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The Spellsword Saga · Book 1

Deathbringer

The Spellswords Saga: Book One

by Blake Carpenter
4.5
· 2 reviews 4 shelved
Dark Fantasy Gaslamp Fantasy

Inga Alenir is a Swordbearer. She is the latest in a long line of women to inherit a magical weapon called Deathbringer. She's also dead, murdered on her wedding day by the ruthless and covetous noblewoman Yenda Avard, who steals the sword after killing Inga and her entire family.

And yet, some secrets won't stay buried. Deathbringer has a will and a consciousness of its own, and even has the power to raise Inga from the dead for a short time. It warns her that she has one week to find and retrieve the sword before death reclaims her—permanently. With each day bringing her doom and final demise ever closer, Inga will have to see just how far she's willing to go to achieve her vengeance.

Type
Novel
Format
Ebook, Paperback, Hardcover
Published
Jan 2023
Pages
392
Language
EN

Content rating

Author-supplied. Hover a meter for the rubric.

Language
1/4

rare, soft words

Violence
3/4

graphic injury/death

Romance / Sex
0/4

None

Biblical Themes
0/4

None

Vibe & themes

What this book is like. Log in to confirm these or flag ones that don’t fit.

Tone

Dark
Bittersweet

Themes

Survival
Revenge
Betrayal

Tropes

Chosen One
Reluctant Hero/Heroine
Character-driven

Setting

Steampunk / Gaslamp

Point-of-View

1st person present
close 3rd person
2-5 POV characters

Pace

Steady

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Reader reviews

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4.5
2 reviews
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I

I. Graham Smith

Aug 3, 2026

Ebook

Unique and enjoyable fantasy

I haven’t read anything quite like this before. The steampunk setting paired with a unique fantasy magic system, especially the mysterious spellswords and their personalities, makes for a compelling read. Characters have clear motivations; Inga’s introduction and arc stood out, and I understood Kale. The antagonist is effectively vile. The world feels broad yet distinctive, with a map and plenty of room for expansion. Two more books are already out, plus additional spellswords listed, so there’s plenty more to enjoy.

D

Declan Finn

Jul 15, 2026

Ebook

High fantasy Alfred Hitchcock

In a small rural village, on Inga Ivanova’s wedding day, her mother revealed to her the family legacy: Deathbringer, a magic sword with a long and terrible history. Her name isn’t even Ivanova, but Alenir. Inga must tell no one about this, not even her husband. When noblewoman Yenda Avard appears at the wedding ceremony, she’s there for the sword. She slaughters everyone present, even Inga, and takes Deathbringer. But Deathbringer has the power of life and death. When Inga drags herself out from under the pile of corpses that were the wedding guests, she finds that Deathbringer is keeping her “alive,” even without a pulse. But if Inga can’t retrieve Deathbringer in one week, she’s going to stay dead this time. And when Inga discovers her full power as a sword bearer, this is going to be one heck of a revenge story. I generally can’t get into high fantasy, or attempts at high fantasy. Deathbringer has been the exception. The setting is interest, the problem is intricate and well elucidated, the writing is tight and concise. The melee combat is well executed, and the sword combat is on par with Fred Saberhagen’s. The tropes are few and far between. The villain is unique in being almost pure evil, with no redeeming values that I can find—it’s nice to have a villain who isn’t just misunderstood. Everyone has their own motivations for doing what they want, for good or ill. It’s a steampunk fantasy world with Alfred Hitchcock plotting and pacing. What’s not to like?

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