The Cambridge Geek

The Court of Broken Knives
Anna Smith Spark - The Court of Broken Knives

Ooh, this is "grimdark" done very very well. I don't like any of the characters, and I get really upset every time one of them dies. That is impressive. I am more than a little miffed I'm not going to get a sequel for some time.

Just to tell you a bit about the book, it's a semi-dystopian medieval world, with fantasy elements that tend to be on the extremities of the world, rather than being a common part of it. For example, mages exist, but are very rare, and not the sort of thing the common man ever expects to see. Same for dragons.

The blood of dragons runs through our "hero", Marith, who is descended from the world's last great emperor, who strode the globe and broke most of it in half. He's honestly not very likable, being prone to bursts of psychotic behaviour and drug fueled binges to cope with the regret. And a bit too fond of killing, which resulted in his denouncement by his family. But I really want to know whether he's going to find himself redeemed by Thalia, a defrocked High Priestess (who has probably got more blood on her hands than he does) or slaughtered brutally in response to one of his more extreme actions. He's perhaps best described simply as a "protagonist", rather than a hero.

This personal conflict is set against the background of wider political upheaval, the destruction of nobility and assassination, organised by Orhan, who fears the death of his city and country under an incompetent idiot. He's not very nice either. Nor is the person he's trying to kill. But they're all so compelling.

Seriously. One of my most enjoyed books of the year so far.

Highly recommended.

Tagged: Book Fantasy Grimdark Novel Print