Mr. Matt's Reviews > The Blade Itself

There was a moment about 10-15% of the way into the book that I realized that The Blade Itself is something special. It is a rare treat of a book - so very good. It was simply a pleasure to read. Five unadulterated stars. No qualifiers. No caveats. Five stars.

First, the back drop: a storm is brewing, centered around the mighty, sprawling Union (a sort of more powerful, effective Holy Roman Empire of the high middle ages). To the north a new warlord has united the disunited tribes of the northlands and proclaimed himself King of the North, promising to bring war to the Union. To the south, a new, young, vigorous Emperor is plotting to drive the Union from the southern continent. And in the heart of the Union there is something not quite right.

This by itself is some pretty good stuff, but it struck me at the end of the book that thus far this storm is pretty much just growing. It is over the horizon until the very end when the wind begins to blow and the northern armies cross into the Union. I love stories that take their time. Stories that aren't in a rush to get to the action. Stories where the author lets tension build and build. The Blade Itself does this to perfection.

Related, the story has depth and complexity. It is a web that I struggled to untangle. There is something larger going on then war in the north or the south or even corruption in the Union. What is Bayaz' game? What is the first of the Magi after? All magic comes from below. Is there some connection with events in both north and south other than the obvious geo-political advantage of striking while the Union is already engaged? I love books that play hide and seek with me, that make me find what is hidden. Again, The Blade Itself does this to perfection. It hides the truth from me while giving me enough teases and hints to keep me wondering. I know something is going on. I just can't quite puzzle it out yet.

Scattered throughout this book are absolutely fantastic characters. The Inquisitor, Glokta, is one of the most compelling and intriguing people at the heart of a story. He is a torturer. He secures 'confessions' from people he knows are innocent, yet it is hard not to like him. There is something in him that humanizes him. He is not just a butcher like many of his fellow Inquisitors. All of the core characters are compelling and interesting - Logen Ninefingers, Jezal, all of them. These are living, breathing people with hopes, dreams, fears and desires.

On the subject of desire ... one of the parts of the book I enjoyed the most was the tension between Jezal Dan Luthar and Ardee, the younger sister of his superior officer, Collem West. The book perfectly captures the way that a woman can get under a man's skin and rattle him to his bones, undermining his confidence, and twisting his thinking. Jezal is infatuated with the dazzling young woman from the north - despite her common background. And the infatuation tortures him. Great stuff.

A truly great book. I can only hope that the other two in the series live up to the first.