llmacrae's review against another edition
5.0
I love when things are not what they seem - especially in a negative way. It might sound kind of counter intuitive, but I like to see “this is how things have always been” shown for what they really are (no matter how dark), and broken down. The truth will out!
This story has a very different tone to all the other Yarnsworld books. It was almost off-putting at the start, because it’s so different from what I had come to expect, but it does a great job of helping to set the tone. Of showcasing who these characters are, what is important to them, and overall worldbuilding.
It takes place in the city of Espadapan and in the surrounding Wilds, and it couldn’t be further from the Cresent Atol or the Magpie King’s Forest if it tried. It’s certainly in the shared universe, with plenty of crossover elements, but it is a completely separate story that holds its own.
Although there are many characters, the three most prominent are Arturo, a somewhat wet-behind-the ears youth who comes to the City of Swords (called Espadapan), driven by hopes and dreams. He wishes to join the famed Bravadori - skilled swords people who fight for the queen, protect the city, and are distinguished from the rest of the populace by various animal masks.
The second is Crazy Racoon, one of the said bravadori - in fact a legend among them. As befitting celebrities, Crazy Racoon is pompous, arrogant, aggressive, rude, and full of insecurities. He has done despicable things and does plenty more during the book, yet through his POV chapters we come to understand and even sympathise with him.
The third is Yizel, a shamed bravadori referred to as a Shaven (for obvious reasons). She was by far my favourite character.
All three characters cross paths and end up on a sort of mission to help a man from The Wilds, though they each have their own reasons for doing so. Throw in some typical Yarnsworld magic, beasts, curses, and general darkness, and you have a recipe for another superb fantasy read.
There are so many themes in this book. Redemption. Honour. Bravery. Doing what’s right. Altruism vs. selfishness. But none of these are ever too on-the-nose. It’s always subtle, in keeping with characters or the world.
Benedict Patrick is a fantastic storyteller. I’ve now binged all the available Yarnsworld books on audio (the narrator, Derek Perkins, is superb in every book) with good reason. He masterfully blends legends, folklore, fantasy, mythology, epic characters, incredible world building, and well-written, brilliantly-paced plots. There are plenty of twists and turns, action sequences, battles, moments of tension and extreme stress. If you want a quick, edge-of-your-seat read that’s not the “norm” for fantasy, pick up this book.
Then pick up the other Yarnsworld books.
All in all, another superb five star read.
This story has a very different tone to all the other Yarnsworld books. It was almost off-putting at the start, because it’s so different from what I had come to expect, but it does a great job of helping to set the tone. Of showcasing who these characters are, what is important to them, and overall worldbuilding.
It takes place in the city of Espadapan and in the surrounding Wilds, and it couldn’t be further from the Cresent Atol or the Magpie King’s Forest if it tried. It’s certainly in the shared universe, with plenty of crossover elements, but it is a completely separate story that holds its own.
Although there are many characters, the three most prominent are Arturo, a somewhat wet-behind-the ears youth who comes to the City of Swords (called Espadapan), driven by hopes and dreams. He wishes to join the famed Bravadori - skilled swords people who fight for the queen, protect the city, and are distinguished from the rest of the populace by various animal masks.
The second is Crazy Racoon, one of the said bravadori - in fact a legend among them. As befitting celebrities, Crazy Racoon is pompous, arrogant, aggressive, rude, and full of insecurities. He has done despicable things and does plenty more during the book, yet through his POV chapters we come to understand and even sympathise with him.
The third is Yizel, a shamed bravadori referred to as a Shaven (for obvious reasons). She was by far my favourite character.
All three characters cross paths and end up on a sort of mission to help a man from The Wilds, though they each have their own reasons for doing so. Throw in some typical Yarnsworld magic, beasts, curses, and general darkness, and you have a recipe for another superb fantasy read.
There are so many themes in this book. Redemption. Honour. Bravery. Doing what’s right. Altruism vs. selfishness. But none of these are ever too on-the-nose. It’s always subtle, in keeping with characters or the world.
Benedict Patrick is a fantastic storyteller. I’ve now binged all the available Yarnsworld books on audio (the narrator, Derek Perkins, is superb in every book) with good reason. He masterfully blends legends, folklore, fantasy, mythology, epic characters, incredible world building, and well-written, brilliantly-paced plots. There are plenty of twists and turns, action sequences, battles, moments of tension and extreme stress. If you want a quick, edge-of-your-seat read that’s not the “norm” for fantasy, pick up this book.
Then pick up the other Yarnsworld books.
All in all, another superb five star read.
feelingferal's review
5.0
IMO, the best summary comes from the author’s afterword:
“City of Swords is a book about heroes. Not heroes in the style of Swords & Sorcery stories. There’s no Conan in here to save the day with a flex of his muscles and a swing of his sword (although Crazy Raccoon would certainly cast himself in that role if he could). Instead, this book is about heroes as inspiration, something impossible to aspire to, but something inevitably unobtainable.”
“City of Swords is a book about heroes. Not heroes in the style of Swords & Sorcery stories. There’s no Conan in here to save the day with a flex of his muscles and a swing of his sword (although Crazy Raccoon would certainly cast himself in that role if he could). Instead, this book is about heroes as inspiration, something impossible to aspire to, but something inevitably unobtainable.”
liisp_cvr2cvr's review
5.0
Let’s face it, any good story has a good dose of corrupted cream of the crop, high ambitions by the already successful and the shunned, and easily discernible character development. TBFSftCoS has all of that PLUS the wonderful addition of folktale element which adds so much richness to the already wonderful fantasy story being told.
TBFSftCoS is a novel that holds many qualities- a fantastic storytelling (and Patrick has been solid in his writing from book 1 through to book 3 in the Yarnsworld series), great cast of characters and worldbuilding, inspired by the many unique corners of our world to rival the many loved fantasy titles across the globe. Eloquent swordfight/action scenes, eerie moments worthy and demanding of a campfire and characters entirely too human in the ways they err.
This book explores the world of Bravadori in the city of Espadapan and the wild folk in the surrounding Wildlands. The background for both is entirely too rich to be able to give you a brief summary without ruining your future reading experience. The only thing I would say is that there is a clash of the ‘old ways’ with the ‘new’ causing a shift in religion, culture and ways of life.
The Bravadori, I would say, are like Musketeers. Except the Musketeers are actually, you know, nice, whereas Bravadori all seem to be equally and altogether too arrogant to deserve their high standings in the society. But as I said in the beginning- every good story has it’s fair share of corruption and egotistical goals. The Bravadori were not always thugs, though… Those living further away from Espadapan have heard great tales about some Bravadori legends like El Elephante, Silent Sparrow or Roaming Iguana…
*yep, there are a lot of funky names in this story!*
Arturo, having discovered his knack for swordfighting, has travelled to Espadapan to join the Bravadori and prove himself to his family. His innocence and naivety is met with a different world than what he expected. Especially when he fails to provoke any stable of various Bravadori to offer aid to a village out in the wild being attacked by bandits.
*fyi, if you have not yet heard or read of the Yarnsworld series, then knacks are one of the underlying themes. A knack is something that any character develops during their lifetime, be it fighting, cooking, smithing, singing, etc. Finding one’s knack is like finding a reason to live.*
Arturo’s path crosses with Yizel who is a Shaven (a shunned Bravador) and Crazy Raccoon (one of the most feared Bravador’s out there). Through unexpected circumstances, the three characters end up clashing and brought together on a risky journey. A journey which tests everyone’s steely nerves, a journey for which each of the characters envisions a self-serving outcome, a journey which takes a more deadlier turn that any of them ever expected.
Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords is not only a standalone novel in the Yarnsworld series, it completely stands apart from Patrick’s previous novels (even though each of the 3 books this far are equally epic in their own right!) with the grittier, more foulmouthed tone. It’s not overdone by any means… Instead, it’s a treat for any fantasy lover who enjoys a good curse and a slightly more grim, morbid reading experience.
I can easily, without any hesitation recommend all and any of the books in the Yarnsworld series by Benedict Patrick. I promise you, you will be swept away by the engaging storytelling and the arresting folktales that pepper each and every book and … ‘Queen’s tits‘, I cannot wait to see where Patrick will take me next with his stories…
Flowers of ash were falling from the dark indents that were the creature’s eyes. The flowers fell every time the creature sobbed. For – and the farmer had known this as soon as his wife had crumbled to dust – it was the Black Shepherdess who had come to visit him that night.
TBFSftCoS is a novel that holds many qualities- a fantastic storytelling (and Patrick has been solid in his writing from book 1 through to book 3 in the Yarnsworld series), great cast of characters and worldbuilding, inspired by the many unique corners of our world to rival the many loved fantasy titles across the globe. Eloquent swordfight/action scenes, eerie moments worthy and demanding of a campfire and characters entirely too human in the ways they err.
This book explores the world of Bravadori in the city of Espadapan and the wild folk in the surrounding Wildlands. The background for both is entirely too rich to be able to give you a brief summary without ruining your future reading experience. The only thing I would say is that there is a clash of the ‘old ways’ with the ‘new’ causing a shift in religion, culture and ways of life.
Our tale begins in the early days, when the Muridae had first come to the Wilds. Those brave travellers has stepped off their boats, amazed at the vastness of the new lands they had discovered for their Queen. Imagine their surprise when they discovered a people already living in these lands, claiming it as their own.
The Bravadori, I would say, are like Musketeers. Except the Musketeers are actually, you know, nice, whereas Bravadori all seem to be equally and altogether too arrogant to deserve their high standings in the society. But as I said in the beginning- every good story has it’s fair share of corruption and egotistical goals. The Bravadori were not always thugs, though… Those living further away from Espadapan have heard great tales about some Bravadori legends like El Elephante, Silent Sparrow or Roaming Iguana…
*yep, there are a lot of funky names in this story!*
Arturo, having discovered his knack for swordfighting, has travelled to Espadapan to join the Bravadori and prove himself to his family. His innocence and naivety is met with a different world than what he expected. Especially when he fails to provoke any stable of various Bravadori to offer aid to a village out in the wild being attacked by bandits.
*fyi, if you have not yet heard or read of the Yarnsworld series, then knacks are one of the underlying themes. A knack is something that any character develops during their lifetime, be it fighting, cooking, smithing, singing, etc. Finding one’s knack is like finding a reason to live.*
Arturo’s path crosses with Yizel who is a Shaven (a shunned Bravador) and Crazy Raccoon (one of the most feared Bravador’s out there). Through unexpected circumstances, the three characters end up clashing and brought together on a risky journey. A journey which tests everyone’s steely nerves, a journey for which each of the characters envisions a self-serving outcome, a journey which takes a more deadlier turn that any of them ever expected.
It is not often Crazy Raccoon got to see something like that, to see hope die so clearly on someone’s face. It wasn’t dissimilar to the moment when someone’s soul left their body after being impaled on the end of a sword.
Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords is not only a standalone novel in the Yarnsworld series, it completely stands apart from Patrick’s previous novels (even though each of the 3 books this far are equally epic in their own right!) with the grittier, more foulmouthed tone. It’s not overdone by any means… Instead, it’s a treat for any fantasy lover who enjoys a good curse and a slightly more grim, morbid reading experience.
It only takes dedication and a pure heart to achieve something amazing.
I can easily, without any hesitation recommend all and any of the books in the Yarnsworld series by Benedict Patrick. I promise you, you will be swept away by the engaging storytelling and the arresting folktales that pepper each and every book and … ‘Queen’s tits‘, I cannot wait to see where Patrick will take me next with his stories…
nathan_towns's review
5.0
What a delightful book. I love how each of the Yarnsworld books takes inspiration from real-life folklore of a different culture. This one has a distinct "New World" feel, especially inspired by Mexican folklore and other central american myths.
I still think Where the Waters Turn Black is my favorite of Patrick's novels but each is delightful in its own way.
I still think Where the Waters Turn Black is my favorite of Patrick's novels but each is delightful in its own way.
queenterribletimy's review
4.0
I received an ARC from the author in exchange of a honest review
The full review with some extras as usual can be found on my blog!
Arturo just arrived to the city Espadapan, with the intention of joining the Bravadori, the famous swordsmen, whose legends are widely known, and whose main job to keep the order and save the people from any danger. Arturo want’s nothing more than to be one of the brave, untouchable heroes he dreamed about as a child. Although soon he has to learn the legends and the reality not always walk hand in hand. Not long after arriving to the city he finds myself in the middle of an adventure, with the most unlikely companions: Crazy Raccoon, member of the Lion’s Paw, legendary hero who never lost in a fight and whose mere presence can stop a fight; Yizel, the maskless Bravador – every Bravador wears a mask, representing his/her group, unless he/she commits a crime which is punished by taking the mask and live as Shaven, living from day-to-day if they get hired for a job. Both of them change a lot during the story, their character arcs are pretty well written. Arturo himself reminded me a bit of young d’Artagnan, being hotheaded, full of hopes and ideals.
Besides the main characters, Benedict Patrick introduces a few really interesting side ones, who happened to be my favorite ones: Gavrilla, the Queen’s Bride, who helps out Arturo when he seems to be lost in the city. She has that kind of humor I like and also a rebelling personality. If Patrick ever comes back to visit this part of the Yarnsworld, I really hope Gavrilla will make an appearance. The other significant side characters are the Shepherdess and Procopio, whose story runs parallel to our heroes’. As usual, the short folk tales accompanying the main story shed some light on past happenings, which led to the current situation. But the hints might be not so subtle this time, if someone pays attention, can foresee some of the twists.
Benedict Patrick’s writing style is flawless and every character comes alive on the pages. His world is vivid, his imagination is endless, his creatures are unique, his descriptions picture like. One can easily lose himself/herself in the city of Espadapan which has a mediterranean feel to it. It’s a pity we don’t spend nearly enough time there to properly discover its streets, and population. Despite the obvious writing skills Patrick has, for some reasons this time his magic is not working so well. The characters although well fleshed out, felt a bit flat and their actions were predictable, the twists weren’t all that surprising as they should have been, and the last fight scene a bit too rushed. Although the creative swearing made up for all the flaws a bit. Some of them was pretty hilarious and found myself snorting out loud.
Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords is Zorro meets The Three Musketeers. It has adventure, exciting sword fights, clashing morals. The reckless youthfulness meets the wise seasoned fighter and sets sparkles. And of course there is no Benedict Patrick novel without rich mythology and folklore to make the Yarnsworld a place you’d like to visit. Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords is a tale about heroes, braveness, selflessness, sorrow, revenge, regrets and chances to begin again. Its tone is different from the other Yarnsworld books, so if you are looking something fun and action packed then this book will be perfect for you!
The full review with some extras as usual can be found on my blog!
Arturo just arrived to the city Espadapan, with the intention of joining the Bravadori, the famous swordsmen, whose legends are widely known, and whose main job to keep the order and save the people from any danger. Arturo want’s nothing more than to be one of the brave, untouchable heroes he dreamed about as a child. Although soon he has to learn the legends and the reality not always walk hand in hand. Not long after arriving to the city he finds myself in the middle of an adventure, with the most unlikely companions: Crazy Raccoon, member of the Lion’s Paw, legendary hero who never lost in a fight and whose mere presence can stop a fight; Yizel, the maskless Bravador – every Bravador wears a mask, representing his/her group, unless he/she commits a crime which is punished by taking the mask and live as Shaven, living from day-to-day if they get hired for a job. Both of them change a lot during the story, their character arcs are pretty well written. Arturo himself reminded me a bit of young d’Artagnan, being hotheaded, full of hopes and ideals.
Besides the main characters, Benedict Patrick introduces a few really interesting side ones, who happened to be my favorite ones: Gavrilla, the Queen’s Bride, who helps out Arturo when he seems to be lost in the city. She has that kind of humor I like and also a rebelling personality. If Patrick ever comes back to visit this part of the Yarnsworld, I really hope Gavrilla will make an appearance. The other significant side characters are the Shepherdess and Procopio, whose story runs parallel to our heroes’. As usual, the short folk tales accompanying the main story shed some light on past happenings, which led to the current situation. But the hints might be not so subtle this time, if someone pays attention, can foresee some of the twists.
Benedict Patrick’s writing style is flawless and every character comes alive on the pages. His world is vivid, his imagination is endless, his creatures are unique, his descriptions picture like. One can easily lose himself/herself in the city of Espadapan which has a mediterranean feel to it. It’s a pity we don’t spend nearly enough time there to properly discover its streets, and population. Despite the obvious writing skills Patrick has, for some reasons this time his magic is not working so well. The characters although well fleshed out, felt a bit flat and their actions were predictable, the twists weren’t all that surprising as they should have been, and the last fight scene a bit too rushed. Although the creative swearing made up for all the flaws a bit. Some of them was pretty hilarious and found myself snorting out loud.
Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords is Zorro meets The Three Musketeers. It has adventure, exciting sword fights, clashing morals. The reckless youthfulness meets the wise seasoned fighter and sets sparkles. And of course there is no Benedict Patrick novel without rich mythology and folklore to make the Yarnsworld a place you’d like to visit. Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords is a tale about heroes, braveness, selflessness, sorrow, revenge, regrets and chances to begin again. Its tone is different from the other Yarnsworld books, so if you are looking something fun and action packed then this book will be perfect for you!
llmacrae's review
5.0
I love when things are not what they seem - especially in a negative way. It might sound kind of counter intuitive, but I like to see “this is how things have always been” shown for what they really are (no matter how dark), and broken down. The truth will out!
This story has a very different tone to all the other Yarnsworld books. It was almost off-putting at the start, because it’s so different from what I had come to expect, but it does a great job of helping to set the tone. Of showcasing who these characters are, what is important to them, and overall worldbuilding.
It takes place in the city of Espadapan and in the surrounding Wilds, and it couldn’t be further from the Cresent Atol or the Magpie King’s Forest if it tried. It’s certainly in the shared universe, with plenty of crossover elements, but it is a completely separate story that holds its own.
Although there are many characters, the three most prominent are Arturo, a somewhat wet-behind-the ears youth who comes to the City of Swords (called Espadapan), driven by hopes and dreams. He wishes to join the famed Bravadori - skilled swords people who fight for the queen, protect the city, and are distinguished from the rest of the populace by various animal masks.
The second is Crazy Racoon, one of the said bravadori - in fact a legend among them. As befitting celebrities, Crazy Racoon is pompous, arrogant, aggressive, rude, and full of insecurities. He has done despicable things and does plenty more during the book, yet through his POV chapters we come to understand and even sympathise with him.
The third is Yizel, a shamed bravadori referred to as a Shaven (for obvious reasons). She was by far my favourite character.
All three characters cross paths and end up on a sort of mission to help a man from The Wilds, though they each have their own reasons for doing so. Throw in some typical Yarnsworld magic, beasts, curses, and general darkness, and you have a recipe for another superb fantasy read.
There are so many themes in this book. Redemption. Honour. Bravery. Doing what’s right. Altruism vs. selfishness. But none of these are ever too on-the-nose. It’s always subtle, in keeping with characters or the world.
Benedict Patrick is a fantastic storyteller. I’ve now binged all the available Yarnsworld books on audio (the narrator, Derek Perkins, is superb in every book) with good reason. He masterfully blends legends, folklore, fantasy, mythology, epic characters, incredible world building, and well-written, brilliantly-paced plots. There are plenty of twists and turns, action sequences, battles, moments of tension and extreme stress. If you want a quick, edge-of-your-seat read that’s not the “norm” for fantasy, pick up this book.
Then pick up the other Yarnsworld books.
All in all, another superb five star read.
This story has a very different tone to all the other Yarnsworld books. It was almost off-putting at the start, because it’s so different from what I had come to expect, but it does a great job of helping to set the tone. Of showcasing who these characters are, what is important to them, and overall worldbuilding.
It takes place in the city of Espadapan and in the surrounding Wilds, and it couldn’t be further from the Cresent Atol or the Magpie King’s Forest if it tried. It’s certainly in the shared universe, with plenty of crossover elements, but it is a completely separate story that holds its own.
Although there are many characters, the three most prominent are Arturo, a somewhat wet-behind-the ears youth who comes to the City of Swords (called Espadapan), driven by hopes and dreams. He wishes to join the famed Bravadori - skilled swords people who fight for the queen, protect the city, and are distinguished from the rest of the populace by various animal masks.
The second is Crazy Racoon, one of the said bravadori - in fact a legend among them. As befitting celebrities, Crazy Racoon is pompous, arrogant, aggressive, rude, and full of insecurities. He has done despicable things and does plenty more during the book, yet through his POV chapters we come to understand and even sympathise with him.
The third is Yizel, a shamed bravadori referred to as a Shaven (for obvious reasons). She was by far my favourite character.
All three characters cross paths and end up on a sort of mission to help a man from The Wilds, though they each have their own reasons for doing so. Throw in some typical Yarnsworld magic, beasts, curses, and general darkness, and you have a recipe for another superb fantasy read.
There are so many themes in this book. Redemption. Honour. Bravery. Doing what’s right. Altruism vs. selfishness. But none of these are ever too on-the-nose. It’s always subtle, in keeping with characters or the world.
Benedict Patrick is a fantastic storyteller. I’ve now binged all the available Yarnsworld books on audio (the narrator, Derek Perkins, is superb in every book) with good reason. He masterfully blends legends, folklore, fantasy, mythology, epic characters, incredible world building, and well-written, brilliantly-paced plots. There are plenty of twists and turns, action sequences, battles, moments of tension and extreme stress. If you want a quick, edge-of-your-seat read that’s not the “norm” for fantasy, pick up this book.
Then pick up the other Yarnsworld books.
All in all, another superb five star read.
teacupandsaucer's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
teapoweredrobot's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25