Bloodsong by Anthony Ryan (4.4 Stars)

Vaelin Al Sorna was only a child of ten when his father left him at the iron gate of the Sixth Order. The Brothers of the Sixth Order are devoted to battle, and Vaelin will be trained and hardened to the austere, celibate, and dangerous life of a Warrior of the Faith. He has no family now save the Order. Vaelin’s father was Battle Lord to King Janus, ruler of the unified realm. Vaelin’s rage at being deprived of his birthright and dropped at the doorstep of the Sixth Order like a foundling knows no bounds. He cherishes the memory of his mother, and what he will come to learn of her at the Order will confound him. His father, too, has motives that Vaelin will come to understand. But one truth overpowers all the rest: Vaelin Al Sorna is destined for a future he has yet to comprehend. A future that will alter not only the realm, but the world. Premise: How compelling or unique is the overview of the story? ----- 9 We discover the truth behind the legend of Vaelin Al Sorna, legendary warrior, in this coming of age story. Maybe not an original premise, but these kinds of books already catch my eye. It's a very appealing trope. Plot: How well does the action of the story fulfill or even expand the potential of the premise? ----- 9 The plot is excellent. It's driven by the characters and does a masterful job of advancing through action and adding more and more layers to the story. It sets up the rest of the series perfectly (If only...). I do think there bloodsong itself, with it's significance to the story, hardly got a chance to shine, although I suppose that could also have been given time in future books. Characters: Overall feelings towards the characters. Are they memorable? Exciting? Human? Do we even like them? ----- 8 Some characters could walk out of the pages, while others seemed a little robotic. There isn't time to fully develop the steadily expanding cast of characters, so by the end they're given one notable trait and thrown into the mix. The plot necessitated a broader cast, but I found anyone other than Vaelin, Sherin, Caenis, or Frentis to be somewhat one dimensional. I'm really looking for spots to provide some criticism though, the take is probably exaggerated. Pacing: How strong is the momentum of the story? Is it hard to put the book down? ----- 9 There were just a couple spots where the pacing let me down, mostly towards the end, but for the rest of the book I consistently struggled to put it down. Prose: Does the author have strong writing skills? Is the text easy and enjoyable to read and not jarring or distracting? ----- 9 The writing is easy to read and professional, without being fantastic. I do think there was room for more witty or dry humor in the story, although I suppose that isn't Vaelin's character Depth: Do elements of the story combine to form an immersive setting? Is it easy to visualize and well thought out? ----- 9 The realm is a complicated place, but I feel I have a pretty good grasp of it by the end of the story. Fun settings and intricate history and politics create an immersive experience without being too complex Epic-ness: Are cool things happening? Are story elements used to creating plot action that is exciting and satisfying? ----- 9 There is action throughout, although the book is missing that one major climactic battle. That said, plot and characters combine to create many satisfying and surprising twists. Total: 62/70 = 4.4 This is one of my favorite fantasy books, which makes it all the worse that the two follow up efforts were so lousy. That said this was my second or third time reading and I couldn't put it down, which speaks to the quality here in Book 1.