CW: mind control, torture including cutting and burning, violence, emotional and physical abuse
Persuasion of Deceit is a riveting Fantasy debut from indie author Toni Wall. Meticulously crafted with compelling characters, unexpected twists, and edge-of-your-seat action, this story will keep you turning pages way past your bedtime. Fair warning: while not exactly a cliffhanger, this book will leave you wanting more!
I did not know what I was getting into when I requested a copy of this! Toni Wall will give you hope and then rip your heart out and stomp on it again and again. I repeat, this is not for the faint of heart. Brutal, heartbreaking, and, at times, tough to endure, this is no fluffy fantasy. Sure this story has all the makings of a classic fantasy novel, a tough, but caring heroine and her handsome swordsmith friend plotting to take down an evil king with magic powers. But don’t be fooled by the sweet love story and heroic quest, the last third(ish) of this book is quite dark. I mean that in the best way. It’s raw and emotional and I’m aching to see how/if certain characters recover.
I love a character-driven story. In my opinion, the characters take center stage in Persuasion of Deceit. That’s not to say that plot-driven fans will find it lacking, as there is no shortage of action or intrigue, but I was dying to follow Raven, Kanan, and the rest of the characters. In fact, though not particularly short at 400 pages, I was surprised by the depth of development Wall delivers in so many characters. Though the story mostly follows Raven, I was just as captivated by Kanan, Esrae, Logan, Aster, Malakai, Torren, and, yes, Holden. I need more Holden moving forward. K? Thanks!
If world building is what you’re after, you may be missing out here. This is never a top priority of mine, so it may be more present than what I noticed, but I was pleased with the simple, easy-to-imagine world Wall presents. I also thought some pieces of the story came together too easily. The initial foray into action was a little less believable for me.
However, the pacing of this book is spot on. It does not drag, but nor does it feel rushed. There is always something happening, but it varies between small moments of character development and larger plot twists enough that it doesn’t feel monotonous or overwhelming.
Overall, I’m blown away by this exciting debut and look forward to reading more by Wall in the future! I highly recommend this for fantasy readers who enjoy moderately paced action/adventure novels with fierce heroines, political intrigue, and major twists.
Thank you to Toni Wall for providing me with a copy to review.
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