SON OF THE BLACK SWORD by Larry Correia
A review by INFAMOUS🦀
Larry Correia’s Son of the Black Sword is a book that has been on my radar for quite some time. When the author himself offered me a copy for review, needles to say I pushed this title to the top of my TBR list and frankly, thank you Larry for such a kind gesture. Much appreciated!
Having said that, we must keep it honest and we must keep it transparent when it comes to reviewing a book objectively and fairly, so here is my breakdown of what I overall believe to be a good fantasy/action book. Is it perfect? No. Are there things I feel could have done better? Absolutely.
ANOTHER ONE-DIMENSIONAL CHARACTER?
Had I read only the opening chapter I would have quickly misjudged the overall quality of this book because the main character, Ashok, is as interesting to read as a plank of wood. He is the epitome of a ‘Marty Stu’, an overly idealized character with little to no realistic limitations.
Whenever a Marty Stu is at the center of the narrative only one of two things can develop:
- The book will end up being a snooze fest of boring action scenes on top of action scenes with the hero mowing down bad guys after bad guys until we fall asleep
- The narrative will take an unexpected turn, becoming more story-driven than character-driven
When number 2 occurs, interesting things can develop because now it’s no longer about the unlimited power of the main character but it’s about the situations he is put in and how those situations will move the narrative in ways we, the readers, can thoroughly enjoy. I’m glad to say that this is exactly what takes place in this book.
PLOT:
Ashok Vadal is presented as a Protector of the Law, whose duty is to safeguard the law in a society divided in castes. The ‘casteless’ are part of the bottom of the barrel and they are not even considered human by the higher castes. This is an era in which the demon beasts have been casted out into the sea, but at times some of them will reemerge to claim blood. The Protectors make sure, among other things, that these demons are always pushed back into the waters of the sea.
Things take an abrupt turn when Ashok finds out that his mother was a casteless and therefore, he too is a casteless. All of a sudden everything he held true falls apart. In a very ingenious plan by the Inquisitors, he is forced to withdraw his status and alone with his black sword Angruvadal, ends up joining some rebels and fulfilling the prophecy of the Forgotten, a divine being many still believe in, who gives hope to the hearts of the casteless. But no longer being a Protector is a great disadvantage and all of a sudden Ashok finds himself hunted; every move he makes, terrible foes are ready to take his head off for he is wanted, along with his coveted sword.
FIGHT SCENES:
The fight scenes in this book are massive, and I’m talking ‘John Wick’ massive if you know what I mean! Ashok is a one-man army and can take down a lot of armed men before even getting a scratch! The choreography is neat and the vivid descriptions of each fight is very captivating.
MY ISSUES:
Some modern euphemisms in my opinion could have been avoided. For example lines like:
“I expected wanted posters for you at some point.”
‘Posters’ to me doesn’t sound very evocative and doesn’t gel well with this pre-industrialization fantasy world. What’s next? The casteless kids asking Ashok for his ‘autograph’?
I understand this book might want to appeal to a younger male audience but why assume that a younger male audience can only feel engaged when the language is modern and relatable? We live in a country where the rate of illiteracy is up, and most young people can’t even write a well-structured letter without the Internet. I think fiction should not fuel this trend but counter it by writing in more articulated English and clean up all the modern euphemisms that really do not belong in these stories.
CONCLUSIONS:
Overall, I like the book and I enjoyed the fact that the STORY to me was the real main draw rather than the main character. It goes to show that dull, one-dimensional characters CAN work when they are inserted in a good story with a solid plot. The action was great; the black sword kinda reminded me of Stormbringer, the sword in Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melnibone. This is more than a sword, it kind of has a mind of its own and Ashok, just like Elric, has an actual ‘connection’ with it that goes beyond the physical realm.
Other than the modern euphemisms I already mentioned, this is a well-written, well-edited book that can offer a great alternative to some of the atrocious fantasy content that is available out there currently.
Let us know what you think in the comment section below!
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