Genre: Dark Fantasy
Review (No Spoilers)
This is an easy one as the first review for this blog. Jenna is quite well known on YouTube, and as an indie author, her work is otherwise very highly regarded and a good way to start things off. My review is no doubt one of a sea of many for this very engaging story set in the realm of Thessen, a peaceful realm ruled by ‘The Savior’ who's light and magic has protected the realm for centuries. But to call it just a Dark Fantasy story would be to ignore the many subplots and twists, well written romantic elements, and the visceral violence and gore that at times feels as though it bleeds through the pages. But more than that, it is a story with depth and substance that will no doubt draw the reader in and leave them cheering for Tobias as he enters the Savior’s Tournament. As he advances through each challenge aided by the lovely Leila and his allies, he is drawn deeper into the complex and challenging political realities of the realm. The hard truths of the political system that he grew up in.
There is truly a lot to like about this story, and there is good reason for its high regard both within the community and the industry more broadly. The characters are all unique, each bringing their own attitudes, beliefs, preferences, and purpose to the story adding depth and complexity where it is needed. There is also no shortage of twists and turns throughout which keep the reader thirsting for more. Indeed, this resulted in an all-night reading session on my part, thirsting to know more about the story and about the mysterious Leila.
There are perhaps two things that stuck in my mind while reading, however. The first is that Jenna’s writing, while very good and engaging, has a few words which stand out that are repeated probably a few too many times. It is a very minor thing however and does not take away from the story. And it remains a page-turner regardless. The second the predictability of some of the ‘twists’ was offered with perhaps a few too many clues. For instance, with Leila and her true story (I will avoid spoilers), while it was relatively obvious, it was also not done badly. Regardless of my early suspicions coming true I remained in support of the characters regardless and found myself cheering nonetheless for their triumph.
Do not be deterred by my someone nit-picky critiques. Especially as none of these takes away from the story itself and for the engaging read that it truly is. In fact, one aspect which has neglected mention though it deserves right of place as one of the stories greatest strengths is the Romance. It is very well done, tasteful and a pleasure to follow. It didn’t feel cheesy or unnecessary, rather it felt natural, and it flowed naturally out of each character and their personalities. For the romance alone this story is worthy of consideration, let alone the rest of it which is very well structured.
Rating
Overall, if I were to offer a score on Amazon then The Savior's Champion would easily be given a five star because it is a book that deserves your time and deserves to be read. But that is probably not a good overall reflection of the book in its entirety. As indicated, there are some issues, and I would be doing a disservice by claiming that it is a masterpiece. A such I want to break this down into a few relevant categories that all should factor into your decision when picking this up to read.
Plot/Story Structure – 8/10
Engagement – 9/10
Characters – 10/10
Sub Plots – 10/10
Overall – 9/10