Our Lady of Blades

I am not sure if readers have noticed, but we have quietly entered a new Golden Era of Fantasy writing. There is a handful or more of established fantasy authors who have the experience and skill to be writing at the top of their game. Fantasy novels that are not just simple retellings of old tropes, but books that hold up as great literature in their own right. Our Lady of Blades by Sebastien de Castell is masterfully written, by an author at their peak.

Lady Consequence seemingly came from nowhere to the enter the Court of Blades and challenge the leading swordsman to a duel. Somehow, this stranger wins and sets the world of Rijou on fire. Who is this mysterious woman, and what family does she fight for, because in Rijou power is held by a few strong families who will do anything to gain a step on the ladder. We learn that Lady Consequence knows more about this politics than she lets on, the question is can she manipulate the families before they manipulate her?

Blades is a wonderfully written book; de Castell has an artist’s way with words, and this is played out more than ever  in this novel. It is a wicked web of a book of backstabbing, lies, and secrets. Rather than reveal all immediately, de Castell plays out the twists by using a split time narrative. Half the book is told in the present as Lady Consequence makes her way through the Court, the other half is her upbringing.

This style has been done before, but de Castell uses it brilliantly to produce some real twists. Not only is the timeline split, but the narrator is untrustworthy, even the reader cannot believe everything that they are reading as events in the past will paint the present very differently as you read on.

The story is told via a series of various types of duel. These work as acts, breaking up the story. The first act in particular is allowed to breath and is a real masterpiece in fantasy writing. The pace is slower, but delicate. De Castell teases the reader making them wait for the action to commence. The story is so well written that you do not mind at all.

The world building is also excellent, a twisted and complex world of families. Each requires at least three children to hold onto power, but what happens if you do not? What happens if a child is injured or dies? De Castell explores exactly what can happen in this cutthroat world when this happens and it plays out over a decade or so.

Blades is high performance fantasy and requires a readers undying attention to get the most from it. It does not work on tropes, and the writing is not lazy. Clues and twists could be hidden on any paragraph. This does make it a more intense and heavier read than some fantasy, but when it as well written as this, you want to be immersed as much as you can.