THE EMBER BLADE

I fully expected my attention to wander long before the conclusion of The Ember Blade. It's a rare writer indeed who can sustain excitement, intrigue and suspense over 800 pages, but Mr Woodling does so with aplomb.Well drawn and interesting characters combined with a fascinating world are part of it, but excellent pacing and writing round off the package to make this one of the best fantasy novels I've read all year. Not as dark as some, but after finishing the (also excellent) Gutter Prayer I was ready for some something slightly more uplifting. One for fans of James Islington or Brandon Sanderson for sure, but there's plenty of entertainment to be had even for those who (like me) tend to lean towards Grimdark.Thoroughly enjoyable to the end, and the greatest compliment I can give is that despite the voluminous length, I was never bored. Highly recommended.

I must start by saying I am that I am a huge fan of Chris Wooding's work. I have read "The Fade", "The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray" and my favourite, the "Ketty Jay" series. All of the books were, in my opinion, original and very enjoyable.The Ember Blade didn't hit the mark for me. It felt like it was hugely padded out and could probably have benefited from losing a couple of hundred pages. I must admit to not having been a young adult for several decades but I found the story moved along very slowly and was very predictable. The characters were two dimensional and so I didn't really care what happened to them. The dialogue felt wrong too. It feels like it is set in a medieval age and yet the language was very modern, especially between the two main characters in the story.I pre-ordered this book about when it was first listed (more than 2 years ago) so waited with anticipation through a couple of long delays by which point my hopes were quite high. Must also add the I purchased without realizing it was a YA book but that shouldn't make that much of a difference to a rip roaringly good story.I really, really wanted to like this book but it doesn't come close to the Ketty Jay series (Which I have read three times and probably listen to as an audio book every year for the last 8 years).Won't be bothering with book 2.BTW If on the off chance Chis Wooding reads this, I apologise for being so negative. Please can you release the other 3 Ketty Jay books on Audible?

Spoiler-Free The Ember Blade Book ReviewIf you are looking for a modern fantasy book with the feel of a classic epic fantasy adventure, The Ember Blade by Chris Wooding is for you! I devoured this book and could not stop reading until it was finished.Fast-Paced PlotThe pacing of The Ember Blade is fantastic, with the stakes continuing to rise throughout the book. It was almost impossible to put this down, especially at the end of a chapter, when I just had to start the next one to know what happened next.What I loved the most about the plot, though, was its unpredictability. This might feel somewhat like a classic fantasy tale, but the themes, tone and atmosphere are quite modern when it comes to character work - and you truly never know if a character is going to make it to the next page alive.Great CharactersFollowing Aren and Cade from Shoal Point on their incredible journey was gripping. They were wonderfully written, with depth and complexity.They begin the main plot of the story in a tragic way, but seeing them struggle and cope was inspiring. If you want good examples of complex, strong characters in fantasy, look no further.WorldbuildingI love my fantasy books to have as much worldbuilding as possible - that’s why I read so many huge books and series, because there is enough space for all that exploration. We are certainly given plenty of time to soak in the world in The Ember Blade.There are no huge paragraphs and pages of exposition - the worldbuilding is naturally woven within the plot. The depth of the cultures, religion, gender roles and racial discrimination was astounding, and I enjoyed every minute of it, soaking it all up!Final ThoughtsThe Ember Blade is perfect for all fantasy fans. Whether you prefer modern fantasy like Brandon Sanderson, or the classics like David Eddings, there is a great balance between the two styles.I’m excited for book 2, and can’t wait to see where this story goes.

The Ember Blade starts a little slow, taking its time to introduce the central characters in their day to day rather than thrusting them straight into the action. This works well, as at first glance they are your traditional earnest and strong-willed youth and his wisecracking, upbeat, and slightly uglier best friend, but their quirks and foibles are nicely revealed, so that when the action starts I felt it was happening to friends rather than to random characters.Once the action starts, it doesn't really let up, which is critical for a book of this length. It has everything from arduous journeys, thrilling chases, fun heists, and of excellent fight sequences. The more I read, the more I enjoyed the book and would happily recommend it to anyone looking for well written epic fantasy. Kudos to the author and publishers for recognising that there is still a market for slow starting doorstops!**If they're done well!

I loved it.The story makes you feel you’ve strapped yourself into a roller coaster which starts slowly and adds a little bit of menace with an early shocking incident. You have a feeling about what might be coming. Then, as you correctly suspected, it starts to pick up the pace. After quite a way in, the equivalent of gaining a few hundred metres of height, the brakes come off and the story plunges and juggernauts you headlong into adventure, mortal danger, heroism, friendship and change. Strap in and hold on tight.Maybe it shouldn’t be but my favourite character is Grub. He develops charisma and has a lot of the best lines. He’s a dude. I have a good feeling about Grub’s adventures in the second book.