Review: By Blood, By Salt by J. L. Odom
Blurb:
Azetla has served the Maurowan Army for thirteen years. There are seven left to pay. A pariah and a debt soldier, he is a commander with no rank, a soldier without citizenship, and wears a sword that it is unlawful for him to either own or use. He has learned to hold his tongue or risk losing everything.
When Azetla’s battalion is sent into the desert to catch a Sahr devil—one of the famously brutal inhabitants of the region—his tenuous position is threatened. He discovers that there is far more to this mission than catching a fiend. For the Emperor of Maurow, it is a way to prove that he fears nothing, not even devils. For the Emperor’s brother, it is a stepping-stone to rebellion. For Azetla it could be deadly either way, as he is cornered into choosing a side in the coming coup.
But the devil that Azetla finds in the desert is not what anyone expects or wants. As the conspiracy against the Emperor becomes entangled with the simmering ambitions of the desert tribes, Azetla must decide if he’s willing to strike a bargain with a devil in order to survive.
Naturally, she is not to be trusted. But then again, neither is he.
Review:
I am going to get this out of the way immediately, I highly recommend By Blood, By Salt. My hope is that I can cogently explain why I found this tale by J. L. Odom so enjoyable.
Out of the gates I was not a fan. The opening pages are scribed with wonderfully written prose, but I found it difficult to become invested with the introduction to our protagonist. I would tell you dear reader to marshal on, soak in the detail and allow Odom to plant the seeds for later. The opening is NOT an info dump. It is an eloquent if staid introduction to the world and people you are about to journey through and with.
Starting with what ‘By Blood, By Salt’ is not.
For comparison, I recently read another outstanding book where the magic system was the book. The magic was so pervasive that it influenced every aspect of the tale from political & religious structures, societal dynamics and practically every motivation of every character.
By Blood, By Salt is not that kind of fantasy. Magic is not the driving force and plays little to no part in the characters’ arcs. To go into much more detail would approach spoiler territory. Odom manages to present a tremendous fantasy tale while leaving the big gun of magic at home. Mostly.
Odom accomplishes this by tapping into my sweet spot as a reader. I engage with and love well written character driven stories. If an author can make me love or hate a character, make me sigh in exasperation at a particular bone headed move, worry about what’s next or cheer for what the characters are accomplishing they will win my heart and admiration.
Utilizing multiple character point of views Odom allows the reader to experience the heroes, villains and supporting characters in such a way that you share their plight, motivations and arcs with surprising ease. The world they live in is soaked in religious zeal, bigotry, superstitions, and tribal rivalries. All of this is pertinent to each character’s lived experience. Courtesy of J. L., the reader has the privilege of vicariously tagging along for the ride.
A large part of the incredible world building rests with the various cultures, languages and dialects found within the pages. Who you are and your worth is determined by where you came from, the language/dialect you speak and the beliefs you adhere to. These dynamics color the entire tale. The how of it is better understood when you take into consideration that Odom served in the U.S. Marine corps as an Arabic Linguist and has a degree in International Affaires with emphasis on Conflict and Security. Odom leverages her background with an adroit touch.
By Bood, By Salt is a military “life” based story. The main character, Azelta, is socially at the bottom of the barrel, he has no rank, but finds himself in a position of influence through shear competency. Being the object of derision and bigotry is his daily experience and could be life ending at any time. His navigation of this social landscape and his efforts to keep his battalion together and his head on his shoulders provides the backdrop for the journey.
If you are up for evil emperors, court instigated sibling power plays, a true underdog, frenemies, enemies to allies and a load of wonderfully painted culture with an Arabic tilt then By Blood, By Salt just might be for you.
Flowing prose, a nose for excellent timing and story beats accompanied by vivid descriptive styling makes for a page turning read that is over all too soon. Book two will be on my to-be-read list.
Happy Reading!
