Fantasy Buddy Read for the Book Assassin (Darkblade #1) by Andy Peloquin-May 14, 2022

[Kevin]

Definitely not leaving the discussion. This is a great thread. Just might hold off on updates from me. I'll still chime in with others posts for sure.

[Sally, The Ninja Clown]

That's great Kevin! Man, the beginning of Part 2 is trippy as hell. I love it!

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

Kevin wrote: "Definitely not leaving the discussion. This is a great thread. Just might hold off on updates from me. I'll still chime in with others posts for sure."

Awesome! :)

[Sally, The Ninja Clown]

Page 338 I'm loving this scene! (view spoiler)[The ritual with the obelisk and the blood, the freaking walls glowing with symbols! I love shit like this! (hide spoiler)]

[Kevin]

Sally wrote: "Page 338 I'm loving this scene! [spoilers removed]"

I did too! (view spoiler)[I got a Lovcraftian Cthulhu Cult vibe from that. I'm not sure if that is what Andy was going for but that's what I got from it. (hide spoiler)]

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

Well I read a lot last night so I made it to Part 2 - Chapter 2.

Thoughts so far are this:

(view spoiler)[ Hunter's grief was rough and everyone that died was hard - I didn't need tissues but I did have teary eyes - Farida's death was the worst. Lord Jahel being a demon was interesting - being related to the Hunter is interesting as well - related by blood which would make the Hunter a demon as well, right?

Actually that doesn't really surprise me as there would have to be some type of demon blood coursing through Hunter's veins because he can heal from the dagger's blood power. As you are not really mortal if you can heal yourself.

Falling into the Midden I felt was the only escape from Lord Jahel as I knew that Hunter would not be joining with him to take over the city - Hunter cares too much for the people of the city to throw himself in cahoots with Lord Jahel.

So now I am wondering about the Midden - it must have connections to the streets above if this character Bardin is able to go to the Temples.

I am assuming that Lord Jahel thinks Hunter is dead since he threw himself into the Midden as how could he survive a fall like that when he was already wounded. (hide spoiler)]

Looking forward to reading some more today to find out what happens next! :)

[Choko]

Ch. 27-28... This was very difficult to read... (view spoiler)[ I loved his foray into the Fifth of the Hand's base, and his acting as a drunkard thief, but what was done to his friends and the kid was very, very harsh... Very! Even though I expected this to happen to the kid, I didn't think The Hand would go after absolutely everyone in his hemisphere... :((( (hide spoiler)]

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

Choko wrote: "Ch. 27-28... This was very difficult to read... [spoilers removed]"

Yeah I agree with you. It was a rough read.

[Kevin]

I finished it! Andy, that ending bro....nice!

[Sally, The Ninja Clown]

Nice Kevin! I'm on page 423. (view spoiler)[I'm so glad Graeme was finally able to fix the poor dude's belly wound. It's been exhausting to read about him struggling with physical pain and grief at the same time! (hide spoiler)]

[Sally, The Ninja Clown]

Page 442 (view spoiler)[I was worried that if he took the antidote to the Watcher's Bloom he would lose the help of the phantasms. I love that they're helping him find the bad guys! (hide spoiler)]

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

I am on chapter 14 page 348

Thoughts so far:

(view spoiler)[ I love Bardin - even though he is kind of out of it he does help the Hunter quite a bit. I am happy finally that the Hunter made it to the "wizards" - lol. That "blood to the gods" ritual was cool! At least Hunter finally got relief from the iron poisoning. Also now he gets to hunt that demon!

I just read that part in Chapter 13 where the demon having Soulhunger is not a good thing! Yikes! Going to read some more tonight and see what happens next! :) (hide spoiler)]

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

The addiction of this book is real folks! I was up half the night reading it. So I am on Chapter 25 and page 433.

Thoughts so far:

(view spoiler)[Wow! Wow! Wow! So much information in one fell swoop with learning about the demon war and how the Hunter came to be!

I was so happy for the reunion between the Hunter and Graeme and now the Hunter is healed from his stomach wound.

The character Graeme reminds me a little bit in personality trait of the Doc in Back to the Future - I don't know why so don't ask me where that came from - lol - but when Graeme mulls something over as he reads his books and he like mumbles to himself it just reminds me of the Doc. Kind of odd I know but that is who my parallel character is when I read the book. Sorry Andy - lol. I don't know who was in your mind when you created Graeme but it probably wasn't the Doc from Back to the Future in your mind! LOL

So on to some more thoughts:

Thankfully the Hunter was able to get into a change of clothes and grab his weapons from one of his safe houses in the city - I was happy that he finally got out of the bloody rags he was in.

Just finished reading the fight with the Bloody Hand earlier - the crossbow weapon is cool and I loved how the Hunter just took the men out quickly!

Going to read some more today! (hide spoiler)]

[Andy]

Sally wrote: "Page 338 I'm loving this scene! [spoilers removed]"

That ends up being a recurring theme in all my stories!

[Andy]

Kevin wrote: "Sally wrote: "Page 338 I'm loving this scene! [spoilers removed]"

I did too! [spoilers removed]"

That absolutely is what I was going for!

[Andy]

Kevin wrote: "I finished it! Andy, that ending bro....nice!"

So glad you loved it! So much more adventure ahead for the Hunter. So many more baddies to gut mercilessly. hehe

[Kevin]

Sally wrote: "Page 442 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I really like this too. More of an emotional connection to the task at hand and alot less bitchy than that daggar! (hide spoiler)]

[Kevin]

Andy wrote: "Kevin wrote: "Sally wrote: "Page 338 I'm loving this scene! [spoilers removed]"

I did too! [spoilers removed]"

That absolutely is what I was going for!"

(view spoiler)[Nice! Well, you nailed it! I'malways up for some Lovecrafian stuff! (hide spoiler)]

[Kevin]

Andy wrote: "Kevin wrote: "I finished it! Andy, that ending bro....nice!"

So glad you loved it! So much more adventure ahead for the Hunter. So many more baddies to gut mercilessly. hehe"

I'm glad you have many more books planned. I'm also glad I have a few more to read in the mean time!

[Andy]

Kevin wrote: "Andy wrote: "Kevin wrote: "Sally wrote: "Page 338 I'm loving this scene! [spoilers removed]"

I did too! [spoilers removed]"

That absolutely is what I was going for!"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ That's what the idea behind the Midden originally was. Just some immense hole in the EArth that speaks to...what, exactly? Kind of chthonic. (hide spoiler)]

[Sally, The Ninja Clown]

Kevin wrote: "Sally wrote: "Page 442 [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

Exactly! A lot less bitchy!

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

I am at 74% and will put some thoughts up tomorrow. I was gone all day today so didn't read anything. :)

[Nyssa]

Hi. I joined the group on Monday and just discovered this thread today. Is it too late for me to join this buddy read?

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

Nyssa wrote: "Hi. I joined the group on Monday and just discovered this thread today. Is it too late for me to join this buddy read?"

No - you can join - come on over and read with us! The more the merrier!

This is the book:
https://www.amazon.com/Assassin-Dark-...

There are two series - one is an older series and this is the newer version of it. So that is why I included the link so you know which book version to read. :)

Also there is no end date either - we have start dates but no end dates as none of us like to be pressed on finishing a book. :)

[Sally, The Ninja Clown]

Of course not Nyssa, we'd love for you to join!

[Sally, The Ninja Clown]

Jinx Marie!

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

Sally wrote: "Jinx Marie!"

I am faster than you Sally even if you are the Ninja Clown! I am the Crusader Shadow Queen! LMAO!!!!

[Sally, The Ninja Clown]

Marie wrote: "Sally wrote: "Jinx Marie!"

I am faster than you Sally even if you are the Ninja Clown! I am the Crusader Shadow Queen! LMAO!!!!"

Always Marie! I bow to the Queen! Lol!

[Nyssa]

Marie wrote: "Nyssa wrote: "Hi. I joined the group on Monday and just discovered this thread today. Is it too late for me to join this buddy read?"

No - you can join - come on over and read with us! The more th..."

Sally wrote: "Of course not Nyssa, we'd love for you to join!"

Excellent! Thank you! :)

*Happy to know there is no end date!

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

Sally wrote: "Marie wrote: "Sally wrote: "Jinx Marie!"

I am faster than you Sally even if you are the Ninja Clown! I am the Crusader Shadow Queen! LMAO!!!!"

Always Marie! I bow to the Queen! Lol!"

🥰❤️

[Kevin]

Nyssa wrote: "Marie wrote: "Nyssa wrote: "Hi. I joined the group on Monday and just discovered this thread today. Is it too late for me to join this buddy read?"

No - you can join - come on over and read with u..."

Welcome aboard Nyssa! You're in for a treat with this one! This book is fantastic. Andy, the author, will pop in and discuss with us when he can which is awesome.

[Nyssa]

Kevin wrote: "Welcome aboard Nyssa! You're in for a treat with this one! This book is fantastic. Andy, the author, will pop in and discuss with us when he can which is awesome."

Thank you. :) Oh, the author stopping by sounds wonderful!

[Choko]

Nyssa!!!:))) I am slowly reading this one, when I am home and can sit down with my Kindle:))) I will keep you company too:)

[Nyssa]

Nice! Thanks. I just downloaded the book. I want to get further into Sweep of the Blade tonight, so I will most likely start Assassin tomorrow.

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

Nyssa wrote: " Oh, the author stopping by sounds wonderful! ..."

Andy has already been around on this thread since it started over a week ago. Just be careful of spoilers on the pages before and go check them out after you get through some of the book.

Looking forward to you reading with us, Nyssa! :)

[Nyssa]

Marie wrote: "Nyssa wrote: " Andy has already been around on this thread since it started over a week ago. Just be careful of spoilers on the pages before and go check them out after you get through some of the book.

Looking forward to you reading with us, Nyssa! :)"

That makes sense. Thanks for the heads up. :)

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

Nyssa wrote: "That makes sense. Thanks for the heads up. :)..."

You are welcome! :)

[Andy]

Nyssa wrote: "Kevin wrote: "Welcome aboard Nyssa! You're in for a treat with this one! This book is fantastic. Andy, the author, will pop in and discuss with us when he can which is awesome."

Thank you. :) Oh, ..."

Well, wonderful may be a bit of an overstatement. "Acceptable intrusion in an otherwise pleasant day" is probably more like it. :D

[Nyssa]

Andy wrote: "Well, wonderful may be a bit of an overstatement. "Acceptable intrusion in an otherwise pleasant day" is probably more like it. :D"

LOL. Nice to meet you, Andy. I am looking forward to reading your series.

[Andy]

LOL. Nice to meet you, Andy. I am looking forward t..."

Lovely to meet you too! I look forward to all the "OMG I HATE YOU!!!" as you read through this dark, twisty story.

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

Now Andy - no one has said we hate you.....yet! LOL!!!

However, (view spoiler)[raking you over the hot coals for killing off some favorite characters did cross my mind briefly!! LOL 😂 🤣 (hide spoiler)]

[Andy]

Oh, the series is still young yet. LOL

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

Andy wrote: "Oh, the series is still young yet. LOL"

Is that a warning, Andy?! LOL

[Andy]

Absolutely!

[Marie, Coffee-Chocolate-Book Lover]

Andy wrote: "Absolutely!"

😍

[Nyssa]

I started reading a few minutes ago.

Four pages in, and I have a question:

(view spoiler)[The Hunter landed atop the man who’d been hiding behind the barrel, driving both heels downward with all the strength of his powerful legs. Skull bones crumpled and a thick-muscled neck snapped beneath his soft-soled boots. Blood and brains exploded outward in a grisly halo. (hide spoiler)]

How? Why? (view spoiler)[I understand the neck-breaking, but the level of gore does not compute. What am I missing? (hide spoiler)]

Okay, I am going back to reading now.

[Kevin]

Nyssa,
That will be explained shortly. It will make sense. I promise.

[Andy]

Nyssa wrote: "I started reading a few minutes ago.

Four pages in, and I have a question:

[spoilers removed]

How? Why? [spoilers removed]



Nyssa, to answer your question, picture a watermelon being stamped against a street. :D

[Nyssa]

Kevin wrote: "Nyssa,
That will be explained shortly. It will make sense. I promise."


Andy wrote: "Nyssa, to answer your question, picture a watermelon being stamped against a street. :D"

Eww! LOL But effective. I got it. Thanks. :)

[Andy]

Heh, that's how I envisioned it.