Age of Assassins by RJ Barker

I think most readers are familiar with the feel of instant love for an author's work. Its rare but, every now and again, something about an author's voice and vision instantly clicks with your own desires.

I recently had that experience with RJ Barker and his book Age of Assassins.

Wry dark humour. An eye for detail executed with a sketcher's touch. A deft hand with drama and a defter one with tension. And as Age of Assassins went on, I discovered his idea of what makes a good character is incredibly closely with mine too. Plus there's a big mystery, which makes everything better, and cynicism was balanced just right with heart. In fact, the experience was so good that I went full fanboy and tweeted that Barker "writes in more or less the exact way I wish everyone wrote".

On the off-chance people are still reading this and haven't either gone to buy it immediately/be sick due to sycophancy, I should probably tell you what the book is about. Girton is an assassin's apprentice (surprise innit) who, along with his mentor, must foil an assassination by going undercover at a King's castle. Along the way he'll learn lessons about life, love, trust, truth, and batshit crazy. You know the drill.

This is one of two criticisms I have. I love genre fiction and its stereotypes for what they are but when an author's adhering to them, they're treading a fine line. There's some really easy and specific comparisons to make with other famous series. I've already subtly made one, but there's also a particular set of character dynamics that really recall A Song of Ice and Fire. Its a very subjective criticism but once seen, it doesn't get unseen. 

It's also a criticism of something that didn't detract from the experience. Barker's use of the stereotypes feels fresh and lively and to me, that's the main thing that matters. What the similarities did was make me think of how the book could have been even better with more prominent use of the rare and original.

The other criticism? Well, they say in a good mystery the reader should always be one step ahead of the detective. In Age of Assassins I was two or three, which had the unfortunate effect of making Girton look a bit of a clod when he really isn't. Again, the close relationship with fantasy's conventions was somewhat in play, as a few things were easy to guess less because of information provided and more from knowing narrativium's standard tolerances.

These are tiny flaws, flaws that I don't think will detract from the experience for any but the most jaded of genre readers. They certainly didn't for me. I loved this book so much I kinda want to read it again already; I'll definitely be continuing the series.

In Age of Assassins, I found an author who matches Scott Lynch and prime-Dresden Files Butcher for sheer damn fun. And so will you.