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Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
A young servant, Ciara, escapes with Ostero’s youngest heir, Prince Aldrin, when the king is killed during a surprise invasion. Ciara must get the prince to the north of the pass, Tumbler's End, where their northern army camps. The throne for Ostero must be secured to keep the evil Empire of Avar at bay. Their journey is not easy as they have to deal with assassins, but they also find aid from unexpected groups such as witches, traveling historians and many more.
The King's Blood by S.E. Zbasnik is a satirical fantasy adventure that sidesteps the ‘fantasy checklist’ and molded the genre to fit its quirky story instead the other way around. I found this fantasy tale funny and quite fast-paced, but there are times when the narrative is hard to follow. That being said, the characters are sufficiently well-defined with relatable strength and flaws, particularly Ciara. Readers would definitely find it easy to root for her.
With its original premise S.E. Zbasnik certainly has a story to tell, with a potent mix of sardonic humor, drama and pathos infused into the plot and characters. I like the cover art, and the small graphics that go with the chapter headings. The ending is brilliant, a fitting finale. On the other hand, the story’s execution is a double-edged sword (although this is purely subjective). All in all, King’s Blood is enjoyable.
