lovelyreader
If I have to describe this book using three adjectives, I would choose: exciting, alluring and audacious. 'I am A Barbarian' could very well be the new Harry Potter. This novel follows 14-year-old Delta as she travels (with her uncle and cousin in tow), to get to a sorcery school in Samarzal city. As a future shaman, Delta is destined for greatness one day, that is, if she and her loved ones survive the trip. Even though her powers are not fully awakened, Delta isn't someone to be trifled with. Buried in the heart of this young girl is the will to be a strong, capable woman, and to be free. From childhood she has been groomed by her father to be resilient and resourceful. Gradually, these qualities are seen throughout the book. This is why this book gets a 5 star rating from me.
Maybe it's the feminist in me that deeply connects with this storyline, but I love the fact that not all females in this novel are painted as weak, objects, or secondary citizens. Overall, the writing in this book is remarkable. It showcases a bit of everything, including action, drama, suspense, magic, demons, a bit of tragedy, life-and-death situations, and some skilled swordsmanship. It is well-edited, with minimal grammatical errors. I think the book would better suit an older audience though--maybe readers over the age of 16. There is some profanity and violent scenes strewn throughout it, but it isn't overwhelmingly gruesome. The violence and tragedy helps to maintain the reality that Delta's world is a very harsh one, but she has what it takes to survive and triumph in the end. One thing that readers can be certain of is that it is plentiful in terms of action and adventure. I'm convinced that fantasy fiction lovers will enjoy reading 'I am A Barbarian' as much as I did.