When you were a child, were you afraid of the monsters that you thought would come out after dark? Have I got a book for you. This book is about that, but it takes the story way past that. Now, these monsters, called corelings, as Peter V. Brett names them, are tied to a variety of elements, like fire, wood, and stone. They all have different behaviors, but one modus oppurandi... killing. For hundreds of years. In fact, it is so bad that technology has not advanced past that of the Dark Ages. It is so bad that the human race is dwindling. The only way to bind these monsters from entering a house is to painstakingly ward it against them.
Enter our main characters: Arlen, a young farm-boy, Leesha, the daughter of a paper maker, and Rojer, a young apprentice minstrel. Watch as their fates intertwine as they stare death in the face every night. They will all go through desperation, hopelessness, and tragedy. In fact, they all have something very much in common, they all survive horrible attacks from the corelings. I feel that I must warn you that there are not any real moments to take away from the tension that you will feel in this. Prepare yourself for a gripping horror story in this dark fantasy.
The endless action will keep you turning the pages and burning the midnight oil in an effort to finish the book. This is a gritty story, but is action packed and exciting. The character development is gradual, yet goes very deeply into the workings of the main character's minds.
The Warded Man is very well written. It goes into dialects, much like you would see in a piece by Mark Twain, yet reads easily, and even though there are three characters, the transitions between them, and the interconnections between Arlen, Leesha, and Rojer are smooth, and relevant, making the changes pleasant to read.
This book is a highly recommended read even for casual readers because the plot never slows down, and never stops. The more you read of it, the more you want to read more of it. My only real issue with this book was that I wanted more after it was finished, but thankfully, there is a sequel.
