A Time of Dread (Of Blood & Bone, 1)

I haven’t read the Faithful and the Fallen series, but after reading this book I’m very much a fan of John Gwynne’s writing and I’ll have to go back and read the original series set in this world 120 years before the events in this book. That said I don’t feel like I had to have read that series to enjoy this one since I completely enjoyed it.A Time of Dread is just that. It is the beginning of the ramp up to something dangerous, evil and enough to fill you with Dread. The story starts a little slowly since we are following four different points of view. Since I’m used to reading a lot of fantasy that is a normal thing for me in the first book of a new series. Don’t worry though by the end you should be filled with plenty of dread and so many things will have happened that you will forget the first part was slow.With the four varied PoVs we get to see a lot of this world from different perspectives.Bleda is a prince of a human clan and taken as ward by the Ben-Elim (winged angel people) to ensure that his tribe is peaceful. He has a lot of insight into how the Ben-Elim politics work and how they use fear and their strength to almost hold every human tribe in servitude to them.I liked how his arc showed what everyday life was like in Dressel and how the new threat on the horizon was affecting the Ben-Elim, it showed their long-term goals also in terms of the human tribes and how they are trying to control all of them.Riv is also in Drassil, the Land of the Faithful, with Bleda. But she is from a family of warriors that train to fight alongside the Ben-Elim. Still we find that there is something different about Riv and following her PoV we not only learn about the inner turmoil between some of the Ben-Elim but also what they have been plotting for years. She is hot headed and quick to temper but fiercely loyal to friends and family as well.Drem was actually my favorite PoV. He is the son of a trapper and lives in a sleepy small villiage when they aren’t on the road. But it seems like there are more and more people in the area that just seem a little off and not quite right. I loved his journey and the slow tease of the odd happenings out in the middle of nowhere. His journey from farmboy trapper to hero in the making was a really good one. Plus he was present for all the horrible things we learn about the Fallen and I for one was shocked by those revelations.Sig the final PoV in this tale is a Giantess and while her faction also fights against the Fallen they do not like the Ben-Elim and stay separated from them. It is her tale that seems like would have tied into the prior series more. She is so likeable and ride a bear who seems like the best of both worlds being both a mouth and fighter.The title describes this book great. There are some harsh deaths, horrible revelations and big twists that made my first read of a John Gwynne book truly memorable. Now it seems I must read the first series The Faithful and the Fallen because I now feel like I’ve missed out on a great author and an even more fantastic fantasy tale.

What a great new story John Gwynne has started. I knew there was a time jump and that Corban and the rest of my fave chars would not be the focus of the books anymore. That is probably why I waited so long to finally read this series. Needed some distance before truly saying goodbye to those characters. Corban is truly one of the best characters in all of fantasy, in my opinion. But...John did an amazing job giving me new characters to meet and get invested with their individual stories. Gwynne's strength is his character building and woven arcs and he doesn't disappoint with creating these new chars. I think it was a great idea for continuity for some to be descendants from the main characters of the Faithful and the Fallen series. This allowed for John to weave in some of what happened in the past 100 years since the end of that series and let us revisit some of those chars through the memories of those still living. So a big thank you to John for finding a way to honor and incorporate them while still being fully focused on the new story. The first half of the book did a good job introducing new main like Drem, Riv, Bleda and Cullen along with a host of others that feel equally important. It also fleshed out what world was like now and the new threats that were surfacing. A Time of Dread has the Banished Lands being protected by the Ben-Elim against what seems to be left the Kadoshim. But as usual. All is not what it seems and there are many twists, turns, reveals, surprises and yes...glorious battles, close quarter fighting and unexpected, sad deaths. But it wouldn't be a John Gwynne book if everyone made it out of a fight unscathed or alive and that's what makes his stories so great. You're not always sure who to root for, but you find yourself so invested in the strong character writing, that you're always worried one will get killed. If you've read the Faithful and the Fallen, you know that no one is safe. This book is a great introduction to this new story and sets the stage well for the rest of the trilogy. I can wait to get started on book 2!

John Gwynn is so much better than Mr. Game of Thrones! At least he does the satisfying and honorable thing to CONCLUDE his series instead of letting HBO do it! Mr. Gwynn at least thinks about his fans ahead of fame and fortune! I won’t be throwing away my money more!!!!

It's been over a hundred years since the events of the Faithful and the Fallen. Countries and borders have changed, and the Ben-Elim and Kadoshim are both now abroad in the land. The Ben-Elim have made it their purpose to eradicate all the Kadoshim and call on human and giant allies to do this. The Order of the Bright Star, though with a similar purpose, fight their own battles against the Kadoshim, though sometimes allied with the Ben-Elim. Things are relatively stable, though not peaceful, but it soon looks like the Kadoshim are starting to make their own play.The book is split relatively evenly amongst four POV's: Drem a trapper living in the North with his father Olin; Riv, a trainee White-Wing with the Ben-Elim in Drassil; Bleda a hostage of good behaviour being held in Drassil; and Sig, a giant with the Order of the Bright Star. All are very young except for Sig, who was a minor character in the first series.I'll be honest I quite enjoyed reading them all which is a great thing and there is usually one POV that I dislike or am not as interested in. Yes Riv is very annoying but her POV contains most of what is going on at Drassil which is integral to the story, though it is expanded upon with Belda's. His is a good contrast as he sees the things that just aren't quite right there, compared to Riv who is a solid believer. Drem is a bit more generic, father and son with a hidden past that gradually comes out over the course of the book but still very well done. Sig's is just brilliant, and has the most ties and nostalgia to the first series.This is fairly action packed from the word go. It's not non-stop though which is good as there is down time for the reader to get to know the characters better and guess what might be going on. It is still unashamedly heroic fantasy and is all the better for it. Terrible things happen, good people do bad things, but all our main characters are basically decent. I like my morally grey characters as much as the next person but it is sometimes nice to have things simpler. The story is well paced, not rushing, but also leaving you eager to see how it is all going to play out. John Gwynne has never been afraid of killing off characters so be warned, I've a feeling this series is going to be as emotionally devastating as the first one. Overall a great opening and I am very much forward to the next one.

I was very sceptical going into this book, after reading the previous series from John. Sceptical that he could follow on from his previous works of art - boy was I wrong!Set over 100 years after the events of the last series, the story follows four new characters in the same world but altered from the results of the day of Wrath.From the first book of Malice through to this gem, it is hard to believe that John's skill at writing has become stronger and even more fluid. How his words can provoke so many different emotions throughout his books.Somehow the last 20% of every single one of his books flies past with events always leaving you flabbergasted, awed, and with such a deep yearning for MORE!It truly has been a blessing to delve back into the Banished Lands. Expect to devour every last scrap of knowledge that the author drip-feeds us of events that happened between the book Wrath and this work of art.Anyone who is a fan of Fantasy, who is a fan of A Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings etc.. please, pick up this book and John's previous series 'The Faithful and The Fallen'. You will not be disappointed!John's writing style, his lore, his characters and plots - he takes the crown for all. Take a rest John, before diving head first back into writing your next work of art!My only complaint is that we will most likely be waiting a year before we are graced by John Gwynne's sequel to 'A time of Dread'. Please support this author, help fuel further works from him.Truth and Courage!

Before purchasing this book I did not realise that it is a follow up series to 'The Faithful and The Fallen' series and had not read any of the author's previous books. A Time of Dread was amazing from start to finish, I don't usually like when books are written in this style (each chapter following a specific character) as I find they can be very difficult to get in to however, A Time of Dread is so well written I found this was not a problem. My problem was I couldn't put the book down and was devastated to find the next one isn't out until 2019. With that said I am now reading the prequel series The Faithful and The Fallen so it's not the end of the world :) If you haven't read the series The Faithful and The Fallen you can still easily follow A Time of Dread, it is set years after the original series and while there are references to characters and events from the original series they are only in passing and do not detract from the ability of new readers to follow A Time of Dread. In fact, A Time of Dread will make you want to read The Faithful and The Fallen!

Another masterpiece by John Gwynne, in my opinion. I would suggest that you read the Faithful and the Fallen quartet first, but you could read this without having done so.If you are a fan of epic fantasy and you like multiple characters, well-researched combat sequences and intelligent beasts and birds, this is the book for you. It shows a thoughtful author (in terms of his profession and in his love for his family) who built his fantasy world in his first four books. Now he has returned to that world to begin a new adventure. I believe it will be a trilogy (so no waiting countless years for sequels).I give this a huge thumbs-up, the easiest 5-star rating I've given a book so far. Buy it, read it, enjoy it!Truth and Courage!

This is the first John Gwynne novel I’ve read, and I’ll certainly be reading more!John’s style is clear and fluid, drawing the reader straight into the scene and action from page 1.The story is told from the POV’s of four characters, each of whom are thoughtfully developed and steer clear of the character tropes we often encounter in fantasy. I especially enjoyed the non-stereotypical female characters of Riv (a well-meaning but overly tempestuous warrior) and Sig (a highly competent warrior-giant with a good heart).I normally don’t get on very well with multiple POV’s (I tend to have favourites and feel annoyed when the story switches to a less interesting character). However, the four characters in A Time of Dread are each compelling in their own way, and the transitions between one POV to another is fluid and well-timed.Gwynne weaves political intrigue with intense action in a way that is truly compelling, making this a page-turner in spite of its epic scale (I’m not knocking epic fantasy – but novels in this genre tend to be slow burners in my experience).Violence in fantasy can often feel a bit senseless and white-washed, but Gwynne uses it well as a device for action and character development. Even so, be prepared for a fair bit of blood and gore.This was an enjoyable, satisfying read that absolutely nails plot, character, world-building, and style. Highly recommended for fans of gritty, epic fantasy!