Synopsis
His name is not worthy.
A traitor is executed, his name ripped away from history. Now the kingdom stands on the brink of a succession war that could bring the country to its knees. Forces stalk the darkness, moving pawns into place in a deadly game.
Gehrin and his brothers were not meant to witness the execution, but now they find themselves trapped in the center of a political quagmire. When Gehrin faces the loss of everything he knows, will he also lose himself?
To the south, tribal warlords clash in an endless cycle of violence. Syndri, the daughter of a chieftain, kills for the honor of her people. An alliance with a foreign queen offers the power to unite the tribes, but at what cost?
Someday, history will remember them as legends.
Review
A murdered prince. The betrayal by one sworn to protect him. A grieving king. Three brothers, sons of a powerful royal advisor. A beloved mentor. A warrior tribe out on the distant steppes.
Blood Stones is nearly perfect, the storytelling impeccable. I was instantly drawn into the drama of the world as betrayal and consequences unfold before our eyes.
This story has many aspects and many moods. Brutal, unforgiving, sweet, and tender. The story opens to a graphic scene of justice. We immediately wonder who will succeed the murdered prince, the last living heir to the king. Political intrigue immediately imposes itself on three young boys, who are pulled in vastly different directions.
At the same time, warrior clans living out in the distant wildlands have troubles of their own. Closed fist, open hand. The balance of violence and diplomacy. The poignant story of twin warrior women and their family and tribe.
Tecken flips many tropes on their head. So if you think you know where this story is going … you don’t. I was often pleasantly (or angrily) surprised at the turn of events, one after another.
The skill of Tecken’s writing dispels any lingering notion that indie fantasy is “less-than” traditionally published books. Blood Stones is as good, or better, than many trad-published Fantasy books out there. The prose is smooth and vibrant, the pacing spot on. The story is woven with colorful threads of silk and rough linen, a tapestry of intrigue and earth magic, runes and sword blades. Bloodlines, familial ties, friends, and foe all come together in a seamless tale that instantly transports you to another time and place.
What strikes me most about this story is the mastery of the storyteller. It’s not often that I’m instantly immersed in a fictional world and feel that I am the character. The balance of description and action is perfect, the worldbuilding creative and vivid, and the character development serving as the primary, driving element. The characters still stick with me, and I want to know more about their fates. I look forward to the next books in this series.
I consumed Blood Stones with little effort, via the audiobook. The narration, by a fellow indie author, Andrew D. Meredith, was excellent.
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