Blood’s Pride
A generation has passed since the Norlanders’ great ships bore down on Shadar, and the Dead Ones slashed and burned the city into submission, enslaving the Shadari people.
Now the Norlander governor is dying and, as his three alienated children struggle against the crushing isolation of their lives, the Shadari rebels spot their opening and summon the Mongrel, a mysterious mercenary warrior who has never yet lost a battle. But her terms are unsettling: she will name her price only after the Norlanders have been defeated.
A single question is left for the Shadari: is there any price too high for freedom?
‘Evie Manieri has created a world so unique, and so beautifully crafted that I am struggling to compare her to anyone else . . . Blood’s Pride is one of the most exciting and original pieces of fantasy I’ve read in a long time’
bookmonkeyscribbles.wordpress.com
To say it’s complex is an understatement; the characters are wonderfully rich and diverse . . . It’s going to take some beating’
Falcata Times
Discuss
Roger Bellini @master_pastry
@master_pastry | www.adailydoseofrandr.comMarch 13, 2013
This book was one of four novels by debut authors that I was looking forward to reading in 2013, and after now having the privilege to read it, I can say it has far exceeded my already high hopes. Evie Manieri masterfully crafts a vast and lush world that I have no doubt will keep you flipping the pages of your book until you’re done!
The beginning of the book lays down a large foundation that can be hard to muddle through at first; however, I implore you to put in the time and follow through with the story as the payoff is well worth it. The large casts of characters are well fleshed out in the beginning portion of the story, which allows you to connect with them while reading and have a vested interest in their story arc. Also, I found myself grateful that once the action started rolling I was already accustomed to the character names due to the detail provided early on. This allowed relaxing, reading, and enjoying rather than focusing on keeping straight who was who.
The storyline is packed with juicy twists and turns that will keep you guessing and questioning those guesses until the very end. The seeds of the larger story are planted early on but are only able to be fully appreciated once the many pieces have been put together. Now don’t let this portion fool you into thinking this book is without action. It’s quite the contrary! Large portions of the book are filled to brim with conflict and sword fights that are quite enjoyable and wonderfully written. Evie does her readers a service by creating characters that can, and often do get broken. I always appreciate when the vulnerability of a character is made evident in the writing.
This is the type of title that you not only want to read, but you want your friends to read as well. Immediately after completing the book, I found myself with a strong desire to discuss portions with others; however, the grand scale of the story makes it a difficult one to be summarized briefly and I cannot bring myself to spoil such a wonderful story for someone else.
I have no doubt the name “Evie Manieri” will soon be a prolific name amongst fantasy readers very soon. Blood’s pride is the type of book that any fantasy fan would be glad to own, read and reread!
Quote this comment