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Blade: Risking All by Tim Bowler (view source)
Revision as of 16:49, 24 September 2010
, 16:49, 24 September 2010no edit summary
Ah man. It's all over. The ''Blade'' series has kept me riveted for more than two years. It's been simply fantastic, bringing so much to the table that I couldn't hope to cover it all in a review, but I'll have a go.
Mostly, it's startlingly original - there's nothing like it out there at all. On the surface the series comprises is composed of short, sharp, shocking episodes that can be read in a single sitting and eschew complicated sentences and difficult words. So, it's intended for the fabled "reluctant reader" audience then, right? Well, yes, it is. Reluctant readers will love the gritty setting, the pace, and the tension. They'll also love a mere hundred and fifty pages of large type.
And well, no, it isn't. I've only described the surface of ''Blade''. The episodes tie together into a mystery thriller with a very complicated background and enough twists and turns to shake a stick at. It's challenging to work out each piece of the puzzle. Dig a bit deeper and you find some strong themes of exclusion and redemption. Dig deeper again, and you suddenly realise that these books - so vivid, so immediate, so exciting and so quick to read - actually have a tremendously complex structure.