THIS BOOK IS IN THE TOP THREE BOOKS I HAVE READ ALL YEAR

The Sons of Thestian has blown me away completely! This epic fantasy book is completely stunning and one of my favourites to date!

In the same way that a musician absorbs and reconfigures the influences of other players and bands, The Sons of Thestian synthesizes a wide array of influences from Medieval Arthurian legend and Celtic folklore to more recent classics of the fantasy genre such as The Lord of the Rings and the Game of Thrones and Harry Potter series. As the first novel in Vaughan’s Harmatia Cycle, this novel begins a saga that has the same degree of scope and resonance as so many that have come before it, but Vaughan’s own alchemy integrates her influences into a result that feels completely fresh and also serves as a reminder of why a fantasy epic can inspire such devotion in readers. The most enduring examples of the genre create a world so rich with imagery that you don’t want to leave, a cast of characters so textured and engaging that they begin to feel like old friends. In building the world of Mag Mell and by giving us such layered characters as Prince Jionathan (pronounced Yo-nat-han), Rufus the Magi, Fae the Sidhe, and a host of others, Vaughan has created an epic that is endlessly absorbing, even addictive.

The plot unfolds with a dying king, a plotting queen, dangerous wizards, and a prince on the run—either away from his destiny or toward it. As King Thestian lies on his death bed, the young Prince Jionathan flees the city and kingdom of Harmatia, fearful of the king’s first wife Queen Reine and the machinations of a group of rogue shape-shifting Magi known as the Night Patrol, who justify murder under the guise of keeping the city streets safe. The prince also carries with him the heavy burden of the assassination of his older brother, Sverrin (pronounced Suh-ver-in), the former heir to the throne. The king and queen, along with Jionathan’s mother Eliane, send Rufus, a young Magi with heavy burdens of his own, to find the prince and bring him home. Rufus easily catches up with Jionathan in the forest beyond the city, and he and the prince forge a close but uneasy bond as the pair tumble from one dire circumstance to the next.

While on the surface, the novel appears to be a classic hero’s quest, but the series of double-crosses, triple-crosses, and twists make it difficult to pin down exactly who the heroes and who the villains truly are, breathing new life into the standard quest narrative. Even with the vast scope, and high page count, the book is tightly written—chock full of gripping battles and action sequences, quiet romantic moments, and dangerous confrontations with fearsome creatures. The pacing of the action is quick and no detail is insignificant, building to a conclusion that will leave the reader breathless and wanting more.

I have not been drawn into a book as deeply as I was with The Sons of Thestian for a rather long time, I have also not been as emotionally attached to characters and felt so happy or sad for/with them as I have been while reading it. Why did you make them all so likeable!? :)

I can promise that this book will leave you laughing (for there are many occasions where you cannot help but laugh, in my case uncontrollably and for longer than could be seen as normal...), crying (for I will not lie I did, more than once) or begging for more which is the stage I am at now.

The secrets of the book always came out when you least expected them, you started to think you knew what might happen or where it might be going only to be proved wrong in the most fantastic ways, which led to many "I KNEW IT!!!" or "HOW DID I NOT SEE THAT!!!" moments...

I would, without a doubt or hesitation, recommend reading The Sons of Thestian by M.E. Vaughan you will be amused by the witty humour, touched by the relationships the characters share and changed by the sheer magnificence of this author's imagination and the effect the world she created will have on you.

Seriously people, read the book and you will understand exactly what I mean.

Even though I've read thousands (and I am NOT exaggerating) books, I can sincerly say that The Sons of Thestian is definitely my favourite. It is hard to pinpoint one exact characteritic that makes it so exceptional. The thing is that the beautiful world, complex characters and swift action, all together create a special atmosphere of the book, and reading feels like listening to an entrancing story next to a fire on a warm summer night.
The characters have their own, very special personalities, their choices are not obvious, the journey they are on is more than a hero's quest. They change in front of our eyes, and with each and every page we get to know them better, so much that they feel like old friends.

It is clear to me that when I get attached enough to people I read about that I not only pick my favourites, but hold my breath in moments of danger, because I fear for them, and then giggle with relief when it turns out alright, then I know that I became as much part of this story as them (fanfiction is a popular result, though the ending sort of ruined most of my ideas. oh well, there's always AU left).

And this? This is a book I laughed and shivered and cried above. This is a book that become a part of me, changing me forever.

The Sons of Thestian is a book I know I will come back to. Over and over again.

The Sons of Thestian is a superbly original fantasy adventure. I was immediately drawn in to the lives of the main characters and the world they inhabit. Rufus and Jionathan were engaging and pleasingly different leads, while the fearsome Fae is far more than your average 'warrior maiden'. Furthermore, from the outset the pace rattles along and I found the book genuinely hard to put down. The stakes get ever higher and it isn't long before the members of the little band are forced to make unenviable decisions and we're right along with them in hoping it's for the best.

The world of the novel proudly bears its Celtic influences with some of the more obvious tropes like the Washer In The Ford and the Fisher King, but the narrative does far more than simply repackage traditional stories with 'modern' character motivations. The attention to detail is admirable - the cultural differences between the capital city and outlying towns, for example are marked and convincing. This is no homogenous 'fantasy kingdom'.

But it's the characters and their struggles, individual and collective, that drive The Sons Of Thestian, through the early struggles in a terrifying forest, through the rising realisation of a threat greater than anyone imagined, betrayals, redemptions, mistakes, to a genuinely surprising ending.

Just finished reading - this was a great book! I highly recommend if you enjoy Trudi Canavan or Terry Goodkind style high fantasy. I'll run through it starting with its best points.

The Plot
SoT's plot is fast-paced and full of excellent twists right until the last page. There was never a point where I felt bored - and this is a thick book! I think this is owed partly to the way it's structured. Rather than the classic three acts, Vaughan brings the action up and down throughout so it reads almost like a television series, with every couple of chapters constituting another 'episode'. I'm usually pretty savvy with plot twists, but Vaughan caught me out (nearly) every time.

The Worldbuilding
Like any great fantasy book, SoT has a complex world with plenty of maps, gods and politics to sink your teeth into. At the very beginning, keeping track of the gods was overwhelming, but by the end I wanted to know more!

The Characters
Pretty much all of the characters are likeable, if not loveable. Even some of the villains can twist your heart from time to time! They all have defined personalities and complex (often heartbreaking) backstories. I wish there'd been a little more development for some of them, but anticipate that'll come in future books in the series.

The Language
For the most part, Vaughan's language is clear and comfortable to read. It does, unfortunately, suffer from needing sharper editing in places. There are odd mispellings, typos, repetitions, and some layout problems. This doesn't make the plot any less engaging, but it seems to me that such great storytelling deserved a closer eye.

All in all, I can't wait to read the sequel!

The Sons of Thestian is a brilliant book, each chapter capturing emotions and imaginations. Although it took me a while to finish this 534 page book, every time I read it, I was sucked into the world of Harmatia and the adventures of Jionathan and Rufus and the trouble they got themselves into. I am of course slightly biased because M.E. Vaughan is a good friend of mine, but I would definitely recommend this book to everyone! Even to those who are not a big fan of fantasy books, which I'm not. But reading this, makes me want to read even more by M.E. Vaughan and I can't wait for the next book (even if she did kill off my favourite character)!

I loved this book. The characters have real depth and they develop beautifully through the story. The plot line is full of twists and turns which left me unable to put the book down and the end was totally unexpected. I loved the earthiness of the dialogue but also it's sensitivity when love and yearning were in the air. In particular, I liked the way the story is set somewhere in the past but the people could have easily been with us today.

I'm sad that it's over and now I must wait for the next one. As far as debut novels, this one is excellent: the characters well developed, without the awkward dialogue that is often present, and the plot focused and full of surprises. A few typos, but this shouldn't detract from the story. Above all, though, I'm just super-duper impressed and can't wait to read more.

In the short version? This book is AMAZING and i cant wait to see what happens next! There is magic and battles and family and friends and you never get a break for long from some new horrible thing our heros need to over come. Theres tons of representation in this book and its just... amazing!

For a more in depth review, a total break down of why this book is amazing you can check out this post, no spoilers!

http://noobchic.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/the-sons-of-thestian-no-spoiler-review.html

FOR MORE HONEST REVIEWS, CHECK OUT: http://cabookle.tumblr.com

I received a galley of this book from author M.E. Vaughan in exchange for my honest review. The following was my HONEST opinion as I was in no way obligated to give a positive review. Thank you, mevaughan

One of the best parts about this book that both of us agree on had to do with Madeleine’s skill with writing. If an author can, using dialogue, give you the dimensions of the nest that her main characters are about to infiltrate, then you should know that author has mastered the art of world building. As many fantasy writers do, M.E Vaughan included maps in the beginning of her book that help orient you with the landscape. However, due to her brilliant use of imagery and dialogue, the maps aren’t even necessary – you can imagine the worlds through the text itself.

Read the rest of the review here - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1354666458?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1

This was truly a fantastic book. I usually do not read fantasy, but this book had me hooked! The book does not pick up until the last hundred pages, but it is the first book in a series so there's going to be some set up. It deserves to be read thoroughly. I can't wait until the next book comes out. I have so many questions.

This was an immensely enjoyable read. I was attached to the characters very quickly, and particularly loved the changes in pace throughout. It's a really engaging story with a wonderfully rich world and universe, and I'm bouncing off the walls waiting for the next one!