Scan barcode
A review by wyntrchylde
Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland
4.0
Five Broken Blades
Author: Mai Corland
Publisher: Red Tower Books
Publishing Date: 2024
=======================
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Why this book:
Sword and sorcery, DnD feel. Korean mythology adjacent.
_________________
The Feel:
The introductory chapters feel off. The characters are being introduced, but they don’t feel distinct until they are all on the road to their destiny. I kept having to flip back and see who this person was or that among the focus characters. This irons itself out as they begin their quests, but still, it was almost a drop the book problem for me.
I’m at the penultimate chapters of the books. This is also the “he did it/she did it/they did it” stage where everyone is under suspicion. The idea that there is a secret agenda moving one of the party around is becoming more and more of a certainty, though very quietly.
Favorite Character:
Royo. He just seems tired. Lol. Not physically, but emotionally exhausted. I can relate. You know that sound your pet makes when you don’t let it do what it wants, or tell it that it isn’t time to eat yet, or when you sing a song to it based on its name for the tenth time today, imagine that feeling…that’s Royo. Not that he is Aeri’s pet. But he’s that emotional state writ large.
We Can’t Go On Together With Suspicious Minds:
Something is off with Aeri. She seems flighty…but flinty. But is it all an act and she’s a traitor to the group?
Favorite Scene:
Maybe we’ll make it through the pass without any problems. Maybe the giant, predatory, carnivorous birds won’t be in the pass this close to civilization. And as the last gleam of sunlight flashes and goes behind the mountains, a bird cry breaks the silence, close by.
Favorite Concept:
The Samrocs in the desert hunt and devour whatever they can find.
Five “broken” blades. There are a couple ways to take that. One is that these six people in the coach halfway through the book on their way to enact their plot to kill the king are all very, very broken people. And the other is in the 47 Ronin or the Magnificent Seven vein. None of them may make it through, or just a few…or one…there are six of them and only five broken blades, after all.
Tropes:
Monster with an elephantine memory who wants revenge, the foreshadowing is strong with this one.
Hmm Moments:
So…what is Aeri, really? Her being an exceptionally high level rogue, doesn’t wash with what her backstory is. But she believes her backstory. But the father whose approval she seeks seems to be determined to ignore her. Hmmm…
The piece that is missing seems too obvious. Can’t explain without giving away a plot point in the mystery, but it feels spot on. Mikhail should have tumbled to it, but he does have a crapload of irons in the fire, unless the obvious is a red herring and he is the traitor. But given his backstory, that doesn’t wash. He may be the only one who, despite being the one inside the inside, stands to get everything he wants if the plot comes off as planned.
Uhm Moments:
Euyn is a coldblooded killer who hunted men for sport. But he knows what love is. And he had such a hard life growing up as the “spare”, second-in-line prince for his father, the King. I started to fall into the trap thinking “oh poor Euyn”, but you know what, F that guy. This is the dude they want to put on the throne in the plot. …this is the guy? Because his brother is so much worse. …but this is the guy…the guy who hunted men for sport? Feels like there's a hole in their plot, not the author’s the coup members’.
5 Blades, but there are six main characters. Wonder who makes the hard choice.
Meh / PFFT Moments:
Say what? Prince Eyun’s mid-book secret kind of throws the plot into disarray. And if he doesn’t share that secret with his co-plotters, he may end up in ashes…or Aeri or whoever touches the Dragon Lord’s crown may. Good twist.
The Sigh:
Mikhail playing both sides against the middle in service to his revenge is a great plot point, but dammit…just dammit
The Unexpected:
The mysterious dark ninja dogging Sora and Ti-yung’s trail. Not sure at their connection whether it is to Sora’s past before she became a poison maiden or working for Ti’s father in some capacity, but it bears watching. …and that makes another blade unaccounted for among the five…six…no, seven characters of the Five Broken Blades.
Calling the Ball:
Having three different characters in such a small main cast all have the lost love one who they are doing it all for is a bit much.
The Poker Game/DND Table:
No, cause they’d all kill everyone at the table.
Still think they would kill everyone at the table, but after the fight in Oosant, they start to feel like a DND group, kinda.
Books/Movies This Was Like:
It’s a lower magic world, but it kinda reminds me of Sam Sykes’ Grave of Empires trilogy. And I loved me some Sal the Cacophony. Now that was a series that I wished was more than a trilogy.
_________________
Pacing:
The pace is excellent. Love the short chapters where action actually happens. This story moves along.
Last Page Sound:
That was unexpected. Usually I am pissed off when a book does this with the ending. But…well played. Well played indeed.
Author Assessment:
I will be back for part 2.
Author: Mai Corland
Publisher: Red Tower Books
Publishing Date: 2024
=======================
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Why this book:
Sword and sorcery, DnD feel. Korean mythology adjacent.
_________________
The Feel:
The introductory chapters feel off. The characters are being introduced, but they don’t feel distinct until they are all on the road to their destiny. I kept having to flip back and see who this person was or that among the focus characters. This irons itself out as they begin their quests, but still, it was almost a drop the book problem for me.
I’m at the penultimate chapters of the books. This is also the “he did it/she did it/they did it” stage where everyone is under suspicion. The idea that there is a secret agenda moving one of the party around is becoming more and more of a certainty, though very quietly.
Favorite Character:
Royo. He just seems tired. Lol. Not physically, but emotionally exhausted. I can relate. You know that sound your pet makes when you don’t let it do what it wants, or tell it that it isn’t time to eat yet, or when you sing a song to it based on its name for the tenth time today, imagine that feeling…that’s Royo. Not that he is Aeri’s pet. But he’s that emotional state writ large.
We Can’t Go On Together With Suspicious Minds:
Something is off with Aeri. She seems flighty…but flinty. But is it all an act and she’s a traitor to the group?
Favorite Scene:
Maybe we’ll make it through the pass without any problems. Maybe the giant, predatory, carnivorous birds won’t be in the pass this close to civilization. And as the last gleam of sunlight flashes and goes behind the mountains, a bird cry breaks the silence, close by.
Favorite Concept:
The Samrocs in the desert hunt and devour whatever they can find.
Five “broken” blades. There are a couple ways to take that. One is that these six people in the coach halfway through the book on their way to enact their plot to kill the king are all very, very broken people. And the other is in the 47 Ronin or the Magnificent Seven vein. None of them may make it through, or just a few…or one…there are six of them and only five broken blades, after all.
Tropes:
Monster with an elephantine memory who wants revenge, the foreshadowing is strong with this one.
Hmm Moments:
So…what is Aeri, really? Her being an exceptionally high level rogue, doesn’t wash with what her backstory is. But she believes her backstory. But the father whose approval she seeks seems to be determined to ignore her. Hmmm…
The piece that is missing seems too obvious. Can’t explain without giving away a plot point in the mystery, but it feels spot on. Mikhail should have tumbled to it, but he does have a crapload of irons in the fire, unless the obvious is a red herring and he is the traitor. But given his backstory, that doesn’t wash. He may be the only one who, despite being the one inside the inside, stands to get everything he wants if the plot comes off as planned.
Uhm Moments:
Euyn is a coldblooded killer who hunted men for sport. But he knows what love is. And he had such a hard life growing up as the “spare”, second-in-line prince for his father, the King. I started to fall into the trap thinking “oh poor Euyn”, but you know what, F that guy. This is the dude they want to put on the throne in the plot. …this is the guy? Because his brother is so much worse. …but this is the guy…the guy who hunted men for sport? Feels like there's a hole in their plot, not the author’s the coup members’.
5 Blades, but there are six main characters. Wonder who makes the hard choice.
Meh / PFFT Moments:
Say what? Prince Eyun’s mid-book secret kind of throws the plot into disarray. And if he doesn’t share that secret with his co-plotters, he may end up in ashes…or Aeri or whoever touches the Dragon Lord’s crown may. Good twist.
The Sigh:
Mikhail playing both sides against the middle in service to his revenge is a great plot point, but dammit…just dammit
The Unexpected:
The mysterious dark ninja dogging Sora and Ti-yung’s trail. Not sure at their connection whether it is to Sora’s past before she became a poison maiden or working for Ti’s father in some capacity, but it bears watching. …and that makes another blade unaccounted for among the five…six…no, seven characters of the Five Broken Blades.
Calling the Ball:
Having three different characters in such a small main cast all have the lost love one who they are doing it all for is a bit much.
The Poker Game/DND Table:
No, cause they’d all kill everyone at the table.
Still think they would kill everyone at the table, but after the fight in Oosant, they start to feel like a DND group, kinda.
Books/Movies This Was Like:
It’s a lower magic world, but it kinda reminds me of Sam Sykes’ Grave of Empires trilogy. And I loved me some Sal the Cacophony. Now that was a series that I wished was more than a trilogy.
_________________
Pacing:
The pace is excellent. Love the short chapters where action actually happens. This story moves along.
Last Page Sound:
That was unexpected. Usually I am pissed off when a book does this with the ending. But…well played. Well played indeed.
Author Assessment:
I will be back for part 2.