Murtairean An Assassin’s Tale

FANTASY:  In order to get out of prison and gain his freedom, Vygeas is tasked by Lord Ciaran to kill a merchant. Vygeas will do anything to escape the clutches of Ciaran. As Vygeas is on his way to Eilean to accomplish the deed he meets Leynarve “Leyna” of Monsae who demands to go with him. Leyna has her own agenda, to find the assassin that murdered her parents and kill him. As Vygeas and Leyna get closer to Eilean, they discover horrible truths about the mission and themselves along with the unwarranted attraction each feels for the other.  Will Vygeas and Leyna be able to do what they set out to do? Or will it be the death of them instead? 

A fantastic adventure book that is a wonderful journey from beginning to end! The many languages that everyone speaks give the characters much depth and personalization.  There are times though when certain plot points are unfinished, and some of the characters’ past lives are never fully fleshed out. The ending also feels a little rushed; readers will wonder what happens to everyone since some things are not resolved. Vygeas, the scarred stoic hero with a conscience, is ill-suited especially as an assassin. Yes, Vygeas kills when he needs to, but the sense of him being this stone-cold killer does not fit, making him unbelievable as a character; while Layna the knife-wielding heroine is more relatable and likable. The story has a lot of action, clever verbal banter and wonderful characters making it a joy to read!

Roslynn Ernst