The Blameless (The Blameless Series 1) by E.S. Christison

What worked:

The format is familiar as a young princess named Brie is rescued by three men with powers from murderers invading the castle. Brie too has newly-discovered rare skills that may make her the most powerful Blameless but she must learn to manifest and control them. An evil, ruthless man has taken over the kingdom with abilities no one can explain and he seems to want Brie captured alive. The first half of the book deals with Brie learning about her powers and establishes the plot’s overall situation while the second half develops a head-on confrontation with the man responsible for the king and queen’s deaths. The tension and suspense are amped up as Brie fights for her life, freedom, and vengeance for her parents.

The story is filled with magic that Brie had only heard fantastic tales about. The Blameless first appear a thousand years earlier and wield abilities aligned with the sun, air, and land to protect the innocent. They go underground and live in the shadows, only appearing to help others or carry out the king’s business. The Blameless restrict their appearances because they don’t want to use their powers for unimportant situations that might create additional problems. They don’t want to cause unintentional, negative consequences with their actions. What if helping one person results in another person being harmed in some way as collateral damage?  Remaining anonymous avoids being inundated with requests for help every day and allows the Blameless to observe, consider, and decide when it’s time for them to step in. Their powers won’t work in selfish situations.

A refreshing aspect of the story is the feeling of family and community the author is able to create through Fenton’s family and the secret city of the Blameless. Brie has lost her parents and brother and the plot could easily have turned serious, dark, and angry. However, Fenton, his wife, and Fenton’s five younger sisters treat her as family and help her feel welcome and loved. Cassie is especially ecstatic that she has a new best friend in Brie, who happens to be Blameless, and happens to be a princess! Cassie’s adventurousness and free spirit are just what Brie needs while dealing with the murder of her family. Life with Fenton’s family allows Brie to be herself without worrying about royal expectations. A friend enjoys teasing her with various creative names that hint at her status as the future queen. Positive emotions continue even when Brie encounters danger and imprisonment, although those moments are more challenging.

What didn’t work as well:

It’s unexpected when Brie never fully embraces her powers. She’s trying to keep them secret from her enemy but she mostly summons objects and practices becoming invisible. Not exactly abilities associated with being the most powerful Blameless. The most interesting question in the book is how Brie’s enemy is able to force Blameless to do his bidding.

The Final Verdict:

This book is a creative, entertaining beginning to a new series and readers should be prepared to read its sequel. This book establishes a backstory for future editions as the conflict isn’t fully resolved. I’m looking forward to reading the next installment and I recommend you give this book a shot.