Book Review: Deathbringer

Authored by: Blake Carpenter

This is book 1 of “The Spellswords Saga”

I don’t think I’ve read a book like this before. The steampunk world in combination with a unique fantasy “magic” system makes for an interesting read. The idea of the spellsword (a magic sword with a specific personality and powers) is unique and the story explains just enough to leave a hint of mystery. The combination of the swordbearer and spellsword together works well to create a partnership that can achieve great things… at some cost.

The main characters are understandable with solid motivations and actions. I felt like Inga’s intro and the story that followed was great, and I could relate a little bit to Kale as well. I came away feeling like Kale’s future direction was unknown, which is not what I hoped for him. The antagonist is an absolutely vile person, and she came off as being a bit of a spoiled kid from a powerful and rich family who finally grew up and seriously applied herself to evil. Effective.

The writing is really well done, easy to read and follow. The characters are well-defined. Excellent editing. The story pacing is well-done, and I like the point of view switch to from 1st person for Inga to 3rd for others. It really works.

Overall, the world is broad and yet unique enough to see many more stories come out. There is a fleshed-out world in place, including a map and historical references that promise future depth. There are currently two other books out and there are even more spellswords that are listed in the index, which means plenty of reading ahead!