The Bloodprint
Ratings4
Average rating3
15
Ratings4
Average rating3
The author of the acclaimed mystery The Unquiet Dead delivers her first fantasy novel—the opening installment in a thrilling quartet—a tale of religion, oppression, and political intrigue that radiates with heroism, wonder, and hope. A dark power called the Talisman, born of ignorance and persecution, has risen in the land. Led by a man known only as the One-Eyed Preacher, it is a cruel and terrifying movement bent on world domination—a superstitious patriarchy that suppresses knowledge and subjugates women. And it is growing. But there are those who fight the Talisman’s spread, including the Companions of Hira, a diverse group of influential women whose power derives from the Claim—the magic inherent in the words of a sacred scripture. Foremost among them is Arian and her fellow warrior, Sinnia, skilled fighters who are knowledgeable in the Claim. This daring pair have long stalked Talisman slave-chains, searching for clues and weapons to help them battle their enemy’s oppressive ways. Now they may have discovered a miraculous symbol of hope that can destroy the One-Eyed Preacher and his fervid followers: the Bloodprint, a dangerous text the Talisman has tried to erase from the world. Finding the Bloodprint promises to be their most perilous undertaking yet, an arduous journey that will lead them deep into Talisman territory. Though they will be helped by allies—a loyal boy they freed from slavery and a man that used to be both Arian’s confidant and sword master—Arian and Sinnia know that this mission may well be their last.
Series
4 primary booksThe Khorasan Archives is a 4-book series with 4 primary works first released in 2017 with contributions by Ausma Zehanat Khan.
Reviews with the most likes.
After reading about 100 pages (or about a quarter of the novel) and skimming the next few chapters, I've decided to leave The Bloodprint unfinished. The world seems compelling, there is some lovely writing, and the two heroines seem amazing in theory given their fight for justice, but unfortunately, I did not find it particularly engaging despite having some intriguing aspects. The dialogue is dry and full of exposition/dull discussion, and though Arian and Sinnia are supposed to have a close bond, their interactions don't show this closeness clearly or give either heroine much personality. This definitely has potential for an interesting setting and characters, but the interesting moments are spread out, making it rather tedious to read. There are just too many books waiting to be read to spend more time on this one–I'd be reading it just to finish it.
So... I clearly did not love this book. I was really excited about the premise but it fell incredibly flat for me.
Some of the problems:
- Not enough character development. The way the characters are written, it's very hard to connect with them. That's especially problematic since you're supposed to be rooting for the protagonist Arian and her band of cohorts on a perilous quest.
- Too much telling via stilted dialogue.
- Too many new places, things, and philosophies. While being dropped in media res isn't a bad thing, it is if it leads to confusion.
MINOR SPOILERS
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Arian is so beautiful that no man can resist her. Sinnia and Arian are supposed to have this partner-level connection, which I did not glean at all from how Sinnia and Arian's relationship was described. Sinnia also ends up as this secondary POC who Arian frequently either forgets or ignores.
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To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I wanted to love this book but as time went on, I felt more frustrated by what wasn't happening than by what was.
This was a really mixed bag. It takes the old and familiar - a ragtag band of adventurers questing for a mcguffin - and infuses it with a more modern understanding of how politics and gender relate to war (given Khan's academic background in political science this is quite understandable). For the most part, though, the story dragged slowly and took some time to find its feet. Once it found itself, though, it became a lot more enjoyable, but it was a lot of work to get to that point.
