Title: Traitor's Blade
Author: Sebastien De Castell
Release Date: March 4th, 2014
Publisher: Penguin Canada
Pages: 384
Source: Received for review for blog tour
Synopsis:
The King is dead, the Greatcoats have been disbanded, and Falcio Val Mond and his fellow magistrates Kest and Brasti have been reduced to working as bodyguards for a nobleman who refuses to pay them. Things could be worse, of course. Their employer could be lying dead on the floor while they are forced to watch the killer plant evidence framing them for the murder. Oh wait, that’s exactly what’s happening…
Now a royal conspiracy is about to unfold in the most corrupt city in the world. A carefully orchestrated series of murders that began with the overthrow of an idealistic young king will end with the death of an orphaned girl and the ruin of everything that Falcio, Kest, and Brasti have fought for. But if the trio want to foil the conspiracy, save the girl, and reunite the Greatcoats, they’ll have to do it with nothing but the tattered coats on their backs and the swords in their hands, because these days every noble is a tyrant, every knight is a thug, and the only thing you can really trust is a traitor’s blade.
Now a royal conspiracy is about to unfold in the most corrupt city in the world. A carefully orchestrated series of murders that began with the overthrow of an idealistic young king will end with the death of an orphaned girl and the ruin of everything that Falcio, Kest, and Brasti have fought for. But if the trio want to foil the conspiracy, save the girl, and reunite the Greatcoats, they’ll have to do it with nothing but the tattered coats on their backs and the swords in their hands, because these days every noble is a tyrant, every knight is a thug, and the only thing you can really trust is a traitor’s blade.
My Thoughts:
Traitor’s Blade was so much more than I
expected it to be. I don’t usually read fantasy but when I got the opportunity to
work with such a well known publisher like Penguin Canada, I had to do it. I
can’t even tell you how happy I am that I did. I was completely entertained
throughout the whole book and that is rare especially if it does not center on
romance. I really enjoyed it!
Falcio is the first Cantor of the Greatcoats.
The Greatcoats were admired and considered to be heroes until their King fell
and the Dukes took over. Now, they are known as Trattari, which is the worst
thing an honourable Greatcoat can be called, it is also a very loose term for a
traitor (actually it is meant something worse). Falcio and his team, Brasti and
Kest are trying to fulfill one last mission their King requested before he
died.
This book was engaging and I honestly could
not get enough. I found myself staying up late every night because I wanted to
finish it; I needed to know what was going to happen. Traitor’s Blade is a fantasy
novel but it is a light one, it almost reads like a medieval novel. I
absolutely loved it. There were twists and turns I did not see coming. And what
I can say about the fight scenes other than they were phenomenal. I am just
happy the Greatcoats are able to fight as well as they can because I have no
idea how they got out of some of the situations they were thrust into.
What I loved most about this book is the
relationship between Falcio, Brasti and Kest. I found myself laughing out loud
at their banter. It’s priceless! I loved Falcio as a character. There is
something so genuine and likeable about him. He is still an honorable man even
if everyone thinks Greatcoats steal, have no honour, branded traitors. He will
always follow the law of the Greatcoats, no matter what.
I loved the author’s writing. It was so
easy to get lost in the world. I was addicted 100%. The ease in which the
author can tell a story, in such an enjoyable way, anyone and everyone will
love it. This is an excellent start to a great new series and I am so excited
to see where it is going to go.
My Rating:
5 out of 5 stars
