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A review by suspensethrill
The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood
4.0
4.5 STARS
"Unspoken and Unspeakable One, Knight of Abyss, Overseer of the Eaten Worlds, praise and reverence unto your Chosen Bride. May she intercede for us."
What an exceptional debut! [b:The Unspoken Name|45046552|The Unspoken Name (The Serpent Gates, #1)|A.K. Larkwood|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1576631770l/45046552._SY75_.jpg|69749498] is difficult to summarize; the story is an ambitious blend of epic high fantasy and space opera/science fiction, which will tickle the fancy of fans of both tremendously. From the very beginning, I got the vibe that this book would be the lovechild of the writing styles and world building of [a:Brandon Sanderson|38550|Brandon Sanderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1394044556p2/38550.jpg] and [a:Ken Follett|3447|Ken Follett|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1480592356p2/3447.jpg]. How an author can take so many aspects of my favorite genres and include a storytelling format in league with the giants in the writing industry is beyond me, but Larkwood has done just that. There is a lot of story packed into just shy of 500 pages and it's very dark overall, but there is action and gore galore, while also including a steady balance of thought provoking thematic elements surrounding the choices we make and the outcomes that they produce. If you enjoy a new take on a familiar tale, please consider picking this one up. I enjoyed it so much that I'll be purchasing a finished hardcover for my personal collection!
"This is me, in two weeks' time. Here I am, walking up to the Shrine. This is the end. This is how it will feel at the end. Thy name shall be forsaken and thou shalt be my bride."
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.
"Unspoken and Unspeakable One, Knight of Abyss, Overseer of the Eaten Worlds, praise and reverence unto your Chosen Bride. May she intercede for us."
What an exceptional debut! [b:The Unspoken Name|45046552|The Unspoken Name (The Serpent Gates, #1)|A.K. Larkwood|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1576631770l/45046552._SY75_.jpg|69749498] is difficult to summarize; the story is an ambitious blend of epic high fantasy and space opera/science fiction, which will tickle the fancy of fans of both tremendously. From the very beginning, I got the vibe that this book would be the lovechild of the writing styles and world building of [a:Brandon Sanderson|38550|Brandon Sanderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1394044556p2/38550.jpg] and [a:Ken Follett|3447|Ken Follett|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1480592356p2/3447.jpg]. How an author can take so many aspects of my favorite genres and include a storytelling format in league with the giants in the writing industry is beyond me, but Larkwood has done just that. There is a lot of story packed into just shy of 500 pages and it's very dark overall, but there is action and gore galore, while also including a steady balance of thought provoking thematic elements surrounding the choices we make and the outcomes that they produce. If you enjoy a new take on a familiar tale, please consider picking this one up. I enjoyed it so much that I'll be purchasing a finished hardcover for my personal collection!
"This is me, in two weeks' time. Here I am, walking up to the Shrine. This is the end. This is how it will feel at the end. Thy name shall be forsaken and thou shalt be my bride."
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.