The Traitor’s Blade

Despite having to walk the last five or so miles back to London (after having burnt the king's carriage to the ground...by accident, of course!), Christopher is back home at last, along with his dear pals Tom and Sally. Although the king does “insist that you not set fire to any more of my things”, he is grateful to the threesome for their bravery and cunning and devotion. He rewards them generously, and he even appoints a new master for Christopher, enabling him to continue his studies as an apothecary but opening up a new and unexpected possibility for him as well.

But, although their futures look more promising, there are developments in the present that are cause for concern. When Christopher returns to Blackthorn, his good friend Simon turns up on his doorstep with a dagger in his back. Immediately Christopher begins to wonder who would be trying to kill Simon and why? Could it be the Raven, Christopher's enigmatic adversary? To Christopher's shock, Simon insists that the Raven is dead. While Christopher desperately wants to believe that to be true, somehow, in the very core of his being, he knows otherwise. But the assault on Simon is not the only mystery or danger that is afoot. Christopher also receives a series of cryptic messages that contain codes for him to decipher and which lead inexorably to the conclusion that the king is in danger. With Tom trying desperately to keep him safe, Christopher races to stay one step ahead of the traitors who are plotting to kill the king. Ultimately he uses his wits, his pistols and the help of his all of his friends to foil some – though not all – of the evil machinations that are in the works.

It took approximately a page and a half (or maybe less) of The Traitor’s Blade to remind this reader of how thoroughly wonderful this series is. While most of the “Blackthorn Key” books follow a similar formula, it is a truly winning one. The story is briskly but deliberately paced, and the plot is tightly woven and very carefully crafted. The story is clever, and the mystery is satisfyingly obscure. There are enough questions and red herrings to make the end result surprising but credible nonetheless. And, as always, it is a pleasure to watch Christopher's alert and agile mind tackle the problem at hand...while his penchant for explosions is also still on full display! Sands creates a vivid portrait of the city of London at that time and a compelling look at the political maneuverings at play. He neither talks down to his readers nor bogs down the story with too much detail. The setting and time period spring to life organically as readers happily immerse themselves in Christopher's world.

While the engaging story with its compelling mystery make The Traitor’s Blade and the series highly accessible to a broad range of readers, the delightful characters and their beautifully depicted relationships are another noteworthy achievement of the author. Christopher's ongoing internal dialogue with his former Master Blackthorn reminds readers of the powerful bond that these two had once shared and the great faith that Master Blackthorn had had in his bright, young apprentice. And Christopher and Tom's friendship is heartwarming and also a source of humour and levity throughout the story. Their banter and Tom's constant exasperation never overshadow the loyalty and love they have for one another. Unfortunately, Sally's role is not as significant in this story as in previous ones, and so she doesn't get to shine here, although the not so subtle attempts for seemingly everyone in Christopher's life to point out her many strengths are entertaining in their own way. As the three friends begin to look to their futures in The Traitor’s Blade, there is a sense that the series is winding down. But that makes this book no less enthralling.