He was complicated and unpredictable, but never came across as irrational. He is a puzzle and I admit I’m incredibly intrigued.

One thing I truly appreciated was the little quirks that gave the story originality. There was the French-based world building (as opposed to the traditional medieval English fantasy world), the variety of weaponry, and the terminology were wonderfully fresh. It was little hints like this that reminded me of the author’s creative capability and made it all the most frustrating that this piece wasn’t as well composed as some of her other works.

In short, it could have been much better, but I still plan to read the sequels and this has not in any way dissuaded me from my obsession with the author’s work.

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Review: Cage of Deceit (Reign of Secrets, #1) by Jennifer Anne Davis @AuthorJennifer

Tags

fantasy, reign of secrets, review, true reign, ya, young adult

Jennifer Anne Davis’s best-selling True Reign series captivated readers from the very first page. Now, get ready to become entangled in the follow-up series, Reign of Secrets. In this new series, follow Allyssa, the daughter of the beloved Emperor Darmik and Empress Rema— and find out what happens after happily ever after.

Seventeen-year-old Allyssa appears to be the ideal princess of Emperion—she’s beautiful, elegant, and refined. She spends her days locked in a suffocating cage, otherwise known as royal court. But at night, Allyssa uses her secret persona—that of a vigilante—to hunt down criminals and help her people firsthand.

Unfortunately, her nightly escapades will have to wait because the citizens of Emperion may need saving from something much bigger than common criminals. War is encroaching on their country and in order to protect her people, Allyssa may have to sacrifice her heart. Forced to entertain an alliance through marriage with a handsome prince from a neighboring kingdom, she finds herself feeling even more stifled than before. To make matters worse, the prince has stuck his nosy squire, Jarvik, to watch her every move.

Jarvik is infuriating, bossy and unfortunately, the only person she can turn to when she unveils a heinous plot. Together, the unlikely pair will have to work together to stop an enemy that everyone thought was long gone, one with the power to destroy her family and the people of Emperion. Now the cage Allyssa so longed to break free from might just be the one thing she has to fight to keep intact. In order to save her kingdom, she will have to sacrifice her freedom, her heart, and maybe even her life.

Blurb and cover from Goodreads

5 out of  5 stars

I was a huge fan of the previous companion series to this, True Reign, and that made me twice as nervous to pick this up. I was more than a little scared this wouldn’t live up to the huge precedent set by the first series and so I put it off for months. The last book in the previous trilogy didn’t quite live up to the sheer awesome of the first two, which made it even worse.

Then finally, I picked this up one evening, thinking I’d just read “a few chapters” and call it a night. That endeavor ended at 12:38 a.m. with a cliffhanger, a finished book, and a revitalized fangirl. THE AWESOME IS STRONG WITH THIS ONE.

The plot:

One of my favorite things about Davis’ plots is how they slip away. You get so caught up in what’s happening that suddenly it’s been two hundred pages and you didn’t even notice. They move quickly and don’t waste time, which is an underrated quality, particularly in fantasy books.

There was also a bit of the “aw” romance I adored so much in the first trilogy and I certainly did not mind that. ❤

The characters:

I wasn’t sure about Allyssa at first. I knew it was either going to be hit or miss with her—no middle ground was possible. The author managed to make her have certain similarities to her mother, but at the same time, she’s clearly her own person. I came to admire and adore her and it’s impossible not to root for her. She was definitely a hit.

Rema and Darmik made me go “come on, guys” more than once, but the whole arranged marriage thing didn’t make me hate them as much as I thought it would. After reading the first trilogy, it felt a little hypocritical of them, but the book makes you understand. I still love them just as I love Allyssa with her prince and I NEED THE NEXT BOOK.

I also want to see more of my old buddy Nathanek. The author has promised to bring him back with an apprentice who will play and important role and that’s just another reason I need book 2.

The world of Emperion is back with a vengeance and I love it!

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Release Day Review: Wildwood (Moonlit, #3) by Jadie Jones @JadieJones1

Tags

fantasy, jadie jones, moonlit, release day, wido publishing, wildwood, ya fantasy

In Wildwood, the third book of the Moonlit Trilogy, Tanzy’s journey races toward a final battle within the Unseen world.

Tanzy Hightower has crossed the veil and entered the Unseen world to fulfill the destiny she has at last embraced, to either seal or destroy the veil between the Seen and Unseen. She is the only mortal in a land teeming with creatures who want her dead. To stay alive long enough to stop Asher, the most powerful of the Unseen, Tanzy accepts his marriage proposal and seeks refuge inside his palace.

On the Seen side of the veil, Tanzy’s allies are fragmented and lost, without leadership. They must gather forces and train an army of candidates to defend their world against unfathomable predators poised to strike should the veil holding them at bay dissolve.

While Tanzy has accepted her own inevitable death in fulfilling her destiny, her closest friends refuse to stop searching for the impossible: a way to save Tanzy’s life.

Blurb and cover from Goodreads

5 out of 5 stars

ASDFGHJKL—that pretty much sums up my feelings. I was freaking out for most of the book because, to quote Samwise Gamgee, how could it turn out happy? Well, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses, but I found this to be a most satisfactory and awesome ending to a fantastic series. I am sad to bid Lucas and Tanzy and Jayce and Moonlit farewell, but I am not so cruel as to wish more trouble upon them. No, not that cruel at all.

The plot:

Twisty. The plot was twisty. I kept getting hit by first this shock then that shock. I could never quite predict what was happening and I loved it. This was plotting on the level of Brandon Sanderson and I cannot get over the complexity and planning that must have gone into this—just plain awesome.

The characters:

I’m not sure I can talk about Tanzy without talking about Lucas and I can’t talk about the two of them without rampant fangirling. You should not make the mistake that assuming this story is a romance, it is far more about the adventure, I think. However, my little fangirl heart wants what it wants. I will ship them to the day I die.

For the first time ever, we see into the minds and thoughts of characters besides Tanzy. We get a peek into Jayce, Hope, Lucas, even Vanessa.

There were many twists, as I said, but perhaps the greatest one of all was when I found myself sympathizing with Vanessa. Yes, VANESSA. That was probably the last thing I ever saw coming, seconded only to love-hating Asher by the end. The twist about those two was the last thing I expected and I can do nothing but laud the author for how well she set that up.

A fabulous conclusion to a masterfully written trilogy and when our dear Ms. Jones comes out with her next book, I will fight anyone and everyone for the first spot in line.

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Review: The Seventh Magpie by Nancy Chase @NancyAChase

Tags

fantasy, indie author, middle grade, nancy chase, standalone, the seventh magpie

Sometimes you must give up what you value most to gain what you want even more.

Princess Catrin is just a child when her mother vanishes, leaving her a cryptic legacy: a priceless magical book and the warning that if Catrin ever loses it, she’ll surely die. But she is a young woman on the brink of a whole new life when, in a moment of defiance, she forgets that warning and triggers a catastrophe that shatters all her hopes.

Stricken with grief and seeking a way to correct her terrible mistake, Catrin risks everything on a dangerous bargain. Too late, she realizes just how much more she has to lose.

With advice from a half-mad witch and help from companions she meets along the way, Catrin embarks on a desperate quest to defeat seven riddling Magpies–magical tricksters who can shapeshift into anything or anyone–and win back her book or face losing everything she holds dear.

With each step the stakes get higher, and there are secrets she still doesn’t suspect. How much is Catrin willing to sacrifice to finally unmask the Seventh Magpie?

A dark fairy tale of loss and renewal.

Blurb and cover from Goodreads

5 out of 5 stars

Reading this made me feel like a little girl again, curled up with Mommy while she was reading me princess stories. There is a whimsical, magical feel to this story that I haven’t truly encountered in contemporary literature before. It is a singular story that seems to cast a category all its own, creating something that truly comes across as an old-timey fairytale while creating something completely new. The fantastic illustrations add splendidly to the storybook feel and I immensely enjoyed the whole of the story.

The plot:

As I said, there is a definite storybook feel, however this employs more modern logic and characters. Unlike some of the old fables, the storyline interweaves and interconnects in ways the reader doesn’t see coming and gives us plenty to guess at right up until the very last page.

The riddles, the magic, the quests, and the prices of Catrin’s quests were wonderfully inventive and original while maintaining the fairytale theme of the story. You can certainly tell the author put her heart and soul into this.

There is a sense of sadness to the story, but at the same time, a lightness and whimsy that never lets the reader become depressed. The ending was not at all what I expected, but was no less gratifying and Ms. Chase is undeniably an exceptional wordsmith.

The characters:

The character development in this is not what we are used to in modern books. It is certainly incorporated, but is a bit more distant in keeping with the fairytale style. The focus is almost wholly on the main character, Catrin, and she undergoes a number of transformations throughout the story. She certainly matures and learns throughout the tale, a refreshing change from the traditional mold.

Overall, I think this is an amazing piece and I can do nothing but recommend it to anyone with a taste for fairytales that are fresh and inventive.

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Review: World of the Beasts (The Witches’ Sleep Trilogy, #2) by Kaitlyn Deann @kaitlyn_deann

Tags

fantasy, indie author, kaitlyn deann, sci-fi, young adult, young author

Sea-Anna and Tuck have been weretiger slaves to the witches for over twenty years. But now, because their master happens to be the leader’s worst enemy, they have been sold to the beasts behind their master’s back. Sea-Anna and Tuck are separated, bought by two different beasts. Sea-Anna, who dreads the beasts more than anything, promises herself to stay strong, but not for herself, not to save her own life. She has to protect her secrets. But will she buckle under the pressure Aphalie, the world of the beasts, shoves at her? Or will she overcome the trials and become the weretiger she was always meant to be?

Blurb and cover from Goodreads

5 out of 5 stars

This is…wow. So much wow. I read the first book over a year ago and had forgotten what a skilled and talented authoress this young lady is. If she EVER even CONSIDERS putting a stop to her writing, I will have WORDS. No book is perfect and I did have some minor issues, but the overall storyline, character development, world building, plot twists…I was amazed by how well put together it was. The writer took her time with releasing this, getting everything just the way she wanted it, and I cannot argue with what a great book has resulted. Simply marvelous.

The plot:

I got to about 20% into this book and stopped. I knew bad things were about to happen and really didn’t want them to because I love the characters. However, an hour-long wait to take a college test forced me to stop being a baby and just read and I was so happy that I did.

I was never quite able to accurately predict what would happen. There were times when I thought “oh, the author would never let that happen” and then she DID. There were also times when I thought “oh, no, SHE’S GOING TO DO IT,” but she showed mercy on the characters (and I thank her for that). In short, this story was far from predictable and I enjoyed the not-knowing immensely.

The characters:

Sea-Anna is my dear little baby and I can’t say I was happy for most of this book because of that. She goes through a maelstrom of character development and it was wonderful to see how much stronger and wiser she had grown by the end. She was perfect before, but she somehow managed to become even more amazing.

Tuck also gets a few perspective chapters in this book and since he was one of my favorite characters in book 1, I loved it. I admit there were lots of twists about him that I didn’t see coming, but the fact remains that I adore him as much as Sea-Anna and that led to a great deal of stress. MAJOR stress.

Sunny still plays a large role in this book, despite a focus on Sea-Anna and her storyline. Some questions left open-ended in the first book come into play in her sequence and she makes some world-shattering discoveries about Raena and the whole of the world. The relationship between her and Clap continues to be precious and don’t even get me started on her and Kindness. ❤ Everything about the way their dynamics are portrayed is adorable with just the perfect amount of grounding in reality.

SPOILERS

I said I had minor issues with a few things, but it was really only one thing—the whole element about Sea-Anna being used as a sex slave. For starters, I thought it strange that Sea-Anna would feel guilt over an interspecies carnal relationship, but not over the fact that she’s married.

Then there was Tuck’s reaction when he finds out that Sea-Anna was prostituted. I don’t mean toward the client who paid for her, but the man who did the selling. I would think that if I had found out that my spouse was used as a sex slave, I would be just a tad upset with the bloke who did the brokering. It doesn’t matter how pure or honest he might have seen his intentions when he prostituted her, the fact remains he prostituted her. There just didn’t seem to be any repercussions for Buck in that regard from Tuck or anyone, really.

SPOILER OVER

Overall, I adored this book. The new species that are introduced, the amazing handling of suspense and character development as well as the promise of an even juicier sequel have left me aching for the next book. Again, I say that Miss Deann better keep on writing because the world needs more books like this!

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Review: Betrayal (The Priestess Trilogy, #2) by Melissa Sasina @MelissaSasina

Tags

adult, celtic mythology, fantasy, indie author, irish, melissa sasina

Shiovra, High Priestess of the village Tara, is set to wed one considered the enemy for the sake of her clan. Torn between her heart and her people, between love and duty, Shiovra decides her fate and faces the truth about Odhrán.

Still hunted by both the Milidh clan and her own kin, she learns that not all enemies are quite what they seem.

Loyalty is brought into question and power lost within enemy ranks in what shall ultimately lead to one thing: BETRAYAL.

Blurb and cover from Goodreads

4 out of 5 stars

I have been looking forward to this book for some time and was very excited when the chance came along for me to snag it. It was an enchanting, exciting read and it had all the elements that made the first one memorable—mythology, magic, and mayhem.

One of my favorite things is the archaic, era-appropriate terms and language. It gives the story a wonderfully authentic feel and who doesn’t like learning new words? These stories are woven in with just the right dose of the arcane, yet never enough so as to make it seem foreign, just right.

The plot:

These books trot along fairly quickly and I’m never quite sure which direction they’ll take. There is never a shortage of action or sword fights and the detailed battles are always an exciting shot of action.

There is a lot more sex in this one than in the previous, which I suppose makes sense in the storyline, but yes, I did skip them. It’s a policy I don’t plan on repealing in the foreseeable future and it also means I wouldn’t consider this as young adult by any means, just so you YA readers out there know.

The characters:

We meet a good many new characters in this one as well as some familiar friends (and enemies). There is a greater exploration of the different tribes and clans as well as their dynamics which made for excellent world building.

In addition, there is a great deal more delving into marital institutions of the era. Despite this being a fantasy, the characters’ attitudes and opinions regarding marriage and the entailed responsibilities/duties of husbands and wives came across as highly realistic and was one of my favorite elements. However, there was this one part where I think a character basically told his wife to cheat on him. I may have misunderstood and sincerely hope I did, but…yeah, let’s just say I hope I misunderstood.

I had a great deal of fun in reading this book and I am very much looking forward to Eclipse coming out later this year. I recommend this for fans of mythology and Celtic-based fantasy worlds—the author certainly put a great deal into the world building and it shows.

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Review: To Darkness Fled (Blood of Kings, #2) by Jill Williamson @JillWilliamson

Tags

blood of kings, christian fantasy, epic fantasy, fantasy, jill williamson, young adult

Achan, Vrell, and the Kingsguard Knights have fled into Darkness to escape the wrath of the former prince. They head for Ice Island to rescue two of Sir Gavin’s colleagues who were falsely imprisoned years ago. Darkness is growing and only one man can push it back. Achan wanted freedom, not a crown. His true identity has bound him more than ever. He must learn decorum, wear fancy clothes, and marry a stranger. Achan knows one thing for certain. He will not be a puppet prince. Either he will accept his role and take charge or he will flee. But which will he choose?

Blurb and cover from Goodreads

5 out of 5 stars

I was hoping this would be as good as the last one and yep, it was. There was a little more exploration of the religious themes, but nowhere near the overwhelming levels I have encountered elsewhere. (By “overwhelming,” I mean uninterrupted monologues that elaborate theological teachings for a page or more straight. Here the Christian elements are brought in as part of the story AS THEY SHOULD BE.)

The plot:

I think this baby is 700+ pages in print. It is not for the faint of heart, but the story moves quickly and the words slip by before you know it. There was a great deal of character development in this book, especially with Achan. We meet a host of new characters and find out more about the backstory as well as the world building.

I got stressed reading this several times just because of the suspense levels, but I loved every second and I’m gobbling up the third and last book right now.

The characters:

As I mentioned, Achan has a lot of character development in this book. There’s a great deal more on his flaws and his difficulties in reconciling himself with the god he was basically taught nothing about. It was something I wanted to see the author explore and she does not disappoint. Achan goes through the whole angry at God and “why me?” set of thinking (realistic, I thought) and I thought the author handled it very well.

Despite a brief stint of self-pity and some trouble with basic morality in this book, Achan is still lovable and it’s hard to hate someone the author is knocking around every other chapter. I mentioned in my review of the first book that Achan is kind of like a punching bag and as promised, things do not get better. He still gets beaten up on a regular schedule and I feel terrible for him.

Vrell is still going under the guise of a boy and Achan has no clue (for most of the book anyway, but spoilers). I made the mistake of thinking her perfect (maybe just a little) in the first book, but no. She screws up and shows arrogance and pride and pig headedness and finds plenty of ways to make the reader scream “no!” All the same, I find her to be a likable and endearing character, which it isn’t very often I am this fond of a female lead. (Don’t ask why, I just tend not to like them.)

On top of our Joffrey-esque villain, Esek, from the first book, I’m fairly certain the devil turns up. It happens a little later in the story, so that’s all I’ll say, but we definitely have our fair share of villains, I just don’t have the space to mention them all.

A great series that I wish was far more popular and I think I’ll be going into withdrawals when I finish this series. If anyone hasn’t read this, go fix that now. If anyone has, let me know so we can gush over it together.

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Review: By Darkness Hid (Blood of Kings, #1) by Jill Williamson @JillWilliamson

Tags

blood of kings, by darkness hid, christian fantasy, fantasy, jill williamson, young adult

Given the chance to train as a squire, kitchen servant Achan Cham hopes to pull himself out of his pitiful life and become a Kingsguard Knight. When Achan’s owner learsn of his training, he forces Achan to spar with the Crown Prince, more of a death sentence than an honor. Meanwhile strange voices in his head cause him to fear he’s going mad. While escoring the prince to a council presentaiton, their convoy is attacked. Achan is wounded and arrested, but escapes form prison-only to discover a scret about himself he never believed possible.

Blurb and cover from Goodreads

5 out of 5 stars

This. THIS is how you write Christian Epic Fantasy. I’ll be honest, I usually hate these sorts of books. Christian fantasy (and Christian literature in general) tend to be…what is the word? Preachy. Overbearing. It pains me to say and I wish it weren’t so, yet it’s true. But none of that here.

I think I added this to my “Dear Santa” list over a year ago because it looked like my kind of trouble. Over vacation, I was browsing through my Amazon wish list and saw that it was free for Kindle. Fearing it was too good to be true, I prodded at the page for a bit before hitting “download.” A few days later, I went and bought the second. Now I’m reading the third and thinking there should be a bigger fandom for the series.

The plot:

Okay, so I did feel like the story was congested for the first two or three chapters. In the beginning, I was wondering where it was headed and thinking it was a little slow, but so many people on Goodreads and Amazon had loved it and I figured there had to be a reason. I quickly discovered that there was.

I’m one of those people who takes what happens to the characters personally. I spent plenty of time pacing, worrying, panicking, and putting down my Kindle because I couldn’t take the suspense. As soon as we got through the first few chapters, the story took off like a firework and swept me right up in it. I love it when a book does that and I admit there were a few twists I did not see coming.

The characters:

Achan is basically a punching bag for the local lowlife population. Poor baby. In essentially every other chapter, he’s getting punched, stabbed, shot, strangled, burned, poisoned, whipped, or something else horrible. (Spoiler: it does not get better as the series progresses.) He can be naive and occasionally self righteous, even temperamental, but all things considered, I think he turned out pretty fricking good. Sir Gavin is a knight who sort of takes Achan under his wing and I kept wanting to yell “DO NOT LEAVE HIM UNATTENDED!” every time Gavin walked off the page.

The other POV character is Vrell, a young noblewoman disguised as a foundling boy to avoid marrying the main villain. Their two storylines didn’t directly intersect until more than halfway through the book, I think, but still meshed together quite well. Vrell doesn’t take half the physical poundings Achan does (she’d probably be dead), but she still gets her fair share of trouble. She has her own set of faults and flaws and qualities and I thought she was a realistically structured character, just as Achan was.

At present, I’m trying to think of people I could coerce into reading this. I adored the story, greatly appreciated the author’s presentation of the religious elements, and I think my brothers and friends are going to have this shoved in their faces at the first possible opportunity.

Find By Darkness Hid on Goodreads

Find By Darkness Hid on Amazon (Still free last I checked.)

Find By Darkness Hid on BN.com