Sweep of the Blade

Maud plucked the blue kora fruit from the bowl, peeled the thin skin and carefully cut the fruit into even round slices. She managed eight slices, seven perfectly even and one slightly thicker. She placed the seven slices around the cubes. The eighth was a hair too thick. She pondered it.

The tachi pondered it with her.

Better safe than sorry. She reached for another kora.

The tachi to her left emitted an audible sigh of relief and then crunched his mouth shut, embarrassed.

As usual, the book was easy to read and fast-paced, I wasn't bored reading it but I have several issues with Sweep of the Blade.

First Maud. SHE'S SUCH A MARIE SUE. She's perfect and skilled at everything. Negotiations, history, swordplay, politics, languages, and of course, she's a scholar. She always notices things no one else does (albeit they have much more experience in these things) and is quick to suggest strategies. She's basically a wiki at all species in the world and their clans' relations. In a way, she's good at everything. Better than most too. Welp, in some cases, everyone. C'MON.

I'm also not a fan of insta-love and we had barely any build-up here. Arland fell for her too fast. Speaking of Arland, he's a vampire but only in name. Why call his clans vampires if they have none of the vampires' traits.

I said in one of my previous reviews of this series that I'd love to see more of this world and I stand by my word. I just hope we see it through someone more interesting.

I did have a bit of fun reading this book but not the usual humor/witty comments/fun secondary characters type of Andrews book. The ending left me very much curious about what's going to happen next. I hope this book will be the last Maud book because I'm so over her perfection. She's not realistic at all.

So good! I didn’t want it to end

Vampire worldview, condensed into three sentences: If it’s not food or a pet, kill it, because it might be poisonous.

“They called me a halfer,” Helen said from the backseat.
The smile vanished from his face, as if jerked away. “You’re not a halfer,” Arland growled. “You’re a vampire and a human. Both and whole, not half and half.”


“And he said I wasn’t good enough to be his enemy. And I said, ‘I’ll punch you so hard, you’ll swallow your teeth, worm.’”
Maud hid a groan. “Where did you hear that?”
“Lord Arland.”
Oh goodie. “Then what happened?”
“Then the scary old knight came and told me that if I challenged the boy, there would be ripper cushions.”
“Repercussions.”

“I know that you don’t require my protection, my lady. If I thought you did, I wouldn’t have extended the invitation. I’m not looking for a maiden to save. I’m looking for a partner.”

“So, she’s an assassin,” Ilemina said.
“No. She’s a woman who was dumped on Karhari with a three-year-old child and a husband who was a snake. She is a survivor. She doesn’t fight for fun or glory. She fights to eliminate the threat. Every time she draws her sword, it’s life or death. She gives it everything, because her child’s life hangs in the balance. Of all people, I thought you would relate.”

“What I’m trying to say is, I see you. I would love you if you were a vampire or a human, because of who you are. You don’t need an inn or a broom to fascinate me. You only have to look my way and you’ll have all of my attention.”

Otubar reached over and plucked Helen from the bed. “Come with me, child. It’s time we tested you with other weapons.”
“If you do well, I will give you cake,” Ilemina said.
Helen’s eyes lit up. “What kind of cake?”
“Delicious kind,” Otubar told her.