truthaurdare's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
5.0
jmconway's review against another edition
5.0
"There is much in life that is beyond our control, events that sweep us up and along, actions that wrap us tight in their consequences. Stop raging about the things you cannot change. Just be true to yourself and do what you can do. Love those worth loving, and to the Otherworld with the rest of it. That is all any of us can do."
9/10 - Another fantastic instalment from Gwynne! A Time of Blood continues where we finished in A Time of Dread, think bigger, more battles and more fantastically developed characters.
I continue to love how Gwynne portrays his characters, particularly his ability to completely realise their emotions and decisions. Not only do they all have unique moral codes, motivations and desires but the way character decisions impact the storyline is exceptionally crafted. I particularly enjoyed Riv (I'll avoid spoilers) coming to terms with new revelations, and I thought the elements of jealousy between her and other characters was a nice addition.
I can't finish this review without mentioning the battle scenes. Exceptional. Gwynne writes in such detail that I truly felt the battle swinging from one side to another and my heart was in my mouth as I feared for the characters I have grown attached to. Honestly in just over 450 pages it's mad how much Gwynne has squished into this book!
"The heart cannot be ruled, but it can be fooled."
9/10 - Another fantastic instalment from Gwynne! A Time of Blood continues where we finished in A Time of Dread, think bigger, more battles and more fantastically developed characters.
I continue to love how Gwynne portrays his characters, particularly his ability to completely realise their emotions and decisions. Not only do they all have unique moral codes, motivations and desires but the way character decisions impact the storyline is exceptionally crafted. I particularly enjoyed Riv (I'll avoid spoilers) coming to terms with new revelations, and I thought the elements of jealousy between her and other characters was a nice addition.
I can't finish this review without mentioning the battle scenes. Exceptional. Gwynne writes in such detail that I truly felt the battle swinging from one side to another and my heart was in my mouth as I feared for the characters I have grown attached to. Honestly in just over 450 pages it's mad how much Gwynne has squished into this book!
"The heart cannot be ruled, but it can be fooled."
ripxw's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death and War
ribshack2012's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
selinadragonair's review against another edition
3.0
I just can't bring myself to love this like I did the tetralogy.
The plot is not complex and feels stretched, it lacks depth, it is predictable and I miss any tension.
But the worst part is that the characters don't touch me at all.
Maybe I got the wrong book.
The plot is not complex and feels stretched, it lacks depth, it is predictable and I miss any tension.
But the worst part is that the characters don't touch me at all.
Maybe I got the wrong book.
thetravelingpages's review against another edition
5.0
"We live our lives by Truth and Courage. Love and loyalty, friendship and honor are our guiding lights."
Hello, my fellow world hoppers! I am excited to bring you the review for A Time of Blood, the second book in the Of Blood and Bone series by John Gwynne, and boy I don't know how Gwynne manages to do it, but he keeps impressing me with each book! Honestly, this one might be my favorite book he has put out! When I started this series I had my reservations. For one thing, I had just jumped from the Faithful and Fallen series and I fell in love with those characters. I was worried I wouldn't be attached to the new cast of characters at all. My second reservation is that an author has to navigate returning to a world they previously used well, but now that I am on book 2, I can say those worries were silly because Gwynne has continued to impress and improve with each one of his stories. He has quickly become one of my favorites and his consistency is awesome. As always I am not going to spoil major moments in this book, but there might be lite spoilers. However, if you haven't read book one at all just be warned. With all the gushing out of the way let's check out the blurb at the back of the book:
>Drem and his friends flee the battle at Starstone Lake to warn the Order of the Bright Star. They’ve witnessed horrors they’ll never forget, such as magic warping men into beasts. But worst of all, they’ve seen a demon rise from the dead – making it even more powerful. Now Fritha, the demons’ high priestess, is hunting Drem’s party. Concealed in Forn Forest, Riv struggles to understand her half-breed heritage. She represents the warrior angels’ biggest secret, one which could break their society. And when she’s found by the Ben-Elim’s high captain, he swoops in for the kill. As demonic forces multiply, they send a mighty war-host to overthrow the angel’s stronghold. This could decimate the fractured Ben-Elim. And their allies in the Order may be too overwhelmed to send aid – with Fritha and her monstrous beasts closing in. Like heroes of old, Drem and the Bright Star’s warriors must battle to save their land. But can the light triumph when the dark is rising?
"We live our lives by truth and courage. Love and loyalty, friendship and honor are our guiding lights."
A Time of Blood picks up immediately after the events of A Time of Dread. Drem is on the run and being hunted by powers that want him and his friends dead. Running for his life while also wanting to pursue vengeance against those who took everything from him. He battles with his own grief and loss of family while gaining a new family in his friends Keld and Cullen. His journey mirrors Corban from the last series down to the point where he struggles to live up to a legacy he did not choose. For Riv, she realizes that history truly is written by the victors and she struggles with her crumbling image of the Ben-Elim while she grapples with her own heritage. Each step she takes for the greater good has her stepping further away from the truth and honor, much like Nathair. Bleda struggles with love and duty while wanting to honor his own people and family just like Veradis before him. Finally, there is Fritha, the newcomer who replaces Sig and gives us a window into the other side like Evnis and Uthas before her. We get an inside look into her warped feelings of vengeance, but knowing that while the other side isn't perfect they are better than the alternative. Gwynne does not pull punches when it comes to putting his characters through struggles. That is especially true for this book. All that to say is this, one thing I noticed in this book and new series is that there is a special love for what came before. It pays homage while also being accessible to newcomers. I loved this book and continue to be impressed with how much Gwynne pours everything he has into these characters. I found that Fritha was a great read in this book because we actually got time devoted to her character and her motivations. She is still twisted, but you understand why she is so broken and twisted as the story goes on. For me, the biggest win here is that Gwynne gave us ample screen time devoted to this character. Evnis and Uthas in the Faithful and the Fallen were both interesting but I felt that they did not have the screen time I would have enjoyed. That's one of the downsides to the large cast of the last series and what gives this series an advantage over the other because with fewer characters we get to know these new POVs more intimately. Gwynne, I seriously don't understand how you continue to do it.
"Hatred is good. Hatred makes you strong."
I said previously in my review for A Time of Dread, that it was Gwynne's darkest book to date. Well, if that one was dark then this one is a chasm into the bleak abyss. A Time of Blood had some shuttering moments. This is a story of vengeance and its repetitive cycle. Vengeance runs deep in this story. The Kadoshim seek vengeance against their ancient foes while the Ben-Elim seeks the same. The people of the banished have scores of their own to settle. I believe that Gwynne operates each of his books under a theme, A Time of Dread was about dark secrets and that appearance is always deceiving. A Time of Blood is about how vengeance destroys everything even the people who seek it. I wonder what the theme for A Time of Courage will be (DARE I SAY COURAGE?!). Still, this world is darker than the one we left behind. The epic battle of good vs evil is one we've seen before as well as the water being muddied with the morally grey characters who exist within it. It's not reinventing the wheel, if anything it pays homage to the likes of Tolkien and Gemmell (not surprising since he references Gemmell as one of his influences). What Gwynne is doing may not be original but it is done well. The lore is still something I really love. The difference with how the two opposing factions have operated in the 138 years since the ending of Wrath is a nice touch that comes to a head at the end of the book. The Ben-Elim operate through dogmatic authoritarianism and while they've had the pleasure to be in power they've lacked the adaptability that has made the remaining Kadoshim such a danger.
"A person is made by their heart and their wits."
One of Gwynne's strengths is not only his character work but his battle scenes. I've said before that it feels like you're there with them. The close quarter's brutality is heart-pounding, intense, and filled to the brim with gory details. I've honestly not read many authors as good as Gwynne as painting a battlefield. Seriously, it feels like your shoulder to shoulder in thick of battle hearing the sounds, smelling the blood, sweat, and fear while your own hands ache from a dull pain in your arms. I think Gwynne favors a few descriptors a little too much. Everyone gets their throat cut open or something along those lines. Gwynne made me worry he was gonna pull the same tricks that he pulled in Wrath where the good guys would always battle with the main villain only for the Villain to escape through devious means while another character dies. However, he doesn't do that this time around at least in a way that doesn't feel unnatural. The penultimate showdown is one book away but the conclusion in this book, which is 100 pages of action scenes, is phenomenal.
"Just be true to yourself and do what you can do. Love those worth loving, and to the Otherworld with the rest of it. That is all any of us can do."
Gwynne somehow has continued to up the ante and with each book, he keeps getting better. He pays homage to the greats that came before by giving us a modern fantasy story that is familiar in the best way. He reminds me continually of why I became so enthralled with the genre in the first place. A Time of Blood does not suffer from being the middle book in the trilogy, in fact, it improves on the first book in every way possible, just like Valour did for Malice. Of Blood and Bone is a series worthy of any fantasy shelf and is worth the time investment. This book is the genre at its best, at least for me. It allows me to escape into a realm that is interesting and intriguing. It is like sitting by the hearth fire listening to the village elder weave his tale of ages gone by. Seriously, Gwynne, I am a fan and I know that you are going to stand as your own giant within the fantasy genre. Of Blood and Bone is a solid 9 out of 10 for me if I had to rate it and is a must-read if you finished A Time of Dread. For a series that I started on a whim and had originally planned to read in between my Wheel of Time readthrough it has quickly sucked me in and I regret not starting it sooner. In many ways, I am sad that the journey is nearing its conclusion, but I am also so happy with the time I've spent here. Alright if you will excuse me I gotta go so I can read A Time of Courage.
TLDR: Read Of Blood and Bone it is well worth the time. A Time of Blood is fast-paced and improves on the first book much like Valour did for Malice and Gwynne continues to show his strength in characters, heart, and courage. You will not be disappointed and the journey is well worth the time.
Hello, my fellow world hoppers! I am excited to bring you the review for A Time of Blood, the second book in the Of Blood and Bone series by John Gwynne, and boy I don't know how Gwynne manages to do it, but he keeps impressing me with each book! Honestly, this one might be my favorite book he has put out! When I started this series I had my reservations. For one thing, I had just jumped from the Faithful and Fallen series and I fell in love with those characters. I was worried I wouldn't be attached to the new cast of characters at all. My second reservation is that an author has to navigate returning to a world they previously used well, but now that I am on book 2, I can say those worries were silly because Gwynne has continued to impress and improve with each one of his stories. He has quickly become one of my favorites and his consistency is awesome. As always I am not going to spoil major moments in this book, but there might be lite spoilers. However, if you haven't read book one at all just be warned. With all the gushing out of the way let's check out the blurb at the back of the book:
>Drem and his friends flee the battle at Starstone Lake to warn the Order of the Bright Star. They’ve witnessed horrors they’ll never forget, such as magic warping men into beasts. But worst of all, they’ve seen a demon rise from the dead – making it even more powerful. Now Fritha, the demons’ high priestess, is hunting Drem’s party. Concealed in Forn Forest, Riv struggles to understand her half-breed heritage. She represents the warrior angels’ biggest secret, one which could break their society. And when she’s found by the Ben-Elim’s high captain, he swoops in for the kill. As demonic forces multiply, they send a mighty war-host to overthrow the angel’s stronghold. This could decimate the fractured Ben-Elim. And their allies in the Order may be too overwhelmed to send aid – with Fritha and her monstrous beasts closing in. Like heroes of old, Drem and the Bright Star’s warriors must battle to save their land. But can the light triumph when the dark is rising?
"We live our lives by truth and courage. Love and loyalty, friendship and honor are our guiding lights."
A Time of Blood picks up immediately after the events of A Time of Dread. Drem is on the run and being hunted by powers that want him and his friends dead. Running for his life while also wanting to pursue vengeance against those who took everything from him. He battles with his own grief and loss of family while gaining a new family in his friends Keld and Cullen. His journey mirrors Corban from the last series down to the point where he struggles to live up to a legacy he did not choose. For Riv, she realizes that history truly is written by the victors and she struggles with her crumbling image of the Ben-Elim while she grapples with her own heritage. Each step she takes for the greater good has her stepping further away from the truth and honor, much like Nathair. Bleda struggles with love and duty while wanting to honor his own people and family just like Veradis before him. Finally, there is Fritha, the newcomer who replaces Sig and gives us a window into the other side like Evnis and Uthas before her. We get an inside look into her warped feelings of vengeance, but knowing that while the other side isn't perfect they are better than the alternative. Gwynne does not pull punches when it comes to putting his characters through struggles. That is especially true for this book. All that to say is this, one thing I noticed in this book and new series is that there is a special love for what came before. It pays homage while also being accessible to newcomers. I loved this book and continue to be impressed with how much Gwynne pours everything he has into these characters. I found that Fritha was a great read in this book because we actually got time devoted to her character and her motivations. She is still twisted, but you understand why she is so broken and twisted as the story goes on. For me, the biggest win here is that Gwynne gave us ample screen time devoted to this character. Evnis and Uthas in the Faithful and the Fallen were both interesting but I felt that they did not have the screen time I would have enjoyed. That's one of the downsides to the large cast of the last series and what gives this series an advantage over the other because with fewer characters we get to know these new POVs more intimately. Gwynne, I seriously don't understand how you continue to do it.
"Hatred is good. Hatred makes you strong."
I said previously in my review for A Time of Dread, that it was Gwynne's darkest book to date. Well, if that one was dark then this one is a chasm into the bleak abyss. A Time of Blood had some shuttering moments. This is a story of vengeance and its repetitive cycle. Vengeance runs deep in this story. The Kadoshim seek vengeance against their ancient foes while the Ben-Elim seeks the same. The people of the banished have scores of their own to settle. I believe that Gwynne operates each of his books under a theme, A Time of Dread was about dark secrets and that appearance is always deceiving. A Time of Blood is about how vengeance destroys everything even the people who seek it. I wonder what the theme for A Time of Courage will be (DARE I SAY COURAGE?!). Still, this world is darker than the one we left behind. The epic battle of good vs evil is one we've seen before as well as the water being muddied with the morally grey characters who exist within it. It's not reinventing the wheel, if anything it pays homage to the likes of Tolkien and Gemmell (not surprising since he references Gemmell as one of his influences). What Gwynne is doing may not be original but it is done well. The lore is still something I really love. The difference with how the two opposing factions have operated in the 138 years since the ending of Wrath is a nice touch that comes to a head at the end of the book. The Ben-Elim operate through dogmatic authoritarianism and while they've had the pleasure to be in power they've lacked the adaptability that has made the remaining Kadoshim such a danger.
"A person is made by their heart and their wits."
One of Gwynne's strengths is not only his character work but his battle scenes. I've said before that it feels like you're there with them. The close quarter's brutality is heart-pounding, intense, and filled to the brim with gory details. I've honestly not read many authors as good as Gwynne as painting a battlefield. Seriously, it feels like your shoulder to shoulder in thick of battle hearing the sounds, smelling the blood, sweat, and fear while your own hands ache from a dull pain in your arms. I think Gwynne favors a few descriptors a little too much. Everyone gets their throat cut open or something along those lines. Gwynne made me worry he was gonna pull the same tricks that he pulled in Wrath where the good guys would always battle with the main villain only for the Villain to escape through devious means while another character dies. However, he doesn't do that this time around at least in a way that doesn't feel unnatural. The penultimate showdown is one book away but the conclusion in this book, which is 100 pages of action scenes, is phenomenal.
"Just be true to yourself and do what you can do. Love those worth loving, and to the Otherworld with the rest of it. That is all any of us can do."
Gwynne somehow has continued to up the ante and with each book, he keeps getting better. He pays homage to the greats that came before by giving us a modern fantasy story that is familiar in the best way. He reminds me continually of why I became so enthralled with the genre in the first place. A Time of Blood does not suffer from being the middle book in the trilogy, in fact, it improves on the first book in every way possible, just like Valour did for Malice. Of Blood and Bone is a series worthy of any fantasy shelf and is worth the time investment. This book is the genre at its best, at least for me. It allows me to escape into a realm that is interesting and intriguing. It is like sitting by the hearth fire listening to the village elder weave his tale of ages gone by. Seriously, Gwynne, I am a fan and I know that you are going to stand as your own giant within the fantasy genre. Of Blood and Bone is a solid 9 out of 10 for me if I had to rate it and is a must-read if you finished A Time of Dread. For a series that I started on a whim and had originally planned to read in between my Wheel of Time readthrough it has quickly sucked me in and I regret not starting it sooner. In many ways, I am sad that the journey is nearing its conclusion, but I am also so happy with the time I've spent here. Alright if you will excuse me I gotta go so I can read A Time of Courage.
TLDR: Read Of Blood and Bone it is well worth the time. A Time of Blood is fast-paced and improves on the first book much like Valour did for Malice and Gwynne continues to show his strength in characters, heart, and courage. You will not be disappointed and the journey is well worth the time.
kaileah22's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jonathanrobert's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
5.0