3 out of 5 stars

I would like to start with the cover - the cover is one of the best covers I have seen in a while in fantasy. In a world where graphic covers rule the genre - it was refreshing to see a beautifully rendered painting. The color scheme and the subject is just superb! Lauren (art director of Orbit) and Jeremy Willson (the artist) created a one of a kind beautiful cover that I honestly wouldn’t mind hanging on my wall.

Now onto the book itself. Seven Blades in Black is my first Sam Sykes novel. I have heard a lot of great things about the writer and I was very excited to dive into this novel. However, while I liked it well enough, it took me a very long time to get into the story. I really did like Sal the Cacophony - she’s funny, witty, snarky and just a great MC. I also really appreciate that she is gay (or at least bisexual as this is a first book in the series and the reader doesn’t know everything). The main reason why I struggled with the book is that it moves REALLY fast - I mean videogame fast. I know that Sam said this series was his love letter to The Final Fantasy and it truly is, with many of the same elements - but it moves at a dizzying speed. Furthermore, I found the whole magic system really complicated and hard to follow. I had to reread the passages a few times and then think about what/how the magic would work - it really took me out of the story and did not let me enjoy the book.

I think that anyone who loves fast paced fantasy or Sam’s previous work will really enjoy it. I really appreciate Orbit letting me read and review this book.

What a ride. Sal the Cacophony is out for revenge. She just has a habit of leaving bodies and destruction in her wake. This book perfectly harmonizes beautiful prose, exciting action, fantastic world building, and a character you love to hate and hate to love.

I received a free copy of SEVEN BLADES IN BLACK by Sam Sykes from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Sal the Cacophony is a Vagrant, which you e-v-e-n-t-u-a-l-l-y learn is, basically, a Ronin. Sal used to serve the Empire, but, now, she and her magical weapon hunt others like her. Meanwhile, the Empire, the Revolutionaries, anti-magic cults, and other Vagrants hunt Sal. Sal, captured by the Revolutionaries, is telling her story to an interrogator while she awaits her imminent execution.

LGBT. There were not any detailed erotic scenes, but the main character is clearly either gay or bisexual. There was no notice of the LGBT content in the book’s description. The book contains a significant number of f-bombs; it was a staple of the Sal’s vocabulary. It took seemingly f-o-r-e-v-e-r to get any context for the story, so I started out confused about what was going on and stayed that way for the same f-o-r-e-v-e-r. I never connected with the characters. I didn’t find either Sal or her tale interesting, so I wasn’t invested in the outcome of the story. My only wish 30% into the novel was that the book would hurry up and end; it didn’t, so I closed the file and will not be finishing the book. Though I obviously did not like it, I appreciate the opportunity try the novel.

I got an advance copy of this from NetGalley. This is a short, spoiler-free review.

Overall, a solid book. Funny, good characters, fast-paced, interesting narrative structure. A lot of fantasy books suffer from seeding "mysteries" about the past or lore and not adequately answering them, but I think this book struck a great balance of getting you to wonder about what happened years ago and then actually telling you in a meaningful way. Of course, not everything was answered, but some tantalizing clues were dropped on just about everything I was wondering about. Have to save some things for future books, after all.

Anyway, the world building and magic system were well thought out. There were some nice twists, and it definitely had me wondering what was going to happen right up to the very end. I was really rooting for the main character throughout. I just wished she would get over herself sometimes.

I received an eARC of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to them and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

So, this book is awesome. Feel free to just stop here and go put this book on your TBR pile now but if you need more reasons: revenge, giant sassy birds that people ride, magic, warring empires, creepy other-worldly things, blood, love and stuff, and A LOT of giggles, chuckles, grins and knowing nods. This was my first book by this author so I wasn’t sure what to expect (by the way, do yourself a favor and follow him on Twitter) but I loved this story so I’m definitely picking up more of his stuff. Think of Kill Bill with mages and communists and throw in a dash of a western with an anime vibe, but with much more humor…you know, that ol’ nutshell. I was instantly drawn in by the writing and I loved how the story unfolded. The main character Sal is such a complex badass lady gunslinger with a quick wit and an even quicker gun. There was so much action and suspense and heartbreak and the magic system was really fascinating. This book was so dynamic, I’d be laughing, then creeped out, then amped up during the fight scenes, then emotionally gut-punched, then back to laughing. Seriously, it’s a ride. This is definitely going to be one of my favorite books this year. Guys. For real. Read this book.

There are things I LOVED about this story, and so I pushed through with it for a lot longer than I usually give books that don't 'grab' me, because I didn't want to give up on it just yet.

I loved the main character - badass, sarcastic, a girl with a gun. I always love a girl with a gun. The worldbuilding was fantastic - I was pulled in and saw the world around me right away, the rain, the decrepit bars, the ruffians. Strong powerful imagery that puts you in the scene right away.

Ultimately what broke me as a reader was the narrative shift from past to present. Every time it would shift to the present, I would be jarred out of the story and I would find myself wondering, 'is she like, narrating this story to this cop?' If I were the no-nonsense cop I would have told her to cut the crap 5 minutes into her monologue. Is she just monologuing this entire story in an interrogation room? It completely jarred me from the story and made it all feel silly and ultimately I couldn't get past it.

I do think if you're a fan of fantasy you should give this one a try. It's an interesting and well-wrought world.

I'm really glad I received this book from netgalley - I can tell how much I enjoyed it because although it was long, I was sad when it ended. This is the story of Sal the Cacophony. We learn about her life bit by bit; and in fact, I'm pretty glad I didn't read the book description before I read the book. There is a lot of action, a good bit of humor, and some very grim events. Sal especially has some great lines, and I wish I'd highlighted more of them. The bad guys are interesting, as is the magic system. I'll definitely be watching for the next books in the series.

Fantastic fantasy book! The hero makes me think of an anti-hero similar to Deadpool, if that makes any sense? She's rude, crude, and a bane upon society. She hunts her own Vagrant kind for metal, but she still has a bit of heart and it shines through as you read. She was betrayed by those she trusted, so she's a broken individual, which made it easy for me to justify to myself all the chaos that follows her based on her choices. All in all a fantastic book I'd recommend to anyone looking for a good time!

This book is so much fun. I love, love, love how Sykes plays with many of the tropes of the fantasy genre in the tale of total badass Sal the Cacophony. It's crass, it's engrossing and it's a fantastic start to a series.

I love the structure, unfolding the tale as Sal is interrogated. Her character is revealed bits at a time, and as tough as she is, you love her.

4.25/5 stars

I actually really liked this a lot more than I thought I would. I thought that the synopsis was what really made me try it, but there was something in the back of my head telling me it might fall flat. Luckily, it didn't do that. This is a pretty hefty book by the way! Over 600 pages, so you'd think it would have trouble pacing wise and repeating the same events over and over again. Surprisingly, this did the exact opposite. It had really good pacing, save for some slowness in some middle bits. I loved how graphically detailed scenes and fights were. I also enjoyed that this took place with us hearing Sal's version of events. Knowing throughout the whole book that this is what SHE was saying was the truth, it only makes you wonder how much of it was fabricated or left out. One thing I didn't quite enjoy was the ending, as I felt it could've ended a bit earlier and just be a standalone. Seeing as there will be a sequel, I'm sure that this can still be read alone in the future. I actually do recommend this, just don't let Sal's lack of empathy for humankind let you down.

Sam Sykes has easily fought his way to the top of my favorite authors list and this book proves he is getting better and better with each story he writes.

This book was just AMAZING! Sykes has crafted a unique, refreshing epic fantasy book with engaging characters, a well-drawn world, and a complex plot. There was never a dull moment in the book and I can honestly say Sam Sykes deserves much more recognition for his work. The man has this bizarre talent of making the reader feel both elated and sad at the same time while still managing to keep you interested throughout the entire story. It was so good, I actually took the time to read it rather than devouring it in one sitting. I desperately wanted the story to continue and could not bear to leave behind such a wonderful cast of conflicted characters.

The writing of this book is exceptional. The author took his time with development of the cultures in this world, the magical system, and the rich physical world of Scar. The book is not without its moments of beauty. Sal, in her journey, provides a glimpse at the wealth of culture and people. While it is a dangerous place, it has its own savage beauty. I want to revisit these characters. I want to see more of this terrifying world so I will definitely be keeping my eye for the installment which I needed in my hands yesterday.

Genres: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Western Fantasy, Grimdark(mild), Action Fantasy, Quest Fantasy

Similar books: The Gunslinger(setting), Dresden Files(narrative voice), Final Fantasy (setting), Kill Bill (Plot), Gods of Blood and Powder (Ben Styke plotline)

Rating: Highly Recommended

Here's the TL;DR for my review:

Pros
You'll want to read this if you like reading fun, rompy books
If you want to read a revenge novel in the style of 'Kill Bill'
If you want to read a magic system designed around you losing chunks of your personality and memory in exchange for magic.
If you like reading frame narrative structures in your books.
A story with vivid, emotional characters who know how to screw up
A magical Western featuring gunslingers, criminals fleeing the law, and a few outposts of civilization in a bleak wasteland
A book which manages to both have a great plot and have some thematic depth at the same time.
Magical wizard duels up the wazoo.
Offbrand chocobos. That’s right. Offbrand. Chcobos.
Mixed
This is a single-POV, 'unreliable narrator' sort of story. Even if you don’t generally like ‘unreliable narrator’ stories, I think ‘Seven Blades in Black’ might still interest you. It's that good.
This is a first person story. Even if you don’t ordinarily like first person, you might like this.
While this book does have occasional passages with memorable description, this book's prose is workmanly. It's effective and functional, but it's not vivid and luscious. This isn't a bad thing, just a style choice.
Cons
The pacing is a little slow in the middle.
Spoiler-ific Review

I got this book early via Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this! If you are a reader with tastes like mine, this is a Highly Recommended read! I’m definitely going to be buying the future books in this series, and I’m not just saying that cause I got this for free.

Sal the Cacophany is a gunslinger who roams the wastes of the Scar, killing ‘vagrant’ wizards for money. Coming from a mysterious past, her life goal is something simple: kill the thirty three wizards who stripped her of her magic. With only her magic gun ‘the Cacophany’ for company(yes, Sal named herself after her gun), she’s on a one-woman revenge quest.

But Sal isn’t alone in the Scar. The Scar is occupied by two empires: an empire of opera-loving wizards, and an empire of revolutionaries who hate opera loving wizards. Sal, along with all the other ‘vagrant’ wizards hiding in the unoccupied parts of the Scar to avoid conscription, is an enemy of the state for both empires.

As a matter of fact, the book opens with Sal having been arrested by the revolutionaries, whereupon she’s instantly put on death-row for being a former wizard. Mere minutes before her execution Sal is given a lifeline: tell the story of how Sal slew her thirty three enemies (or did she slay them?), and she’ll get to live for a little while longer.

Plot: I really liked the frame narrative. It added a lot of intrigue to the ‘whether the POV will survive or not’ story, and it also pulled double-duty of providing the viewpoint of the Revolution, whereas the rest of the story we got the viewpoint of the Opera Wizard Empire. My kudos to Sykes, that was a neat trick to help flesh out the setting.

Anyway, beyond the narrative structure, the plot was a compelling revenge plot. Sal’s been stagnating in the Scar for years, until she finally gets the trail of her hated enemies. She finds a secret note, and learns seven of the thirty three are nearby (see the 'Seven Blades'). She and her loved one(s) are forced to come to terms with their past mistakes and their present relationship turmoil in order to come to move on into the future. And as this is a revenge-plot, there’s lots of fighting. If you like combat, go here.

Character: Sal is a deep, self destructive character who has troubles maintaining any relationships for long. The narrative voice of inhabiting her headspace in this first-person story creates a colorful and fun perspective, as she provides commentary on her situation. I liked it.

Now, as I do with all my reviews, I’m going to provide some constructive criticism.

This book is structured in classic gaming fashion: there's a final boss, and several mini-boss wizards, monsters, and soldiers leading up to it. Sal, being a murder-quest, goes around killing folks because that's the plot. Towards the middle of the book there was a pacing slump when Sal was going around killing random folks.

The fights were fun to read, don't get me wrong. However in the end only two fights had much emotional oomph for me the reader: the final boss at the climax of the novel, and the fight where she killed the guy who was pleading for his life (or did she kill him? Was it just a magical illusion? Read to find out!).

If I were to diagnose the problem here I’d say that the miniboss characters never got sufficient characterization for me to really get invested in their defeats. I would have liked if the author introduced them all at once in the beginning, or there were fewer of them. As is they mostly blend into one another, popping up like 'monsters of the week.'

And that’s it! I had a great time reading this. While it has one or two flaws, I think this book is good enough to make my 'Best of 2019' book list. If you want to have a good time, check this out.