Redemption's Blade

Redemption’s Blade is the story of what happens after. After the climactic battle between good and evil. After the long war that upends the world as gods and demons and humans and all the many races go to war and lay waste to the world. After the fight is over and there is nothing left but to pick up the pieces and attempt to restore a world that can never really be restored.

Redemption’s Blade takes place ten years after the return of the Kinslayer. He returned from his underground prison with an army of brutal Yorughan and laid siege to the world. He marched across the world relentlessly, until he died. Killed by a handful of heroes, including Celestaine. Now Celestaine has tasked herself with trying to correct some of the worst show more things that the Kinslayer inflicted on the world. With her two Yorughan companions she sets out to figure out first what she can fix, and second, how she can fix it. Along the way she encounters criminals, fanatics and opportunists. Celestaine is not sure if her task is attainable, and even if it is, will it make a difference?

Tchaikovsky approaches the epic fantasy from an angle that isn’t often encountered and seldom even contemplated. What happens after a war involving gods and creatures from beyond your world? How do you pick up the pieces? And what happens to the attacking army once it is left rudderless and has nowhere to return to? These are weighty questions and Tchaikovsky makes you feel the weight of them. Celestaine feels their weight. Rather than be broken by it, she chooses to do something. Fix something. Or at least try.

Tchaikovsky doesn’t skimp on the action. Celestaine’s goal is not achieved without cost. There are exciting battle scenes, puzzles to solve and fragile alliances to navigate. The horror of battling an angry god and his army is one thing at the moment of the fight. In some ways, the horror of his actions are even greater when you don’t have a battle to distract you from them.

Tchaikovsky has created a cast of characters that are complex and sympathetic. He shows you the regret that accompanies both the actions they took and the actions they did not take. It would be easy to make a story like this dark or mournful, but Tchaikovsky infuses it with hope. It doesn’t hurt that Dr. Catt and Fisher are delightful characters that are around to lighten the mood, even if they are morally flexible.

I love a good epic fantasy. Tchaikovsky has demonstrated that there is a story after the story. And that story is also worth telling.

Highly recommended.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. show less

Redemption's Blade dives full on into the series title at the top of the cover: After the War. This book takes place after a great fantasy war, when the evil demigod king and his legions of monsters have been defeated, but the scars-the traumas-are still fresh.

Hero Celestaine holds a sword that will cut anything, and she used it to help slay the evil, near immortal Kinslayer and end his war on the whole world. But the evil he did still goes on, and she feels urged to help fix some of it.

And thus the quest, the McGuffin, and all that are here. But what's truly refreshing about this book is the unflinching look at how it would really be, trying to recover from a war that literally brought hell with it. The suffering wrought by a hand show more without mercy does not simply vanish when that hand is cut off, and that is part of this book's central thesis. That, and how despite all the pain, life does still go on, in some way.

This book offers much. Engaging characters, grand adventure, moments of real hope, but also glimpses of the grim truth that war often brings only pain, even to the victors. It was a gipping read, and I look forward to future entries. show less

Adrian Tchaikovsky takes the Dark Lord trope, turns it on its head and gives it a jolly good thrashing. here is a tale of Celestaine, the Slayer of the Dark Lord, living through the aftermath of the great conflict. The land seethes with refugees, famines, shortages, hatred, insecurity, fears and calls for revenge. Celestaine seeks to find some reasons for it all, wanting to bring more than death, some change that will improve the lives of those who have lost so much.

She sets off with two ogre-like acquaintances, a wingless flying man and her sword of infinite sharpness (that comes with a variety of uses and problems). Following her are two bizarre collectors of artefacts. What follows is a journey through a warn-torn world where we meet show more races, demi-gods, magics, conspiracies and revelations.

Mr T, carries the story off with great aplomb, with a most enjoyable conclusion and end. I found the start a bit slow, but read the final third in one sitting. I can only hope that he writes more in this environment.

This is the first novel in a shared world "After The War" devised by Solaris, with [a:Justina Robson|224518|Justina Robson|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png]Justina Robinson writing the second, [b:Salvation's Fire|38643811|Salvation's Fire|Justina Robson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1519625991s/38643811.jpg|60255349]. show less

3.5⭐
I've heard that Mr. Tchaikovsky's sci-fi novels are better than his fantasy novels. I have never read anything by him until now, so I have nothing to base it on.
I have many books on my bookshelves by this author but haven't had the time to get to them. I wanted to change that, so this is the first book I picked.
I like the setting of "after the battle" here. It's written well, and it doesn't leave the reader too confused as to what has happened (I'm looking at you Malazan!

This book asks a very interesting question: what happens after you defeat the Ultimate Evil One or the leader of the evil army? This twist on the usual fantasy fare allows the author to explore many crucial aspects that are usually just plain forgotten on the lives of the rest of the world and even the Hero of the stories. The characters are also very well developed.

The type of books I am reading is a good sign of mood. This is comfort food -- or maybe potato chips. Tchaikovsky always seems to spin a good yarn. It's not as compelling as his Children of... scifi, but it does the job.

Starts off a strong 4.5. Loses some steam around halfway through, and I thought there'd be some grander reveal at the ending. Still, pretty good. Subversive, distinctive, harrowing.