The problem is the characters were detached from the beginning. It doesn't matter if they entice later on -- they weren't interesting from the start so no manner of politicking could make it something I found enjoyable to read.

I will say that the seeing seemed fair. I've read a few trash Japanese world building attempts, but at least this one seemed credible.

Unfortunately this book just didn't quite reach the mark for me. It took me over a week to get 25% of the way through the book and when I put it down I had no real desire to pick it back up again.
I think because it wasn't hooking me and I had a few issues with the writing, (there were instances when two characters would be interacting on a page and the author would mention their names numerous times i.e 'Character 1 did this and then character 2 said this. Character 2 then did this while character 1 did something else' and it took me out of the story quite a lot because I was hyper aware of it happening), that it sent me into a reading slump and I was honestly quite bored and couldn't bring myself to finish the book.
This had potential but not a whole lot happened to hook me into the story. I might pick this up again in the future to give it another chance but as it stands right now I've lost interest, sadly.

*** I received a free advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***

This summer I read the first Nightblade trilogy: I loved the first one (the world-building, the three different stories running in parallel and occasionally crossing over), enjoyed the second one (character development was the focus plus setting up the conflict in the conclusion) and tolerated the final book (largely a repeat of the same plot as the first two plus a number of loose ends left un-tied).

Given how I fell out of love with the series as it went on, I was a little tentative about reading this, the first in a new trilogy following on from the events of the first. I have to say it was very poor.

Pretty much nothing happens throughout the book, the sole focus is on political manoeuvring and the nightblades have become a shadow of what they were to be at the end of the first series.

The king is dying and has no heir, so one of three lords looks likely to be chosen to take the throne (or decide to take it). There is some unrest within the populace of the Kingdom towards nightblades (ninja-like warriors with a spidey-sense warning them of danger and allowing them to sense each other) - rumours are spreading that nightblades are demanding unreasonable payment for protection and are harming those they are supposed to be serving. And a particularly weak nightblade, the daughter of a dayblade (whose powers are used to heal rather than in combat) killed in service, by a mysterious warrior who subsequently vanished, is looking for vengeance (hence the title).

And that is pretty much it. The plot is very basic, the narrative takes an absolute age to cover what few events are happening and the vocabulary is pretty limited (I think at one point within three paragraphs about 6 things were said to have happened "in a moment" or "for a moment").

Twice in the book the phrase "to cut a long, boring story short" was used and I can't help but think Kirk was referring to what he himself should do.

I wasn't sure after ending the nightblade trilogy whether I would return to the world of the nightblades. Now I am certain I won't.

This highly derivative book will please only those readers without much experience. If you are a new reader of epic fantasy, please don't start here, try Joe Abercrombie, Lian Hearn, Alis Franklin, or even George RR Martin first.

I received a review copy of Nightblade's Vengence by Ryan Kirk (27North) through NetGalley.com.

I loved the world building in this novel; it is the first book of a second trilogy in the Nightblade world as created by Ryan Kirk but I wasn’t aware of that and happily absorbed myself so don’t let that put you off. It is possible to say that I kind of preferred the world over the actual plot itself but not by much, it has to be said. I don’t want to say too much about the plot as this is one of those books that every thing adds up to the end result and I’d rather not give anything away, but it is very much worth it. Very fast moving and descriptive.

The general outline of the book is that we follow three main characters (Asa, Minori and Kiyoshi) in a kingdom that is just… a bit of a mess really. As if often the case, each character thinks that they are following the right path to bring around justice and an all round better place for people to live, however Nightblades Vengeance lets you see the workings of the characters in such a way that you get where they are coming from. You’re almost left asking yourself, “wait? Who is the good guy again?”, but I adore books that show the human nature in that way. The bad guy is dependent on your matter of perspective after all.

All in all I really enjoyed this book and look forward to both reading future books of Ryan Kirk’s as well as the existing books in the Nightblade world. I went into this book knowing nothing about Ryan Kirk other than “wow, the warrior woman that he has on his book is hella pretty” and came out of the other side as a firm fan.