The Name of the Emperor: The Kinmark Saga, Book IV
By Josh Brannan
First of all, great cover to this book. It’s probably the best of the four books thus far. Each book in this series has a sort of dark feel to them; in the writing, the characters, and represented in the covers as well. But this book has a lighter feeling, at least in the cover. I appreciated that and saw it as a sign that things might end happily in the series. Don’t get me wrong, it still looks epic and fits the overall series very well.
I’ve had the greatest pleasure and honor of reading each book in this series. It’s definitely something I will recommend to others. Not a single book is better or worse than the next and everything ties together quite wonderfully. Trust me, you will not feel confused while reading through this epic adventure. You will find love in the characters, in the action, in the beautiful descriptions, the scenery, and most of all, in the winding tale that plays out over the course of thousands of pages. It is well worth your time and, honestly, the books aren’t as long as they seem.
Now, about this actual book. It was good. I know that’s a bit of a letdown but I would like to sum up this story as simply being good. After four books, there’s not much more I can say about this that I haven’t said about the others. I did enjoy the opening very much, especially when you take into consideration the last events of the previous book. The dark theme of The Kinmark Saga has become something I expect and I’m given a good dose of it right at the start. It doesn’t have a ‘gruesome’ opening but it will definitely make you shift in your seat as you read.
One of the best parts of this book, better than I liked in the other books, were the thoughts and regrets of each of the characters. I’ve been with this cast for a long time now—give or take losing some and gaining others—but I think truly showing that sad—dark—part of the minds of these people really offered a unique connection. You get hints of what’s to come in the beginning with my favorite phrase of the entire book;
“The shock of it now allowed familiar memories to assault the walls he had so carefully built for them.”
Keep in mind, this sentence is on the first page of the first chapter, a little early to decide that will be your favorite quote of the book, but I knew as soon as I read it, that things wouldn’t get much better than that. It definitely sets the scene and lays the foundation for the kind of atmosphere you’re going to dive into for the rest of the book.
All in all, I was not disappointed by this novel and am sad to see the series ending. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who likes friendship and/or family bonds. Fantasy, dark fiction, and great action sequences. If you don’t mind a large cast, then you’ll definitely enjoy this series.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*