Talon the Slayer is the first book in the Tales of Talon series and it was epic! It was a fast, fun, adventure through space that conjured up images of Conan the Barbarian and Star Wars around every corner. The story is not a short book, but I still felt like I was at the credits far too soon because of how engrossed in the story I was. If space adventures or warrior heroes are your type of story then you’ll love this book.
Talon is sold into a life of slavery and battling in the arenas as a gladiator from an early age. He’s doomed to a life of fighting and death until a mysterious sorceress finds him and drags him into an intergalactic war that gives Talon a purpose and a chance at freedom. Determined to win his freedom without being a slave to anyone else’s plans, he sets off with a crew into an adventure that will change the galaxy for better or worse.
This was a fun book. The characters are who they are. If you’re looking for a story where the characters change and evolve into someone new, this isn’t it and that’s not a bad thing. For me, this story brought to mind thoughts of barbarian heroes like Conan. Talon is a warrior and will do things his way. He’s not stupid, he’s not a pawn, and he’d just assume chop you to pieces with his battle axe than to hear your plans to rule the galaxy. The story was a blast and I’m looking forward to seeing what adventures await Talon next. If space adventures or barbarian warrior stories is your type of thing, you won’t be disappointed by this one.
There are some adult situations in this book, so I would recommend it for more mature teens or adults.
The narration by Travis Baldree was excellent as well. His voice is perfect for capturing what I imagine a character like Talon would be. He’s rough and gritty and it was an enjoyable experience listening to his narration of this book.