Its no secret that we are huge fans of Ilona Andrews, the husband and wife writing team behind Kate Daniels, and the upcoming On The Edge series.
We will be looking at Ilona Andrews first foray to romance from Samhain Publishing. Silent Blade is a short story that is set sometime in the future, where Mafia styled families, known as the Kinsmen, who feud with each other to control and expand their territories. These kinsmen have enhanced implants: physically and biologically, which gifts individuals with special abilities to help aid their agendas and ambitions.
The opening scene of the story starts off with a great introduction from the heroine, Mele Galdes, who is the black sheep of her family as well as their assassin due to her special enhanced gift. She is a melder, who can pretty much slice people in half!
She is asked to assassinate a leading member of a rival Kinsmen family, Celino Carvanna, who turns out to be her ex betrothed. Mele agrees, even though he was the man she fell in love with and in the process shattered her heart. Mele sees this as a way to avenge herself and her family due to the broken betrothal, in which her family was weakened financially and politically.
I loved this story and although it was short, there was a lot of detail which had gone into the world building. It felt fully fleshed out with the characterisations and setting. I especially loved Celino and Mele’s interactions as they both started to learn about each other’s true selves, and both realising the restrictions that their families and their society has placed upon them.
Silent Blade has Ilona Andrew’s trademark of a fast pace story with witty dialogue and well drawn out characters. I hope they will write and visit this world again. And if you have never read a book of theirs – I definitely recommend this story as an introduction. It will show why we are such fan girls.
I give Silent Blade, 4.5 out of 5.
Some goody time! We will be giving away five copies of this short story which you can only get in ebook format. We will be giving away 4 copies here on the blog and to enter just comment in this entry.
The deadline will be this Friday the 17th of July, Midnight GMT time.
The 5th copy will be given away on twitter sometime tonight. For details just follow my Twitter account (Has_Bookpushers) or Lou’s (Lou_Bookpushers) for details to enter!
Good Luck!
P.S Please note multiple entries will excluded.
Edit: Just like to mention again that the copies we are giving away are in E-book format as the story is only available in digital from Samhain Publishing.
Giveaway is over! Thank you to everyone who participated. And congrats to the winners!!!!
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Oh, please enter me. I love Ilona Andrews and have been looking forward to this one. Glad to hear you liked it so well!
Nice idea and thanks for all the work. :>
Please, enter me, too.
-> Pfefferminztee
Please enter me 2. :,)
Ilona Rocks! I became her fan long before Kate and have always envied her the gritty, savvy heroines she creates. Mele Galdes is no exception. Silent Blade held my attention from beginning to end — then after I finished it, I read it again. Even now I'd like to have a sip of that wine and taste those pastries ….
Omigosh! I love Ilona Andrews and desperately would love to win a copy!
Please enter me in the compition only way to get it otherwise for awhile at least
I want one!!!!
oooh pick me pick me! waves hand in air
I've recently discovered Ilona Andrews and can only agree with your praise. Please enter me.
Oooooo please enter me. HUGE Ilona & Gordon Andrews fan.
ilona is my favourite author, and i desperately want a copy of silent blade!
Please enter me in the drawing.
Ilona and Gordon are the best!
I'd like to enter! The Kate Daniels books are great, so I'm interested in trying more of her work.
Please enter me. I'm very excited about the story!
Oh, please, please enter me! I love Ilona's and Gordon's books!
Thanks.
Tina Christopher
tina.christopher7@googlemail.com
I love Ilona and always wondered how I was going to get to read this as I'm not allowed to buy things online, gets me in trouble,lol. Would so rock if I got a copy ^_^.
Oh! Please enter me.
Include me in the draw, please!
Thanks.
Very nice review, looks like a good read. Got my interest at "Mafia styled families", that just oozes with guaranteed action. Please include me in the contest. Thank you!
Please enter my name! Thank you.
Love, love, love Ilona Andrews!!!–I want to win a copy of Silent Blade!! Please enter me!
Eowyn
stillwaterlillyatyahoodotcom
Me too, me too, mee tooo… I would like an entry please. I'm having a very hard time waiting until The Edge comes out. *puppy eyes*
Ah! I've been looking all over for a totally awesome give away! Count me in
Oh please pick me.
Just comment? That's it? Count me in, please, ladies
Woot! I love book givaways whether they're physical or E.
Yay Silent Blade!!!
I would love to read it!
Coul you count me in too?
=) thank you
Please enter me in the contest!
articfox121855@yahoo.com
Please add me in!!!
Please add me to the drawing! Thanks.
Please enter me in the contest.
30280354@mylife.unisa.ac.za
Thank you,
Tercia
Please enter me!
Enter me, please!
-Rylie
bcanyon at hotmail dot com
I would love a copy of this story! Please enter me in the contest. Thanks.
Please enter me!
Lys
ireadwhat.wordpress.com
This sounds like a book right up my alley
Will have to go check it out.
I'm surprised at all the turnout from yesterday. Nice job! I can't remember if I commented yesterday, so if I did, disregard this, unless you want to keep it.
I love Ilona Andrews and I'm so glad to see her branching out into e-books, it means more stories in between Kate Daniels series releases!
Hi! I'm new around here, but a big fan of Ilona Andrews. Please enter me?
Hey Ladies! Great idea and excellent review. I can has entry? Pleaze? Kthanxbai.
I've been a BIG fan of Ilona and Gordon for a while now and I am looking forward to reading this short story. If it's up to the standard of her other works it will be PHENOMENAL!!! Sign me up.
Great blog, glad I stumbled across it from Ilona Andrews' blog.
Pick me! Pick me! =)
Oooh please enter me!
Locke
I'm a fan of Ilona Andrews and this sounds like a great story! Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
Aw, great idea! Would looooove to win a copy, esp since I had some problems getting one from overseas… please enter me too!
Lilyfee@email.de
please enter me. Thanks
As I said on Twitter I am not familiar with Ilona's work though I have heard a lot of good things about her. This could be an good opportunity to sample if it's something for me!
Hugs,
Pearl
Ooh, I'm in. I just love the Kate Daniels series and I"m sure anything that comes from her is just fantastic.
Ooh, count me in! I love Illona Andrews!