Review Detail

What Worked: Blade Breaker continues as an epic high fantasy fit for those who enjoy the world-building and the journey as much as the eventual destination. The book continues to be told from the alternating perspective of at least one person on all sides involved. In this clash of good vs. evil, the winner gets to take the entire Ward. In this way, we can’t completely hate the “bad guys” because we can see their flaws and their trauma and reasoning that led to the side they have chosen.
Queen Erida was raised on the glory of old stories that her kingdom was made of conquerors. She married Taristan amid dreams of seizing everything and glories in their easy wins. She was so afraid of losing her power to a male counterpart that he was the only solution to finding someone with the right bloodline that needs her power to remain intact. It is interesting to see that her methods unnerve her court and that they may eventually not be able to support her in this quest for world domination. Her relationship with Taristan is smoldering and intense and definitely a page-turner. It actually makes me mad that I enjoy their scenes and evolving relationship when they are the bad guys. Erida’s character turned out so different than I expected and I share Andry’s dismay at her betrayal of the realm.
Sorasa and Domacridhan’s relationship continues to be my favorite and the most fun by far. They spend their days insulting each other. Dom only thinks the worst of her, yet does not see the gradual change of her evolving into a more noble and loyal person on this quest. He surprises even himself when Sorasa’s spirit is laid low when she is faced with betraying all her hopes and dreams or betraying her newfound companions and he cares deeply that she is suffering.
There were several confrontations during their journey where our characters were faced with situations where they had to let go of their old lives and attachments to continue to forge themselves into a group capable of saving the Ward. These scenes gave heart to otherwise slower passages as they journeyed across the realm.
What Left Me Wanting More: I mostly used an audiobook for this story. The reader does a good job of giving the story a regal and epic feeling of a mythical realm. I do think with so many alternating character perspectives a few more people involved in being the voice of the characters would have helped bring this tale to life. There are only so many changes of voices for 6 characters to still sound different and some are better done than others.
Final Verdict: As expected in book two of a trilogy, some things are resolved and some things have only gotten worse. It is up to you as the reader to have faith that everything will work out in the third book; we just have to see how it all unfolds. I can’t wait to see if Andry and Corayne will ever give into their feelings for each other as well as Sorasa and Dom. I also wonder if Erida will be stopped or is capable of seeing the errors of her ways and ever willing to help stop the evil god in another realm waiting to be released on the Ward.