This took me a while to
read, but that was due entirely to a rare bout of pestilence that
lingered awhile.
Angel’s Truth is the
first entry in the Angelwar series. Disclaimer: there is an ad for
Kingdom Asunder (by me) in the back.
Tol Kraven is the chief
protagonist, a youthful monk sent on an urgent mission to protect the
Truth (hence the title) and deliver a message/warning to a convent.
He’s quite likeable, when he isn’t falling off a mountain,
trained to kill and capable of being decisive (although not
necessarily wise).
The other main
perspective is that of Katarina, the somewhat dubious daughter of a
foreign ruler who may or may not be involved in nefarious business.
She forms an odd couple with her terse bodyguard Stetch, a
relationship which works well in a chalk-and-cheese sort of way.
Tol travels to try and
shore up the church, which is under threat from mercenaries hired by
a very dangerous puppetmaster. I always find assessing grimness quite
difficult but this is not one for kids or the particularly squeamish,
I would say, in terms of violence.
The writing style is
easy-to-read and fast-paced which, coupled with the small chapter
size, meant I often ended up reading more than intended. Protagonists
are likeable and distinctive, and I like the world-building, which is
extensive but gradually revealed so there isn’t a wall of
info-dumping to leap over.
I particularly enjoyed
the first half, when the protagonists were largely separate and much
of the plot was deliberately shrouded in uncertainty as to who was
trustworthy and who wanted what. Although these separate threads were
tied together neatly, the mystery was enjoyable.
On the downside, a
little more editing to make certain parts slightly more concise
would’ve been beneficial (nothing atrocious, just some cases where
two lines were used but one would do).
All in all, an
enjoyable, fast-paced fantasy adventure with spies, treachery, and
the odd angelic intervention. Well worth a look.
Thaddeus
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