Book Review | The Sword Defiant

The Sword Defiant by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan offers an interesting spin on classic epic fantasy, following what happens to a hero after their big quest.

Its main character is Aelfric—an aging, duty-bound knight—who once sealed away a powerful necromancer alongside his eight companions. However, when the necromancer appears to be freed once more, he tries to get the crew back together once more, but many of them have moved on from their adventuring days and a traitor may be in their midst …

While a lot of the tropes and world feels familiar (complete with paladins, dwarves, and elves), the author does throw some of his own unique ideas into the mix. For instance, I really adored the vatlings—Frankensteinian, leftover creations of the witch elves which were originally intended as food.

Also, one of the highlights of the book for me had to be the dynamics between Alf and Spellbreaker, a snarky demon sword that he swore to safeguard. It teeters the line between friend and foe (constantly leaving readers questioning whether or not it can be trusted) and helps Alf because it wishes to be wielded, yet it may have sinister motives of its own.

Overall, at its core, this is a wistfully nostalgic high fantasy that explores memory, trauma, and the inevitable passage of time, and I feel like if you loved the themes of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, you’ll have a good time with this one as well.

Thank you, Netgalley and Orbit, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Details:

Publication Date : May 2, 2023

Publisher : Orbit

ISBN: 0316537152

Pages : 608

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