Review: A Victim of the Popularity of the Genre
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 2, 2013
Yet another fantasy novel complete with dragons and warriors, wizards and princesses, Victims of Fate is the second book in the Blades of Leander series that follows young farm boy turned soldier Alto and the other heroes of Highpeek,Thankfully for author Jason Halstead I'm a sucker for a bit of sword and sorcery so was immediately drawn in to his magical narrative. With a number of complex yet intertwining storylines the book is a perfect example of it's genre, though it lacks the epic seriousness of something like George R,R Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, and the humour of Pratchett's classic Discworld novels it's a pleasant enough read for fantasy fans.Though I enjoyed the book, despite not having read its predecessor, I have to admit that it was a little unremarkable; stories of this nature are becoming more and more common these days and it takes something a bit special to make one really stand out and unfortunately Victims of Fate just doesn't have it. That's not to say it's not a good book, it's success clearly marked by the sheer fact that it's a sequel, and I won't deny that as a fan of the genre I may well revisit the Kingdom of Kelgyn - it's just that this book was the literature equivalent of an enjoyable pub lunch compared to the entrée of a Michelin star restaurant. I'd recommend the Child of and Victim of Fate books to those who find themselves kicking their heels while they wait for the next Martin novel.