The thing with being a fan of fantasy novels, series etc is that there is a lot to choose from out there - and a lot of it is formulaic, the same old same old, if you like. You often have to wade through a lot of "average" to find a gem.
Fortunately Jen Williams debut 'The Copper Promise' is such a gem - and then some!
The story has everything you would want from a fantasy novel. There are the heroes, Wydrin (aka The Copper Cat) and Sebastian, a disgraced knight. There is a dispossessed Lord. There is a Dragon, there is an army of the aforementioned dragon, there are villains. And there is oh so very much more.
Oh, and dungeons complete with traps and treasure (can`t forget the dungeons!!).
But what this story has, above all else, is heart. It is a big world, with big characters but it feels real. You will care about their plight and their adventures.
What else sets this book above standard fantasy fare? One of the big things for me was the army of the dragon's children. They are developed in a very clever and believable way but I'll leave you to find that out for yourselves ;-)
The book itself was originally released in four separate parts and is still available as such on Amazon (for kindle) so if you wish to you can buy part one and give it a try if you want to but I would say just get the whole thing in one volume - you'll be glad you did!
The Copper Promise is the kind of story that got me reading fantasy in the first place and I honestly believe this will one day be looked on as a classic of the genre. And also, that Jen Williams will be a big name, up there with the likes of Sanderson, Rothfuss, Weeks, and Tad Williams.
Highly recommended - 7 stars out of 5 (and yes I can do that because a. it's that good, and b. it's my blog)
Go treat yourself and join Wydrin, Sebastian and Aaron Frith in the first of many adventures
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