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The Chronicles of Castellane #1
Sword Catcher
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fantasy (2023)DISCOVER THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES FROM THE GLOBAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE SHADOWHUNTER CHRONICLES!
Two outcasts find themselves at the centre of world-altering change in Sword Catcher, the start of a riveting epic fantasy series from the internationally bestselling author of The Shadowhunter Chronicles.
One was raised to rule. One was trained to die. Welcome to the Chronicles of Castellane.
In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, a young orphan named Kel is stolen from his old life to enter a new one of luxury and peril. He’s to become Prince Conor Aurelian’s body-double, shielding the Prince from all dangers. As his ‘Sword Catcher,’ he and Conor become close as brothers – yet Kel lives for one purpose: to die for Conor.
Lin Caster is an Ashkar physician, part of a community ostracised for its rare magical abilities. But events pull her and Kel together and into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King who rules Castellane’s criminal underworld.
Together, they’ll discover an extraordinary conspiracy. But can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will their discoveries plunge their nation into war and the world into chaos?
Lose yourself in a vibrant world of power, intrigue and magic in this spellbinding epic from an internationally bestselling sensation.
Two outcasts find themselves at the centre of world-altering change in Sword Catcher, the start of a riveting epic fantasy series from the internationally bestselling author of The Shadowhunter Chronicles.
One was raised to rule. One was trained to die. Welcome to the Chronicles of Castellane.
In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, a young orphan named Kel is stolen from his old life to enter a new one of luxury and peril. He’s to become Prince Conor Aurelian’s body-double, shielding the Prince from all dangers. As his ‘Sword Catcher,’ he and Conor become close as brothers – yet Kel lives for one purpose: to die for Conor.
Lin Caster is an Ashkar physician, part of a community ostracised for its rare magical abilities. But events pull her and Kel together and into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King who rules Castellane’s criminal underworld.
Together, they’ll discover an extraordinary conspiracy. But can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will their discoveries plunge their nation into war and the world into chaos?
Lose yourself in a vibrant world of power, intrigue and magic in this spellbinding epic from an internationally bestselling sensation.
24 pages, Audiobook
First published October 10, 2023
6767 people are currently reading
276262 people want to read
About the author
Cassandra Clare
199 books278k followersCassandra Clare was born to American parents in Tehran, Iran and spent much of her childhood travelling the world with her family, including one trek through the Himalayas as a toddler where she spent a month living in her father’s backpack. She lived in France, England and Switzerland before she was ten years old.
Since her family moved around so much she found familiarity in books and went everywhere with a book under her arm. She spent her high school years in Los Angeles where she used to write stories to amuse her classmates, including an epic novel called “The Beautiful Cassandra” based on a Jane Austen short story of the same name (and which later inspired her current pen name).
After college, Cassie lived in Los Angeles and New York where she worked at various entertainment magazines and even some rather suspect tabloids where she reported on Brad and Angelina’s world travels and Britney Spears’ wardrobe malfunctions. She started working on her YA novel, City of Bones, in 2004, inspired by the urban landscape of Manhattan, her favourite city. She turned to writing fantasy fiction full time in 2006 and hopes never to have to write about Paris Hilton again.
Cassie’s first professional writing sale was a short story called “The Girl’s Guide to Defeating the Dark Lord” in a Baen anthology of humor fantasy. Cassie hates working at home alone because she always gets distracted by reality TV shows and the antics of her cats, so she usually sets out to write in local coffee shops and restaurants. She likes to work in the company of her friends, who see that she sticks to her deadlines.
City of Bones was her first novel. Sword Catcher is her most recent novel.
Since her family moved around so much she found familiarity in books and went everywhere with a book under her arm. She spent her high school years in Los Angeles where she used to write stories to amuse her classmates, including an epic novel called “The Beautiful Cassandra” based on a Jane Austen short story of the same name (and which later inspired her current pen name).
After college, Cassie lived in Los Angeles and New York where she worked at various entertainment magazines and even some rather suspect tabloids where she reported on Brad and Angelina’s world travels and Britney Spears’ wardrobe malfunctions. She started working on her YA novel, City of Bones, in 2004, inspired by the urban landscape of Manhattan, her favourite city. She turned to writing fantasy fiction full time in 2006 and hopes never to have to write about Paris Hilton again.
Cassie’s first professional writing sale was a short story called “The Girl’s Guide to Defeating the Dark Lord” in a Baen anthology of humor fantasy. Cassie hates working at home alone because she always gets distracted by reality TV shows and the antics of her cats, so she usually sets out to write in local coffee shops and restaurants. She likes to work in the company of her friends, who see that she sticks to her deadlines.
City of Bones was her first novel. Sword Catcher is her most recent novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 10,023 reviews
Want to read
November 28, 2017I will read anything and everything Cassandra Clare writes because she created Will Herondale, the greatest literary character ever.
Want to read
April 26, 2023Waaaait, an actual Cassandra Clare book that is NOT set in the Shadowhunter world? Excuse me is that even allowed??!
Want to read
June 14, 2023the "cc will never write a non shadowhunters book" people found dead
October 13, 2023
So.. That didn't work in my favour at all. This was my first book by Cassandra Clare and it was a HUGEEE disappointment.
I'll keep this brief as this book drained the life out of me.
1. The info dump that was done throughout the book paired with long chapters kept making me zone out. Idk what the author was trying to achieve with such useless information at times. From the world building to the color of a wall, everything is being dumped. Trust me this book needs like two more edits. I was skimming in the second half.
2. The world building made no sense. There was such immense lack of clarity. Like sure did the author make up a lot of words for places and people both? Yes but then she failed to expand on them.
3. The characters were all one dimensional. I could not understand them at all. Their motives were pretty clear in the beginning but it soon tried to develop into something more and eventually got all messed up.
4. Romance is minimal. The way it's being marketed one would think there is enough romance in it but NOOO.
5. Nothing of substance really happens. It's clear that this book is setting up for something big but at the same time, something needs to happen in this one too. Wtf how do you expect me to continue this series when it's just about characters going to random places for nothing?
Overall, an extremely poorly written book. It could have been 270-300 pages shorter if it had been edited. I don't think I'll be checking out any of her other books anytime soon. Good riddance, am glad this monstrosity is over.
~•~•~
My first Cassandra Clare book. Please be good🤞
I'll keep this brief as this book drained the life out of me.
1. The info dump that was done throughout the book paired with long chapters kept making me zone out. Idk what the author was trying to achieve with such useless information at times. From the world building to the color of a wall, everything is being dumped. Trust me this book needs like two more edits. I was skimming in the second half.
2. The world building made no sense. There was such immense lack of clarity. Like sure did the author make up a lot of words for places and people both? Yes but then she failed to expand on them.
3. The characters were all one dimensional. I could not understand them at all. Their motives were pretty clear in the beginning but it soon tried to develop into something more and eventually got all messed up.
4. Romance is minimal. The way it's being marketed one would think there is enough romance in it but NOOO.
5. Nothing of substance really happens. It's clear that this book is setting up for something big but at the same time, something needs to happen in this one too. Wtf how do you expect me to continue this series when it's just about characters going to random places for nothing?
Overall, an extremely poorly written book. It could have been 270-300 pages shorter if it had been edited. I don't think I'll be checking out any of her other books anytime soon. Good riddance, am glad this monstrosity is over.
~•~•~
My first Cassandra Clare book. Please be good🤞
November 23, 2024
Resentment was pointless. It was more than pointless. Resentment was poison.
Kel is the Sword Catcher, which means he was raised to sacrifice himself for Prince Conor, to jump in front of blows that would kill him. Although he loves Conor, he knows that the prince holds a power over him that will one day end in Kel’s death. Lin is a physician—a woman in a man’s field and therefore ostracized by her community—who strives to find a cure for her dying best friend.
Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare plays it too safe. Most aspects of this book could have had more bite and more commitment. The idea of a Sword Catcher is so visceral. It’s also what I most looked forward to reading when I saw the summary of the novel. Unfortunately, this premise is never seized as boldly as I believe it should have been. It carries inherent pain, and I think Clare could have taken advantage of this much more than she did.
Sword Catcher is Cassandra Clare’s divergence from the YA Shadowhunters series. I respect how she successfully wrote an adult fantasy without the gratuitous explicit content that sometimes appears in adult debuts. However, perhaps in her attempt to adopt a more solemn tone, this book is missing the pure emotional appeal of her young adult works. It is Cassandra Clare without much of what Clare does best. The feeling of attachment between characters doesn’t come across. The issues driving them apart or bringing them together are never as heartfelt as they could be. I don’t often ask for more romance in books, but for a 600-page tome to only have the slightest hints of a connection that was predictable from the beginning exemplifies this issue well: the potential between characters is held back seemingly for the sake of being held back. Sword Catcher lacks tenderness.
That being said, the protagonists were easy to like. Antonetta was especially interesting to me, a very feminine and underestimated woman who uses her perceived naivete to her silent political advantage. However, Lin and Conor weren’t especially complex, and most of the characters weren’t placed in enough truly difficult situations for me to actually understand them and what motivates them.
Overall, I think that every aspect of this book is intended to feel bigger than it actually did. Besides the restrained emotions of the characters, the workings of the plot left me more confused than invested. The diplomacy is large-scale but doesn’t make it out of a discussion. The assassination attempts on Conor are implied to be numerous, but the reason for conflict between Castellane and its neighbors is vague. The Ragpicker King is supposed to be operating a nationwide criminal enterprise, and yet we never see him do any operating, which detracts significantly from his charisma.
Sword Catcher is very much a sequel setup, which makes the reading experience so strange. I still don’t thoroughly understand the overarching plot of this book. What is the driving force behind these characters? Where is the urgency? What is pushing them to make decisions? The isolated, circumstantial dilemmas were enjoyable and easy to follow, but from start to finish, very little ground was covered.
Part of what makes Sword Catcher disproportionately long is that it was weighed down by unnecessary description, much of it contributing to worldbuilding. Despite the detail in the worldbuilding, some of the most important points were left surprisingly vague; I’m thinking specifically of Lin’s ending, in which a myth that had not had great importance to the plot of the story suddenly became a central point.
If a fictional culture or nation is analogous to a real one, ideally it should be a purposeful choice. This was done well with the Ashkar, whose treatment by the surrounding society echoes the baseless fear of Jews that still exists today, and the discrimination and hatred against Jews across history. But the purpose is much less clear behind naming a fantastical court Geumjoseon, clearly analogous to Korea, or a Shenzhou representing China, among many other such real-world analogues.
Most of my critiques boil down to a need for a few more rounds of editing: to remove unnecessary material, to clarify the driving force of the story, to flesh out the character interactions that already have potential, etc. The writing and pacing are so polished that all the novel needs is to be clearer and more concise. I enjoyed reading Cassandra Clare’s Sword Catcher, but I think it’s a bit too diluted and directionless in its current form to reach the greatness its premise is capable of achieving.
2.5/5
May 4, 2025
yeah this FUCKED and fucked hard.
i'm surprised that nearly all of the top reviews for this book are middling. i thought this was a huge step up from clare's shadowhunter books. and i love her shadowhunter books.
but the world here was intriguing. characters pretty immediately likable and interesting. magic that hasn't been fully explored but that is promising. court politics. murder. and forbidden romance??? yup.
i am immediately picking up the next book so. make of that what you will :)
i'm surprised that nearly all of the top reviews for this book are middling. i thought this was a huge step up from clare's shadowhunter books. and i love her shadowhunter books.
but the world here was intriguing. characters pretty immediately likable and interesting. magic that hasn't been fully explored but that is promising. court politics. murder. and forbidden romance??? yup.
i am immediately picking up the next book so. make of that what you will :)
January 5, 2024
i feel very middle of the road with this one. i am not one who ever feels like they need to do half star ratings, but this book truly made me feel differently because this is honestly a 2.5, right in the middle, for me. i didn’t love this, but i was intrigued enough to most likely continue on with the second.
this first book really focused on two characters. 1) kel, who was an orphan intrigued by the ragpicker king at a young age, but was taken from the orphanage by the king to train and become a look alike for the crown prince, conor. 2.) lin, another orphan, even though her grandfather is still in her life, who is a doctor trying to save her sister’s life, and also realizing that she has magical healing abilities that her people have been ostracized for.
what I really will give cassie clare credit for is that this really felt like an adult fantasy, that was very different than the shadowhunter world, to me. again, i don’t mean this as disrespectful to many authors, but so much of the time when authors have built an audience with ya, and then they choose to write adult, it never really feels like it to me. but this really and truly did, while also feeling like something completely different.
sadly, like with all of cassie’s books lately for me, this book felt too long and not edited enough. I really would have enjoyed this more if it wasn’t so long and the story so prolonged. But, like with all of cassie's books, always for me, i loved these characters and being inside their heads. kel, conor, lin - i love them, i am very endeared by them, and i am ultimately rooting for them. Also another constant cassie positive is that so much of this cast is casually queer, both in sexuality and gender, and we love to see it. i also would go as far as to say kel is pan, which we extra love to see!
george rr martin blurbed this and went on tour with cassie and i feel like, upon finishing this book, i can really see why. this actually did feel like ASOIAF to me, maybe not as good of a version, but it really felt like it, especially with how this first book ends. and just starting to see all these different kingdoms, and people in very different positions of power, and learning their motives from the past and for the future. this book does have a lot of political intrigue, too, which is something i do really like in my fantasy, and probably the reason i will pick up book two despite not loving this one as much as i had hoped i would.
trigger + content warnings: depression, vomit, illness of a sibling/friend, death of a child, torture, murder, loss of parents in past, blood, racism (negative light), misogyny (negative light), kidnapping, drugging, lots of talk of medical and health conditions, brief talk of death during childbirth, emergency surgery, alcohol and drug use, poisoning, maybe suicide intent, talk of suicide in past, talk of rape, plague mention
blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon
this first book really focused on two characters. 1) kel, who was an orphan intrigued by the ragpicker king at a young age, but was taken from the orphanage by the king to train and become a look alike for the crown prince, conor. 2.) lin, another orphan, even though her grandfather is still in her life, who is a doctor trying to save her sister’s life, and also realizing that she has magical healing abilities that her people have been ostracized for.
what I really will give cassie clare credit for is that this really felt like an adult fantasy, that was very different than the shadowhunter world, to me. again, i don’t mean this as disrespectful to many authors, but so much of the time when authors have built an audience with ya, and then they choose to write adult, it never really feels like it to me. but this really and truly did, while also feeling like something completely different.
sadly, like with all of cassie’s books lately for me, this book felt too long and not edited enough. I really would have enjoyed this more if it wasn’t so long and the story so prolonged. But, like with all of cassie's books, always for me, i loved these characters and being inside their heads. kel, conor, lin - i love them, i am very endeared by them, and i am ultimately rooting for them. Also another constant cassie positive is that so much of this cast is casually queer, both in sexuality and gender, and we love to see it. i also would go as far as to say kel is pan, which we extra love to see!
george rr martin blurbed this and went on tour with cassie and i feel like, upon finishing this book, i can really see why. this actually did feel like ASOIAF to me, maybe not as good of a version, but it really felt like it, especially with how this first book ends. and just starting to see all these different kingdoms, and people in very different positions of power, and learning their motives from the past and for the future. this book does have a lot of political intrigue, too, which is something i do really like in my fantasy, and probably the reason i will pick up book two despite not loving this one as much as i had hoped i would.
trigger + content warnings: depression, vomit, illness of a sibling/friend, death of a child, torture, murder, loss of parents in past, blood, racism (negative light), misogyny (negative light), kidnapping, drugging, lots of talk of medical and health conditions, brief talk of death during childbirth, emergency surgery, alcohol and drug use, poisoning, maybe suicide intent, talk of suicide in past, talk of rape, plague mention
blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon
December 6, 2023
Could’ve just read the synopsis and left it at that for all it gave me
February 5, 2023
Not Cassie Clare straight up ripping off V.E. Schwab because she couldn't milk Shadowhunters anymore... Big fucking Nope from me.
November 25, 2023
“As a scholar once said, the only difference between a poison and a remedy is the dose. The deadliest poison is not fatal in a single grain, and milk or water can be lethal if you consume too much of it.”
Sword Catcher ★★★ 1/2
I was so excited when Cassie announced a new series that she is working on that is actually not in the Shadowverse and is adult fantasy. My pre-reading review said that I am so ready to read 20 novels in this world. The book came out and then there were accusations that she ripped of Schwab this time -who is also one of my favorite authors- and after getting my hardcover copy, I was having second thoughts, and my excitement was waning.
Let's go into the writing first, I already read 18 novels by Clare and most of the time I usually like her writing. When authors jump from YA to adult books the question is whether they can do that or if it will be the same tone but with characters' age being older on page. The answer to this question is a positive one as I felt the writing here is a bit different from the Shadowverse writing and it was more mature.
As to the question of plagiarism and ripping off Schwab, I think it is a bit unfair. Yes, there is a guy named Kel and there is a kingdom and magic involved but I just think that that is part of the genre and less of a Schwab thing. I thought that the more unique stuff was stolen like the magic system or the plot but that was not the case at all.
Now, the problem with this book is that it should have been half the size of it. I think 200-300 pages could have easily been shaven off. I don't know why authors writing adult fantasy are pressured into writing thick tomes where 300-400 pages are usually enough to tell those stories without all the un-necessary extensions. Clare also wrote shorter book in the past but most of her recent books are huge which makes it like a character trait for her. What's funny is that the story in between chapters was very exciting and it is barely written in 25 pages!!
Cassie's strength is usually her characters. In the Shadowhunter books, she almost always made me care about all the characters and it was less the situation here. Kel and Conor are good characters. Lin is even better, and it was nice to see a female doctor in a fantasy setting which was refreshing. However, the rest of the characters were not as exciting.
As to the plot itself and in theory it was amusing, with the sword catcher being a title for someone who works as the prince's guardian. But this was definitely less about the magic and more about the politics. There is much less action compared to the Shadowhunters books and this book just felt like setting up the rest of the story, but it does so slowly and in so many pages.
“Power is an illusion. Power exists because we believe it does. Kings and Queens—and yes, Princes—have power because we grant it to them.”
Summary: This was different from Cassie's other series, it is slower, has less action and focuses on politics more. The writing is more mature, and I don't think it rips off Schwab. The book could have been more exciting if it was shorter or if was the same length with faster pacing and plot. It just felt like a setting to the rest of the series. I will be reading book two to see where it goes.
May 2, 2023
I absolutely DEVOURED this.
Sword Catcher is a multi-pov political intrigue that I couldn’t put down. An incredibly rich world with Six of Crows style underground crime syndicates. Loved both protagonists, loved this book.
(also, I don’t see the Shades of Magic similarities bar the name of one of the protags)
Sword Catcher is a multi-pov political intrigue that I couldn’t put down. An incredibly rich world with Six of Crows style underground crime syndicates. Loved both protagonists, loved this book.
(also, I don’t see the Shades of Magic similarities bar the name of one of the protags)
Want to read
January 12, 2023update [Jan. 12, 2023]: that cover is absolutely STUNNING literally obsessed but im sorry why is cassie's name larger than the actual title-
_________
[May, 2021]: omg THERE'S A SYNOPSIS *shook*
plz im already in love with Kel, Connor, and Lin😭🤚
the chills i get from this-
_________
[May, 2021]: omg THERE'S A SYNOPSIS *shook*
plz im already in love with Kel, Connor, and Lin😭🤚
"A sword–catcher does not show weakness. A sword–catcher is the strength of the Prince, his shield and armor."
the chills i get from this-
January 23, 2024
THIS BOOK REMINDED ME OF MY LOVE FOR READING.
From start to finish, this was PHENOMENAL and you can NOT and will NOT convince me otherwise. It's only January, but it'll for sure make my top 5 books of 2024. I loved every single sentence of this book, I would build an altar in its honor.
Cassandra Clare is one of my all-time favorite authors (alongside R F Kuang and George RR Martin - YES I LOVE FANTASY) and to those who read my reviews regularly, it's a known fact. As a writer, I would say that her books are not for everyone, but I will also say with my whole chest, even though she is known and popular, her writing skills are underappreciated. I fell in love with the Shadowhunters Chronicles back in high school, I basically grew up with those books and Cassie, as a writer- grew up writing them. It was such a new and outstanding experience to finally be able to read something from this phenomenal author that was "so out of her comfort zone" but out of the comfort zone for us, her readers, too. It's also a great opportunity for those intimidated by 20+ books set in the same universe to experience Cassie's magic--- YES THIS WAS CASSANDRA CLARE AT HER FINEST (I mean The Infernal Devices nice).
This was another character-driven book and I just can't help myself, I would pick those over bland characters and constant plot points ANYTIME. Yes, I've skimmed through some reviews of this book and quite honestly, I'm surprised. Considering how hiqh-quality and well-developed this was, the reviews were rather mixed. Many people found it to be boring, but it was IN NO WAY slow or plotless to me. Yes, it's a first book in the series and it concentrated mainly on introducing as to this big fantasy world and establishing good characters we can grow to care and root for. But you can't tell me this put you to sleep. It was so well-written, an absurd amount of amazing quotes, some plot twists, constant action, SUCH GOOD CONVERSATIONS AND BANTER UGHHH SO GOOD. EVERY SINGLE PAGE WAS LACED WITH HONEY, slippery and I would lick it (that was so bad i'm sorry). And where we left things, I need that second book now.
This also wasn't that long. Mine had about 600 pages but printed in a huge font (realistically probably 400-500 pages) which is not that much for an adult high fantasy. There wasn't much romance in this which I don't really mind (and I don't like it when people DO MIND), besides, we established some connections that promise HOTNESS.
The characters were what did it for me. My favorites (so far) are Kel and Ana, even though I basically enjoyed every single side character. It's such a good cast, interesting motivations for their actions, a bit on the greyscale, JUST HOW I LIKE IT. I can see them suffering in future books (classic Cassandra Clare) and myself, suffering with them. One thing I'm confused about is this being an adult series. To be frank, it's not that different from what this author wrote before. The politics were slightly, but not very, more complicated, there were a couple sexual scenes (mostly brothels) and some killings, but hey, it's a fantasy book! Of course, it's just a thought for now, I'm not sure how it's going to develop in future books.
I loved the fantasy world this is set in. It's probably the main reason why I loved it this much. It is a high fantasy, but it's rather obviously inspired by real countries and peoples. I loved some cultural references and inspiration. It made my understanding of the world much easier and more natural.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS BOOK, I'LL PROBABLY REREAD IT SOON?! AND I NEED Y'ALL TO READ IT. FANTASY AT ITS BEST!
From start to finish, this was PHENOMENAL and you can NOT and will NOT convince me otherwise. It's only January, but it'll for sure make my top 5 books of 2024. I loved every single sentence of this book, I would build an altar in its honor.
Cassandra Clare is one of my all-time favorite authors (alongside R F Kuang and George RR Martin - YES I LOVE FANTASY) and to those who read my reviews regularly, it's a known fact. As a writer, I would say that her books are not for everyone, but I will also say with my whole chest, even though she is known and popular, her writing skills are underappreciated. I fell in love with the Shadowhunters Chronicles back in high school, I basically grew up with those books and Cassie, as a writer- grew up writing them. It was such a new and outstanding experience to finally be able to read something from this phenomenal author that was "so out of her comfort zone" but out of the comfort zone for us, her readers, too. It's also a great opportunity for those intimidated by 20+ books set in the same universe to experience Cassie's magic--- YES THIS WAS CASSANDRA CLARE AT HER FINEST (I mean The Infernal Devices nice).
This was another character-driven book and I just can't help myself, I would pick those over bland characters and constant plot points ANYTIME. Yes, I've skimmed through some reviews of this book and quite honestly, I'm surprised. Considering how hiqh-quality and well-developed this was, the reviews were rather mixed. Many people found it to be boring, but it was IN NO WAY slow or plotless to me. Yes, it's a first book in the series and it concentrated mainly on introducing as to this big fantasy world and establishing good characters we can grow to care and root for. But you can't tell me this put you to sleep. It was so well-written, an absurd amount of amazing quotes, some plot twists, constant action, SUCH GOOD CONVERSATIONS AND BANTER UGHHH SO GOOD. EVERY SINGLE PAGE WAS LACED WITH HONEY, slippery and I would lick it (that was so bad i'm sorry). And where we left things, I need that second book now.
This also wasn't that long. Mine had about 600 pages but printed in a huge font (realistically probably 400-500 pages) which is not that much for an adult high fantasy. There wasn't much romance in this which I don't really mind (and I don't like it when people DO MIND), besides, we established some connections that promise HOTNESS.
The characters were what did it for me. My favorites (so far) are Kel and Ana, even though I basically enjoyed every single side character. It's such a good cast, interesting motivations for their actions, a bit on the greyscale, JUST HOW I LIKE IT. I can see them suffering in future books (classic Cassandra Clare) and myself, suffering with them. One thing I'm confused about is this being an adult series. To be frank, it's not that different from what this author wrote before. The politics were slightly, but not very, more complicated, there were a couple sexual scenes (mostly brothels) and some killings, but hey, it's a fantasy book! Of course, it's just a thought for now, I'm not sure how it's going to develop in future books.
I loved the fantasy world this is set in. It's probably the main reason why I loved it this much. It is a high fantasy, but it's rather obviously inspired by real countries and peoples. I loved some cultural references and inspiration. It made my understanding of the world much easier and more natural.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS BOOK, I'LL PROBABLY REREAD IT SOON?! AND I NEED Y'ALL TO READ IT. FANTASY AT ITS BEST!
February 10, 2024
this book was a complete waste of time, but i did it to myself so i’m 100% to blame for my own suffering 🤡.
pros:
➳ the cover is very beautiful
➳ the trees chopped to provide the paper produced high quality thick pages
➳ the mc’s full name is cute (Kellian)
➳ the audiobook is well done with multiple narrators
➳ it helped me with my reading goal
cons:
➳ literally everything else
i was actually looking forward to this book since it’s the author’s first adult book not set in the shadow hunters world (which i couldn’t get into either even tho i’ve tried). i still wanted to give her another chance but unfortunately, this was a huge disappointment and more than anything.. it’s so dull and boring. the chapters are way too long with each one almost being 30+ pages or 40+mins long. i don’t get how this is fantasy cause the magical part is missing and i failed to find where it went🔎. the concept of Kel being a body double or “swordcatcher” for the prince had potential to be interesting but it didn’t really bring nothing to the story honestly. i also just didn’t like Kel and found him sort of creepy.. cause why he felt the need to randomly kiss everyone in his vicinity? your guess is as good as mine🤷♀️ and yes, i can confirm that it was so awkward to witness. this book is more about the politics and it doesn’t do the best job at making you care what’s going on so in the end it all just feels pointless. i can’t even remember half of what happened and i just finished this book lmao. i’m still feeling bitter about wasting this months audible credit to force myself to finish this book😑.
is it determination or delusion to think i can read this 600+ page book in 3 days before i have to return it?🫠 *update* i did finish it on time but i should’ve just returned it instead
pros:
➳ the cover is very beautiful
➳ the trees chopped to provide the paper produced high quality thick pages
➳ the mc’s full name is cute (Kellian)
➳ the audiobook is well done with multiple narrators
➳ it helped me with my reading goal
cons:
➳ literally everything else
i was actually looking forward to this book since it’s the author’s first adult book not set in the shadow hunters world (which i couldn’t get into either even tho i’ve tried). i still wanted to give her another chance but unfortunately, this was a huge disappointment and more than anything.. it’s so dull and boring. the chapters are way too long with each one almost being 30+ pages or 40+mins long. i don’t get how this is fantasy cause the magical part is missing and i failed to find where it went🔎. the concept of Kel being a body double or “swordcatcher” for the prince had potential to be interesting but it didn’t really bring nothing to the story honestly. i also just didn’t like Kel and found him sort of creepy.. cause why he felt the need to randomly kiss everyone in his vicinity? your guess is as good as mine🤷♀️ and yes, i can confirm that it was so awkward to witness. this book is more about the politics and it doesn’t do the best job at making you care what’s going on so in the end it all just feels pointless. i can’t even remember half of what happened and i just finished this book lmao. i’m still feeling bitter about wasting this months audible credit to force myself to finish this book😑.
July 23, 2023
Barely 3 stars. Sorry to say it’s not great. Technically proficient but lacking heart.
If the goal is to set itself completely apart from Shadowhunters and anything remotely Downworld then it is accomplished in spades. The grab bag of consonants and vowels that make up a multitude of new terms and designations, set in a world with a bit of semi-recognizable melting pot cultures and simultaneously rigid in regional allegiances, definitely can’t be confused with anything Shadowhunter. Though I can still be a little confused, just in other ways. There is a lot of new fantasy vernacular being thrown at the reader and I had a hard time latching on to even half of it. There’s something about it that just doesn’t stick.
It also successfully jumps into the adult fantasy realm. There is a level of detail and a serious tone, intricacies that all speak to leaving young adult parameters behind, and (thankfully because I’m actually kind of sick of it) without using sex as the sole factor denoting age range. In fact, it’s relatively chaste, even while navigating the occasional brothel. So if sexposition is a requirement for your enjoyment, look elsewhere.
The gist of the story is easy to follow but I can’t say it’s a runaway hit. A slow-ish and long framing with a lot of world building and the emotional connections are still in the beginning stages. I vaguely care about Kel and Lin but they’re so isolated, even with constant people around them. I can see the beginnings of possible romances here and there, but for 600 pages, it’s still just a start. There’s no brooding or pining or proper romantic connections. I DO miss that trademark of Clare’s writing style. Not sex, but attachment and heartfelt yearning.
It’s all politics. Serious and layered, to be sure, but it’s lacking a spark, whimsy, enchantment of any kind. It’s all very dry. There are snippets of magical/god history that were interesting, possibly the most interesting parts of the book, but it failed to create the weight or intrigue needed. There is no urgency.
The book’s tags: “forbidden love,” not yet. “Dangerous magic,” not yet. “A secret that could break a kingdom,” not yet. The most interesting things happen in the last 100 pages. As if this was one very large prologue and all those things will be in book 2. I’m just left disappointed.
* I received a free early copy from the publisher
If the goal is to set itself completely apart from Shadowhunters and anything remotely Downworld then it is accomplished in spades. The grab bag of consonants and vowels that make up a multitude of new terms and designations, set in a world with a bit of semi-recognizable melting pot cultures and simultaneously rigid in regional allegiances, definitely can’t be confused with anything Shadowhunter. Though I can still be a little confused, just in other ways. There is a lot of new fantasy vernacular being thrown at the reader and I had a hard time latching on to even half of it. There’s something about it that just doesn’t stick.
It also successfully jumps into the adult fantasy realm. There is a level of detail and a serious tone, intricacies that all speak to leaving young adult parameters behind, and (thankfully because I’m actually kind of sick of it) without using sex as the sole factor denoting age range. In fact, it’s relatively chaste, even while navigating the occasional brothel. So if sexposition is a requirement for your enjoyment, look elsewhere.
The gist of the story is easy to follow but I can’t say it’s a runaway hit. A slow-ish and long framing with a lot of world building and the emotional connections are still in the beginning stages. I vaguely care about Kel and Lin but they’re so isolated, even with constant people around them. I can see the beginnings of possible romances here and there, but for 600 pages, it’s still just a start. There’s no brooding or pining or proper romantic connections. I DO miss that trademark of Clare’s writing style. Not sex, but attachment and heartfelt yearning.
It’s all politics. Serious and layered, to be sure, but it’s lacking a spark, whimsy, enchantment of any kind. It’s all very dry. There are snippets of magical/god history that were interesting, possibly the most interesting parts of the book, but it failed to create the weight or intrigue needed. There is no urgency.
The book’s tags: “forbidden love,” not yet. “Dangerous magic,” not yet. “A secret that could break a kingdom,” not yet. The most interesting things happen in the last 100 pages. As if this was one very large prologue and all those things will be in book 2. I’m just left disappointed.
* I received a free early copy from the publisher
Want to read
November 22, 2019I'm going to eat this story in one bite when it comes out
October 13, 2023
MARK MY WORDS, in the next book Cassandra Clare will solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
She has already solved homophobia with all the references she makes to random people of the same sex doing their business.
Then she solved racism because everyone is mixed race and beautiful, then she solved antisemitism with all this Ashkar talk, then she became a feminist queen because Lin is a FEMALE doctor (guys, that’s so impressive I’ve never heard of a female doctor and surely if I ever were to encounter one I’d fall to my knees in AWE).
Then she became a socialist king by saying the poor were poor and that the rich get richer and richer (I am begging for this multimillionaire author to write the new Marxist manifesto because I AM HERE FOR IT! She totally has nuance to her opinions.)
She also made prostitution totally a girl boss move. That’s so enlightened of her, I wish I could be as progressive as her.
She’s obviously very ignorant of European customs and ancient Roman history, but that’s okay, this author is painfully American, but since she solved all of these issues without exporting democracy for the exchange of oil I think I’ll let it slide.
She has already solved homophobia with all the references she makes to random people of the same sex doing their business.
Then she solved racism because everyone is mixed race and beautiful, then she solved antisemitism with all this Ashkar talk, then she became a feminist queen because Lin is a FEMALE doctor (guys, that’s so impressive I’ve never heard of a female doctor and surely if I ever were to encounter one I’d fall to my knees in AWE).
Then she became a socialist king by saying the poor were poor and that the rich get richer and richer (I am begging for this multimillionaire author to write the new Marxist manifesto because I AM HERE FOR IT! She totally has nuance to her opinions.)
She also made prostitution totally a girl boss move. That’s so enlightened of her, I wish I could be as progressive as her.
She’s obviously very ignorant of European customs and ancient Roman history, but that’s okay, this author is painfully American, but since she solved all of these issues without exporting democracy for the exchange of oil I think I’ll let it slide.
December 29, 2023
4 Stars!
What a wild ride, I actually really really enjoyed this and it's left me with SO many questions. The characters are so in depth and also very secretive that you don't know who is doing what. This is what I love about Cassandra Clare and her books.
I had such high hopes for this book but then was wary after the finale that was Chain of Thorns, but so so happy with this! Can't wait for what's to come.
------------
I love the Shadowhunter world, BUT I'm so glad it's something completely new! I'm ridiculously excited to see what we're going to get!
PS -
All I want is another Will Herondale, please gift us with someone I can fall in love with all over again.
Pleaseeeeeee!
What a wild ride, I actually really really enjoyed this and it's left me with SO many questions. The characters are so in depth and also very secretive that you don't know who is doing what. This is what I love about Cassandra Clare and her books.
I had such high hopes for this book but then was wary after the finale that was Chain of Thorns, but so so happy with this! Can't wait for what's to come.
------------
I love the Shadowhunter world, BUT I'm so glad it's something completely new! I'm ridiculously excited to see what we're going to get!
PS -
All I want is another Will Herondale, please gift us with someone I can fall in love with all over again.
Pleaseeeeeee!
December 9, 2023
Kel is recruited from an orphanage to become the prince's sword catcher—a magically disguised double, swapping places with the prince whenever danger is imminent.
Kel's role is a well-kept secret, and for it to remain so, Kel has to become a perfect copy of prince Conor in manner and speech.
Sounds interesting, right? Unfortunately, the sword catcher thing hardly plays a role in this book. Kel might as well be Conor's cousin (who they pass him off as whenever he's not replacing Conor) and it would barely change the story. Wasted premises are a pet peeve of mine, and let me tell you, I was peeved.
Yet the book tries to convince you of its title's relevance by constantly reminding you how loyal Kel is and how his sole life purpose is to protect Conor.
I drank every time Kel's loyalty to Conor was mentioned and am writing this review from the afterlife.
While thinking compulsively about needing to protect Conor, Kel screws around, goes to the 'black mansion' countless times, and just generally gives assasins every opportunity they could ever dream of to murder Conor.
Which I wouldn't have been at all opposed to, btw.
Why? Let's take a look at the following excerpt, shall we?
I read this and was shook. I hadn't seen it coming. Conor had not been coded as a "bad guy", so I was more than surprised that he would assault the woman the book had so far set him up to end up with.
And then I read on.
She's... into it. From this scene forward she can't stop thinking about how turned on she was by forcibly being kissed.
So we're still acting like people forcing themselves on others is not only ok, but hot.
Cool. Coolcoolcool.
For all I'm concerned, Conor can go catch a sword.
With his face.
Kel's role is a well-kept secret, and for it to remain so, Kel has to become a perfect copy of prince Conor in manner and speech.
Sounds interesting, right? Unfortunately, the sword catcher thing hardly plays a role in this book. Kel might as well be Conor's cousin (who they pass him off as whenever he's not replacing Conor) and it would barely change the story. Wasted premises are a pet peeve of mine, and let me tell you, I was peeved.
Yet the book tries to convince you of its title's relevance by constantly reminding you how loyal Kel is and how his sole life purpose is to protect Conor.
I drank every time Kel's loyalty to Conor was mentioned and am writing this review from the afterlife.
While thinking compulsively about needing to protect Conor, Kel screws around, goes to the 'black mansion' countless times, and just generally gives assasins every opportunity they could ever dream of to murder Conor.
Which I wouldn't have been at all opposed to, btw.
Why? Let's take a look at the following excerpt, shall we?
He [Conor] slanted his mouth over hers fiercely, parting her lips with a hard flick of his tongue. She twisted away from him—or meant to. Somehow he had pulled her against him and she clawed at his shoulders, digging her fringertips in. He groaned as she clung to him, almost tearing the material of his jacket, and it was not simple hatred she felt, it was betrayal. She had liked him, that night he had been whipped. She had been unguarded. And then, tonight, he had been like this.
His right hand was in her hair now, fingers tangled in its thickness. He kissed her and kissed her, as if he could draw breath out of her and into his own lungs.
She bit his lower lip, hard, tasted blood, salt on her tongue.
I read this and was shook. I hadn't seen it coming. Conor had not been coded as a "bad guy", so I was more than surprised that he would assault the woman the book had so far set him up to end up with.
And then I read on.
Arched up against him, into the sharp ache that was suddenly all she wanted. His free hand stroked along her throat, his fingers finding the edge of her dress' neckline, where her breasts rose to press against the material. She heard his breath catch and was not prepared for the piercing ache of desire that shot through her. She had never felt anything like it.
She's... into it. From this scene forward she can't stop thinking about how turned on she was by forcibly being kissed.
So we're still acting like people forcing themselves on others is not only ok, but hot.
Cool. Coolcoolcool.
For all I'm concerned, Conor can go catch a sword.
With his face.
January 21, 2024
Oh, the anticipation soared higher than the kingdom's towers, fueled by expectations of Clare's magical touch and vibrant storytelling. However, what awaited in "The Sword Catcher" was a tome that stretched beyond necessity, leaving me in a state of longing for the crisp pacing that 200-300 pages could have delivered. Why, in the realm of adult fantasy, does the pressure persist for tales to be told in hefty volumes when brevity could enhance the enchantment?
Clare's strength in character portrayal, a trademark that once enthralled in Shadowhunter books, is evident in Kel and Conor. Lin, a refreshing addition as a female physician in a fantasy setting, sparkled with potential. Alas, the supporting cast lacked the spark that ignited a connection in past adventures.
This journey into Castellane's underworld, led by the Ragpicker King, promised intrigue and shadow, yet it unfolded at a pace akin to a royal procession. Politics overshadowed magic, and the story felt more like an extended prologue, patiently laying the groundwork for what lies ahead. The supposed forbidden love, dangerous magic, and kingdom-breaking secrets remained elusive, emerging timidly in the final 100 pages.
Despite the intrigue tucked away in magical/god history snippets, the weight and urgency fell flat. A world of new fantasy vernacular and intricacies seemed to slip through my grasp, leaving me yearning for Clare's signature attachment and heartfelt yearning. The spark, whimsy, and enchantment that once danced in her words felt lost in the dry landscape of politics.
As I ventured into this tale, echoes of a similar journey in V.E. Schwab's "A Darker Shade of Magic" reverberated, creating a dissonance that lingered. The shadows of Kel and Kell, Lin's magical stone mirroring Kell's, and the overarching themes echoed too closely for comfort. Yet, amidst the sea of similarities, a shift occurred, injecting interest beyond the irritation.
While the journey traverses familiar territories, it takes an unexpected turn, shedding the burden of resemblance to stand on its own. As an intrigued reader, my gaze extends to the second book, a beacon of hope that promises a departure from shadows and a leap into an uncharted tale. Though the first volume disappointed, the anticipation lingers, hopeful that the next chapter will unravel the hidden gems promised in this sprawling prologue.
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Clare's strength in character portrayal, a trademark that once enthralled in Shadowhunter books, is evident in Kel and Conor. Lin, a refreshing addition as a female physician in a fantasy setting, sparkled with potential. Alas, the supporting cast lacked the spark that ignited a connection in past adventures.
This journey into Castellane's underworld, led by the Ragpicker King, promised intrigue and shadow, yet it unfolded at a pace akin to a royal procession. Politics overshadowed magic, and the story felt more like an extended prologue, patiently laying the groundwork for what lies ahead. The supposed forbidden love, dangerous magic, and kingdom-breaking secrets remained elusive, emerging timidly in the final 100 pages.
Despite the intrigue tucked away in magical/god history snippets, the weight and urgency fell flat. A world of new fantasy vernacular and intricacies seemed to slip through my grasp, leaving me yearning for Clare's signature attachment and heartfelt yearning. The spark, whimsy, and enchantment that once danced in her words felt lost in the dry landscape of politics.
As I ventured into this tale, echoes of a similar journey in V.E. Schwab's "A Darker Shade of Magic" reverberated, creating a dissonance that lingered. The shadows of Kel and Kell, Lin's magical stone mirroring Kell's, and the overarching themes echoed too closely for comfort. Yet, amidst the sea of similarities, a shift occurred, injecting interest beyond the irritation.
While the journey traverses familiar territories, it takes an unexpected turn, shedding the burden of resemblance to stand on its own. As an intrigued reader, my gaze extends to the second book, a beacon of hope that promises a departure from shadows and a leap into an uncharted tale. Though the first volume disappointed, the anticipation lingers, hopeful that the next chapter will unravel the hidden gems promised in this sprawling prologue.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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June 12, 2023
Is this woman capable of writing anything that isn't thinly-veiled plagiarism? I see you ripping off yet another more popular author, Cassie.
Hard no, five-ever.
Hard no, five-ever.
Want to read
February 18, 2024 “You don't have a choice, I hear. Love just happens to you, whether you like it or not; otherwise there wouldn't be so many songs. " 🎼❤️
I've heard so many mixed reviews on this but ugh 😩 it SOUNDS right in my wheelhouse.
Think I'm ready to give it a go... ❣️
I've heard so many mixed reviews on this but ugh 😩 it SOUNDS right in my wheelhouse.
Think I'm ready to give it a go... ❣️
March 27, 2025
OKAY BUT WHERE WAS THE ROMANCE?! 😭
I had a GREAT time with this book, but I have one major complaint—for a romantasy, there was barely ANY romance!! Like hello, I don’t even know who the couples were until 70% into the book. And even then, I’m not sure if they’re actually gonna end up together?!?? Next book BETTER have more romance.
Going in, I was totally blind—just read the blurb and jumped in. I thought Kel & Lin were the main couple… LOL. Nope, it’s Lin & Prince Conor (I NEED MORE OF THEM), and then we have Kai & Antonitte (who literally had NOTHING happen between them… like, what is going on there?!?).
AND WHY WAS THIS BOOK 600+ PAGES?!
🗡️ What I Loved:
✧ Kel & Conor’s dynamic. The brotherhood, the tension, the whole you exist to die for me thing? Yeah, I ate that up.
✧ Lin. She’s a badass physician from a community with magic, and she’s fighting against a system that wants to keep her down. Love a girl who won’t take no for an answer.
✧ The worldbuilding. Castellane feels ALIVE. The rich, the criminals, the secret dealings… I was HOOKED.
✧ The Ragpicker King. Listen. I NEED to know more about him. He stole every scene he was in.
⚔️ What I Didn’t Love:
✧ The romance tease with no payoff. It felt like Cassandra Clare was dangling potential romances in front of me but never actually committing.
✧ The pacing. The first half was a bit of a slog, and keeping track of all the noble families was a headache.
🖤 Final Thoughts: This book is a slow burn (very slow) political fantasy with morally grey characters and an incredibly detailed world. If you love court intrigue, hidden identities, and dangerous secrets, you’ll enjoy this! But if you’re here for the romance, temper your expectations.
📖 Will I read book 2?
YES. Because that ending??? I need answers. And more romance. Please, Cassandra, I’m begging. 🙏
I had a GREAT time with this book, but I have one major complaint—for a romantasy, there was barely ANY romance!! Like hello, I don’t even know who the couples were until 70% into the book. And even then, I’m not sure if they’re actually gonna end up together?!?? Next book BETTER have more romance.
Going in, I was totally blind—just read the blurb and jumped in. I thought Kel & Lin were the main couple… LOL. Nope, it’s Lin & Prince Conor (I NEED MORE OF THEM), and then we have Kai & Antonitte (who literally had NOTHING happen between them… like, what is going on there?!?).
AND WHY WAS THIS BOOK 600+ PAGES?!
🗡️ What I Loved:
✧ Kel & Conor’s dynamic. The brotherhood, the tension, the whole you exist to die for me thing? Yeah, I ate that up.
✧ Lin. She’s a badass physician from a community with magic, and she’s fighting against a system that wants to keep her down. Love a girl who won’t take no for an answer.
✧ The worldbuilding. Castellane feels ALIVE. The rich, the criminals, the secret dealings… I was HOOKED.
✧ The Ragpicker King. Listen. I NEED to know more about him. He stole every scene he was in.
⚔️ What I Didn’t Love:
✧ The romance tease with no payoff. It felt like Cassandra Clare was dangling potential romances in front of me but never actually committing.
✧ The pacing. The first half was a bit of a slog, and keeping track of all the noble families was a headache.
🖤 Final Thoughts: This book is a slow burn (very slow) political fantasy with morally grey characters and an incredibly detailed world. If you love court intrigue, hidden identities, and dangerous secrets, you’ll enjoy this! But if you’re here for the romance, temper your expectations.
📖 Will I read book 2?
YES. Because that ending??? I need answers. And more romance. Please, Cassandra, I’m begging. 🙏
Read
May 23, 2020
February 25, 2024
I think this is going to be a series I end up loving. This book was probably a 4 star read for me, I'm giving it 5 just to offset the morons that are giving it 1 star because they think that just because one of the characters is named Kel, it's a rip off of adsom. 🙄
If you have the chance, I highly recommend the audiobook. I immediately fell in love with the narrator's voice (thank you to PRH audio for providing a free ALC). I originally read the book, but when PRH sent the audio version, I reread via audio and it was SO much better for me.
Sword Catcher is definitely a slow start, and there were moments where the story dragged a bit. I think there's a "personality" missing that Clare is so well known for in her YA series. I almost feel like she was holding these characters back because she wanted it to be more "adult". I just want to say, CASSIE LET THESE CHARACTERS BE! I think this series has so much potential if she can just find the banter, the wittiness, the yearning, the FUN that she allows her characters to have in Shadowhunters. I have faith. I can see glimpses. And I'm really looking forward to seeing it happen.
If you have the chance, I highly recommend the audiobook. I immediately fell in love with the narrator's voice (thank you to PRH audio for providing a free ALC). I originally read the book, but when PRH sent the audio version, I reread via audio and it was SO much better for me.
Sword Catcher is definitely a slow start, and there were moments where the story dragged a bit. I think there's a "personality" missing that Clare is so well known for in her YA series. I almost feel like she was holding these characters back because she wanted it to be more "adult". I just want to say, CASSIE LET THESE CHARACTERS BE! I think this series has so much potential if she can just find the banter, the wittiness, the yearning, the FUN that she allows her characters to have in Shadowhunters. I have faith. I can see glimpses. And I'm really looking forward to seeing it happen.
October 9, 2023
So, I’m a die-hard Cassandra Clare fan since I first picked up the Infernal Devices when I was eleven years old. So I was both extremely excited and eager, yet hesitantly nervous to pick up a book outside of her Shadowhunter universe.
Updated review for release!
Thank you to Tor for providing the physical proof in exchange for a review!
Kel is taken from the orphanage to be brought up alongside Prince Conner, there to stand in, in case there is danger or risk - a Sword Catcher, so to say.
He has so many feelings and just wants Connor to be happy that I just want to wrap him in a hug.
He had not known what it meant to be needed by someone else: that it made you want to protect them. To his own surprise, he wanted to protect this boy, the Prince of Castellane.
Wanted to stand between him and a forest of bristling fléchettes. Wanted to stare down and demolish any enemy that wished Conor Aurelian harm.
Our other pov character is Lin, shunned in the city and kept behind walls for being an Ashkar and looked down upon in her society for wanting to become a physician as a girl.
She’s the badass female character we are used to Clare producing.
”Truly, that is magic."
"It is medicine." She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Once, they were the same. No longer.
These two storylines intersect much later in the story than I might have expected, but there’s an instant connection between the characters - hostility, animosity, and intrigue. You’ll have to read to find out who feels what, and why.
I loved learning about Kel and seeing the world through his eyes. An orphan raised in the shadow of a prince. He’s constantly being told where his loyalties should or shouldn’t lie by different factions, pulled in directions by both his past, present, and future.
Lin felt quite similar to other female protagonists shunned for doing what they believe in. This does not make her boring, but just typical. However, I do like how she is challenged by those around her to consider a world larger than her own aspirations.
Clare also interweaves culture and history into her story so that Lin constantly feels guilty for thinking or doing certain things whilst trying to decide whether she wants to separate herself from the old traditions or ensure her place in her ancestor’s community.
One of my gripes.
Keeping track of the twelve different families, their houses and their charters was confusing at times. I think this would work well with an index which may be added in a later draft, but I think this would really help readers to flip back to. Whilst this didn’t detract from understanding what was going on, it did feel slightly jarring reading a bunch of names and not knowing who was who or their significance.
However, their importance isn’t at the forefront of the book, so if you get confused at the start, don’t worried! Also I’m sure people will quickly compile a resource for you to refer to!
An important note.
This felt quite different to Cassandra Clare’s other work. Even her writing style seems changed. If you’re going in expecting her usual romantic writing and beautiful pining, you won’t get that here.
I have seen many people worried about the similarities of this book to A Darker Shade of Magic. Whilst the names sometimes felt similar, and certain personality traits cropped up, I didn’t feel there was any copy. When coming to write any piece of work, creating something totally and completely new and unique is impossible. People are going to compare these two series and I think that’s unfair to both authors involved.
Overall, I am intrigued to see where Cassandra Clare will take us on this new journey. I think it was time we left the Shadowhunter world (I write as my heart breaks), as Clare needs to expand herself as an author and explore other stories and worlds.
Whilst this doesn’t rank as high as Clare’s other books for me, this feels like an exciting debut into her new era of writing and her future!
If you enjoyed The Final Strife, The Mask of Mirrors, or City of Brass, I would recommend this book!
Bookstagram
Updated review for release!
Thank you to Tor for providing the physical proof in exchange for a review!
Kel is taken from the orphanage to be brought up alongside Prince Conner, there to stand in, in case there is danger or risk - a Sword Catcher, so to say.
He has so many feelings and just wants Connor to be happy that I just want to wrap him in a hug.
He had not known what it meant to be needed by someone else: that it made you want to protect them. To his own surprise, he wanted to protect this boy, the Prince of Castellane.
Wanted to stand between him and a forest of bristling fléchettes. Wanted to stare down and demolish any enemy that wished Conor Aurelian harm.
Our other pov character is Lin, shunned in the city and kept behind walls for being an Ashkar and looked down upon in her society for wanting to become a physician as a girl.
She’s the badass female character we are used to Clare producing.
”Truly, that is magic."
"It is medicine." She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Once, they were the same. No longer.
These two storylines intersect much later in the story than I might have expected, but there’s an instant connection between the characters - hostility, animosity, and intrigue. You’ll have to read to find out who feels what, and why.
I loved learning about Kel and seeing the world through his eyes. An orphan raised in the shadow of a prince. He’s constantly being told where his loyalties should or shouldn’t lie by different factions, pulled in directions by both his past, present, and future.
Lin felt quite similar to other female protagonists shunned for doing what they believe in. This does not make her boring, but just typical. However, I do like how she is challenged by those around her to consider a world larger than her own aspirations.
Clare also interweaves culture and history into her story so that Lin constantly feels guilty for thinking or doing certain things whilst trying to decide whether she wants to separate herself from the old traditions or ensure her place in her ancestor’s community.
One of my gripes.
Keeping track of the twelve different families, their houses and their charters was confusing at times. I think this would work well with an index which may be added in a later draft, but I think this would really help readers to flip back to. Whilst this didn’t detract from understanding what was going on, it did feel slightly jarring reading a bunch of names and not knowing who was who or their significance.
However, their importance isn’t at the forefront of the book, so if you get confused at the start, don’t worried! Also I’m sure people will quickly compile a resource for you to refer to!
An important note.
This felt quite different to Cassandra Clare’s other work. Even her writing style seems changed. If you’re going in expecting her usual romantic writing and beautiful pining, you won’t get that here.
I have seen many people worried about the similarities of this book to A Darker Shade of Magic. Whilst the names sometimes felt similar, and certain personality traits cropped up, I didn’t feel there was any copy. When coming to write any piece of work, creating something totally and completely new and unique is impossible. People are going to compare these two series and I think that’s unfair to both authors involved.
Overall, I am intrigued to see where Cassandra Clare will take us on this new journey. I think it was time we left the Shadowhunter world (I write as my heart breaks), as Clare needs to expand herself as an author and explore other stories and worlds.
Whilst this doesn’t rank as high as Clare’s other books for me, this feels like an exciting debut into her new era of writing and her future!
If you enjoyed The Final Strife, The Mask of Mirrors, or City of Brass, I would recommend this book!
Bookstagram
Want to read
April 15, 2020*screaming!!!!* Finally the queen writes a non-Shadowhunter book! I’m dying to see how she fares. Oooh oh oh and it’s NA?!! CC’s YA is already steamy af so the slut in me caaaaaan’t waaaaait!! 😱😍
December 23, 2023
3.5★ | If you have read A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab, this might not interest you much, and if you also love that book (series), you might even end up dnf-ing this one due to all the similarities you might find.
I considered doing that too, (esp. because the writing wasn't much fun), but after 27% or so into the book, things changed, became interesting, and stopped irritating me.
all things similar between ADSOM and SC that I couldn't stop thinking about, and that annoyed me [ spoilers for both the books ]❗️
spoilers will only be *between red exclamation marks* I'm only sharing this to help you (you, as in, someone who doesn't mind spoilers) decide whether you'd like to continue reading this book even after all the similarities between both the books end:
❗️• there is a boy named Kel in sc as there was one named Kell in adsom.
• Kel is an orphan taken to the Palace for the protection of the Prince at the age of 10 and Kell was an Antari sold to the Palace around the age of 5, brought up knowing his duty to protect the Prince.
• Somewhat the same dynamic between Kel and Conor as Kell and Rhy's.
• Then there is a character named Lin who is given a strange, magical stone by someone in a manner of passing just as Kell was given one, being known for his travels between the worlds.
• And the last, most general similarities imo: that magic almost destroyed the world in sc while it simply finished Black London in adsom, that there's a concept of containing magic in stones as was there in White London, and that there is only very little magic left and the people who practice it are "contained" however, in a different way than Kell, an antari with rare magic, was contained, or Holland for that matter.❗️
Now, as someone who has finished the whole book, I'd say give it a go if the similarities aren't too bothersome for you. [edit: It was actually very enjoyable for me after I stopped seeing the similarities and started seeing where Sword Catcher was headed, and a few people I've discussed these similarities with also ended up loving the book so yeah, definitely recommend it!]
As for my thoughts, I guess, review to come.
my rating/review of
The Ragpicker King ☆☆☆☆☆
***
Cassie, please! Having experienced your books, I think that's pretty predictable. 👀
I considered doing that too, (esp. because the writing wasn't much fun), but after 27% or so into the book, things changed, became interesting, and stopped irritating me.
all things similar between ADSOM and SC that I couldn't stop thinking about, and that annoyed me [ spoilers for both the books ]❗️
spoilers will only be *between red exclamation marks* I'm only sharing this to help you (you, as in, someone who doesn't mind spoilers) decide whether you'd like to continue reading this book even after all the similarities between both the books end:
❗️• there is a boy named Kel in sc as there was one named Kell in adsom.
• Kel is an orphan taken to the Palace for the protection of the Prince at the age of 10 and Kell was an Antari sold to the Palace around the age of 5, brought up knowing his duty to protect the Prince.
• Somewhat the same dynamic between Kel and Conor as Kell and Rhy's.
• Then there is a character named Lin who is given a strange, magical stone by someone in a manner of passing just as Kell was given one, being known for his travels between the worlds.
• And the last, most general similarities imo: that magic almost destroyed the world in sc while it simply finished Black London in adsom, that there's a concept of containing magic in stones as was there in White London, and that there is only very little magic left and the people who practice it are "contained" however, in a different way than Kell, an antari with rare magic, was contained, or Holland for that matter.❗️
Now, as someone who has finished the whole book, I'd say give it a go if the similarities aren't too bothersome for you. [edit: It was actually very enjoyable for me after I stopped seeing the similarities and started seeing where Sword Catcher was headed, and a few people I've discussed these similarities with also ended up loving the book so yeah, definitely recommend it!]
As for my thoughts, I guess, review to come.
my rating/review of
The Ragpicker King ☆☆☆☆☆
***
Can forbidden love bring down a kingdom?
Cassie, please! Having experienced your books, I think that's pretty predictable. 👀
May 30, 2025
I had such big hopes for this book. It started so well, it got me all excited and happy, just for everything to go completely downhill.
What's the book about?
It all starts in the kingdom with a name of Castellane and with a Malgasi tradition called királar. According to this tradition, a prince needs to have a companion that will become his sword and shield. Such a companion is named as a sword catcher and his life gets bond to the life of the prince. When the need for it comes, the companion is meant to die so the prince will keep on living. It happens that Kellian "Kel" Saren, an orphan, gets chosen for this role by Castellane's only prince, Conor Aurelian. Kel's duty gets him involved with Lin Caster, an Ashkari physician, and a mysterious and shady man called the Ragpicker King. .
What the book did right: (just my opinion)
~ the topic of the Cataclysm and the history of Adassa and Suleman (a little side story of the book)
~ not shying away from mentioning the LGBTQ+ topic
~ the women empowerment through the character of Lin Caster
~ Lin's genuine need to heal her friend
~ the topic of a child being thrown into a deep, dark water without any choice (with the example of Kel and Luisa)
~ the topic of the Ashkari isolation
~ the concept of the sword catcher
~ the deal between the royal world and the dark world
~ the mentioned characters of Artal Gremont, Asher Benezar and Vienne
What the book did wrong: (just my opinion)
~ the relationship between Kel and Conor
~ the complete uselessness of Castellane's royal family
~ the LGBTQ+ topic being only brushed over
~ brothel, brothel, brothel and oh look, more brothel!
~ the romances
~ the fact that the characters of Artal Gremont, Asher Benezar and Vienne were only mentioned, without any real information and conclusion.
What supposed to be the focus and the highlight of the story, but wasn't: the Kel and Conor relationship.
I'm the Prince's shield. I am his unbreakable armour. I bleed that he might not bleed. I suffer that he might never suffer. I die that he might live forever.
The Kel and Conor relationship was the main reason to pick this book up. Let's be honest. I hadn't count on the gay romance (but I wouldn't mind it), but I hoped to get the wonderful brotherly relationship similar to the ones that I got in the Shadowhunters books (like the Jace and Alec relationship and the Will and Jem relationship). I didn't got it. It's kind of bizarre, really, how much time Kel, who's supposed to be Conor's double, his sword and shield, his shadow, spend away from Conor. In theory Conor was supposed to be Kel's priority. His no. 1 in any situation. But Kel spend too much time thinking over a girl instead of Conor. I would understand if the book shown us his struggles between his romantic feelings towards the girl (Antonetta) and his duty over Conor, but that didn't happen. Officially Conor was the priority. Unofficially the priority was Antonetta. And it pissed me off.
Don't get me wrong. I love romance plot points in books and romance books in general. But when the main story was supposed to focus on the duty, not on the romance, we have a big conflict in here. It could work, if it was better handled, but unfortunately for Cassie Clare here, in my opinion, it was handled very poorly.
And to be honest, Kel sucks as the sword catcher. Why Conor isn't dead yet is truly beyond me.
The romances.
"You don't have a choice, I hear. Love just happens to you, whether you like it or not, otherwise there wouldn't be so many songs. Besides, people do all sorts of things that are bad for them. I ought to know."
My younger self would love it, but, unfortunately for Cassie Clare, I'm no longer my younger self. I did not like the Kel x Antonetta relationship, and I did not like the Conor x Lin relationship. They felt like every other Cassie Clare couple - the back and forth, hot and cold behaviour was something exciting years ago, but now it's just infuriating. I could somewhat excuse this behavior in the Shadowhunters couples, considering the fact that the heroes are all teenagers, but the Sword Catcher character are all more than twenty years old. None of their behavior made me root for them.
The Kel x Antonetta relationship also got a punch from me because of the fact that in my opinion Kel, as the sword catcher, should make Conor the priority, but he didn't. It was 'Antonetta this' and 'Antonetta that', and it made me so unbelievably tired.
Also, I have to point out that Conor's behavior towards Lin reminded me of Jace. I love Jace, but I didn't approve of his You made me sick and I'm sick of love for you thingy. He sounded like a crazy person sometimes, and Conor does too. It was unfair to Clary back then, and it's unfair to Lin now. Both Clary and Lin had their priorities straight - Clary wanted to find her mother and Lin wants to save her friend, none of them needed a romance, but it was thrown at them. (btw, Lin, who was stubborn at disliking Conor, changed her mind incredibly quickly about him, so much so that she found herself making out with him after a very short while of knowing him)
The uselessness of the royal family.
I'm shocked how awful the royals of Castellane are. How is this kingdom even still functioning?? How there wasn't any attack happening or a civil war is truly beyond me. The king was locked away in his dorms, gazing at the stars, convinced that they will show him the future or whatever, so he was rarely seen in the court and by the people, and somewhat everybody just accepted it. The queen spend her time at making parties. And the prince himself, Conor Aurelian, spend most of his time in a brothel or having parties with his so-called friends. I'm genuinely sorry for all the people of Castellane. They must suffer greatly in this kingdom.
The Cataclysm and the Adassa and Suleman story
It was a side story, told in small parts, but, honestly, it was way more interesting than whatever kept on happening in the main story. Why wasn't Adassa the main character??
The characters of Artal Gremont, Asher Benezar and Vienne
I kept on mentioning these characters, because they intrigued me. Their cases were only brushed over, we got more questions than answers about them, and I wish things looked different, because they were interesting.
The women empowerment through Lin Caster
I liked that. I liked that a lot, actually. Lin is an Ashkari physician - the only Ashkari physician that is a woman, or so that's what we've been told - and she gets being shamed for it and gets through many obstacles because of it. I liked her goal of finding a cure for her ill friend, her friendship with Mariam seemed very deep and genuine. And I liked her need to help people, no matter if they were the Ashkari or not. She was a deeply caring person, with a kind heart, but that didn't stop her from being strong mentally and physically. Lin was a great character, overall, it's just the romance plot that had been thrown in the story that kind of ruined her for me.
Brothel, brothel and even more brothel
The way the scenes kept on happening in a brothel and kept on mentioning prostitutes made me heavily uncomfortable. I understand that it's no longer a 'teenage world', but an 'adult world', but do we really need to end up in a brothel of all places?
The LGBTQ+ case
Will anyone blame me that I expected to find a LGBTQ+ romance in a Cassandra Clare books, after her Shadowhunters works? But even if not, I like the fact that this topic was mentioned, it just such a shame that's all it was: only a mention, nothing deeper.
It pains me to give this book a low rating, you guys. From the very first pages of this book, I thought that it will be something big. Something enjoyable, if not even lovable. For quite some time it looked good, very good even, until I found myself losing focus and until reading this book became a chore. I don't know if I will read book two. Probably not. I just don't care about these characters enough, I think.
What's the book about?
It all starts in the kingdom with a name of Castellane and with a Malgasi tradition called királar. According to this tradition, a prince needs to have a companion that will become his sword and shield. Such a companion is named as a sword catcher and his life gets bond to the life of the prince. When the need for it comes, the companion is meant to die so the prince will keep on living. It happens that Kellian "Kel" Saren, an orphan, gets chosen for this role by Castellane's only prince, Conor Aurelian. Kel's duty gets him involved with Lin Caster, an Ashkari physician, and a mysterious and shady man called the Ragpicker King. .
What the book did right: (just my opinion)
~ the topic of the Cataclysm and the history of Adassa and Suleman (a little side story of the book)
~ not shying away from mentioning the LGBTQ+ topic
~ the women empowerment through the character of Lin Caster
~ Lin's genuine need to heal her friend
~ the topic of a child being thrown into a deep, dark water without any choice (with the example of Kel and Luisa)
~ the topic of the Ashkari isolation
~ the concept of the sword catcher
~ the deal between the royal world and the dark world
~ the mentioned characters of Artal Gremont, Asher Benezar and Vienne
What the book did wrong: (just my opinion)
~ the relationship between Kel and Conor
~ the complete uselessness of Castellane's royal family
~ the LGBTQ+ topic being only brushed over
~ brothel, brothel, brothel and oh look, more brothel!
~ the romances
~ the fact that the characters of Artal Gremont, Asher Benezar and Vienne were only mentioned, without any real information and conclusion.
What supposed to be the focus and the highlight of the story, but wasn't: the Kel and Conor relationship.
I'm the Prince's shield. I am his unbreakable armour. I bleed that he might not bleed. I suffer that he might never suffer. I die that he might live forever.
The Kel and Conor relationship was the main reason to pick this book up. Let's be honest. I hadn't count on the gay romance (but I wouldn't mind it), but I hoped to get the wonderful brotherly relationship similar to the ones that I got in the Shadowhunters books (like the Jace and Alec relationship and the Will and Jem relationship). I didn't got it. It's kind of bizarre, really, how much time Kel, who's supposed to be Conor's double, his sword and shield, his shadow, spend away from Conor. In theory Conor was supposed to be Kel's priority. His no. 1 in any situation. But Kel spend too much time thinking over a girl instead of Conor. I would understand if the book shown us his struggles between his romantic feelings towards the girl (Antonetta) and his duty over Conor, but that didn't happen. Officially Conor was the priority. Unofficially the priority was Antonetta. And it pissed me off.
Don't get me wrong. I love romance plot points in books and romance books in general. But when the main story was supposed to focus on the duty, not on the romance, we have a big conflict in here. It could work, if it was better handled, but unfortunately for Cassie Clare here, in my opinion, it was handled very poorly.
And to be honest, Kel sucks as the sword catcher. Why Conor isn't dead yet is truly beyond me.
The romances.
"You don't have a choice, I hear. Love just happens to you, whether you like it or not, otherwise there wouldn't be so many songs. Besides, people do all sorts of things that are bad for them. I ought to know."
My younger self would love it, but, unfortunately for Cassie Clare, I'm no longer my younger self. I did not like the Kel x Antonetta relationship, and I did not like the Conor x Lin relationship. They felt like every other Cassie Clare couple - the back and forth, hot and cold behaviour was something exciting years ago, but now it's just infuriating. I could somewhat excuse this behavior in the Shadowhunters couples, considering the fact that the heroes are all teenagers, but the Sword Catcher character are all more than twenty years old. None of their behavior made me root for them.
The Kel x Antonetta relationship also got a punch from me because of the fact that in my opinion Kel, as the sword catcher, should make Conor the priority, but he didn't. It was 'Antonetta this' and 'Antonetta that', and it made me so unbelievably tired.
Also, I have to point out that Conor's behavior towards Lin reminded me of Jace. I love Jace, but I didn't approve of his You made me sick and I'm sick of love for you thingy. He sounded like a crazy person sometimes, and Conor does too. It was unfair to Clary back then, and it's unfair to Lin now. Both Clary and Lin had their priorities straight - Clary wanted to find her mother and Lin wants to save her friend, none of them needed a romance, but it was thrown at them. (btw, Lin, who was stubborn at disliking Conor, changed her mind incredibly quickly about him, so much so that she found herself making out with him after a very short while of knowing him)
The uselessness of the royal family.
I'm shocked how awful the royals of Castellane are. How is this kingdom even still functioning?? How there wasn't any attack happening or a civil war is truly beyond me. The king was locked away in his dorms, gazing at the stars, convinced that they will show him the future or whatever, so he was rarely seen in the court and by the people, and somewhat everybody just accepted it. The queen spend her time at making parties. And the prince himself, Conor Aurelian, spend most of his time in a brothel or having parties with his so-called friends. I'm genuinely sorry for all the people of Castellane. They must suffer greatly in this kingdom.
The Cataclysm and the Adassa and Suleman story
It was a side story, told in small parts, but, honestly, it was way more interesting than whatever kept on happening in the main story. Why wasn't Adassa the main character??
The characters of Artal Gremont, Asher Benezar and Vienne
I kept on mentioning these characters, because they intrigued me. Their cases were only brushed over, we got more questions than answers about them, and I wish things looked different, because they were interesting.
The women empowerment through Lin Caster
I liked that. I liked that a lot, actually. Lin is an Ashkari physician - the only Ashkari physician that is a woman, or so that's what we've been told - and she gets being shamed for it and gets through many obstacles because of it. I liked her goal of finding a cure for her ill friend, her friendship with Mariam seemed very deep and genuine. And I liked her need to help people, no matter if they were the Ashkari or not. She was a deeply caring person, with a kind heart, but that didn't stop her from being strong mentally and physically. Lin was a great character, overall, it's just the romance plot that had been thrown in the story that kind of ruined her for me.
Brothel, brothel and even more brothel
The way the scenes kept on happening in a brothel and kept on mentioning prostitutes made me heavily uncomfortable. I understand that it's no longer a 'teenage world', but an 'adult world', but do we really need to end up in a brothel of all places?
The LGBTQ+ case
Will anyone blame me that I expected to find a LGBTQ+ romance in a Cassandra Clare books, after her Shadowhunters works? But even if not, I like the fact that this topic was mentioned, it just such a shame that's all it was: only a mention, nothing deeper.
It pains me to give this book a low rating, you guys. From the very first pages of this book, I thought that it will be something big. Something enjoyable, if not even lovable. For quite some time it looked good, very good even, until I found myself losing focus and until reading this book became a chore. I don't know if I will read book two. Probably not. I just don't care about these characters enough, I think.
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