Swashbuckling Gloriousness that will never get old!! The Greatcoats Series by Sebastian de Castell

**There May Be Slight Spoilers within this review**

As always my posts will follow the format of CAWPILE

Character

Atmosphere

Writing

Plot

Intrigue

Logic

Enjoyment

Characters

The characters in this series are so real! They become your only focus! You cannot fail to become invested in their story as a whole and as individual. They each have a life that has a story of its own to tell. From Falcio’s closeness to the King and his unquestionable devotion to Alina, to the story of the unfailing dedication of Brasty and Kest to not only their King but to their leader Falcio.

Each book explores the principle characters gradually more and more. This to me was a very clever move by Castell. You become obsessed with them so subtly that it makes it impossible to put down. The introduction of new characters always seemed to have a reason behind it. The gentle approach to their being added to the cast was almost unnoticeable, making them instantly accepted into the fold. There never seemed to be a question in my mind as to why anyone new appeared and what purpose they would have to the story as a whole. There was always a well thought out connection to the main plot course for every character that existed. From the maturity of the elder characters to the innocence of the youngest, each one was well rounded and fully fleshed out to feel like they all had an integral part in the story. I’m so impressed with the quality of the characters that I felt as if I were friends with them, riding every moment of their pains and triumphs as if I were alongside them. I can unreservedly say that the omission of any one character within these books would send this story in directions that would be hugely detrimental. The branches they each create on the tree of the series are so well interwoven that I honestly believe that it would be impossible to remove any of them.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere of these books was flawless. Every moment was dripping with complex yet understandable descriptive language that left you with very little to conjure from imagination.That is in no way meant to sound as if I were unhappy with it, in fact it felt very reassuring because my mind then had the luxury of having the time to create a crystal clear picture of the events and characters with having also shaped the finer details. The immersive experience these books offer, has a great deal to do with the way the atmosphere is portrayed throughout. There is no doubt in my mind that I enjoyed these books as much as I did because of how atmospheric they were.

Writing

Greatcoats was not my first experience of Castell’s writing as a whole. I had previously read Spellslinger by him also. I knew I would not have any issues with the writing especially since I combined audio with the physical read. As I do with most of my books. I loved the age old feel to the language and how it within itself felt perfect for the story. Castell does a great job with writing age appropriately. The complexity of the language in my view matched the target audience brilliantly, adding enough difficulty to be acceptable whilst not patronising the reader with to simple a style of writing. When you get on so well with a style of writing it becomes incredibly easy to lose yourself, I didn’t want the books to end in fact I binged all four in just over 4 weeks!

Castell has a way with words that means you don’t notice the difference between fantasy and reality which is no mean feat.

It's so easy for me to say that Castell's writing is easy to read, but it somehow doesn't seem to do it justice. The wit and humour comes across so seamlessly that it is a joy to read. It gave me a sense of the author's character too. I've seen video interviews and read them online too and the kind hearted man that comes across there is evident in his writing, which makes the whole experience all the richer and enjoyable.

Plot

The overall plot for these books is ingenious, the complexity of it and the depth of it is marvellous. There are so many layers to it that the reader must unveil throughout the course of the books that it makes it feel like an achievement when your unexpected predictions that you find yourself making unconsciously are proven to be correct. Yet Castell still manages to throw in some surprises too! There is never a dull moment within the pages of these books which I enjoyed immensely. There were twists and turns that took me on a real rollercoaster throughout, emotionally after each book I was exhausted but that just shows how invested I was in these character's lives. Each book ended in such a way that allowed you to take your time in continuing on to the next. I however didn't, I totally binged them, but should you so desire each book leaves the events within carefully so that if you were to step away for a while it would not be any detriment to your overall enjoyment of the series.

The ending of the series was the perfect conclusion, to the series tying up everything cleanly, but lets just say I would never say no to more from Falcio, Brasty and Kest!.

Intrigue

It makes me so happy to say that there wasn‘t a single moment whilst reading these books that I lost interest. I would even go so far as to say that I hated to put them down in order to sleep!

I became so invested and so intrigued by not only the story as a whole, but the individual events of each book that I felt at times that I wasn’t able to read fast enough to satisfy my need to know what was going to happen.

Logic

Although the world and its characters were fantastical and created from scratch, there weren’t any moments that I felt didn’t belong. I trusted in the decisions of the characters and the world in which they lived in. The success of the world building and the belief in its characters instilled in the reader made this series one of the best reading experiences I have had in a very long time. It may seem like a very bold claim but I’m absolutely certain that I will hold this series and therefore it’s author in very high esteem for many years to come.

Enjoyment

Sebastian de Castell has most definitely become an auto buy author for me. Whatever he releases in the future will most definitely become a part of my library.

I would absolutely recommend this series to anyone, despite your reading tastes there is something in here for everyone. Whether it be the action, the humour, the world building, or the complex plot, I can honestly say there will be something you will enjoy!

Please, anyone that has chosen to read this post pick up this series and immediately dive in! Need I say anymore???

Series Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Ratings

Traitor’s Blade ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Knights Shadow ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Saint’s Blood ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Tyrant’s Throne ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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