The Initiate Brother

This duology has flown under the radar in the fantasy world, which is a shame – it’s perhaps one of the richest fantasy tales out there, made all the more interesting by the exotic Asian landscape, mythology, and characters. Sean Russell is a very talented author who’s produced a number of standout fantasy books (and most of them underrated); Russell is an author who knows how to write quality; the pacing tends to be slow, and the world slowly revealed, but if you like to read books with richly drawn characters and a deep mythology, Russell knows how to deliver. Russell does not write simple fantasy, nor does he develop simple characters and relationships; every stroke of his narrative brush is slow and measured, but the whole tapestry fits together perfectly in the end. For those who love to read well-written, character-driven fantasy set in uniquely crafted worlds, you won’t go wrong with any fantasy book written by Russell. Brother Initiate is the story of a young Shaolin-like monk who, despite his simple upbringing in a martial monastery, becomes entangled in the dangerous and complex politics of the imperial palace and ultimately, the internecine warfare between kingdoms. If you are a big fan of martial arts fantasy, this is the best you’re going to find.