The First Binding was a book completely outside my radar until very recently. After coming across a few positive reviews, an interview with the author, and knowing only that it was a retrospective story set in a South Asian-inspired world, I was intrigued enough to read it, though my expectations going in were fairly moderate. My thoughts during and after completing it are still quite jumbled and not set in stone. So I’ve decided to split this review into sections, which makes it easier for me to articulate what I felt about each of these individual aspects of the overall novel.

Structure and Framing

This is a first-person retrospective tale — Ari, the main character, narrates his legendary past to a travelling performer who recognizes him in a land distant from their homes. However, instead of this just being the frame for the main story, the frame narrative has its own ongoing plot that takes a non-negligible amount of page time. So, it feels like the frame begins somewhere in the middle of the character’s journey, which continues to progress throughout the book concurrent with the protagonist catching you up with his backstory. I quite liked this approach once I understood what was happening — it felt like both were active parts of the plot.

Writing

On the whole, I found the prose pleasant to read. It does not hinder the story, proving a solid vessel for its delivery that shines in its descriptions and performances. There is a certain lyricism that the author has tried to impart, and this both works and does not work. When there are stories within stories, like the chapter dedicated to a tale of this world’s creation myth, I really enjoyed the rhyming narration and the expressive, more mythic slant to the writing. It really felt like a performer telling this story to an audience, which is what it was in-world.

However, in certain other places, it felt a tad overdone. When certain emotions were being described, for example, they sometimes felt one sentence too long — the metaphors used or the depth of comparison that was presented ran just a bit too long to sustain themselves. In general, I found the writing to get better and more comfortable as the book progressed — at first, I had minor annoyances with some phrasings and quirks, but they seemed to smooth out over time.

Characters

Much of this book’s focus is on the various legends of Ari and how they came to be. When we are first introduced to him, he seems like an arrogant but muted figure, like an annoying travelling performer who won’t leave you alone. It is clear, however, that this is just a persona he puts on to gain employment at taverns and that he has more to him that immediately meets the eye.

I enjoyed reading about Ari as a protagonist, most of the book focusing on his adolescence and training culminating in the first majorly spoken-about mythic event of his life. He is a well-rounded character who goes through a decent bit of development, but the most interesting things about him are how his legends came to be of his own deliberate doing, a product of his ambition and youthful arrogance. Whenever it feels like he progresses in accomplishing his dreams too easily, there is something that brings him back to earth or chastises his lack of thought for the consequences of his actions. He definitely isn’t a character I would put among the greats, but he is a well-realised protagonist whose decisions and actions and status in life majorly drive the story. Since this is Ari’s tale, the side characters move in and out of the plot. Mostly, they serve their purposes well: they are entertaining and have distinct personalities. The characters at the Ashram especially were fun to see Ari play off of or butt heads against.

The Two Parallel Plots

The story that Ari narrates takes up much of the page time, and it was this thread I enjoyed reading the most. It begins with his days working in a theatre house, where he meets a binder who sets him on the path to the Ashram. The rest is about his relentless pursuit of that goal — getting to the Ashram and learning binding — and the reality of the situation when he gets there. One of the most interesting and recurring aspects of Ari’s story was the deliberate seeding of stories that get out of control. In many such books, exaggerated tales of the protagonist’s actions spread around without their knowledge and decisions. In this case, at every step of his journey, Ari plants seeds of legend in people whom he knows will spread the stories about himself around. Partly out of an innocence of the consequences and also for his greater ambitions. The subplot with the Sparrows was an enjoyable transitional step, but his classes and antics at the Ashram were my favourite parts of the story. The final event, his first true legendary action, was also great and very unexpected.

The concurrent thread taking place in the present — in between Ari narrating his story to Eloine — is my main issue with this book. This is partially due to the other story being much more interesting and also the presence of Eloine. Eloine is another travelling performer who meets and figures out who Ari is, the subject of his narration. The banter between her and Ari is, at best, okay. Many times, their interactions felt excessively awkward and like the author was trying too hard to make their conversations feel like genuine banter and flirtation that it came off as forced. To the point where I dreaded switching back in the interludes from the main narration, even though the plot as a whole was serviceable.

The Etanian family politics were a decent addition to this part of the story, and made some aspects of Ari’s overall journey have more meaning. It was quite interesting to see a figure spoken of in legend back in his home country still in the middle of his personal quest and end goal. His legend is an ongoing, developing one and not that which popped up after all the events of his life took place.

Since the first 30% is mostly focused on the present frame plot and set-up, it was easily the book at its weakest. I did not much like this portion (with exceptions) and only continued initially because it felt like I had to complete it. But once it settled into narrating Ari’s story after the inciting incident, I began to find it a pleasant reading experience and my enjoyment only grew from there.

Worldbuilding and Magic

Worldbuilding is where the book truly shines. Much of Ari’s story takes place in the Mutri Empire, a South Asian-inspired setting — it isn’t a direct analogue to any region or culture but feels like an original world with extremely well-integrated real-world cultures. It was great to recognize the little things the author has made an effort to put in: from the food to the linguistic inflections to the pervasive elements of caste, along with the inspired yet new lore. The creation myth and other such small stories of the world’s lore and history were excellent, for example. The present-time plot thread is set in Etania, which seems (from the map and the descriptions of peoples and culture) to be inspired by Spain. This setting is less sketched out, with less of the book focused here, but it felt distinct from the Mutri Empire where much of Ari’s story took place. The interactions between people of these different regions and their very different yet somehow connected legends of the world’s origins were some aspects I really enjoyed. Without the worldbuilding being as interesting or present in the story as it was, I do not think the book would have worked.

The magic of Bindings is also very cool. It is broad as well as displaying depth — there are rules but it is vaguely based on the person’s faith and philosophy, although it requires training — a good balance to give it an air of mystery and wonder while not feeling unearned or just a way to get out of hard situations. The consequences on the person to perform Bindings were also made clear. The principles of folds in the mind being tied to the nature of stories and perception is an essential part of the world and the themes of the book.

Comparisons with The Kingkiller Chronicle

The First Binding is definitely inspired by the Kingkiller Chronicle to a significant degree. To the point where I have seen people call it a ripoff of Rothfuss’ story. While there is enough similarity for me to understand why that comparison is being made (this isn’t like the comparisons between Empire of Silence and The Name of the Wind), I would not call this book a reskinning of Kvothe’s story by any means.

Many of the similarities in plot points do not feel like they were taken from Kingkiller because they existed in that story, but they are common tropes or archetypes present in the genre that fit with what this protagonist goes through. Ari’s coming of age does not feel like Kvothe’s stapled over a different setting — the plot points are intrinsically tied to aspects of the worldbuilding inspired by real-life cultures, meaning that they could not have gone any other way without maintaining internal consistency for what the author was trying to accomplish. There were a few instances where I felt it teetered on that line a tad, though — opening the story talking about the different types of silences and an inverted set-up for the frame narrative, for example. However, most of these occur in the first quarter of the story, and when they are expanded on, feel like their own things that bear similarity only in their vague descriptions and references.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, this was a solid first entry with pleasant writing, some interesting story elements, and excellent worldbuilding although my enjoyment was reduced by certain issues such as the frame narrative plotline and the first 30% of the book. The pacing was slow, a tad too slow to start, but it never got boring once the story actually got started. This was an impressive debut, on the whole. While I won’t be queuing up to buy the sequel, the author has succeeded in hooking me to pick it up when it eventually gets published. 7.5/10

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

R R Virdi The First Binding

The First Binding is a massive book for debut clocks in at 821 pages. The story follows Ari ‘The Storyteller,’ on a mysterious mission far from home. It begins with Ari telling his life story to a mysterious stranger. We learn about the legend of his youth, and how he became so powerful and infamous. It is also a story about the changing world surrounding Ari and this stranger.

The hook is the turmoil and unrest and how it forces Ari’s past to catch up with his present. Ari is a great travelling storyteller who brings us many stories rich in lore, bright protagonists, religious history, diversity, and hidden clues and lets us not forget the tragedy. All delivered in a mysterious tone, and atmosphere. Telling the story this way delivers a massive impact on the reader. The language is filled with poetic flourishes all very soothing, flowing, and lyrical. The magic system complements both the mythology, belief and storytelling which shapes the world.

There is so much to unpack in this story: hidden clues, jarring mysteries, and nagging questions as to why certain things are the way they are. It is a great journey story, and I loved seeing the level of diversity over it and the range of characters through which it is shown. Virid has created a story that is both lyrical and beautiful in all its tragedy and harmony. It is fantasy with a breath of fresh air, inspired by Indian history and mythology.

My thanks to both Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the arc of The First Binding by RR Virdi in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Thank you to the publisher Tor Books Gollancz and to NetGalley for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

"The First Binding" is an absolutely stunning start to a fantasy series and one of the best books I've read this year. We follow the Storyteller- who we learn is called Ari- as he wanders through the world telling tales of gods and heroes. After a stop at an inn, he meets a woman named Eloine who recognises him as more than a wanderer but as the figures in his supposedly legendary tales. She convinces him to tell her the true story of his life, and Ari- on a mission- does.

I was stunned by the beautiful and lyrical writing of this book from the beginning, and even after 832 pages it was still brilliant. We meet Ari as the Storyteller first, but you quickly grow to love and despair at him as he details his long life. He's a strong main character, whether we're following him as a theatre child, a thief, as a studying magician or as the wanderer of his future. His scenes with Eloine were some of the strongest, her mysterious character made me delighted whenever she showed up on page. All the side characters- and there are a lot in Ari's life in this first book- felt real and for the ones killed I definitely mourned their loss.

Additionally, the magic system of the bindings is so well thought out, as is the incredibly detailed religious and caste system. I can't wait to see what R.R. Virdi has next in the world of Ari and the First Binding.

My taste in fantasy generally doesn’t extend to epic, but I decided to give it a go because the premise intrigued me.

Firstly, it is LONG. Yes, I know, it’s epic fantasy, but I wasn’t prepared for quite how long it is, and therefore how long it takes for the story to really get going. The book is structured as “I’m going to tell you a story,” so it’s split between the protagonist in the present and the story he is telling of his past, which is why I struggled to find stakes or a hook to keep me engaged. It is also written in quite a literary style, with lavish prose that adds to the slow pace - everything is given extra description with copious figurative language.

My primary impediment to really enjoying this book was how much the protagonist irritated me. It is written in close third, so the narration is the protagonist’s internal monologue - and it’s a wallowing, melodramatic monologue that falls in line with the character’s storytelling pursuits, but it wasn’t my cup of tea.

That said, the worldbuilding is spectacular - lush and expansive and astoundingly deep. There is a whole in-world story canon in the style of South Asian epics like the Ramayana, and these mythologies are woven into the fabric of everything. The magic system is fascinating, with elements clearly inspired by practices like dharana and dhyana. I loved how all the tiny details were rooted in the South and South West Asian cultures that inspire this world.

I think that if this narrative structure, slow pacing and lavish style are your sort of thing, this is probably a brilliant book. It just wasn’t for me.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, possibly The most anticipated. It even exceeded my expectations. This book is phenomenal!
I absolutely love books in which the main character is telling his life story and how he came to be the way he is.
This follows Ari The Storyteller. Not a storyteller, The Storyteller.
He meets a singer he calls Eloine in a tavern where he's telling stories. She finds him so intriguing that she wants to hear his story. Not just parts of it, but the whole story from the beginning. And what a story it is!
Ari is now one of my favorite characters of all time. I cannot wait to continue his story, especially after that ending!
The binding magic is quite complex and can have some serious repercussions without proper training and discipline. I am fascinated by it.
I can't say enough great things about this book. It's over 800 pages and it still isn't enough. I would have been quite happy to read another 800 pages of Ari!

First, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to this book!

This is going to be a hard review since The First Binding was one of my most anticipated releases for this year and also because of the fact that everyone seems to love it. And having said this, The First Binding turned up to be a disappointment for me but that doesn't mean its a bad book, in fact is actually a very good one.

So we have two different timelines, one with young Ari and one in the present. The thing is nothing happens in the books for like 60%, I say this as a plot driven reader who really needs a strong plot to be invested in a book. This means that reading the book ended up being a slog and I put it down every time I could.

The worst part of this is that the world is actually REALLY interesting and while the writting style is too much for my taste (literally you would picture everything since is very, and I mean VERY, descriptive),I know a lot people will like it, especially since is very similar to The Name of the Wind ( sadly a book that I also didn't like).

As a final thought, even thou I didn't really enjoy reading this one, I think The First Binding is a book that most people will enjoy, and a great entry to fantasy in general, so I would still highly recommend it, who knows I might even read the sequel since by the end things really picked up plot wise.

Unpopular Opinion

This read like The Name of the Wind with a South Asian twist. That might not be bad. Yet, my tastes have changed since I first read TNOTW. Lots of people will love this epic high fantasy, but the voluble prose couldn't hold my attention. I DNF'd at 28%.

The First Binding is a story treasure trove, surrounding the stories of mankind and gods. Suffice it to say, it's written in the style of old Indian epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is a gigantic bibliographic story of a character who has done much in his life, but I do not see the main character, Ari as the villain of the story. Rather, the characters around him shaped his life into what he became today. Suffice it to say, I didn't end up liking Eloine in the story because she had her own motives, and was driven out of an interest to gain, but not too much to benefit Ari. She was an important character that held her own ground, and she was a very dominant personality.

It's hard to summarise such a long tale as this because each chapter has a story to tell. The prose is written in a fanciful way to achieve this effect, illuminating us towards the works of older styles of epic lore and literature. I also read the note of the author thanking Jim Butcher for his advice on this: if the novel will sell, it will sell. And I agree. This novel will sell because it tells a story of creation, of beginning and time. And to talk about Ari, at every single moment of the book I never felt that he was the villain because he never did do anything that would cause harm to others. Rather, if he did, then it was out of his own selfish motives and greed. It's said that in Hindu Mythology, we have multiverses. Different multiverses of the same world.

Specially written in the Puranas, one of the most epic and oldest literature of Hindusim that notes that there are hundreds of planets like this. In one area of a different world, Ravana, the King of the Asuras, would be a hero. In another area, he would be a tragic hero brought to become a villain. In the same way, I feel as if there are hundreds of different multiverses out there, I have no doubt that if Ari was given a time machine or some way to travel back in time and correct his mistakes, I have absolutely no doubt that he would. And I would urge the author to look into some time travel for the sequel of this wonderful novel.

In the end, it's a story spanning hundreds of characters, of descriptions that will make the world come alive, and it does not hide the horrors of war, or caste, or brutality. This would be a perfect series for a TV series, and I would love to see something like this being adapted one day. This is an epic novel, and it's a great novel. Wonderfully written, it's a rich exploration into Hindu Mythology and a unique combination of West meeting East. Love it, 10/10.

Received arc from Orion Publishing Group and Netgalley for honest read and review,and this view is my own.
4 and 1/2 stars. Big book.
This was an absolute brilliant book to read and had me hooked from the beginning.
It is a huge book and it took me a while to get through it,but boy was it worth it.
There have been comparisons to the Name of the Wind,but that is a disservice as this book is so similar,but different as well. Beautifully written and a joy to read.
The main character Air is brilliant and I liked the way that he was actually telling the story, it was a stunning start to what could be an epic series.
This is up there with my books of the year, not to be missed.

In The First Binding we learn about Ari, as he tells his life story, some good, some bad, but what a joy and what a journey it was. This book is written in such a beautiful way that I was hooked from the opening scene, in which our main character converses with the owner of a tavern, every detail described was immaculate and I felt as if I was there, listening to the storyteller himself. This really did give me the same feelings I had reading The Name of the Wind.

It has been a long time since I've read anything as captivating and epic as The First Binding and I cannot wait to read more from this series.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read The First Binding.

I was excited to read this unfortunately I didn't end up enjoying it like I thought I would. For me it was the writing style that made it hard for me to enjoy the story itself but I think that others will enjoy this book.

There's a lot of hype and I'm always a bit wary about hype, high expectations, and so on.
It wasn't love at first page as it took a bit to fell in love with this book but it was one of those slow burning love story that can last a life time.
A complex world building and complex story, great characters, the right level of epics and emotions.
R.R. Virdi is an excellent storyteller and I read this very huge book and alway kept on turning pages even if it's a bit slow at times.
I loved it and hope the rest of the series will be up to this one.
Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I do love this debut novel by Virdi. All readers blurp it as, " to the fans of Name of the Wind.." I haven't read Name of the Wind but I think First Binding is a great story and addition to the fantasy world.


The characters and their development are astounding. Nothing to say.

The world-building is mesmerizing and vivid.

One thing I didn't like is that there are certain parts that are repetitive and some parts are stretched.

Nonetheless, a great book!

ARC provided by publisher on NetGalley for an honest review

“Truths often are what we make them, and never mind the reality that might be, because each of us remembers what we wish for things to have been. / We are, in the end, the greatest liars…”

The First Binding, the first book in the Tales of Tremaine series, is a novel of rich layers of stories, truths and lies. Central protagonist and storyteller Ari is the centre of rumours, legends, twisted truths and stories, and it’s easy to understand why. Ari, as a character, is complex and highly developed. Now I have a soft spot for moral ambiguity and Ari definitely fulfils this. Much like an Aristotelean tragic hero, Ari is a fundamentally flawed protagonist, and his flaws are critical to the development of the narrative. Ari is plagued by his own hubris, sly, driven by vengeance and a desire for power, yet his charismatic voice and its comedic quality (particularly the cat content; as a cat owner, the depiction of cats is spot on!) shape Ari into a character that you won’t be able to forget, something Ari would undoubtedly take much pride in. He shapes himself to be a fantastical figure through his stories and the rumours he sows: the Unburned; scion of Brahm; devil; the one who brought the mountain down upon Ampur; the Storyteller.

“Some say a king. Wizard. Bard. Hero. A villain.”

Ari cannot be easily categorised as one character archetype which demonstrates R. R. Virdi’s skill with storytelling. Ari finds pleasure in hurting those who wrong him but understands that this is wrong, yet he makes a choice to persist. The First Binding is a tale of revenge and Ari will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Virdi has constructed a novel which pushes the boundaries and explores truth, examining the human instinct to shape the truth to a dramatised story.

Stories and myths are a central focus of the entire plot, weaving an intricate web of folklore and mythology to construct a vivid literary world. The First Binding is, at its heart, a high fantasy of rich world building and for this reason I recognise this won’t be to everyone’s taste. For those searching for a more casual read, or those not interested in complex universe constructions, The First Binding may seem too slow-paced. However, if you do adore a high fantasy which mythological or historical roots, like me, R. R. Virdi’s exquisitely theatrical prose will captivate your mind and draw you deep into a vivid world of magic, gods, stories, and South Asian culture.

I thoroughly enjoyed The First Binding and am very much looking forward to the progression of Virdi’s new fantasy series. This is the first of Virdi’s work that I have had the pleasure of reading and if their other novels are anything like this, I’m sure that I have a new instant-buy-author. The First Binding is an intoxicating, highly developed and beautifully mythological opening to a fantasy series that all fans of high fantasy and mythology would love to have on their shelves.

“We’re all stories. Every one of us. Each important, more than any one could ever know. A story of those who came before us, of where we are, and where we’re headed. The lives we’ve touched, and those we’ve lost. We are, all of us, the most important things in the world. For what’s more important than a story? What’s more important than the hero of their own tale?”

Quotes taken from e-ARC provided through NetGalley and may change in final published work

I really loved the language used in this book. The lyrical style really matches the story and the reading experience. The character, setting and the story was very much enjoyable but the language used is the highlight of this book. If anyone wants to read beautiful and lyrical language, please read this book.

As of pacing, this is a very slow paced book and it doesn't needs to be fast by any means. The pacing perfectly matches with the story and the language. It was very vivid and we can picture everything happening in this book like we are living in this world and watching them happening in front of us.

Highly recommended.

Absolutely LOVED this book. Stories within a story with extra stories added on top for good measure. Great magic system. Characters are brilliant. Sarcasm & humour level are on point. Highly recommended!

I fell instantly in love with the lyrical language R.R. Virdi uses in "The First Binding". I enjoyed everything about this book (the story, setting, characters), but the writing glowed in my mind. It's nothing short of beautiful. This is a slow-paced book, but it really doesn't need to be any faster. This is one to sink yourself into and simply enjoy the ride. I hope book 2 won't be too far in the future.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Orion books for granting me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start out by saying that R.R. Virdi has created a world with deep characters, an interesting magic system and an expansive fantasy world.

However, the framing narrative is just not for me. I got about 45% through this book and I just found that it was moving too slow. The exact same thing happened when I read Name of the Wind a few years ago.

The First Binding is clearly a great book with a gripping story and a fantastic author. This is clear from the countless other reviews I've seen. I know I should love this book but unfortunately it just didn't click for me.

I would still strongly urge other fantasy readers to check it out. I will be giving the audiobook a chance when it's released, because I think that will make it more digestible for me.

Thank you Orión Publishing Group and NetGalley for the arc of The First Binding by RR Virdi in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Firstly, don’t let the size of this book at 850+ pages put you off. RR Virdi has created an enthralling tale that totally pulls you in and doesn’t let go.

The book itself is an analogy of stories, that takes you through Ari’s life in a totally immersive manner. And yes, I can’t deny the sense of similar fantasies such as Name of the Wind, that others have referred to. However, Virdi is a master at building the tension in a gentle, unhurried manner that has you wondering if you’re about to reach the peak, that he then diffuses beautifully, pulling you back in until once again you are at the brink…and yes, those analogies do come to mind. 😂

This is not a book to hurry, this is a book to savour, to cruise along gently and take time to enjoy the sights and stories, and subsequently reflect on them and discover the subtle nuances of the stories, the world building and the overall structure.

If you’re looking for a book that will pull you along like a roaring wildfire or crescendo of noise, this isn’t the book you are looking for, but if you are looking for a high fantasy filled with fantastic world building, a multitude of multi-faceted stories, characters with depth, myth, mystery and more, then I urge you to pick this book up.

I’m already totally invested in Ari and I can’t wait to see what comes next, but please for the love of Brahm RR Virdi, include a summary at the start of the sequel.

An absolute 5 star read for me!

As a reader I'd say I'm pretty used to my routine when it comes to physical books and ebooks - I start the story and regardless of size it usually takes me a couple of days *maybe* a week to get through a book. The First Binding has taken me almost a month to finish. Now I know this is being marketed as one thick book and a lot of people are very excited for the prospect of thwacking an 800+ pager down on their desk and getting to work. But some people might be feeling a bit intimidated or feeling like they don't have the time to delve into this one and so I want to say that while this book is THICK and long and winding and has stories stacked within stories it is nonetheless so worth reading. This is a fantastic story (or set of multiple stories) in an immersive world where you really do want to keep going. It has a lot of the things I have really liked about other similar fantasy (Name of the Wind came to mind a lot while reading) but it also has a new kind of structure or pacing where things feel intentionally winding and you can never quite tell if you're at the climax of the book or if you're just on the precipice of something new happening. Where some books sweep you along in white water rapids this book felt more like a gentle river cruise with a delightful tour guide telling you interesting things about the various sights along the bank - both are good and I hadn't quite appreciated how much I was in need of the latter until I picked up The First Binding.
I would urge people to pick this up alongside their other reading, to allow themselves some time to read and to savour RR Virdi's work alongside everything else they are reading. To not try and power through all in one go but to allow yourself some time to stew in the story (I've used too many metaphors now I had better stop).
With a book as long as this it can be hard to rate because 200/800 pages might be five stars and another fraction a different rating so I've tried to capture my overall feelings as best I can.
I have but one request from RR Virdi as this series continues - for the sake of those of us who read to review please include a small recap at the start of the sequel!
My rating: 4/5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley - all opinions are my own.