Just Read: The Warded Man
This was a fun read. The story doesn't bear strong scrutiny but if you're willing to just go with the flow it's a romp and a half.
The Warded Man takes place in a world where every night horrible monsters rise like vapors from the ground and kill and eat anything that isn't hiding behind protective wards. These wards are an ancient and mysterious set of symbols that when placed correctly form a barrier which no monster can pass.
Even with the wards human kind isn't fairing very well and just moving between distant towns to carry messages has become a profession only the bravest and hardiest souls are fit for. But being stout of heart isn't enough. The messengers also have to know the arcane arts of warding. The construction and maintenance of the wards is a difficult but lucrative professions as everyone needs it yet the slightest mistake can mean the difference between life or death.
The novel starts out with the tragic back stories of the three main characters. Though initially unknown to each other, each has suffered a horrible loss from a demonic attack but also learned a bit about how to fight the monsters. The story alternates from character to character as they build upon their knowledge and grow in their convictions that the demons can be fought and that hiding behind wards perhaps isn't humanities best course of action. The novel culminates in an action packed fight to save village that is about to be overrun by demons.
Though this is the first novel of a trilogy it actually works really well as a stand-alone read. The second novel in the series is out but I haven't read it yet though I plan to soon. If you enjoy fantasy novels and are looking for a fun read, I highly recommend this novel.
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