Scan barcode
darrinbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
willlloyd24's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sporadicbooks's review
5.0
Assassin is the first instalment of the Darkblade series. This book strikes you from picking it up as it has THICC boy status, with a nice page count that promises death and depth it hits on both accounts.
This book starts off with a bang. A full blown atomic explosion of action which picks you up by the collar and drags you right into it. With a white-knuckled grip it then continues to guide you through the carnage and destruction that follows the Hunter.
The Hunter reminds me mostly of Etzio Auditore. With a grand arsenals of weapons and an enjoyment for rooftops the character was easy to imagine from the get go. Just like Assassins creed the enjoyment and the fights are enjoyable all around. Scenes of this book would not be out of place reenacted by Micheal Fasbender on the big screen. What gives the Hunter depth, and changes him from a 2 dimensional killing machine, is the humanity Andy Peloquin is able to infuse into the very core of the character. A moral assassin, with inconceivable skill can only mean a bad time for the underworld of Voramis.
Yet what if his moral compass is destroyed? If his moral north no longer guides him. What will the Hunter find himself contemplating with his morals in chaos?
I followed this book up by reading the 0.5 Novella Life for a Life. With nice insights into some main series relationships it would be a perfect start to anyone thinking about Darkblade but wanting to test the waters before commiting to the 8 book series of awesomness that I’m now enveloped in wanting to complete.
Both Life for a Life and Assassin were hands down 5 Stars and an incredible time from the first page.
This book starts off with a bang. A full blown atomic explosion of action which picks you up by the collar and drags you right into it. With a white-knuckled grip it then continues to guide you through the carnage and destruction that follows the Hunter.
The Hunter reminds me mostly of Etzio Auditore. With a grand arsenals of weapons and an enjoyment for rooftops the character was easy to imagine from the get go. Just like Assassins creed the enjoyment and the fights are enjoyable all around. Scenes of this book would not be out of place reenacted by Micheal Fasbender on the big screen. What gives the Hunter depth, and changes him from a 2 dimensional killing machine, is the humanity Andy Peloquin is able to infuse into the very core of the character. A moral assassin, with inconceivable skill can only mean a bad time for the underworld of Voramis.
Yet what if his moral compass is destroyed? If his moral north no longer guides him. What will the Hunter find himself contemplating with his morals in chaos?
I followed this book up by reading the 0.5 Novella Life for a Life. With nice insights into some main series relationships it would be a perfect start to anyone thinking about Darkblade but wanting to test the waters before commiting to the 8 book series of awesomness that I’m now enveloped in wanting to complete.
Both Life for a Life and Assassin were hands down 5 Stars and an incredible time from the first page.
surfmonkey01's review against another edition
4.0
Way too long, the pacing was up and down a lot. But very good overall. In some ways it reminded me of Brent Weeks’ Night Angel series. Definitely worth checking out
crs361's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 ⭐️
I enjoyed this book, but found it a little repetitive in some elements at times, which at 650+ pages, a little bit of trimming these bits out would have boosted this to a 4/4.5 for me.
I enjoyed this book, but found it a little repetitive in some elements at times, which at 650+ pages, a little bit of trimming these bits out would have boosted this to a 4/4.5 for me.
thewulverslibrary's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of Assassin by Andy Peloquin from the author, and I remain thoroughly impressed by everything here.
All in Voramis know the legend of the Hunter.
Relentless. Immortal. Death walking. The greatest assassin who ever lived.
Pay the master killer his due and the Hunter will execute any target, carry out any contract, no matter how impossible.
But when the Bloody Hand crime syndicate harms the innocents under his protection, they foolishly make an enemy of the one man they can’t afford to anger. The price of the Hunter’s vengeance is high paid in blood and eternal damnation. Not even an army of crooks, cutthroats, and demonic creatures of nightmare can stand in his way.
He’s far more than just one man…he’s the Keeper-damned Hunter of Voramis.
Having never read a book by the author, I was unaware of what to expect but Andy has dragged myself through agony and despair that left me bleeding for more by the end. The world-building and characterisation itself was heavy but it helped the story and I found myself immersed in every action and description. For every grim chapter that Andy buried in my mind, there was a brilliant mythology, and I can say that Andy surprised me with how vast this world was. I was immersed in the world itself, the mention of gods and wars. The secrets of the seas and I was fascinated with how much of a deep dive I was able to get into whilst still holding my attention.
I enjoyed the character of The Hunter. A brutal mess of a man that does everything for a reason. Being the cause of death also comes with a code, but he also cares and whilst we likely shouldn't root for this bloodlust character, Andy tugs our heartstrings throughout. I enjoyed how Andy wrote about depression that comes with guilt and I appreciate how the direction went.
This is a book of hurt and hope and Andy deserves to be on everyone's radar. I'll be reading more of this as soon as possible.
All in Voramis know the legend of the Hunter.
Relentless. Immortal. Death walking. The greatest assassin who ever lived.
Pay the master killer his due and the Hunter will execute any target, carry out any contract, no matter how impossible.
But when the Bloody Hand crime syndicate harms the innocents under his protection, they foolishly make an enemy of the one man they can’t afford to anger. The price of the Hunter’s vengeance is high paid in blood and eternal damnation. Not even an army of crooks, cutthroats, and demonic creatures of nightmare can stand in his way.
He’s far more than just one man…he’s the Keeper-damned Hunter of Voramis.
Having never read a book by the author, I was unaware of what to expect but Andy has dragged myself through agony and despair that left me bleeding for more by the end. The world-building and characterisation itself was heavy but it helped the story and I found myself immersed in every action and description. For every grim chapter that Andy buried in my mind, there was a brilliant mythology, and I can say that Andy surprised me with how vast this world was. I was immersed in the world itself, the mention of gods and wars. The secrets of the seas and I was fascinated with how much of a deep dive I was able to get into whilst still holding my attention.
I enjoyed the character of The Hunter. A brutal mess of a man that does everything for a reason. Being the cause of death also comes with a code, but he also cares and whilst we likely shouldn't root for this bloodlust character, Andy tugs our heartstrings throughout. I enjoyed how Andy wrote about depression that comes with guilt and I appreciate how the direction went.
This is a book of hurt and hope and Andy deserves to be on everyone's radar. I'll be reading more of this as soon as possible.
neilsef's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
At first, I thought this was going to be a fairly predictable read, however, not once did the plot unfold as I was expecting it to, which made it an entertaining and enthralling read.
The main character, the Hunter, is a well-written, complex character, who is as much of a mystery to himself, as he is to the reader at the start of the novel and a fair chunk of the plot revolves around unravelling his past and how that affects his personality as he discovers it.
There is also a fair amount of action which, while not being overly graphic, made me wince on several occasions. There is also a strong thread of loyalty and friendship running through the story which plays an integral part in the Hunter's development, which leads to several quite emotional scenes.
This could have been a run-of-the-mill assassin-type story, but it is so much more, guaranteeing that I will be reading the other books in the series.
The main character, the Hunter, is a well-written, complex character, who is as much of a mystery to himself, as he is to the reader at the start of the novel and a fair chunk of the plot revolves around unravelling his past and how that affects his personality as he discovers it.
There is also a fair amount of action which, while not being overly graphic, made me wince on several occasions. There is also a strong thread of loyalty and friendship running through the story which plays an integral part in the Hunter's development, which leads to several quite emotional scenes.
This could have been a run-of-the-mill assassin-type story, but it is so much more, guaranteeing that I will be reading the other books in the series.
brim010's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
datafox's review against another edition
4.0
This book was everything I’d been wanting in an Assassin-themed book. For any thoughts I’ve had over the years of writing my own, this book showed me everything I’d been doing wrong. This is a story that as dark and gritty as Abercrombie, that gets its hooks into you and refuses to let go. The time will slip by and the page count will reduce without you realizing you’d been invested for that long.
The Hunter is the most sought after and feared killer, and he is the best at what he does, but what he does isn’t pretty. He has his own sense of morals, rescuing people out of being sold for labor and other things, and he dispatches their captors in stunning fashion. He is driven to kill by an enchanted weapon that thirsts for blood. It would be easy to make a Sanderson reference, but I think perhaps it’s closer to a weapon a certain Goliath should have left alone.
The author warned me that this would be a dark book that would require many puppies and rainbows to escape from, and the sequels would be their equal. I’m on board to start the second book as quickly as I can, and if you want an adventure full of blood, mayhem, a massive page count, and unrepentant killers, this is the one to start with.
The Hunter is the most sought after and feared killer, and he is the best at what he does, but what he does isn’t pretty. He has his own sense of morals, rescuing people out of being sold for labor and other things, and he dispatches their captors in stunning fashion. He is driven to kill by an enchanted weapon that thirsts for blood. It would be easy to make a Sanderson reference, but I think perhaps it’s closer to a weapon a certain Goliath should have left alone.
The author warned me that this would be a dark book that would require many puppies and rainbows to escape from, and the sequels would be their equal. I’m on board to start the second book as quickly as I can, and if you want an adventure full of blood, mayhem, a massive page count, and unrepentant killers, this is the one to start with.