The Bind of Blood and Bonds
by
Becky James
I believe that if a story is about a skilled and powerful fighter, it’s more interesting if their problems can’t be solved with violence. Such is the case with The Bind of Blood and Bonds. Thorrn is, at least if you ask him, probably the best swordsman in the world, ever. He’s the best member of the special forces as well.
He tries hard, he has all the best intentions, and he goes the extra mile whenever possible. Even so, things go spectacularly wrong, and he ends up getting punished for his actions.
Not only does he get punished by the king he’s sworn to obey and protect with his life, his comrades in the special forces also want to punish him, in their own way. Thorrn, who knows a thing or two about hazings, seeing as he’s been part of the special forces and knows what’s up, does his best to play along in the hopes that once it’s over, he’ll be accepted back into the team again.
Here’s where the strength of the story lies.
Thorrn really wants to believe that it’s all just fun and games and that things will get back to normal soon enough. He keeps telling himself if he hangs on a little longer, accepts a little more humiliation, just lets himself get beaten up one more time, he’ll be back in the gang.
It’s a struggle within his mind, against a group of people he wants to be a part of, and against the beliefs that makes him who he is. It’s the kind of conflict that could only be made worse with violence.
On top of that, there’s a plot against the king, and Thorrn’s friends are in danger.
What I’ll Whine About
The big conflict at the end felt a little bit too quick and easy. There was a lot of buildup throughout the story and once it finally became clear what was actually going on, all of the pieces fell into place very fast.
What I’ll Gush About
Again, just like in the first book in the series, Thorrn is an amazingly well-written character. His dreams and ambitions of being the ultimate swordsman feel very real to me. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t shared some of them myself from time to time – getting praise from the king, being loved and admired by my peers, rescuing beautiful women from fates worse than death.
I’d like to think I’m a bit less naïve in my fantasies than Thorrn, though, but that doesn’t mean I can’t relate. He’s just a bit, well… he’s a naïve fool and he dearly needs someone to beat some sense into him. Except, all that foolish naivety comes from his positive attributes being tuned a little bit too high.
That perhaps is what makes this book so good and Thorrn such a special character. He’s a genuinely good guy who just wants to do his best and live up to his ideals, and the rest of the world keeps beating him up for it. It’s hard not to feel sorry for him, even when he’s being an idiot.
Final Words
Another strong installment in the series. If you enjoyed the first, you’ll probably enjoy this one even more.
