Sabre’s Pride
by C.M. Banschbach
Sabre’s Pride begins with a list of unpleasant things readers will encounter within the book. The list is warranted, but it’s not representative of what the story is about. Yes, there are horrible things alluded to on the pages, but that’s not what I’ll remember.
Rather, Sabre’s Pride is a heartwarming story.
The book plays out in a harsh and brutal environment, against a backdrop of war, cruelty, and violence, but the real focus is on allowing yourself to trust and love the people you care about. It’s about standing up for the things you believe in, and against the forces that would tear everything down to satisfy their own pride.
It’s about trying to protect your loved ones from the retribution your actions will bring.
That all sounds serious and grim, but somehow, the slowly budding romance between Davor and Marta shines all the brighter in the darkness.
Blinded by pride, tradition, and lust for power, the leadership of the Sabre tribe has brought their people to the brink of ruin, and if nothing is done, they’ll keep going. As part of a power grab by the aging chieftain’s eldest son, Davor ends up in a position of authority. It’s not what he wants, but now he’s there, he needs to make the best of it and just maybe, he can save his tribe.
As part of the power struggle, Davor is forced to marry, and in the hopes of making a difference, Marta agrees to become his wife.
Neither Davor nor Marta have any illusions about their marriage being anything other than a political necessity, but as the story progresses, something begins to grow between them.
This is where Sabre’s Pride comes to life, and where the story turns from a violent power struggle, to a warm fuzzy tale of love, trust, and friendship.
This book is the sequel to Greywolf’s Heart, but the way it’s written, it can absolutely be read as a standalone. However, both books are excellent, and I do recommend reading them in order.
What I’ll whine about
Davor’s relationship to his brothers and family is an important part of the story, but it wasn’t always clear to me what their motivations were. This was especially true in the case of Emil, and a lot of the time, I did not understand his reasoning or what he was talking about. There were also times when I found it hard to keep track of all the different family ties.
What I’ll gush about
Just in case it wasn’t clear already, the slowly building romance between Davor and Marta is absolutely heartwarming. Seeing both of them grow, and finally come together, despite (or thanks to) everything going on around them is rewarding and encouraging.
This is similar to Greywolf’s Heart, where the war between the Greywolf tribe and the Sabre tribe was also central. In that book, too, the relationships shone brighter than the violence and fighting, but without pushing them off the pages.
Final Words
Sabre’s Pride is a worthy sequel to Greywolf’s Heart, and if you loved the first one, you’ll love this one too.
