My life in books

Sword, by Amy Bai, sounded like something I'd really enjoy as a pleasant diversion - a fantasy world with a mysterious prophesy, and a girl with a gift for the sword. It took a while for me to get into it - the characterisations of the three key characters are a bit inconsistent, the early pace was a bit slow and there's not quite enough incluing to understand some of the motivations of the characters fir what they say and do. The protagonist - Kyali Corwynall, daughter of a general and one of three potential heirs to the throne - and her father have lots of cryptic conversations that really don't give us a lot if insight into what's going on, which I found somewhat annoying.

Once the scene is set, however, the author plunges us into a fast-moving section where the young hero is sent away to learn advanced swordcraft and control of her magical Gifts from a tribal people renowned for their skills in both areas. I like young hero with a destiny training sequences, so this was good for getting me properly settled into the story.

The other two main characters are Kyali's brother Davin, who also has some kind of jagical gift and is also the first person born with the dapacity to be a Bard (the capital 'B' tells us, or so I assume, that his future involves more than just singing pretty songs at court) her close friend, Taireasa, daughter of the current ruler. Rulership in this society seems to be passed down through some sort of tanistry, as the heir is theoretically chosen from one of two families - Taireasa's, and Kyali's. However, in practice, it's almost always someone from Taireasas family.

There is of course the prophecy, of serious doings involving the Sword, the Song and the Crown, which once Kyali started military training with her father, everyone associated with the three young prospective heirs.

Yes, cliches abound, but it's rather engrossing, even if there were times I wanted to take Kyali, Devin and Taireasa and shake the stupidity of thinking they were keeping secrets to protect each other out of them.

The story ends in a strange place - after a significant personal victory, but with the fortunes of the protagonists at a nadir. It feels like there should be at least one sequel, or, given the whole Sword, Song, Crown thing, two - but it's been three years since the book came out and not a word about any sequels that I can find. Perhaps Bai only wanted to tell the personal story, or perhaps she has writer's block, or perhaps the book didn't sell well enough.... Time may provide an answer. But I do want to know more about these three.