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Oath of Swords

Book 1 in the series:War God

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'Oath of Swords' by David Weber follows the story of Prince Bahzell Bahnakson, a Horse Stealer Hradni and a political hostage, who finds himself on the run after a confrontation with the Crown Prince of his host country. Along with his companion, Brandark, Bahzell embarks on a journey across the continent, facing evildoers, rescuing maidens in distress, and dealing with unwanted gods. presents a mix of epic fantasy, humor, and action, with a focus on themes of honor, prejudice, and adventure. The writing style is described as witty, glib, and entertaining, with charming but not particularly original characters and a plot that unfolds through a series of tangents.

Characters:

The characters include a stubborn hradani protagonist and a clever friend, with diverse races contributing to their interactions.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is light-hearted with depth, seamlessly integrating exposition and engaging dialogue.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features an amusing journey marked by action and themes of prejudice against the hradani race.

Setting:

The setting features a fantasy world with unique races and a history of conflict shaping societal views.

Pacing:

The pacing is generally fast with action, occasionally slowing down but keeping the reader engaged.
Bahzell Bahnakson realized that the instant he heard the sounds drifting down the inky-dark cross corridor. He'd had to keep to the back ways used only by the palace servants—and far more numerous sla...

Notes:

David Weber is known for his science fiction and fantasy writing.
Oath of Swords is a swords and sorcery fantasy novel, distinct from his sci-fi works.
The story features five races: humans, dwarves, elves, halflings, and hradani, the latter being orc-like.
Bahzell, the hero, is a hradani, a race often viewed negatively in the story's world.
The book explores themes of prejudice, with hradani facing discrimination due to their past.
Bahzell goes on an adventure with his friend Brandark, trying to rescue and protect a maiden in distress.
The novel combines humor with traditional fantasy elements, making it an entertaining read.
Although it has some serious themes, the story maintains a light-hearted tone.
Weber's world-building includes detailed histories for the various races, deviating from standard fantasy tropes.
Characters are well-developed and relatable, with a mix of likable and hateable traits.
The story is presented as a fun and engaging adventure rather than a traditional epic.
The plot lacks a single narrative arc, resembling a series of escapades instead.
Bahzell struggles with his noble sentiments amidst a chaotic situation, adding depth to his character.
Weber introduced a unique perspective on hradani, traditionally seen as villains in fantasy.
The book can be read as a standalone adventure, with no cliffhangers in the series.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include elements of violence and references to sensitive themes such as rape.

From The Publisher:

Whom the gods would recruit, they first tick off . . .

Our Hero: The unlikely Paladin, Bahzell Bahnakson of the Horse Stealer Hradani. He's no knight in shining armor. He's a hradani, a race known for their uncontrollable rages, bloodthirsty tendencies, and inability to maintain civilized conduct. None of the other Five Races of man like the hradani. Besides his ethnic burden, Bahzell has problems of his own to deal with: a violated hostage bond, a vengeful prince, a price on his head. He doesn t want to mess with anybody else's problems, let alone a god's. Let alone the War God's So how does he end up a thousand leagues from home, neck-deep in political intrigue, assassins, demons, psionicists, evil sorcery, white sorcery, dark gods, good gods, bad poets, greedy landlords, and most of Bortalik Bay? Well, it's all the War God's fault. . . .

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About the Author:

With more than eight million copies of his books in print and 33 titles on the New York Times bestseller list, David Weber is a science fiction powerhouse. In the vastly popular Honor Harrington series, the spirit of C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower and Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander lives on-into the galactic future. Books in the Honor Harrington and Honorverse series have appeared on 21 bestseller lists, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and USA Today. Additional Honorverse collaborations include the spin-off miniseries Manticore Ascendant with New York Times best-selling author, Timothy Zahn; and with Eric Flint, Crown of Slaves and Cauldron of Ghosts contribute to his illustrious list of New York Times and international bestseller lists. Best known for his spirited, modern-minded space operas, Weber is also the creator of the Oath of Swords fantasy series and the Dahak saga, a science fiction and fantasy hybrid. Weber has also engaged in a steady stream of best-selling collaborations: the Starfire Series with Steve White; The Empire of Man Series with John Ringo; the Multiverse Series with Linda Evans and Joelle Presby; and the Ring of Fire Series with Eric Flint. David Weber makes his home in South Carolina with his wife and children.

 
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