Traitor's Blade (The Greatcoats, 1) Paperback – July 7, 2015

I went into reading this series knowing absolutely nothing about it (other than that it had been on special at one point, which is when I bought it). I have heard it compared to the Three Musketeers by Dumas, and I can't speak as to the accuracy of that comparison because I have not read Dumas. In the fantasy genre, I might compare this most closely to the Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. It is not exactly the same, by any stretch -- it lacks the same sense of humor, plus there is more brute force and less cleverness involved -- but the "era" of the fantasy world, the structure involving flashbacks, and similar features are reminiscent of Lynch's book. (That is not to say fans of one will absolutely like the other, but the possibility is there.)I finished this pretty quickly after I started, and I neglected some other duties last night to read the final scene. So it gets points for that. Granted, I saw a couple of the revelations coming from a mile away (and usually I am not so good at predicting things), but I'm all right with that here.There are a lot of fantasy tropes here, including the horrible death of the main character's wife (happens off the page, early in the book, in a flashback), rule by a handful of Dukes who are severely abusing their powers, and characters repeatedly coming back from the brink of death to fight yet another battle. They work, to varying degrees, because this is a fantasy adventure story, and those are the sorts of things you expect to see in a fantasy adventure story.I've heard others complain that this book contains a lot of deus ex machina moments. I will say, there are some strange coincidences, and they cluster more towards the end (and some of the ones at the end strain the limits of credulity). But in a fair number of these (say, an arrow coming through a window at a particularly opportune time, or the identity of the character Aline's childhood nanny) were clearly set up hours (or months or years) beforehand. Others, including chance encounters with characters from the formative years of the main character's youth, are less supported. There is a lot of sudden recognition of people from years back. Some of it works (e.g., the leader of the caravan guardsmen is doing a job that makes sense, based on his background), and some of it is pushing things just a little bit. Even most of the narrow escapes from trouble work, though there is a part with a prostitute that I could do without. Her motivation is kind of sad and pathetic and she is able to do more to help our hero than really makes sense.I have found lately that it is the characters who keep me going in most books. I can put up with tropes, I can put up with slow/dragging parts (this book doesn't really have those), etc., if I care about the characters. And I do. The main POV character, Falcio, is set up to be an underdog, from the beginning of the book. He is not the best at everything, and has some serious flaws, and he has to work hard to achieve things. And then the things he achieves are often taken away by people in power. He seems bitter and angry a lot of the time, and I can't say I blame him. But I do still want him to succeed. His two best friends and companions are very good with the sword and the bow, respectively, and they seem more suited to comic relief and or dashing in to Falcio's aid at appropriate moments than as developed characters in their own right. But, this is really Falcio's book. I don't feel he undergoes any major transformations in this book (even considering the flashbacks from his youth) but we do learn more about him and I think the stage is being set for something else, so I am happy to wait. (Sometimes he is blissfully unaware of important information, e.g., along the lines of the revelation at the end that I saw coming from a mile away, but I actually like that about him.)The writing is decent. It does its job of moving the story along without being distracting. There are a few attempts at humor and/or banter among Falcio and his friends, and they are far enough in between that they mostly work for me. The author is not constantly trying to make jokes, and I thank him for that. The pace is fast and the main characters do get themselves into dangerous situations quite often -- enough so that you feel they are really in peril. They can fight off a couple of men each, but not 40, when it's just the three of them, for example. It is definitely not smooth sailing for them. Even though Falcio has been living in this world and is a product of it, he is a good proxy for the reader because there is a lot he does not understand. During the times when there is the most description, you get the sense that he is telling you, the reader, what you need to know to understand his story, and not thinking about things that would be out of place for him to consider.Anyway, in the end, I did read this quickly and was interested enough to go on to the next book right away, so I can't rate it too poorly. But, it was not without flaws, including some of which I have discussed above. 3.5 stars.

How could I possibly express my love for this epic book?No seriously, why am I always at a loss for words every time I need them most?!*takes a deep breath*When I was a little kid, I used to play these games where you need to create a character specializing in one of the mentioned powers. I remember being terrible at making trivial decisions (still am) and I remember asking everyone what I should choose. Trust me, nobody gave a damn. So, I decided this was a very serious issue and I needed to analyse each and every power before I make the final choice.My last two choices (after eliminating the rest) were a Mage and a Swashbuckler. At that time, I honestly didn't know what 'Swashbuckler' meant and I only kept it because it sounded nice. Then, I googled it and I decided that's what I'm going to be. In virtual life and in real life. That was my dream career path. I also then decided that I would learn a bit of magic so that I'd surprise everyone when they were expecting only swords. (I'm brilliant like that, I know.)It would have been nice if someone, at that point of my life, gave a little damn and told me 'Sweetie, that ain't a suitable career path any more.' Oh well.Now, imagine me, after all these years, finding a book about swashbuckling and magic. Yes, I was speechless and a part of me thought this book was going to be a major let down. I mean, how can life grant you lemonades instead of lemons?But, oh dear lord, this book got me hooked from page one. I wanted to devour it that instant but I decided to be wise and read it slowly, savouring every bit of it. This book was , hands down, the best book I've read this year. I'm pretty sure life won't give me another lemonade this year. (It's crazy like that, I know.)The SummaryConsider yourself inhabiting the land of Tristia. You hear the King is dead and the Greatcoats (Travelling Magisters who bring justice) have done nothing to protect their King. You're mad at them, you're mad at everyone because you're scared. The Dukes are rising into power and that's not good, not good at all. They're, to put it plainly, bad and extremely corrupt. You wish someone would bring justice. You wish the Greatcoats were still around.Falcio Val Mond, Kest and Brasti are the ones you're looking for, though you don't know who they are. Not yet. These three Greatcoats still feel it necessary to uphold the King's laws and bring justice to everyone but the only problem is, everyone mistrusts them. Some outright hate them. And of course, they are banned and it would be treason if you're seen with them and then, you'll be put to death by the Duke's men.These are dark times, reader, dark times.The King has left the Greatcoats a mission and these three are trying very hard to fulfil their King's last wish. I'm not going to tell you what it is, reader. I'm afraid the summary kind of abruptly ends here and it is absolutely necessary for you to pick this book up and read it. But I will tell you what you might expect:ActionHumourEpic adventuresYou feeling extremely happyThe Fantastic CharactersFalcio, Kest and Brasti are just awesome in epic proportions. Yes, they're flawed and that's what makes them so awesome. The story kind of alternates between the past and the present and you can see how much Falcio (the narrator) has changed and grown. So, there's a lot of character development too.These three are extremely witty and funny and just amazing with their weapons. You'll love them, reader. You will and you must or you might have a sword stuck in your belly.“I rolled my eyes at Kest. We'd heard this lecture many times before, but Trin hadn't, so she stepped right into it."Is it really so hard?" She asked"My dear, not one man in a hundred can be a proper archer. And not one in ten thousand can become a master.""And you are one? A master archer, I mean?"Brasti smiled and contemplated the nails of his right hand. "One might fairly say so, I believe.""One says so frequently," I observed.”This book made me laugh, shed tears, laugh again and have the best time reading it. I know this is going to be one hell of a book hangover because I still feel like I'm in Tristia. This book is going to blow your mind away and it's going to make your heart feel extremely happy and content. I wish I could use flary words to describe it better but to be honest, you will feel happy and content in the end. As simple as that.I want more, please, Mr. De Castell give me more of this and I promise I will give you lame reviews that really don't do your books justice. Or, I shall be your faithful sidekick, pretending to help you, but really just reading everything you write and nodding appreciatively while on the inside I give this maniacal laugh and die in happiness.Dear reader, you better read this book soon.

A fast moving plot and interesting characters. The villains are fully aware that they do bad things, but they embrace it and enjoy flaunting it. The plot twists are many and you can't see them coming. I look forward to the next book.

This review is for the entire story (all 4 books). It is fast paced, a lot of excitement with twists and turns and has funny one liners. However I don't give it 5 stars because I think the overall character development is lacking some.

Es un libro de tamaño bolsillo, de lectura fácil, que engancha la historia. Recomendado para iniciarse leyendo aventuras en inglés ^^

Libro terribilmente divertente, impossibile da chiudere finché non lo si è terminato (sì ho fatto le ore piccole), che ha comunque qualche pecca non indifferente.Un re idealista in un mondo corrotto vuole ristabilire la legge e la giustizia, e lo fa ripristinando l'ordine dei Greatcoat, i suoi uomini più fidati, magistrati combattenti che girano il paese ascoltando la gente e aiutandola al meglio delle possibilità. Ma tutte le cose belle hanno un termine, le persone giuste di solito fanno una brutta fine, e infatti il re viene giustiziato dai nobili (i Duchi) e i suoi fedelissimi Greatcoat obbligati alla resa e alla vergogna. Ma c'è chi non si è mai arreso...L'autore, attraverso la narrazione in prima persona del protagonista principale, riesce a coinvolgere il lettore, a divertirlo, persino a commuoverlo, nonostante la non poca retorica (messa giù bene però) e i roboanti ideali. L'ironia, i dialoghi affilati come le lame dei protagonisti, aiutano. Per quanto improbabile, la vicenda scorre e ci presenta una serie di personaggi che, se non originali, sono ben delineati e di cui ci importa (almeno a me). E' solo l'inizio di una storia che promette di ampliarsi e complicarsi e che, una volta chiuso il libro, fa venir voglia di cominciare il secondo...Detto questo, devo ammettere che la facilità con cui i nostri tre eroi, Falcio soprattutto, riescono a vincere qualsiasi avversario, farebbe invidia ad Iron Man. Troppi duelli, troppi scontri, che comunque l'autore descrive in modo efficace (essendo un appassionato di scherma), ma che in un libro non hanno lo stesso effetto che, ad esempio, in un telefilm. Inoltre, se sappiamo già che qualsiasi sia il nemico, qualsiasi sia la situazione, i nostri eroi se la caveranno sempre e quasi senza neanche un graffio, la storia perde di suspense. Se George RR Martin avesse fatto così, le sue Cronache avrebbero avuto lo stesso successo? Non credo. E' ovvio che de Castell non vuole imitare Martin, anzi, vuole fare il contrario, ma mi auguro che nei prossimi libri possa concedersi un po' più di realismo, almeno in questo.Per il resto, si tratta di un romanzo d'esordio ben fatto, ma c'è un margine di miglioramento e di approfondimento. Quindi bene, vediamo poi come procede. Ah, dimenticavo: indipendentemente da tutto, ho trovato impossibile non innamorarmi dei tre "moschettieri" e del loro disperato idealismo, un po' masochistico ma con anche una punta di amaro.

A unique writing style, witty, humorous, with great character banter. There are also complex characters — protagonist Falcio is witty and interesting, and plenty of intriguing female characters, from heroes to the most despicable female villain. However, the books suffer from a deus ex machina ending and lack of world-building.

Ils sont les « greatcoats », (qu’on pourrait traduire par « grand-manteaux », ou « super-anoraks » ou « énormes doudounes », je sais pas trop…), ils sont les magistrats sélectionnés et entrainés par le roi Paelis pour sillonner les duchés et faire appliquer la loi du Royaume. Ce sont des guerriers et des tacticiens exceptionnels, des hommes de loi justes et respectés… Enfin, ils l’étaient, jusqu’au jour où les ducs se sont retournés contre le roi et ont planté sa tête sur une pique, jour où les « greatcoats » ne sont pas intervenus et ont fui au lieu de protéger leur souverain.Aujourd’hui ils sont les « trattaris », ou les « tatter-cloaks », les traîtres, méprisés par le peuple, chassés par les ducs, ils ne gardent de leur ancien nom que ce manteau fait sur mesure, vêtement de cuir, d’acier et d’os qui leur sert d’armure, d’arme et de couverture. Pourtant Falcio Val Mond continue de parcourir les duchés pour accomplir la dernière tâche que lui a confié son roi, en compagnie de Brasti et Kest. Mais le jour où ils se retrouvent accusés du meurtre d’un marchand qui les avait engagé comme gardes du corps, les ennuis vont vraiment commencer.Dans ce Traitor’s Blade, j’ai été tout d’abord emballé par le ton de la narration qui est léger, fun et se prend à moitié au sérieux. On suit toute l’aventure à la première personne, du point de vue de Falcio, et le monsieur est plein d’esprit même dans les situations les plus graves, on arrive à sourire assez souvent et cet humour rend la lecture vraiment agréable. Mais ce bouquin n’est pas une comédie pour autant, on a là une vrai aventure faites d’intrigues et d’action, on apprendra petit à petit dans quelle machination notre héros a foutu les pieds, en revenant de temps en temps sur le passé, la création de l’ordre des Greatcoats et ce fameux jour où le roi est mort.Tout est extrêmement bien ficelé dans un univers style « de capes et d’épées », mousquetaires et compagnie, mais sans la lourdeur qui peut peser sur les bouquins de fantasy plus politiques, on lit ça très facilement et presque trop vite. L’action est toujours réjouissantes car les phases de combat ne reposent pas uniquement sur le talent et la force des guerriers, car même si ce sont des combattants hors-pair, nos héros ont surtout pour qualité leur astuce et leur sens tactique. Beaucoup de situations seront résolues grâce à la perspicacité et la langue beaucoup trop pendue de Falcio (ce qui peut lui jouer aussi des tours), car ce dernier n’est pas aussi bon bretteur que Kest, et loin d’être aussi bon archer que Brasti, mais c’est un tacticien d’exception.Les personnages sont tous originaux et classes, bien traités et enthousiasmants, que ce soit Falcio, Kest, Brasti, les ennemis (la duchesse Patriana est d’une cruauté toute délicieuse), la petite Aline, Trin ou la mystérieuse Valiana, aucun ne m’a paru sous-exploité ou mal traité, ils prennent corps dans notre imagination et participent à cette belle intrigue. On a parfois l’impression que l’auteur abuse de ce côté poseur et cinématographique mais ça colle plutôt bien avec le style et la narration. Mais la plus grande qualité de ce roman, c’est qu’il fout la pêche. Avec son ton léger et malicieux, il contient des moments de pure magie épique, ces moments de grâce qui vous font dresser tous les poils (et j’m’y connais en poils) dans un moment de plaisir littéraire qu’on retrouve chez très peu d’auteurs. Gemmell vient tout de suite en tête, même si les styles diffèrent j’ai eu ces mêmes envolées où la scène se fige dans nos tête, un frisson nous parcourt l’échine et on sait que ce moment restera pendant quelques jours à nous hanter, un signe qui ne trompe pas.

Bien