Review of The Warded Man

            Wow, it’s been forever since I've done a book review! It’s about time. But first, a story.

            I bought this book, The Warded Man, four years ago. Since then, it sat on a shelf. Why? Well, because I simply never got around to reading it until now. It happens sometimes.

            So, this past week I decided to pick it up and read it. Suddenly, a couple days later, I received an email from Amazon with a list of books they thought I’d like, including the sequel to The Warded Man. Spooky, right? I mean, I bought this book four years ago from a book store. Amazon had no way of knowing I even owned it (I made no mention of owning or reading it anywhere online). I start reading it and suddenly there’s a recommendation for the sequel. I feel watched. Either this was a remarkable coincidence (likely) or Amazon has a remarkable marketing setup probably involving satellites (unlikely, but fun to speculate about).

            Anyway, on to the actual book. The Warded Man, by Peter V. Brett, is the story of a world where every night, demons rise from the ground to prey on living things. The human race is dwindling. In ancient times, they used to have the magic to fight these demons, but all they know now are the defensive wards to keep the demons at bay. They huddle indoors at night, with the screeching demons outside, hoping that the demons won’t find a crack in their defences.

            The story itself follows the lives of three characters from three different villages, each of which survived a horrific demon attack. The reader is brought along on their journey as one strives to become a Messenger (the people who travel from town to town, braving being on the road at night with only their wards to protect them), another is apprenticed to be an Herb Gatherer (the women who function as the society’s doctors and midwives), and the third chases his dream to be a Jongleur (the entertainers who sometimes travel with Messengers, who spread news and legends as well as joy).

            As I read the book, I found myself wondering what it was that kept me reading. I felt that the overarching plot of the book was a little thin, yet for some reason I couldn't put the book down. It was the characters and their individual struggles that were so compelling, dragging me forward, wanting to know more – and above all else, wondering where the story was going that it would inevitably bring them all together.

            Along with that, the world building was excellent. The political structure of the various cities and settlements were very well developed, as were the cultural differences. I did find the overall culture to be a tad on the sexist side (relying heavily on gender stereotypes), however I believe this was intentional on Brett’s part – after all, in a world where humans are struggling to survive, repopulation is paramount and alters priorities in the society. One thing I absolutely loved was a character’s transition from a small community – where everyone banded together to help each other out – to the big city, where people were apt to strive for wealth and beggars roamed the streets. A wonderful commentary, I felt.

            Overall, I found The Warded Man to be a thoroughly enjoyable read. It was creative and well thought out – a wonderful debut for Peter V. Brett. I may even have to get the sequel which Amazon clearly wants me to buy.

Click here to find the charity anthology containing a couple of my short stories.

If there's any subject you'd like to see me ramble on about, feel free to leave a comment asking me to do so.