Blood Song
I found it on my goodreads recommendation and after reading its blurb added it right away to my to-read shelf. Had it there for almost six months and finally started the year 2014 with this FANTASTIC book.
Story starts with 10 year old Vaelin Al Sorna, son of Battle Lord of the Unified realm, left at the gate of Sixth Order by his father to train under the Order. Years of training and tests make Vaelin a famous warrior who is feared and respected by all. But as the story proceeds certain circumstances made Vaelin to ask a favor from King Janus, a selfish, deceitful and a greedy man. As it turns out King Janus had his own proposition for Vaelin to follow in return of his favor and Vaelin’s life was never same again.
Vaelin’s relationship with his fellow Brothers at the Sixth Order has been beautifully described. I loved the their stories that the Brothers had share with him at one or another point of their friendship. There are female characters too but there was little of them as compared the male counterparts. Hope there'll be more of them in the next book.
Plot is full of scheming, mystery and secrets. There is also magic but it never overshadowed the story and I didn’t spend hours marveling upon it (like I did with Mistborn: The Final Empire and doing now for The Black Prism). Magic has just the right and subtle touch the on lives of people.
Pace of the book is electrifying. Definitely a long book (and a compellingly page turner) but it was so captivating that I felt sad when I finished it. I wanted to know more about Vaelin and of course there is a second book coming this July but it seem too far away now.
Highly recommended!!