The bladed faith by David Dalglish

Name of Book: The Bladed Faith

Author: David Dalglish 

ISBN: 978-0-7595-5708-6

Publisher: Orbit

Part of a Series: Vagrant Gods

Type of book: fantasy, island kingdom, revenge, hidden prince, mask, motivations, religion, wars, destroyed gods, secrets, belief 

Year it was published: 2022

Summary:

A usurped prince prepares to take up the mantel of a deadly assassin and reclaim his kingdom, his people, and his slain gods in this epic fantasy from a USA Today bestselling author.

Cyrus was only twelve years old when his gods were slain, his country invaded, and his parents—the king and queen—beheaded in front of him. Held prisoner in the invader's court for years, Cyrus is suddenly given a chance to escape and claim his revenge when a mysterious group of revolutionaries comes looking for a figurehead. They need a hero to strike fear into the hearts of the imperial and to inspire and unite the people. They need someone to take up the skull mask and swords and to become the legendary "Vagrant"—an unparalleled hero and assassin of otherworldly skill. 

But all is not as it seems. Creating the illusion of a hero is the work of many, and Cyrus will soon discover the true price of his vengeance. 

Characters:

Main character includes Cyrus, a deposed prince who only desires the impossible: to have a peaceful life. He is determined, loyal and is into reading as well as learning. He is also principled and moral, refusing to cross over the lines even for a shortcut to gaining his kingdom. Thorda is best described as a PR man who has money, reputation and fame to help him hatch revolutions. He is also a talented fighter and was husband to the famous Skull-Amid-the-Trees and his homeland was also conquered by Everlorn Empire. Mari is the younger daughter who has talent for speaking to gods while Stasia is the older daughter who is a fierce fighter and who also loves and is dedicated to Clarissa. 

  
Theme:

Things aren't what they seem 

Plot:

The story is in third person narrative from a lot of characters views, primarily Cyrus, Mari, Stasia, although other characters such as Arn, or even evildoers also get a voice. I definitely have to say I am looking forward to future installments. The story begins with the fight between Cyrus' homeland of Thanet and Everlorn empire where Thanet loses and one of their gods, Endarius is slain. Cyrus' parents are also slain and he is forced to become a hostage. ( All of that happens in chapter one...) later on Cyrus meets up with revolutionaries who are attempting to crush Everlorn Empire on Thanet, but then there are secrets that they will dare to keep from Cyrus for daring to want the impossible.  

Author Information:

NA

Opinion:

There was plenty that I enjoyed about THE BLADED FAITH: the focus on power of religion as well as power of faith when it comes to being a speck in the midst of hostility, I also loved the ending pages of the story because wham! Things aren't what they seem and I do so hope that in the future installments the author will explore more of that. So yes, a pretty awesome read. The characters, minor or major are also a strong plus for me, and I would love to learn more about Mari and Stasia as well as their father and the culture they came from. However, there is something I feel that the author needs to work upon, and that is the relationships between some of the characters, namely establishing the relationships and connections that Cyrus will have with them because they didn't feel developed to me. Maybe a few more scenes where I can watch Cyrus bond with other characters? And yes, i really would love to know how Maris powers work because it didnt explain that. Other than that, an awesome story and a book.  

This was given for review

4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)