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Broken Blade (Fallen Blade #1)

3.78 of 5 stars 3.78 · rating details · 426 ratings · 52 reviews

Once a fabled Blade of Namara, Aral Kingslayer fought for justice and his goddess alongside his familiar, a living shadow called Triss. Now with their goddess murdered and her temple destroyed, they are among the last of their kind. Surviving on the fringes of society, Aral becomes a drunken, broken, and wanted man, working whatever shadowy deal comes his way. Until a myst

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ebook, 304 pages

Published November 29th 2011 by Ace Books

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Dec 31, 2012 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fantasy fans looking for a fast read

Shelves: fantasy, male-lead, assassin

I discovered Kelly McCullough's WebMage series a few years ago and found his unique interpretation of computers and mythology fascinating. With Broken Blade, the first book in a published trilogy, he has branched out into a more traditional assassin fantasy. Alas, while McCullough does bring inspired character development to a rather traditional story, I found it paled in comparison to the WebMage series.

Broken Blade opens in a tavern, where a former religious master is struggling with the loss...more I discovered Kelly McCullough's WebMage series a few years ago and found his unique interpretation of computers and mythology fascinating. With Broken Blade, the first book in a published trilogy, he has branched out into a more traditional assassin fantasy. Alas, while McCullough does bring inspired character development to a rather traditional story, I found it paled in comparison to the WebMage series.

Broken Blade opens in a tavern, where a former religious master is struggling with the loss of his order, sinking himself in drink and taking jobs of dubious ethics to finance his subsistence lifestyle. A clandestine meeting with a mystery woman (in a red dress, no less) provides an opportunity for some coin, and to introduce the reader to Aral's over-active shadow-familiar. To absolutely no one's surprise, the woman's errand lures him out of the taverns and into deeper currents of kingdom politics and his former identity. Partway through the job, Aral discovers (view spoiler)

While the overarching story is not particularly unusual, McCullough always has a fascinating spin on his world building. As Aral argues with his Shadow, Triss, we learn Aral's backstory, a master assassin in a religious order who served a goddess of justice. Although certainly the concept of 'justice' could lend itself to an ambiguous morality, nearly all the wrongs mentioned are egregious and lend a particularly ethical bent to a potential anti-hero. Unfortunately, after the goddess used Aral to punish a king, retaliation by the king's successor wipes out the order, and presumably kills the goddess; Aral is one of the few devotees remaining and has a price on his head.

Characterization is where McCullough shines. Creatively taking the standard fantasy mage-familiar bond, he gives it an unusual dimension by pairing the assassins with a 'Shade' from another realm. The Shade Triss occupies Aral's shadow, and the permanent bond that results is one of the only things left holding Aral to life. I like the relationship between Aral and Triss, the shadow. Both stretch their limits, developing new skills and understanding of each other. There are other branches of mages working with other types of familiars, and if it perhaps seems cutesy at times--looking at you gryphinx--it's still an interesting relationship. Similar themes resides within the Webmage works as well, along with the evolution of the dependent into independent, so I look forward to seeing what he does here.

Much of the emotion of the story centers around Aral's notion of identity and justice. When with the order, he was young and unquestioning in his devotion. Now that the order is gone, he's lost his faith, but with his latest job, finds himself finally asking the hard questions. How can one believe in a dead god? Where does identity come from? If the order was about justice for the wronged or dead, what does that imply about justice now? It's an interesting character struggle that actually shows development over time, rather than wallowing in self-pity and depression.

Pacing is perhaps a tad uneven, vacillating between world-building and fight scenes. A romantic storyline is awkwardly inserted and somewhat trope-burdened, leading me to feel it would have been better to have skipped it altogether. World-building was standard medieval fantasy with vague Asian overtones, and except for a few memories with the order, insufficiently fleshed out and not particularly unique. Plotting was unremarkable. I get the feeling that someone was checking necessary plot-points on the current fantasy success list (fight scenes--check; kingkiller--check; gypsies--check; smart but tough woman who challenges hero--check).

Despite my criticisms, however, it was a far more pleasant read than many assassin stories, especially The Way of Shadows, largely because of more coherent storytelling, stronger female characterization and more robust character development. I'll check the next book out.

Three Shadowed stars.(less)

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Dec 27, 2012 Laura Ownbey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: rated-rpr

The quick and dirty:
Rating: 4 stars
Premise: Aral, one of the last of an order of assassins for Namara, the goddess of divine justice, is living in the bottom of a bottle with a price on his head when he gets offered a seemingly simple delivery job. He runs into a former friend and a new enemy, both of whom should have him running from the city where he earned the name of Kingslayer. Instead, with the help of his familiar and a client in need of justice, he tries to right a wrong in the way he us...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Bren rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Fair warning that there may be spoilers ahead ...

Broken Blade is the start of a new fantasy series by Kelly McCullough. It is not a big epic fantasy series, but a first person adventure fantasy told exclusively from Aral Kingslayer's point of view. Aral is a former warrior and assassin of the Goddess of Justice, Namara. The Blades of Namara, as they were known, sought out injustice big and small and righted them by killing the perpetrator(s). Now that the goddess is dead, Aral is one of the few...more Fair warning that there may be spoilers ahead ...

Broken Blade is the start of a new fantasy series by Kelly McCullough. It is not a big epic fantasy series, but a first person adventure fantasy told exclusively from Aral Kingslayer's point of view. Aral is a former warrior and assassin of the Goddess of Justice, Namara. The Blades of Namara, as they were known, sought out injustice big and small and righted them by killing the perpetrator(s). Now that the goddess is dead, Aral is one of the few remaining Blades left and is left without a purpose in life. He spends his days working as a shadow Jack (a jack of all trades that does semi-illegal work for the right pay). It is where Aral takes a very well paying job that the story begins.

The story is fairly fast pace with Aral getting in and out of trouble often enough. There is a nice amount of action that help drive the story along with Aral's narration to help provide background information to the world. The only part that slows down a bit is where Aral is remembering his first job where he earned his title of Kingslayer. It felt a bit out of the blue and a stall of where the plot as Aral is in the middle of something at the moment. Aral provides a fun and witty narration for the story. Though he's fallen from being the zealot Blade of Namara that he once was, he's not a complete drunken washed up nothing as to make Aral unrelateable. Part of the story is Aral realizing how down he is and finding out he needs a purpose in life again.

The cast of character are fun and interesting. Some of the most interesting character, to me, are Triss the shade familiar of Aral and Harad, the much aged Librarian of the private library in the city of Tien, and Devin, another former Blade. Since I started to mention familiar, I should side track a bit into the magic system of Aral's world. All magic user of any kind are bonded to familiar of some kind, from a snake to living stone dog to living shadow (shade). The familiar help provide a focus for spells of the mages as well as providing their own unique ability to help. I mean this in the most positive way possible, but it's almost like magical Pokemon though you're only allowed to have one familiar. Triss, as Aral's Shade, is able to help make Aral nearly invisible, form into a shadow blade and even help Aral fly. The familiar bond also works both ways as a human can help prolong the life of their familiar if they're short-lifed or the familiar can extend the life of their mage, such as the case with Harad. The bond seems to be one of sharing as either mage or familiar can feel the pain of the other as well as dying if the other dies. As well, a familiar doesn't exist to follow the express command of their mage, they have their own free will to do as they please whether that is counter to their mage's purpose at the moment.

Triss is there less as Aral's moral compass, but more as a guide in trying to help Aral back to a person with a better purpose in life again. The relationship of Aral and Triss is similar to the relationship of Raven and Melchior of McCullough's Webmage series, though Triss lacks Melchior's wit and slight friendly mockery of Raven. At it's basis, Aral and Triss are each other's best and longest friend. When there is nothing else, they always have each other to depend upon. It is this bond that helps each other survive. The life of Harad is mentioned and there's a lot left to wonder as what he's done with his life and what kind of familiar he has to survive as long as he has. Devin, along with Zass his own shade familiar, is another former Blade that survived the fall of Namara. In a way, he provides a counter to point to what someone of Aral's ability could have done after losing their purpose in life. Although, Devin is painted a bit one sided, it is hinted at that there is a whole realm of possibilities of things that could have happened to Devin after Namara's death.

One of the best aspect of the rest of the characters is that no one is painted as truly black or white, but everyone is a shade of grey. They have their own purpose whether that be truly right or wrong or better yet, each character provides their own sense of moral instead of having one grand general universal right or wrong.

The city of Tien and its surrounding area is where most of the story takes place. It is a setting that very much based on medieval Asian culture. It also provides and interesting stay point as Aral is clearly not from the area and stands out. This is quite different from most fantasy setting and it's nice to see a world not entirely populated in a 1400 Europe setting. Though the story primarily takes place in Tien except for part of the flashback taking place at the temple of Namara, the rest of the world is hinted at such as a mage state.

Overall Broken Blade is a fun start to a new series by Kelly McCullough. I've had the book setting on my shelf for awhile, which make be a bit lucky for me as the next book in the series, Bared Blade is soon to be out. It'll be interesting to a more purposeful Aral in the next book and whether we are able to explore more of the bigger world that McCullough has hinted at and whether we will be meeting other former Blades.(less)

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Jul 10, 2012 JJ DeBenedictis rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In the end, this was a fun little book, but it has its flaws. There is an awful lot of "telling" in it, and I found the protagonist and his sidekick a bit too likeable (adorable, in the latter case) to buy them as ruthless killers. That's not necessarily a bad thing, right? Likeable characters? But it did cut into my ability to suspend disbelief.

The action in the middle-to-latter-half of the book is what makes this novel worth reading. There, the story gets pretty enjoyable. In contrast, I found...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Jack rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, recent-reads

I at first was a bit apprehensive on how much of a dnd feel' this had but the further along with the book and the character development I thought it was actually very well paced,good characters and very interesting magic system that has so much more to be explored... wait on further contemplation I feel it was almost left up to me as the reader to explore the magic system how I wanted to, as it was Not overused that you sometimes feel in certain books and left me wandering around thinking about...more

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Apr 29, 2012 Wayne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved McCullough's WebMage series, so I was very happy to hear about this new series when WebMage ended. I wasn't disappointed by this book and I'm looking forward to the next in this new series.

Aral Kingslayer was once a mage-assassin for the goddess of justice. She was murdered, and her assassins (mostly) hunted down. Aral and his shadow-familiar hide their past and go to work as greyjacks. They do various jobs -- deliveries, pick-ups, anything up to murder -- to keep themselves alive and Ar...more

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Dec 11, 2011 Mickey Hoffman rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a fantasy novel but it reads more like an adventure novel. A Goddess has fallen and so have her former followers, a group that served her by killing unjust rulers and other people the Goddess felt were immoral. Only one of these killers still lives, the protagonist. The reason I gave only 3 stars is because the book didn't strike the right tone with me. I read adventure novels occasionally, but here, the pacing and concentration on physical action lessened the impact of the magical...more

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Dec 10, 2011 Nathan Lovell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Like his Webmage series, this book is full of believable characters and the interplay between them are gold. Aral and Triss are a fantastic combo, and the way they interact with the others of this world are great. I also like how the magic system has started to come out, and the fact that a familiar is necessary for any magic at all.

The one facet that I think was lacking was the plotting. There's a few moments that seemed like "Oh yeah, we can do this." in regards to some of Triss's abilities. J...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I appreciate a book that gives me characters with conflicting attributes. This is usually in the form of an anti-hero, which could be used to describe Aral, the main character in Broken Blade. He's a likable guy, and then he does some things that make him look like a turd. However, Broken Blade's conflict goes beyond an anti-hero.

Our story is about a hardened assassin and his familiar, Triss, who is hardened in his own right. Despite a life of blood and death, Aral and Triss have forged this su...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

3.5 stars. Started off well, but I lost interest by the end.

Aral is a former lawful-good (from his perspective) assassin/executioner. After his goddess is killed he descends into alcoholism to cope and petty crime to stay alive. When an old friend-turned-enemy reappears in his life, Aral realizes how adrift he's become from the person he once was. I like watching characters grow and change based on the choices they make and the consequences of those choices, and there's plenty of that with Aral....more

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Aug 07, 2012 Gwyn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I read a lot of books, but I don't buy many of them. Mostly, I check them out from the library, and if the library doesn't have a copy, I buy my own or do without. It was with some hesitation that I bought Broken Blade. The summary sounded intersting, but the sample chapter on Amazon didn't make my hand reach for my wallet. Nonetheless, I bought it. Was I disappointed? Maybe a little. See, this book had the potential to be knock-your-socks off awesome--and didn't quite make it. Here's the breakd...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Laura Rede rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Broken Blade is a smart, fast-paced fantasy set in a unique world where the gods are real and shadow magic rules. As a fan of Kelly McCullough's other books, I loved Broken Blade because it combined McCullough's signature dark humor and his gift for action with a new and interesting magic system and nod to the noir. Former assassin Aral Kingslayer is a completely sympathetic reluctant hero, struggling with his own alcoholism and the loss of his ideals in the wake of the death of his goddess, and...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Jenni rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did as I've been somewhat burnt out on traditional fantasy lately. However, the book sucked me in, but not in the way that it was a mad dash to get the end and I'd be hard pushed to give any details. Rather, I couldn't put it down and savoured it instead.

It's not perfect but I really enjoyed it, can see myself rereading it, and I'm definitely going to look into more of McCullough's work.

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Jul 02, 2012 Andrew Hatton-ward rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Amazon offers a lot of books from $.99 up to $3 and a lot of them are gems. This was one of them and I can't wait to read the sequel. Failed purposes in life effect us in different ways, often driving us emotionally down. Sometimes circumstances align that help us pick ourselves up from the muck. It's a struggle, but worth it and can bring a spark back into our lives. This book is an entertaining depiction of that process.

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Jan 22, 2013 Kathleen Masse rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As an avid reader of fantasy, I am delighted when an author surprises me with a new idea. With this story, I was immediately engaged by the character, his plight and the world the author created. This isn't "high fantasy", but it has a quick, active pace and satisfying resolution in a creative environment. I bought the next book in the series and anticipate another enjoyable adventure.

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Feb 27, 2013 Gordon Shumway rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this on a recommendation from a friend, after having read "Webmage" by the same author.

I'm fairly particular about fantasy books I read but this book really impressed me.

There were a few occasions when the narrative lagged a bit but I was able to forgive that for the overall story and the characters. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

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Sep 19, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this one--sorta-gritty fantasy but without the nihilism or the misogyny that makes so much of the genre so grim. This one has memorable characters, and terrific strong female characters. It's a quick read and lots of fantasy fun. I immediately read the sequel and pre-ordered the third book.

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Feb 21, 2013 Annis rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loved the world building in this book. The main character was occasionally rather exasperating but Triss was a wonderful character, and so was many of the truly minor characters. The plot wasn't quite good enough, however, and left me without any urge to check out following books.

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Jul 12, 2012 Laureen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was a really interesting world, and in some ways I feel like there was something I missed, a previous series perhaps, but otherwise it was a really interesting read. I loved the way magic and everything worked, and it was believable and followed the rules the writer had structured.

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Aug 27, 2012 Brian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pretty good book. Wish it would have started with the downfall of the temple/ goddess, instead of where it did. It would have also helped witht he character development which I thought was very minimum. Haven't decided if I'm gonna read the second book yet.

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Feb 13, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

While the fantasy genre tends to use the "unjustly accused" trope quite a bit, its been a while since I have read a true redemption story in a fantasy setting. I didn't expect to get attached so quickly to the main character who has hit rock bottom and crawled into a bottle to escape his past. It is clear that this book is only the first stage of his journey. The setting itself has a few unique twists especially involving magic, its source and the social/legal implications of being a mage in a p...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Michael Jones rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loved every minute I spent reading this, though the climax doesn't quite live up to the build up. A fascinating world, strong characters, and an intriguing plot. A solid sword and sorcery espionage thriller and tale of redemption.

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Feb 26, 2013 Nicole Luiken rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sfantasy

I loved the magic, especially Aral's shadow familiar. Add in his traumatic past as a former Blade of Justice to a now-dead Goddess and a fast-paced plot and you have an involving story. I shall be onthe lookout for book two.

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Jan 03, 2012 G G rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like this book very much. The author has invented a somewhat complex society and has done a decent job of describing those complexities without overburdening the reader with detail.

Looking forward to the sequel.

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May 18, 2013 Ken rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book left me slightly disappointed. It was very entertaining at first, but it suffered from being the first book in a new universe. The author, rather clumsily, added what I felt was too much exposition. Some things should have been revealed/explained later to make for an easier read. I might still pick up the second book of this series, because I have the hope that the author could focus more on the story and the characters.

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Nov 26, 2012 Jenny J rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2012

What started out as a great premise (swordsman devoted to a goddess turns thief-for-hire after said goddess is killed and her followers hunted down) with creative twists (said swordsman has a living shadow for a companion) quickly lost its spark.

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Feb 04, 2013 Tiina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I liked the casual style of writing. Enjoyed the pace and the humour, and the occasion well-placed, "oh, fuck." Entertaining, just when I really needed a good distraction from work.

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Jul 08, 2012 Mphecker rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While it was a bit slow at points, this was a good start to a new series. The setting was interesting, and definitely needs to be explores in the upcoming novels. Though it had its faults, this was a solid novel overall and a fun read.

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Mar 10, 2013 Jim Short rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

A little confusing as you are dumped into the middle of the culture but the pace is good and the story remains interesting. The 'cultural' information at the end seemed pointless given that there was no context to fit it.

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Aug 27, 2012 Joy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantastic-fiction, series

I enjoy a good bad guy. This assassin/priest/mage who kills for justice is a great character as is his familiar. Second book gets better as there is less history to establish. Beginnings of a good series.

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Broken Blade (Fallen Blade #1)

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