The Blinding Knife (Lightbringer)

I found this book to be a highly enjoyable read. I felt it was miles ahead of the first one, and it really kept me interested in the series. Like it says in the title of my review, this book is pretty good.

Brent Weeks is awesome. He makes sure that each and every character has an unique skill or personality. He makes you want to analyze all the words and immerse yourself into the book. Man he is amazing. I love your books and i cannot wait for the third book to come out.

What I could read was fabulous, unfortunately a chapter was missing from halfway through the book, which was a dissapointment. Otherwise the novel was a blinding read, Brent Weeks is a tremendous author, I always enjoy his books.

It was very interesting, it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I was always wanting more and the book kept giving it. In my opinion it never got overwhelmingly complicated and the twists in it where amazing. I would recommend to everyone.

Excellent 2nd part of the series, kip really grows into an interesting character. His growing use of the spectrum as well as his confience demeanor and abilities all makes for an awesome read. As well as Brent Week delving back into his dark and sexy portrayal of this fictional society always entices me.

Just got through with the book, and all I can say is WOW! For people who thought That Weeks would run out of twists for his characters and dark moments you would be very, very, wrong. The book is rife with them, and always at the most opportune times, when you feel the most safe and you think things will end well,(at least for a little while) Weeks will throw in a twist from left field that you don't see coming, but at the same time when you look back you always think you should have seen it coming.

The characters are not left alone either, all of them progress and grow throughout the book, facing challenges both outward and inward that sometimes shake their beliefs to the very bone.

So to be brief, If you are not sure if you want to buy the book, or if it will hold up to Black Prism, all I can say that it stay true to its predecessor and expands upon it in ways that I didn't expect, but I did thoroughly enjoy. So buy it! Buy it now! Its worth it.

--Side Note- Such a cliffhanger!!!!!!! I cannot wait till book 3. :)

Frankly that's all that really need be said, the book arrived in perfect condition as expected and I greatly enjoyed it from start to finish. I can't wait for the next installment and that is all I can really think to say in reference to a review

Can't wait for the next installment, getting my pre-order now! I'm glad I stumbled onto Brad Weeks, his books are a pleasure to read and have me totally hooked. I kept putting off the last chapter because I didn't want this book to end!

I liked The Blinding Knife better than The Black Prism for the fact that there is more focus on the plot rather than endless descriptions of the scenery. Lots of twist in this one, get ready. Brent Weeks hurry up with book 3!!! :)

Great books I love this author and his work. I look forward to his next works!! His use of vocabulary extensive knowledge and deep passion intrigues me and makes me feel good that people still care about who reads their works and takes pride in their work.

Overall I really enjoyed the series and characters throughout. I Howver felt the ending came quite abruptly and was left wondering who what and why. Still worth a read but not to the level of the shadow series.

Built on what I loved of the Black Prism, and threw me for a couple of loops. Overall if you're a fantasy lover pick up this series you will not be disappointed. Weeks will have you begging for more the moment you finish the book.

The Blinding Knife is a good follow up to the Black Prism. It was well written, and kept you wanting to keep on reading, until you reached the end, and left you with a cliffhanger. - Kindle all the way

Brent Weeks has continued to surprise me with the depth of his character development. I thought that the Night Angel trilogy was going to be a one time thing, but his sophomore series has gripped drawn me in equally as much.

This is the best book have read this year the characters are very human while still being heroes and the magic this world is based in is very well thought out it is unique and intriguing I loved this book and this series thank you

This is a fabulous continuation of a series with a completely innovative magic system in a well written and engrossing post-medieval/gunpowder era. I truly am looking forward to the next installment!

I had a really hard time deciding whether to give this book four or five stars. In comparison to many other books I have read, this is a five star book. I loved it, I love most of the characters, I love the world, I love so much about it. But I didn't like it quite as much as I liked The Black Prism or The Night Angel trilogy so I'm giving it four stars in comparison to his other work. Still, I think everyone should immediately run out and purchase this book if they haven't already.

First, if you haven't read the first book, I don't want to spoil the ending of it for you, so please stop reading this review now. The Blinding Knife starts with Gavin Guile reconciling himself to the loss of his blue drafting ability. He also is worrying about the fate of all the Garriston refugees and trying to figure out what to do with Kip. He decides to have Kip join the Blackguard while he helps the refugees set up a new settlement. Kip goes back to the Chromeria and starts his training. I really enjoyed this whole part of the book. I liked seeing Kip handle situations on his own, without Gavin's help, and I liked seeing him learn about himself while he learns how to fight and use his drafting abilities. This book really advances Kip and it is exciting to get glimpses of how awesome Kip will be in the future books.

Not that Kip isn't awesome in this book because he really was. I loved the scenes between Kip and Andross Guile because he has every reason to be terrified of him but he holds his ground amazingly well. And anytime Kip calls himself a "turtle-bear" I chortled happily to myself, excited to see him surprise people with his ability to take and give damage. Kip is a great character who keeps getting better. I look forward to all of his chapters and I was always impatient with other characters because I wanted to read more about him.

Now, for the reasons that I didn't think this book was quite as strong as the first one. I think this book suffers a very tiny bit from second book syndrome. It isn't introducing us to the world anymore and it has to set up the two final books by still holding a lot back. There are some really excellent plot advancements and I in no way mean to imply that this book doesn't have a lot of excitement and development. But it ties up most of the mysteries the first book left us hanging with (we finally get to see Kip's real Thresher testing rod and have confirmation on how many colors he can draft) and there aren't a lot of loose threads open at the end of this book. There are some surprises at the end, and many characters are left in precarious situations but I didn't have the same feeling of desperation because I needed to know what was going to happen next that I got after finishing the first book. I also really don't like Liv. It isn't even that her actions in joining the Color Prince aren't reasonable. I understand her frustration with the Chromeria. But half the time she is using superviolet to look at things dispassionately and the other half she is making really sketchy choices. I hope she makes better choices in future books so that I can get back to respecting her. The final reason that I thought the first book was slightly better is really nitpicky. There were a couple times in this book that Brent Weeks mentioned something that happens and it clashes a little bit with what we were told in the first book. An example is early in the book when Kip is reflecting on infiltrating the Color Prince's camp. He says he went to spy on the Color Prince and save Liv (page 26). But he went to save Karris. Just a couple little discrepancies like that kinda bothered me.

Regardless of these tiny complaints there is a lot that I loved in this book. I really liked a lot of the new characters that are introduced and can't wait to learn more about them. I loved the character development of our old friends as Kip experiments with his new power and Gavin loses some of his. There are several of the good plot twists that I have come to expect from Brent Weeks. I also really liked the Nine Kings card game and how it is a secret source of knowledge wrapped up in a game. I will definitely be preordering book three (which, I read in an interview with Brent Weeks, is going to be called The Blood Mirror for anyone that is interested) as soon as possible and awaiting it eagerly. I can't wait to see what happens next.

I had really high expectations about about this book, and that's usually a recipe for disaster. The Blinding Knife took my hopes that it would be as good as the first and obliterated them. It jumped up and down on them and told me to aim higher. In short, It was amazing. I couldn't put it down. The only bad thing is that I may DIE from anticipation for the next one. Also: Holy cliffhanger batman!

The first novel in his new series. A ton of action and good character development. Sometimes it can be annoying how one of the main characters 'Kip' is always down on himself, and the fact that another main character is sometimes almost unlike-able, 'Gavin', but other than that it's a good book.

Looking forward to finishing the series.

Let's be honest, this book slipped from the first, even if it did have some redeeming qualities. The plot was good, and despite all The Blinding Knife's other problems, the plot kept me reading to the end. The magic system was also compelling as he added a subtext of mystery about new colors like paryl, or the mysteries of Nine Kings (magic: the gathering anyone?)

However, when it came to characters he suffered. I disliked Gavin. It wasn't even the frustrated kind of dislike that makes me want to keep reading about him. I wanted him to die just so I wouldn't have to keep reading about him.
Liv was certainly not characterized enough and I can't help feeling that her change was too sudden. She also only makes two major decisions throughout the whole book, otherwise following whatever people want her to do, making her a very passive character.
I liked Kip's determination, and he was the only character I liked who did his own thing regardless of what people wanted him to do. He may have gone along with Andross, but the whole time tried to wiggle through his traps.
I hated Andross (which I suppose is a good thing), but it comes to the point where he's too despicable. I just didn't care much about any of the other characters.

And then there's the swearing. All over the book, and almost entirely unnecessary. At times I can imagine a character swearing, but too often it felt like Weeks was just trying to squeeze another f-word in.

As a whole, Weeks carries the plot well and leads it to a good ending (certainly not the best I've read), but my frustration with the characters prevented me from fully enjoying it. Frankly, I would only recommend this book if you feel an irresistible desire to see what happens.

First let me say over all it is worth the read, especially if you are a fan of the genre and of Brent Weeks.

Any big "twist" was actually more of a, "oh that was in character, so that makes sense." The saddest part was there were no, "OMG WTF just happened?!" moments. I really enjoyed the twists in the Black Prism, but all of the huge plot turning moments were obvious -- or of they weren't obvious there were simply inevitable.

The heros who were weakening became weak and the villains who were gaining strength gained strength. It was like, "yep so... when is the big twist coming here?"

Don't get me wrong, I liked the book. It was just that I'm used to Weeks flooring me and keeping me really captivated. Sorry Mr. Weeks, the book wasn't your usual brilliant. It was just good.

*Spoilers*

I'm writing this review having just gotten through 75% of this novel and deciding not to read anymore.

Before I get to the two choices made by Mr. Weeks, let me just say that the first half of this book is boring. Gavin Guile spends a long time doing little or nothing on Seers Island while Kip goes through the academy of adventures trope at the Chromeria. Red herrings and more annoyingly red herring characters fill this period of time and then once Gavin arrives at the Chromeria it's as if Weeks said, "great, I'm done with the filler, now the story can begin." But this isn't what made me stop reading.

After the first half, Karris White Oak decides she's going to get back together with Gavin, who she knows in really Dazen, and Gavin has sex with a girl who he thinks is Karris. But Karris walks in on the contrived scene and runs away upset. This is where the character of Gavin goes off the rails because Gavin grabs the girl who deceived him into having sex with her and throws her off a balcony. The hero of the novel murders a girl in cold blood. Now, I'm sure someone would tell me this makes Gavin morally complex, but that's wrong. Moral complexity comes from difficult decisions, horrific choices made for a reason. There is nothing morally complex about murdering someone who duped you into sex. That act can only be seen as wrong and what's worse no one in the novel seems to understand that. No one seeks to hold Gavin responsible, Ironfist doesn't say "we need you to fight this war, but afterward I'll see you punished." Karris doesn't have a second thought about a man who could do that. The White doesn't seem to really care at all about what Gavin did. There's a point after Gavin destroys the Gargantua when he meets a kid who lied for him to get him out of trouble for murdering the girl and he thinks something along the lines of "I'll try to deserve your lying on my behalf." It's at this point I stopped reading, because Gavin doesn't deserve it. There's nothing Gavin can do that excuses the murder he committed. Furthermore, Gavin is just not likeable at this point. A omnipotent man who would murder someone weaker than him for no other reason than he was angry is not a person I ever want to root for.

That bad character choice is followed by an even worse narrative choice. After Gavin murders the girl he goes to see his brother who he's kept imprisoned for the length the first book and half of the second. Weeks had been building the character of Dazen for that entire length of time and then he has Gavin kill him. So before Dazen can do anything within the narrative of the world outside his prison, such as create havoc, lead the Koios's army, or anything else, he's killed off. The question then is: what was the point the character? I ask that question knowing that Weeks might try to bring Dazen back somehow, but whatever deus ex machina he chooses to use, it'll be stupid. Weeks seems like the kind of writer who is brave enough to kill his characters, so I'm assuming Dazen is dead and gone and that I read numerous useless chapters about him using his hair, piss, and luxin to ultimately not even break out of his prison. It's really quite shocking how that storyline lead nowhere.

So 2 stars mostly for an interesting magic system.

Its now 6:50 am. I've been reading since 11 pm. I sadly have to put the book down to go to work, otherwise I'd still be reading. Yes, I stayed up all night reading. And yes, it was completely worth it. About 3/4 of the book read so far (i read really fast) and have not been disappointed yet. Can't wait for work to be over to finish reading. I'd recommend anyone who wants to start reading this book to start early on a morning where you dont have anything planned. You'll be busy for a while

I'm sure that some people have enjoyed this book, I couldn't get into it. I like the idea behind what goes on but it was a little too far out there to be an enjoyable story for me. It's not you- it 's me.
Other reviews should be read for sure, who knows it may be right up your alley.

Brent Weeks has a blurb on Terry Brooks' UK edition of Dark Legacy of Shannara: Bloodfire Quest. I'm sure that's a surreal moment for Weeks who was aided by a blurb from Brooks on his debut novel, Way of Shadows:

`I was mesmerized from start to finish. Unforgettable characters, a plot that kept me guessing, non-stop action and the kind of in-depth storytelling that makes me admire a writer's work' -- Terry Brooks on The Way of Shadows

On the back of that blurb and a brilliant marketing strategy from Orbit, Weeks' first trilogy was a huge hit (I'm sure it had something to do with it being good too). Since then, Weeks has been considered a rising star in the genre, further cemented by The Black Prism debuting at #23 on the New York Times Bestseller list.

Despite Weeks' commercial success, I wasn't quite ready to coronate him one of the heirs apparent to the epic fantasists of the 1980's and 90's. I felt that, while a tremendous creator, he hadn't yet come into his own as a storyteller. After finishing The Blinding Knife, his follow-up to Black Prism and the second installment in the Lightbringer series, I don't hesitate to grant him that status. His newest novel is a tremendous achievement and a logical next step for him as a writer.

In the Lightbringer series, Weeks breathes life into a world that takes its cultural roots from the Mediterranean. Ruled by an alliance of the Seven Satrapies (one for each color) and bound together by the belief in a god of light, it's a government not dissimilar from the Holy Roman Empire. Like the Emperor and the Pope, the Satrapies are ostensibly ruled by the Prism and the White, a color drafter of unequaled power and a religious head of state, respectively. Weeks folds decades of history and context into this setting, a task that made Black Prism an occasionally cumbersome novel, including laying out color drafting, a magic system that converts light into matter.

Nevertheless, Black Prism excelled. Beautifully drawn characters, particularly Kip, a fat adolescent thrust into events far outstripping his capability, carried the novel. Weeks twisted expectations with the typical hero archetypes failing more often than succeeding, and both sides of the conflict seemingly equally justified in their conviction.

In that way, Blinding Knife is much the same as its predecessor. It picks up where Black Prism ended, telling the story of Gavin, Kip, Liv, and Karris, as well as a few new characters. Where Black Prism was a story about shortcomings -- Gavin's fear, Kip's insecurity, Liv's efficacy, and Karris' anger -- the new novel is about overcoming them. Additionally, politics become more prevalent as Gavin maneuvers in his nascent war against the color wights. Weeks is often at his best in these scenes, finding ways to generate passion from his reader even when the action ebbs.

Recognizable throughout Weeks' work, is his use of short chapters, 115 in Blinding Knife. Despite their diminutive length, each chapter bristles with intent and never a word seems wasted. Freed from first novel world building, he uses these short bursts to layer narrative tension, releasing it and building it again, each time becoming more intense before finally bursting in a last two hundred pages that feels almost tantric in its never ending climax.

The length of it risks the impact of those finals pages as my tolerance for denouement was equivalent to my tolerance for beer after four years at UC Santa Barbara. That isn't to say I wanted any less, but I fear Weeks packed so much in that I became inured to the sense of wonder he so carefully cultivated. Still, I would happily have read another two hundred pages without batting an eye.

There were a few narrative hiccups that didn't work for me. Occasional first person asides, in particular, whose purpose became clearer as the novel concluded, but never coalesced as I'd hoped they would. I suspect on a second, and more careful reading, they'd be more illustrative. Either way, they did little to dampen my enjoyment of this otherwise pitch perfect novel.

Two books in now I feel comfortable asserting that the Lightbringer series is about nothing less than taking the measure of a man (or woman). What makes him good? It is his intent or only his action? Does duty come before all or is there a moral certitude that must take precedence? And ultimately, is there a price too high to do what's right? It's riveting thematically, but more important it's indistinguishable from the story itself, blending and supporting it at every turn. I find it a testament to Weeks' talent that he succeeds in it so well.

I've read all five of Brent Weeks' published novels and it's a certainty that he's evolving with every book. With The Blinding Knife, I believe he's entered a new stratosphere and one that puts him on par with anyone who's written these kinds of stories. It isn't only the best book he's written; I consider it one of the best epic fantasies I've read.

Do me a favor and read it too.

Non spoiler review: I kept feeling like this was a videogame I was reading. And, uh, I was really disturbed by how many women were tortured, maimed or killed deliberately and gruesomely. At first I just took it as part of how the author just likes to gruesomely torture and maim basically everyone in the book, but after a while, I started feeling like there was a definite slant towards women being shamed or treated really badly, and it was difficult to keep reading with misogyny on every other page. I think I got pretty interested in the books for the world building and drafting magic stuff and I wanted to know what happens to people, but partway through I just started getting really turned off and disgusted. Which is probably why I am passionately and snarkily writing this review.

(Still, is this really the best of up-and-coming fantasy? As a big fantasy fan, that's depressing....)

Spoilers follow: If you already read the book and just want to hear a different angle, go ahead.

Yeah, I read the book, and I kind of want to know what happens next. But I kept wondering why the audience was supposed to like the main character Gavin when he's throwing girls off railings and supposedly beautifully in love with Karris but also sleeping/very close to sleeping with a lot of other ladies. Also he kills a lot of people. Kind of a turnoff. I actually started wondering when Gavin was going to die, because I was growing less and less fond of him as the book went on. And then hey now he's like colorblind, can't draft and is in a slave galley, so now I kind of do want to know how he gets out of there. Except we've been told from page 1 in the Black Prism that he's going to kick the bucket soon-ish (and now much sooner it seems, we get told in this 2nd book). So this sounds like it will be a very depressing journey.

Kip too, he beats up a bully and breaks the guy's arm, unnecessarily to me. Normally I'm a sucker for any kind of "adolescent enters a magical school / goes through coming of age journey" story, and there's bits and pieces of that through this series. But I don't know how much I even like this kid. Sometimes I feel for him, and then a lot of times I'm like, "I kind of want to know what happens to your classmates more then you, kid."

(Also... I kept thinking, Kip seems like he was deliberately made chubby and kept chubby, as if the author assumes that chubby male kids are reading this and he's trying to deliberately pander to this audience. I kept wondering why Kip kept staying fat, too, with all the exercising and not eating so much. What is it, 3-4 months of this? If I kept reading, "And actually Kip's mother as well as Dazen, Gavin, their mother and father all tended towards a bit of chub," it'd be one thing, but no one sound like they had the genetic disposition to be chubby either.)

Anyway, the worldbuilding, how luxin works, Blackguard training, all that is kind of interesting to read. That was mostly why I read the Black Prism, because I like reading worldbuilding. But you know what? Every other page, I swear, one of the female main characters or other female characters are being being shamed, being tortured, whipped, killed in some gory awful manner. I couldn't stand the misogyny.

And the characters kept having "character loopholes" to me... I still don't understand why Liv is hanging out in the Color Prince army. I mean, the narrative tells me some reasons, ("she thinks of how badly she was treated as a drafter in training") but sorry I don't buy it. For one thing, I think she's got it worse right now.

Going back to treatment of women, every time a chapter dealing with Liv came up I cringed. She is inevitably treated terribly, and I don't understand why the hell she won't get out. What's-his-face smarmy guy pretending like's all about the Free love or whatever? Really? This smarmy guy showering you with creepy attention is what makes you feel like a grown up woman? (Eeeew. Author, can't you send better messages to young women out there, instead of reinforcing crap like this?) You got drunk and started sleeping with him? Your fellow soldiers telling you you should climb the stairs so your butt will be tight? Hey. Hey. Do you see anyone else in the Color prince army get treated like that? I didn't. You are not being treated with Freeness or whatever, you are being sexually harassed and treated really terribly, get out of there! Or, if it's not Liv, the Color Prince is ordering women to be put on catapults and splattered against walls. What's wrong with this book.

If it's not some creepy passage of a slave-blackguard in training being whipped and told about olive oil and slaves and given a vial by her mistress (who also gets tortured; the hate towards women is never ending in this book), it's some other creepyness. (PS on vial: then she keeps the thing, even after she gets some semblance of freedom but is holding off or whatever....eww... look, I can be ok with her being hesitant to get her papers in order and completely go free, because of stuff going on about feeling unsure of the future... but seriously, the olive oil vial is the first thing I'd toss... creepy...) Can someone please direct Brent Weeks to, I dunno, basic feminism 101? Media portrayal of Women? Dr. Nerdlove debunking male privilege and patriarchy in an online essay? Anything?

Anyway back to character loopholes. Oh and Kip having the knife, I still don't buy why he doesn't just give it to Gavin. Sheesh. Yeah, plot necessary thing, whatever, there were still a lot instances which felt too much like, "We need this character to turn left. Um. Here is a reason. It's a good reason! Seriously!"

I also kept feeling like this was a videogame I was watching, not so much a novel. Hey, so and so leveled up! We've got another Bane popping up! You have to destroy it within 5 gameplay minutes or it rebuilds itself! If the meter on your drafter reaches the outer halo and breaks through, your drafter goes into beserker mode, watch out! The knife gained enough energy and evolved into a musket knife! I choose you, Musket Knife!

Also I read the author acknowledgements and something about "Magic: the Gathering" inspiring the Nine Kings game in the book. I am kind of glad I didn't read this at the beginning of the book, because I would have not been able to take many of the tense scenes involving Nine Kings so seriously. "Kip, your fate will be decided by this old and ancient game of.... Magic: the Gathering." "Kip! These are first edition versions of Magic: the Gathering cards! They are priceless on Ebay! Did you win them at a convention?" (disclaimer: I don't actually know anything about MtG, aside from watching people play it for fun.)

Actually, having written "I choose you, Musket Knife!", I don't know if I could take any new scene with the musket knife seriously either.

And finally, the first (well, every) time I read "meet with the Spectrum", I kept thinking of the gay-straight alliance club in college and highschool. Speaking of which, belatedly.... Were there any same gender couplings ever mentioned in this or the first book? All these people falling in love with each other and people going wild with green stuff or whatever and... none? Eh? Was I just not paying attention enough?

After finishing The Black Prism a few months ago, I knew that I was definitely going to be crushing the rest of the series sooner rather than later. Brent Weeks is a master of writing stories that really draw in the reader and that man can do plot twists/epic unveilings like no other. It’s ridiculous and for that fact alone I insist that you go read his Lightbringer series!

The characters continue to astound, which is both good and bad. Kip changed considerably from the young Tyrean boy and he’s grown to become a minor force in the Chromeria. He’s got these moments of incredible insight and wisdom, immediately followed by the most incredibly cringe-worthy “Kip the Lip” moments. There were many new characters in The Blinding Knife, many of which are Blackguard inductees. Tia, a drafter of an unrecognized color called paryl, making her an outcast to many in the Chromeria and valuably to the Blackguard. All this is in addition to her talent for disguise and a sharp mind. I loved Tia and found her to be a complex character that I’m sure will play a significant role in the future. After mentioning characters that I (and most everyone else) liked, it’s only fitting that I discuss one of the characters that is so, so easy to hate. Andross Guile is a vile, scheming spider sitting at the center of an enormous web of information that he can manipulate. I loathed him, but simultaneously found him to be one of the most admirably devious characters I’ve ever read about. He’s beyond intelligent and his game is one of unfathomable complexity- I am usually unable to predict what action he would next take and I loved to hate him.

The Blinding Knife is a lengthy book, but not a page is wasted or dull. In this one book Brent Weeks manages to squeeze in much character development, plots, subplots, and what I fondly refer to as the plot-block. This is when I am so certain the plot is going to turn out a certain way because that’s how it always happens, or in some cases, that seems to be the only way it could play out in this situation… BUT THEN IT DOESN’T HAPPEN. For me as a reader this is one of the most fantastic surprises ever! This book has everything but the kitchen sink and it makes it tons of fun. As I’m writing this I’m already nearly finished with the third installment, so trust me when I say it keeps getting better.

If it hasn’t been made obvious to you yet, I think every fan of fantasy books should check out Weeks’s books. I thought this particular series wouldn’t appeal to me, but I was happily mistaken. I only wish that it was already completed so I could read until the conclusion and then have a good solid book hangover. As it stands now, I’ll be waiting at least until late 2017 to satisfy my curiosity when the final book will be released.

We all need to be patient. Yet, it is something that is so hard to do. Yes, it is hard to persevere and wait without becoming annoyed or anxious, especially if you have a lot of people depending on you and waiting for you to take some kind of action.
Gavin Guile believed he could possibly spend his life in a particular way and live to a ripe age. Only he finds out he has less than a year to finish out the rest of his life and keep his dark secret hidden. Gavin has a dark vision of the future, and who wouldn't under his circumstances?
The "Blinding Knife" is the 2nd book in the Lightbringer series and a continuation of the interesting characters in "Black Prism". Of course the author, Brent Weeks, adds some new personalities, and all of them struggle to overcome their shortcomings. I am still not sure if it is Gavin or Daven in this novel, but that doesn't really matter. I think you will be as interested in Gaven/Daven and Kip as I was. When it comes to courage, Gavin/Daven is no slouch. Kip has a lot to learn, but has a good teacher.
For someone who started out writing on bar napkins, then on lesson plans -I am glad that someone eventually paid Brent for his work. I believe his talent fits like a glove and his brilliance shines through each page of his novels.
If you like short chapters, good writing and a touch of magic, I believe you will really like this action packed epic fantasy that portrays heroic deeds and adventures.

Jeannie Walker - Award-Winning Author - "Fighting the Devil" - A True Story of Consuming Passion, Deadly Poison, and Murder

Hmmm, this book took me a long time to finish. I loved the first one because it was fast-paced with a war that's just beginning. However, this one took a step back to better explain the develop the world and the characters, so it was rather slow at parts. First, let's take Kip, who's been left at the Chromeria to take classes. There're a few chapters of the classes where I feel like I'm reading a YA novel with all the teenage drama. I know Kip is a teenager, but the reason I read epic fantasy is so I don't have to deal with all that YA crap, but here it is in this book as if Kip was a high schooler.

Even Gavin's POV in the first half of the book wasn't that exciting. Left with about 50,000 refugees from Garriston after the end of the previous book, Gavin had to find a place for them, and he decided on Seers Island. It was plain torture reading about him and Karris together!! They wasted so much time avoiding one another and not facing the truth that I just wanted to slap them and tell them to get over themselves already! But we all know how their relationship resolved, so I was happy with that at least! I always love a little romance in my story.

The second half of the book is much better. The war is moving ahead, with the Color Prince leaving Tyrea and invading Atash. Once Gavin returns to the Chromeria, there're lots of politics and backstabbing going on at the Chromeria as Gavin tries to have things his way. Gavin always surprises me with his political manuverings that always lead him to the top. He did learn from the best. I'm still wondering what Andross Guile has up his sleeve.

There're parts of the book that are very confusing to me though. I've learned that fantasy books likes to speak in riddles, like the Seer. But then there's the Nine Kings game. The Nine Kings took up some time in the book and it was never explained how the game works or how the card works. I wished there was a better explanation for the whole original versus copied cards thing.

Overall, this book had a really slow start that I had to jump through before getting to the really exciting part. Usually I hate too many POV in my fantasy books, as authors tend to do nowadays. But Weeks managed to interest me in all the characters, even though I don't like some of them, I can understand their motivation. Anyway, I'm excited to see what the next book have in store for our heroes. I'm definitely getting it as soon as it is released!

Brent Weeks' second entry into his expansive and ambitious Lightbringer Trilogy (or, technically, Quadrilogy) comes in the form of the fantasy masterpiece, The Blinding Knife. Capitalizing and improving upon everything in the first novel of the series (The Black Prism), Weeks weaves a world filled with maps, cards, mystics, and prophecies that, put simply, does not stop. From the first page to the last, The Blinding Knife's momentum carries the story forward at breakneck speeds that refuse to relinquish the reader - which really does becomes problematic around 3am. And, sporting a hefty 671 pages, I guarantee there were many such nights. But this, I guarantee, was time well spent and much enjoyed.

The story follows a variety of characters, among them the protagonists Kip, a rotund, clumsy, and infinitely lovable polychrome, and his "father" Gavin, the Prism who hides his true identity from all, as they prepare for a war with a creature heretofore unseen by humanity and who possesses a cunning intelligence that threatens to upend all of the Chromeria. It is a story of intrigue and tactical political philosophy that works to wash away the lines drawn in the sand by so many other fantasy stories that determine good from evil. What Weeks writes is a tale of two forces, neither truly in the right nor in the wrong. And it is in this that his novel finds its teeth.

The Blinding Knife is constructed in such a way that readers are often torn when it comes to having to choose which army to back, for Weeks writes them both with such morally gray finesse that readers can't help but look beyond the two armies and instead focus on the individuals trapped within the conflicts. It is with these smaller individuals - Gavin, Kip, Liv, etc. - rather than with the larger leaders of the two powers that the story finds its form and with whom readers are able to revel in their successes or failures.

The Blinding Knife also, in a way, feels much more mature than The Black Prism in that Weeks confronts very real and poignant quandaries regarding an array of topics such as religion, faith, blind allegiance, and the ever popular "ends vs. means." Questions such as these are reflective of the very human story Weeks is telling in this world of fantasy and magic. And Weeks poses these questions in such a frank, innocent way that we, as readers, can't help but ponder them ourselves as we follow the character's train of reasoning and eventual conclusion. I, personally, took the character Liv's story to heart as I found myself asking the same questions regarding religion that she had about her own faith. Her journey of self discovery followed me beyond the page and pushed me to develop and question my own stances regarding our place in this world. And a story that has the capacity to affect its readers like that is something quite special.

All in all, I found The Blinding Knife to be among the finest of fantasy pieces available today. With a riveting storyline that refuses to relent its swift pace and a cast of characters, none of whom ever truly fall into the realm of "antagonist," that push readers to think beyond the borders of the novel, The Blinding Knife is an exemplary work worthy of all of the hearty praise it has received since its publishing.

I don't think I've enjoyed a fantasy novel quite as much as Week's second in his "Lightbringer" series. The reason is that his form taps neatly into the great fantasy series of the `80s and `90s very well. Essentially the reader follows the waxing fortunes of a young child who goes through character building trials and tribulations on their way to great power, kingship, nobility and generally saving whatever world they are on. It's a formula used brilliantly by the likes of Feist, Eddings, Weis and Hickman, Wurts, Douglass, Canavan - to name a few. Weeks has reined back in his Night Angel exuberance where the fight scenes got more and more over the top (it was almost a fantasy version of Matthew Reilly's `Scarecrow') and produced a series with the necessary pace to enthral the reader. Namely...a slow build up.
As readers we all know Kip Guile's destiny (the umming and aaahing by several characters over the concept of a Lightbringer is irrelevant given the title of the trilogy); it's just we want to grow up with this slightly chubby, outspoken, intelligent lad as he struggles to come to terms with both himself and his scheming, all-powerful family. All you need to do is stick him in Week's version of Hogwarts, have him attempt to reach the exacting standards of the Blackguards, have a couple of "bullying" scenes, surround him with a bunch of class mates who fulfil every weakness he's got (Cruxer, Teia et al.), ensure he's got a stoical mentor (IronFist), and then have a patriarchal society menace him (led by Andross Guile). Do all that and you've got the vital ingredients for transiting a boy to a man. Oh...wait. That's exactly what the author does.
The development of Kip is surrounded by the action of relationships. That being between: Daseen and Gavin; Karris and Daseen; Liv and the Color Prince; The Prism and The White; Kip and Andross - to name a few. Behind it all raise the spectre of the theatre of war, the failure of Daseen's luxin, and the prophesy of the Lightbringer. It's a heady, potent mix delivered in a manner that is both exhilarating and neatly written. My only "concern" with this book is the portrayal of women. They all seem to be too focused around their lust or love for men (barring The White), Week continually having them either openly seductive or worrying about how to be seductive, or how to deal with their emotions. He even has an openly sadistic scene with Teia and her owner. I am not sure what the author is trying to have the reader think with his female characters at times. Those that are depicted as strong (Karris, Liv and Marissia) are in thrall to strong men which is displeasing to this reader. I'd like to see the balance redressed with female characters who are strong in personality, not subjected to slavery, beatings, emotional hesitancy.
Anyway, Weeks is as good as Canavan. This new trilogy is better than his first. It's more mature, more paced, more considerate of the reader - less of the outpourings of a teenage boy, more the crafting of a skilled author. Having read Ian C Esslemont before this I can see a plain difference in the writing skills and erudition of both authors. But, for me, it would be like comparing Dickens to Cussler. Both are excellent in their own way and should be read without comparison. If you truly want to know where Weeks is then you could compare him to Eddings or Feist. With regard to the former, Weeks is easily as good; for the latter....still some way to go to match the skill of "Magician".

I'm so frustrated with the ending of this book. I've read a statement from the author that the next book is coming along well, but it's not going to be finished any time this year. I hate it when I read cliff-hanger endings and then can't immediately begin the next book. I am beginning to understand why many people just refuse to start reading incomplete series.

The entire book was very intense. It felt as if it was almost all climax, which meant I read it a lot more quickly than I otherwise would have. I can't sleep if characters are in mortal danger or something bad has just happened. The author is very skilled at keeping things exciting. I also really enjoy the interactions between the characters. They are well-developed, very complex people. You can see even with supporting characters that they have a lot more going on than we're shown. It's very tip-of-the-iceberg.

I had wondered if this book would have as many surprises as the previous book, which gradually revealed details of the characters' pasts throughout the story. But with all those secrets already out, I wondered how this one would measure up. Well, there were plenty more surprises, not necessarily about Gavin's or Karris's pasts, but about the supporting characters and other aspects in their lives. There are still plenty of questions remaining.

A somewhat odd criticism perhaps, but it seems to me that the author has an almost juvenile fascination with breasts. He focuses on them a little bit too much. Kip often accidentally looks at someone's breasts and gets caught, which would be fine with me, considering he's an awkward teenager. But Gavin Guile doing it seems just silly to me. He's a man in his thirties. And he does it a lot. He looked at her breasts. Oops. There is also more reference than necessary to Teia's flat chest. I don't need to be reminded repeatedly, really. And combat training about women needing to bind their breasts to keep them from getting in the way while using a bow. It's a little bit much, as I said.

Overall, an enjoyable book. The plot is complex, and while the villains are undoubtedly very bad and monstrous, they have some points that seem valid. The Chromeria is corrupt, and I'm not completely comfortable rooting for them. I look forward to the next book.

I received this book as part of Goodreads Giveaway and super excited to be reading the next chapter in The Lightbringer Series. I finished reading this book today and my mind was blown by the ending in so many ways that it makes me hungry for the next installment. Here are my thoughts:

It's been four months since the events in Garriston and beginnings of another war like False Prism War. Gavin Guile, The Prism, is hiding terrible secrets from everyone about himself along with the fact that he's lost the ability to draft Blue. The Seven Satrapies are so busy fighting each other that they ignore Gavin's warnings until it's too late to do anything about it period. Andross Guile, The Color Red on The Spectrum, is doing his damnest to deny Kip and Gavin whatever they want just because he can. He challenges Kip to a game of Nine Kings for such things as lessons, personal needs, and other little things like Teia becoming his room slave. Kip is determined to beat his grandfather no matter what and eventually he does. Gavin wants Kip to become a Blackguard for his own personal reasons. Kip and Teia are partners in The Blackguard training fighting to become one of the fourteen trained. Both Kip and Teia face fierce opposition despite the fact that Teia is really good enough to be a Blackguard. Karris Whiteoak, Watch Commander in the Blackguard, knows Gavin's secret yet has one of her own. She knows the true identity of the Color Prince~Koios Whiteoak, her older brother. Karris tries to say angry with Gavin for keeping secrets from her. Karris sees that Kip is protected by Samite. The Color Prince wants to see if Liv Danavis is really going to be loyal to him and his cause despite the lies of Chromeria. Liv learns that not everything taught in Chromeria is true. The Color Prince offers Liv something that she wouldn't get in the Chromeria~a true place of belonging. The Color Prince pairs Liv up with Zyum, a young and reckless drafter, as test for both of them. The Color Prince wants to destroy Gavin Guile and the Seven Satrapies all he needs is followers. Meanwhile the refugees of Garriston land on Seers Island much to the dismay of Third Eye. Third Eye gives insight to both Karris and Gavin about what to do next. Gavin names Kip, his son, despite the objections of Andross Guile. The Spectrum and The White fear to name Gavin promachos despite all evidence that it's very much needed. The real Gavin Guile is still imprisoned in color cells and driven mad by his existence there. Dazen as Gavin tells him about life outside of his prison but doesn't understand the depth of hatred Gavin has for Dazen. Kip learns a secret that could destroy everyone he cares about. What is Andross Guile's end game? What secrets does Kip hold? Will Kip and Teia become Blackguard? Will Gavin tell Karris the whole truth? Will Karris accept the truth? Where does Liv stand? What use does the Color Prince have for Liv an Zyum? Will Dazen free Gavin? Your answers await you in The Blinding Knife.

First let me say over all it is worth the read, especially if you are a fan of the genre and of Brent Weeks.

Any big "twist" was actually more of a, "oh that was in character, so that makes sense." The saddest part was there were no, "OMG WTF just happened?!" moments. I really enjoyed the twists in the Black Prism, but all of the huge plot turning moments were obvious -- or of they weren't obvious there were simply inevitable.

The heros who were weakening became weak and the villains who were gaining strength gained strength. It was like, "yep so... when is the big twist coming here?"

Don't get me wrong, I liked the book. It was just that I'm used to Weeks flooring me and keeping me really captivated. Sorry Mr. Weeks, the book wasn't your usual brilliant. It was just good.

*Spoilers*

I'm writing this review having just gotten through 75% of this novel and deciding not to read anymore.

Before I get to the two choices made by Mr. Weeks, let me just say that the first half of this book is boring. Gavin Guile spends a long time doing little or nothing on Seers Island while Kip goes through the academy of adventures trope at the Chromeria. Red herrings and more annoyingly red herring characters fill this period of time and then once Gavin arrives at the Chromeria it's as if Weeks said, "great, I'm done with the filler, now the story can begin." But this isn't what made me stop reading.

After the first half, Karris White Oak decides she's going to get back together with Gavin, who she knows in really Dazen, and Gavin has sex with a girl who he thinks is Karris. But Karris walks in on the contrived scene and runs away upset. This is where the character of Gavin goes off the rails because Gavin grabs the girl who deceived him into having sex with her and throws her off a balcony. The hero of the novel murders a girl in cold blood. Now, I'm sure someone would tell me this makes Gavin morally complex, but that's wrong. Moral complexity comes from difficult decisions, horrific choices made for a reason. There is nothing morally complex about murdering someone who duped you into sex. That act can only be seen as wrong and what's worse no one in the novel seems to understand that. No one seeks to hold Gavin responsible, Ironfist doesn't say "we need you to fight this war, but afterward I'll see you punished." Karris doesn't have a second thought about a man who could do that. The White doesn't seem to really care at all about what Gavin did. There's a point after Gavin destroys the Gargantua when he meets a kid who lied for him to get him out of trouble for murdering the girl and he thinks something along the lines of "I'll try to deserve your lying on my behalf." It's at this point I stopped reading, because Gavin doesn't deserve it. There's nothing Gavin can do that excuses the murder he committed. Furthermore, Gavin is just not likeable at this point. A omnipotent man who would murder someone weaker than him for no other reason than he was angry is not a person I ever want to root for.

That bad character choice is followed by an even worse narrative choice. After Gavin murders the girl he goes to see his brother who he's kept imprisoned for the length the first book and half of the second. Weeks had been building the character of Dazen for that entire length of time and then he has Gavin kill him. So before Dazen can do anything within the narrative of the world outside his prison, such as create havoc, lead the Koios's army, or anything else, he's killed off. The question then is: what was the point the character? I ask that question knowing that Weeks might try to bring Dazen back somehow, but whatever deus ex machina he chooses to use, it'll be stupid. Weeks seems like the kind of writer who is brave enough to kill his characters, so I'm assuming Dazen is dead and gone and that I read numerous useless chapters about him using his hair, piss, and luxin to ultimately not even break out of his prison. It's really quite shocking how that storyline lead nowhere.

So 2 stars mostly for an interesting magic system.

Its now 6:50 am. I've been reading since 11 pm. I sadly have to put the book down to go to work, otherwise I'd still be reading. Yes, I stayed up all night reading. And yes, it was completely worth it. About 3/4 of the book read so far (i read really fast) and have not been disappointed yet. Can't wait for work to be over to finish reading. I'd recommend anyone who wants to start reading this book to start early on a morning where you dont have anything planned. You'll be busy for a while

I'm sure that some people have enjoyed this book, I couldn't get into it. I like the idea behind what goes on but it was a little too far out there to be an enjoyable story for me. It's not you- it 's me.
Other reviews should be read for sure, who knows it may be right up your alley.

Brent Weeks has a blurb on Terry Brooks' UK edition of Dark Legacy of Shannara: Bloodfire Quest. I'm sure that's a surreal moment for Weeks who was aided by a blurb from Brooks on his debut novel, Way of Shadows:

`I was mesmerized from start to finish. Unforgettable characters, a plot that kept me guessing, non-stop action and the kind of in-depth storytelling that makes me admire a writer's work' -- Terry Brooks on The Way of Shadows

On the back of that blurb and a brilliant marketing strategy from Orbit, Weeks' first trilogy was a huge hit (I'm sure it had something to do with it being good too). Since then, Weeks has been considered a rising star in the genre, further cemented by The Black Prism debuting at #23 on the New York Times Bestseller list.

Despite Weeks' commercial success, I wasn't quite ready to coronate him one of the heirs apparent to the epic fantasists of the 1980's and 90's. I felt that, while a tremendous creator, he hadn't yet come into his own as a storyteller. After finishing The Blinding Knife, his follow-up to Black Prism and the second installment in the Lightbringer series, I don't hesitate to grant him that status. His newest novel is a tremendous achievement and a logical next step for him as a writer.

In the Lightbringer series, Weeks breathes life into a world that takes its cultural roots from the Mediterranean. Ruled by an alliance of the Seven Satrapies (one for each color) and bound together by the belief in a god of light, it's a government not dissimilar from the Holy Roman Empire. Like the Emperor and the Pope, the Satrapies are ostensibly ruled by the Prism and the White, a color drafter of unequaled power and a religious head of state, respectively. Weeks folds decades of history and context into this setting, a task that made Black Prism an occasionally cumbersome novel, including laying out color drafting, a magic system that converts light into matter.

Nevertheless, Black Prism excelled. Beautifully drawn characters, particularly Kip, a fat adolescent thrust into events far outstripping his capability, carried the novel. Weeks twisted expectations with the typical hero archetypes failing more often than succeeding, and both sides of the conflict seemingly equally justified in their conviction.

In that way, Blinding Knife is much the same as its predecessor. It picks up where Black Prism ended, telling the story of Gavin, Kip, Liv, and Karris, as well as a few new characters. Where Black Prism was a story about shortcomings -- Gavin's fear, Kip's insecurity, Liv's efficacy, and Karris' anger -- the new novel is about overcoming them. Additionally, politics become more prevalent as Gavin maneuvers in his nascent war against the color wights. Weeks is often at his best in these scenes, finding ways to generate passion from his reader even when the action ebbs.

Recognizable throughout Weeks' work, is his use of short chapters, 115 in Blinding Knife. Despite their diminutive length, each chapter bristles with intent and never a word seems wasted. Freed from first novel world building, he uses these short bursts to layer narrative tension, releasing it and building it again, each time becoming more intense before finally bursting in a last two hundred pages that feels almost tantric in its never ending climax.

The length of it risks the impact of those finals pages as my tolerance for denouement was equivalent to my tolerance for beer after four years at UC Santa Barbara. That isn't to say I wanted any less, but I fear Weeks packed so much in that I became inured to the sense of wonder he so carefully cultivated. Still, I would happily have read another two hundred pages without batting an eye.

There were a few narrative hiccups that didn't work for me. Occasional first person asides, in particular, whose purpose became clearer as the novel concluded, but never coalesced as I'd hoped they would. I suspect on a second, and more careful reading, they'd be more illustrative. Either way, they did little to dampen my enjoyment of this otherwise pitch perfect novel.

Two books in now I feel comfortable asserting that the Lightbringer series is about nothing less than taking the measure of a man (or woman). What makes him good? It is his intent or only his action? Does duty come before all or is there a moral certitude that must take precedence? And ultimately, is there a price too high to do what's right? It's riveting thematically, but more important it's indistinguishable from the story itself, blending and supporting it at every turn. I find it a testament to Weeks' talent that he succeeds in it so well.

I've read all five of Brent Weeks' published novels and it's a certainty that he's evolving with every book. With The Blinding Knife, I believe he's entered a new stratosphere and one that puts him on par with anyone who's written these kinds of stories. It isn't only the best book he's written; I consider it one of the best epic fantasies I've read.

Do me a favor and read it too.

Non spoiler review: I kept feeling like this was a videogame I was reading. And, uh, I was really disturbed by how many women were tortured, maimed or killed deliberately and gruesomely. At first I just took it as part of how the author just likes to gruesomely torture and maim basically everyone in the book, but after a while, I started feeling like there was a definite slant towards women being shamed or treated really badly, and it was difficult to keep reading with misogyny on every other page. I think I got pretty interested in the books for the world building and drafting magic stuff and I wanted to know what happens to people, but partway through I just started getting really turned off and disgusted. Which is probably why I am passionately and snarkily writing this review.

(Still, is this really the best of up-and-coming fantasy? As a big fantasy fan, that's depressing....)

Spoilers follow: If you already read the book and just want to hear a different angle, go ahead.

Yeah, I read the book, and I kind of want to know what happens next. But I kept wondering why the audience was supposed to like the main character Gavin when he's throwing girls off railings and supposedly beautifully in love with Karris but also sleeping/very close to sleeping with a lot of other ladies. Also he kills a lot of people. Kind of a turnoff. I actually started wondering when Gavin was going to die, because I was growing less and less fond of him as the book went on. And then hey now he's like colorblind, can't draft and is in a slave galley, so now I kind of do want to know how he gets out of there. Except we've been told from page 1 in the Black Prism that he's going to kick the bucket soon-ish (and now much sooner it seems, we get told in this 2nd book). So this sounds like it will be a very depressing journey.

Kip too, he beats up a bully and breaks the guy's arm, unnecessarily to me. Normally I'm a sucker for any kind of "adolescent enters a magical school / goes through coming of age journey" story, and there's bits and pieces of that through this series. But I don't know how much I even like this kid. Sometimes I feel for him, and then a lot of times I'm like, "I kind of want to know what happens to your classmates more then you, kid."

(Also... I kept thinking, Kip seems like he was deliberately made chubby and kept chubby, as if the author assumes that chubby male kids are reading this and he's trying to deliberately pander to this audience. I kept wondering why Kip kept staying fat, too, with all the exercising and not eating so much. What is it, 3-4 months of this? If I kept reading, "And actually Kip's mother as well as Dazen, Gavin, their mother and father all tended towards a bit of chub," it'd be one thing, but no one sound like they had the genetic disposition to be chubby either.)

Anyway, the worldbuilding, how luxin works, Blackguard training, all that is kind of interesting to read. That was mostly why I read the Black Prism, because I like reading worldbuilding. But you know what? Every other page, I swear, one of the female main characters or other female characters are being being shamed, being tortured, whipped, killed in some gory awful manner. I couldn't stand the misogyny.

And the characters kept having "character loopholes" to me... I still don't understand why Liv is hanging out in the Color Prince army. I mean, the narrative tells me some reasons, ("she thinks of how badly she was treated as a drafter in training") but sorry I don't buy it. For one thing, I think she's got it worse right now.

Going back to treatment of women, every time a chapter dealing with Liv came up I cringed. She is inevitably treated terribly, and I don't understand why the hell she won't get out. What's-his-face smarmy guy pretending like's all about the Free love or whatever? Really? This smarmy guy showering you with creepy attention is what makes you feel like a grown up woman? (Eeeew. Author, can't you send better messages to young women out there, instead of reinforcing crap like this?) You got drunk and started sleeping with him? Your fellow soldiers telling you you should climb the stairs so your butt will be tight? Hey. Hey. Do you see anyone else in the Color prince army get treated like that? I didn't. You are not being treated with Freeness or whatever, you are being sexually harassed and treated really terribly, get out of there! Or, if it's not Liv, the Color Prince is ordering women to be put on catapults and splattered against walls. What's wrong with this book.

If it's not some creepy passage of a slave-blackguard in training being whipped and told about olive oil and slaves and given a vial by her mistress (who also gets tortured; the hate towards women is never ending in this book), it's some other creepyness. (PS on vial: then she keeps the thing, even after she gets some semblance of freedom but is holding off or whatever....eww... look, I can be ok with her being hesitant to get her papers in order and completely go free, because of stuff going on about feeling unsure of the future... but seriously, the olive oil vial is the first thing I'd toss... creepy...) Can someone please direct Brent Weeks to, I dunno, basic feminism 101? Media portrayal of Women? Dr. Nerdlove debunking male privilege and patriarchy in an online essay? Anything?

Anyway back to character loopholes. Oh and Kip having the knife, I still don't buy why he doesn't just give it to Gavin. Sheesh. Yeah, plot necessary thing, whatever, there were still a lot instances which felt too much like, "We need this character to turn left. Um. Here is a reason. It's a good reason! Seriously!"

I also kept feeling like this was a videogame I was watching, not so much a novel. Hey, so and so leveled up! We've got another Bane popping up! You have to destroy it within 5 gameplay minutes or it rebuilds itself! If the meter on your drafter reaches the outer halo and breaks through, your drafter goes into beserker mode, watch out! The knife gained enough energy and evolved into a musket knife! I choose you, Musket Knife!

Also I read the author acknowledgements and something about "Magic: the Gathering" inspiring the Nine Kings game in the book. I am kind of glad I didn't read this at the beginning of the book, because I would have not been able to take many of the tense scenes involving Nine Kings so seriously. "Kip, your fate will be decided by this old and ancient game of.... Magic: the Gathering." "Kip! These are first edition versions of Magic: the Gathering cards! They are priceless on Ebay! Did you win them at a convention?" (disclaimer: I don't actually know anything about MtG, aside from watching people play it for fun.)

Actually, having written "I choose you, Musket Knife!", I don't know if I could take any new scene with the musket knife seriously either.

And finally, the first (well, every) time I read "meet with the Spectrum", I kept thinking of the gay-straight alliance club in college and highschool. Speaking of which, belatedly.... Were there any same gender couplings ever mentioned in this or the first book? All these people falling in love with each other and people going wild with green stuff or whatever and... none? Eh? Was I just not paying attention enough?

After finishing The Black Prism a few months ago, I knew that I was definitely going to be crushing the rest of the series sooner rather than later. Brent Weeks is a master of writing stories that really draw in the reader and that man can do plot twists/epic unveilings like no other. It’s ridiculous and for that fact alone I insist that you go read his Lightbringer series!

The characters continue to astound, which is both good and bad. Kip changed considerably from the young Tyrean boy and he’s grown to become a minor force in the Chromeria. He’s got these moments of incredible insight and wisdom, immediately followed by the most incredibly cringe-worthy “Kip the Lip” moments. There were many new characters in The Blinding Knife, many of which are Blackguard inductees. Tia, a drafter of an unrecognized color called paryl, making her an outcast to many in the Chromeria and valuably to the Blackguard. All this is in addition to her talent for disguise and a sharp mind. I loved Tia and found her to be a complex character that I’m sure will play a significant role in the future. After mentioning characters that I (and most everyone else) liked, it’s only fitting that I discuss one of the characters that is so, so easy to hate. Andross Guile is a vile, scheming spider sitting at the center of an enormous web of information that he can manipulate. I loathed him, but simultaneously found him to be one of the most admirably devious characters I’ve ever read about. He’s beyond intelligent and his game is one of unfathomable complexity- I am usually unable to predict what action he would next take and I loved to hate him.

The Blinding Knife is a lengthy book, but not a page is wasted or dull. In this one book Brent Weeks manages to squeeze in much character development, plots, subplots, and what I fondly refer to as the plot-block. This is when I am so certain the plot is going to turn out a certain way because that’s how it always happens, or in some cases, that seems to be the only way it could play out in this situation… BUT THEN IT DOESN’T HAPPEN. For me as a reader this is one of the most fantastic surprises ever! This book has everything but the kitchen sink and it makes it tons of fun. As I’m writing this I’m already nearly finished with the third installment, so trust me when I say it keeps getting better.

If it hasn’t been made obvious to you yet, I think every fan of fantasy books should check out Weeks’s books. I thought this particular series wouldn’t appeal to me, but I was happily mistaken. I only wish that it was already completed so I could read until the conclusion and then have a good solid book hangover. As it stands now, I’ll be waiting at least until late 2017 to satisfy my curiosity when the final book will be released.

We all need to be patient. Yet, it is something that is so hard to do. Yes, it is hard to persevere and wait without becoming annoyed or anxious, especially if you have a lot of people depending on you and waiting for you to take some kind of action.
Gavin Guile believed he could possibly spend his life in a particular way and live to a ripe age. Only he finds out he has less than a year to finish out the rest of his life and keep his dark secret hidden. Gavin has a dark vision of the future, and who wouldn't under his circumstances?
The "Blinding Knife" is the 2nd book in the Lightbringer series and a continuation of the interesting characters in "Black Prism". Of course the author, Brent Weeks, adds some new personalities, and all of them struggle to overcome their shortcomings. I am still not sure if it is Gavin or Daven in this novel, but that doesn't really matter. I think you will be as interested in Gaven/Daven and Kip as I was. When it comes to courage, Gavin/Daven is no slouch. Kip has a lot to learn, but has a good teacher.
For someone who started out writing on bar napkins, then on lesson plans -I am glad that someone eventually paid Brent for his work. I believe his talent fits like a glove and his brilliance shines through each page of his novels.
If you like short chapters, good writing and a touch of magic, I believe you will really like this action packed epic fantasy that portrays heroic deeds and adventures.

Jeannie Walker - Award-Winning Author - "Fighting the Devil" - A True Story of Consuming Passion, Deadly Poison, and Murder

Hmmm, this book took me a long time to finish. I loved the first one because it was fast-paced with a war that's just beginning. However, this one took a step back to better explain the develop the world and the characters, so it was rather slow at parts. First, let's take Kip, who's been left at the Chromeria to take classes. There're a few chapters of the classes where I feel like I'm reading a YA novel with all the teenage drama. I know Kip is a teenager, but the reason I read epic fantasy is so I don't have to deal with all that YA crap, but here it is in this book as if Kip was a high schooler.

Even Gavin's POV in the first half of the book wasn't that exciting. Left with about 50,000 refugees from Garriston after the end of the previous book, Gavin had to find a place for them, and he decided on Seers Island. It was plain torture reading about him and Karris together!! They wasted so much time avoiding one another and not facing the truth that I just wanted to slap them and tell them to get over themselves already! But we all know how their relationship resolved, so I was happy with that at least! I always love a little romance in my story.

The second half of the book is much better. The war is moving ahead, with the Color Prince leaving Tyrea and invading Atash. Once Gavin returns to the Chromeria, there're lots of politics and backstabbing going on at the Chromeria as Gavin tries to have things his way. Gavin always surprises me with his political manuverings that always lead him to the top. He did learn from the best. I'm still wondering what Andross Guile has up his sleeve.

There're parts of the book that are very confusing to me though. I've learned that fantasy books likes to speak in riddles, like the Seer. But then there's the Nine Kings game. The Nine Kings took up some time in the book and it was never explained how the game works or how the card works. I wished there was a better explanation for the whole original versus copied cards thing.

Overall, this book had a really slow start that I had to jump through before getting to the really exciting part. Usually I hate too many POV in my fantasy books, as authors tend to do nowadays. But Weeks managed to interest me in all the characters, even though I don't like some of them, I can understand their motivation. Anyway, I'm excited to see what the next book have in store for our heroes. I'm definitely getting it as soon as it is released!

Brent Weeks' second entry into his expansive and ambitious Lightbringer Trilogy (or, technically, Quadrilogy) comes in the form of the fantasy masterpiece, The Blinding Knife. Capitalizing and improving upon everything in the first novel of the series (The Black Prism), Weeks weaves a world filled with maps, cards, mystics, and prophecies that, put simply, does not stop. From the first page to the last, The Blinding Knife's momentum carries the story forward at breakneck speeds that refuse to relinquish the reader - which really does becomes problematic around 3am. And, sporting a hefty 671 pages, I guarantee there were many such nights. But this, I guarantee, was time well spent and much enjoyed.

The story follows a variety of characters, among them the protagonists Kip, a rotund, clumsy, and infinitely lovable polychrome, and his "father" Gavin, the Prism who hides his true identity from all, as they prepare for a war with a creature heretofore unseen by humanity and who possesses a cunning intelligence that threatens to upend all of the Chromeria. It is a story of intrigue and tactical political philosophy that works to wash away the lines drawn in the sand by so many other fantasy stories that determine good from evil. What Weeks writes is a tale of two forces, neither truly in the right nor in the wrong. And it is in this that his novel finds its teeth.

The Blinding Knife is constructed in such a way that readers are often torn when it comes to having to choose which army to back, for Weeks writes them both with such morally gray finesse that readers can't help but look beyond the two armies and instead focus on the individuals trapped within the conflicts. It is with these smaller individuals - Gavin, Kip, Liv, etc. - rather than with the larger leaders of the two powers that the story finds its form and with whom readers are able to revel in their successes or failures.

The Blinding Knife also, in a way, feels much more mature than The Black Prism in that Weeks confronts very real and poignant quandaries regarding an array of topics such as religion, faith, blind allegiance, and the ever popular "ends vs. means." Questions such as these are reflective of the very human story Weeks is telling in this world of fantasy and magic. And Weeks poses these questions in such a frank, innocent way that we, as readers, can't help but ponder them ourselves as we follow the character's train of reasoning and eventual conclusion. I, personally, took the character Liv's story to heart as I found myself asking the same questions regarding religion that she had about her own faith. Her journey of self discovery followed me beyond the page and pushed me to develop and question my own stances regarding our place in this world. And a story that has the capacity to affect its readers like that is something quite special.

All in all, I found The Blinding Knife to be among the finest of fantasy pieces available today. With a riveting storyline that refuses to relent its swift pace and a cast of characters, none of whom ever truly fall into the realm of "antagonist," that push readers to think beyond the borders of the novel, The Blinding Knife is an exemplary work worthy of all of the hearty praise it has received since its publishing.

I don't think I've enjoyed a fantasy novel quite as much as Week's second in his "Lightbringer" series. The reason is that his form taps neatly into the great fantasy series of the `80s and `90s very well. Essentially the reader follows the waxing fortunes of a young child who goes through character building trials and tribulations on their way to great power, kingship, nobility and generally saving whatever world they are on. It's a formula used brilliantly by the likes of Feist, Eddings, Weis and Hickman, Wurts, Douglass, Canavan - to name a few. Weeks has reined back in his Night Angel exuberance where the fight scenes got more and more over the top (it was almost a fantasy version of Matthew Reilly's `Scarecrow') and produced a series with the necessary pace to enthral the reader. Namely...a slow build up.
As readers we all know Kip Guile's destiny (the umming and aaahing by several characters over the concept of a Lightbringer is irrelevant given the title of the trilogy); it's just we want to grow up with this slightly chubby, outspoken, intelligent lad as he struggles to come to terms with both himself and his scheming, all-powerful family. All you need to do is stick him in Week's version of Hogwarts, have him attempt to reach the exacting standards of the Blackguards, have a couple of "bullying" scenes, surround him with a bunch of class mates who fulfil every weakness he's got (Cruxer, Teia et al.), ensure he's got a stoical mentor (IronFist), and then have a patriarchal society menace him (led by Andross Guile). Do all that and you've got the vital ingredients for transiting a boy to a man. Oh...wait. That's exactly what the author does.
The development of Kip is surrounded by the action of relationships. That being between: Daseen and Gavin; Karris and Daseen; Liv and the Color Prince; The Prism and The White; Kip and Andross - to name a few. Behind it all raise the spectre of the theatre of war, the failure of Daseen's luxin, and the prophesy of the Lightbringer. It's a heady, potent mix delivered in a manner that is both exhilarating and neatly written. My only "concern" with this book is the portrayal of women. They all seem to be too focused around their lust or love for men (barring The White), Week continually having them either openly seductive or worrying about how to be seductive, or how to deal with their emotions. He even has an openly sadistic scene with Teia and her owner. I am not sure what the author is trying to have the reader think with his female characters at times. Those that are depicted as strong (Karris, Liv and Marissia) are in thrall to strong men which is displeasing to this reader. I'd like to see the balance redressed with female characters who are strong in personality, not subjected to slavery, beatings, emotional hesitancy.
Anyway, Weeks is as good as Canavan. This new trilogy is better than his first. It's more mature, more paced, more considerate of the reader - less of the outpourings of a teenage boy, more the crafting of a skilled author. Having read Ian C Esslemont before this I can see a plain difference in the writing skills and erudition of both authors. But, for me, it would be like comparing Dickens to Cussler. Both are excellent in their own way and should be read without comparison. If you truly want to know where Weeks is then you could compare him to Eddings or Feist. With regard to the former, Weeks is easily as good; for the latter....still some way to go to match the skill of "Magician".

I'm so frustrated with the ending of this book. I've read a statement from the author that the next book is coming along well, but it's not going to be finished any time this year. I hate it when I read cliff-hanger endings and then can't immediately begin the next book. I am beginning to understand why many people just refuse to start reading incomplete series.

The entire book was very intense. It felt as if it was almost all climax, which meant I read it a lot more quickly than I otherwise would have. I can't sleep if characters are in mortal danger or something bad has just happened. The author is very skilled at keeping things exciting. I also really enjoy the interactions between the characters. They are well-developed, very complex people. You can see even with supporting characters that they have a lot more going on than we're shown. It's very tip-of-the-iceberg.

I had wondered if this book would have as many surprises as the previous book, which gradually revealed details of the characters' pasts throughout the story. But with all those secrets already out, I wondered how this one would measure up. Well, there were plenty more surprises, not necessarily about Gavin's or Karris's pasts, but about the supporting characters and other aspects in their lives. There are still plenty of questions remaining.

A somewhat odd criticism perhaps, but it seems to me that the author has an almost juvenile fascination with breasts. He focuses on them a little bit too much. Kip often accidentally looks at someone's breasts and gets caught, which would be fine with me, considering he's an awkward teenager. But Gavin Guile doing it seems just silly to me. He's a man in his thirties. And he does it a lot. He looked at her breasts. Oops. There is also more reference than necessary to Teia's flat chest. I don't need to be reminded repeatedly, really. And combat training about women needing to bind their breasts to keep them from getting in the way while using a bow. It's a little bit much, as I said.

Overall, an enjoyable book. The plot is complex, and while the villains are undoubtedly very bad and monstrous, they have some points that seem valid. The Chromeria is corrupt, and I'm not completely comfortable rooting for them. I look forward to the next book.

I received this book as part of Goodreads Giveaway and super excited to be reading the next chapter in The Lightbringer Series. I finished reading this book today and my mind was blown by the ending in so many ways that it makes me hungry for the next installment. Here are my thoughts:

It's been four months since the events in Garriston and beginnings of another war like False Prism War. Gavin Guile, The Prism, is hiding terrible secrets from everyone about himself along with the fact that he's lost the ability to draft Blue. The Seven Satrapies are so busy fighting each other that they ignore Gavin's warnings until it's too late to do anything about it period. Andross Guile, The Color Red on The Spectrum, is doing his damnest to deny Kip and Gavin whatever they want just because he can. He challenges Kip to a game of Nine Kings for such things as lessons, personal needs, and other little things like Teia becoming his room slave. Kip is determined to beat his grandfather no matter what and eventually he does. Gavin wants Kip to become a Blackguard for his own personal reasons. Kip and Teia are partners in The Blackguard training fighting to become one of the fourteen trained. Both Kip and Teia face fierce opposition despite the fact that Teia is really good enough to be a Blackguard. Karris Whiteoak, Watch Commander in the Blackguard, knows Gavin's secret yet has one of her own. She knows the true identity of the Color Prince~Koios Whiteoak, her older brother. Karris tries to say angry with Gavin for keeping secrets from her. Karris sees that Kip is protected by Samite. The Color Prince wants to see if Liv Danavis is really going to be loyal to him and his cause despite the lies of Chromeria. Liv learns that not everything taught in Chromeria is true. The Color Prince offers Liv something that she wouldn't get in the Chromeria~a true place of belonging. The Color Prince pairs Liv up with Zyum, a young and reckless drafter, as test for both of them. The Color Prince wants to destroy Gavin Guile and the Seven Satrapies all he needs is followers. Meanwhile the refugees of Garriston land on Seers Island much to the dismay of Third Eye. Third Eye gives insight to both Karris and Gavin about what to do next. Gavin names Kip, his son, despite the objections of Andross Guile. The Spectrum and The White fear to name Gavin promachos despite all evidence that it's very much needed. The real Gavin Guile is still imprisoned in color cells and driven mad by his existence there. Dazen as Gavin tells him about life outside of his prison but doesn't understand the depth of hatred Gavin has for Dazen. Kip learns a secret that could destroy everyone he cares about. What is Andross Guile's end game? What secrets does Kip hold? Will Kip and Teia become Blackguard? Will Gavin tell Karris the whole truth? Will Karris accept the truth? Where does Liv stand? What use does the Color Prince have for Liv an Zyum? Will Dazen free Gavin? Your answers await you in The Blinding Knife.

Very few times is the second thing better than the first thing. You have a special place in your mind for firsts. But the Blinding Knife does what you didn't think possible - it not only builds out the world even more, but it raises the stakes and makes them that much more personal. While ostensibly the hero of the story, Gavin goes off and does his own thing, looking to solve mysteries that are bigger and bolder, and instead you get to see the world of the Blackguard and Kip. Scenes with Kip and Andross are immensely satisfying and just as you think it will all end on a high note, the rug gets pulled out from under you.

This was one of my most anticipated books this year. If you've enjoyed Weeks' other works, then you'll understand why. Even after talking with Brent this summer and learning that he planned on making the Lightbringer series a tetralogy, I couldn't help but start the next book in the series with some trepidation. Would it stand up to past excellence? Would it suffer second book slumps? In other words, is this a coasting book, or will there be actual depth to it?

The Blinding Knife takes us back into the world of Gavin and Kip and all of the other colorful characters of the Chromeria and Blackguard. Between a mounting war against the Color Prince, and dealing with the aftermath of the False Prism War from 16 years before, Gavin has his work cut out for him. Of course, readers of the first book in the series, The Black Prism, know that there is a lot more to that story than I can share without a big spoilers warning. Readers continuing the adventure should know that there are still ample surprises in this volume, and although we are given more background, its not always where we want it. This, of course, is the author's prerogative, but some of the mysteries can leave the reader wanting. Without revealing any spoilers, the entire ancient mythology and metamorphosis of the wight left a discordant feeling with me. From what we knew of the world so far, the concept of avatars just seemed at odds. It felt out of place and without context, making the color gods meme was a little confusing. It made sense in its own limited context, just like wights made sense as an extension of breaking the halo, but the blend of those two left me a little out of sorts, making it a distraction in this book.

So what did I enjoy? I still loved Kip - as a fat kid who grew up to be a fat man, I'm partial to the rotund polychrome, stereotypical as he can be. You can lament that he's got Harry Potter syndrome, but that's because Harry Potter had Magician's Apprentice syndrome himself - a magically capable youth in the role of student is going to fall into a trope or two along the way. Weeks does a good job when we're sitting on Kip's shoulders to show us the world Kip thinks he's seeing, even when every other character just sees a capable, headstrong Guile. Weeks tackled a few thorny subjects, including slavery, as well as introducing us to a card game who's rules we learned alongside Kip. The conflicts Gavin faces internally, maintaining the facade of the perfect leader and Prism while really fighting against his own self doubts and insecurities was refreshing.

The Lightbringer series isn't as dark or deep as the Night Angel trilogy, but fans shouldn't be put off by that. Weeks tells a compelling tale, and fans of epic fantasy will still find themselves with sleepless nights as they try and finish just one more chapter.

This is certainly one of the best books I've ever read.

It picks up immediately after the conclusion of The Black Prism and I was able to begin enjoying the story with none of the confusion I had at the beginning of The Black Prism. I'm not sure if it's because I met Brent Weeks about a week after this book came out and he was able to explain the magic/universe he's created in this series or if this book was just better written.

But it was extremely well written. I didn't think it would be possible, but Weeks has evolved a lot as an author with this novel. I thought the Night Angel trilogy was extremely well-done, and the Black Prism a little less so, but Weeks really upped his game in this installment. Like the colors of the prism, the characters in this story have many different shades and facets. The action sequences were good, but the political maneuverings took my breath away.

I absolutely cannot wait for the final installment in this series. The main characters must overcome insurmountable odds, Gavin/Dazen especially, in order to save the world as they know it. I can't imagine where this is going, but if The Blinding Knife is any indication, it will blow my mind.

I am disappointed with the book for just a couple of reasons. First off the use of profanity, specifically the f-word, got a little annoying. For me, the use of the f-word in a fantasy book seems so out of place. I really don't know why but when I see a character using that word in a fantasy book it kind of takes away the magic of it. I read fantasy because I like the chance to imagine other worlds with different people, animals, magic, etc. The use of the f-word just shatters that. In addition, I find the f-word just plain offensive.

Another thing that bothered me was the change in the main character. He was portrayed as a good and admirable in the first book. But in this book the only thing that seems to be on his mind is sex. I really liked the character in the first book, but in the second he seemed to have been reduced to some vulgar animal with no values. He is supposedly in love with one woman, but because he hasn't slept with anyone for a long time he wants to pop home and sleep with his house slave. How shallow of a person is that? I just found this downright repulsive.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Black Prism. I thought it was an amazing book. But Brent Weeks seems to have used up all the light he had when he started to write this one. I couldn't bring myself to finish it. I was looking forward to continuing the series but unfortunately the second book was just a huge disappointment. I think Brent Weeks is a great writer, but I feel there are better internal conflicts for characters than something so trivial and meaningless as sexual deprivation.

I really enjoyed this book. At last something that's good for adults. I've read this aloud for my husband and son on a 2 week road trip and it has kept us all entertained for miles. It's wonderful when you have something good to read and therefore can never be bored. We need more books like this (as well as the Stormlight Archives books, Ice & Fire and Name of the Wind). It's full of surprises and good characters. It's good that it's not all black and white and you can't be completely sure who are the good and the bad guys.

Cons:
- Magic The Gathering's influence is pretty heavy on the nine kings, as in, it's almost the same.
- First half of the book is fairly droll, being rather uneventful buildup for some of the characters.
- This would make a better video game series than a book series.

Pros:
- Plenty of unpredictable twists and clever gotcha moments, some stemming from the first book.
- Characters are more than just 1-dimensional (a rarity in fantasy literature it seems).
- Manages to mix gunpowder with magic without defeating either, though I'm not sure why anyone figured out how to draft yellow cannonballs and replace powder with sub-red.
- Dialogue is laid on pretty thick. Nice to see colorful language used to express livid emotions.
- Some background is given to ancillary characters. Looking forward to reading Grinwoody's.

Worth reading if you're into books such as Dark Angel trilogy, The First Law trilogy (Abercrombie), Lies of Locke Lamora (Lynch), or Prince of Thorns (Lawrence). Don't read this if you can't stomach reading about sex or swearing.

There are some who write brilliantly and some that are great storytellers. Weeks is the rare combination of the two. I can visualize ever detail of this world from the power of the light to the speed of the skimmer boats. This book was filled with subtle twists and many what the... moments. Our hero Gavin Guile is a good balance between ego and self recrimination. However the self loathing from his son Kip is overdone especially given all his heroic deeds. One would think by now he would have a sliver of confidence before the end of the book. Weeks writes multiple story lines which keeps the reader engaged, but around chapter 65 he starts jumping too quickly from one story to another and it felt like having an incomplete thought. I found myself skipping chapters to read another chapter that continued the story line and then returning to the skipped chapters. These two issues were the only reasons I did not give this book a 5 rating. However I have to admit that I hold Weeks to a higher standard than most authors and I am a little more critical than I would be with a less gifted writer. That said this book and the series is one I will reread with joy. I hope the next installment comes quickly because the ending is a cliffhanger.

I am blown away by Weeks' ability to create not just compelling characters, but entire worlds. There are no fillers, just great story telling. I love it all the more because it's not a short 200-300 page mainstream paperback (though some of those can be enjoyable too, like one I read recently called Immortal, by Gene Doucette- 329 pages), but a 688 page full sized meaty novel, which covers all bases, yet doesn't get bogged down in irrelevant detail or narrative.

All of Brent Weeks' maasterpieces are worth reading. If you have just chanced upon The Blinding Knife, please go to the first of the series- The Black Prism. You'll be thankful you did.

5 stars, all the way.

I love the story. The magic system is simple but powerful. Every character is interesting. Usually I skip story arcs of characters I find boring. Not in this series. So why 3 stars you ask? Simple - the foul language. The first book in this series I would have given a PG or perhaps PG-13 due to the violence. For some reason in the second book Mr Weeks decided to start using the "F" word - a lot. I know that this does not matter to some folks but I don't like reading it. He's a talented writer and he proved in book one that the characters don't need to cuss like sailors to be believable.

I must say, Brent Weeks didn't skimp on books 2 or 3. They were great, and I certainly didn't see the twist ending in book 3 coming. Man! And I certainly appreciate the correction of the passive voice that was so evident in book 1. If you are a fan of magical fantasy worlds like Robin Hobb's work or George R.R. Martin, take a look at Brent Weeks's Lightbringer series. It's well worth it. Five stars across the board!

I'd really thought I'd already reviewed this, but realizing I didn't provides another chance to sing Weeks' praise.

I love this series. The first book started off a little more slowly than the Night Angel trilogy, but it became just as amazing. As we learn more about the characters, they become even more impressive, and the way the magic is entwined with the politics was absolutely enthralling. Well done, Mr. Weeks! I'm very pleased to admit that I didn't see most of those plot twists coming, and even though I'd already realized you were brilliant, this confirms it.

The Blinding Knife is the second book in Brent Weeks' Lightbringer Series and it doesn't disappoint. Weeks continues to deliver well-rounded, believable characters - with flaws and secrets - that inhabit a beautifully complex world.

Not only does Weeks do a magnificent job of detailing a system of government that is beginning to crack under the weight of its own self-importance, he allows us to see the strengths and weaknesses of each of his major characters and they way that they change and grow when faced with their own short-comings.

I am looking forward to the continuation of the story when The Broken Eye releases in 2014.

This book was, in my opinion, even better then The Black Prism. Weeks did an excellent job of jumping from very different character story lines and making them all interesting. Basically if you liked any of his earlier books you will enjoy this one. My only critique is there are parts of the books, mostly blurbs from different character's viewpoints, that really don't seem to add much to the overall story. I found myself wondering why they were put there and never really was able to answer that question. This author seems to do this a lot in this series - case in point between this book and the first there is probably 30 pages of in detailed descirption of a certain character and his viewpoint which really seems to have amounted to very little - could have been covered in ten pages. I suppose the main storylines in this book are so interesting I wish he'd have used the extra space on those.

Having said that, who knows, maybe the last book will make these parts more relevant.

So, in summary, if you liked Black Prism then buy this book. It's one of the few I believe was worth buying in hard back as well.

If you are a fan of modern fantasy, you MUST get this book. Weeks' Night Angel Trilogy was very enjoyable for me, but I felt strongly that he could do even better.

The Blinding Knife is the best book he's ever written, in my opinion, and that's saying a lot. I will refrain from saying anything remotely spoilerish, but I do feel obligated to warn you that you will be losing sleep for a few nights as you finish this book, and you will most certainly be left on the edge of your seat at the end. If you read this book, I can virtually guarantee that you will be buying book 3, whenever it comes out.

First of all, this is a great cover, not just for its design, but also for its inclusion in the book itself, i.e. the Nine Kings card game (which was a brilliant idea!) Kudos to Orbit.

As for Brent Weeks, HUGE kudos goes to him and a million thanks for writing a fantastic story!

In book two of this trilogy, Weeks' writing takes a huge leap. It seems to get better with every book. In this book, I see improvement in both his style and his voice, and hell, I have to admit, he's teaching me about my own writing and where I need to improve. This is why I love reading books written by talented authors. Not just for the enjoyment, but also for the learning experience.

I also have to admit, The Blinding Knife broke my heart. Why? Because of what happens to Gavin at the end (not giving it away!) It's not just what happens to him, it's also that he proves to himself and to the reader that he really does love Kip despite what he tells Karris. The most beautiful part of this story, for me, is the relationship between Gavin and Kip. He knows Kip is not his son and yet he does everything he can to make the boy feel like he has a father, like he is legitimate and wanted regardless of who his mother was. In this book, you really get to see Gavin's pain and everything he's suffered - heartbreak, pain, injustice - in order to do the right thing, even though he does end up making huge mistakes. Kip is still my favorite character, but in this book, I really fell in love with Gavin which is why the end was so heartbreaking for me.

Another aspect of Gavin's story that I loved was the mended love between him and Karris. I've found myself often times rolling my eyes during romantic scenes in books simply because either the dialogue or the action was so cheesy, I felt like saying: "Okay, I'm going to throw up now!" But I never felt like that in this book. The tender scenes between Gavin and Karris were witty and funny and altogether real and true to the characters.

As for Kip, there wasn't one part of his narrative that I didn't like. From his struggle to become a blackguard, to his unpleasant meetings with his grandfather, to his growing affection for Gavin, Kip's character matures significantly. He goes from being an illegitimate, awkward boy to becoming a man and a blackguard warrior despite the odds and despite the cards that are literally stacked against him. What I really loved about Kip in this book was the way he handled Andross Guile, the way Gavin should have handled him, by not taking his crap. This was one thing that made me really frustrated with Gavin. Gavin is too nice to his father, too kindhearted to do what he should do and that is to "free" him. He has the power to do it and yet he never does, which is why I particularly loved Kip's line: "You're old. How long before you die?" That cracked me up! When he said that, I thought: "That's exactly what I was thinking. They need to kill that old bastard!" I also had a sneaking suspicion about Andross the whole time, what Kip figures out in the end, what his grandfather really is. It makes the end of the book that much more exasperating. It makes you go: "Nooooooooo, I don't want that to happen! The bad guy has to die!" So frustrating! =o)

The other bad guy, or should I say bad girl, was a character like Andross that you just love to hate. Aglia, the slave owner. The whole time while Tia was getting beaten, I kept thinking: "I want something really bad to happen to Aglia." And in this case, I was very happy when it did. =o) Thank you, Brent!

I think the only thing I didn't like about this book was Liv's story. I don't know why, but I found myself skimming through Liv's narrative and everything with the Color Prince. I know the narrative is necessary to move the story forward and to relay more information about Zymun (whose identity I knew from the beginning, it only made sense) but I still found it really boring. It could be because I don't like Liv or the Color Prince. The Color Prince is right that the Chromeria is corrupt but the way he goes about solving the problem is wrong. I just felt like Liv, being Corvan's daughter, should know that, but she doesn't. She's too easily seduced by the Prince's poisonous words. It was frustrating.

There was one last thing I kept thinking about at the end of book two ... actually two things, two unanswered questions. One was from the first book. Why does the Wight send Karris to Tyrea to be a spy when she knows very well that it will get Karris killed? Why did she do that? So far, that question hasn't been answered. The other question is: who is the lady in the marketplace that Tia sees murdered? What is the significance of that scene? I'm hoping book three will answer these questions.

Overall, though, this was an excellent read. It was well-written and engaging and all I can say is thank you Brent Weeks! I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE THIRD AND FINAL BOOK!!!!!

Melissa Douthit's Blog

Brent Weeks' 2nd book in the Lightbringer trilogy is an all-out action adventure full of magic, violence, Harry Potter-ish Hogwartsian schooling, and more twists and turns than a box of corkscrew pasta. I loved it! It's a meaty book that will draw you in, hold your attention, and leave you exhausted after you plow through the over 600 pages of exhilarating story-telling.

Look, I love brent weeks, and I love the worlds he creates. However, I was honestly expecting more change in Kip in this book. Kip still seems like the same self-absorbed kid, with no real significant changes in personality since the first book. Beyond the incidents with the cards, and a little more at the end, he never seems to come into his character like I imagined he would after months of training by one of the most elite armed forces in the world. Gavin and karris and some of the guards continue to still carry the character development side of the books and remain my favorites and the reason the book gets a 5 star instead of 4, but I still can't find myself to like Kip, maybe in the third book. The magic system is probably in the top 5 of all magic systems I've seen created and fleshed out in just the right amount of detail. Still looking forward to the next two books in the series!

I've read a lot of fantasy, and there is something special about this series. I can see why this might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I can't understand why anyone would give this book only 1 or 2 stars. If you enjoyed The Black Prism then this book is going to blow your mind. Brent Weeks marches at the beat of his own drum and although his work isn't chock-full of fan service it's nice to read something with a lot of original content. For those of you who have not read Weeks' The Night Angel Trilogy, I suggest that as well.

I first read The Black Prism, the first book of the series, and found the political intrigue gripping but the characterization weak and repetitive. Good news: The Blinding Knife carries on--and deepens--the political action, and the characterization flaws have been improved. Particularly, Gavin and Kip no longer sound like the same person in their "self talk." Gavin shines as his own very strong-willed character, fulfilling a potential hinted at in Book #1 but never delivered, while Kip shares inherited traits to which he gives his own little twists. I like that. I like seeing the growth of the characters (as individuals, please, not copies!).

I still found the magic sounding "plastic," but the handling was smoother in this book, though the reader is often subjected to long (sometimes pages), dry lectures about how it works. It promotes a deep desire to skip ahead, as do the random conversations with seemingly little purpose. Filler, anyone?

The meat of the story itself is good. Engaging. Complicated. It is unnecessarily littered with the repetition of descriptions, phrases, favorite words (just for instance, how many times does the reader really need to be given the same description of Blackguard garb?). The swearing swiftly became gratuitous, the crassness and vulgarity often jarring. I'm not a fan of swearing or vulgarity and don't think they're necessary to a good story. "Profanity is the effort of a feeble mind to express itself forcefully." That opinion aside, if they're going to be used, use them constructively, and not with the appearance that a minimum requirement of "gross" has to be filled, quick before the story ends. There are references (take the "Amazoi" women, for example) that show a sad lack of imagination when it is obvious that the writer could, with a moment or two of consideration, vastly improve on the common model.

The repeatedly (or maybe misleadingly?) mistaken use of the word "bemused," along with the plethora of incomplete sentences, nearly drove me batty. The sex scene? I thought it also felt gratuitous. Awkward, too.

*Such* good material, yet the book is hindered by weak editing. I love a good, long fantasy, but this one *felt* long.

I do like the blend of gunpowder and magic, and how the existence of one doesn't detract from the other. I like the slick way the Color Prince is developed as a real person with real beliefs, and not just a cardboard cutout antagonist. The color wights are wonderfully, imaginatively, frighteningly depicted. The story of the real Gavin is disappointing. Lots of building up goes into his non-part; I expected more. I liked learning more about Ironfist's background, and his inner workings. He's one of the better characters in the tale. When the pace of the story is let free to go, it really moves!

This morality tale starts where the first book finished ... ends in a BIG cliffhanger. DO NOT attempt to read this without reading The Black Prism first. I truly don't think it would make total sense.

Great character growth, especially in Kip. I love Gavin as a flawed smartarse of a hero; he just gets better and better.

I started this last night, read until midnight, then finished today. To say this book dragged me in, is a big understatement.

My advice for lovers of the heroic fantasy genre? Make sure you read this soon. And here's hoping that the final part of this enthralling trilogy is already in the works.

Brilliant. The wait seemed so long for this book and it delivered. I love the detail in the theory of their "magic" and all the characters bring something to the tale. One death in this instalment just seemed wrong and I'm hoping it is just another twist that I cannot foresee yet, otherwise it would seem just a waste of so much potential story line. And now I'm imagining all sorts of twists it could be.
The only downside is that the next book I read has a lot to live up to!

A tale that starts good and keeps up the pace till the end! I am looking forward to the next in the series. What more can you say about a long book than to finish it and say you want more? Some people get into the plot and the characters in their reviews but in my estimation that's for the author to do. I'll just say it was a damn fine read. Fantasy all the way, some great new magic ideas and epic battles.

Brent Weeks is now one of my new favorite authors. He's not the best at world building, and I'm not a fan of the magic system in this series, but Weeks more than makes up for it with his plot pacing, fun characters, and nice surprises. If I could, I'd give it 4.5 stars.

If you like great action, fast pacing, and an intriguing story, then Weeks is a fantasy author for you.

I enjoyed the first book, and I loved the second!

The Black Prism is not book one, its purpose is to paint a beautiful background for a masterpiece and introduce you to a new world and let you know some characters before the real work. The Blinding Knife is where the story takes off and shows you how good this series is going to be.

More action, more twist and turns, more intrigue, new characters, and one hell of an ending!

The Blinding Knife was a great continuation to the Black Prism. I enjoyed it even more than the first book, somehow. This series really shows Brent Weeks' growth as a writer, in pretty much every way. This book has all of what made the last book great - continued and new conflicts between characters, magic and the world, and lots of interesting plot elements. Really enjoyed the concept of the Nine Kings card game as well.

This is a solid second book with strong story elements and strong characters. The real treat with the story is the unique magic system and the consequences of that system. The story unfolds well and reads easy and while is not a page turner it is an enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to the third book and have enjoyed this series.

SPOILERS HERE. First of all the main character is just a total Mary Sue. Gavin Guile is the greatest wizard ("drafter") in the world. He's superbly handsome, brave, smart, strong...he can beat anyone in a sword-fight and every woman who sees him, wants him. That was just Gavin's characterization in the previous book (The Black Prism).

Now in this second book, Gavin gets even more super-amazing. In one scene, he walks into a tent where some of his generals are planning a battle. Of course Gavin takes one look at the map, points out how dumb they are, and sets them straight. So he's a better general than his generals? Why have generals then?

Then, Gavin is in the council trying to get political support for something - I forget what - and he outmaneuvers his father Andross into getting his bill passed or whatever. Now Andross Guile is basically Tywin Lannister but with massive sorcerous powers. NOBODY outmaneuvers this guy politically. Yet there can't be even ONE area of human accomplishment where Gavin doesn't outshine everyone else in the book. MARY SUE.

I been a fan of Brent Weeks ever since The First Book in The Night Angel Trilogy The Way of Shadows, his way of writting is one of the best so far, so good that you end up saying damn! I didn't see that coming!

This book offers a great view of how the story develop so far, how "Gavin" fights his inner ghosts and ends up with a dead end, how Kipp gains friends and foes; man a lot to say but can't spoil up the book! And the cliffhanger in the end! Oh boy, like I said before I didn't see that one coming (Kip related, I did saw coming a part of what Gavin's going trough)

So in the end? What a good story to read, buy the book; you won't regret it.

An amazing read. Weeks' has progressed tremendously as an author and his books keep getting better and better. This was my favorite of all his works so far and I can't wait for his next book to be released. I'd put this in the "must read" section of recommendations to my friends.

Weeks takes a step forward in this series for sure! Book was was good but a little slow compared to the Night angel series. Well book two starts hot and keeps rocking the whole time! GREAT GREAT READ!!!!!!!

This genre is always going to be formulaic, but some authors rise above the formula and give you more than a paint by numbers, but that's simply not the case here. It's not terrible. It's an easy read, and a page turner it just doesn't have a whole lot of substance, or give us anything we haven't seen before. For such a long novel it is also surprisingly lacking in both character development and plot advancement. Thematically it's a mess. The characters are all given a certain degree of moral ambiguity, which is interesting, but ultimately removes much emotional investment in any of the characters. Weeks also jumps back and forth between characters, but this technique inevitably struggles when some characters are stronger than others, and that's very much the case here.

So I've read Brent Week's night angel trilogy and the Black Prism as well - I loved all the books. The Blinding Knife is yet another great sequel which gets you hooked within a matter of pages if you liked the Black Prism. I especially liked how Weeks spent a lot of time developing the characters throughout the story. Kip has come a long way, as have some of the side characters like Ironfist. Weeks does a great job here and creates a really dense story with much depth. The ending of the book leaves you eagerly waiting for part three of the trilogy... which won't be until 2014 I'm afraid.

I just spent the last two days at reading The Blind Life at work and home. I spent more time reading instead of working, that's how good this book is, I just couldn't put it down. The only thing I hated about the book was that it ended. I could of read another 600 pages. By far the best squeal to anything written or put to video. the character development continues for everyone and adds a ton of new characters that are just as intriguing as the older ones.

I have to say I love the Magic: The Gathering reference with The Nine Kings. I'd loved to see a real card game developed from it that I could play.

With this novel, rich in characters and dressed in wonderful prose Mr. Weeks delivers not only an entertaining story but memorable quotes. Thank you for sharing these beautifully flawed heroes and charismatic villains.

This is a great sequel to the first book. The author truly captures the readers attention through the intriguing story of Kip and Gavin Guile. Not to mention this is a completely original idea for a series. It isn't the same as some fantasy book you read years ago. I highly recommend it

This book is amazing. As are all Brent Weeks books. There are some many twists and turns that you never guess what is going to happen next. His blunt way of writing makes for some funny and awesome reading. I recommend all his books to my friends. I cannot wait for the next Weeks book!

This was an excellent continuation of the LightBringer saga. If you enjoyed the first novel, you owe it to yourself to read this one. The blinding knife does what it's supposed to- set up the future books. But it does it in a way that keeps you turning the pages. I found myself unable to put this book down! The continued character development and twisting plot kept me reading this book for two days straight. My only regret is now I have to wait 2 more years for the next book!

Fantastic novel with great detail. You know you love the characters when (when certain events happen) you have to put the book down you're so excited/upset. The plot is never dull and there are a number of exciting new people.

A serious highlight is the unique system of magic Weeks has constructed.

Cannot wait for the next one!

I loved the first book so I had high expectations for the second installment. I wasn't dissappointed at all by the book itself. I found myself racing towards the end of the book at nearly 1am! Saying I didn't want to put it down may be a bit of an understatement. Love this book and I would definitely recommend it.

This book was boring. Kip is a self-loathing kid who mucks it up the whole book. Famous and powerful father and uncle that are both crazy. Then add in some faux twisted love story mess. Where is a real action story when we need it.

These books have had a strange fascination for me, they are terribly written, yet they are fun... Similar to Harry Potter. Well hope that the next one continues to entertain, preferably with an improved plot and not predictable characters.

I was very excited to find Brent Weeks first Trilogy and he just keeps getting better! His character developement and subplots are never predictable... only one problem... I have to wait for book #3 of the Lightbringer trilogy darn! I'd love to see movies made of all his books trhus far...if they were done in keeping with "Brent's magic"

An excellent sequel to the first book. Some of the attempts at humour seem hollow, but they by no means make the book unreadable. Overall, the book is an extremely enjoyable read. Not perfect, but still very, very good.

Just got done reading this book and man am I impressed. Barely put it down and was very sad to see it finish. Weeks' storytelling has improved by leaps and bounds from book to book. His characters have always been strong but in this one has more emotion, more feeling in it. I've read all of Brent Weeks' books and I recommend them highly to anyone who enjoys fantasy. The characters are deep, flawed and interesting and the worlds are entrancing.

One important note. Make sure you read the first Lightbringer book "The Black Prism" before you read this or much of the depth and emotion of the story will be lost. Happy reading!

The Blinding Knife is the 671 page sequel to The Black Prism. It is the second book in the fantasy Lightbringer four book series by Brent weeks. This story continues the narrative of the seven Satrapies and the Chromeria. For a fuller explanation of the government and magic system--chromaturgy--see my review of The Black Prism.

The Blinding Knife (Lightbringer, #2)In this novel, the story focuses on developing relationships between Gavin, the Prism of the Chromeria, and the people closest to him--Kip Guile (son), Karris White Oak (ex-fiance), Andross Guile (father), and Dazen Guile (prisoner/brother). Brent Weeks really does some great characterization in this novel. I actually began to like Kip, who was really bullheaded in The Black Prism. Well, he's still bullheaded, but now he has goals and sticks up for himself. We also meet some new characters, like Teia, a small slave girl who has been sponsored to train and be tested as a Blackgaurd, and gain a deeper understanding of Chromaturgy and secret draftable colors thanks to Kip's training in the Blackgaurd.

Also partially thanks to that training, the fighting and focus on battle in this novel was more intimate and more involved than in the first novel. Kip trains and plans to try out for the Blackgaurd, the elite force that guards the Prism's life and answers only to the White (basically the head of the Chromeria). While Kip is training, Gavin is attempting to defeat the bane -- a "god" of a certain color. Gavin first attempts to find and tackle the blue bane, which has been causing many oddities such as blue snowflakes around the world. While searching for the blue bane, he is also trying to stop war from happening. During his search, we see a lot more of his relationship with Karris, which was one of my favorite things to read about in both novels. Whispers of betrayal and regret make their interactions electric.

While in The Black Prism there were whispers of color wights (drafters gone mad after they draft too much) answering to a higher calling, this novel actually presents the real threat. The Color Prince, known as Lord Omnichrome, is a polychrome wight--a drafter of many colors who has "broken the halo" on all of them, meaning he should have gone mad from drafting so much light. Instead of madness, he has taken to leading the wights and people who believe that wights can still be sane. This goes against everything the Chromeria teaches, so Gavin has to deal with both the wight banes and the Color Prince in order to attempt to stop a war.

In The Blinding Knife, Weeks does some more amazing work with his light magic system, introducing a new draftable color and new concepts of drafting and alternate theories of wights. Along with those improvements, his fictional world grows even more; we are introduced to Seer Island, a remote location that houses a mystical Seer that sort of helps, in the vague way that Seers do, Gavin search for the blue bane. These aspects, and the excellent character building that Weeks does, make this an even more fantastic book than the first. I could hardly put it down. He even throws in a fascinating card game--Nine Kings--that I really hope he explores more in the next book. This series is one of the best that I have read in a long time, and if you haven't started reading it, I ask... Why not?!

This book is just as addictive as black prism and the Night Angle trilogy. The best part is the characters in this aren't ninjas the main characters are deep and powerful. The story could not be told better. Come on its brent weeks

Obviously, I read a lot. I'm at fifty two books so far this year. And this year hasn't been a year with a string of mediocre fiction. 2012 has been the year of Ready Player One, Control Point, The Night Circus, Wool and World War Z. I'll just come out and say it, The Blinding Knife is the best book I've read this year.

I've not been bashful about my love for Brent Weeks' books. My original intention was to write a You Should Be Reading post about him before reviewing The Blinding Knife. But this book was too good to wait even a week to review. Justin over at the excellent Staffer's Musings has this to say:

"I've read all five of Brent Weeks' published novels and it's a certainty that he's evolving with every book. With The Blinding Knife, I believe he's entered a new stratosphere and one that puts him on par with anyone who's written these kinds of stories. It isn't only the best book he's written; I consider it one of the best epic fantasies I've read."

I couldn't agree more. Like Justin, I've read all of Weeks' fiction, and it's all been excellent. The Night Angel trilogy was excellent and is often a feeder series I recommend to friends unfamiliar with the genre. The Black Prism, which starts the Lightbringer series that The Blinding Knife continues, has one of the best plot twists that I can recall in any book I've read. I often compare that reveal to the end of The Sixth Sense when describing the book to friends. So yeah, I'm a fan. But I felt like Weeks' was either holding back or getting ready for something even better, and boy was I right. The Blinding Knife is a masterwork of a novel (I know at least eighty percent of you get the reference) full of exquisitely drawn and believable characters, a surprisingly intricate magical system, break-neck pacing and more "no he didn't" moments than Rush Limbaugh's entire career.

Since The Blinding Knife is the second installment in a series, I'll start with some background information. The Lightbringer series is set in the Seven Satrapies loosely reminiscent of the Mediterranean. The Satrapies are ruled by two part government consisting of the more secular Prism and the White, a religious leader not unlike the Pope. The Black Prism spends a lot of time explaining the intricacies and history of the setting as well as explaining the magical system of drafting different colors of light into varying types of matter. Drafting impacts society on almost every level. Architecture, religion, and education are all effected and Weeks lays the groundwork well, even if it is understandably a bit long winded at points. With all of the groundwork established, The Blinding Knife jumps right in assuming the readers are more than familiar with the premise and all of its considerable detail. Even though I didn't remember every nuance of the magic system or setting, Weeks layers reminders though out the plot in a fashion that never felt forced and in no time at all, the mechanical bits faded into the background allowing me to fully engage in the gripping tale of Weeks' cast of characters.

Weeks' created a truly extraordinary magical system. With drafters able to create virtually anything through drafting the portion of the spectrum that they can control, Weeks' would seem to be in danger of falling into Green Lantern territory. But he sidesteps any but the most superficial comparison because of the depth of detail built into the magic system. The material created through drafting, called luxin, has physical properties that change depending on its color. Adding even more depth is the psychological implications of drafting, each color exerts a different influence on the drafter. Some make the user more impulsive and others more emotionally detached. Weeks uses all of these details to good effect through the course of the novel, giving drafters unwanted side effects to using their magic. I love this system of magic, finding it on par with the creations of other industry heavyweights such as Brandon Sanderson and the late Robert Jordan.

As deft as Weeks' magic system and setting are, what sets The Blinding Knife apart from the many excellent novels I've read this year is Weeks' gift for characterization. Weeks continues with the adventures of the cast from The Black Prism; Gavin, Kip, Karris, and Liv adding a handful of other characters along the way. His handling of Kip and Liv impressed me the most, as both adolescents struggle to find where their true identity separates from the people their station and circumstances dictate that they should be. Their voyages couldn't be more dissimilar by the end of the novel, but the common thread of facing the consequences of their own mistakes binds them together to form the heart of the book for me. Weeks embodies them both with the foolishness and vulnerability of youth in a way that makes the reader cringe when they choose poorly against all sense, and cheer when they triumph not only against those who would attempt to control them. The other characters, including the secondary ones are equally conflicted while faced with their own moral and ethical dilemmas. This is a novel about choices, and Weeks' characters don't hesitate to make mistakes and the price is often dearer coin that they ever expected.

Weeks does wonders with the antagonists in The Blinding Knife, particularly with Gavin's father Andross Guile, member of the Spectrum who rules the Seven Satrapies under the guidance of the White and the Prism. Every scene that Andross appears in positively drips with menace even though their is little to no threat of actual violence. Andross is a puller of strings, a master of working from the shadows and much like our characters I started to see his skeletal hand everywhere. I found myself looking forward to his meetings with the other members of the Guile family more than any scene with the more obvious threat of the Color Prince who was moving to invade the Seven Satrapies at the head of a nearly unstoppable army of drafters. If you love to hate Lord Littlefinger in George R. R.Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, you should do yourself a favor and get to know Andross Guile right away.

Another standout aspect of The Blinding Knife is the pacing. This book reads more like a James Patterson thriller (one of the good ones, anyway) than Frodo's adventures in Middle Earth. There are over a hundred chapters in six hundred and twenty-five pages. Readers will have a hard time putting this book down to sleep, work, or spend time with their families. The plot is intricate with plenty of twists and turns and Weeks surprised me over and over again to the point that I was almost weary with the shock. Amazingly enough, even with the exhausting pace and metric ton of twists I never saw coming, I could have easily have read for another hundred chapters. To tell it true, I would have read this book until my eyes bled and called it a joy.

I think that in a few years readers will look back at The Blinding Knife as the point where Brent Weeks went from being an up-and-comer to an author whose name belongs next to stalwarts of the genre like Martin, Jordan, and Brooks. Run, don't walk and get this book. You won't regret it.

More Genre Reviews at [...]

I've never left a book review before, and never considered to even do so before I've completed a book.... But the number of spelling and grammar errors in this book is rather ridiculous! Needs another couple rounds of editing, if it has been edited at all.

this 2nd book of the prism series was exactly what any fan was looking for, we find out what happens between two brothers, and we are blinded again by the master author brent weeks. This man has the ability to not just write, but bring you into a new world, and make you feel as if you are there. I never give 5 stars only because there is no such thing as perfection, Though if i had to this would definitely be the book. Brent Weeks keep writing; and ill keep buying.

First, I must state that I was a huge fan of the first novel in this series, The Black Prism. The novel was very well-written and Mr. Weeks did a wonderful job constructing an interesting and multifaceted world for the reader. I also really liked the characters that he introduced, finding them to be a mix of heroic and believable. But perhaps most importantly, what really made the first novel stand out were the insane plot twists that it contained--the novel was imminently unpredictable. I have also previously read Mr. Week's Night Angel series, which I thought were weak in writing but were highly entertaining.

Fast-forward a couple years and you can imagine my excitement when Mr. Weeks announced the imminent release of the second novel of the series. I woke up on Sept 11th and immediately purchased the book in ebook form and spent the next week or so reading it. Unfortunately, this book is a significant step downward from the first installment.

First, a large part of this book circles around a hypothetical game named Nine Kings, which bears more than a passing resemblance to Magic: The Gathering. Now, I've played magic for several years and enjoyed it immensely. But the thought of Kings, Merchants, and Princes using games of MTG to decide the course of world events is, quite frankly, ludicrous. It definitely brought me a lot of flashbacks to the old Yugioh cartoons, where the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt played card games for each other's souls and to determine the fate of the world--an inherently melodramatic and silly image. While Nine Kings was initially an intriguing addition, I found that it quickly became distracting and even annoying.

The same can be applied to the inexplicable addition of game theory to the book, in the form of the Blackguard entrance test. Briefly, the top seven trainees are inducted into the ranks of the Blackguards yearly, through a system of rankings that the author explains. Our protagonist, Kip, is attempting to gain entrance into the Blackguards and therefore must understand the system. My problem with this portion of the book is that the rankings system is just complicated enough to be dry and uninteresting, and just uncomplicated enough to not be intellectually stimulating. Mr. Weeks could have made it a true mathematical system, maybe with swiss pairs or whatnot, which would have been worth reading about, or he could have used a simpler system, which he would not have to explain as much. Instead, he took the middle route and used a system that was boring in both ways.

Third are the twists. While this book does contain a few plot twists, they are in no way comparable to the twists in the first book. There were at least two or three times when I was reading the first book that I had to set it down and go take a quick walk or drive to think about what just happened. This time, the twists are nowhere near as surprising or as consequential. They're still there, but they're just not as exciting.

Fourth are the inexplicable flashbacks. Now, this point may just be because I did not understand the book fully, but the novel contains regular chapters written in the POV of characters that we are not introduced to. I have nothing against this type of writing style--Brandon Sanderson notable did it very well in his "The Way of Kings", but for whatever reason, Mr. Weeks seems to really enjoy writing these sections in abnormally disjointed and confusing language. After finishing the novel, I still wasn't sure why half of these random chapters even existed.

In all, I think that this novel contains markedly less world-building and demonstrates markedly less plot advancement than the first novel. In a sense, I would argue that "The Blinding Knife" is not a real novel at all. In many ways, it reads as a video game adaptation--like one of those Halo novels, or one of those godawful things written after a popular movie, hoping to soak up some profits. At times, I felt like the main character were going on a Final Fantasy mission, hunting down the crystals of power. The entire novel just seems more removed from reality than the first novel. Now obviously, this is a fantasy novel so that's to be expected--but even fantasy novels must be grounded in reality. The characters must act realistically, and their choices must seem rational and events must be explicable in order for the reader to be able to relate to the novel. And I believe that Mr. Weeks understands this. He certainly places plenty of adult and "gritty" elements into this work of fantasy, but it ultimately plays out like a fanboy's conception of a videogame made real. Events happen without rhyme or reason, all the main characters have superpowers, and most lack three-dimensional personalities.

This is not to say that "The Blinding Knife" is a bad book. It remains entertaining is certainly a fun romp--but at times it reads like a young adult novel, in the vein of The Hunger Games. For those coming off of "The Black Prism" and expecting more of the same, I would recommend caution. Other works, such as Hugh Howey's "Wool" series, the aforementioned "Way of Kings" by Brandon Sanderson, "The Riyria Chronicles" by Michael Sullivan, and the newly released "King of Thorns" by Mark Lawrence may not continue the plot, but they provide similar amounts of action and worldbuilding, in a much more realistic, adult, and three-dimensional manner.

This second book in the trilogy incites as many questions as it answers. I enjoyed the road Gavin travels in his like and also getting to know Kip. The Gunner storyline was hard to follow. I look forward to the next book.

To my horror, I read the second in the series, believing it to be light and fluffy enough for a holiday jaunt. It is so vacuous that the book itself needs to be weighted with a large stone to keep it on the table.

The real problem I have with this series, everyone seems like an extension of Weeks himself, and everyone seems like an opportunity for Weeks to stroke his own ego. I'm sure he believes that he's writing complex characters, but I'm sure Brent believes he's a complex character too. Instead of, say, a 8yo boy still learning that it's inappropriate to touch himself in public.

I hope you read this, Brent, because here's some advice ~ If you write a character, and they come up with a plan, and then another character says, "Oh that plan is genius!" then that's just you masturbating to the sound of your own type writer.

As someone else pointed out earlier, if the dagger keeps growing and turns into a gun, then that isn't a dagger, is it? It's a penis. You know it, I know it, every one else knows it. If the ever growing dagger/gun made out of pearly white luxin is in the hands of a teenage boy and he needs to keep it secret, but really, really wants to talk to his dad about it but just can't because of mother-issues ... well that's just a little insight into your own childhood, isn't it Brent?

I've never left a book review before, and never considered to even do so before I've completed a book.... But the number of spelling and grammar errors in this book is rather ridiculous! Needs another couple rounds of editing, if it has been edited at all.

First, I must state that I was a huge fan of the first novel in this series, The Black Prism. The novel was very well-written and Mr. Weeks did a wonderful job constructing an interesting and multifaceted world for the reader. I also really liked the characters that he introduced, finding them to be a mix of heroic and believable. But perhaps most importantly, what really made the first novel stand out were the insane plot twists that it contained--the novel was imminently unpredictable. I have also previously read Mr. Week's Night Angel series, which I thought were weak in writing but were highly entertaining.

Fast-forward a couple years and you can imagine my excitement when Mr. Weeks announced the imminent release of the second novel of the series. I woke up on Sept 11th and immediately purchased the book in ebook form and spent the next week or so reading it. Unfortunately, this book is a significant step downward from the first installment.

First, a large part of this book circles around a hypothetical game named Nine Kings, which bears more than a passing resemblance to Magic: The Gathering. Now, I've played magic for several years and enjoyed it immensely. But the thought of Kings, Merchants, and Princes using games of MTG to decide the course of world events is, quite frankly, ludicrous. It definitely brought me a lot of flashbacks to the old Yugioh cartoons, where the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt played card games for each other's souls and to determine the fate of the world--an inherently melodramatic and silly image. While Nine Kings was initially an intriguing addition, I found that it quickly became distracting and even annoying.

The same can be applied to the inexplicable addition of game theory to the book, in the form of the Blackguard entrance test. Briefly, the top seven trainees are inducted into the ranks of the Blackguards yearly, through a system of rankings that the author explains. Our protagonist, Kip, is attempting to gain entrance into the Blackguards and therefore must understand the system. My problem with this portion of the book is that the rankings system is just complicated enough to be dry and uninteresting, and just uncomplicated enough to not be intellectually stimulating. Mr. Weeks could have made it a true mathematical system, maybe with swiss pairs or whatnot, which would have been worth reading about, or he could have used a simpler system, which he would not have to explain as much. Instead, he took the middle route and used a system that was boring in both ways.

Third are the twists. While this book does contain a few plot twists, they are in no way comparable to the twists in the first book. There were at least two or three times when I was reading the first book that I had to set it down and go take a quick walk or drive to think about what just happened. This time, the twists are nowhere near as surprising or as consequential. They're still there, but they're just not as exciting.

Fourth are the inexplicable flashbacks. Now, this point may just be because I did not understand the book fully, but the novel contains regular chapters written in the POV of characters that we are not introduced to. I have nothing against this type of writing style--Brandon Sanderson notable did it very well in his "The Way of Kings", but for whatever reason, Mr. Weeks seems to really enjoy writing these sections in abnormally disjointed and confusing language. After finishing the novel, I still wasn't sure why half of these random chapters even existed.

In all, I think that this novel contains markedly less world-building and demonstrates markedly less plot advancement than the first novel. In a sense, I would argue that "The Blinding Knife" is not a real novel at all. In many ways, it reads as a video game adaptation--like one of those Halo novels, or one of those godawful things written after a popular movie, hoping to soak up some profits. At times, I felt like the main character were going on a Final Fantasy mission, hunting down the crystals of power. The entire novel just seems more removed from reality than the first novel. Now obviously, this is a fantasy novel so that's to be expected--but even fantasy novels must be grounded in reality. The characters must act realistically, and their choices must seem rational and events must be explicable in order for the reader to be able to relate to the novel. And I believe that Mr. Weeks understands this. He certainly places plenty of adult and "gritty" elements into this work of fantasy, but it ultimately plays out like a fanboy's conception of a videogame made real. Events happen without rhyme or reason, all the main characters have superpowers, and most lack three-dimensional personalities.

This is not to say that "The Blinding Knife" is a bad book. It remains entertaining is certainly a fun romp--but at times it reads like a young adult novel, in the vein of The Hunger Games. For those coming off of "The Black Prism" and expecting more of the same, I would recommend caution. Other works, such as Hugh Howey's "Wool" series, the aforementioned "Way of Kings" by Brandon Sanderson, "The Riyria Chronicles" by Michael Sullivan, and the newly released "King of Thorns" by Mark Lawrence may not continue the plot, but they provide similar amounts of action and worldbuilding, in a much more realistic, adult, and three-dimensional manner.

This second book in the trilogy incites as many questions as it answers. I enjoyed the road Gavin travels in his like and also getting to know Kip. The Gunner storyline was hard to follow. I look forward to the next book.

To my horror, I read the second in the series, believing it to be light and fluffy enough for a holiday jaunt. It is so vacuous that the book itself needs to be weighted with a large stone to keep it on the table.

The real problem I have with this series, everyone seems like an extension of Weeks himself, and everyone seems like an opportunity for Weeks to stroke his own ego. I'm sure he believes that he's writing complex characters, but I'm sure Brent believes he's a complex character too. Instead of, say, a 8yo boy still learning that it's inappropriate to touch himself in public.

I hope you read this, Brent, because here's some advice ~ If you write a character, and they come up with a plan, and then another character says, "Oh that plan is genius!" then that's just you masturbating to the sound of your own type writer.

As someone else pointed out earlier, if the dagger keeps growing and turns into a gun, then that isn't a dagger, is it? It's a penis. You know it, I know it, every one else knows it. If the ever growing dagger/gun made out of pearly white luxin is in the hands of a teenage boy and he needs to keep it secret, but really, really wants to talk to his dad about it but just can't because of mother-issues ... well that's just a little insight into your own childhood, isn't it Brent?

Having fully enjoyed the Night Angel trilogy, but being disappointed in the Black Prism; I thought I'd give Mr. Weeks another chance. My mistake as this book was unreadable. After about 30 pages, into the dumpster it went.

I thought the first book in the series (THE BLACK PRISM) was pretty good, despite its flaws. These flaws included an overly complicated and mystifying set of social institutions and a somewhat klunky magic system based on making physical substances out of colored light that the magician sees. If you're a "red" magician, then you can make red stuff (luxin), if you're a red/blue "bichrome" then you can make both red and blue luxin, etc. Luxin is apparently available in unlimited quantities to the magician--as long as there's light. A sufficiently talented practitioner can build complex devices and even massive fortifications out of the stuff in a hurry. This seems more than mildly implausible. Another minor yet very annoying peeve I had was that Weeks seems to be very weak in his understanding of color perception; if you're going to write a book that includes color magic, you ought to have a pretty solid grasp on how light mixing works--but Weeks seems unclear on the subject. (Hint: if you are immured in a room constructed out of stuff that emits only monochromatic blue light, and you urinate into a depression in the floor, then the resulting pool will NOT appear green. Weeks makes similar mistakes in this second book.)

But, as I said, I liked the first book in this series. The main reason I liked it was the rather twisty plot that caught me totally by surprise. What makes me dislike this second book so much is that while it exhibits all the faults of the first one raised to a higher degree, it holds no surprises whatever. The characters just go through their motions, doing what the plot requires. Worse, Weeks has clearly heard that it's all the rage these days to kill off major characters--but he manages to kill the one character that was the mainspring of dramatic tension in the book.

And then there's Kip. The Kipper is Growing Up, he's Maturing--Coming of Age, even. (Oddly, the other characters seem to be more or less regressing to adolescence in their relationships.) Here we come to the bit I find downright embarrassing to write about. You see, Kip has a knife his deceased mother gave him; she said that it once belonged to his father. This knife behaves in a very startling and lively manner as Kip becomes fully engaged with his maturation process: it gets longer. Yes, I wince. I must blush outright to describe this ever-lengthening object's form at the end of the book: it's now a full fledged sword...with an anatonomically appropriate tube down the middle (um, it's a "musket sword", we're told). I cringe to imagine an author actually writing something like this deliberately. But could the obvious and crude symbolism have possibly escaped him? Nay, this must surely be the result of some cosmically disastrous convergence of static-induced random word generation and cut-and-paste error. Even worse, no one could possibly imagine that a "musket sword" might be a practical weapon.

I would not recommend this book to be read by someone who has not read the first book. It is not a stand-alone novel - it's clearly a continuation novel.

There is no explanation of events referred to in the first novel, or of the characters. If you haven't read the first novel, you have no idea of what is being talked about, or why it's being talked about, or its signifigance. The same goes for items and people.

And it doesn't have an ending - it simply stops.

The first book was powerful - this one is wimpy.

I'm sure this would be a great book but the kindle edition is priced 25% above the hardcover. This is a real shame. It may even persuade some people to obtain an illegitimate soft-copy which is a lose for everyone.