This was my first Brent Weeks novel and I have to say I was more than pleasantly surprised, I loved it. The world of Azoth and his Master Blint was a wonderful adventure. The plot lines were well woven and I quite enjoyed the ending His world building was slightly confusing with so many different governments happening at once . It did take me about 100 pages to become vested in Azoth as a character but after that, the pace picked up nicely.
I gave this book a 3/5 stars. There are abuse and rape mentioned in this book, FYI, in case it’s not your thing.
**Spoiler’s Below**
The book begins with our main character, Azoth, a drifter within the Warrens Cenaria City. He is in a guild and looks after a younger girl, Doll Girl, and a slightly older Jarl. Abused by one of the Guild Fists, and through several twists, has the chance to become an assassin’s apprentice to Durzo Blint, if he manages to kill the Fist, Rat, before the night is over. Rat mutilated Doll Girl’s face and agrees if Durzo promises to save her.
Durzo saves Doll Girl and Azoth kills Rat eventually, becoming the wanted apprenticeship, but Durzo refuses to let him see Doll Girl or any girl for that matter as they are denied loving relationships. They can be used against assassins as a weak spot. Azoth gets paid by Durzo and soon becomes Doll Girls unknown benefactor so she may join a family and grow up within a normal family. Azoth trains to be a killer, but is never able to summon his hidden magical ability. Eventually, Durzo stages Azoth’s death so everyone thinks he is dead, after the King attempts to blackmail Durzo into his service. He becomes Kylar.
Kylar leaves Durzo’s house to stay with Count Rimbold Drake, an old dear friend of Durzo’s. He also learns to read from Mamma K, the sister of Durzo’s long lost love, Vonda. Momma K is also a member of the Sa’kage, and manages every brothel in the city. Kylar is never. At Drake’s he learns to behave in society, hanging out with the young Logan Gure, they become good friends. Around this time, Jarl also make a come back and eventually works himself up to be Momma K’s right hand man.
While both Durzo and Kylar are searching for ways that might let him use his talent, rumor has it one exists, hidden within the City. Momma K tells them, there may be one within the palace walls. Without telling each other they were going, Kylar discovers the ka’kari first, and after touching it, it bonds with him. Only one bond can happen per ka’kar, until they die. Kylar is now able to summon his magical power. In the palace scuffle, the King’s prince is murdered by his mistress but she tries to blame both Durzo and Kylar.
About this time, Roth, a previous Guild Fist is making politicalk moves, with aimes to joinSa’kage. It requires a vote, leading him to Momma K’s establishment. He knows she has a daughter, fathered by Durzo that she never told anyone about. He blackmails her into helping him. He ultimately uses this fact to blackmail Durzo as well. Durzo is called upon the murder every living heir and member of the royal family. Roth ultimately brings war upon the City by allowing Khalidor troops through security gates and over bridges, into the city and palace. The entire Gyre family is killed except for his father, who was already assigned to a certain battle zone, while Logan is unwillingly forced to marry the King’s daughter, Jenine, for the good of the kingdom.
That night in the palace, through Roth, Durzo poisons the meat that everyone eats for dinner. Shortly after the remaining royal members die, Logan and Jenine are all that’s left. Roth hunts them down, murders Jenine, but leaves Logan alive so he can be fed to the Maw, a cannibalistic pit of the prisons. After Roth’s departure, Neph, his witch, secretly save Jenine with plans to add her to the GodKing’s already large collection of wives.
With Kylar’s help, Jarl attempts to hire a guard that would locate Logan and help him escape the palace. The shear number of witches, he is killed and Logan with no where else to hide and witches searching for him, chooses to enter the cannibal den. armed only with a knife and the key to the door. Kylar and Durzo are fiorced to fight each other, Kylar must kills Durzo for his own Black Kakari, it must go to Roth to save Durzo’s duaghter. After quite the battle, Kylar finally bests him, fully assuming the roll of the Night Angel,, the Avatar of Justice, which had been
With Kylar’s help, Jarl attempts to hire a guard that would locate Logan and help him escape the palace. The shear number of witches, he is killed and Logan with no where else to hide and witches searching for him, chooses to enter the cannibal den. armed only with a knife and the key to the door. Kylar and Durzo are forced to fight each other, Kylar must kills Durzo for his own Black Kakari, it must go to Roth to save Durzo’s daughter. After quite the battle, Kylar finally bests him, fully assuming the roll of the Night Angel,, the Avatar of Justice, which had been Durzo.
He returns to the palace to find Logan and kill Roth. Unfortunately, within the Maw ,all he finds at the prison is blood and assumes Logan is dead. He does find Elene and Uly (Durzo and Momma K’s daughter), and releases them to escape. Killing Roth proves to be a difficult task as he is guarded by a room with plenty of soldiers and witches. Eventually, he kills them all and Roth but dies himself as well. IN death, he meets a figure called the Wolf. He is given the choice of heaven or hell OR an Immortal life. He chooses to return to life and escapes the palace. The Godking still took control of the country, forcing Elene, Kylar and Uly to flee together.
