The Crimson Sword

The Legend of Asahiel #1

by Eldon Thompson

The Age of Man has begun. The "undesirable" creatures of legend have been driven from their lands, magic has been forsaken, the old gods reduced to myth.Now humans will rule the kingdoms of the island continent of Pentania. But they are not alone.

Alson's king has been assassinated, its capital besieged by a malevolent wizard. The chaos and terror now sweeping the land have come to the remote village of Diln -- sending young Jarom far from his home to seek aid against the nefarious usurper. But a mysterious council has decreed Jarom must find one of the mythical Swords of Asahiel -- the divine talismans the elven avatars used to forge the earth -- in order to save a quarrelsome, fledgling humanity. For a Demon Queen has awakened from the abyss -- and humankind is about to discover its powerlessness in the face of the ancient terrors of the world.

Genres: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Science Fiction, High Fantasy, Fiction

712 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 3, 2005

About the author

After surrendering his dream of playing pro football, Eldon Thompson set out to publish a fantasy adventure novel. In 2003, he sold his Legend of Asahiel trilogy to HarperCollins, which kicked off with The Crimson Sword in 2005. He is also a graduate of the UCLA Professional Program in Screenwriting, and in 2007 sold a feature adaptation of Terry Brooks's The Elfstones of Shannara (his favorite childhood novel) to Warner Bros. He has signed and dined with the likes of Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson, and Patrick Rothfuss, but wrote chiefly for Hollywood until 2013, when "Unbowed," a short story featuring fan-favorite character Kylac Kronus, appeared in the Grim Oak Press anthology, Unfettered. Scratching that itch led to the long-promised delivery of Kylac's full-length return in the Warder trilogy, beginning with The Ukinhan Wilds in August of 2018.

Mostly, he continues to fantasize about being an NFL quarterback.

Reviews

[Nic · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel, although lauded by numerous authors of distinguished reputation, was a disappointment (if a 2 dollar book that somewhat entertained you for a few days can be disappointment). It started with an interesting character but this character was simply an introduction to the main character who is not interesting at all. Furthermore, the main character's inner feelings were so important to the author that he felt it necessary to reiterate these all-important feelings every five pages just in case we forgot how he felt before he took his next step. Actually, upon writing this, I can safely say that I would have read stories about the main character's companions than the main character...they seemed to have more depth and more story.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was interesting and took some twists I wasn't expecting. I like that they didn't draw out the reveal about the wizard since I thought that was obvious. The problems I had with it are that throughout the book there were like only 5 named female characters. None had their own plots. Two died. One was a damsel in distress at almost every turn and one was the main villain. She was also the only character explicitly described as black. There were also a group of elves described as aboriginal who were described as primitive and cannibals. Because of this I will not be continuing the series.

[Harry Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though it has been some time since I have read it, I can safely say that it is a journey worth taking!
The book is long in my opinion, and it takes it's time with you getting to know the characters. Though I felt it did this in a way that was enjoyable, and also in a way that felt like you were included with the heroes themselves in the journey. Eventually when the book starts to pick up to speed, there is no putting it down.

Highly recommended!

[Richelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tropesville. To much time spent explaining rather than showing.

[Stefan Wood · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mundane.

[Gregory B · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book after finishing the short story Unbowed, which I thought was fairly well written and enjoyable. Unfortunately, I don’t think the author had fully developed his writing skills in this first novel. The characters felt underdeveloped, and too much time was spent on parts of the story that dragged. For example, there’s an overly long journey where very little actually happens, and the characters’ thoughts go in circles without adding much.

The plot was just okay. There weren’t many surprises or original twists. It felt like things I’ve read before. The writing itself was also just okay. I never needed to look up a word or pause to think about a sentence, which to me is part of the fun of reading. I like to be challenged or learn something new, and that just didn’t happen here.

The character and place names were a distraction right from the start. They often sounded like slightly off versions of familiar names—Jerom instead of Jerome, Marisha instead of Marissa. Kylac Kronan felt awkward and hard to take seriously. Allion, which I kept misreading as Allison, turned out to be a male character. The town and city names didn’t help either; they felt flat and unimaginative.

Some of the character actions didn’t line up with what they supposedly believed in. For example, there’s a character who has spent his life trying to destroy an evil queen, yet suddenly begins to consider siding with her. These kinds of inconsistencies made it hard to stay invested.

And finally, **spoiler alert** after all the buildup to a huge battle with a giant beast, the creature just lies down and dies. No real fight, no satisfying payoff. All that buildup led to nothing.

Overall, I think a younger reader might enjoy this more than an adult would. As I mentioned, Unbowed was more enjoyable and showed improvement in the author’s writing, so it’s possible his later work is stronger. But after this book, I’m moving on to other authors.

[iHateBooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

I made it about 50 pages into this book before I quit. It's not very often that I don't finish a book, I managed to read the entirety of The English Patient after all. What made me DNF were the names. Most authors are able to create names for cities, civilizations, people, etc. that sound like they could be real names or like they could be from a different language, and other authors re-use words from a language they made up when they were four years old. This author is in the latter category. As I am an adult who does not enjoy either the babbling or the pitter patter of feet that is not a cat wearing tap shoes, I'll pass on this one.

On top of that the book was very... ok. Not terrible, but not great either. If the characters or plot had been particularly compelling I would have made more of an effort to continue. Additionally I found one part of what I read to be totally baffling. The main character, who lives in some sort of idyllic forest village where everybody is nice and nothing bad ever happens, has somehow managed to amass a large number of swords and has hung them on one wall of his bedroom for decoration. He has also managed to procure an elaborate tapestry that really ties the room together. I can suspend my disbelief for a lot of things, but swords and tapestries are expensive to produce, so where in the hell did this teenaged forest village boy get this stuff come from? I will never know because this book is going to the garage sale pile.

[Sad Boosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well what is said by a lot of peoples and it goes for me also is that this author writes very well in terms of his use of the English language... but in my opinion has a tough time capturing any true depth of characters.

It really seemed to have a lack of worthwhile dialogue. Sure there were some talking parts between characters but where did it actually develop a character's own sense? Is Allion a fun loving guy? Does Torin have a great sense of humor? Is Allion's humor more sarcastic than Torin's? Can Torin be playful even around danger? I have no clue. Maybe not the best examples but things that would make the character a little less 2D would be nice.

I wouldn't recommend this series tbh but I have read worse.

[Zuri · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF pg 516. I really tried. After 6 months of trying I have to call it quits. The author is very descriptive, but I had a hard time with the main character and story pacing. Even after it picked up slightly, I think I was so disconnected with the main character if Jarom had died and Kylav became the main character I would have been elated. I actually bought the whole series at once. I prefer trying to read for myself then reading reviews after I finish a book. However, I sorry of wish I could have read reviews first. So, I'll be parting ways with these and hope someone else can find they love the series.

[Kori May · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf at 460 pages.

I read this book a really long time ago and loved it, but couldn't find the rest of the series. Finally got a hold of them, so wanted to reread book 1 first... and I just can't get through it.

For some reason, this just isn't grabbing me in the same way it used to (different reading tastes I guess?). Fairly disappointed since I remember being very excited to see where this went last time and now, I just don't care

[J.W. Ellis · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I am im torn on this one. I made it more than a third in, but there was just so many characters and storylines, it was hard to keep straight. And then I put it down, and I just couldn't convince myself to pick it back up.

[Cyrix Instead · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

[Austin Rider · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried a few times over the summer and could not get into this. A couple of good moments early but nothing to sink your teeth into.

[Roy Van Den Brande · Rating 3 out of 5]

Niet super slecht, maar als het mij bijna 3 weken kost om het uit te lezen, dan is er iets mis met het boek.

[Patrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

The crimson shite.

see a doctor.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this book. Nice adventure.

[Taylor P. Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Crimson Sword, Eldon Thompson

Although King Sorl has driven Alson into the dust financially, it was a quiet and peaceful place. Jarom loved his life as the Farson of Diln and relished in the responsibilities of protecting his village. But the peace and tranquillity Jarom loves is shattered when an evil wizard invades Alson and lays siege to Kyrnwall. Even as the wizard's mercenaries raid and plunder the surrounding countryside, Jarom is charged with a great mission and, along with Allion, his best friend, heads to Kuuria to beg help from their aged emperor.

Yet things do not plan and a terrible evil has woken from its two thousand year slumber. A demon queen, forgotten by the ages, sees only weakness in the island continent of Pentania and decides the Age of Man is all but over. Her armies of dragonspawn ride out to bring the continent to its knees and Jarom knows that only one thing has the power to stop her - the fabled Crimson Sword, one of the great talismans the Ceilhigh Avatars used to forge the world . . .

The Good
Eldon Thompson has managed to create a story that is full of peril and adventure, which reads like cheesy, old-school fantasy (despite being written in the 2000's). I really enjoyed this 'feel' to the book and it was nice to read about a hero embarking on an epic quest to slay evil and save his home. The small size of Thompson's map also helps because it cuts down on the long, arduous travelling that fills many works of fantasy, allowing his to greatly increase the pace of the story so it's pretty much non-stop action all of the way through!

The Bad
I'm not going to say that The Crimson Sword is a bad book and I certainly enjoying reading it, but it did have a few problems that detracted from my enjoyment of the story. The first, and probably the worst one of these, was with Jarom, one of the main protagonists. Jarom's character was very passive, thoughtful and forgiving, which didn't really fit with him becoming a great hero and viscous warrior. Despite all that was happening to Pentania, he never really got angry about it and his motives for trying to save it were pretty much just to be noble and fulfil what he perceived to be his destiny. I found this slightly odd and didn't really think it was believable - anybody would be raging if their country has been assailed by armies of darkness that are going about slaughtering people and burning settlements to the ground!

The second issue I had with the novel was with its villains, who were very stereotypical. Thompson frequently had them being evil just for the sake of being evil, which authors such as George R. R. Martin have made me sceptical about by showing me that evil actions are usually committed due to a person acting in their own self interests rather than to harm people. In addition to this, all of his antagonists were frequently described as 'smirking,' 'sneering' and 'snickering.' This got old quite fast and I don't really think these expressions are ever much use in trying to portray wickedness in a character. No matter how evil someone is, would they really smirk after they've burnt down a village and slaughtered it's inhabitants? Would they really snicker when people are captured to be fed alive to dragonspawn? Sadly, I think this easily avoidable mistake made the story's antagonists pretty bland and unremarkable.

My Thoughts
Eldon Thompson has really let his imagination go wild when writing The Crimson Sword and has created an epic story where light faces darkness. The novel is fast-paced, exciting and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an immersing read. I can't wait to continue Jarom's adventures in the next book in The Legend of Asahiel, The Obsidian Key!

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Click here for a full The Crimson Sword Review

Starting out, The Crimson Sword felt very much like a traditional fantasy tale, and that is not a bad thing. A long lost heir, a powerful evil wizard and a quest for a magical sword all ring true to the genre and to the epic nature of the novel.

The introduction of the evil wizard and the shadow assassin were excellent and it was a very good introduction to the world, although there was very little to indicate the rules by which the world operated. It is clear, however, that both the wizard and assassin are powerful figures, even if we are not exactly sure as to the extent of their power. In any case, the world comes across as one that has a rich history.

The introduction of Jarom and the quick revelation of his lineage takes the story to a different level. But we are quickly ripped away to the emergence of the Demon Queen. To me, this quick introduction of another new “big bad” seemed to derail the story some and drastically undermined the power and aura of the wizard. It seemed to me that this actually weakens the story, as there was no time to develop one story line and conflict before another emerged. It is far more compelling to explore the conflict between Jarom and his brother, but this conflict is quickly overshadowed by the Demon Queen and not really resolved.

For more thoughts on The Crimson Sword, visit my website.

[Kirsten Simkiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was well written and I thought the battle scenes were well done, but I really wish there had been more than three significant female characters in the entire book. Like, really? You can invent twelve male characters that are recurring, but you don't bother having more than two female characters that are really around?

The main character, Jarom, is also somewhat frustrating to read sometimes because he doesn't trust people who keep saving his hide. It got a little irritating during the middle third of the book.

However, the main character is relatively realistic for a young adult, as are his friends. I really did enjoy the mythology and the fighting was well done. It didn't drag on unnecessarily, instead switching to other characters.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. The author does have a tendency to over-detail surroundings and use a paragraph where a few words would have sufficed but if you know how to skim for the major stuff it was not a problem. The characters were interesting and the way events were shaped was different than many other series. I would not call the book action packed but there was enough to keep an action junkie like me from skipping whole pages or discarding the book halfway through. It has the typical main character on a impossible quest that will save everyone piece to it but there are so many layers and tweaks to this idea that make it more interesting than just that.

[Brunnstag · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw this back in 2006 on the new release shelf in Barnes and Noble, and my grandfather bought it for me. In all honesty, the book isn't terrible. But it's VERY cliche. A stereotypical fetch-quest story, with fairly stereotypical characters. The action never really kicks off, and the book tends to drag in places. The dialogue can also sound very jilted and unrealistic at times, which definitely pushes you out the story.

It is an early effort by a 'new author' and at 695 pages for the paperback version, it's an impressive first book. Overall, this is an average 'dungeon crawler, save the world from an evil wizard' story. Not the greatest, but certainly not the worst.

[Aelvana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked it up because the cover art was cute (I liked the dragonish beasties). I'm not sure why I kept reading it. Clichè after clichè abound... In the beginning of the story, the author struggles with point of view: somehow, he or she thought it was a GREAT idea to introduce at least one new character per page, many of whom die immediately after being introduced, or don't show up until the very, very end of the book. That made it a tough beginning, and it was very dull throughout because I could always anticipate everything that would happen next. There's obviously a sequel in the works, but I won't bother with it. There's nothing new or original in here. Not Recommended.

[Mark Cameron · Rating 1 out of 5]

I actually stopped reading it after about 40 pages. It has been a long time since I did that with a novel.

Here are two reasons why: 1)the author lacks an understanding of dark ages / medieval society which is what most fantasy (including this novel) bears a strong resemblance to. 2)characters in the story make decisions that make no sense. I won't go into the specifics in case you still wish to read this novel.

These things may not bother someone else, but I just have too many other novels to read without spending time on one such as this.

[Jake · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tried to read it once, stopped halfway through, tried again a few years later and still couldn't finish it. Wont waste the time the book did for me and just say that even though I do not mind the stereo typical plot line, I do mind the one dimensional and completely unbelievable main characters. And introduction to the to main villains.. well it reminded me of a Saturday morning cartoon targeted at six year old boys.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable fantasy quest tale.

Thompson's prose style was a bit verbose at times which was truly distracting at times.

The characters were good and well-thought out, but I had a hard time caring about any of them. Kylac (Drizzt) was, of course, the shining character.

Overall, though, it scratches an epic fantasy itch for me.

I suppose my 4 stars is actually a 3.5.

[Tosari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tedious plod through a massive volume of unneeded words. I painfully stuck with it to the end by reading between the "" and skimming to action scenes. I was lead to this from a short story in the Unfettered anthology, based on that, the author improved with experience. With that opinion, i still can not bring myself to read vol. 2 and 3 of this series.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

characters were interesting; seemed very similar at first, but they grew and diverged quite a bit as the book goes on. Some very surprising twists and turns, so not everything is the standard fantasy novel.

[Alexander Draganov · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too detailed for my taste. It is obvious that the author likes Brooks and Paolini, but he needs to improve his craft, if he is to match their prose. A promising plot is killed by way too many words and the boring main character overshadows the more interesting secondary ones.

[J-a · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very disappointed with this after the high recommendations it had received. I found that there was too much repetition of details in many areas and yet there seemed to be parts missing. Won't be reading the next one.

[Sonia · Rating 1 out of 5]

It went to slow for me and too much of the book was downright depressing. I ended up skipping much of the book to read to the end to see if it got any better. I still didn't like the end much, except the very, very end. At least it ended good.