Realm Breaker
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Published by: Orion
Pages: 568
Format: Hardback
My Rating ★★★★
Published by: Orion
Pages: 568
Format: Hardback
My Rating ★★★★
A strange darkness. Is growing in the Ward. Even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it, tucked away in her small town at the edge of the sea.
Fate knocks on her door, in the form of a mythical immortal and a lethal assassin, who tell Corayne that she is the last of an Ancient lineage – with the power to save the world from destruction.
Because a man who would burn kingdoms to the ground is raising an army unlike any seen before, bent on uprooting the foundation of the world. With poison in his heart and a stolen sword in his hand, he’ll break. the realm itself to claim it. And only Corayne can stop him.
Alongside an unlikely group of reluctant. Allies, Corayne finds herself on a desperate journey to complete an impossible task, with untold magic singing in her blood and the fate of the world on her shoulders.
Fate knocks on her door, in the form of a mythical immortal and a lethal assassin, who tell Corayne that she is the last of an Ancient lineage – with the power to save the world from destruction.
Because a man who would burn kingdoms to the ground is raising an army unlike any seen before, bent on uprooting the foundation of the world. With poison in his heart and a stolen sword in his hand, he’ll break. the realm itself to claim it. And only Corayne can stop him.
Alongside an unlikely group of reluctant. Allies, Corayne finds herself on a desperate journey to complete an impossible task, with untold magic singing in her blood and the fate of the world on her shoulders.
My thoughts:
Realm Breaker is the first book in a new fantasy trilogy by Victoria Aveyard, which follows an unlikely group of heroes who must band together to save the world from destruction.
Taristan, is on a mission to open all of the long dormant Spindles, which are portals that open up to other realms. In doing so, he could unleash a great evil and end the world. The prologue dives headfirst into the action with him opening the first of these Spindles.
Corayne is the last of an ancient lineage—and the last hope to save the world from destruction. But she won’t be alone. Even as darkness falls, she is joined by a band of unlikely companions:
A squire, forced to choose between home and honour.
An immortal, avenging a broken promise.
An assassin, exiled and bloodthirsty.
An ancient sorceress, whose riddles hide an eerie foresight.
A forger with a secret past.
A bounty hunter with a score to settle.
Together they stand against a vicious opponent, invincible and determined to burn all kingdoms to ash, and an army unlike anything the realm has ever witnessed.
Realm Breaker is a classic ‘save the world or watch it burn’ premise that unites a complex group of characters in a fight against a common enemy.
However, this isn’t a typical good versus evil tale where the heroes are all noble and selfless and sympathetic. The heroes have mostly already failed before the quest even begins. Instead, Aveyard’s story explores the predicament of what happens when the saviours are dead or simply refuse to help. Who will step up when there’s no one else?
As always, I was craving a doorstopper that wasn't at all focused on romance. It’s easy to see Victoria Aveyard is sowing the seeds for some compelling relationships ahead, but to have this first instalment be primarily about the adventure and the friendships was much more entertaining, refreshing, and appreciated.
Overall I’d say this is a very good first instalment of Aveyard’s new series. I especially loved the worldbuilding and being able to see a lot of the map already so early in the series. Not everyone is the same age, the characters all have very different qualities and personalities which made it so refreshing to read from them in multiple points of view.
Realm Breaker is high fantasy at its finest. It’s long but it doesn’t feel it. I simply couldn’t put the thing down once I’d gotten started. The book has a rich and absorbing writing style, an intriguing plot, blossoming friendships, morally grey characters, and a great sense of adventure.
I’m now eagerly awaiting book two and hope it will be just as long as this first instalment in the series.
Overall reaction:
Realm Breaker is the first book in a new fantasy trilogy by Victoria Aveyard, which follows an unlikely group of heroes who must band together to save the world from destruction.
Taristan, is on a mission to open all of the long dormant Spindles, which are portals that open up to other realms. In doing so, he could unleash a great evil and end the world. The prologue dives headfirst into the action with him opening the first of these Spindles.
Corayne is the last of an ancient lineage—and the last hope to save the world from destruction. But she won’t be alone. Even as darkness falls, she is joined by a band of unlikely companions:
A squire, forced to choose between home and honour.
An immortal, avenging a broken promise.
An assassin, exiled and bloodthirsty.
An ancient sorceress, whose riddles hide an eerie foresight.
A forger with a secret past.
A bounty hunter with a score to settle.
Together they stand against a vicious opponent, invincible and determined to burn all kingdoms to ash, and an army unlike anything the realm has ever witnessed.
Realm Breaker is a classic ‘save the world or watch it burn’ premise that unites a complex group of characters in a fight against a common enemy.
However, this isn’t a typical good versus evil tale where the heroes are all noble and selfless and sympathetic. The heroes have mostly already failed before the quest even begins. Instead, Aveyard’s story explores the predicament of what happens when the saviours are dead or simply refuse to help. Who will step up when there’s no one else?
As always, I was craving a doorstopper that wasn't at all focused on romance. It’s easy to see Victoria Aveyard is sowing the seeds for some compelling relationships ahead, but to have this first instalment be primarily about the adventure and the friendships was much more entertaining, refreshing, and appreciated.
Overall I’d say this is a very good first instalment of Aveyard’s new series. I especially loved the worldbuilding and being able to see a lot of the map already so early in the series. Not everyone is the same age, the characters all have very different qualities and personalities which made it so refreshing to read from them in multiple points of view.
Realm Breaker is high fantasy at its finest. It’s long but it doesn’t feel it. I simply couldn’t put the thing down once I’d gotten started. The book has a rich and absorbing writing style, an intriguing plot, blossoming friendships, morally grey characters, and a great sense of adventure.
I’m now eagerly awaiting book two and hope it will be just as long as this first instalment in the series.
Overall reaction:
