Melkeen: he’s an upstart young wizard like Harry Potter, but you might say his personality was more like Draco! Not really, though. Privilege has not been on his side, but he’s a genius and knows it, and can’t be bothered with social niceties. Aspergers, maybe? The author said no, but anyway, I like that he’s extremely obnoxious, but his character is not all about being obnoxious – there’s more to him, definite undercurrents of bravery and idealism in a personality that is jaded but still very young.
Sarta the Sword, on the other hand, is a little harder to get a handle on. She is a very cool cat, and as the story unfolds, we see her life has been shaped by tragedy. Pay attention to her backstory. It will be important.
So, complex characterization, check. Setting: a standard fantasy world, with wizards and ruffians? Yes and no. No elves, dwarves, or such like. Wizards are gifted with magickal powers and knowledge, ordinary people resent them to various degrees, and then there are..the visitors. With their own agenda, which is not nice.
Plot: Melkeen must prove himself by fullfilling a quest. Along the way, we know, Sarta will need all her cool to put up with his arrogance, and maybe teach him some discipline and wisdom for his own self preservation. But there’s more. What really happened to Sarta’s son? Why are the other wizards so hot to get rid of Melkeen? And what about these artifacts he’s been sent to find, anyway? Now would be a great time to give SWORDS AND SIGILS a second look, or a first look. The plot thickens.
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