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The Combat Codes Saga #1
The Combat Codes
In a world where battle-hardened warriors determine the fate of empires, war-ravaged nations seek out a new champion in the first book of a thrilling science fantasy "that rare book that fully satisfies me as an action fan" (Fonda Lee, author of Jade City ).
In a world long ago ravaged by war, the nations have sworn an armistice never to use weapons of mass destruction again. Instead, highly-skilled warriors known as Grievar Knights represent their nations’ interests in brutal hand-to-hand combat.
Murray Pearson was once a famed Knight until he suffered a loss that crippled his homeland — but now he’s on the hunt to discover the next champion.
In underground and ruthless combat rings, an orphaned boy called Cego is making a name for himself. Murray believes Cego has what it takes to thrive in the world's most prestigious combat academy – but first, Cego must prove himself in the vicious arenas of the underworld. And survival isn’t guaranteed.
"A book about warriors written by a master of the martial arts, and the mastery shows." – Evan Winter, author of The Rage of Dragons
"Bare-knuckle brilliance." – Jackson Ford, author of The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with Her Mind
In a world long ago ravaged by war, the nations have sworn an armistice never to use weapons of mass destruction again. Instead, highly-skilled warriors known as Grievar Knights represent their nations’ interests in brutal hand-to-hand combat.
Murray Pearson was once a famed Knight until he suffered a loss that crippled his homeland — but now he’s on the hunt to discover the next champion.
In underground and ruthless combat rings, an orphaned boy called Cego is making a name for himself. Murray believes Cego has what it takes to thrive in the world's most prestigious combat academy – but first, Cego must prove himself in the vicious arenas of the underworld. And survival isn’t guaranteed.
"A book about warriors written by a master of the martial arts, and the mastery shows." – Evan Winter, author of The Rage of Dragons
"Bare-knuckle brilliance." – Jackson Ford, author of The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with Her Mind
464 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2015
About the author
Alexander Darwin
4 books153 followersAlexander Darwin is an author living near Boston with his wife and three daughters. Outside of writing, he teaches and trains martial arts (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu). He’s inspired by old-school Hong Kong action flicks, jRPGs, underdog stories and bibimbap bowls.
Outside of writing fiction, Alexander has written for publications such as Rolling Stone Magazine and SF Signal. His latest piece - "The Lost Diary of Anthony Bourdain" - was a featured piece in Rolling Stone’s January 2022 issue.
Outside of writing fiction, Alexander has written for publications such as Rolling Stone Magazine and SF Signal. His latest piece - "The Lost Diary of Anthony Bourdain" - was a featured piece in Rolling Stone’s January 2022 issue.
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March 10, 2021
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Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Fun, tense, and entertaining; The Combat Codes is an MMA-inspired sci-fi debut with heart and well-written combat scenes.
I’ve been waiting to post this review for a while now, but after hearing there will be a new updated cover art for the series done by the incredible Felix Ortiz, I knew it would better for me to wait for its reveal first before posting this review. I mean, look at that! I loved the distinctive quality of the cover art; it reminded me of Star Wars poster. The Combat Codes is the first book in the The Combat Codes Saga trilogy by Alexander Darwin. This is a debut that’s currently a finalist in this year’s SPFBO (Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off), and I think it deserves its spot as a finalist there for its quality. Personally speaking, though, I have to admit that I’m a bit surprised that some readers classified this as fantasy; I think it’s a sci-fi/dystopia novel with a little fantasy element, and it’s a really great one.
The story in The Combat Codes takes place in a world where single combat determines the fate of nations, the Combat Codes guide the Grievar to fight so that the rest can remain at peace. We have two main characters to follow in this book. The first one is Cego, a 13 years old Grievar boy with a mysterious past that’s forced to fight his way out of the slave Circles and enter the world’s most prestigious combat school. The other main character is Murray, a retired Grievar Knight who currently scouts for talents to be enlisted into Lyceum for better and elite training. The main story itself isn’t nothing too surprising; if you’ve read plenty of coming-of-age SFF books, you will most likely know how the story goes from point A to B. However, just because a story is predictable doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing; it all always comes down to execution. I found Darwin’s storytelling of this predictable story to be engaging, and the revelations contained in the narrative made me excited for the next book.
I highly enjoyed reading Cego’s character development. The Combat Codes have been forgotten by many Grievar and fighters of the world, but Cego never stops doing his best to uphold the Combat Codes, even when he doesn’t fully remember his past or understand himself. Also, the relationship that Cego built with Murray and the friends—Dozer, Weep, and Knees—he met along the way was well-written. Friendship, mentorship, and standing for what’s right are prominent themes in the story, and I enjoyed reading about them. As I said, it’s a predictable story, even the bully, the villains, and their actions were predictable from their first appearances, but I can’t help but found myself turning the pages. There’s just something about waiting to see bullies receiving retributions that I can’t ever get enough of. However, I do think that the side characters needed more characterizations and focus. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that the next book in the series will fix this.
Actions and hand-to-hand combat are very integral in this book. I started reading The Combat Codes expecting there will be a lot of action scenes, and I’m not disappointed by this. Darwin has delivered detailed hand-to-hand combats with a rhythm that flows really well. The combats and the blow by blow traded between fighters were both vivid and impactful. If you’re a fan of martial arts, or maybe Cradle series by Will Wight, I have a good feeling that you’re going to have a blast reading this book. It also helps that the world-building and history of the world enhanced the believability of the combats and stakes contained in them. Plus, Darwin’s prose was accessible, and each epigraph at the beginning of each chapter helped established the importance of Combat Codes in the world.
I do, however, want to address one more time that I don’t think of The Combat Codes as a fantasy novel. Almost everything in the world-building relies on technologies, and if anything, the closest comparison I can think of when it comes to the world-building is Red Rising by Pierce Brown or The Hunger Games (with martial arts) by Suzanne Collins. The class distinction and treatment between Purelight and Lacklight, for example, are very reminiscent of the Gold and Red in Red Rising. I have other reasons for this assessment, but I’m afraid that’s diving too deep into spoiler territory. This, of course, doesn’t mean that I’m dismissing the quality of the book; I enjoyed it after all. This is just me disagreeing with the fantasy genre classification.
I doubt The Combat Codes will revolutionize the genre. But if you’re looking for a fast-paced familiar, charming, tense, and engaging escapism novel with heart and great hand-to-hand combat scenes, this is a no-brainer. I highly enjoyed reading this debut, and I’m so looking forward to continuing to the sequel, Grievar’s Blood.
You can order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Edward, Estefani, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Lufi, Melinda, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Shaad, Summer, Zoe.
Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Fun, tense, and entertaining; The Combat Codes is an MMA-inspired sci-fi debut with heart and well-written combat scenes.
“A perceived weakness is strength, and a flaunted strength is weakness.”
I’ve been waiting to post this review for a while now, but after hearing there will be a new updated cover art for the series done by the incredible Felix Ortiz, I knew it would better for me to wait for its reveal first before posting this review. I mean, look at that! I loved the distinctive quality of the cover art; it reminded me of Star Wars poster. The Combat Codes is the first book in the The Combat Codes Saga trilogy by Alexander Darwin. This is a debut that’s currently a finalist in this year’s SPFBO (Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off), and I think it deserves its spot as a finalist there for its quality. Personally speaking, though, I have to admit that I’m a bit surprised that some readers classified this as fantasy; I think it’s a sci-fi/dystopia novel with a little fantasy element, and it’s a really great one.
“We fight neither to inflict pain nor to prolong suffering. We fight neither to mollify anger nor to satisfy vendetta. We fight neither to accumulate wealth nor to promote social standing. We fight so that the rest shall not have to.”
The story in The Combat Codes takes place in a world where single combat determines the fate of nations, the Combat Codes guide the Grievar to fight so that the rest can remain at peace. We have two main characters to follow in this book. The first one is Cego, a 13 years old Grievar boy with a mysterious past that’s forced to fight his way out of the slave Circles and enter the world’s most prestigious combat school. The other main character is Murray, a retired Grievar Knight who currently scouts for talents to be enlisted into Lyceum for better and elite training. The main story itself isn’t nothing too surprising; if you’ve read plenty of coming-of-age SFF books, you will most likely know how the story goes from point A to B. However, just because a story is predictable doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing; it all always comes down to execution. I found Darwin’s storytelling of this predictable story to be engaging, and the revelations contained in the narrative made me excited for the next book.
“A Grievar shall become neither arrogant in victory nor broken in defeat; this is the path to complacency. A Grievar’s opponent is their greatest teacher; one learns more walking the path of defeat than they do on the road to victory. Such a balanced spirit will give a Grievar the continued purpose to strive for combat mastery.”
I highly enjoyed reading Cego’s character development. The Combat Codes have been forgotten by many Grievar and fighters of the world, but Cego never stops doing his best to uphold the Combat Codes, even when he doesn’t fully remember his past or understand himself. Also, the relationship that Cego built with Murray and the friends—Dozer, Weep, and Knees—he met along the way was well-written. Friendship, mentorship, and standing for what’s right are prominent themes in the story, and I enjoyed reading about them. As I said, it’s a predictable story, even the bully, the villains, and their actions were predictable from their first appearances, but I can’t help but found myself turning the pages. There’s just something about waiting to see bullies receiving retributions that I can’t ever get enough of. However, I do think that the side characters needed more characterizations and focus. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that the next book in the series will fix this.
“A Grievar shall not accumulate land, wealth, servants, or worldly possessions beyond what is necessary for survival. In the act of relinquishing all but dedication to martial prowess, a Grievar will become unburdened, free to attack and defend without hesitation.”
Actions and hand-to-hand combat are very integral in this book. I started reading The Combat Codes expecting there will be a lot of action scenes, and I’m not disappointed by this. Darwin has delivered detailed hand-to-hand combats with a rhythm that flows really well. The combats and the blow by blow traded between fighters were both vivid and impactful. If you’re a fan of martial arts, or maybe Cradle series by Will Wight, I have a good feeling that you’re going to have a blast reading this book. It also helps that the world-building and history of the world enhanced the believability of the combats and stakes contained in them. Plus, Darwin’s prose was accessible, and each epigraph at the beginning of each chapter helped established the importance of Combat Codes in the world.
“A Grievar must fully commit to the present moment. Weighed down by events of the past or too feather-footed in anticipation of the future, a Grievar will be unable to find the rhythm of combat. A wave rolling to shore and receding to sea knows neither purpose nor path; it has no awareness of time passing. So must it be with a Grievar’s every breath; rolling like a wave and fully in the present. Passage Three, Twenty-Seventh Precept of the Combat Codes”
I do, however, want to address one more time that I don’t think of The Combat Codes as a fantasy novel. Almost everything in the world-building relies on technologies, and if anything, the closest comparison I can think of when it comes to the world-building is Red Rising by Pierce Brown or The Hunger Games (with martial arts) by Suzanne Collins. The class distinction and treatment between Purelight and Lacklight, for example, are very reminiscent of the Gold and Red in Red Rising. I have other reasons for this assessment, but I’m afraid that’s diving too deep into spoiler territory. This, of course, doesn’t mean that I’m dismissing the quality of the book; I enjoyed it after all. This is just me disagreeing with the fantasy genre classification.
“Anger is like a boiling pot of water. Useful if you can keep the boil steady, but if turned too hot, it will overflow and become useless.”
I doubt The Combat Codes will revolutionize the genre. But if you’re looking for a fast-paced familiar, charming, tense, and engaging escapism novel with heart and great hand-to-hand combat scenes, this is a no-brainer. I highly enjoyed reading this debut, and I’m so looking forward to continuing to the sequel, Grievar’s Blood.
You can order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Alya, Annabeth, Ben, Blaise, Devin, Diana, Edward, Estefani, Hamad, Helen, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Lufi, Melinda, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Shaad, Summer, Zoe.
June 3, 2023
Check out my video here! https://youtu.be/rDFYVkzr6aA
I am very thankful to have been given an ARC copy from NetGalley and my review will be 100% honest. I am so excited that this was my first ARC and love getting this opportunity.
I am giving this a 4.5 to 5.0 rating. There were things I loved and some things I did not, but overall I really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to continue with the other books.
“We fight so the rest shall not have to.”
This book is about a world where problems are solved by fighting. Martial Arts style fighting. No weapons just hand to hand single combat fighting. This is how the nations solve their problems with one another. This type of fighting is done instead of using weapons of mass destruction, because the world this book is set in, is an advanced technology world.
If a nation’s fighter loses the fight then it is possible that they could have just lost a city or some territory. The stakes are high for these fighters and only a certain type of person is bred to be these fighters. These people are called Grievars and they can become Grievar Knights if they go through the training school and pass. Starting from a young age these Grievars are trained to fight and live for the fight. They are representing their nations and cannot lose.
Murray, one the main characters, was once a knight who won all his fights until he finally lost a fight that caused a huge loss to his nation. Murray now is a Scout and he searches for Grievars who have the potential to go to Lyceum (the school) to train to become a Knight. It is during this scouting that Murray discovers that Cego is different.
Cego is an orphaned boy who is trying to survive this underworld where the fights are weeding out the weak from the strong. I tend to enjoy books where in the beginning the main character is trying to survive this vicious lifestyle and they must become stronger in order to survive. I always enjoy the training scenes. (similar to the books of Night Angel and Rage of Dragons.) I especially enjoyed these beginning scenes because Cego was already a good fighter—he was better than the other boys he was training with—he had already had another master before he came to the underworld. I enjoyed him being this underdog who really was never weak to begin with.
The rest of the book mainly follows Cego, but there are still some scenes with Murray. And this book is action packed. There is constantly a fight taking place. Stakes are always high and you can sense that there is something malicious going on behind the scenes.
This book constantly had my attention and I enjoyed the characters in this book. The author does well in having characters you love and characters you hate that will make your blood pressure rise when you hear them talk. There were a lot of good fight scenes in this book. It was hard for me to picture a lot of these fight scenes because I am not familiar with martial arts fighting. But this did not affect my enjoyment of the scenes.
The other complaint I had was it was hard to picture the world as well. I never really felt like the world and technology was fully described. I understand the world is technologically advanced but I wasn’t really sure what all that entailed or how it was pictured in this world.
The pacing in this book was great, until the end. The end felt abrupt and didn’t flow as well as the rest of the book. There was a spot a few chapters toward the end of the book where it could have ended on a revelation (cliffhanger moment) but it didn’t and instead the book kept going while not even addressing the revelation and time passed in a huge chunk.. it was a little disjointed.
Things I loved: the pacing, characters, flux tattoos (these were so cool!), the fights, the school and the trials. I loved a lot about this book and I would give this a recommendation if you like classic martial arts fighting in a sci-fi world.
I am very thankful to have been given an ARC copy from NetGalley and my review will be 100% honest. I am so excited that this was my first ARC and love getting this opportunity.
I am giving this a 4.5 to 5.0 rating. There were things I loved and some things I did not, but overall I really enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to continue with the other books.
“We fight so the rest shall not have to.”
This book is about a world where problems are solved by fighting. Martial Arts style fighting. No weapons just hand to hand single combat fighting. This is how the nations solve their problems with one another. This type of fighting is done instead of using weapons of mass destruction, because the world this book is set in, is an advanced technology world.
If a nation’s fighter loses the fight then it is possible that they could have just lost a city or some territory. The stakes are high for these fighters and only a certain type of person is bred to be these fighters. These people are called Grievars and they can become Grievar Knights if they go through the training school and pass. Starting from a young age these Grievars are trained to fight and live for the fight. They are representing their nations and cannot lose.
Murray, one the main characters, was once a knight who won all his fights until he finally lost a fight that caused a huge loss to his nation. Murray now is a Scout and he searches for Grievars who have the potential to go to Lyceum (the school) to train to become a Knight. It is during this scouting that Murray discovers that Cego is different.
Cego is an orphaned boy who is trying to survive this underworld where the fights are weeding out the weak from the strong. I tend to enjoy books where in the beginning the main character is trying to survive this vicious lifestyle and they must become stronger in order to survive. I always enjoy the training scenes. (similar to the books of Night Angel and Rage of Dragons.) I especially enjoyed these beginning scenes because Cego was already a good fighter—he was better than the other boys he was training with—he had already had another master before he came to the underworld. I enjoyed him being this underdog who really was never weak to begin with.
The rest of the book mainly follows Cego, but there are still some scenes with Murray. And this book is action packed. There is constantly a fight taking place. Stakes are always high and you can sense that there is something malicious going on behind the scenes.
This book constantly had my attention and I enjoyed the characters in this book. The author does well in having characters you love and characters you hate that will make your blood pressure rise when you hear them talk. There were a lot of good fight scenes in this book. It was hard for me to picture a lot of these fight scenes because I am not familiar with martial arts fighting. But this did not affect my enjoyment of the scenes.
The other complaint I had was it was hard to picture the world as well. I never really felt like the world and technology was fully described. I understand the world is technologically advanced but I wasn’t really sure what all that entailed or how it was pictured in this world.
The pacing in this book was great, until the end. The end felt abrupt and didn’t flow as well as the rest of the book. There was a spot a few chapters toward the end of the book where it could have ended on a revelation (cliffhanger moment) but it didn’t and instead the book kept going while not even addressing the revelation and time passed in a huge chunk.. it was a little disjointed.
Things I loved: the pacing, characters, flux tattoos (these were so cool!), the fights, the school and the trials. I loved a lot about this book and I would give this a recommendation if you like classic martial arts fighting in a sci-fi world.
Read
October 26, 2020I haven't read this book, yet, but it's a finalist in this year's Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off, so it must be good!
See the finalist board here:
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
See the finalist board here:
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
November 27, 2020
Combat Codes
*I read this as it's one of this year's #SPFBO finalists and I'm a judge*
This book is a surprise for me as I really didn't know what I'd think of it when I started. It's a book which is super heavy on fighting, especially Jiu Jitsu inspired fights, and that's not something I'd typically say appeals to me, but man the characters and plot drew me in and even the fight scenes I really enjoyed in the end too.
Cego is our main character and he's a young boy off the streets. He's a character with fight bred into his soul and he has lived all of his life to date with a solid belief in following the Combat Codes to become the best Griever. *He fights so they don't have to*.
His past is a little unclear at first and we learn more about that as we follow him, but I enjoyed the gradual flashbacks and fleshing out of his storyline.
Murray is out other main character, he's a Scout who is supposed to hunt for new talent to be tested and out through the tests to get into elite training. He's a former Griever Knight yet he's becoming disillusioned with the state of his word and the leadership, until he sees Cego.
The magic of this world is a subtle part of it as it's kind of a combination of magic and science. This is clearly a very futuristic world with all the food coming in dehydrated forms and technology far-advanced, but there are some magic-like parts which are the Wisps (balls of light which seem to appear around fights and to certain individuals) and the Circles (a kind of stone/metal-infused blend of science and magic which cause the fighters to go through various neurological effects and emotions).
I really felt like the science and magic combined well here and felt like a natural fit for this world as a whole. It seemed like it was a world which was harsh but also pretty interesting and one I could see existing in some form.
The feudal, war-like culture and honor-based society certainly reminded me of Eastern ideals, but the author specifically cited Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as his inspiration and I found that fascinating. It's obvious the author knows the sport well and takes huge inspiration from this, and it came off as very genuine and relatable even to someone like me who is fairly clueless about the sport.
In the end I think the subtle nuances of some of the characters and the world in general sold this to me. The plot I found a little predictable at times, and some of the gender stereotyping was not the best (although I note the author tried to flip biases this wasn't done as well as I think it could have been), I still highly recommend this even if it's not your usual flavour. It has a dystopian society feeling and I read the entire book in just one day, mostly one session, so it's highly digestible! 4.25*s from me so 8.5/10 overall :)
*I read this as it's one of this year's #SPFBO finalists and I'm a judge*
This book is a surprise for me as I really didn't know what I'd think of it when I started. It's a book which is super heavy on fighting, especially Jiu Jitsu inspired fights, and that's not something I'd typically say appeals to me, but man the characters and plot drew me in and even the fight scenes I really enjoyed in the end too.
Cego is our main character and he's a young boy off the streets. He's a character with fight bred into his soul and he has lived all of his life to date with a solid belief in following the Combat Codes to become the best Griever. *He fights so they don't have to*.
His past is a little unclear at first and we learn more about that as we follow him, but I enjoyed the gradual flashbacks and fleshing out of his storyline.
Murray is out other main character, he's a Scout who is supposed to hunt for new talent to be tested and out through the tests to get into elite training. He's a former Griever Knight yet he's becoming disillusioned with the state of his word and the leadership, until he sees Cego.
The magic of this world is a subtle part of it as it's kind of a combination of magic and science. This is clearly a very futuristic world with all the food coming in dehydrated forms and technology far-advanced, but there are some magic-like parts which are the Wisps (balls of light which seem to appear around fights and to certain individuals) and the Circles (a kind of stone/metal-infused blend of science and magic which cause the fighters to go through various neurological effects and emotions).
I really felt like the science and magic combined well here and felt like a natural fit for this world as a whole. It seemed like it was a world which was harsh but also pretty interesting and one I could see existing in some form.
The feudal, war-like culture and honor-based society certainly reminded me of Eastern ideals, but the author specifically cited Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as his inspiration and I found that fascinating. It's obvious the author knows the sport well and takes huge inspiration from this, and it came off as very genuine and relatable even to someone like me who is fairly clueless about the sport.
In the end I think the subtle nuances of some of the characters and the world in general sold this to me. The plot I found a little predictable at times, and some of the gender stereotyping was not the best (although I note the author tried to flip biases this wasn't done as well as I think it could have been), I still highly recommend this even if it's not your usual flavour. It has a dystopian society feeling and I read the entire book in just one day, mostly one session, so it's highly digestible! 4.25*s from me so 8.5/10 overall :)
May 1, 2023
ARC review. Impressive debut blending martial arts, fantasy and sci-fi, with a well plotted story, compelling main characters and rich lore, which I always enjoy. As someone who does Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, I applaud the author for a realistic portrayal of hand to hand combat while capturing and somehow articulating the essence and beauty of the martial art itself. Surprisingly strong in themes while being an action packed story, I was left feeling a blend of Ender’s Game and Rocky - which is pretty cool if you ask me.
March 30, 2023
Disclaimer: ARC provided by the Negalley in exchange for honest and fair review
“We fight neither to inflict pain nor to prolong suffering. We fight neither to mollify anger nor to satisfy vendetta. We fight neither to accumulate wealth nor to promote social standing. We fight so that the rest shall not have to.”.
The Combat Codes at its core is a martial arts based mentor/mentee storyline with some modern day Mr. Miyagi vibes. As a long time Karate Kid fan I’m 150% down for anything which brings me back to the nostalgic feelings I got the first time I watched that movie. :)
Our mentor is Murray a former Grievar Champion now turned scout who is on his yearly mission to go out and find new talent and bring them back to the Lyceum where their abilities will be tested and if they pass they will be granted admission into the school where they will being their 6 year process of becoming elite grievar warriors.
As for our mentee, that is Cego, an orphan boy who was taken from his home and is forced to fight in the underground Circle battles to improve his social standing while patrons place bets and cheer for blood. Like any sleazy underground racket there are of course traps in place to keep the slaves such as Cego from escaping but he has a few tricks of his own. One such trick not only initially fooled Murray but also his current master.
The author pitches the book as if Harry Potter went to Hogwarts to learn MMA instead of Magic and I think that is what led to some reviews criticizing the book. I personally get why he makes the reference and I do think it makes sense however I think it gives readers the impression the book is more Fantasy based then what it actually is. I personally think the story is more of a blend of both Fantasy and Sci-Fi rather than one or the other as some reviewers have called out. All in all I think the mashup worked and it grabbed a hold of me like a rear naked choke and refused to let go until I finished the story.
After reading the Combat Codes I can clearly see why this book was not only an SPFBO 6 finalist but also why Orbit decided to pick this series up. One of the biggest strengths to this book is the author's authentic background in martial arts. As someone who has been studying and competing in martial arts tournaments since the age of 5 I can wholeheartedly say this book has some of the best fight scenes I have ever read. MMA fans will be drawn in by Darwin’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu background as it really brings each fight sequence to life in a way that you feel like you’re ringside watching the action unfold. It’s fast paced, gritty and most importantly brutality authentic to what someone might experience in the underground fight scene that still goes on to this day all around the world.
Honestly my only gripe with this book is the new cover, it feels very Mortal Kombat-esque, whereas the original cover in my honest opinion fits the plot better and gives the reader a quick glimpse into the soul of the book. I get Orbit was going for more of a Fantasy meets martial arts vibe with the dragon on the cover but it really doesn’t fit and I hope one of the boutique company’s gets the rights to do a special edition cough The Broken Binding cough of this book and either brings back the original cover or something closer aligned too it. Not only is this going to be an instant buy the moment I can get access to a hardcover but I’m also going to be first in line to sign up for an arc for both book 2 and 3 if Netgalley offers them.
“We fight neither to inflict pain nor to prolong suffering. We fight neither to mollify anger nor to satisfy vendetta. We fight neither to accumulate wealth nor to promote social standing. We fight so that the rest shall not have to.”.
The Combat Codes at its core is a martial arts based mentor/mentee storyline with some modern day Mr. Miyagi vibes. As a long time Karate Kid fan I’m 150% down for anything which brings me back to the nostalgic feelings I got the first time I watched that movie. :)
Our mentor is Murray a former Grievar Champion now turned scout who is on his yearly mission to go out and find new talent and bring them back to the Lyceum where their abilities will be tested and if they pass they will be granted admission into the school where they will being their 6 year process of becoming elite grievar warriors.
As for our mentee, that is Cego, an orphan boy who was taken from his home and is forced to fight in the underground Circle battles to improve his social standing while patrons place bets and cheer for blood. Like any sleazy underground racket there are of course traps in place to keep the slaves such as Cego from escaping but he has a few tricks of his own. One such trick not only initially fooled Murray but also his current master.
The author pitches the book as if Harry Potter went to Hogwarts to learn MMA instead of Magic and I think that is what led to some reviews criticizing the book. I personally get why he makes the reference and I do think it makes sense however I think it gives readers the impression the book is more Fantasy based then what it actually is. I personally think the story is more of a blend of both Fantasy and Sci-Fi rather than one or the other as some reviewers have called out. All in all I think the mashup worked and it grabbed a hold of me like a rear naked choke and refused to let go until I finished the story.
After reading the Combat Codes I can clearly see why this book was not only an SPFBO 6 finalist but also why Orbit decided to pick this series up. One of the biggest strengths to this book is the author's authentic background in martial arts. As someone who has been studying and competing in martial arts tournaments since the age of 5 I can wholeheartedly say this book has some of the best fight scenes I have ever read. MMA fans will be drawn in by Darwin’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu background as it really brings each fight sequence to life in a way that you feel like you’re ringside watching the action unfold. It’s fast paced, gritty and most importantly brutality authentic to what someone might experience in the underground fight scene that still goes on to this day all around the world.
Honestly my only gripe with this book is the new cover, it feels very Mortal Kombat-esque, whereas the original cover in my honest opinion fits the plot better and gives the reader a quick glimpse into the soul of the book. I get Orbit was going for more of a Fantasy meets martial arts vibe with the dragon on the cover but it really doesn’t fit and I hope one of the boutique company’s gets the rights to do a special edition cough The Broken Binding cough of this book and either brings back the original cover or something closer aligned too it. Not only is this going to be an instant buy the moment I can get access to a hardcover but I’m also going to be first in line to sign up for an arc for both book 2 and 3 if Netgalley offers them.
Read
May 2, 2023A refreshingly unique take on magic academy epic fantasy.
What if the problems of the world were all solved in a cage? Whether they be wars for territory, or legal squabbles over a stolen purse, every problem is solved by a cage match fought between competitors who are born and raised to fight and die within the magical circles.
Combat Codes follows Cego, a young boy with the spirit to fight, as he earns his spot in the academy, trains, makes friends, and fights his battles in and out of the ring. The book has fairly low stakes, but the set up for the future is there, and I feel the next books will only get more epic.
It's clear the author knows his stuff about fighting. The action is brutal and bloody and somehow manages to be both technical and fast paced and compelling. Really impressively done.
What if the problems of the world were all solved in a cage? Whether they be wars for territory, or legal squabbles over a stolen purse, every problem is solved by a cage match fought between competitors who are born and raised to fight and die within the magical circles.
Combat Codes follows Cego, a young boy with the spirit to fight, as he earns his spot in the academy, trains, makes friends, and fights his battles in and out of the ring. The book has fairly low stakes, but the set up for the future is there, and I feel the next books will only get more epic.
It's clear the author knows his stuff about fighting. The action is brutal and bloody and somehow manages to be both technical and fast paced and compelling. Really impressively done.
February 21, 2023
This book kicks ass - literally and literarily!
February 9, 2021
Here are a few things you can expect from this book :
A martial arts inspired gem;
Excellent and raw fighting sequences;
Master and apprentice vibes;
Incredible military academy; and
Friendships and family.
On to the full review…
I started reading The Combat Codes on January 1st and it was such a great book to start my reading year off with! I LOVE martial arts in all of its forms so to see such a great Jiu Jitsu inspired SFF novel was super cool.
My experience reading The Combat Codes was one of nostalgia, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was such fun! Every time a pointer was given or a stance adjusted I knew what the Cego was feeling, it was a bit of a trip down memory lane for me to be honest. I remember having my hips wobbled and being told to get good and get strong or I would blow away like a leaf in the wind and that my stance wasn’t balanced, my arm was to low, firm taps to my elbows and wrists showing the weak points in my blocks! So this book hit a few great memories I have of Karate and MMA.
“We fight, so the rest shall not have to.”
And man do they fight! This book has some of the finest hand to hand combat I have read, you can totally see Darwin’s in depth knowledge and love of the art in his writing. It is like when you read John Gwynne’s books and you feel so many things in his writing because he has such a vast knowledge of battles and such due to his reenactments and such. So, yeah Darwin knows his shit!
I really loved the characters in this book, they were so well crafted. Cego and Murray are brilliant in their own rights but not only that, Darwin has created a world of fabulous characters even the ones that are not massive parts of the plot. They each add something different, they all had something they learnt from their own history that was imparted in someway onto our main characters. Each character, big or small, had a clear and distinguishable personality.
Another thing I really enjoyed in this book was the unraveling of Cego’s past, he is pretty mysterious at first and it was a joy to learn more about the role he has to play and where he has come from.
I think while this books world definitely feels more sci-fi in nature with it technological advancements but one of its keys components, the alloys, were so magical in my eyes. There were like a magic system in their own science-like way. Though, I don’t plan to say much in resect of these because they are such a joy to learn about.
There is quite a lot to this story, it has so many elements and little twists and it is enjoyable. Though, it did feel uneven at times. Yet the plot never stopped moving, it was always progressing and it was so fun to keep moving forward with such incredible characters but I sometimes felt like I lacked direction overall. Each section had its own direction but I felt the overall plot was slightly uneven.
The Combat Codes is an entertaining story, and its character are some of my favourite to read. Darwin has created a fascinating world and I will definitely be reading book two.
THE RANKS:
BUY THE HARDBACK | BUY THE PAPERBACK | BUY THE EBOOK | LIBRARY RENTAL OR SALE PURCHASE
BUY THE PAPERBACK! This is an easy one for me, I read this on Kindle through my Kindle Unlimited subscription and will very soon be purchasing the PB of this book with its brand new amazing COVER!
A martial arts inspired gem;
Excellent and raw fighting sequences;
Master and apprentice vibes;
Incredible military academy; and
Friendships and family.
On to the full review…
I started reading The Combat Codes on January 1st and it was such a great book to start my reading year off with! I LOVE martial arts in all of its forms so to see such a great Jiu Jitsu inspired SFF novel was super cool.
My experience reading The Combat Codes was one of nostalgia, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was such fun! Every time a pointer was given or a stance adjusted I knew what the Cego was feeling, it was a bit of a trip down memory lane for me to be honest. I remember having my hips wobbled and being told to get good and get strong or I would blow away like a leaf in the wind and that my stance wasn’t balanced, my arm was to low, firm taps to my elbows and wrists showing the weak points in my blocks! So this book hit a few great memories I have of Karate and MMA.
“We fight, so the rest shall not have to.”
And man do they fight! This book has some of the finest hand to hand combat I have read, you can totally see Darwin’s in depth knowledge and love of the art in his writing. It is like when you read John Gwynne’s books and you feel so many things in his writing because he has such a vast knowledge of battles and such due to his reenactments and such. So, yeah Darwin knows his shit!
I really loved the characters in this book, they were so well crafted. Cego and Murray are brilliant in their own rights but not only that, Darwin has created a world of fabulous characters even the ones that are not massive parts of the plot. They each add something different, they all had something they learnt from their own history that was imparted in someway onto our main characters. Each character, big or small, had a clear and distinguishable personality.
Another thing I really enjoyed in this book was the unraveling of Cego’s past, he is pretty mysterious at first and it was a joy to learn more about the role he has to play and where he has come from.
I think while this books world definitely feels more sci-fi in nature with it technological advancements but one of its keys components, the alloys, were so magical in my eyes. There were like a magic system in their own science-like way. Though, I don’t plan to say much in resect of these because they are such a joy to learn about.
There is quite a lot to this story, it has so many elements and little twists and it is enjoyable. Though, it did feel uneven at times. Yet the plot never stopped moving, it was always progressing and it was so fun to keep moving forward with such incredible characters but I sometimes felt like I lacked direction overall. Each section had its own direction but I felt the overall plot was slightly uneven.
The Combat Codes is an entertaining story, and its character are some of my favourite to read. Darwin has created a fascinating world and I will definitely be reading book two.
THE RANKS:
BUY THE HARDBACK | BUY THE PAPERBACK | BUY THE EBOOK | LIBRARY RENTAL OR SALE PURCHASE
BUY THE PAPERBACK! This is an easy one for me, I read this on Kindle through my Kindle Unlimited subscription and will very soon be purchasing the PB of this book with its brand new amazing COVER!
July 9, 2020
“We fight, so the rest shall not have to.”
The Combat Codes is set in a dystopian society where one-on-one, MMA style combat replaced war. It blends fantasy, sci-fi, cyberpunk, martial arts, and more.
Murray Pearson, a former Grievar champion, works as a scout. While looking for potential recruits in the slave circles, he spots an adolescent boy, Cego, with remarkable martial skills and honorable attitude. He introduces him to the Lyceum where promising teenagers learn martial techniques and compete with each other.
There’s much more to the story, but revealing it would spoil things for you. The book plays with the tropes (magic school, chosen one, master/apprentice) and while it doesn’t spin them around, it avoids obvious twists. It contains plenty of well-written and well-choreographed hand to hand battles. Some of them are brutal and graphic, but never gratuitously.
The fights take place in circles made of “alloys” that influence fighters in unique ways (for example, auralite makes you want to please the crows and rubellium rises anger). A great and well-executed concept. The government uses neurotech to enhance their fighters, but their machinations may run even deeper. I would say Darwin succeeded at connecting Cego’s journey of self-discovery with a much more complex plot of interplanetary politics and balance of power.
Despite young age, Cego acts like a wise adult with plenty of life-experience. He’s competent, honorable, and acceptably special. His teammates/enemies play well-known roles present in most magic/fight school setting (a bully, a mannered nobleman, good-natured bag of muscles, etc.). Most of them are memorable and well-rounded (it’s impossible to dislike Dozer or Abel); only Shiar, the bully, suffers from a profound lack of depth. He’s, basically, a caricature of a mean and arrogant douchebag.
I applaud Darwin’s approach to structuring scenes - Cego’s plans often end in a disaster, and it keeps things exciting. He faces all possible adversities (physical and emotional injuries, terrifying discoveries, a threat to him and those close to him), and reacts accordingly to get out of a jam. It also means the story ends in a cliffhanger, but not of the type that would make you furious. Quite the opposite.
“We fight neither to inflict pain nor prolong suffering. We fight neither to mollify anger nor to satisfy vendetta. We fight neither to accumulate wealth nor to promote social standing. We fight so that the rest shall not have to.”
The Combat Codes draws abundantly from martial arts movies and it embraces both awesome and cheesy staples of the genre. I had great fun reading it and found it exciting throughout. A must for fans of well-paced and mindful martial arts stories.
The Combat Codes is set in a dystopian society where one-on-one, MMA style combat replaced war. It blends fantasy, sci-fi, cyberpunk, martial arts, and more.
Murray Pearson, a former Grievar champion, works as a scout. While looking for potential recruits in the slave circles, he spots an adolescent boy, Cego, with remarkable martial skills and honorable attitude. He introduces him to the Lyceum where promising teenagers learn martial techniques and compete with each other.
There’s much more to the story, but revealing it would spoil things for you. The book plays with the tropes (magic school, chosen one, master/apprentice) and while it doesn’t spin them around, it avoids obvious twists. It contains plenty of well-written and well-choreographed hand to hand battles. Some of them are brutal and graphic, but never gratuitously.
The fights take place in circles made of “alloys” that influence fighters in unique ways (for example, auralite makes you want to please the crows and rubellium rises anger). A great and well-executed concept. The government uses neurotech to enhance their fighters, but their machinations may run even deeper. I would say Darwin succeeded at connecting Cego’s journey of self-discovery with a much more complex plot of interplanetary politics and balance of power.
Despite young age, Cego acts like a wise adult with plenty of life-experience. He’s competent, honorable, and acceptably special. His teammates/enemies play well-known roles present in most magic/fight school setting (a bully, a mannered nobleman, good-natured bag of muscles, etc.). Most of them are memorable and well-rounded (it’s impossible to dislike Dozer or Abel); only Shiar, the bully, suffers from a profound lack of depth. He’s, basically, a caricature of a mean and arrogant douchebag.
I applaud Darwin’s approach to structuring scenes - Cego’s plans often end in a disaster, and it keeps things exciting. He faces all possible adversities (physical and emotional injuries, terrifying discoveries, a threat to him and those close to him), and reacts accordingly to get out of a jam. It also means the story ends in a cliffhanger, but not of the type that would make you furious. Quite the opposite.
“We fight neither to inflict pain nor prolong suffering. We fight neither to mollify anger nor to satisfy vendetta. We fight neither to accumulate wealth nor to promote social standing. We fight so that the rest shall not have to.”
The Combat Codes draws abundantly from martial arts movies and it embraces both awesome and cheesy staples of the genre. I had great fun reading it and found it exciting throughout. A must for fans of well-paced and mindful martial arts stories.
April 20, 2021
Review to be posted on The Fantasy Hive for SPFBO 6
February 4, 2021
Rating: 7.5/10
Thanks to the author for a listening copy of The Combat Codes for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.
We fight neither to inflict pain nor to prolong suffering. We fight neither to mollify anger nor to satisfy vendetta. We fight neither to accumulate wealth nor to promote social standing. We fight so that the rest shall not have to.
The Combat Codes is a love letter to martial arts with a dystopian sci-fi Ushiro Geri to the solar plexus. Darwin has written a splendid debut that takes a handful of tropes we see across SFF and breathes new life into them. I can definitely see why he is a SPFBO finalist with this entry.
You know, indies have come a long way in recent years and you have to wonder why they still don’t get the attention they deserve. We used to think the cover art game just wasn’t there, but you can’t say that anymore. I MEAN LOOK AT THAT COVER BY THE WONDERFUL FELIX ORTIZ. I can definitely attest to the fact that it isn’t the writing, so I guess it has to do with marketing or social media. The masses just aren’t there for most, so it is up to competitions like SPFBO and the book bloggers of the world to help boost these fantastic titles up as much as possible.
What Darwin excels at with this novel is hand-to-hand combat. I mean, my goodness, every single fight is calculated; measured to the Nth degree with precision. You feel the impact of each hit, taste the blood and sweat from the combatants, and see just how brutal this world is. Cego is a very intriguing character, much like Ender Wiggin, as he is calm and calculated rather than bullheaded. Though the end results aren’t always there, he is constantly learning from his mistakes while balancing out risk vs reward. I quite enjoyed seeing his progression, as well as the bit of backstory the author chose to reveal.
The only drawbacks came with some of the secondary characters. Many felt very surface and I hope that with the continuation of the series, they get a little more light shined on them. They are a little tropey as you can expect from most of your “magical school / coming of age” type stories, but Darwin doesn’t take a cliff dive into painting the same arcs we’ve seen time and time again. I also want to see the world fleshed out a little more; maybe broaden the landscape a bit and allow for more exploration.
This a story I believe will resonate with fans of, say, Harry Potter, Ender’s Game, Red Rising and maybe Will Wight’s ‘Cradle’ series. It is a very enjoyable debut and I look forward to Book 2 (and its snazzy new cover).
Thanks to the author for a listening copy of The Combat Codes for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.
We fight neither to inflict pain nor to prolong suffering. We fight neither to mollify anger nor to satisfy vendetta. We fight neither to accumulate wealth nor to promote social standing. We fight so that the rest shall not have to.
The Combat Codes is a love letter to martial arts with a dystopian sci-fi Ushiro Geri to the solar plexus. Darwin has written a splendid debut that takes a handful of tropes we see across SFF and breathes new life into them. I can definitely see why he is a SPFBO finalist with this entry.
You know, indies have come a long way in recent years and you have to wonder why they still don’t get the attention they deserve. We used to think the cover art game just wasn’t there, but you can’t say that anymore. I MEAN LOOK AT THAT COVER BY THE WONDERFUL FELIX ORTIZ. I can definitely attest to the fact that it isn’t the writing, so I guess it has to do with marketing or social media. The masses just aren’t there for most, so it is up to competitions like SPFBO and the book bloggers of the world to help boost these fantastic titles up as much as possible.
What Darwin excels at with this novel is hand-to-hand combat. I mean, my goodness, every single fight is calculated; measured to the Nth degree with precision. You feel the impact of each hit, taste the blood and sweat from the combatants, and see just how brutal this world is. Cego is a very intriguing character, much like Ender Wiggin, as he is calm and calculated rather than bullheaded. Though the end results aren’t always there, he is constantly learning from his mistakes while balancing out risk vs reward. I quite enjoyed seeing his progression, as well as the bit of backstory the author chose to reveal.
The only drawbacks came with some of the secondary characters. Many felt very surface and I hope that with the continuation of the series, they get a little more light shined on them. They are a little tropey as you can expect from most of your “magical school / coming of age” type stories, but Darwin doesn’t take a cliff dive into painting the same arcs we’ve seen time and time again. I also want to see the world fleshed out a little more; maybe broaden the landscape a bit and allow for more exploration.
This a story I believe will resonate with fans of, say, Harry Potter, Ender’s Game, Red Rising and maybe Will Wight’s ‘Cradle’ series. It is a very enjoyable debut and I look forward to Book 2 (and its snazzy new cover).
October 28, 2020
4.5
Tremendous debut from Alexander Darwin. Best written hand to hand combat in all of the genre with original world building and a fast paced mysterious plot. He took legit Martial arts and made it the real magic of this world and it works. Will definitely be reading book two!
Tremendous debut from Alexander Darwin. Best written hand to hand combat in all of the genre with original world building and a fast paced mysterious plot. He took legit Martial arts and made it the real magic of this world and it works. Will definitely be reading book two!
June 1, 2023
3.5-4
What a wild ride! Combat Codes steps into the circle and throws punches in the first few chapters, dropping us into a world where political grievances, territorial disputes, and everything else are decided not with armies, but with brutal one on one matches between fighters called Grievar.
Darwin's experience in martial arts is a foundational piece of this story, and the attention to detail and the realistic portrayal of combat is incredibly focused. I will say that there were some moments where I felt like the technical detail took away from the story a little, which simply comes down to me not having the same foundational knowledge and experience as the author or other readers who come from a martial arts background.
At the onset, I was expecting the story to be told primarily from the point of view of Murray, a former Grievar hero who ended his career on a negative note. Murray does play a major role in the story, but the primary focus is on the young man he takes under his wing, Cego.
Because of this, the first book takes more of a coming of age vibe than I was expecting. While I enjoyed Cego and the motley crew he slowly gathers throughout the story, there was a lot of "schoolyard bully" aspect to his journey that I did grow a bit tired of. The characterization of many of the side antagonists felt a bit shallow and frustrating. And there were a few times when motives were muddy or convenient.
That being said, Cego's character and the motley crew of characters around him I quite enjoyed. The reveals that Darwin drops in the end of the book really bring everything full circle and were well done.
Definitely a solid read for anyone who is looking for a fast-paced, action heavy coming of age story with heartwarming characters, found family themes, and great ending reveals.
What a wild ride! Combat Codes steps into the circle and throws punches in the first few chapters, dropping us into a world where political grievances, territorial disputes, and everything else are decided not with armies, but with brutal one on one matches between fighters called Grievar.
Darwin's experience in martial arts is a foundational piece of this story, and the attention to detail and the realistic portrayal of combat is incredibly focused. I will say that there were some moments where I felt like the technical detail took away from the story a little, which simply comes down to me not having the same foundational knowledge and experience as the author or other readers who come from a martial arts background.
At the onset, I was expecting the story to be told primarily from the point of view of Murray, a former Grievar hero who ended his career on a negative note. Murray does play a major role in the story, but the primary focus is on the young man he takes under his wing, Cego.
Because of this, the first book takes more of a coming of age vibe than I was expecting. While I enjoyed Cego and the motley crew he slowly gathers throughout the story, there was a lot of "schoolyard bully" aspect to his journey that I did grow a bit tired of. The characterization of many of the side antagonists felt a bit shallow and frustrating. And there were a few times when motives were muddy or convenient.
That being said, Cego's character and the motley crew of characters around him I quite enjoyed. The reveals that Darwin drops in the end of the book really bring everything full circle and were well done.
Definitely a solid read for anyone who is looking for a fast-paced, action heavy coming of age story with heartwarming characters, found family themes, and great ending reveals.
March 2, 2023
Combat Codes is a well-paced sci-fi brimming with action, brutality, thoughtfulness and heart. From ruthless underworld to storm-harried, glistening academy, every fight is clear and visceral, and I couldn’t help but be ensnared by the mystery and tension woven throughout. I can’t wait for the next chapter in Cego’s journey!
July 27, 2020
ETA: Read a second time and found it as charming as the first, and easier to follow being somewhat familiar with the world. Will be heading into the sequel soon.
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway. Reading the description I didn't really expect to like it. I'm not into martial arts in the slightest and I was anticipating something needlessly violent and brutish. I was very wrong.
What I ended up reading was intricate, balanced and emotional. The Grievar, the fighters of the world, are a varied and rich group. The main characters, Cego and Murray, show amazing depth of character. These brutes built to fight were compassionate, noble and kind. Right from the beginning I was rooting for them.
The society outlined in this book is fascinating. We see a world where wars and disputes are whittled down to a single match between two Champions. This way of settling differences designed to limit the loss of life. It's a fascinating concept and it was well worked here. However, just like with all things, what is begun with good intentions often turns monstrous.
The relationships in the book are well done. The secondary characters have depth and add contrast to the story. I found myself laughing out loud and fighting back tears at certain points. The emotions the author was able to create, in what could have been a blindingly violent book, were stunning.
The science-fiction aspects of this book were also fascinating. I'm not generally a lover of science-fiction, but this story had a great balance. The spartan lifestyle of the Greivar contrasted nicely with the tech saturated world of the Daimyo. The concepts of the fighting circles and flux tattoos were interesting and added nice imagery.
One of the most fascinating pieces of the story was the Combat Codes themselves, from which the book gets it's title. At the beginning of each chapter we see an excerpt from these Codes. The book opens with the very first precept of the Codes:
"We fight neither to inflict pain nor prolong suffering. We fight neither to mollify anger nor to satisfy vendetta. We fight neither to accumulate wealth nor to promote social standing. We fight so that the rest shall not have to."
This is the fundamental principle that Cego and Murray fight to uphold throughout the book. This is the basis for the Codes that they live their lives by. Watching them navigate a world where others are forgetting the Codes is both heart-warming and heart-breaking.
The only reason I held back from the fifth star was a minor lack of world-building. The Spectrals in the story are fascinating, but it's hard to really get a grasp on what they and how they exist in the world. Similarly, I had a little trouble sorting out the differences in the geography of the world. It started coming together the further I got in, but left me a little puzzled at the beginning, which was a bit distracting.
Overall, I highly recommend this story and will be impatiently awaiting a sequel.
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway. Reading the description I didn't really expect to like it. I'm not into martial arts in the slightest and I was anticipating something needlessly violent and brutish. I was very wrong.
What I ended up reading was intricate, balanced and emotional. The Grievar, the fighters of the world, are a varied and rich group. The main characters, Cego and Murray, show amazing depth of character. These brutes built to fight were compassionate, noble and kind. Right from the beginning I was rooting for them.
The society outlined in this book is fascinating. We see a world where wars and disputes are whittled down to a single match between two Champions. This way of settling differences designed to limit the loss of life. It's a fascinating concept and it was well worked here. However, just like with all things, what is begun with good intentions often turns monstrous.
The relationships in the book are well done. The secondary characters have depth and add contrast to the story. I found myself laughing out loud and fighting back tears at certain points. The emotions the author was able to create, in what could have been a blindingly violent book, were stunning.
The science-fiction aspects of this book were also fascinating. I'm not generally a lover of science-fiction, but this story had a great balance. The spartan lifestyle of the Greivar contrasted nicely with the tech saturated world of the Daimyo. The concepts of the fighting circles and flux tattoos were interesting and added nice imagery.
One of the most fascinating pieces of the story was the Combat Codes themselves, from which the book gets it's title. At the beginning of each chapter we see an excerpt from these Codes. The book opens with the very first precept of the Codes:
"We fight neither to inflict pain nor prolong suffering. We fight neither to mollify anger nor to satisfy vendetta. We fight neither to accumulate wealth nor to promote social standing. We fight so that the rest shall not have to."
This is the fundamental principle that Cego and Murray fight to uphold throughout the book. This is the basis for the Codes that they live their lives by. Watching them navigate a world where others are forgetting the Codes is both heart-warming and heart-breaking.
The only reason I held back from the fifth star was a minor lack of world-building. The Spectrals in the story are fascinating, but it's hard to really get a grasp on what they and how they exist in the world. Similarly, I had a little trouble sorting out the differences in the geography of the world. It started coming together the further I got in, but left me a little puzzled at the beginning, which was a bit distracting.
Overall, I highly recommend this story and will be impatiently awaiting a sequel.
July 8, 2021
Solid popcorn entertainment that I breezed through pretty quickly. The setting is interesting, it’s a dystopian future world where single combat has replaced war. As a result the entire culture is built around MMA style fighting.
We follow a kid fighting in the slave rings. The plot itself is a little predictable, which robbed some of the tension from the narrative. It was still lots of fun to read though. The fights are often and exciting, written by someone who seems to know the topic well.
There are some minor gripes, like not being shown much of the wider world or having a super clear antagonist, but the book was overall just fun.
We follow a kid fighting in the slave rings. The plot itself is a little predictable, which robbed some of the tension from the narrative. It was still lots of fun to read though. The fights are often and exciting, written by someone who seems to know the topic well.
There are some minor gripes, like not being shown much of the wider world or having a super clear antagonist, but the book was overall just fun.
August 2, 2020
SPFBO6 semifinalist review forthcoming
March 5, 2021
Are you a Potterhead and a MMA fan? Have I got a book for you.! Yes, that is a small niche crowd. Still, I like the character and the world. A caste like culture built around the arena, where single combat decides borders and status. I was on the fence for about the halfway point when the story picked up steam and finished well with some interesting concepts. In fact, I was a bit disappointed when the story ended but book #2 Grievar's Blood is out and picked that up because I want to see how it all ends.
February 9, 2021
Here are a few things you can expect from this book :
A martial arts inspired gem;
Excellent and raw fighting sequences;
Master and apprentice vibes;
Incredible military academy; and
Friendships and family.
On to the full review…
I started reading The Combat Codes on January 1st and it was such a great book to start my reading year off with! I LOVE martial arts in all of its forms so to see such a great Jiu Jitsu inspired SFF novel was super cool.
My experience reading The Combat Codes was one of nostalgia, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was such fun! Every time a pointer was given or a stance adjusted I knew what the Cego was feeling, it was a bit of a trip down memory lane for me to be honest. I remember having my hips wobbled and being told to get good and get strong or I would blow away like a leaf in the wind and that my stance wasn’t balanced, my arm was to low, firm taps to my elbows and wrists showing the weak points in my blocks! So this book hit a few great memories I have of Karate and MMA.
“We fight, so the rest shall not have to.”
And man do they fight! This book has some of the finest hand to hand combat I have read, you can totally see Darwin’s in depth knowledge and love of the art in his writing. It is like when you read John Gwynne’s books and you feel so many things in his writing because he has such a vast knowledge of battles and such due to his reenactments and such. So, yeah Darwin knows his shit!
I really loved the characters in this book, they were so well crafted. Cego and Murray are brilliant in their own rights but not only that, Darwin has created a world of fabulous characters even the ones that are not massive parts of the plot. They each add something different, they all had something they learnt from their own history that was imparted in someway onto our main characters. Each character, big or small, had a clear and distinguishable personality.
Another thing I really enjoyed in this book was the unraveling of Cego’s past, he is pretty mysterious at first and it was a joy to learn more about the role he has to play and where he has come from.
I think while this books world definitely feels more sci-fi in nature with it technological advancements but one of its keys components, the alloys, were so magical in my eyes. There were like a magic system in their own science-like way. Though, I don’t plan to say much in resect of these because they are such a joy to learn about.
There is quite a lot to this story, it has so many elements and little twists and it is enjoyable. Though, it did feel uneven at times. Yet the plot never stopped moving, it was always progressing and it was so fun to keep moving forward with such incredible characters but I sometimes felt like I lacked direction overall. Each section had its own direction but I felt the overall plot was slightly uneven.
The Combat Codes is an entertaining story, and its character are some of my favourite to read. Darwin has created a fascinating world and I will definitely be reading book two.
THE RANKS:
BUY THE HARDBACK | BUY THE PAPERBACK | BUY THE EBOOK | LIBRARY RENTAL OR SALE PURCHASE
BUY THE PAPERBACK! This is an easy one for me, I read this on Kindle through my Kindle Unlimited subscription and will very soon be purchasing the PB of this book with its brand new amazing COVER!
A martial arts inspired gem;
Excellent and raw fighting sequences;
Master and apprentice vibes;
Incredible military academy; and
Friendships and family.
On to the full review…
I started reading The Combat Codes on January 1st and it was such a great book to start my reading year off with! I LOVE martial arts in all of its forms so to see such a great Jiu Jitsu inspired SFF novel was super cool.
My experience reading The Combat Codes was one of nostalgia, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was such fun! Every time a pointer was given or a stance adjusted I knew what the Cego was feeling, it was a bit of a trip down memory lane for me to be honest. I remember having my hips wobbled and being told to get good and get strong or I would blow away like a leaf in the wind and that my stance wasn’t balanced, my arm was to low, firm taps to my elbows and wrists showing the weak points in my blocks! So this book hit a few great memories I have of Karate and MMA.
“We fight, so the rest shall not have to.”
And man do they fight! This book has some of the finest hand to hand combat I have read, you can totally see Darwin’s in depth knowledge and love of the art in his writing. It is like when you read John Gwynne’s books and you feel so many things in his writing because he has such a vast knowledge of battles and such due to his reenactments and such. So, yeah Darwin knows his shit!
I really loved the characters in this book, they were so well crafted. Cego and Murray are brilliant in their own rights but not only that, Darwin has created a world of fabulous characters even the ones that are not massive parts of the plot. They each add something different, they all had something they learnt from their own history that was imparted in someway onto our main characters. Each character, big or small, had a clear and distinguishable personality.
Another thing I really enjoyed in this book was the unraveling of Cego’s past, he is pretty mysterious at first and it was a joy to learn more about the role he has to play and where he has come from.
I think while this books world definitely feels more sci-fi in nature with it technological advancements but one of its keys components, the alloys, were so magical in my eyes. There were like a magic system in their own science-like way. Though, I don’t plan to say much in resect of these because they are such a joy to learn about.
There is quite a lot to this story, it has so many elements and little twists and it is enjoyable. Though, it did feel uneven at times. Yet the plot never stopped moving, it was always progressing and it was so fun to keep moving forward with such incredible characters but I sometimes felt like I lacked direction overall. Each section had its own direction but I felt the overall plot was slightly uneven.
The Combat Codes is an entertaining story, and its character are some of my favourite to read. Darwin has created a fascinating world and I will definitely be reading book two.
THE RANKS:
BUY THE HARDBACK | BUY THE PAPERBACK | BUY THE EBOOK | LIBRARY RENTAL OR SALE PURCHASE
BUY THE PAPERBACK! This is an easy one for me, I read this on Kindle through my Kindle Unlimited subscription and will very soon be purchasing the PB of this book with its brand new amazing COVER!
January 25, 2021
If you liked the power-progression fun of Cradle, Mage Errant, or Warforged: Stormweaver, then this will be for you! It's fast-paced, interesting, and features a low-key futuristic world of high-tech and low-tech single combat that I can't wait to explore further in the next book.
The combat (of which there is a lot of) is spot-on: realistic, brutal and detailed without getting overly technical. It hits the sweet spot between accuracy and fast pace. For me, I really enjoyed reading a book without swords and ranged weapons.
The combat (of which there is a lot of) is spot-on: realistic, brutal and detailed without getting overly technical. It hits the sweet spot between accuracy and fast pace. For me, I really enjoyed reading a book without swords and ranged weapons.
November 27, 2020
Review coming in January!
March 1, 2021
So this was a fun book great action pretty good story and characters I really liked the world and the fresh new way war is waged instead of guns and soldiers of war you have kids that fight for there different nations I really like the narration of the audiobook it was fantastic I can’t wait to read the next to in the series and see more from the new up coming independent author
July 21, 2021
This was a fun, interesting book. It reminded me a lot of Red Rising and the Hunger Games. Kids forced to fight in single combat that derides the fate of nations. While they are not necessarily to the death, it does happen. The combat is really fun, MMA style with a lot of attention to detail. You can really see that the author knows a lot about this, and it shows.
The plot is fairly straight forward, a few twists that were in there. It did start one mystery that caused me to skip forward, only reading one characters plot line until I found the answer. The last series that caused me to do that was Game of Thrones, so it did grip me. However, the cast came off a bit stale for half the book, and it took me a while to really get into it. Once I did, I was hooked.
Very enjoyable book, and if you are a fan of MMA then this is for you.
The plot is fairly straight forward, a few twists that were in there. It did start one mystery that caused me to skip forward, only reading one characters plot line until I found the answer. The last series that caused me to do that was Game of Thrones, so it did grip me. However, the cast came off a bit stale for half the book, and it took me a while to really get into it. Once I did, I was hooked.
Very enjoyable book, and if you are a fan of MMA then this is for you.
December 26, 2020
Combat Codes is currently an SPFBO Finalist (one of my competitors!) and it absolutely deserves its seat at the table.
In this mashup of Ender's Game and Red Rising, Darwin gathers a few well-worn tropes and weaves them together masterfully to create a gripping, fast-paced story. As someone who wrestled for four years, every takedown released a flood of fond memories and every arm bar a memorial shudder. The fight scenes are flawless flashes of real-world brutality. Like Ender Wiggins, you read not to see IF he will win, but HOW.
I'll leave this review short and sweet. You should absolutely read this book. It's fun, brutal, and the rich world is creative and intriguing. Book two is a quick add to my TBR.
In this mashup of Ender's Game and Red Rising, Darwin gathers a few well-worn tropes and weaves them together masterfully to create a gripping, fast-paced story. As someone who wrestled for four years, every takedown released a flood of fond memories and every arm bar a memorial shudder. The fight scenes are flawless flashes of real-world brutality. Like Ender Wiggins, you read not to see IF he will win, but HOW.
I'll leave this review short and sweet. You should absolutely read this book. It's fun, brutal, and the rich world is creative and intriguing. Book two is a quick add to my TBR.
July 9, 2020
Full review to be posted later
This book was quite different from all of the rest of the titles in my batch and it started slowly and was full of tropes. However it had heart and focused on Cego a young lad who’s discovered by Murray Pearson whose job as a Greivar scout is to unearthen hidden warriors. From then on we get a rousing tale wherein many one-on-one battles are fought. Plus with likeable characters as well as a mystery about the protagonist’s past, this debut story really grabbed my attention and I was able to read without taking any breaks. This story was an action-packed one and the characters even though while sticking to a bit to tropes are written refreshingly well.
December 9, 2020
I read this in two nights during downtime at work. That is how good it was for me, I couldn't stop picking this back up between doing my job and not even after getting home at 6am from my 12 hour shift - I had to know more, delve deeper into this world.
Who knew reading such detailed descriptions of Ju-Jitsu moves would be so incredibly thoughtful, immersive, and leave you wanting more fights? Not me, that's for sure. This Sci-Fi with touches of the fantastical and a whole lot of...dare I say...heart, pulled me in and didn't let go until the final pages. Set in a world with no more wars where those below you fight for you. "We fight so they don't have to" is a reoccurring theme and mantra of those they call the Grievars. Who is They? Why do the Grievars really fight? What is happening? Who is Cego, really? Why is Murray so invested? You find out, sort of. It leaves you wanting more, it makes you want to take a deep dive and find the truths beneath it all, into the psyche of those who built this world to be the way it is. The Combat Codes was an interesting experience, and that is all I can really call it - an experience. Different. Imaginative. Brutal. Progressive. Thoughtful. Exciting.
A wonderful 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 because I want to keep reading more from this author and keep learning about the other characters, their motivations, and the rest of the world.
Who knew reading such detailed descriptions of Ju-Jitsu moves would be so incredibly thoughtful, immersive, and leave you wanting more fights? Not me, that's for sure. This Sci-Fi with touches of the fantastical and a whole lot of...dare I say...heart, pulled me in and didn't let go until the final pages. Set in a world with no more wars where those below you fight for you. "We fight so they don't have to" is a reoccurring theme and mantra of those they call the Grievars. Who is They? Why do the Grievars really fight? What is happening? Who is Cego, really? Why is Murray so invested? You find out, sort of. It leaves you wanting more, it makes you want to take a deep dive and find the truths beneath it all, into the psyche of those who built this world to be the way it is. The Combat Codes was an interesting experience, and that is all I can really call it - an experience. Different. Imaginative. Brutal. Progressive. Thoughtful. Exciting.
A wonderful 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 because I want to keep reading more from this author and keep learning about the other characters, their motivations, and the rest of the world.
January 1, 2021
We fight so that the rest will not have to!
What a book to kick 2021 of with! A wonderful blend of sci-fi and fantasy with some of the best fight scenes I have ever read. I was intrigued by the magic system, and a well paced exciting story is waiting for you. A more in-depth review will be available soon as part of the SPFBO.
What a book to kick 2021 of with! A wonderful blend of sci-fi and fantasy with some of the best fight scenes I have ever read. I was intrigued by the magic system, and a well paced exciting story is waiting for you. A more in-depth review will be available soon as part of the SPFBO.
September 26, 2021
4.5 ⭐️
Such a exciting read and fast paced. I love reading the fighting sequences and this didn’t disappoint. my favourite parts to read were definitely the trails and after. I really wasn’t expecting to so many twists and turns and the mystery to be so interesting. The ending really opened up the world and I’m very excited to read the sequel.
Such a exciting read and fast paced. I love reading the fighting sequences and this didn’t disappoint. my favourite parts to read were definitely the trails and after. I really wasn’t expecting to so many twists and turns and the mystery to be so interesting. The ending really opened up the world and I’m very excited to read the sequel.
February 10, 2021
Not my usual reading material but . I quite enjoyed this one. Good steady worldbuilding, decently believable flawed characters. Excellent combat scenes written by an author who loves what he's writing.
A worthy contender in spfbo 6 finals.
A worthy contender in spfbo 6 finals.
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