Magic, Steel, Power: A Review of Born to the Blade, Season 1

Born to the Blade: Season 1 (2018)
Written by: Michael R. Underwood, Marie Brennan, Malka Older, Cassandra Khaw
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: The weekly serial has 11 episodes. Not sure what the official page count total will end up being, but the ARC I received was 405 pages long.
Series: Born to the Blade
Publisher: Serial Box

Disclaimer: I received a copy Born to the Blade from the publisher, Serial Box. The fact that I received it for free will not impact my opinion/rating of the book.

Why I Chose It: Dude, it’s about SWORD FIGHTS on MAGICAL FLOATING ISLANDS. Why wouldn’t I read this? Also, I have previously enjoyed work by two of the writers- Michael R. Underwood, and Marie Brennan.

The Premise: 

Youth. Ambition. Power. Oda no Michiko and Kris Denn have much of the first two, and crave the last. To get it, all they must do is survive. For centuries, the Warder’s Circle on the neutral islands of Twaa-Fei has given the nations of the sky a way to avoid war, as their chosen warders settle disputes through magical duels of blade and sigil. But that peace is on the edge of crumbling, crushed between the aggression of the Mertikan Empire and the determination of the still-free nations to not be consumed. Twaa-Fei may be neutral, but it is also home to a million intrigues, schemes, and deadly intentions. Michiko and Kris arrive in this treacherous world together, bladecrafters eager to serve their countries — Michiko as a junior warder for Katuke, a vassal of the empire, Kris as an upstart challenging to win a seat for his home, Rumika, in the Circle. But before the young bladecrafters have even settled in, a power struggle erupts, a man’s head is parted from his shoulders, and every good thing Michiko thinks she knows about the empire comes into question. A storm is coming, and Kris and Michiko stand at its eye. Will it bind the nations of the sky together… or tear it apart?

A Note on Serial Box- You might be wondering why I’m using very TV-specific language to discuss a work of fiction. That’s because Born to the Blade was created by Serial Box, a publisher that produces serialized fiction as if it were a television show. Instead of individual books, Serial Box releases their content in “seasons.” And instead of chapters you get novelette sized “episodes” that are released on a weekly basis through the Serial Box app. Also like a television show, each project is developed by a team of writers, as opposed to a solo author.

I really have to hand to the writing team behind Born to the Blade. With this serial, they have created something that feels both unique and special, while simultaneously reminding me of so many of my favorite things. The story takes place on a series of floating islands, similar to the aerial-based Skyloft from the game The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The fantasy plot is mainly concerned with the struggle for power, which appealed to the Game of Thrones fan in me. And given that these power struggles are resolved through what’s basically magical sword fights, I couldn’t help but think about my favorite fighting anime-like Naruto and The Legend of Korra. If there’s one thing that Born to the Blade has going for it, it’s cool factor. The question is, did all these really cool elements result in a satisfying story?

I’m happy to report that the answer is yes! Even if there were a couple of speedbumps along the way.

One of Born to the Blade’s greatest strengths is its worldbuilding. I really liked how each island had its own unique customs, as well as magical abilities. For example, the island of Rumika has a much more flexible experience with gender. The population contains people that can either move from one gender to the other or can be accepted as androgynous/gender neutral. Other islands produce inhabitants who can communicate with the spirits of one’s ancestors or can remember past lives.

The magical elements of series also expand to the combat system. As previously mentioned, to sidestep war, potentially thorny issues are solved through one-on-one duels. But these aren’t just any old sword fights. Instead, the characters use magical “sigils” to assist them. A certain sigil might make a character light on their feet, allowing them to jump from ground to the roof of a building, while another might summon an intense cold that forces an opponent to drop their sword. These magical effects give the fight scenes an extra kick, which combined with the high stakes they are fighting for, can make for a very exciting read.

The serial also has a large cast of endearing characters. I found it impossible not to fall in love with Kris, the enthusiastic, androgynous duelist, who desires nothing more than to become a warder, thereby guaranteeing that their tiny island of Rumika will be taken seriously. I was similarly fond of Michiko a junior warder who steadfastly supports the Merkitian empire, until a revelation about her family causes her to doubt everything that she knows.

There’s a lot of great stuff being juggled in Born to the Blade. And while it ultimately results in a satisfying read, there are times when it almost ends up being its downfall. Between the various cultures, magical abilities/sigils and the books large cast of characters, the season can end up feeling overstuffed. As a result, some characters (Cassia is a big example of this) come off as underdeveloped. The same can be said for the relationships between some of the characters. For example, I can recall myself being thrown off by an assertion that two characters were good friends, when that really hadn’t been properly displayed in the text beforehand.

While I ultimately enjoyed the books brisk pacing and action-packed plot, there were times when I found myself wishing that the writers would either slow down to better develop some of these characters and relationships, or have chosen to focus on a smaller cast in the first place. Of course, being a serial, these are issues that can be addressed in season two, so it’s not the end of the world, but I’m not going to deny that it would have been preferable to see them dealt with here.

I also felt like the “intrigues, schemes, and deadly intentions” of Twaa-Fei were kind of oversold in the teaser. Yes, some pretty serious stuff goes down here, but instead of feeling sneaky and underhanded, more often than off it feels like one powerful island bullying the weaker ones. Perhaps this is just the natural result of stories like Game of Thrones, but I expect a lot twists from my politically driven fantasy now!

In Conclusion: Born to the Blade is a fast-paced fantasy story that features strong worldbuilding, exciting action sequences, and great characters. Admittedly, there were times when the serial felt like it bit of a little more than it could chew, but I was ultimately satisfied with the result. I look forward to seeing how things develop in season two.