The Sword-Edged Blonde by Alex Bledsoe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Particulars: Fantasy, TOR, available in print and as e-book
The review:
The blurb:
It should have been a case like any other: a missing princess, a king willing to pay in gold for her return. But before he realizes it, sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse is swept up in a web of mystery and deceit involving a brutally murdered royal heir, a queen accused of an unspeakable crime, and the tragic past he thought he’d left behind.
In order to uncover the answers he seeks, Eddie must delve into the dark underbelly of society while digging deep into his own private history, drawing past and present together. Vast conspiracies, women both beautiful and deadly, and a centuries-old revenge scheme are only a few of the pieces in a lethal puzzle.
The Sword-Edged Blonde is a tour-de-force foray into a realm of action, intrigue, and murder.
My impressions:
I have wanted to read Alex Bledsoe’s books, so when I found it a Kobo for four dollar, I snapped it up.
And, I am glad I did. The book felt like an Urban Fantasy set in an other world. That’s a refreshing change from the more Traditional Fantasy novels. The world was intresting, but since the story included a lot of travels, I wished they had thought of including a map.
The plot shifted between now and thirteen years ago. The events that happened 13 years before gave a background to what happens now. The plot was fastmoving, and kept me on the edge.
And I loved the characters. They were flawed, and deliciously so. Their motivations felt real.