Spoiler-Free Illborn Book Review
Illborn by Daniel T. Jackson is now one of my favourite fantasy books of all time! I picked it up after seeing all the fantastic reviews and in anticipation for book 2 in The Illborn Saga, Aiduel’s Sin.
After reading this stunning debut, I will definitely be getting myself a copy of book 2 as soon as possible!
The Characters
When I first started Illborn I didn’t think I was going to finish it. The learning curve was steep and every chapter had a new point of view character, unrelated to the last. I am so glad I stuck with it.
I would recommend that anyone interested in this book reads at least two chapters of each POV to get really stuck and invested in these characters.
All four of the main POV characters felt distinct, with their own unique voices, motivations, aims and backgrounds. I never felt bored or like I wanted to skip a particular POV chapter.
As soon as a chapter ended, I would be burning through the next three to see what happened to them next, while feeling the same for the other three!
The Plot
That brings me onto the plot. Illborn has a little bit of everything you want to see in a fantasy narrative: training school/academy, battles and duels, strange magical abilities linked to a mystery to be solved… everything!
The pacing for each character’s plot was really well done, with no one’s feeling slow or irrelevant at any point. Something of significance always happened, whether the impact was small or large, and that would always leave a question at the end of each chapter.
I thought the ending was fantastic, with a twist or two that were satisfying. I’m almost desperate to find out what happens next though – book 2 can’t come soon enough!
The World
The world in this book feels sprawling and rich – I only wish I had read the paperback instead of the ebook because what I wanted to do was pour over a paper map and see how all these people and places linked!
Not only are the places distinct, but the cultures and people are too. We see several religions which play a major part in this world. I really enjoyed the exploration of religion and how it has impacted the culture and societies in the book.
Final Thoughts
Illborn was a fantastic book I would urge all fantasy lovers to pick up! Aiduel’s Sin comes out soon and I am ready to find out what happens on the next stage of these characters’ journeys.
