I really enjoyed Blood Song - it's one of the those classic epic fantasies that carries you away with it, making it hard to put down!
The novel follows Vaelin Al Sorna from boyhood to manhood through a series of trials, intrigue and battles that makes the reader feel as if you're right there with him.
Blurb:
We have fought battles that left more than a hundred corpses on the ground and not a word of it has ever been set down. The Order fights, but often it fights in shadow, without glory or reward. We have no banners.
Vaelin Al Sorna's life changes forever the day his father abandons him at the gates of the Sixth Order, a secretive military arm of the Faith. Together with his fellow initiates, Vaelin undertakes a brutal training regime - where the price of failure is often death. Under the tutelage of the Order's masters, he learns how to forge a blade, survive the wilds and kill a man quickly and quietly.
Now his new skills will be put to the test. War is coming. Vaelin is the Sixth Order's deadliest weapon and the Realm's only hope. He must draw upon the very essence of his strength and cunning if he is to survive the coming conflict. Yet as the world teeters on the edge of chaos, Vaelin will learn that the truth can cut deeper than any sword.
***
The characterisation is one of my favourite things in this book. In many ways, the storyline is nothing new: young boy joins warrior order, after being abandoned at the door by his father and grows up to be one of the most formidable warriors the world has ever known - yet it is Ryan's telling of the story, and the way he makes us care about the characters, which makes it entirely unique.
In many novels where the main character must join an order or train to become a great warrior or wizard, I find myself wishing the writer would hurry it up - but not with Blood Song. Vaelin's time as an apprentice brother in the sixth order is beautifully told, without going into too much detail, and is what allows the reader to forge a bond with him; it sets the tone and pace for the rest of the book, as well as over-shadowing the whole story with a sense of foreboding.
The tale of the Witch's Bastard, that appears half-way through the book, was also an interesting addition to the story, adding a 'fairy-tale' element to the novel - even if, once they read the fable, many readers will guess what's coming...
Ryan's writing is effortless and absorbing to read. I loved the way he brought the supporting cast of characters - especially the other brothers of the order and the female characters - to life. The king, who manipulates him into doing his bidding is chillingly manipulative without sliding into a 'arch-villain' stereotype, which would have been easy to do - and the princess is a fascinating character I'm sure we'll hear more from in the next books!
Blood Song is a gripping adventure that is sensitively written - a story about a warrior, a killer, who must come to terms with who he is, a man who must break free of his past and make decisions that will cost him greatly, in order forge a new life for himself.
Highly recommended for all those who love epic fantasy!
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