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A review by booksbythewindow
Malice by John Gwynne
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
(Full review to come)
Summary: Malice follows the perspectives of multiple characters in a time where strange sightings are occurring and old creatures are re-emerging. The primary character is Corban, a teenager who is training to become a warrior in the midst of rising tensions across the Banished Lands and who may play a much greater role in the times to come than he is aware. Meanwhile Veradis, rising up the ranks to become first-sword to Prince Nathair, finds himself in an increasingly murky political landscape with allies and enemies that he did not expect. In the third major plotline, Kastell attempts to distance himself from his cousin Jael, leading him to join with warriors who plan to take on one of the biggest re-emerging threats: the giants.
Overall Thoughts: I found Malice to be an entertaining and absorbing novel with strong character voices and an interesting narrative. The three main plotlines, seen not only through the perspectives of Corban, Veradis, and Kastell, but a number of other characters in their vicinity, are very separate in the early parts of the novel, with strands of the narratives only coming together towards the end. The isolation of each narrative did create a bit of dissonance every time the perspective changed, particularly since I had characters that I enjoyed reading from and other characters that I was finding a little more frustrating. However, being able to see how Malice is setting up these narratives finally coming together in the future became more and more exciting as the novel continued, and it made me excited to read on in the series to see what happens next. I would recommend this for those who enjoy fantasy, but possibly not as a starting point for someone looking to get into fantasy. Overall, I’m glad that I have read Malice and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Summary: Malice follows the perspectives of multiple characters in a time where strange sightings are occurring and old creatures are re-emerging. The primary character is Corban, a teenager who is training to become a warrior in the midst of rising tensions across the Banished Lands and who may play a much greater role in the times to come than he is aware. Meanwhile Veradis, rising up the ranks to become first-sword to Prince Nathair, finds himself in an increasingly murky political landscape with allies and enemies that he did not expect. In the third major plotline, Kastell attempts to distance himself from his cousin Jael, leading him to join with warriors who plan to take on one of the biggest re-emerging threats: the giants.
Overall Thoughts: I found Malice to be an entertaining and absorbing novel with strong character voices and an interesting narrative. The three main plotlines, seen not only through the perspectives of Corban, Veradis, and Kastell, but a number of other characters in their vicinity, are very separate in the early parts of the novel, with strands of the narratives only coming together towards the end. The isolation of each narrative did create a bit of dissonance every time the perspective changed, particularly since I had characters that I enjoyed reading from and other characters that I was finding a little more frustrating. However, being able to see how Malice is setting up these narratives finally coming together in the future became more and more exciting as the novel continued, and it made me excited to read on in the series to see what happens next. I would recommend this for those who enjoy fantasy, but possibly not as a starting point for someone looking to get into fantasy. Overall, I’m glad that I have read Malice and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.