I read the coward, i then listened to the coward and if it had come out in graphic novel form I would have bought that too, I was really hoping for a Netflix series or film! When I was kindly and gratefully offered an ARC courtesy of Netgalley I was putting it mildly somewhat happy, having read the book I am not so happy, I wanted more Kel and I didn’t get that, i found it difficult to engage with the story this time around and horror upon horror I actually skipped parts where I really didn’t care what was happening, maybe I just raised my expectations too high and was always going to be left unsatisfied, i will purchase this on Audible when it is eventually released and hope that the narrator can pique my interest again

This was an enjoyable read that has some slight flaws. The work is a step up from book 1 but the depth is lacking. There is no fine detail and that battle scenes do not captivate me. There should be investment in these and Aryan makes the effort but the quest trope is done here in a way it doesnt add to other authors.

This was a pleasant surprise!

Last year, I read The Coward, the first instalment in this series, and gave it four stars. I enjoyed my time reading The Coward, but some things were holding it back from being fantastic. Firstly, the book relied quite heavily on classical fantasy tropes, and the “quest trope” rarely works well for me. Moreover, some of the action scenes felt unnecessary and random in the first book. However, Aryan still was able to get me invested in Kell and his story, which made me want to continue with this series. So what did I think?

If you’ve read The Coward, you know that it reads like a standalone in many ways. Therefore, I was interested to see how Aryan would continue this story after the conclusion in The Coward. Let me start by saying that The Warrior is an improvement in nearly every way.

Firstly, Aryan introduces various new POVs, side characters, and locations to the story, adding another element of complexity. Moreover, I had a great time following all the new POVs. While The Coward is very much the story of Kell, The Warrior is much more a story about the kingdom and an existential threat threatening the lives of millions. Aryan takes time to flesh out the characters by giving the readers insights into their background, thoughts and struggles, making them feel more compelling and intriguing. I also loved seeing these characters grow and mature throughout the story!

Moreover, the plot in The Warrior is significantly more compelling, creative and captivating. Due to spoilers, I won’t get into details, but I would recommend readers who enjoyed The Coward to pick up this book. The Warrior is a considerable step-up in storytelling, characterisation and world-building!

However, this series does have some slight flaws. Although the characterisation is a step up from The Coward, most of the characters do not have much depth. If you are looking for a fantasy series that analyses characters in great detail, you won’t find it here. Moreover, Aryan’s battle scenes do, for some reason, not captivate me. Battle scenes rarely captivate me, but some authors, such as John Gwynne and R.F. Kuang, are able to get me invested in fight scenes. Unfortunately, Aryan wasn’t able to do that. Lastly, one of the plotlines in The Warrior has the “quest trope”. I know many readers do not enjoy quest stories, but Aryan does make an effort at putting some interesting twists on this trope in this story. I would encourage you not to let the “quest trope” put you off!

The Warrior is a compelling story with memorable characters and a riveting pace. Aryan has improved on everything that made The Coward great. The Warrior is an entertaining, complex and exciting story that most fantasy readers will enjoy! I had a great time reading this book and will keep an eye out for what Stephen Aryan will publish next!

4 / 5

Thanks to AngryRobots for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.