Book Hangover

 I was recently swept into a world of magic, political intrigue, friendship, and forbidden love. And I was left in a terrible book hangover. I took a little longer than usual to read this book because I knew what was awaiting me at the end…

The book: Blood Song The Author: Anthony Ryan

This book is the beginning of an Epic fantasy. We open the story from the point of view of a writer of history. He is currently awaiting our “hero” who was captured five years prior. He is tasked with taking the hero to his ‘certain death’ and he relishes the moment to come at the end of the journey. You see, the Emperor’s heir has been slain in battle by our Hero, and he wants revenge. Enter Vaelin Al Sorna, the hero. I use the term hero but I’m not sure who’s hero he is. Vaelin and the writer board a ship sailing off to the Island where Vaelin is schedule to a battle to the death. During the journey, Vaelin tells the writer that he wrote the history completely wrong. Intrigued the writer asks what he means. That is when Vaelin makes a deal. He wants his story told, and will tell the writer everything… if he promises to take down Vaelin’s story.

From there we begin on the incredible story that made Vaelin who he is, the Hope Killer. We follow Vaelin from the day his father drops him at the gate of The Order. The order is responsible for teaching the young in their care to defend the faith and go to war without hopes of riches or recognition. It also teaches the boys that other than each other, they have no family. They are brothers from that moment forward. We watch Vaelin grow up, take his tests with the Order, become a full fledged brother, and the aftermath of his childhood.

I give this book 5 stars! It is my first 5 star read of the year and I’ve been left in a book hangover for the first time since 2020. I enjoyed following Vaelin through his life from his point of view. I found that when I put the book down every night I couldn’t wait to pick it back up. It started a little slow, but by the third chapter I was hooked. And I definitely didn’t see the ending coming. I’m thankful that Anthony Ryan has written more books following Vaelin and am excited to get into them. I’m hopeful that the forbidden love is explored more, and that we see Vaelin happy.