The Adorned

4.5I came to this through my usual Audible window shopping i.e. listening to samples, adding to my wish list, and coming back to them later. This was a super pleasant surprise on a couple of fronts.[a:John Tristan 2738973 John Tristan https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1540990054p2/2738973.jpg] is a NTM author and I loved his elegant and smooth writing. In many aspects his fantasy/AU world brought to mind GoT with the fanciful spelling of names, the old & new Gods, and a ruling class that's a little more than human. It's a super slow burn, but utterly fulfilling romance between Etan, a kind of babe in the woods young man who after losing everything, comes to the big city to make his way, and Roberd Tallisk, a tattoo Master who makes Etan his Adorned. The world they inhabit is meticulously, lovingly brought to life by the author, and feels lived in, authentic. The biggest shocker was that this was narrated by [a:Shannon Gunn 6996772 Shannon Gunn https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]! When the credits rolled at the end my jaw almost dropped. I only know SG from the Ella Frank Temptation series in which he kind of grew on me and [b:His Roommate's Pleasure 17913360 His Roommate's Pleasure Lana McGregor https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1369921283l/17913360.SY75.jpg 25102455], where I loved the book but hated the narration. Here he comes and wows me with a beautifully nuanced performance, and distinct characterizations. Bravo Mr. Gunn.

Been making my way through M/M stories that seem to have high ratings here on Goodreads, so I picked up this one, and I'm so very glad I did. It feels a little like a softer m/m Kushiel, but it's also it's own world with some pretty great characters. I would have loved to spend the length of a Kushiel novel in this world, because the idea of the Adorned was fascinating, and I would have loved to meet more, and the variety of their lives. I also wanted to know more about the history of the Blooded, though it is made quite clear in the story that they are god-descended people. I did wonder if they were only in that one country, or if they could be found elsewhere in this world, though.

I was very fond of Etan from about the time he met Robaird, and their little family of four were particularly lovely. I loved hearing about the art of the tattoos, and how Etan knew more than a usual Adorned almost from the beginning. I also loved that their love story was such a slow build. That they cared about each other and wanted each other for a good long time before they allowed themselves to come together. Their fate after was wrenching to me, but ultimately satisfying. I was glad they managed to find a calm after the storm.

If you're fond of fantasy, tattoos, or male/male romance, I highly recommend it. Particularly if you always wanted the backstory of Delaunay and Alcuin, as this echoes that in some very nice ways.

Definitely a satisfying read overall, and I will be looking to see what else Mr Tristan has written.