Review: Unique and Engaging Sword & Sorcery Tale
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 28, 2011
"The Blacksmith's Daughter" started out promising and never disappointed.  In the protagonist, Enith, you have an unconventional, pint-sized heroine you can root for the whole way through. She's plucky and can swing a sword, but she's still emotionally vulnerable.  I really enjoyed her sense of quiet competence, especially when contrasted with the more flighty Juliana.  As the story progresses, Enith begins to discover who she is--as a woman as well as someone with extraordinary talents. I loved the character of Acwellen, who rises to the challenge of having been thrust into a situation not entirely of his making.  He's a noble man, willing to look beyond the obvious to see the beauty within.  I also became fond of Acwellen's friend, Nerian.  He started out thorny, but grew on me.  I hope to see more of his story in the sequel.Cole lifts "The Blacksmith's Daughter" out of the ordinary sword and sorcery trope by crafting unique characters that are interesting and engaging. The combat scenes were handled well.  Kudos to Arley Cole.  My son, 13, devoured the novel in one sitting, and begged me for the sequel.