Demesne is ruled by a mysterious and reclusive king who has not been sighted by anyone in years and who gives his orders through his equally mysterious Majordomo. This story tells the tale of the Orfano, Lucien di Fontein, as he grows from a child into a young man in the claustrophobic city keep of Demesne. A character based fantasy with Renaissance and gothic elements woven in. Patrick obviously chose to write a book focused on the characters themselves, and whilst this worked really well and I was captivated I still wanted to know more about their environment around them.Īll in all this was an extremely fun and vivid read. I found myself yearning to know more, and I was extremely frustrated when my questions when unanswered by the end of the book. Compared to other major releases in recent years there is a distinct lack of detail revealed by Patrick. One criticism I do have however is that I wanted to learn more about Landfall and the sprawling castle of Demesne. The reader gets glimpses into Lucien’s past, and these events help illuminate what is happening in the present with great effectiveness. I also really enjoyed how The Boy with the Porcelain Blade was structured. Patrick does layer the story with clues here and there, and part of the fun in reading this book is in finding these clues. Their existence alone was an incredible part of this story, and their deformities and strangeness (for example they don’t have red blood) kept me glued as the story powered on and their mysterious heritage was revealed. I was especially taken by the Orfani themselves. His multi-layered characters, who were all different and wonderful in their own particular ways, enthralled me. Incorporating many interesting elements from Renaissance Italy (House system, fighting styles, and the fact the characters speak Italian), the author weaves an action packed tapestry that was both fun to read and unique. Patrick has crafted a fascinating world in The Boy with the Porcelain Blade.

But unrest is growing, and Lucien finds himself caught up in political rivalries and conflicts where he has to rely on more than just his blade to protect the ones he loves. He is lonely, and tormented by his differences despite being afforded the best education and training alongside the nobles of Landfall. Lucien is an orphan, and one of the Orfani (all Orfani have deformities). We watch him forced through rigorous Testings, and fall in love, set against his yearning to discover where he comes from, and how his fate is tied to that of every one of the deformed Orfano in the Kingdom, and of the eerie Sanatoria itself.Ī fascinating, character driven fantasy, The Boy with the Porcelain Blade is a solid debut novel from author Den Patrick. Told in a continuous narrative interspersed with flashbacks we see Lucien grow up under the care of his tutors. Ruled by an insane King and the venomous Majordomo, it is a world where corruption and decay are deeply rooted - but to a degree Lucien never dreams possible when he first discovers the plight of the 'insane' women kept in the haunting Sanatoria. One of the mysterious and misshapen Orfano who appear around the Kingdom of Landfall, he is a talented fighter yet constantly lonely, tormented by his deformity, and well aware that he is a mere pawn in a political game. Lucien de Fontein has grown up different. An original and beautifully imagined world, populated by unforgettable characters. An ornate yet dark fantasy, with echoes of Mervyn Peake, Robin Hobb and Jon Courtenay Grimwood.

Rise from erebus music list