Why I picked up this book:

I found this novella buried in an email filled with freebie books. The first thing that drew me to it was the amazing cover art. Rain, night, dreariness, and a lone soul with a sword. What more could any grimdark lover ask for? Although I downloaded it right away, it was another month before I was able to pick up the story. This is the first book I’ve read by Jacob Peppers.

This review may contain spoilers.

The Silent Blade

The Downs, the poor district of the city of Avarest, is home to cutthroats and thieves, pickpockets and prostitutes, all of whom pay tribute to one of two powerful crime bosses. It is also home to Aaron Envelar, a disillusioned sellsword known as the Silent Blade, who cares nothing for the criminal overlords or their schemes, who only wants to survive and make a little coin in the process. But when a group of unwitting thugs steal his mother’s necklace, the only link he has to his murdered parents, Aaron decides that sometimes gold isn’t enough—sometimes, blood is the only payment worth taking. And whatever else will come, this time, he will not be silent. After all, when you take everything from a man, what else does he have to lose?

     

What I loved:

Aaron’s character is amazing. Hardened, complex, but there’s a quiet dignity to everything he does, despite his prickly personality. From the moment he walked into Benjin’s tavern to the very last line, I wanted to be on an adventure with this character.

Areas needing a touch of refinement:

Grinner was the only character that felt a bit obscure. He’s this badass crime boss, but when he makes his appearance, he’s just very calm about everything. Almost placid. I think I would have liked to see a darker, more villainous streak out of this guy.

Overall:

This was a fantastic story, and the perfect length for a late-night read. For any readers that are on the fence about stepping from fantasy into a grimdark world, this is a perfect introduction. I enjoyed Peppers’ work immensely and can’t wait to follow Aaron Envelar in his next adventure.

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