By the Blade

The Elwin Escari Chronicles, Volume 1.5

By: David Ekrut

Narrated by: Chris MacDonnell

After a long journey, Jax finds himself abandoned far from home in the desert nation of Kalicodon. When any infraction to tribal honor will land him in chains as a slave, he must learn quickly to adapt in a foreign land in hopes of maintaining his freedom. In his struggles to liberate Daren from slavery, he meets Jesnia, a woman from his homeland, who has hunted fugitives from justice to the eastern edge of the desert. Without his own cunning and her talents, Jax may very well meet his end, fighting for his life in the arena.

©2017 David Ekrut (P)2017 David Ekrut

Jax is a very lucky fellow

This book brings in a number of newer characters to the series, most notably, Jax. Jax is a young scion of a merchant father whose sense of justice only extends to what benefits him; while Jax could be considered a somewhat naive and unaware medieval social justice type. He is thrust into a country that has a very rigid caste and honor system along with a long history of slavery. His contra-views soon gets him into deep trouble with the governing class in the country. He then must rely on his wits and, begrudgingly, ally himself with several newly acquainted people of questionable loyalty if he can even remotely have a chance of surviving his ordeal.

There is intrigue and close-call battle engagements but the distrustful ones were either clearly obvious or obvious by indirect means.

While some of the sections were a bit far-fetched, I did enjoy listening to the novel; especially since Jax seems to be slated for an important role later in the Elwin Escari Chronicles.

well written but went no where very slowly...

whilst it was a good enough story nothing really happened in the story except to set the stage for the next book? A well written and crafted- fluid story... just a bit hollow