Redemption's Blade: After the War

Written by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Narrated by Nicola Barber

Ten years ago, the renegade demigod known as the Kinslayer returned. His armies of monsters issued from the pits of the earth, spearheaded by his brutal Yorughan soldiers. He won every battle, leaving burnt earth and corruption behind. Thrones toppled and cities fell as he drove all before him. And then he died. A handful of lucky heroes and some traitors amongst his own, and the great Kinslayer was no more. Celestaine was one such hero and now she has tasked herself to correct the worst excesses of the Kinslayer and bring light back to her torn-up world. With two Yorughan companions she faces fanatics, war criminals and the monsters and minions the Kinslayer left behind as the fragile alliances of the war break down into feuding, greed and mistrust. The Kinslayer may be gone, but he cast a long shadow she may never truly escape.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 24, 2018
• ISBN: 9781980002352

Adrian Tchaikovsky

Adrian Tchaikovsky was born in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, has practised law and now writes full time. He’s also studied stage-fighting, perpetrated amateur dramatics and has a keen interest in entomology and table-top games. Adrian is the author of the critically acclaimed Shadows of the Apt series, the Echoes of the Fall series and other novels, novellas and short stories. Children of Time won the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award, Children of Ruin and Shards of Earth both won the British Science Fiction Award for Best Novel and The Tiger and the Wolf won the British Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel.

Reviews for Redemption's Blade

[nicdevera-16450 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Starts off a strong 4.5. Loses some steam around halfway through, and I thought there'd be some grander reveal at the ending. Still, pretty good. Subversive, distinctive, harrowing.

[guide2_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book asks a very interesting question: what happens after you defeat the Ultimate Evil One or the leader of the evil army? This twist on the usual fantasy fare allows the author to explore many crucial aspects that are usually just plain forgotten on the lives of the rest of the world and even the Hero of the stories. The characters are also very well developed.

[tottman_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Redemption’s Blade is the story of what happens after. After the climactic battle between good and evil. After the long war that upends the world as gods and demons and humans and all the many races go to war and lay waste to the world. After the fight is over and there is nothing left but to pick up the pieces and attempt to restore a world that can never really be restored.Redemption’s Blade takes place ten years after the return of the Kinslayer. He returned from his underground prison with an army of brutal Yorughan and laid siege to the world. He marched across the world relentlessly, until he died. Killed by a handful of heroes, including Celestaine. Now Celestaine has tasked herself with trying to correct some of the worst things that the Kinslayer inflicted on the world. With her two Yorughan companions she sets out to figure out first what she can fix, and second, how she can fix it. Along the way she encounters criminals, fanatics and opportunists. Celestaine is not sure if her task is attainable, and even if it is, will it make a difference?Tchaikovsky approaches the epic fantasy from an angle that isn’t often encountered and seldom even contemplated. What happens after a war involving gods and creatures from beyond your world? How do you pick up the pieces? And what happens to the attacking army once it is left rudderless and has nowhere to return to? These are weighty questions and Tchaikovsky makes you feel the weight of them. Celestaine feels their weight. Rather than be broken by it, she chooses to do something. Fix something. Or at least try. Tchaikovsky doesn’t skimp on the action. Celestaine’s goal is not achieved without cost. There are exciting battle scenes, puzzles to solve and fragile alliances to navigate. The horror of battling an angry god and his army is one thing at the moment of the fight. In some ways, the horror of his actions are even greater when you don’t have a battle to distract you from them. Tchaikovsky has created a cast of characters that are complex and sympathetic. He shows you the regret that accompanies both the actions they took and the actions they did not take. It would be easy to make a story like this dark or mournful, but Tchaikovsky infuses it with hope. It doesn’t hurt that Dr. Catt and Fisher are delightful characters that are around to lighten the mood, even if they are morally flexible. I love a good epic fantasy. Tchaikovsky has demonstrated that there is a story after the story. And that story is also worth telling. Highly recommended.I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.