Skullsworn - Brian Staveley

Pyrre Lakatur doesn’t like the word skullsworn. It fails to capture the faith and grace, the peace and beauty of her devotion to the God of Death. She is not, to her mind, an assassin, not a murderer--she is a priestess. At least, she will be a priestess if she manages to pass her final trial.

The problem isn’t the killing. Pyrre has been killing and training to kill, studying with some of the most deadly men and women in the world, since she was eight. The problem, strangely, is love. To pass her Trial, Pyrre has ten days to kill the ten people enumerated in an ancient song, including "the one you love / who will not come again."

Pyrre is not sure she’s ever been in love. If she were a member of a different religious order, a less devoted, disciplined order, she might cheat. The Priests of Ananshael, however, don’t look kindly on cheaters. If Pyrre fails to find someone to love, or fails to kill that someone, they will give her to the god.

Pyrre’s not afraid to die, but she hates to quit, hates to fail, and so, with a month before her trial begins, she returns to the city of her birth, the place where she long ago offered an abusive father to the god and abandoned a battered brother—in the hope of finding love...and ending it on the edge of her sword.

My thoughts:

Ok I confess, I do not remember much of Pyrre from the series that happens after this book. But that is me, I forget things, I read too much. But would I read one page from that series it would all come back.

This happens before then. She is not a priestess yet. She has her trial to finish and damn the skullsworn are freaky things. All in awe of their Death God, willingly killing everyone and dying for their god. Her trial will have her kill, if they are innocent who cares. One she must kill is one she loves. Is this something she worries about? Not in the way you think. She does not love anyone and can't pass her test. That she would have to kill that person does not bother her one bit. But I like her, her sociopath cult is quite interesting.

The place where story takes place is even more interesting. A deadly place where everything will kill you. There are tiny spiders that kills you like that. I would so not even get near that place. But there are even more deadly things there and dang, that was even more interesting. I was all whaaat?!

I can't say more but...yes it gets good. Death, deadly things and romance? Haha if you call it that. She must find love after all. And everything throws you for a loop.

Conclusion:
A good story. Read it after or before the other series. It does not matter.

Cover
Good

Hardcover, 320 pages
Published April 20th 2017 by Tor
Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne 0
Fantasy
Library

The Last Mortal Bond - Brian Stavely

The ancient csestriim are back to finish their purge of humanity; armies march against the capital; leaches, solitary beings who draw power from the natural world to fuel their extraordinary abilities, maneuver on all sides to affect the outcome of the war; and capricious gods walk the earth in human guise with agendas of their own. 

But the three imperial siblings at the heart of it all--Valyn, Adare, and Kaden--come to understand that even if they survive the holocaust unleashed on their world, there may be no reconciling their conflicting visions of the future. 

My thoughts:

The world is going to hell, and that is the best part about fantasy worlds.

Adare is trying to be Emperor and keep Annur together. The Urghul are winning, and her general is not even human. I had totally forgotten that she was preggers too, and had a baby by now.

Then there is Kaden, who is a part of the newly formed republic, and those idiots are making a mess out of things. Oh the Urghul are attacking, but let's discuss it first...at great length. Idiots!

The third brother Valyn is blind and running around in the woods and is in a pit of darkness.

And I had some serious difficulties trusting people. The Cestriim are bad, but..?

The Gods are bad too, but at the same time not?

Valyn hates Adare.

Adare thinks Kaden is a fool.

Kaden is all peace.

Oh and then there is Gwenna who finds that the Kettral has gone to hell too and cleans it all up.

None stop action, conflicts, doubts, war and murder. I could not stop reading because I had to know at once how it would turn out. And I feared for them.

I must say, I reeeally like the Cestriim. Yes they are bad, but I like them.

Conclusion:

The end. I look forward to that new series now 

Hardcover, 652 pages
Published March 24th 2016 by Tor
Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne #3
Fantasy
Library

The Providence of Fire - Brian Staveley

War is coming, secrets multiply and betrayal waits in the wings...

The Annurian Empire's ruling family must be vigilant, as the conspiracy against them deepens. Having discovered her father's assassin, Adare flees the Dawn Palace in search of allies. But few trust her, until she seems marked by the people's goddess in an ordeal of flame.

As Adare struggles to unite Annur, unrest breeds rival armies - then barbarian hordes threaten to invade. And unknown to Adare, her brother Valyn has fallen in with forces mustering at the empire's borders. The terrible choices they face could make war between them inevitable.

Fighting his own battles is their brother Kaden, rightful heir to the Unhewn Throne, who has infiltrated the Annurian capital with two strange companions. While imperial forces prepare to defend a far-distant front, Kaden's actions could save the empire, or destroy it. 

My thoughts:

I liked this one better than book 1, book 1 was also good, just shaky at first. Here it all just flowed better.

First, I love everything I hear about the Csestrim (sp?). They are so evil and dark. Every time we get another tidbit I am all, ohhhh, are they all dead? Are some still around? They are so strange.

But back to the story. In this one Adare had a bigger part. She was hardly around in book 1. But here she is fleeing for her life, and getting in deeper.

Valyn found his brother in the last book and now he is trying to stay alive and figure out who is trying to kill them.

While the heir to the throne, Kaden, wants to find the mysterious monks that knows secrets long lost to the world.

They are all running and trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Who is after them. Who is trying to destroy the empire. And then a new enemy emerges too. Ohhh.

Adare, hm, I had difficulties with some of her choices. Valyn is all valour. Kaden, ok I get your ideas but for them to work, no chance.

And then more stuff happened and I was all whaaaat? No way, I did not see THAT coming.

Yup, this review is all over the place. We have action, intrigues and secrets. 

Conclusion:

At the end I wanted more, and darn it! I have to wait until 2016, sigh.

Cover

ok

Hardcover, UK edition, 606 pages
Published January 15th 2015 by Tor UK
Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne #2
Fantasy
Library

The emperor's blades - Brian Staveley

The circle is closing. The stakes are high. And old truths will live again . . .

The Emperor has been murdered, leaving the Annurian Empire in turmoil. Now his progeny must bury their grief and prepare to unmask a conspiracy.

His son Valyn, training for the empire’s deadliest fighting force, hears the news an ocean away. He expected a challenge, but after several ‘accidents’ and a dying soldier’s warning, he realizes his life is also in danger. Yet before Valyn can take action, he must survive the mercenaries’ brutal final initiation.

Meanwhile, the Emperor’s daughter, Minister Adare, hunts her father’s murderer in the capital itself. Court politics can be fatal, but she needs justice. And Kaden, heir to an empire, studies in a remote monastery. Here, the Blank God’s disciples teach their harsh ways – which Kaden must master to unlock their ancient powers. When an imperial delegation arrives, he’s learnt enough to perceive evil intent. But will this keep him alive, as long-hidden powers make their move? 

My thoughts:

I did feel it started of a bit shaky, not shaky bad, just not..awesome. Ok that sounds weird, but you know it's when someone tells you the book is gonna be awesome and you expect it from the start. But as I got to know the characters the book got better and better.

But, honestly was is necessary to use the swear word kent-kissing on every page?! I have nothing against swear words but it was overkill. Moving on.

There are 3 main characters, but the sister, Adare only got a few pages, so I do not know her at all. Disappointing.

Valyn, the 2nd son has been training for 8 years. A tough shitty life with some mean ass soldiers. And now he wonders if someone is after him. He seemed a bit dumb at times but he grows, I liked him.

The heir to the throne Kaden was sent to the mountains to train with some crazy ass monks who had him working hard. He was smart, he thought about things, I liked him. 

The best part though was the first 2 pages, intriguing stuff right there. The whole world building is interesting, I do want to learn more.

Conclusion:

And at the end, yes I want to read book 2

Cover

ok

Hardcover, 480 pages
Published January 14th 2014 by Tor Books
Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne #1
Fantasy
Library