Blood Song (Raven's Shadow, #1)

Feb 22, 2013 Katherine Coble rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bargain-books, indie-book, animal-dies, books-i-force-on-everyrone-i-meet, fiction-with-a-not-so-hidden-agenda, better-than-5-stars, well-worn-repeat-reads

When I first finished Patrick Rothfuss’ Name Of The Wind two years ago I was a bit sad. I knew that even though the book was wonderful (and had a sequel on the horizon), that great books which capture me as that one did don’t come along very often. Before Rothfuss was Harry Potter, and that was a good number of years before Rothfuss. It was five years before Potter that Pillars Of The Earth fell into my hands. So I’ve been working on an average of one Utterly Captivating Read every five years o...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Liviu rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012_release_read, genre-fantasy, read_2012, review_fbc, top_25_2012_novels

Once in a while a book comes out of nowhere and blows me away; last year it was the indie sf Dancing with Eternity, this year it's Blood Song, a traditional fantasy in many ways but with a narrative pull that is just unbelievable - last time I read a fantasy debut with this pull, it was in 2007 when Name of the Wind appeared and while there are notable differences in content, with this one much more traditional than Rothfuss' series, there are a few similarities there too - while getting a lot o...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Mihir rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Full Review originally at Fantasy Book Critic [Plus Analysis by Liviu]

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: Blood Song is another of those books that I discovered a few months earlier, thanks to Amazon’s cool algorithm for suggesting titles I might like based on my previous “Buying and Search” history. Previously I had stumbled upon Zero Sight by B Justin Shier the same way and the way that book turned out to be, I have learnt to keep an eye out for such Amazon recommendations.

Blood Song begins with a first pers...more
Full Review originally at Fantasy Book Critic [Plus Analysis by Liviu]

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: Blood Song is another of those books that I discovered a few months earlier, thanks to Amazon’s cool algorithm for suggesting titles I might like based on my previous “Buying and Search” history. Previously I had stumbled upon Zero Sight by B Justin Shier the same way and the way that book turned out to be, I have learnt to keep an eye out for such Amazon recommendations.

Blood Song begins with a first person narrative featuring Lord Verniers Alishe Someren, a chronicler that has been chosen to write about the main character Vaelin Al-Sorna and about the journey that they both will undertake. The story then begins Vaelin’s past as when as a child he’s commanded to join the Sixth Order of the Faith of the Unified Realm. Thus begins Vaelin’s journey wherein he will learn to wield weapons and become a famed warrior of the unified realm that will also earn him many names all across various nations and regions. Friends and foes alike will be drawn to him in differing amounts. But when all is said and done, Vaelin’s journey has only begun as the reader will learn more about his past as well as that of his realm.

One searches for the next best thing in fantasy, often going through many books in search of the book that will enthrall you completely. I almost missed on this beauty by buying it but then never getting around to reading it. I owe thanks to Michael Sullivan for reminding me about this book and what a book it is. Beginning from the events in the past to the current story going on currently, this setup has been explored in various fantasy, historical and other genre novels.

The most recent famous example being The Name Of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. In fact a similarity between those two books can be seen in regards to the protagonist's story and their growth via a university/military school setting. What differentiates these two books is a terrific conclusion to the book as well as themes about war and its follies. Also this was my observation but I found some shades of David Gemmell in Anthony Ryan’s storytelling style and prose. It is heartening to see a Brit take up the mantle of heroic, epic fantasy from one of fantasy’s most distinguished writers as well as a fellow British writer.

This book is more akin to a traditional epic fantasy wherein it’s set in a pseudo-European setting and with a world history that is unveiled slowly and tantalizingly. At the same time, there is a core mystery at the heart of this plotline, why was Vaelin sent to the sixth order? What really happened with his parents? Who is the One Who Waits? These questions and much more abound this volume and will tempt readers into coming back for the later parts of this trilogy. The book focuses in the past as well as the present and the author has tantalizingly kept both time periods shrouded in mystery. This thread is what powers the book throughout and makes the story such a strong one.

Characterization is also a strong point in this opening volume, even though we get a singular narrative voice for the majority of the book. The author has created a fascinating side character cast particularly King Janus, Princess Lyrna just to name a few, these characters make the story even more fascinating and with the increase in POV character cast in "Tower Lord" (book II). I can't wait to see which other characters get their own narrative voices. The book ends on a strong note and with a twist that is hard to anticipate, giving the readers a complete story if they want to read just this book however I’m sure once the readers finish this book they will want to read “Tower Lord” the next in the Raven’s Shadow trilogy.

Anthony Ryan’s Blood Song is a tremendous debut; it has a fast paced, action packed and character driven story. Qualities to admire in any genre story and most of all in an epic fantasy one. Give this book a read, if you have ever felt that Indie books have no quality to them, give this book a read if you are tired of the same morass of stories in the epic fantasy genre, give this book a read if you want a well written story by a newbie author and lastly give this book a read if you want to read a story that’s closest to those written by David Gemmell.(less)

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Jul 16, 2012 Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, fantasy

A very good read. A bit more than four stars, in fact.

Excellent characterization and storytelling. A fun, fast-paced narrative.

Ryan's structure in this book mirrors Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles--a "hero" facing his death tells his true story to a court scribe--except Ryan adds the twist that the hero lies. And lets the reader in on the scam.

Dozens of typos. Doesn't anyone proofread their books anymore?

Finished it and did what I often do with really good stories: immediately started it...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Deshi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Just finished and enjoyed it quite a bit. I came across this book after looking for books similar to The Kingkiller Chronicles and though this book wasn't as good as those books, it was still a highly enjoyable read. I enjoyed the world building and found myself becoming attached to Vaelin, the main character. He was everything you could ask for in a book like this. I thought it was too slow in some parts, but it always had enough action/characterization to pull me through. The first chapter cau...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Alvin rated it 4 of 5 stars

A good read by an author new to me. I believe he self published on Amazon, and picked it up cheaply for my kindle, after seeing the remarkable number of 5 star reviews. I liked this much better than "the name of the wind" as a debut novel.

First, the tale is epic, across many lands with a large tapestry of characters. I was constantly kept guessing where the author would go next in the narrative, which starts from the protagonists early years in what is basically the fantasy equivalent of a mili...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Jefferson Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars

When empires collide, the man at the focal point gets crushed. Or does he? That's the question around which this saga turns, but to understand that formative moment in history, one first has to understand the formation of the man. Thus, Blood Song is A Hero In Training tale, reminiscent of Assassin's Apprentice or The Deed of Pakksenarion. Through it, we watch Vaelin Al Sorna's rise through the ranks of an elite combat training school, from the day his father abandons him at the gates of the Ord...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Thomas Crown rated it 5 of 5 stars

Having been through more fantasy and science fiction series than any functioning adult should be comfortable admitting, I am leery of writing anything overly adulatory about the first novel of a series, especially when that novel is not merely good but quite possibly great.

This is because first-in-a-series novels are like first dates. On the one hand, you can end up meeting the woman of your dreams, whom you will marry and who will bear you a surprising number of children, with whom you will liv...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Brandon Zarzyczny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I think that I first found this book from some reddit /r/fantasy book recommendations, and when I checked the Amazon page and saw the horrible cover, I almost didn't check it out. However, since the book had so many good reviews and it was only 3 dollars I bought it, but didn't read it for a couple months. Now however, I'm kind of sad that I didn't read it earlier and that I only paid 3 dollars for this beast of a book. After the introduction, the book immediately grabbed me and there were multi...more I think that I first found this book from some reddit /r/fantasy book recommendations, and when I checked the Amazon page and saw the horrible cover, I almost didn't check it out. However, since the book had so many good reviews and it was only 3 dollars I bought it, but didn't read it for a couple months. Now however, I'm kind of sad that I didn't read it earlier and that I only paid 3 dollars for this beast of a book. After the introduction, the book immediately grabbed me and there were multiple times where I would just read for hours, unable to put my Kindle down. The flavor of this novel is similar to the books from Patrick Rothfuss and Robin Hobb, but he doesn't copy anything from them other than just being similarly awesome. This novel spans many years, I'd say 10-20, and most of the conflicts and questions are resolved by the end, with the only ones remaining setting up a perfect starting place for the sequel. There aren't too many problems with this book, and the ones that are present could probably be fixed for when Anthony Ryan has his big publisher debut in 2013. These problems are mainly some grammar and spelling mistakes (most of them aren't too glaring), some confusion that stems from the narrative jumping around in time, possible problems with the perspective, and the voice of the character possibly being too aged starting off when he's 11 years old.

For the world building, I like it, it's relatively similar to a medieval version of our world, with versions of European, African, Asian, and Middle-Eastern cultures peoples. However, I think that this world is much more cramped, causing a lot of fighting. This world's magic relies a little on hand-waving, but I definitely like the style of it, where it's very much in the background and then it becomes more involved as the story moves forward, almost similar to A Song of Ice and Fire. I also like how the powers resemble innate gifts, kind of similar to the knacks in the Alvin Maker series. The role of Religion is also very interesting in this book. The main character and his country's Faith is almost a combination of Atheism and Spiritualism, where they believe God is a Lie, but when you die there is an afterlife where your hard work will be rewarded and the passed ancestors are always watching down on you. The Faith is an interesting idea, but even more intriguing is how the religion is still the cause or excuse of many of the conflicts, where they try to convert the Deniers and teach them that their religion and god is a lie. I really liked this, and I also liked how there are 6 (or 7) different orders in their faith that rule it, with the 6th being the one the main character Vaelin al Sorna is given to at the age of 11. Their order is an advanced military service, where the brothers are violently trained to be a type of Warrior Monk. There is a lot of depth in the parts of the book covering this, and I immensely enjoyed it. I especially liked the psychology of this brotherhood, especially the main group of 5 featured in most of the book. There is some interesting looks at PTSD and the life of a child turned death-dealing soldier.

While the story relies on a few cliched gimmicks, mainly someone in the present orating their life-story for a scribe/historian, the author masterfully uses it to push along the plot. However, there some annoying parts dealing with the perspective. The Scribe/Historian is in first-person, but when it switches to the past, it is in third-person, but there are multiple times where the tense is broken and he offers some sort of insight as to how he would replay this moment multiple times in the future (or something like that). Also, there are some very interesting but slightly confusing moments where we learn that while the reader learns everything that happened, what he's actually orating to the scribe is a lie or an altered version to keep his secrets safe. I liked that, but at the same time it confused me a bit, so I assume that as the reader we are witnessing Vaelin's life story in his mind before he modifies it for the in-world audience. This could also probably explain how around the beginning of the book when the main character is around 11 years old, that he seems so adult. That we are actually experiencing all of the events through the filter of the mind of a late-twenties? year old warrior. There are some instances especially towards the end where parts of the story are left out to increase the tension and drama, for when we actually learn all of what happened. I liked these parts, but I was confused at times with how the narrative jumped back and forth. Some of this could be fixed by just including some sort of "5 Years Ago" or "Present Time" header so the reader isn't wondering at all when/where the character is (especially if the reader has trouble remembering the odd names of different places). The great thing though, is that by the end of this book we are all caught up, so hopefully in the sequel there won't be a lot of jumping around.

For the story, this is definitely where the book shined. I loved how all of the characters, while being perfect killing machines, are very flawed beings. They make mistakes, perform thankless acts of heroism, and are reviled for for horrible acts they or their forebears committed. There is a lot we don't know about all of the main characters, and when the characters do let their secrets be known, they were all the more important. There are many coincidences and unbelievable moments, but they are almost always very entertaining, and these can be explained by Vaelin's gift and certain undercurrents in the story trying to get rid of him. All of the characters are very complex, and I enjoyed all of the time I spent with them. The time where Vaelin and his Brothers are being trained and going through the trials are probably the best parts of the book. I love the things that come after, but the pace could be a little jarring at times, I felt like it was rushing to the climax at times. Still, all of the plot twists and different political and religious schemes are very interesting, even when they all fail miserably. Vaelin al Sorna is really the ultimate badass in this book, and all of the action involving him was incredibly visceral and entertaining. He's almost too powerful at times, but there are multiple times where he's brought down by extenuating circumstances which increases the drama. I don't want to go to in depth with the story to avoid spoilers, but I will say that I loved all of it. The only thing is that with the ultimate ending, even though it answers a lot of questions, I found it lacking in a little power. With what happens, I think that the author was going for something really emotional but I felt much more emotion (even a few tears) at other parts of the book, and I for some reason wasn't too sad or upset with the end. Still, I was left wishing that I had the sequel to read immediately, so I could see what happened with all of the other characters in the book and how they will react to seeing Vaelin 5 years later. I can hope that being picked up by a publisher doesn't delay his next book.

Ultimately, I loved this book and I think that Anthony Ryan has found a place in my list of favorite authors. He's gained a life-time fan, and I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone, especially if they're a fan of epic fantasy. (less)

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Aug 21, 2012 Rushabh rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Every now and then, you stumble across an author through blind luck (or Amazon's recommendation algorithms) and discover a real gem. This book is one of those.

Blood Song is a great mix of politics, action, mystery, magic - all the elements of an epic fantasy novel. It tracks the life of a warrior from childhood through training into battle. Its ending is semi-conclusive, certainly paving the road for book 2, which I look forward to. Ryan's writing is really great, considering that the book is se...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Monica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: most-loved, epic-fantasy, self-published, science-fiction, complex-characters, immersive, long-timespan, supernatural, magic-system, story-in-a-story, monarchy, political-conflict

I just finished the book a few minutes ago and there’s not much more I can say that hasn’t already been said by many other reviewers, except: BUY THIS BOOK – or, at the very least, get on that free Kindle sample/Look Inside! feature.

Now, I’m sure that the reason you are reading these reviews is because you’re thinking: “Okaay… a 630 page book for $2.99 with 205 five stars. This guy must have a big family.” Well, I can’t really say much in regards to that last portion, but.. No. These ratings are...more I just finished the book a few minutes ago and there’s not much more I can say that hasn’t already been said by many other reviewers, except: BUY THIS BOOK – or, at the very least, get on that free Kindle sample/Look Inside! feature.

Now, I’m sure that the reason you are reading these reviews is because you’re thinking: “Okaay… a 630 page book for $2.99 with 205 five stars. This guy must have a big family.” Well, I can’t really say much in regards to that last portion, but.. No. These ratings are very well deserved.

For the mere price of a snack, you get: a top-notch story with excellent pacing and fully fleshed out characters. There is a sequel for the book in the works, however, that doesn’t mean that the questions and conflicts brought up within the storyline are left unresolved. You will definitely get a sense of closure.

There were, however, a few things that bothered me…

The first being the size of the font. It is ridiculously small and I had to bump up my Kindle font nearly to maximum size in order to read it. Although it’s not a huge deal, it did get quite annoying whenever I decided to switch books for a bit.

The second is the editing. A lot of people have already mentioned this, but it is a nuisance. I found myself having to re-read some sentences a couple of times before I understood what was being said.

Aaand… lastly, a bit of confusion in regards to transition. During certain parts of the book, particularly the end, the text shifts from one period of time to another. I’m not referring to the sections with Verniers, but within the actual chapters. One specific portion is when Sherin asks Vaelin to explain his plan to her, and he says: “I don’t see why not.” The next paragraph is a flashback… but it’s not really apparent until you continue reading in a bit, get a little confused, and realize that it’s a different time period. I don’t know if this was an issue for anyone else, but it was something that bothered me due to the numerous flashbacks near the end of the novel.

Another related gripe is that Ryan was not very clear that what we actually read in the chapters is not what Vaelin is telling Verniers. There were more than a few moments when Verniers would ask something that was made explicitly clear a chapter or two back. So.. which parts did Vaelin actually tell Verniers? Who knows and.. really, who cares, since it’s not meaningful but it got annoying that he kept asking redundant (from the reader’s perspective) questions.

In the end, those are all just MINOR issues that shouldn’t deter you from this title. This is a truly immersive novel and worth more than the price that it is listed for. The Raven’s Shadow is definitely a recommendation-worthy book and one of the best stories I have read in this genre. I am so disappointed to have reached the end of the book and eagerly await the next installment.
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Jul 13, 2012 Joe Moley rated it 4 of 5 stars

I’ve read two really good new fantasy books this year. The first was Prince of Thorns and the second I’m happy to say is Blood Song.

“Blood Song” was self-published independently and was listed in the Amazon kindle section at a nice discount. Usually, I stay away from these as most are quite literally, trash. However, what intrigued me about this one was that there was over 150, 4 and 5 star review/ratings. 150 is a lot more than the usual 5 reviews a self-published author can drum up via friend...more I’ve read two really good new fantasy books this year. The first was Prince of Thorns and the second I’m happy to say is Blood Song.

“Blood Song” was self-published independently and was listed in the Amazon kindle section at a nice discount. Usually, I stay away from these as most are quite literally, trash. However, what intrigued me about this one was that there was over 150, 4 and 5 star review/ratings. 150 is a lot more than the usual 5 reviews a self-published author can drum up via friends and family. Bribing people to post such profound wisdom as “Amazing first book!” or “My son’s… err I mean Mr. Blah blah blah’s writing is fantastic!” etc… 150 was a large enough number that it jumped out at me implying that 145 impartial folks read this book and thought it was good enough to actually go rate it.

I’m glad I took the leap of faith and spent the $2.99. I don’t know the author and am not one of his local game store buddies. That being said…. This book is damn good.

There is so much crap being published these days that the gems really sparkle when you find them. Throw a vampire in the story and it tops the “fantasy” best seller lists. Give me old school hero fantasy any day over the latest brooding wizard/druid/cleric modern day detective beset at all sides by fairies or demons pouring through a rift in reality. I like my fantasy filled with slashing swords and blood splatters with a dash magic thrown in to top things off. Good dialogue is a must as well as deep and evolving characters. Blood Song has it all.

What it doesn’t have is a professional editor. There are typos, wasted words and senseless plot direction. I read on the author’s web site that he signed a deal with an actual publisher. I can only imagine that with some subtle touching up, this book will blow up. However, the blemishes are minor and not distracting enough to drag you away from what is a very engaging and entertaining story.

Book length can be a plus or a minus. While this one stretches page limits and compares with some of the “War and Peace” fantasy novels like Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire or Erikson’s Malazan Books of the Fallen, it doesn’t drag along. Furthermore, while I mentioned “senseless plot direction” above, it is a minor complaint. I’m talking very small sections that could have been chopped. Nothing earth shattering like 136 different ongoing storylines with new ones begun every 4 or 5 pages or 27 new characters introduced in a paragraph with footnotes, flow charts and an appendix to keep track of everyone. Blood Song is basically one long POV from the main hero. A long journey from abandoned youth to hero the empire to political outcast and back again. The sky is the limit on the sequel. I hope Mr. Ryan doesn’t fall prey to is the endless plot loop that has struck Martin, Erikson, Jordan et all and instead, he continues to keep the story simple and progresses to conclusion. Good luck and keep them coming.

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Jul 12, 2012 Lark rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, magic, military

Vaelin is the son of the Battle Lord, given to the Sixth Order of the Faith where he learns how to fight and kill without remorse for the sake of their Faith. He goes through adventures and mysteries surrounding the kingdom and the hidden Seventh Order and the blood-song.

This book is remarkably similar to Sherwood Smith's Inda series - but I would actually say it compares less favorably. The greatest weakness of this book is the dialogue. Most of the story is told in an limited third person, ce...more Vaelin is the son of the Battle Lord, given to the Sixth Order of the Faith where he learns how to fight and kill without remorse for the sake of their Faith. He goes through adventures and mysteries surrounding the kingdom and the hidden Seventh Order and the blood-song.

This book is remarkably similar to Sherwood Smith's Inda series - but I would actually say it compares less favorably. The greatest weakness of this book is the dialogue. Most of the story is told in an limited third person, centered on Vaelin's perspective. So most of the story is actually description and what's going on in his head. But the sparse dialogue is so stilted and unbelievable, I kept wincing every time the characters talked. You can tell what kind of character the author is trying to portray, but it fails miserably in selling it realistically.

I also didn't like the characters for the most part probably because the author can't seem to figure out if the character is an anti-hero or a hero. Does he get slowly tainted by committing acts against his moral code and become a true anti-hero? Sort of, kind of, some what, not really. It's never really clear as he keeps committing anti-hero acts with a hero mindset and it never gets any clearer despite the lengthiness of the novel. He doesn't learn or change or grow. He stays the same the whole time playing this strange duality of being the "noble" hero in mindset but committing anti-hero acts. That's bothersome to me because it means the author doesn't really know how to portray his character. In the end, it doesn't make the character likable at all.
He doesn't learn from his mistakes (listening to his magic, sharing information, and the list goes on) - it's very frustrating. I don't believe the author did a good job fleshing them out - even Vaelin for all the text devoted to him. I didn't get a clear sense of what kind of person each character is. For example, Vaelin was pushed to be a leader and a commander, but he never truly takes charge except for a few pithy words. That could be the fault of the weak dialogue, but I also believe it's poor characterization.

The author also didn't establish the world and its inhabitants clearly. I'm used a ton of names and races and countries thrown around (via Inda and Game of Thrones), but each race seemed to just blur together with no description to anchor them into memory. Poor world building technique. The world has potential, even though I've seen similar worlds before - nothing that new to rave about.

I also found the magic system interesting and I was disappointed of how little the author expanded on it. Most of the story was hack and slash fighting, which I found myself skimming through to get to understanding more of his magic.... and found myself disappointed.

The love interest was as expected and quite boring, but that's alright. Every book needs its romance.

There were also a lot of loose ends, which is expected because it's only the first book. But some mystery or confusion should be attributed more to clumsy writing than intrigue or build up for the next book.

This book attempts to be an epic fantasy by pulling the reader through a barrack of warrior-priests, kingdoms, and warfare in a different country. I think it's more sloppily done than epic. But there are very nice moments with a plot that does carry you into interesting situations.

Three stars because it's a decent read. Nothing to scream about, but worth perusing if you're not too strapped for time. Recommended for those who prefer longer novels with a host of characters and countries. Don't expect another Game of Thrones though. (less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Melinda Le Baron rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, adventure, beautiful-3d-characters, religious, military, truly-exciting, tragedy, war, magic, supernatural, paranormal, twisty-turny-plot, dramatic, men-with-weapons, treasure, political, compelling, epic-fantasy, deep, emotional, beautifully-ended

This book was the most amazing human interest story. It could have been set almost anywhere that government and faith were put together, like Spain, or the Caliphate, or even Rome, but Ryan chose to create his own world to showcase his all too human story and minimize the fantastic bits. It could have been purely historical fiction, instead it's epic fantasy. Altogether what it is, is groundbreaking!

THE PLOT: Now this is the part that is going to sound like every other fantasy, but stop right t...more This book was the most amazing human interest story. It could have been set almost anywhere that government and faith were put together, like Spain, or the Caliphate, or even Rome, but Ryan chose to create his own world to showcase his all too human story and minimize the fantastic bits. It could have been purely historical fiction, instead it's epic fantasy. Altogether what it is, is groundbreaking!

THE PLOT: Now this is the part that is going to sound like every other fantasy, but stop right there, it's not. This is a coming of age tale, of a boy (no he does not discover magical powers, train them and go kill the bad guys!), who is the child of the Battle Lord and the Head Healer of the Faith. His Mom, the Healer raises him in the Faith, while his Dad, the Battle Lord, is out slaughtering whole cities worth of people in the name of the Faith. When he's nine, his Mom dies of a disease. His world is over. His Dad is distant. They really don't know each other. One morning, his Dad gets him ready, puts him on the back of his horse, they go for a ride, and end up at the gates of The Order - Order #6, The Warriors of the Faith. Dad drops him off and rides away; never even looking back. It is explained to Vaelin, that this is the Order, and for the next number of years, they will train him, clothe him, house him, feed him, be his family and in return, all they ask is that he will fight for the Faith when asked. Hate for his Father burns strongly in Vaelin, so he agrees to their terms, and walks through the gate to a life he has no conception of. It will lead him half way around the world and back, through sheer hell and torment of his body, mind and soul. Right now, having a family that doesn't include his Father sounds pretty good. The story follows Vaelin through his training up until he's in his twenties and Battle Lord himself. The POV is always Vaelin's, and we see him as he comes to terms with others mens greed, cunning, acquisitiveness, fanaticism, bloodlust, but the thing that gets him the most, is people using the Faith to cover up their sins which get innocent people killed, sometimes by the thousands. He may be a killer for the Faith, but he will never be a murderer. That is an important distinction. This is a political, paranormal and military thriller, as well as a study in human nature. While the plot twists and turns like a handful of dust caught in the wind, it is absolutely fascinating to see what comes next in Vaelins life and in the lives of his friends and those he's closest to.

WORLDBUILDING: The world is much like our own in the Middle Ages before the Enlightenment. To move around quickly, everyone rides horses. To move across the sea, they use wooden boats with sails and oars. They educate men, especially the elite, priests and scribes. Women are either healers or brood mares. If you are a rich women, you get to be a brood mare in style. They write down what they educated say, and keep it in libraries for future generations. Most men fight, unless they are in politics, or are merchants, or are already inherited money and titles. Even the King fought at one time. Most governments are monarchies. Some have Emperors, some have Kings, some have FiefLords. It's really all the same - one guy is in charge. The big difference is that in these countries the government is completely inextricable with the religion - in every single case. In the country Vaelin lives in the government and the Faith are one thing. In Cambraelin, the government and Our Father are one thing. They can't be pulled apart, there is no separation. So not only is this a study of human nature, but it is also a study of the dangers of putting together church and state, which makes for absolutely fascinating reading. If you think of the possibilities of why this could be a problem, just off the top of your head, and then think a little deeper,I can come up with at least ten reasons why this would be a bad thing and that doesn't even count undermining the system and being dishonest in the name of religion. The whole topic of misrepresentation is a whole can of worms by itself. There is a bit of magic in the book, which is why the book has its name. But the fantastic bits are minimized to the human interest, and government/ church and state stories that hit Vaelin and he is growing up.

CHARACTERIZATION: Now that Ryan has 623 pages to work with he doesn't have to be as terse and abrupt as he was in the Slab City Blues novellas, but he still doesn't leave any extra words lying around. His prose is clean and sparse, but oh, so good. His characters are so real, you feel you've known them all your life. Every person that saw ink in this book had full details, attributes, personality, flaws, exterior, everything you'd need for a fully three dimensional human being. Ryan does it with every character, primary, secondary, tertiary, walk-on, it doesn't matter. If they get in the book, you get to know them like everyone else in his books. I love that philosophy, it makes for a rich experience as a reader and with his word choices being so excellent, he can describe people using so few words that you feel you know them after very few pages. This must be incredibly hard to do. Ryan makes it look easy, but after reading so many others books, clearly it is not. Vaelin believes in the Faith just like his Mother, but has the killing skills of his Father, who burned down entire cities to ashes, including women and children. So Vaelin is conflicted. He doesn't want to be like his Father. He doesn't want to be a murderer. He carries around too many secrets. even from childhood.

SECRETS: There are an awful lot of secrets in this book, and the trick of it is, is in finding out who knows what, or who did what to whose dog for how many cookies. Sometimes the secrets can go back for hundreds of years, and sometimes the secrets can go back a day. The most important part, is who to believe, and what to believe, and when to believe them. Vaelin has secrets. I think the king has the most. All the Aspects have the too (An Aspect is the head of an Order ). There are so many secrets, that if they were all to come out, it would change the history of the Kingdom and the Empire as it is written. It would be that bad.

ENDING: through the whole book, they have been building up to this big fight between Vaelin and the Shield. The Shield is going to take Vaelin's life in recompense for what Vaelin's Father did in burning down the city with the women and children inside. There is also a widow, who wants Vaelin dead because he killed her husband in battle, even though he attacked Vaelin, and Vaelin didn't know who he was. They have been talking about this fight through the whole book, and finally the time for the fight arrives. Everyone says that Vaelin is doomed no matter what happens. If he wins, the people will tear him apart, if he loses, he will be dead anyway. Will Vaelin win? Will the Shield? What will happen? It is supposed to be a fight to the death so that someone has to die, who will it be? If Vaelin does win, will he go back to the Kingdom after everything that has happened? What about Sherin? He loves her and misses her doesn't he? All this and more is answered at the climax of this novel, which ended up as a big surprise. It left room for a sequel, which I hope will be out soon. This is a groundbreaking novel. Mr. Ryan, you are my new favorite novelist. Please keep writing. You're going up on my blog this week.

I'd recommend this novel to everyone that can read English. If you like historical novels, epic fantasy novels, classic novels, war novels, military novels, political novels, thrillers, and just thumping good reads - then this is your book. Groundbreaking isn't going far enough. This is an earth shattering novel! You can find it at all the best places for a ridiculously low price for what it is, but soon that will change, so buy it now, before he gets his Nobel Peace Prize for Literature and his books start costing $24.99, instead of $1.50. (less)

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Apr 14, 2013 Kp O'Brien rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the best book I've read in a long time. I wish I had better words to describe how good this book is, especially since it began as a self published work, and even then, it was worth at the very least 5 stars.

The basic plot line isn't really all that new, which isn't surprising, especially considering how much material is out there. There are really two things that make this book stand out:

1) His characters look and act like real people. They have flaws, they make mistakes, they don't whi...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Orland Outland rated it 5 of 5 stars

The best argument for self-publishing I've come across. First of a planned trilogy with a magic system that's just taking shape at the end of the story - for the most part the story is pure "new fantasy" i.e. intensive killin' and fightin' and very well done killin' at that. None of the usual dragass interludes or pauses in this one, excellent character development, thin on the description and the overall world-building (one kingdom vs. pretty much another kingdom, at least so far, w/some differ...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Lady*M rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

4.5 stars

Impressive, self-published debut. I am alway suspicious of self-published books due to previous bad experiences. But, there were some surprising exceptions and Blood Song is one of them.

There were, naturally, some typos and a couple of places where the story could have benefited from some tightening, and I'm sure professional Penguin editors (Penguin Books both the story and sequels) will address them.

Blood Song is a character driven story; the plot is fast-paced and its twists and tur...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Jack rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read a few of the ratings on this novel and had great expectations, Sadly I do not feel this book lived up to any of them other than the initial idea for the story... You have many Great novels of young men/women trained in a "college" for magic or healing and this book is about the same but this time we follow a master swordsman, Great lets read, now this is where the problem lives, not that it is poor writing just the opposite the author knows what he is doing and I feel he did a bit too muc...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Boris Khan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, favorites

I can say with clear conscience that this is definitely the best book I've read this year.

The characters' development is done amazingly well - in fact so well, that you grow to like and feel with not only the main character, but all the secondary ones too. Vaelin in particular was so much like a real person that I certainly felt like reading the story of someone of flesh and blood. Even the animals were unique and memorable characters on their own accord.

The story is captivating, greatly planned...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Manpreet Singh rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fantasy, Adventure, Action Lovers

Awesome.
It's really been such a long time since I wrote a review for a book. It's not that I haven't read good books but they were works of authors I like or weren't good enough to compel me to write a review.
Blood Song was suggested to my by Amazon's recommendation algorithm and I'm happy they suggested it. It was such an un-expected title. I was expecting some adventure and some magic but what I got was way too much, great and compelling story, fine characters and gripping narrative.
The charac...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Christopher rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic Read

Alright, I've been meaning to write a review on this book since I finished it a few days ago, and I finally have a few minutes to rub together to do so.
This was quite possibly one of the best books I've read in a long while. The story itself isn't drastically different than many plots out there. Country at war, has elite fighting force, said force has some code where they're known to be brutal, etc. The piece that really grabs me however, is the absolute artistry that Anthony Ry

...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Jeremy Anderson rated it 4 of 5 stars

I became interested in this book after seeing all the wonderful reviews it received here and on amazon. The amount of five star reviews is staggering and I wondered how so many publishers initially passed on this. So when I started reading this book I did not know what to expect, maybe something The Name of the Wind caliber since this has been compared to that, or an over hyped book that fails to meet expectations? Throughout Blood Song I really enjoyed the plot twists and characters that were i...more I became interested in this book after seeing all the wonderful reviews it received here and on amazon. The amount of five star reviews is staggering and I wondered how so many publishers initially passed on this. So when I started reading this book I did not know what to expect, maybe something The Name of the Wind caliber since this has been compared to that, or an over hyped book that fails to meet expectations? Throughout Blood Song I really enjoyed the plot twists and characters that were introduced but felt that some of the dialogue was lacking. I'm not saying it was bad because that is not the case, I just think that when an author goes about creating a world for which their story resides in it can simply not have enough depth and character. Most of the story revolves around the order that al Sorna is a part of and the members of the order refer to each other as brother and sister. These elements make the world feel more alive and believable and I would have liked to see more of it.

There were two points in the plot that I felt should have been expanded upon. Also I did not like how the flashbacks were implemented in this book. While I was not lost when the story jumped around I did not sense how this story telling device benefited the story except in one instance at the end. This book has been picked up by Ace and I hope these problems will be addressed when it is republished.

I did enjoy reading this book and found it to be a pleasant unexpected surprise. These faults I mentioned are not reasons to pass on Blood Song they are merely why I rated it a four and not a five. If you spend the meager 2.99 at amazon you will be find yourself in a gripping tale amazed at the accomplishments of al Sorna and his brothers and feel sorrow for them as well. While one of the many strengths of Blood song is the camaraderie between the characters it is far from the only one. The battle scenes were well written and while the story wraps up to a tight close at the end their are still mysteries to explore and uncover in the next novel Tower Lord which I am anticipating.(less)

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Jun 25, 2012 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Very, very good read, engrossing story. I totally bought in and had to keep notes to keep the world and characters straight. This is a good thing. Vaelin is believable and you root for him. Nothing is overdone; it is a rich world and great story of a man whose destiny is controlled by others. Lots to look forward to in book 2, but still there was a satisfying ending to this book. The things that happened at the end (no spoilers) were a little abrupt, but still no complaints. My only complaint, a...more

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Mar 12, 2013 David Swager rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Loved the story. Waffled between 3 and 4 stars on this one. With some better editiing, I think it goes to 4 stars easily. the characters were pretty solid too. Though I found Vaelin a little whiney (in his thoughts, not words and deeds).

However, I found the fantasy world really complicated all the way down to days of the week having their own unique names. There was just too much to juggle for me as the reader. Dozens of characters, all the fantasy world components, geography, about 10 different...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Hali Sowle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, anthony-ryan, sword-and-sorcery

This is a traditional fantasy novel, swords, sorcery, betrayal, with great world building and character development. There is no sense that you should know the world before you delve into it and the author reveals information about it as you go along which is quite a relief from being plunged into a book and having to figure out who is who and where and what.

The book starts with a man being led onto a ship to be taken someplace where he is to battle a champion to the death, and from the tone of...more

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Jul 06, 2012 T.L. Gray rated it 5 of 5 stars

I had once again began to lose hope in the indie publishing field, having been disappointed with the last few indie books I’ve read. A few of them started with great promise, but left me quite disappointed in the end. But all hope was not lost, at least not since stumbling across Raven’s Shadow by Anthony Ryan. I haven’t been this excited about an indie book since Progeny by Ryan Kaelin (http://www.rtkaelin.com ). What is it with Ryans writing exceptional stories? Anyway …on with the review.

The...more I had once again began to lose hope in the indie publishing field, having been disappointed with the last few indie books I’ve read. A few of them started with great promise, but left me quite disappointed in the end. But all hope was not lost, at least not since stumbling across Raven’s Shadow by Anthony Ryan. I haven’t been this excited about an indie book since Progeny by Ryan Kaelin (http://www.rtkaelin.com ). What is it with Ryans writing exceptional stories? Anyway …on with the review.

The story starts with our protagonist, Vaelin Al Sorna – known as a Brother of the 6th Order, the Sword of the Realm, Young Hawk, Darkblade, Beral Shak Ur, and Hope Killer, being led as a prisoner by Lord Verniers Alshe Someren, Imperial Chronicler, First of the Learned and honored servant to the Empire, to face a judgment by a country and people whom his Battle Lord father had almost decimated when he was but a small child. Already prejudiced against him for being the son of their most hated rival, Vaelin is also the killer of their beloved Hope, the successor to the Emperor’s throne in their latest skirmish with King Janus and the Realm. As they travel across the sea to face a trial by conquest, Vaelin tells this chronicler the story of his life and how the most hated of villains he became.

This prologue pulled me right into the story and piqued my interest to the point I just had to read on. That’s one of the formula’s I love best – have a despicable state of being and then go back and show me how one achieved such a state. It is the basic fundamental aspect of humanity - to understand how someone reaches a certain state in their life, either deplorable or exceptional, so we can better understand and see the path to that destruction or success and apply the principles to our own lives.

The real story begins with Vaelin as a mere child dealing the death of his mother, along with losing that innocent childhood, as his Battle Lord father abandons him to the Brothers of the Sixth Order, a sect of the Faith that focuses primarily on the art of war. It is his time with the Sixth Order that we fall in love with Vaelin, and his other brothers, as they are transformed from weak, innocent boys, into a close-nit team of merciless assassins. We are carried right along with Vaelin as he develops his skills, face his trials, and nurtures the hate for the father that abandoned him. You can’t help but root for him and his Order brothers as they transform from the fearful into the greatly feared. Anthony Ryan does an excellent job of sewing the reader so perfectly secure into all the emotion and action that has you completely solidified and connected with the protagonist.

What is a great adventure without a little love to soften the hardness, - bring a little light into the darkness, than to have a splash of romance? I love the way the author didn’t douse the reader in sappy syrup, but sprinkled just enough to allow the sweetness to be savored on top of the spice. My mind went into three different directions on this aspect of the story, but I’m very pleased with how it turned it out. I loved the twists and turns the story took, but can’t express how much I loved how the author kept the priorities in line. This is usually where a writer plunges off an unseen cliff, especially with epic fantasies – they allow the romance to overcome and dominate the story, instead of balancing it. It’s hard to do, because it’s so easy to get carried away with emotion, but Anthony Ryan handled it very well. At least, I’m well pleased. I hate seeing a great super strong character lose all his strength and integrity for a woman. As a woman, I want a strong-willed man; not a limp-wristed, love sick puppy. A valiant warrior, who has strength to lead and fight, must also have strength of mind, yet time and time again you find these oxymorons posed as heroes, men who can stand against all the world, but can’t say no to a woman??? Okay, time to move away from this particular rant and on with the review.

There is another twist I absolutely LOVED in this story, but I don’t want to say too much about it because it will give it away. Let’s just say – I didn’t see it coming, and it broke my heart – literally. THAT is hard to do. I’ve read and written so many stories that I’m rarely surprised, but in this – I was absolutely blown away. Not only was the foundation and story thread brilliantly laid, but exceptionally executed. Well done, Anthony! If I had any criticism of this entire story, it would be this: Put it through one more round of edits (especially where commas are concerned) and get this traditionally published so it can receive greater exposure.

I don’t know Mr. Ryan, but I’ve come to admire his work, just as I know you will too if you dare to delve into the adventure of Raven’s Song.

Till next time,
~T.L. Gray
www.tlgray.net
T.L. Gray (less)

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May 17, 2013 Jordan rated it 5 of 5 stars

I finished the book a few days ago and genuinely can't get it out of my head. I feel like I'm desperate to move on from it just because there's no more to read and all I want to do is dwell in this book forever.

People have compared it to Name of the Wind (which is amazing) but really the only similarity to me is that 1- the story is being recorded by someone and 2- it's a tale of their life.

It's really amazing in it's simplicity. He's not riding through Hell battling Hades on a Cerberus while a...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Nair Núñez rated it 4 of 5 stars

Anthony Ryan did his homework. It is a classy, well written, almost perfectly executed fantasy novel. The main character is flawed, the secondary characters are decently developed and the story is classic, but entertaining. Whats really great about it is Ryan's storytelling, something that was lacking in the genre before Patrick Rothfuss debuted.

I am giving it 4 stars for two reasons:
First, about at 80% Ryan bluntly reminds us that, being this fantasy we could not get a stand alone novel, and...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Deep rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was dead set on Mark Lawrence (Prince of Thorns) being the best debut fantasy in the last couple of years, but here comes Anthony Ryan, the real-life MI6 ninja... Blood Song is not the best in terms of prose or plot or characterization or the world-setting (though the Faith is a pretty interesting concept), but what it is, is a good simple story superbly told. The execution is... maybe flawless is stretching it, but for now I'll just define the book into the category: UNPUTDOWNABLE.

I've alread...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow! This was such a skillfully written and powerfully entertaining epic fantasy story. I would even put it up there with Prof Tolkien's work. As Blood Song gradually unfolded in carefully delivered segments over different times, the reader was respected and challenged by not having everything delivered to them on a plate...when were characters lying? Why did some pieces of story not ring quite true?

What initially seemed like a couple of minor flaws in the story - times when I thought "would th...more

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Blood Song 2	5	45	16 hours, 47 min ago
*Spoilers* I need help understanding the end! :-)	5	77	Apr 28, 2013 08:18pm
The Riyria Revela...: Blood Song by Anthony Ryan	12	95	Sep 27, 2012 05:13am
Book Divas: Progress	5	17	Jul 24, 2012 06:01am

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Blood Song (Raven's Shadow #1)

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