The Paper Sword

Solid Start to a New Fantasy Series

I would like to thank NetGalley and Dundurn for the opportunity to read this e-ARC. Although I received the e-book for free, that in no way impacts my review. I would have given this book 4 stars but for the abrupt ending, so instead I have to give it 3 stars.

Goodreads Blurb:
<blockquote>On the spell-crossed Phaer Isle, teenage Xemion dreams of being a great swordsman. When he finds a blade-shaped stick, he fashions it to look like a real sword. Knowing that the laws of their cruel Pathan conquerors would require a death sentence for possession of such an object, his friend Saheli demands he destroy it. He agrees, but insists on performing just one sword ceremony. When his mastery of the weapon, a skill long forgotten, is witnessed by a mysterious man named Vallaine, the two friends are invited to join a planned rebellion. At first they refuse, but when a sadistic official discovers their transgressions, they are forced to embark on a dangerous journey to the ruins of the ancient city of Ulde, where rebel forces are gathering.

Armed with only their wits and the painted sword, they face Thralls, Triplicants, dragons, rage-wraiths, and a host of other spell-crossed beings. As they approach the Great Kone, source of all spell-craft, Saheli's fear of magic and Xemion's attraction to it bind them in a crossed spell of their own — one that threatens to separate the two forever.</blockquote>

This book is the start of a new fantasy series targeting middle grade, teens, and YA readers. Following in the tradition of the epic fantasy our hero appears to be no one special, yet he has dreams of grandeur. His innermost secret is to become a legendary swordsman like those from the days of old, before their island nation was conquered by their cruel overlords, the Pathans. All his life Xemion's assumed his dream was just that, a dream. Once the Pathan's took control of Phaer and it's people they banned the use of weapons - especially swords. Yet once his paper sword is dry Xemion demonstrates flawless knowledge all of the proper sword-wielding stances for Saheli. Stances he shouldn't have any knowledge of, for the manuals and those people with the knowledge were destroyed before he was even born.

Saheli is Xemion's best friend and the unwitting love of his young life. Though she's only been in Xemion's life for about four months, in that time she has captured his heart, and that of the old woman raising him in their home hidden deep in the forest. Yet in all that time she has remained a mystery to Xemion and herself. Already the makings of several mysteries are laid out for the reader; mysteries for the reader to unravel right along with the characters.

Once their friends are added to the mix things get even more entertaining. Torgee and Tharfen are brother and sister, and each harbors their own romantic feelings for Saheli and Xemion respectively. This tangled mess of desire amongst friends is exceptionally well done, particularly Tharfen's tumultuous feelings for Xemion.

Overall the characterization of these four young friends is spot on as they vacillate between adult levels of maturity and that of young children. The complexity of their emotions and responses is absolutely appropriate for their represented age range. It's not at all uncommon for teenagers to behave maturely and then suddenly backslide into childish behavior as they grow and develop their own personalities. Being the youngest Tharfen seems to experience these emotional swings the hardest, which could easily cause problems down the road. For in a land of magic words spoken in anger, or out of pain, can quickly take on a life of their own.

Xemion is the most developed character in this installment of the series, even though it appears that Saheli will play almost as important, if not as important, a role. Even Torgee and Tharfen are poised to have crucial roles, yet they also need a great deal more character development. On the other hand Priest has done a stellar job in his world building, giving us a rich, vibrant world complete with multiple humanoid species, magic remnants from humans, cross-spelled creatures of all types, and even the prerequisite epic fantasy dragons. Given that this was the first book, I'm holding out hope that the following books will delve deeper into the main characters, giving them the same vibrancy that Xemion has begun to take on.

Overall I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the sequel. My only real suggestion has to do with the closing of the book. Cliffhanger endings are to be expected in epic fantasies, but I think it is beneficial to keep the target audience in mind. As this is an epic fantasy geared toward younger readers I think the book, and probably the series overall, would have benefitted from resolving at least a few questions posed in some of the myriad plot lines.