REVIEW: The King’s Sword by C. J. Brightley
I absolutely loved this book. Some have said that as a coming of age story, it doesn’t achieve that. I couldn’t agree less. Mainly as I don’t see it as a coming of age story. Yes, there is an element of that, but for me the real center of this tale is Kemen Sendoa, the person from whose point of view the story is told.
It is a testament to the author’s writing ability that I instantly heard Kemen’s voice in my head. I lived his life through his words and felt as if I really knew him within very few pages.
Description was perfect in that it adequately took me into the author’s imagined world without overdoing it at all.
I loved the politics of the world, all of which were touched upon, but not so overpowering as to detract from the characters. In fact, they served to enhance the characters combined with the author’s use of blissfully simple narrative.
Another criticism I’ve read is that the characters ‘could do no wrong’. Personally, I think if you’ve read it that way, you’ve totally missed the angle this book was coming from. It is an intimate portrayal of a man and his new-found charge; how he gets to know him, while WE get to know the man. If you’re expecting darkly twisted characters, then this is not the book for you. I for one adored Kemen. He was a character I could believe in. If that meant he could do no wrong, then I obviously like ‘perfect’ characters. I wold say it’s more that I am happy to read about a ‘normal’ person recounting their life as if I’m the only person in the room. But perhaps that’s just me.
The end did rush at me a bit, but that was more because I had got so spirited away walking alongside Kemen Sendoa that I was sad to discover the book was actually coming to an end. I think there could have been a slightly slower build up, but it did not have a negative impact on my overall enjoyment.
In summary, this was a nicely paced book, refreshingly devoid of a plot that takes itself too seriously. It didn’t try to be something it wasn’t and would appeal to those that yearn for something that won’t bog them down with ‘too much’ of anything.
ONLY criticisms – and these are minor and again, not distracting – a small handful of missed typos, duplicated words, and sometimes, a bit of a habit of telling the reader something just a tad too much. Information which the author obviously felt important was repeated now and then. But again, I was easily able to let that pass as this book generally oozed quality writing.
Because I simply can’t say goodbye to Kemen Sendoa, I shall be reading the next two books asap.
Buy it here: UK – http://amzn.to/1UC1U6s US – http://amzn.to/1VeYZBx
