A review by dinibharadwaj
Deathknight by Andrew J. Offutt
3.0
Note: I received a free e-copy of the book via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review
Characters:
It features a dark-skinned protagonist and an asexual female main character, which I did not expect from a book so old. I really liked Jinnery and her journey, but the titular Deathknight, Falc, was less relatable. I had a few problems with the character because he thinks it is completely fine to be cruel to women and vocalises his threat to every other female character in the book but Jinnery. (I mean, Fifty Shades has left enough scars on literature.) Some of the side characters were memorable (like those on the farm) and I did enjoy even the horses (called dargs) had their own personality as well.
Plot and Setting:
The plot was nothing too complex, but I didn't see the twist coming, probably because I skim-read some parts. I'd say it was decent as best. However, the world-building is quite fascinating and would have been more so if there weren't long info-dump sections (I skipped quite a few), which slowed down the progress of the book. The world is well-built with a lot of details and there's a reference guide right at the beginning for the unfamiliar terms. My favourite place was the Temple for the O.M.O. - the description had me picturing a Buddhist monastery far up in the mountains in Asia.
Writing Style:
This is the reason I could give only 3 stars to this book. Of course, it's quite old and back then the writing was much more descriptive, but I just couldn't bring myself to like this. It is very detailed in the sense that even fight sequences take up pages and pages, with every little movement fleshed out. The history of the world is given to the reader in long ramblings that I felt compelled to skip just to get on with the story. The only part of the writing I appreciated was the philosophical thoughts and the intricate rituals - very characteristic of an order of the kind Falc is a part of and quite thought-provoking.
Conclusion:
The main character is a bit weird and the writing style is problematic, but the book does make up for it in stellar world-building and a very good female main character. If the unnecessary bits had been cut down and the book turned into a novella (perhaps a companion book to a series featuring Jinnery and the Daughters of Ashah?), it would have been a much better read.
Characters:
It features a dark-skinned protagonist and an asexual female main character, which I did not expect from a book so old. I really liked Jinnery and her journey, but the titular Deathknight, Falc, was less relatable. I had a few problems with the character because he thinks it is completely fine to be cruel to women and vocalises his threat to every other female character in the book but Jinnery. (I mean, Fifty Shades has left enough scars on literature.) Some of the side characters were memorable (like those on the farm) and I did enjoy even the horses (called dargs) had their own personality as well.
Plot and Setting:
The plot was nothing too complex, but I didn't see the twist coming, probably because I skim-read some parts. I'd say it was decent as best. However, the world-building is quite fascinating and would have been more so if there weren't long info-dump sections (I skipped quite a few), which slowed down the progress of the book. The world is well-built with a lot of details and there's a reference guide right at the beginning for the unfamiliar terms. My favourite place was the Temple for the O.M.O. - the description had me picturing a Buddhist monastery far up in the mountains in Asia.
Writing Style:
This is the reason I could give only 3 stars to this book. Of course, it's quite old and back then the writing was much more descriptive, but I just couldn't bring myself to like this. It is very detailed in the sense that even fight sequences take up pages and pages, with every little movement fleshed out. The history of the world is given to the reader in long ramblings that I felt compelled to skip just to get on with the story. The only part of the writing I appreciated was the philosophical thoughts and the intricate rituals - very characteristic of an order of the kind Falc is a part of and quite thought-provoking.
Conclusion:
The main character is a bit weird and the writing style is problematic, but the book does make up for it in stellar world-building and a very good female main character. If the unnecessary bits had been cut down and the book turned into a novella (perhaps a companion book to a series featuring Jinnery and the Daughters of Ashah?), it would have been a much better read.