BR: By Blood, By Salt by J.L. Odom
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) Review
Review: 4 Stars
Spice Meter: 0 Peppers
Title: By Blood, By Salt
Author: J.L. Odom
Published: May 14th, 2024
Genre: Fantasy
Target Age: Marketed as Adult; Reads as Adult
Page Count: ~372 pages
Publisher: Azimuth
CW/TW Warnings (including, but not limited to,):
Graphic violence (throat slitting, sacrifice, etc.), fantasy racism, classism, blackmail, murder, depictions of prejudice and bigotry, manipulation, etc.
Azetla has served the Maurowan Army for thirteen years. There are seven left to pay. A pariah and a debt soldier, he is a commander with no rank, a soldier without citizenship, and wears a sword that it is unlawful for him to either own or use. He has learned to hold his tongue or risk losing everything.
When Azetla’s battalion is sent into the desert to catch a Sahr devil—one of the famously brutal inhabitants of the region—his tenuous position is threatened. He discovers that there is far more to this mission than catching a fiend. For the Emperor of Maurow, it is a way to prove that he fears nothing, not even devils. For the Emperor’s brother, it is a stepping-stone to rebellion. For Azetla it could be deadly either way, as he is cornered into choosing a side in the coming coup.
But the devil that Azetla finds in the desert is not what anyone expects or wants. As the conspiracy against the Emperor becomes entangled with the simmering ambitions of the desert tribes, Azetla must decide if he’s willing to strike a bargain with a devil in order to survive.
Naturally, she is not to be trusted. But then again, neither is he.
Thank you, BookSirens, for an ARC copy of J.L Odom's BY BLOOD, BY SALT!
Thank you BookSirens for providing an advance review copy for free! I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a cool one! By Blood, By Salt is a refreshing book in the fantasy genre with fleshed out characters, fleshed out world-building, and a straight-forward plot to follow along with, even with all the subtle details laying around.
The world the author built is lush and immersive. It's obvious that the time and passion and dedication put into hammering out every connection was immense. Azleta is a gritty and fascinating character stuck in a world between obedience to those been deemed above him and having authority of those deemed beneath him even with his "dirty blood." He's a strong character and surprisingly, unlike many books across all genres, so are the side pieces!
While maybe some characters do not have a strong personality, their intentions or their overall personality or even their motives are strong and well-thought out.
The book is slow to start so that could deter some people, and I admit, did slow my own reading the story. Once the battalion is set off on their mission, things start to ramp up and intensify pretty quickly!
I did enjoy the overall mystery and mystical feel of the environment, where everyone and everything has a secret. The Sahr is some type of being who is manipulative and cunning, and one of my favorite aspects of the story is every character is flawed. There are no perfect paragons or those who do no evil. Everyone makes mistakes and reaps the consequences of those mistakes.
The writing is a little more lyrical and flowery in some parts which I appreciated, but other times did an excellent job of telling the reader what was what without any confusion whatsoever. Sometimes, it can be better to tell than add in yet another metaphor and description.
I am very much looking forward to the next installation in this world and story! This is definitely a fantasy series, and an author, to keep an eye on for the future!
This was definitely a really refreshing book to read and I am excitedly looking forward to the sequel. J.L. Odom has definitely shown their care and dedication to their story, and is a fantasy author to watch for the future!
Thank you for reading this book review, and as always, I’ll see y’all next time!
-R. Hann | The Equestrian’s Library