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Swords And Scoundrels by Julia Knight
Jan. 6th, 2016 11:03 pmThe Blurb On The Back:
Two siblings.
Vocho and Kacha are champion duellists: a brother and sister known for the finest swordplay in the city of Reyes. Or at least they used to be – until they were thrown out of the Duellist’s Guild.
Outcasts for life … together.
As a last resort, they turn reluctant highwaymen. But when they pick the wrong carriage to rob and make off with an immense locked chest, the contents will bring them more than they’ve bargained for. Because they soon find themselves embroiled in a dangerous plot to return an angry king to power …
This can only mean trouble.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Julia Knight’s fantasy novel (the first in a trilogy) is an entertaining romp set in a post-revolution world that’s failed to achieve the social equality it promised and where there’s a tension between emerging clockwork technology (including clockwork weaponry) and the traditional sword skills used by people like Vocho and Kacha. The emotional heart of the story though lies in the sibling rivalry between Vocho and Kacha and how the envy that Vocho (who has spent his life being compared unfavourably to his sister) feels sometimes overwhelms his loyalty to her. Knight does particularly well at showing how this affects both of them while also using it as a way to drive the plot on and I particularly believed in how this makes them reluctant to confide in each other. Also well handled is Petri (Kacha’s love interest), a revolutionary who has lost faith in his revolution and is desperate for revenge against the Guild’s master but who also loves Kacha for who she is and I loved Knight’s take on blood magic and her sinister and manipulative magicians. Although the plot is largely driven by contrivance (characters being in the right place at the right time) the pacing is so exuberant that you don’t really notice it until you’ve finished it and certainly there’s more than enough here to make me read the second book.
Vocho and Kacha are champion duellists: a brother and sister known for the finest swordplay in the city of Reyes. Or at least they used to be – until they were thrown out of the Duellist’s Guild.
As a last resort, they turn reluctant highwaymen. But when they pick the wrong carriage to rob and make off with an immense locked chest, the contents will bring them more than they’ve bargained for. Because they soon find themselves embroiled in a dangerous plot to return an angry king to power …
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Julia Knight’s fantasy novel (the first in a trilogy) is an entertaining romp set in a post-revolution world that’s failed to achieve the social equality it promised and where there’s a tension between emerging clockwork technology (including clockwork weaponry) and the traditional sword skills used by people like Vocho and Kacha. The emotional heart of the story though lies in the sibling rivalry between Vocho and Kacha and how the envy that Vocho (who has spent his life being compared unfavourably to his sister) feels sometimes overwhelms his loyalty to her. Knight does particularly well at showing how this affects both of them while also using it as a way to drive the plot on and I particularly believed in how this makes them reluctant to confide in each other. Also well handled is Petri (Kacha’s love interest), a revolutionary who has lost faith in his revolution and is desperate for revenge against the Guild’s master but who also loves Kacha for who she is and I loved Knight’s take on blood magic and her sinister and manipulative magicians. Although the plot is largely driven by contrivance (characters being in the right place at the right time) the pacing is so exuberant that you don’t really notice it until you’ve finished it and certainly there’s more than enough here to make me read the second book.
