Review of "Lost Blades" by Liz Sauco

Paperback Score: 94+/100 (9.4+ out of 10)
Audiobook Score: 90/100 (9.0 out of 10)

Lost Blades is a spellbinding and ambitious fantasy novel by Liz Sauco. It also blends elements of steampunk and sci-fi while exploring themes and topics like oppression, systemic inequality, and the erasure of history. Through the eyes of Jamirh, a cunning yet marginalized Avari thief, the novel delves into the consequences of authoritarian rule, racial discrimination, and the search for identity in a world that seeks to suppress the truth. Sauco weaves together a richly detailed dystopian setting with elements of rebellion, hidden magic, and forgotten civilizations, creating a story that is as thought-provoking as it is action-packed.

With all that said—through all the lore, mythos, drama, and political intrigue—perhaps the thing that stood out to us the most about this novel was its emphasis on friendship and the bonds between characters. Despite the oppressive world they live in, Jamirh and Hel’s growing trust in each other becomes a driving force in their journey. Their unlikely partnership, forged in desperation and uncertainty, evolves into something deeper—highlighting the power of companionship in the face of adversity.

You really get the sense that they grow to trust, respect, and care about one another even when they challenge each other and get on each others nerves.

Acting as a bit of a foil, Takeshi—our favorite character by far—brings a steady, grounded presence that contrasts with Jamirh’s skepticism and Hel’s enigmatic nature. A warrior with a haunted past including having slain the royal he was assigned to protect (Lady Hotaru), Takeshi embodies the themes of redemption and resilience. He is proof that even those who have been part of a corrupt system can choose a different path. His wisdom, quiet strength, and unwavering loyalty add emotional depth to the story, making him not just a mentor, but a true friend to those who need it most.

His story mirrors and overlaps with that of Jamirh and Hel, despite them being on different ends of the larger conflict involving the Rose Empire, the rebellion, and regions like Ni Fon.

We're just going to be blunt: Takeshi is just plain COOL!
We hate to say it, but we wish that more of this book/series was about Takeshi rather than it being about Jamirh.

Takeshi is a bad@$$. He is a former elite enforcer and bodyguard—a shinobi who was respected as a master and a leader. You can compare him to someone like Ser Barristan Selmy from Game of Thrones.

While the story and relationship with Jamihr and Hel is interesting—especially considering the big, huge reveals about Hel later on—it still pales in comparison to the intrigue and excitement that surrounds Takeshi and his journey.

Think about this: Takeshi is a guy who can wreck just about anyone in a one-versus-one fight (in addition to having cool ninja magic), but he is crushed, conflicted, and ridden with guilt. Meanwhile, he has the Empress—the mother of the princess he killed—sending him off on one last side mission in his exile, seemingly astroprojecting and communicating telepathically. To make things even more complicated for the guy, he has the disembodied voice of a ghostly woman speaking to him in broken passages, seemingly supporting him, comforting him, and asking him for help as her presence is struggling to pass through dimensions.

To make Takeshi's situation even more fascinating, he seems to get entangled with some pirates on their ship during his journey, and the results are humorous. Why are they humorous, might you ask? Well, because Takeshi is generally quite stoic and pessimistic (do you blame him?), but he pirates and their crew are goofballs. They really challenge Takeshi to step outside of his bubble of self-loathing with their strange accents (that he can't understand) and their insistence that he join them in being social. Food is usually enough to get Takeshi to come out of his shell, and it feels good as a reader to see a character like this find some positivity in a negative situation.

Jamirh, on the other hand, simply doesn’t command the same level of gravitas or intrigue as Takeshi. While his journey of survival and self-discovery is engaging in its own right, it often feels overshadowed by Takeshi’s depth, complexity, and sheer presence. Jamirh sorta follows the Aladdin archetype, something we've seen in many novels and stories.

With that said, Jamihr does bring a bit of intrigue that makes him special and unique. One of the reoccurring mysteries of the book is how and why he so closely resembles the legendary hero Ebryn Stormlight, which leads to speculation that he may be some sort of reincarnation or return of the Arthur-like hero with an affinity for the Crystal Light Blade—seemingly the Excalibur of this series.

It is both cool and kinda funny that Jamihr seems to be trying to master Ultra Instict (from Dragon Ball) while sparring with Ander, the 8th Priest of Hades (by age, not succession).

Hel is another character who is shrouded in mystery, and this becomes even more significant as we learn more and more about the lore/mythos of the world/universe of this series. For example, we learn a lot about the priests of Hades and why worship of the death deity is prevalent in some places while completely absent in others.

Another really cool and interesting character who might slip through the cracks on your first readthrough is Jeri, the vampire girl. There's also Vlad, the king of the vampires, who is ironically also a major character in other books we've read (like the works of M.C. Ryder).

We wanted to briefly mention that our experiences with the audiobook version proved to be shaky and somewhat negative. The narrator/narration didn't seem to fit the genre or tone of the book. The narrator seemed to be excessively cheerful and upbeat during the dark fantasy scenes, especially in the first half. For example, there are scenes in which characters are in great peril (locked in cages and such), but the narrator reads it aloud as if reading about bunny rabbits frolicking in a field with butterflies flying around and a rainbow overhead. Flamboyant narration is great for children's books, comedies, and romance novels, but this book was supposed to be a somewhat serious fantasy novel about things like oppression, regicide, and war. Why does it sound like the narrator is playing hop scotch or jump roping at recess when characters are brooding or in life or death situations?

It kind of ruined the tone and, consequently, the immersion. However, in the second half (we're not sure if someone coached the narrator or pointed it out), they became much more serious and read it straight. Also, we ended up being rather impressed by the use of sound effects/edits, especially regarding the transmission of the disembodied voice that talks to Takeshi. It did get a little annoying and gimmicky at times, but we enjoyed it overall. Next, because of the narrator's higher pitch, it also fit the female characters a bit more. Also, the accents the narrator performs (especially the pirate ones) are actually quite good! One last positive about the narration is that it kind of fits the sarcasm and playful banter of some of the characters.

So, the audiobook is hit-or-miss.

Anyway, going back to the physical book... there are also some developing mysteries surrounding a superweapon/monster called Abomination and sorta-technological/sorta-magical agents called Truth Seekers.

Lots of cool stuff and intrigue!

With all this great set up, we look forward to the sequel!

Check it out on Amazon!