The Warded Man

By Peter V. Brett
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As darkness falls after sunset, the corelings rise—demons who possess supernatural powers and burn with a consuming hatred of humanity. For hundreds of years the demons have terrorized the night, slowly culling the human herd that shelters behind magical wards--symbols of power whose origins are lost in myth and whose protection is terrifyingly fragile. It was not always this way. Once, men and women battled the corelings on equal terms, but those days are gone. Night by night the demons grow stronger, while human numbers dwindle under their relentless assault. Now, with hope for the future fading, three young survivors of vicious demon attacks will dare the impossible, stepping beyond the crumbling safety of the wards to risk everything in a desperate quest to regain the secrets of the past. Together, they will stand against the night .

I've forgotten how it is to read epic fantasy. I've been reading young adult books most of the year, so getting into this book was difficult. My friend read the first page and said she was both bored and intrigued at the same time. I pretty much felt that way about the first half of the book. It was good enough to keep my interest, but setting it down wasn't a problem.

However, once it got over it's own beginning, I was hooked. The characters were solid, the conflicts were varied and real and the different plot lines were easy to follow. By the end I was very invested in the characters, which is a really good sign.

The world the author built is interesting. I am reading through a friend's manuscript and every time one of her characters goes out at night I think, “Wait, the demons will core you!” Alas, wrong story. The idea is very intriguing, so I guess it's sticking with me.

My biggest complaint (besides the extra long set up at the beginning) is that the author references sex a lot. Nothing graphic, I just find it annoying and not entirely necessary, but that's just my opinion.

Anyway, it was a good book. It's the first in a series, so don't be surprised when the ending is really the beginning.