The Emperor's Blades (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, #1) in Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy"

Dec 10, 2013 David rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This is a difficult review to write. Perhaps I was expecting to much? The book, the whole series even, is garnering such wide-spread acclaim, and wonderful reviews from all quarters. What am I missing? I wanted to like it. I tried to like it.

I think my largest complaint was that it felt a bit too teen-drama for my tastes. Cut from the same cloth as Hunger Games/Red Rising/Mazz Runner? Yes, a bit. Well, take the gist of those and shove into a Fantasy mould and you've got the basis for this un-nov ...more

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Dec 20, 2013 Athena Shardbearer rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, buddy-read, scifi, adult, magic, epic, sci-fi-fantasy, high-fantasy

Buddy read August 11Lee, Alexa, Michael ...more

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Sep 11, 2014 James Schmidt rated it it was amazing

This book kept coming up as a recommendation and I read some good things about it. I got the free sample from Kindle and was hooked. Got the book and could not put it down. Great story lines and characters. I cannot wait for the second book Providence of Fire! Mr. Staveley has definitely got a great new fantasy series on his hands!

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Dec 05, 2016 Michael rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, science-fiction-fantasy

This is well-written, engaging fantasy with an Asian feel. I am giving it four out of five because it has a slow beginning, but once I got into the story, I found it quite compelling. Basically, there is this enormous empire, and when the emperor is murdered, his three children must come to grips with their new roles. One son is training to be an elite soldier; the other is a mystical, aesthetic monk, and the third is a daughter who lives and works in the heart of the empire. The world-building ...more

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