A fascinating romp, The First Binding is a great debut by RR Virdi. I am absolutely in awe of the story-telling in this book, and will definitely be on the lookout for more stuff by the author.

Wow. This was one of my anticipated reads and it didn't disappoint at all. The world building and the depth of characters that Virdi created was outstanding. The emotional journey that The First Binding was incredible and I can't wait for the next book to come out.

I found it tough to get into this book. Like many people I feel I there were too many similarities to the Name of the Wind.
BUT
I'm glad I kept going, because very quickly this book picked up. And picked up WELL.

The writing was flowing, poetic, and the story unfolded like a epic rendition. As to be expected from a story told by a performer. It was entertaining through and through.
Ari tells the story of his life, from his childhood working in the theatre, to discovering magic and the horrors it can cause. All the while, in the present, older and a man of legends, he runs from those chasing him.
It is well told, well paced, and the book was very good in its own right, once you look past the very obvious Rothfuss inspirations.

AAAAAMAAZZINGGGG. This was such a good book I honestly can't believe how good it was!!! Highly Highly recommend and can't wait to see what comes next from R. R. Virdi

Preliminary 5-star review. Will post a full review and adjust the rating accordingly after I finish the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

This was way too much like Patrick Rothfuss' In The Name of the Wind for me. I didn't get on with that unfortunately and so this wasn't something I could finish. Sorry!

I've tried to read The First Binding so many times and no.

I hate it.

Conceited, dude bro story telling that made me want to chuck my phone at the wall.

Thank you for net galley for sending me a review copy.

Sadly, I did not finish this. I read about 150 pages and the similarities to Name of the Wind ruined the experience for me.

The First Binding has been marketed to me as Name of The Wind as the protagonist is very similar to Rothfuss' character. Reading the story is nuanced and atmospheric. And yet.. it took me a year to finally finish it. Yes it is a thick book but I have devoured thick books before. This book is just not for me as much as I want to love it.
The pacing is much slower than I expected and I fell asleep a lot trying to read each chapter.

dnf @ 25%

this book swept me away by its wonderful yet simplistic prose (think BABEL but more nuance). i really enjoyed reading about ari's past and the myths surrounding all of it. would definitely like to come back to the read, but for now, it was too slow (and the length overwhelmed me) so i couldn't finish this book and offer a proper review.

Unfortunately this one ultimately wasn't for me. It was very slow laced, and ended up being an utter slog to get through. For 800 pages, this took me Iver two months to read. I found I wasn't drawn to picking it back up, as the story just meanders for too long with nothing happening. I need some action in my fantasy. I also found the writing is be really overwrought and strung out. It tries too hard to be a bit flowery and pretentious but it just feels clunky and badly done instead. All round, I just didn't enjoy this very much at all.

Actual rating 4.5/5 stars. This is the first instalment in the Tales of Tremaine series.

I feel I can accurately claim that if you enjoyed The Name of the Wind then you would also love this book. A similar narrative structure appeared, where the reader was introduced to the adult protagonist who then returned to his youth, in a series of lengthy tales, to reveal his life story up until the present moment.

Similarities also appeared in the plucky and hard-headed nature of these characters, who are resilient in the face of the many grievances they face and who prove themselves magically capable in pressurised situations. Due to this, the novel was as full of as much magic and wonder as it was grief and loss and both brought about strong emotional reactions, which further aided in my bonding with the characters who appeared.

Despite my love for the contents of this book, I did feel like a very lengthy read. I anticipated it would take some time, given the page-length, and some brainpower, given the high fantasy setting and magic system. Some portions were less personally interesting than others and I sometimes would set the book aside for days, or read only a handful of pages at a time, before becoming invested again. Once I reached a point in this character's life that appealed, however, I would fly through a hundred pages in a sitting without realising I had failed to move for hours at a time. The latter were more present than the former, hence my high star rating.

This novel was detailed and intricate but also gripping and action-packed, providing the best of the fantasy genre in one gigantic portion. I can't wait to find where this author takes us next!

I could not get into this book which felt very similar to The Name of the Wind. I will perhaps come back to this book another time. In the meanwhile please accept my apology as I couldn't properly review the book.

I ended up DNFing this book - it wasn't quite working out for me. It might be one I revisit some day, but it's not quite right for me now. Thank you to the publisher for providing me a copy for review!

A very reluctant DNF at the moment, potentially I’ll pick it back up but that will likely be dependent on how long the series will be and how long there is between publications.
At the moment I’m struggling with series and whilst I have enjoyed what I’ve read of this book, the pacing is giving me the impression this could be a long and drawn out series. That’s absolutely not a bad thing, and at many points in my life would have been a draw but currently I don’t want to start a slow paced series when I have no idea how long it will take until all the installments are released. Having said that, I do think the draw and success of this type of narrative is in the slow pacing and changing that would be detrimental to the story.

This one has been compared to The Name of the Wind – which was a major reason why I requested it. And the comparison is spot on. This is Ari The Storyteller, who conjures fires and special effects to beguile audiences, using magical folding techniques to control the magic. In amongst his current adventures, he encounters a beautiful, mysterious woman – and this time around he’s the one who is beguiled. She is also clearly more than she seems and persuades him to open up and tell his story. So we have two narrative timelines running – that of Ari and his current adventures, and his recitation of his past, which is every bit as compelling as what is going on in the present.

By now, you’ll be aware that in order to pull readers into the story and keep them equally engrossed in both narratives, Virdi has to be a talented author with serious writing chops. I’m delighted to report that Virdi is triumphantly successful in producing a highly readable page-turner, despite the ambitious premise and intimidating length. Because by the time I got around to reading it, I wasn’t necessarily in the mood for such a long, epic fantasy about a mysterious magic-user. And I was expecting to read a couple of chapters, then put it to one side and keep going back to it in between other, less hefty and taxing reads. In the event, that didn’t happen, because I simply didn’t want to stop reading the story. And given that it’s 800+ pages, that in itself is an impressive testimony to the compulsive pull of this tale.

I loved it. To the extent that I wasn’t even particularly cross that Virdi has the nerve to leave a book of this length on something of a cliff-hanger. If you’re a confirmed epic fantasy fan, who thinks fondly of Rothfuss, Martin and Hobb et al with a nostalgic sigh, then track this one down. It’s a big, beguiling read full of wit, humour and sadness and marks Virdi as One To Watch. Highly recommended for fans of epic fantasy reads the size of house bricks. While I obtained an arc of The First Binding from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10

Tenía mucho interés por leer The First Binding, aunque reconozco que la longitud del libro me echaba para atrás. Y, qué queréis que os diga, alguna vez debería hacerle algo más de caso a mis instintos.


The First Binding es muy similar en estructura e intenciones a El temor de un hombre sabio, buscando relatar la historia de un personaje grandilocuente al que se atribuyen tantos hechos que es casi imposible que todos sean verdad, no caben en una sola vida. No obstante, R.R. Virdi también ha querido introducir en la propia novela la mitología de su mundo con relatos y canciones, dando lugar una mezcla demasiado espesa para su asimilación. No es solo que la figura del protagonista que todo lo logra ya esté un poco desfasada, al menos para mí, es que se va demasiado por los cerros de Úbeda en una novela ya de por sí larguísima.

El libro no está mal escrito y los diversos relatos y personajes son atractivos si los tomamos individualmente, pero es al juntarlo todo cuando el conglomerado de historias, poemas, magia, recuerdos y narraciones no cuaja. Es demasiado material, con temas triviales y poco originales en varios de los capítulos. El jovencísimo mendigo dickensiano que forma familia con los otros desharrapados que trabajan robando o mendigando para un cabecilla adulto, la escuela de magia donde se juntas los ricos privilegiados con los pobres más dotados para el arte arcano, la conjura entre nobles y su gran juego, los relatos de taberna que van uniendo las historias… Es todo ya de sobra conocido. Cierto es que la mitología en este caso varía por sus raíces indias, pero no consigue compensar toda la carga de tópicos que arrastra.

El sistema mágico es de lo mejor del libro, basándose en palabras de poder pero principalmente en la capacidad de concentración de los adeptos. Y hay algunas escenas que merecen realmente la pena, como la visita del protagonista a sus predecesores menos favorecidos en el estudio de la magia, con las consecuencias que tuvieron que arrastrar. No obstante, no consiguen compensar las más de 800 páginas que conforman el volumen, que para más inri es solo el primero de una saga.

No puedo recomendar la lectura de The First Binding, porque a mí se me ha hecho muy pero que muy pesada.

A great epic fantasy that stands out, with a rich, in-depth world, strong characterisation and a powerful writing style that was refreshing compared to a lot of other fantasy books I've read recently! Also the cover art is absolutely gorgeous!

The story of Ari is told from the retrospect, recounting his past adventures and present day prospective. Ari is a man of mystery & legend told through stories, propaganda & whispers, fun & mischief, and not all completely true.

This book is slow to start and get into, however it is definitely worth pursuing as what materialises is a rich story of coming of age, humanity versus evil, fantasy, magic, mythical creatures, great world building, humour, mystery and more. It is a long book for sure but this is a book you take your time with and soak it in. There is an underlying reference throughout the book to being patient, especially with reference to young Ari, and that is true when reading this book. If you are looking for a quick read, this is not for you. Ari's life is a mystery and as his story unfolds moving from young Ari to adulthood, the author drops nuggets of knowledge which enriches the story every step of the way. This book as long as it was, fully kept my attention and was very enjoyable to read.

The First Binding is the epic fantasy debut of author R.R. Virdi and is an intriguing and exciting first entry in the Tales of Tremaine series. The novel itself is a massive 817-pages.

In a similar fashion to Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind and Jay Kristoff's Empire of the Vampire, The First Binding is about an important character revealing their epic tale, telling the truth about their becoming legendary or infamous and how they ended up at the position they are in at the present time. It's been a while since I read The Name of the Wind (and gave up halfway through The Wise Man's Fear) but there are a few apparent similarities that stuck out to me that could put some readers off, whilst enticing just as many to give it a chance and pick up what I found to be a pretty special story. It's beautifully written, vast in its scope, features a world with considerable depth, and a flourishing rhythm throughout. After only 50-pages I was completely invested.

In The First Binding, The Storyteller (Ari) is a red-headed, magic-wielding performer, who wears a blood-red cape, and is hunting an ancient evil known as the Ashura (who are disregarded by most as being nothing but farfetched tales to frighten children). He can weave his tales how he wishes, sometimes merging stories together, twisting them, outright lying, increasing his legend, or changing the truths to however suits his needs or audiences. This is all intertwined with his magic usage, which could seem to his observers as cheap parlour tricks, yet, he may be utilising the Bindings. He's developed an impressive knowledge of the stories regarding the Lands of Tremaine and the Golden Road. Some of the novel's finest worldbuilding moments are presented through Ari's tale-telling, for example, the history of the Gods, such as Brahm.

I'd estimate that about 25% - 33% of The First Binding is set in the "present day" period. This is more than I remember The Name of the Wind being and the present-day actions here seem more dynamic and important than in Rothfuss' debut. The story of Ari's youth is told to the almost as mysterious, charming, and witty Eloine, whose past is also shrouded in intrigue. When I was scribbling some review writings, I noted that Ari's history is told in chronological order which I distinguished as Theatre, Boy Thief, Travelling, and then Magic Academy periods. I believe these descriptions give a brief indication of what to expect, without really spoiling anything. Ari's age as the storyteller isn't disclosed. I was trying to work it out as I'm sure there are a few hints, but, due to the magical nature of this fantasy world, he could be anywhere between 30 and 100+. The flashback storytelling sections of Ari's life cover his early youth to teenage years.

Jim Butcher reflected that Virdi's The First Binding was written with passion and love and I think he's completely accurate. It's poignant, poetic, and neatly paced, with some noteworthy standout setpieces, and many moments that present a unique sense of awe. The novel has a lot of what you'd expect too, including intricate training montages, magic tutoring segments, bitter rivalries, misunderstanding love, true friendships, horrid happenings, and curious motives of supporting characters, and I absolutely loved that kookiness of the characters in the Crow's Nest. The fact that there might be a God wandering somewhere in the mix as well really piques my curiosity. Observing the artwork on both the advanced review copy and the first edition hardback; it looks sweeping, bold, and beautiful. Virdi's words painted mental images for me that were just as striking and will stick with me for a long time. Just recalling some of these moments and images now, I can't help but smile.

I've mentioned the books from The Kingkiller Chronicles a few times throughout this review, and the influence is definitely there which I believe Virdi has acknowledged. I'd say The First Binding stands strong as a peer rather than an imitation and personally I enjoyed this book more than any of Rothfuss' (although The Slow Regard of Silent Things is pretty wonderful). I don't have too many negatives about my reading experience. Having to state a few minor issues, I became disinterested quickly with a couple of the songs, certain moments seemed to drag and I think the length of this novel was intimidating to the extent it slowed my reading pace. The intermissions returning to the present day were mostly well-timed but until the excellent political game of intrigue, favours and masks close to the end, these seemed more filler than the tales of Ari.

One moment that made me chuckle-groan though was: we were witness to an awesome training section where Ari is taught about a sort of sixth sense where, even if he can't see what's going to happen, he knows when someone invades his personal space so he can react sharply and naturally with a sword or motion to defend and protect himself. That was fine, until the next intermission chapter when Eloine manages to flick him unaware, playfully on the nose (or forehead) leaving him pretty dumbfounded. Although I remember this moment as being a bit silly, overall The First Binding is a high-quality fantasy epic and I can't wait for the next book. 8.5/10.

I received an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to R.R. Virdi, Gollancz and Tor Books.