Oh hai. Is this where I put the caveat that, normally, I’m not a huge fan of epic fantasy?
Because I’m not. Or I haven’t been. Lately, I’ve been trying to give things another go rather than writing them off, so here we are. John Gwynne’s The Faithful and the Fallen has been recommended to me I don’t know how many times, so I decided to finally pick up this series. You know, because … logic?
The Of Blood and Bone series takes place in the same world as The Faithful and the Fallen, but about 130 years later. You do not need to have read the first series in order to read this series.
And thank goodness for that, because this books are long, but deservedly so. I think you’d get more from all the small mentions and history and lore if you read the previous series first, but I didn’t, and it was still super easy to fall into this world.
A Time of Dread is an epic, gory book about discovering who you are, in a world where the Ben-Elim rule, the Kadoshim threaten, and the humans and giants are caught in a no-win situation between the two.
A Time of Blood expands that to an all-out war, with detailed fight scene after fight scene and lots of strategy. Where the previous book was about discovering one’s self, this one is about learning where you belong.
I went in thinking I would enjoy the books, obviously, but I didn’t think I would love them. And boy how I was wrong. Despite their length, I absolutely devoured these books. I’m not even one for gory, bloody works, and yet, I gave this a pass, because it was worth it.
A Time of Dread (Of Blood and Bone, #1)
by John GwynneAlso by this author: A Time of Courage (Blood and Bone, #3)
Published by: Orbit on February 20, 2018
Genres: Epic Fantasy, Fantasy
Pages: 463
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Acclaimed epic fantasy author John Gwynne returns with the first book in a new trilogy, perfect for fans of George R. R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson, and David Gemmell.
"A Time of Dread reminds me of why I became a fantasy enthusiast in the first place."--Robin Hobb
A race of warrior angels, the Ben-Elim, once vanquished a mighty demon horde. Now they rule the Banished lands, but their peace is brutally enforced.In the south, hotheaded Riv is desperate to join the Ben-Elim's peacekeeping force, until she unearths a deadly secret.In the west, the giantess Sig investigates demon sightings and discovers signs of an uprising and black magic.And in the snowbound north, Drem, a trapper, finds mutilated corpses in the forests. The work of a predator, or something far darker?It's a time of shifting loyalties and world-changing dangers. Difficult choices need to be made. Because in the shadows, demons are gathering, waiting for their time to rise...
Many thanks to Orbit for a review copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
❧ I sometimes have a hard time getting into epic fantasy worlds, but this … this one I fell head-over-heels into without a problem.
Gwynne sure has a way of bringing a world to life. Even without having read his previous series, which officially establishes this world, I was able to get a real good feel for it. I didn’t even realize there was a map in the front until I finished with the first book, and I was surprised that the way I had pictured it was pretty dead-on. That never happens for me, because I really struggle with that sort of thing. Geography is very much not my strong suit.
This world is a brutal one that pulls no punches, takes no prisoners, and is more than happy to squish the weak underfoot.
So, you know, I loved it. The Ben-Elim are angelic-like beings … but they’re no angels. They’re colonizers, who rule with an iron fist. Which means the Kadoshim are demons, but they’re … well, no, okay, that one seems to fit pretty well. Beneath both of them are the humans, who belong to different clans, groups, factions, whatever you want to call them, all struggling for survival just the same.
❧ I fell for this cast of characters hard, and how could you not, with a group of faithful warriors, all loyal to a fault?
Is there a more sexy character trait than a loyal warrior? No, I think not. None of these characters have had an easy time of it, yet they all pull through with entirely different personalities, and I couldn’t possibly have loved them more for it.
Olin is a mystery wrapped in an enigma tied with the trappings of a hunter. He’s a single parent, and his son is the whole world to him, and just seeing this father-son dynamic could warm even the coldest heart. Or maybe that’s the just parent in me rearing its ugly head.
Sig is the quintessential female warrior—a giantess who’s lived more than her fair share of years and carries all the losses like a heavy shawl draped around her shoulders. She’s basically a walking cautionary tale that living a long life comes with a heavy price.
Cullen is … just … Cullen. I’m not sure there are any words to describe Cullen? He’s young and sure of himself, but also entirely willing to crack a joke at his expense. I honestly don’t see how anyone could not love Cullen? Unless you’re a monster, maybe. And not the good, fun kind.
There are so many great characters in this book that there’s no way I could highlight them all, but those were some of my favorites, at least.
“That, oh, it’s fine. Just a scratch, hardly know it’s there.”
“The spear pierced your arm and came out the other side,” Sig said. “Even by my judgement, that’s no scratch.”
Cullen shrugged. “A tickle, nothing more.”
❧ The focus of this book is very much about discovery and truth: of who you are, where you come from.
I thought the way this was done was particularly interesting, because it impacts most of the point-of-view characters, with a few exceptions. Mostly, I’m talking about Riv and Drem, who are still young and learning about themselves, but also about how they fit into the world.
Riv comes from a long line of White-Wings, warriors under the Ben-Elim, and is destined to be one too … except for the small problem of being unable to control her anger and failing her exam. Oops? But hey, who hasn’t wanted to punch their exam proctor in the face at least once?
Drem leads a simple life as a hunter’s son, traveling from place to place, but his father’s past is a mystery. As is his mother, who has since passed. He’s learning that things aren’t as simple as they seem, though.
There’s also Bleda, stolen from his tribe too young and learning what kind of leader he might one day be. He’s torn between two worlds: the one he’s grown up in the past six years and the tribe he belongs to.
This book treats you to not one character arc, but all the character arcs, and I really enjoyed watching them all play out.
Probably because it was so easy to root for these characters. Some more than others, sure, but they’re all in rough spots through no fault of their own and trying to make the best of it. And aren’t we all?
“I punched the Lord Protector in the face,” Riv pointed out.
“Aye.” Aphra nodded, running a hand through her dark hair, close-cropped like all of the White-Wings. Practical and uniform. “Granted, a big setback, then.”
❧ I absolutely loved the fact that Drem struggles with compulsions throughout this book.
In a world full of warriors, it’d be really easy to leave realistic traits by the wayside in favor of larger-than-life characters, but that’s not entirely the case here. I really appreciated how Drem had little ticks or compulsions, and no one made a huge deal about them, but they were definitely noticeable. For example, when he gets stressed or starts feeling untethered, he counts his pulse as a way to ground himself. When someone says something false, he’s compelled to correct them, which sometimes lands him in hot water, as you might imagine.
❧ I struggle with multiple points of view, and that was definitely the case in the beginning, where everything was slow and a little confusing.
I think this is sort of par for the course for epic fantasy, though, and tends to be one reason why I avoid it. I have a hard time following multiple points of view when they all feel so random and each have their own individual, separate plots.
By midway through this book, the points of view started meeting up, things were rolling, and the plots were converging, and from that point on, I had no problems with any of this.
Obviously, this is a me issue and not the book issue, but I wanted to mention it, because if you struggle with swapping points of view, it might be a rocky beginning. I recommend pushing through it. It makes sense eventually, and the multiple points of view just means there’s more characters to love.
A Time of Blood (Of Blood and Bone, #2)
by John GwynneAlso by this author: A Time of Courage (Blood and Bone, #3)
Published by: Orbit on April 16, 2019
Genres: Epic Fantasy, Fantasy
Pages: 512
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Acclaimed epic fantasy author John Gwynne's second book in his Of Blood and Bone trilogy, an epic fantasy perfect for fans of George R. R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson, and David Gemmell.
For more from John Gwynne, check out:The Faithful and the FallenMaliceValorRuinWrath
Of Blood & BoneA Time of Dread
This review may contain spoilers for the first book.
❧ Just when you thought this series couldn’t get bloodier … welcome to war.
Oh, there will be blood and guts and gore. Repeatedly. Endlessly. It’s a bloodbath. But a fun one. It’s not just fighting between the obvious groups, either (like, you know, everyone v. the Kadoshim). There’s a lot of in-fighting that goes on in this book against people who are supposed to be allies, which has me concerned for the massive 700-page tome that is book three, because how much more heartbreak can I take?! Can’t you see you’re tearing us apart?! *sobs*
It’s not even just the war, either: here, the world becomes so much larger and more brutal.
I mean, it’s called the Desolations for a reason, right? It was hinted at pretty heavily in the first book that this place was no rose garden, and yeah, that’s an understatement. If the enemy doesn’t kill you, the wildlife will. And gladly.
“Kill the bastards,” Keld growled and kicked his mount into a cantor.
❧ Oh, the betrayal! Expect the unexpected.
We get a taste of this in the first book, but … honestly, that was nothing. We delve full bore into betrayal in this book, and it. Is. GLORIOUS. I 100% saw some of them coming, but that didn’t dim my emotions at all when it actually happened because HOW DARE THEY?! Words! I have words to throw at them, and they aren’t very nice ones!
“There are other options,” Aphra said.
“Yes. I could bury you in a ditch,” Riv said bitterly to Kol.
Aphra slammed a fist on the table. “Shut up, Riv,” she said. “You’re not helping.”
❧ Where the first book was about learning who you are, the theme of this book is discovering where you belong.
Or, more aptly, figuring out who the heck you want to be. The name of the game is self-discovery, but as it relates to your future and not your past, like in the previous book. Again, this led to some delightful character arcs, and I particularly enjoyed how the characters grow into the new roles and circumstances they find themselves in.
Bleda strikes me as a forerunner in this. While I enjoyed him in the first book, he was still trying to decide where his future would lead. Here, he decides who he wants to be, and the rest just sort of follows from there.
Drem especially embodies this theme, but more about that later.
This fits well with the fact that this is the second book, so rather than introducing the characters, we were able to delver more deeply into who they are, which was something I enjoyed. Even Fritha. She’s not someone I could say I support or even understand, but I at least get her motives now.
“Drem, a question.” Cullen spat out more slime. “Why the hell would you choose to live out here?”
❧ Everywhere you look in this book, there’s a strong woman demanding love and attention.
And maybe some respect. Actually, you know what? They can do without the love. That’s not a requirement. Bend the knee, yo. Do you know whose presence you’re in?!
Sig led the way in the first book, and these women just picked up the baton without blinking.
Byrne is the leader of the Order of Bright Star, and she is fierce. Obviously. She earned her position as the top of the elites, now, didn’t she?
Riv was always strong, but now she becomes even more so and plays a larger role in things. She falls into a warrior role without any hesitation, and I loved her for it.
Fritha is a new point of view addition, and as easy as it is to hate her, you can’t deny that she’s one tough cookie. Also, extra props to her for being this world’s version of a mad scientist. Way to smash that glass ceiling.
“Get away from my sister’s son, you bitch,” Byrne spat at Fritha.
❧ I just want to take a moment and appreciate Drem, because in a book full of amazing characters, he somehow manages to stand out.
For me, that’s because Drem is easily the most relatable of all the characters. He’s young (21), raised in a semi-normal (ish) life as a hunter/trapper, and is thrust into this absolutely impossible situation. His whole life was upended, and you know what? He takes it in stride. He has a mini meltdown and then manages to pull himself and keep fighting.
What most strikes me is that in a world full of gray characters, Drem is somehow just good.
I mean, okay, he commits murder. Repeatedly. Without remorse or question. To be fair, as far as I can tell, those people (creatures?) deserved it. But mostly, he’s just honest and still slightly naive and loyal and trying to do his best in a world that is constantly beating him down and kicking him in the ribs.
❧ This book felt like it was 85% battle scenes, and that’s just not my thing.
This is obviously a me-not-you sort of problem to have with a book. I mean, I gave it five stars, so I feel like that should say something, because this obviously didn’t keep me from enjoying the book. Still, I feel it’s worth mentioning that a lot of this book seemed like one skirmish to the next, one gory battle to another, and that sort of carried most of the action. I’m not ashamed to say that I skimmed. While Gwynne does a fabulous job of writing battle scenes … I’m just not that kind of reader.
This series is on my TBR. I love that you read these two books back to back. There’s a third one out, right? Awesome reviews, you’ve made me want to grab copies of all three!
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I highly recommend reading them back to back, since this sort of series basically picks up exactly where the last one leaves off. Gwynne does a great job of summarizing the previous book, but still. It was so much better reading them closely.
The third one actually just came out today! I’m halfway through it, and it’s been really good. Hoping to finish tomorrow. It’s been a journey. The only thing I would warn about is the gore, since that caught my a little by surprise … though it’s a war, so maybe it shouldn’t have. xD I hope you enjoy them if you get a chance to read them!
Great review for these. I always say I’m not a huge fan of epic fantasy but then I end up reading a bunch of it anyway LOL. Glad to see your thoughts on these, I’ve heard great things about Gwynne.
That’s pretty much how I live my reading life at this point. xD “I hate this genre!” *gives the genre books five stars repeatedly* Pffft, no one ever said I knew what I was doing here. I always heard good things about him, too, which is why I checked out this series. They weren’t wrong. :3
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