The Not a Book Club Club discussion
Anthony Ryan
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BS: Part 1
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In general though my first impression of this book was that it reminds me a lot of The Name of the Wind only with a more likable protagonist.
You have an infamous main character who seems to collect names and is telling his story through a flashback to a historian. You also have stories within stories. Although not as often/in depth.
Of course Vaelin is much more of a warrior (or paladin?) type whereas Kvothe is a Bard. Also Kvothe is good at EVERYTHING it seems whereas Vaelin isn't.
I really like the balance of the politics and the lore too, but a lot of that will have to be discussed in later threads I think.
It took me an hour or so to really get into the book, but once I did I've had a hard time stopping for the day.
I like them both and think they are too different to compare. But I do really like that structure of both books, especially the limited POV. This book is also much darker than The Name Of the Wind.
Between this and Ryria, you seem to be enjoying these indie books, Rob. I remember liking this book when it read back in... 2011? Maybe I should skim through it again or something. It definitely had a strong Rothfussian feel, I recall that much. All in all, it's a good book, looking forward to seeing what you guys think of it.
It does feel very much like Name of the Wind in the introduction. Looks like a frame story with a Chronicler telling the story of the hero/antihero. Except this frame story seems to be an actual story, doesn't take anywhere near as long for the Chronicler to show up and the hero's story to begin - and the hero gets to school quick smart at the beginning of chapter one. I like.
I'm just off the mark, but I have to say the writing already feels very polished and the audio narration by Steven Brand is top notch so far.
I can see why you didn't want to stop listening Rob. I'll have to book in more exercise time.
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I also agree that the writing does seem very polished.
I like Stephen Brand's narration with one big caveat. He's way too quiet.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts as you get further. I'm glad to have someone to discuss it with.
When I read Blood Song a few months back I saw a load of people compare it to 'The Name of the wind'. I've only just started 'Name' a few days ago so I guess I've got a slightly different take on the comparison. I thought the framing device was handled much better in 'Blood Song'. I've only realized how well the transition from Vernier's 1st person to Vaelin's 3rd person narration was handled by contrasting it with the indistinct POV's in Name of the Wind. The pace at the start was also much better in Blood Song, with the story of Vaelin's life and his beginning school started much earlier. I really liked the way Vaelin's skills were handled as well. His slow, arduous development over long years of training into a deadly warrior was really well done, especially in comparison to other fantasy where the protagonist becomes the deadliest fighter in the world over a short period of time (Rand in WoT). I also thought it was cool the way Vaelin's skills meshed with his 'brothers' rather than Vaelin being the best at everything. I've heard that this happens a lot with Kvothe, especially in book 2, but since I'm only halfway through book 1 I can't really comment.
Overall I thought Blood Song was an awesome book and it compares favourably in almost every way to Name of the wind (at least what I've read so far). However I ultimately only rated Blood Song 4 stars in my review due to a certain reveal at the end. I was bitterly disappointed with that scene for so many reasons and I took a star/star and a half off the book for just that.
Rob wrote: "I like Stephen Brand's narration with one big caveat. He's way too quiet."Something I've just realised having just listened in the car. Don't notice it as much with earphones on.
Up to the bit where he just kills his first man on the test.
I'm curious about the wolf. I wonder if the assassins were really after Vaelin. I bet they kill his father and then he'll be out for revenge - not these guys obviously but whoever hired them.
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Up to the Test of the Wilds where he gets "Scratch." I'm really enjoying this part. So he has a wolf and a hunting hound. I guess that makes him a dog person. I'm interested to find out more about the Denier girl now.Is this still part one? Sometimes I miss the breaks on Audio. Selective hearing I think.
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I'm bad with names. Whose the Denier girl?
I like scratch.
Damn audible. No function to spell names out. She was the young mute girl that the other guys (none of whose names I know how to spell) were hunting. Vaelin hid her and the man with her on his test of the wild.
She's a deny-er. As in she denied the faith.
She's the one with the ability to mind-control people with a touch, yeah? Also scratch is awesome.
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Conor wrote: "She's the one with the ability to mind-control people with a touch, yeah?."Yes. Which makes me wonder if she's mind controlling the man helping her.
I can't remember if that was ever made clear in the book but at the time I thought she was playing that guy straight. Of course that might just be what she wants me to think...
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This part seems to be our first taste of magic too. Up until now, it's just been boys in training, I think this is where I really got hooked.
The fight at the fair was cool. I liked that the aspect and the order backed their boys. And magic black smithing. I wonder if the aspect knows his black smith has magic?
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Especially the sundial that tells the time at night.
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That entire section was wall-to-wall awesome. Vaelin and Nortah poning the guards, the other lads showing up to back them, the aspect covering for them.... Awesome.
Loving the book so far...It's got all the elements I love - some school for [magic|fighting|mutants|...], a series of tests that must be passed, some sort of animal familar, ... I think I get this from manga more than Harry Potter though. I wonder what portion of this book will be devoted to his schooling. Seems like we've gotten the first 4 years, 10-14 in Part I.I wonder what is up with his father's parting quote about loyalty to the family, and then his father using the King's boon to try to call him back.
I wonder what's up with his affinity with canines, both the wolf in the first test + scratch.
I wonder if Denier's scarf has any significance. He seems rather fond of it.
I need to look up some maps, the kindle version of the map is hard to read on the paperwhite, and I am wondering if we are supposed to understand the geography of where he was raised vs the land w/ the emperor where he has killed the Hope Killer, and if the King referenced by the historian in the first section is the same as the King his father worked for, or is now the Prince that saved them at the summer fair, though I think I recall reading that the king was advanced in years.
I guess I could try to come up with some insightful comments or something but part II is calling to me!!!
Sky wrote: "I wonder what is up with his father's parting quote about loyalty to the family, and then his father using the King's boon to try to call him back."This gets explained later on
Sky wrote: "I wonder if Denier's scarf has any significance. He seems rather fond of it."
That was the scarf of the girl he saves in his test of the wild right?
Also Maps for Blood Song and Tower Lord
> This gets explained later oncoolio
> That was the scarf of the girl he saves in his test of the wild right?
Hrm, now I think I am confusing her name with "Deniers of the faith"...hehe...but yeah, her scarf. I guess he just keeps it because he's a sentimental softy.
Thanks for the maps!
Cool that the group read this one so I can take part in the discussion. I just finished chapter 3, where Vaelin did the Test of the Wild, met the denier girl and got Scratch.
Of course, what would be a post by me without having a crazy theory I wanted to discuss.
At the end of the chapter, the boys come back from the test. Brackus is the last and the other boys are already asleep, when he comes in. He's in total shock and when Vaelin wakes tells him that Jennis is dead. Vaelin wonders why Brackus is so quiet, but of course thinks it's because of the shock of finding a dead brother, but for the whole part where the boys come back hunger is a theme and is mentioned really often.
Now Brackus says something very disturbing about finding Jennis, along the lines of: "I was really hungry. I searched Jennis for food, but he didn't have anything on him."
So my guess is that in order to survive, Brackus had to eat Jennis. And that is why he is so totally out of it.
Mpauli wrote: "So my guess is that in order to survive, Brackus had to eat Jennis. And that is why he is so totally out of it. "You are one sick puppy Mpauli!
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Rob wrote: "Tastes like chicken?"I think he found him frozen on a tree, so there might have been a subtle hint of pines in there. :P
I wondered the same thing Mpauli. I'm loving this so far - I got a strong Name of the Wind vibe at first too, but I think that was because of the similar framing and because I've heard so many people compare the two.
I like how Vaelin has his own moral system and decides for himself what is right and wrong and what actions he will and will not do. He is a less whiny character than Kvothe in my opinion. I am pretty curious about the wolf and the dog, and some part of me wonders if the canines and the family motto of "Loyalty" are related.
I am also pretty curious about Vaelins friend - the one who is very competent in the outdoors. Sorry I don't know how to spell his name, but it begins with a "C". He seems to know a lot more about the court and about Vaelin than he lets on.
Suzanne wrote: "I wondered the same thing Mpauli. I'm loving this so far - I got a strong Name of the Wind vibe at first too, but I think that was because of the similar framing and because I've heard so many p..."
His friend's name is Caenis and he seems to be the most mysterious of the brothers so far. I'm also very interested to see how he's going to evolve through the book/series.
"Loyalty" is a great pick up and you can see a lot of potential for conflict in Vaelin's future.
His new order vs. his family or the norms of his faith vs. his own morale compass.
And I like your thought about the dog/wolf loyalty. I think the relationship with his brothers works a bit like a pack, so the idea is quite interesting and fits really well into the theme. I like it.
Loyality and religious faith, a boy with destiny.The framing story was quite good and promising, but the rest of the first part couldn't stand up to this quality.
In fact, I found it in parts boring: Yet another training camp spread out over longish 150 pages. Other authors manage it to fit a whole novel in this room. If it were a fascinating world, I wouldn't mind - but this is a traditional setting and I would have preferred much less room for the whole exercise.
Straight prose, uninteresting dialogues, plain characters.
Glimpses of a great world-building shine through and I'll stay with the story as I hope that it will get more interesting in the second part.
I found it disturbing that parents would want to put their boys in an education system where it is very possible that they will die. I hope that I'll learn the background which motivates such a harsh setting.
A also wondered about the lack of investigation by the masters into the assassinations and deaths of their trainees.
2 stars, so far.
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