Blood of an Exile by Brian Naslund | Review

Blood of an Exile by Brian Naslund
Published by Tor Publishing on August 6, 2019
ISBN: 9781250309624
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Dragons & Mythical Creatures, Epic, Action & Adventure
Pages: 464
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased Book
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2019 Amazon.com Best Books of the Year2019 Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year
First in the Dragons of Terra series, Brian Naslund's Blood of an Exile is a fast-paced adventure perfect for comic readers and fans of heroic fantasy
Bershad stands apart from the world, the most legendary dragonslayer in history, both revered and reviled.
Once, he was Lord Silas Bershad, but after a disastrous failure on the battlefield he was stripped of his titles and sentenced to one violent, perilous hunt after another. Now he lives only to stalk dragons, slaughter them, collect their precious oil, and head back into the treacherous wilds once more. For years, death was his only chance to escape. But that is about to change.
The king who sentenced Bershad to his fate has just given him an unprecedented chance at redemption. Kill a foreign emperor and walk free forever.
The journey will take him across dragon-infested mountains, through a seedy criminal underworld, and into a forbidden city guarded by deadly technology.
But the links of fate bind us all.
Dragons of Terra SeriesBlood of an ExileSorcery of a Queen
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Great holy Zeus! Blood Of An Exile packs a powerful punch, and this debut punch is a knockout!  This book has the capability of just burrowing under your skin and taking root there.  The plot is thick, enriching and complex.  This story is completely character driven and it knows exactly how you tick!  We have a glorious magic system that enriches the narrative, but it isn’t the main focus, which I have found to be a refreshing change.  Blood Of An Exile has fired up my synapses and it will stay with me for the long-term – in all its raw complexity.

Dragons are my favourite magical creatures in fantasy, but I do struggle with the perception of them.  I hate how they are uncontrollable but not a revered creature.  Blood Of An Exile challenges that view.  The magnificent creatures are respected for their power but the killing of one is reserved as a punishment.  This really did crawl under my skin and the thought of killing one of these majestic creatures would tear me open.  It’s like the ocean – it’s pretty to look at but I respect her for the power she can unleash upon us all. 

Thank you to Brian Naslund for writing a book that has got me excited about  becoming immersed in the fantasy genre again. 

Blood of An Exile follows the story of Silas Bershad, who was supposed to die after the attempted assassination of a noble lord.  His punishment is to be banished and live out his life as a dragonslayer, forever displayed to the world by the tattoos that are etched upon his face.  He is summoned back to undertake a task given to him by the king that banished him in the first place.  He must kill a lord and save his kidnapped daughter.  This will ensure his pardon once this task is completed.  Bershad has hidden some magical ability of restoring health and healing and it had me hooked!  I wanted more, I need more – you know what they say about curiosity. 

Blood Of An Exile is a journey of self-discovery.  Who can Bershad and company trust?  Their journey to reclaim the lost princess will open wounds, forge new relationships and break barriers.  Naslund has done a stellar job of giving us the multiple POV of several characters.  This brings us the relatable card to the storytelling.  The narrative was bulked out with meaningful dialogue and the ultimate portrayal of fates intertwining was superb.  Naslund has created a an amazingly accessible world and his writing was like a kid consuming cake – it was addictive. 

Bershads quest is filled with doubt and many questions.  He examines the turn his life has taken and whether he could ever go back to his old life, even if he was pardoned.  Naslund has captured the essence of the ultimate dilemma of the human condition.  The razor-sharp narrative and the flow just went down like the most exquisite rum and coke.  Naslund made me ponder the existence of dragons and once again wishing I was a part of the plot. 

Blood Of An Exile has dragons, assassinations and revenge, this debut by Brian Naslund has it all.  Epic scope and fantastical world building makes this your next read.

ABOUT BRIAN NASLUND

Brian Naslund was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, where he never quite learned to love crab cakes. As a technology-soaked millennial, his first taste of fantasy wasn’t from Tolkien or the other amazing fantasy writers he now loves, but instead from watching his older brother play video games in the basement.

After healthy doses of many Final Fantasy games during his formative years, he developed a lifelong obsession with flawed characters lugging swords around in the wilderness.

Brian spent his early twenties living in Manhattan and subsisting off ramen and cheap vodka, and now lives in Colorado. He still eats ramen but traded the vodka for craft-brewed IPAs.

Brian is now a product director for a tech company, and first started writing about dragons to escape the crushing boredom of his incredibly long bus commute. When he’s not writing, he’s usually griping about video games on Twitter, hiking with his dog, Lola, or whitewater kayaking in the mountains. The last activity makes his mother very nervous.

Blood of an Exile is his debut novel, and the first in The Dragons of Terra series.

Brian Naslund