#booktour Oathbreaker by A.J. Rettger #bookreivew + #giveaway (International)
Oathbreaker by A.J. Rettger
Published: November 7, 2020
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Pages: 300
For thousands of years, elves and non-humans alike had lived freely until humans colonized their land and forced them into hiding and subjugation. After years of living as slaves or second-class citizens, the elves rebelled, but their uprising failed, and humans remained victorious.
Mario Deschamps, a new graduate of the Knight’s College, sets off to complete his first deed, an accomplishment that will grant him knighthood and into the ordo equestris. But he has huge boots to fill. His late father, a famous knight and considered the Scourge of Bandits, single-handedly ended the Elven Uprising. Mario’s youthful confidence, vanity, and naivety don’t get him far in the real world, and he quickly finds himself trapped in a political climate where tensions are on the rise and war is inevitable.
In a world filled with monsters, outlaws, bounty hunters, demons, and murderous bandits, Mario is forced to make tough moral decisions. In a world fuelled by violence, hate, and bigotry, things are not as clear cut as he once thought. Lines have been drawn, but to complete his task, he must cross them all. With every choice, the consequences weigh greatly on him, leaving him full of guilt and doubting his path . . . and all the while, in the darkness, someone-or something-is waiting for him to break . . ..
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When I first sat down to read Oathbreaker what I thought I was getting was not what I got. I had a feeling it would be along the the lines of dark fantasy or grimdark but I was not thinking it was going to get as dark as it actually did.
Mario Deschamps is freshly out of Knights collage, on his way to do his first official quest and to then be knighted by the King. He has some big shoes to fill, his father Pablo Deschamps the hero who stopped the Elven uprising many years prior, never came home. He has hopes to be like his father, to make him proud.
Along his journey he encounters people and many non-human races who help him along the way. From them he learns that just because you are non-human it doesn't make you bad and that humans can be monsters too.
The story it's self is a very fast in it's pacing. We go from events to events with very little down time, which for our MC and his fellow companions isn't a good thing. It's feels like it's just one thing after another they have to suffer through. While there are some moments of humor over all this cast, this MC in particular has to go through so much, and it's not pretty. It's dark and gritty and I'm glad I wasn't eating during some fight scenes because I would have been turned off from my food. That should be taken as a complement, the gruesomeness was written rather well.
The world building is great. We have all kinds of fantasy beasties from classic fantasy to horror/dark fantasy. You can see throughout the influences other books that inspired the story and characters, I like to think of them as nods. The characters in this book have their flaws but don't we all. A issue with the story I have is logical. Mario is suppose to be that great of a student that when he graduates the collage it's just him, he's ahead of his classmates. So one would think he has to be super talented, to warrent this early graduation yet in the world he is kind of easily taken over. I know he's young and naïve but I was expecting more, smarter maybe? They would have taught him better, he would have learned at the collage. I understand that somethings are plot device, events wouldn't have been how they were if Mario didn't do or experience XYZ. But I'm not going to lie it left me doubting the abilities of Mario and the credibly of the collage. We do get to experience his growth as the story plays out.
The book isn't perfect, it's a very high 3 and that isn't a bad thing. As a debut novel it was rather good. I enjoyed it, and I continued to pick it back up because I wanted to know what next. Especially the political aspect of the story, those interludes with the Emperor I would have liked more of. I love a good political fantasy.
Overall the story left me intrigued, especially after the ending because I'm assuming and hoping there will be a book 2 and that this wasn't a standalone. Because if the end is the end then that was a rough ride for Mario, bittersweet and well grim. If there is more to this world, and like I said I assume there will be I am interested to see where A.J Rettger goes with it and I'm sure we will see growth both story and author wise.
You have my attention. I look forward to whatever is next because I have so many questions.
Add it to Goodreads, pick up your own copy at Amazon.
Or check it out from the publisher Friesen Press
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Let's meet our author
A.J. Rettger lives on a farm near the small town of Aberdeen Saskatchewan with his dog, Zeke. He has a bachelor’s of education degree, as well as a certificate from a private vocational college. His hobbies include playing Dungeons and Dragons, listening to heavy metal, and reading and writing fantasy books. Oathbreaker is his first book.
You can find him:
Website/Twitter/Instagram/Goodreads
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Click the image below to enter the giveaway for your very own copy!
Prize: Oathbreaker by A. J. Rettger – INTERNATIONAL!
GRAND PRIZE: A Signed paperback
RUNNERS-UP: Ebook
Starts: May 9th, 2021 at 12:00am EST
Ends: May 16th, 2021 at 11:59pm EST
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And don't forget to check out the rest of the tour stops
Happy reading!
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