Book Review: Slaver’s Bane

Slaver’s Bane by Tom Bast is a magnificent tale of a world filled with royals, slaves, slave potions, creatures of all races, and magic. It is an unforgiving world. Harsh to those that are not wealthy.

Most villagers live a life of squalor, selling their children into slavery to pay for rent on ramshackled homes or to purchase food. A warrior may be rewarded by electing to become a mindless slave of the Masters or a Soosee. Or a villager may sell information to a royal and be given a title. 

This does not happen often.

Slaver’s Bane is told in first person by two children that are living in an orphanage waiting to be sold to their respective masters,or sent to the battlefields to fight orcs.

Tove, a half-breed girl, and Robin, a half-breed boy, find comfort in each other’s company. This friendship with Tove carries Robin through the many trials that lie ahead of him. After a chance encounter, Robin and Tove’s lives will never be the same.

I absolutely loved this book. It captured my heart almost immediately. There were both joyous and heart wrenching moments, which completely invested me in the characters. The story lines entwined beautifully for a seamless reading. I didn’t have to go back and check who did what. Everything flowed together nicely. 

Slaver’s Bane had every element of fantasy I could hope for in a powerfully moving story. It was a grand tale that moved quickly making it hard to put down. I needed to know what happened on the next page.

Because of being captivated with the narrative, I can blame Mr. Bast for several very late night/early morning  reading sessions. I kept thinking, “one more page, just one more page,” and suddenly it was 3 a.m.

This book is the first in a series and I can’t wait to start book two. If you are looking for a good stand-alone book or the start to a new series, Slaver’s Bane is an excellent choice.

Need more books to read? Take a look at these book reviews.

• A Touch Of Light:The Ashes Of Avarin: Book One 
• Extasia
• The City of Dr Moreau 

Sue Cook

+ posts

Sue Cook lives in Freeport, Illinois with her husband Randy and two dogs. Her passions include assistance dogs, rescue dogs, music, acting, theater, poetry, and Doctor Who. She’s been in both film and theater and is a regular cast member of the podcast Doctor Who’s Line is it….Anyway? Sue is an advocate for the use of Service Dogs to assist their disabled handlers to maintain their independence. Quigley’s Quest, her first children’s book, addresses how a dog becomes a Service Dog.

• Yule Dreams
• The Enemy Within
• Let Me Go And Win This Fight
• Book Review: The Crimson Crown