Til Death Do Us Bard
Author: Rose Black
Published by: Hodder & Stoughton
Pages: 342
Format: Paperback
My Rating: ★
Published by: Hodder & Stoughton
Pages: 342
Format: Paperback
My Rating: ★
It's been almost a year since Logan 'The Bear' Theaker hung up his axe and settled down with his sunshiny bard husband, Pie. But when Pie disappears, Logan is forced back into a world he thought he'd left behind.
Logan quickly discovers that Pie has been blackmailed into stealing a powerful artifact capable of creating an undead army. With the help of an old adversary and a ghost from his past, Logan sets out to rescue his husband.
But the further the quest takes him, the more secrets Logan uncovers. He'll need all his strength to rescue his husband - but can he save their marriage?
My thoughts:
As someone who rarely abandons a book mid-read, I went into Til Death Do Us Bard with some optimism—especially as a long-time lover of fantasy. Sadly, that enthusiasm didn’t last.
Although I read much of the book to form a fair opinion for book club, I ultimately had to DNF. And that’s something I almost never do.
My first and main issue was the writing style. The prose often reads like amateur fanfiction, leaning heavily on clichés and familiar tropes rather than carving out its own voice. Dialogue feels stilted and awkward, with repetitive phrasing that pulls you out of the story rather than drawing you in. There was also a real lack of immersion in the storytelling. Rather than painting vivid scenes, the writing delivers flat, surface-level descriptions that never fully engage the senses.
I had a hard time trying to connect with the characters, all of whom felt underdeveloped and one dimensional. Protagonists and supporting players alike lack depth. Their motivations are either obvious or unexplained, making it impossible to connect with or root for them. Logan has an irritating manner, and his dialogue is often repetitive or childish, with constant references to his ‘growling’ becoming particularly annoying. Instead of nuanced personalities, Til Death Do Us Bard offers cardboard heroes and villains straight out of a bargain-bin fantasy checklist, with no surprise and no growth.
The storyline meanders through familiar beats without tension or stakes. Major events feel unearned because little has been established to make us care. This book is far too long, and long stretches of text often offer little development or forward momentum. Scenes repeat the same ideas, turning what should be page-turning moments into chores. The novel’s opening chapter is dull and slow to get going, so I found it a real struggle to keep reading from early on. When the plot does attempt to ratchet up excitement, it does so clumsily, relying on abrupt chapter endings or sudden revelations that lack groundwork or backstory.
Even the cover artwork for this one looks more suited to a children’s adventure than the epic fantasy it aspires to be. Bright, cartoonish colours and simplistic fonts clash with the promised tone of mystery and danger.
All in all, Til Death Do Us Bard was a huge letdown. Everything from the flat characters to the awkward prose felt like a step backward for the genre. Even fans of lighter fantasy might find themselves yawning through chapter after chapter. In the end, I couldn’t justify continuing, which speaks volumes given how seldom I do not finish a book. I can’t recommend this one.
Overall reaction:
As someone who rarely abandons a book mid-read, I went into Til Death Do Us Bard with some optimism—especially as a long-time lover of fantasy. Sadly, that enthusiasm didn’t last.
Although I read much of the book to form a fair opinion for book club, I ultimately had to DNF. And that’s something I almost never do.
My first and main issue was the writing style. The prose often reads like amateur fanfiction, leaning heavily on clichés and familiar tropes rather than carving out its own voice. Dialogue feels stilted and awkward, with repetitive phrasing that pulls you out of the story rather than drawing you in. There was also a real lack of immersion in the storytelling. Rather than painting vivid scenes, the writing delivers flat, surface-level descriptions that never fully engage the senses.
I had a hard time trying to connect with the characters, all of whom felt underdeveloped and one dimensional. Protagonists and supporting players alike lack depth. Their motivations are either obvious or unexplained, making it impossible to connect with or root for them. Logan has an irritating manner, and his dialogue is often repetitive or childish, with constant references to his ‘growling’ becoming particularly annoying. Instead of nuanced personalities, Til Death Do Us Bard offers cardboard heroes and villains straight out of a bargain-bin fantasy checklist, with no surprise and no growth.
The storyline meanders through familiar beats without tension or stakes. Major events feel unearned because little has been established to make us care. This book is far too long, and long stretches of text often offer little development or forward momentum. Scenes repeat the same ideas, turning what should be page-turning moments into chores. The novel’s opening chapter is dull and slow to get going, so I found it a real struggle to keep reading from early on. When the plot does attempt to ratchet up excitement, it does so clumsily, relying on abrupt chapter endings or sudden revelations that lack groundwork or backstory.
Even the cover artwork for this one looks more suited to a children’s adventure than the epic fantasy it aspires to be. Bright, cartoonish colours and simplistic fonts clash with the promised tone of mystery and danger.
All in all, Til Death Do Us Bard was a huge letdown. Everything from the flat characters to the awkward prose felt like a step backward for the genre. Even fans of lighter fantasy might find themselves yawning through chapter after chapter. In the end, I couldn’t justify continuing, which speaks volumes given how seldom I do not finish a book. I can’t recommend this one.
Overall reaction:
