Reviewed by Dan

TITLE:  Kestrel’s Talon

SERIES:   The Stonewatchers #1

AUTHOR:     Bey Deckard

PUBLISHER:     Self-Published

LENGTH:     426 Pages

RELEASE DATE:    May 23, 2016

BLURB:

Following the Prentish/Nemarri war, Kes is rejected by his homeland under the guise of religious purity laws. Though he’s spared execution, the proud Nemarri’s fate is only marginally more merciful than death when he is sold into sexual slavery at a prosperous pleasure house.

Despite his stoic endurance, Kes knows he’s reaching his breaking point, but there is nothing he can do—there is no path to freedom in the Holy Prentish Empire, only a lifetime of humiliating servitude.

That is, until a beautiful young slave and his formidable master approach Kes in the marketplace and make an astonishing offer to take him home with them. The only problem: “home” is the accursed Horthmont Castle from the scare-stories of Kes’s childhood.

Thrown into a world of living myth, powerful magic, and ancient gods, Kes learns the secrets kept hidden by Horthmont’s thick blackstone walls. There he discovers something he thought he’d never know again: hope for the future.

REVIEW:

I’ll be honest.  When I picked this book up I thought it was supposed to be a standalone.  I’m not sure I would have chosen it based on it being the first in what will probably be a trilogy according to a note from the author on Goodreads.  I have nothing against trilogies or series, but I kind of made a vow to myself awhile back to only read series or trilogies when they are 100% complete.

So what did that mean for my read of this new book from Bey Deckard?  I probably would have skipped it, and I definitely would have missed a great book.  This is the first book I’ve had a chance to read from this author.  I’ve had his other trilogy in my TBR pile for a while now, but never seem to get to that pile with all the new books that come our way.  Based on the writing in this one, I’ll definitely have to prioritize those other books higher in the TBR pile!

Kestrel’s Talon is the tale of a former soldier, captured in battle just before the end of a war.  When the other prisoners were released, Kestrel wasn’t wanted back in his own country because he was spoiled goods.  He was raped while in prison, and in Kestrel’s homeland, that makes him less than a man.  Instead Kestrel was sold to a pleasure house as a pleasure slave.  Life since, has not been easy for the young man.  Forced to provide sexual services for the men who come by the establishment, against his will, he has often thought of death as an escape.

Then one day, his eye falls on a beautiful male slave wandering through the market.  This slave is different, seeming to have independence, and has a huge hulking…very scary looking master.  Before Kestrel knows what is happening, he has been sold to that master.

When Kestrel learns that his new master and his new home are the very man and location used in stories to scare children where he grew up, Kestrel fears for the worst.  Little does he know that surprises await from the beautiful slave and his master, and all is not as it seems.

I really enjoyed the author’s writing style.  The book moved quite fast for a longer book, and I honestly didn’t put it down while reading.  The characters and world building were very complete and detailed, even down to the background characters and minor characters.  Everything was very detailed (exactly as I like it), and I was very happy with the read.

I highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a well written and developed high fantasy novel.   I’ll be waiting impatiently for the next installment! 😉

RATING:

BUY LINK: 

Amazon