Blood of an Exile, by Brian Naslund
I received a free copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review. This in no way impacts my opinions.
Silas Bershad is an exile, his land taken from him and he is cast adrift as a dragonslayer, a career with a short shelf-life. Bershad proves to be remarkably capable,and 14 years and 65 dragons later, he’s still kicking around. However, a summons from his king, whom he has vowed to kill, sends him on a perilous journey, and brings back the old memories of his betrothed.
Okay, enough with the shoulder-shrugging and eye-rolling at the back – what sounds like a run of the mill fantasy plot has quite a lot going for it. For a start, it’s funny. The story is peppered with ribald wit and gallows humour as the curmudgeonly Bershad struggles against his many pitfalls. Secondly, I guess it could be called an eco-fantasy. While climate change tends to be the realm of science fiction, the author cleverly entwines it in his plot in a sensible fashion. Oh, and there’s dragons. Here’s my thoughts on the book:
Worldbuilding
The author plumped for a traditional fantasy trope for most of his world (at least in book one), by setting it in a medieval feudal system, but there are hints of Middle Eastern and Asian culture that we may see more of later in the trilogy. However, this is more than a bunch of knights trumping around. The story spends most of its time out of doors, and rather than have the characters complaining about “more f@#kin trees”, they revel in its splendour, and at times the authors goes to pains to make sure we appreciate it too. The dragons are a diverse bunch, each with their own place in the world, and have Berk-like variety. There are assassins, scientist-like healers and a bunch of Amazon-like warriors.
Score – 4/5
Characters
There’s a sizeable number of characters, and they all have some hidden depths. Bershad, the “Hero,” has a chequered past that is more alluded to than explained, and we’re never quite sure of the truth of it. I’d like to talk more about him, but his character development is a major part of the story, and much of what we learn is from observations from his supporting cast. Ashlyn, his former betrothed, is also interesting. A future queen who would rather study dragons than lock political horns, she has nevertheless cut her chops long before we meet her. She plays a big role in advancing the plot, using traditional means (i.e. war) to meet her own agenda. The final main character is Garrett, an assassin who is forcing Ashlyn’s hand, but why is a mystery throughout the novel. The other players in the book receive less attention, but they’re certainly no cardboard cutouts.
Score – 5/5
Plot
Dang, but this is a good one. Ashlynn is sending her country to war under the guise of rescuing her sister, but her real aim is protecting the dragons, who are in danger of being wiped out, potentially damaging the eco-structure of Almirra..Bershad’s mission, which is initially to assassinate the princess’ captor, is joined by a differing group of people, all of whom have no discernible reason for being there. There’s also Garrett. Why is he bumping off Almirian lords, and who has hired him to do it? There is no shortage of interested parties, so we are kept guessing throughout.
Score – 5/5
Writing
Plotting and characters aside, the mere ‘words on page’ aspect of the book is also solid. The author’s descriptions of people, places and things are colourful, and at times evoke some nice imagery. It’s not the most prosaic you will read, but in the context of the story, it’s effective.
Score – 4/5
Personal Enjoyment
Funny, good characters, and a humdinger of a plot that will keep you guessing. Oh, and did I mention dragons? Sounds like my kind of fantasy.
Score – 5/5
Verdict
If eco-fantasy is a thing, then this is one of the standard bearers.
Total Score – 23/25
