haylee_reads's review against another edition
4.0
I have pretty mixed feelings about A Time of Blood, or really…this trilogy in general. The Bloodsworn Series and The Faithful and The Fallen were all five star reads for me; I devoured those books. While I truly love being back in The Banished Lands, I find myself not connecting with these characters as much. Drem is definitely my favorite. I find Riv to be frustrating at times, though I am excited to read her story in the final installment. Bleda is…fine? And Fritha is also just kinda there. I found myself speed reading through the middle portion of the book, which has never happened in a Gwynne book for me before this series. The battle sequences remain impeccable. I am looking forward to the final installment. But…..what am I supposed to do now that I am close to finishing his backlist??? Is it time to reread TF&TF?
Anyway, Truth and Courage!
Anyway, Truth and Courage!
llmacrae's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely loved A Time Of Dread. Definitely in my top five reads of the year. I perhaps went into A Time Of Blood with my hopes set slightly too high, because for me, it didn’t match the excellence of the first book.
There is plenty I didn’t like in the first one, chief among which was how the animals (particularly dogs/hounds) were treated. The same discomfort is back in the second book, but much, much increased. Hounds and horses are slaughtered and ripped apart, and go through huge amounts of struggle.
The same can be said for the people, of course. They absolutely do not get a pass here. But it’s much harder to see animals dying in such violent ways.
Forget George R.R. Martin. Don’t get attached to any characters here because chances are good they won’t survive.
I am not sure what the technical definition of grim dark is, but this really feels far darker than “traditional” epic fantasy. There are plenty of battle sequences and visceral descriptions of death, disembowelment, decapitation, dark magic, blood magic, and all sorts, so if you have a weak stomach, you might want to skip over some of those parts.
Drem is still my favourite character, and my heart really bleeds for him and what he’s gone through. Bleda, also, rose in my favourites list. Riv I am not the biggest fan of, nor Fritha, but the great thing about multi-POV is there are usually a few characters you want to root for!
This book is also very, very aptly named!
Recommend if you want the epic fantasy feel, with politics, different geography, peoples, and cultures, as well as a no-holds-barred description of what really happens on the battlefield. Backstabbing and betrayal are just as rife as honourable duels!
There is plenty I didn’t like in the first one, chief among which was how the animals (particularly dogs/hounds) were treated. The same discomfort is back in the second book, but much, much increased. Hounds and horses are slaughtered and ripped apart, and go through huge amounts of struggle.
The same can be said for the people, of course. They absolutely do not get a pass here. But it’s much harder to see animals dying in such violent ways.
Forget George R.R. Martin. Don’t get attached to any characters here because chances are good they won’t survive.
I am not sure what the technical definition of grim dark is, but this really feels far darker than “traditional” epic fantasy. There are plenty of battle sequences and visceral descriptions of death, disembowelment, decapitation, dark magic, blood magic, and all sorts, so if you have a weak stomach, you might want to skip over some of those parts.
Drem is still my favourite character, and my heart really bleeds for him and what he’s gone through. Bleda, also, rose in my favourites list. Riv I am not the biggest fan of, nor Fritha, but the great thing about multi-POV is there are usually a few characters you want to root for!
This book is also very, very aptly named!
Recommend if you want the epic fantasy feel, with politics, different geography, peoples, and cultures, as well as a no-holds-barred description of what really happens on the battlefield. Backstabbing and betrayal are just as rife as honourable duels!
teastories's review against another edition
5.0
A fantastic read! Each chapter leaves you wanting more. I have read all 5 of the previous books and this has been the quickest I have read any of John's books. A masterpiece and I'll be buying the next book very... VERY soon.
dscholl's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
tizianav's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ian_ramos's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
sammers333's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Please allow me a moment to breathe before getting into the guts of my A Time for Blood review. I absolutely fell in love with A Time for Dread but book two blew my mind. I have the utmost respect for John Gwynne’s writing style and his prowess of delivering a story with such raw intensity. It’s a completely different type of magic. I’ve got so many ARC copies I need to read at the moment but I just couldn’t deny what the heart wants – and it wanted to carry on with this series just like the body needs oxygen to breathe!
A Time of Blood is book two in the Of Blood and Bone series and it continues in the same vein that A Time of Dread left it in. characterisation that just gets stronger with each book. Battle scenes that has you heart palpitate with each swing of an axe. It leaves you hungering for more with Gwynne’s swift and brutal technicality. Nothing about this book is slow or lacking, its to the point from the first page, an elbow to the jugular. The book is the perfect build-up to book three, the conclusion that I am hungering for.
John Gwynne has once again left me at a loss for words. There is one thing that is always a foregone conclusion and that is his impeccable writing. The narration is with purpose, each word soaking into you like rain in a storm, it soaks you until it becomes bone deep. It’s categorized as Epic Fantasy and you can’t get more epic than this series. The world building, the emotion…the blood lust. If your looking for a fantasy novel that pays attention to the favourite characters look away because Gwynne isn’t afraid to torture or kill off well loved characters.
A Time of Blood is hard hitting with a pace that is more likely to snap necks than comfort. Being reintroduced to well loved characters in hellish circumstances made me panic but Gwynne knows what he’s doing so I just had to trust it would all be ok. The three hero’s, Riv, Bleda and Drem are all interconnected under a bleeding sky. They all share a relative moral compass but would any of them make it out unharmed? This isn’t a happily ever after and you will read page after page with a physical lump in your throat.
It’s a story that feels like a stab in the back at times. It hurts but it intends to. It settles under the skin and takes root, needing to consume and be consumed. Motivations and actions speak loud and clearly, whether for good or evil and Gwynne nailed it with laser like precision.
A Time of Blood just proves that no-one can write epic fantasy quite like Gwynne. The intensity never slackens just like the vice grip that it has you under. Buckle up, it may cause whiplash.
A Time of Blood is book two in the Of Blood and Bone series and it continues in the same vein that A Time of Dread left it in. characterisation that just gets stronger with each book. Battle scenes that has you heart palpitate with each swing of an axe. It leaves you hungering for more with Gwynne’s swift and brutal technicality. Nothing about this book is slow or lacking, its to the point from the first page, an elbow to the jugular. The book is the perfect build-up to book three, the conclusion that I am hungering for.
John Gwynne has once again left me at a loss for words. There is one thing that is always a foregone conclusion and that is his impeccable writing. The narration is with purpose, each word soaking into you like rain in a storm, it soaks you until it becomes bone deep. It’s categorized as Epic Fantasy and you can’t get more epic than this series. The world building, the emotion…the blood lust. If your looking for a fantasy novel that pays attention to the favourite characters look away because Gwynne isn’t afraid to torture or kill off well loved characters.
A Time of Blood is hard hitting with a pace that is more likely to snap necks than comfort. Being reintroduced to well loved characters in hellish circumstances made me panic but Gwynne knows what he’s doing so I just had to trust it would all be ok. The three hero’s, Riv, Bleda and Drem are all interconnected under a bleeding sky. They all share a relative moral compass but would any of them make it out unharmed? This isn’t a happily ever after and you will read page after page with a physical lump in your throat.
It’s a story that feels like a stab in the back at times. It hurts but it intends to. It settles under the skin and takes root, needing to consume and be consumed. Motivations and actions speak loud and clearly, whether for good or evil and Gwynne nailed it with laser like precision.
A Time of Blood just proves that no-one can write epic fantasy quite like Gwynne. The intensity never slackens just like the vice grip that it has you under. Buckle up, it may cause whiplash.
caleb_maneth's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
tezzarudge's review against another edition
5.0
Epic. Dont waste time reading my review. Just get reading the series