Elyon’s Blades by Alison Naomi Holt is the first book in The Daughter’s of Elyon series and is a fantasy novel that focuses on found family amongst a sect of women warriors and the bonds they create; forged in training, battle and in relying entirely on each other.
There exists a sect in the Cibian Empire that is far more ferocious than any army.
More noble than the gentry.
Entirely devoted to the Goddess Elyon and fiercely loyal to their Arch Priestess Såbria.
Elyon’s Blades are not to be trifled with. Protecting the women of the realm is more than just their job, it is their divine duty. The Blades hail from all over the land, and though they may be culturally different, they train and live together, forging their way toward a common goal – safety and, when necessary, vengeance for the women of the world.
Ailith and Emlyn are the newest recruits to the Blades. They come from vastly different circumstances and their personalities clash more than sparring swords. Each woman will face their own trials as shivs however, it is only with the strength and support of the other, that they will be able to endure. The question is, will they stop quibbling and figure this out before it is too late?
Writing
While the book has a fantasy setting, there aren’t any epic battles, long quests, or angry dragons harassing poor villages. Rather the book is used to establish the characters; tell their stories, and by doing so, enable the reader to develop a deeper attachment to them. The world building is there, and it is interesting but the characters are the point of this book. Although, I do confess, there are quite a few opportunities for some drama, intrigue and conflict that I would have loved to have been explored more deeply. As this is only the first book in the series, I expect there is much more on this front to come though.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
The foul mouthed, hot tempered, honourable, pain in the arse shiv, Ailith is the best part about this story. Well, second best. Let’s be honest, a sect of women warriors that protects all women, is feared by the mightiest kingdoms, and lives with and loves one another is pretty darn fabulous. But this story is about Ailith, and she is delightfully complex and intriguing.
Heads Up
The story begins with a tragic forced breakup of two lovers as one is a queen and “for reasons” must marry a man.
There is also quite a bit of discussion surrounding corporeal punishment/breaking people in the context of training and some severe barracks bullying occurs.
Other content warnings include an attempted suicide, engineered genetic breeding programs, and mass forced sterilization.
The Conclusion
There is less action and world building, and more character building in this book which is a great way to introduce a series and get people invested. So, if spending hours immersed in the lives of a group of women warriors sounds like your kind of a fun time (I mean, how can it not?) then grab a copy and get cozy.
Excerpt from Elyon’s Blades by Alison Naomi Holt
“Pardon, My Lady, but when you say marked by the Goddess, do you mean the previous Arch Priestess chose you and tattooed your skin?”
Såbria moved closer and continued to hold out her hand. “No, Emlyn. This is part of me. I wasn’t born with it, but neither was it applied artificially to my skin. It appeared on my twenty-second nameday.”
Hearing that, Emlyn felt as though her heart would beat a hole in her chest. She dropped to her knees and then onto her face. This woman was marked by the Goddess herself. What right did she have to stand in her presence?”
While the woman’s face was plastered to the tile floor, Såbria rubbed her eyes with all ten fingers. She stifled the sigh that always emerged whenever she received this reaction to the ring. She moved back and once again hiked one leg up onto the arm of her chair and crossed her arms. “Emlyn, at times, we prostrate ourselves before the Goddess. You will never prostrate yourself before me.”
When Emlyn remained on the ground, Såbria spoke with more pique than she intended. “Get…up.”
The young warrior immediately obeyed.
“I am not holy. I’m simply a warrior who was chosen by the Goddess to do her work. So, if you continue to look like you’re going to pass out because you’re in my presence, I’ll have to wrestle with you so I can knock some sense into that prim and proper Kibrunian brain of yours.”
Her smile had a touch of wicked humor in it, and Emlyn answered the gesture with the first tiny smile she’d given that day. “Yes, My Lady.”
“Good. Now, the point I was trying to make is this. As soon as the mark appeared, I was put into a strict and stringent training regimen that has continued for the last twenty-seven turns and will continue until I pass into the arms of the Goddess. My role is to see to the emotional, spiritual, and physical needs of my warriors, and my training encompasses all three of those aspects of a person’s life… Any woman, from the lowest trainee to the Commander herself, may come to me for counseling. For the most part, people look to other warriors or to their Guardian Prime, Sub-Commander, or Commander for emotional support. But if the need is great enough, they look to me. My training, and therefore my knowledge and understanding of the human psyche, is vast. Often, I’ll simply sit and hold a warrior, and at times, I’ll bring them into my bed to provide comfort throughout the night.”
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Series: The Daughters of Elyon
Elyon’s Blades
Elyon’s Ghost
Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 979-8394850486
Publisher: Indie Author / Denabi publishing
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Note: I received a free review copy of Elyon’s Blades by Alison Naomi Holt. No money was exchanged for this review. When you use our links to buy we get a small commission which supports the running of this site
