Heather’s Bookshelf: The Living Sword
Author: Pemry Janes
Released: Nov. 13, 2013
Genre: High Fantasy Fiction Novella
“I learned this Way there, the Rise of the Mountain. It’s not magic, it’s a way of thinking.”
“The Living Sword” is a story of self discovery set in a fictional world. It follows the journey of Eurik, a human raised in another culture by The San. Eurik is content to live with the San until he is provided two things: the names of his deceased parents and a living sword that once belonged to them. He sets out to learn what he can about his parents and his past with the help of his trusty living sword, Misthell.
Along their journey, they discover that this new world is a dangerous one- filled with people looking to hurt Eurik and take Misthell for themselves. But while with the San, Eurik was taught how to use a way of thinking “the Rise of the Mountain”- to manipulate the elements to perform various tasks and purposes. He uses this manipulation of the earth to fight, sense direction, and even obtain water. The use and development of this skill is interesting and does well in helping to describe the new landscapes that they encounter along the way.
The development of the ancillary characters is also well done. Misthell is funny, sarcastic and dry - adding a much needed comedy relief to this tale. Broken Fang is multi-faceted, strong, and resourceful. The scenes with her in it are by far the most intriguing. Her budding friendship with Eurik is endearing and adds dimension to an otherwise pretty straight-forward protagonist. Eurik, himself, falls a little flat as a lead character. While you understand his motives and the purpose of his journey, there is nothing else to really emotionally connect you to this seemingly nice guy.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I thought the ancillary characters were fun and interesting. The elemental manipulation was fascinating and I loved all the different ways that the author thought to incorporate it. Besides, who doesn’t love a little mystery right? The problem with this story, though, was that there was absolutely no resolution to the main mystery - who were Eurik’s parents, how did he end up with the San, and how did Misthell come to be? If you have read my other reviews, then you know that I am not a fan of a cliff hanger - and this story leaves you with just that. Fortunately for the reader “The Living Sword” sequel is already in print and while I have not yet read it, this story intrigued me enough to keep it in mind for a future review.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
I enjoyed this journey of self discovery, elemental manipulation, and world building. However, the story would have benefited from a more dynamic lead character and at least a hint of personal resolution for him as well.
Want to learn more about the author? Check out my interview with Pemry Janes:
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here
(paid link by Amazon Associates)
Interested in submitting your book for review? Visit my review page for guidelines and submission requirements.
