A review by belleanndthebook
The Tempered Steel of Antiquity Grey by Shawn Speakman

adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This book was unexpectedly refreshing! I think that in the beginning I thought it would be quite a generic sci-fi story, but I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the world-building and of the story after the initial set-up chapters of the story. 
 
My single complaint is that there are a lot of old, wise mentor-type characters that the protagonists encounter who info-dump and then give the protagonists a quest that they “must uncover on their own” rather saying things outright. I think if it happened only once, it would be forgivable; however, that was not the case. 
 
I think that this is the type of story that many readers will just sit back and read for the enjoyment/escapism. However, I wanted to point out that there was also some explicit thematic commentary present in the story due the parallels to real-world politics in the Middle East. I have never read another SFF book inspired by modern day middle eastern politics, and I think that there are people who would enjoy the representation of those aspects in an SFF story. 
 
All-in-all, this is a very approachable book in the tradition of Star Wars, and I would recommend to both YA and adult audiences!

I'll be keeping an eye out for subsequent books in the series, and I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me the arc in exchange for an honest review!
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