Amaskan’s Blood
The Boahim Series Book One
By Raven Oak
ISBN# 9780990815723
Author’s Website: http://www.ravenoak.net/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Scott
As fantasy novels go, there isn’t much unique about Amaskan’s Blood. It follows the trope almost to the letter and there are very few deviations from the norm. The assassin guarding an estranged father’s younger daughter against assassination plots seems to wear thin after a while (insofar as it crosses genres and media). That being said, there is still a fair amount of intrigue and complications that make this a quick, light read.
As befitting a post-Tolkienesque novel, world building is at the forefront of the work. A map is provided, laid out with the kingdoms, territories, and cities of note, which will probably lay the groundwork out for the future novels in this series. A lot of work has obviously been done in order to make this a sensible, functioning world, and it’s from this that we see how the plots, and political intrigue play out.
The characters are definitely memorable, each having their own distinct personalities, and traits. From Adelei, the assassin-protector, to King Leon who requests her aid, each persona, no matter how small, has something to remember them by. It’s this smooth integration of character and character action/reaction into a fantasy world, that really gives this novel it’s gusto.
The pacing is fairly straightforward although, at times, you feel like you’re being railroaded into getting to the next plot point, or crisis leading up to the finale. It is brisk when it needs to be, slow in order to build tension, and explosive during high-fantasy action when required. There is no fault here, and the descriptive prose is partially responsible for this.
The prose itself is probably a cut above the rest as Raven Oak playfully dances with the reader. It’s the addition of just enough detail, and the right amount of it, that makes this read. Oak is loquaciously talented and the writing in the book shines. He crafts his words carefully, in order to pull the reader in, and once he’s hooked, reels him in. The distinctive voices of the characters also enjoys some of the benefits of skillful writing.
All in all, Amaskan’s Blood, will appeal mostly to lovers of high-fantasy, the Lord of the Rings films or a Game of Thrones. It has just enough for everyone, and if you accept the basic premise, you’d get a lot out of it. It has it’s good and bad points but rare is the book that doesn’t. Overall Raven Oak is on the way to a superior series if certain plot elements are carried over to the next book in the series.
