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Tragedy of Cedain #2
Buzzard's Bowl
Cedain continues to collapse.
Ashmount’s destruction shatters the Magicai while the culprits responsible continue sabotaging the world. All the while, the next season of Buzzard’s Bowl begins and Edelbrock, in his constant fight for survival, desires a vengeance he can only find in the arena.
Seradal and Villic find themselves in the middle of a war between Remeria and the Camel Clans, and may end up on opposing sides, while the threat of Calrym looms over all of them.
At the behest of the woman he loves, Demri finds himself thrown into the Elkavich, a not-so-secret order of Magicai who are intent upon fixing the world.
Ashen, a former urchin rescued by a noble with selfish aspirations, works to dismantle the nobility of Calrym.
Death is assured to all who walk the world, the only unknown is when they will perish.
Fans of Joe Abercrombie and hard magic systems will enjoy navigating a morally gray cast of characters in a world on the brink of collapse. Praise for The Trials of Ashmount :
"In creating this complex world, brimming with nefarious characters, political backstabbing, and personal deceit, the author proves himself to be a promising new voice in grimdark fiction." - Grimdark Magazine
"Combining grit, drama, humor and tragedy, The Trials of Ashmount is a very promising debut and solid start to this series. Fans of Joe Abercrombie, Rob J. Hayes, and Ed McDonald, this is for you." - FanFiAddict
"Palladino's debut novel is a promising start to his fantasy series, and he has created a deliciously brutal, grimdark world, filled with a whole horde of colourful characters. If you are a fan of grimdark fantasy, you will lap this up like a cat to milk." - Before We Go Blog
" The Trials of Ashmount was a great read with plenty of action, skulduggery, and skulfuckery, and one that I enjoyed from start to finish." - Queen's Book Asylum
"There is not one single thing I would change about this book, hence the 5 star rating." - The Nerdy Narrative
"And what a magic system. There are so many of these in epic fantasy these days that it’s tough to really make a standout one. But with this, Palladino hits the target and then brutally eviscerates said target." - E.L. Crocker, Goodreads Reviewer "This debut novel does all the right immerses you in a fresh and new fantasy world, develops a new magic system, describes action in fluid and thrilling ways and keeps the reader turning pages, leaving us wanting more." - J. H. Sageman, Goodreads reviewer.
Ashmount’s destruction shatters the Magicai while the culprits responsible continue sabotaging the world. All the while, the next season of Buzzard’s Bowl begins and Edelbrock, in his constant fight for survival, desires a vengeance he can only find in the arena.
Seradal and Villic find themselves in the middle of a war between Remeria and the Camel Clans, and may end up on opposing sides, while the threat of Calrym looms over all of them.
At the behest of the woman he loves, Demri finds himself thrown into the Elkavich, a not-so-secret order of Magicai who are intent upon fixing the world.
Ashen, a former urchin rescued by a noble with selfish aspirations, works to dismantle the nobility of Calrym.
Death is assured to all who walk the world, the only unknown is when they will perish.
Fans of Joe Abercrombie and hard magic systems will enjoy navigating a morally gray cast of characters in a world on the brink of collapse. Praise for The Trials of Ashmount :
"In creating this complex world, brimming with nefarious characters, political backstabbing, and personal deceit, the author proves himself to be a promising new voice in grimdark fiction." - Grimdark Magazine
"Combining grit, drama, humor and tragedy, The Trials of Ashmount is a very promising debut and solid start to this series. Fans of Joe Abercrombie, Rob J. Hayes, and Ed McDonald, this is for you." - FanFiAddict
"Palladino's debut novel is a promising start to his fantasy series, and he has created a deliciously brutal, grimdark world, filled with a whole horde of colourful characters. If you are a fan of grimdark fantasy, you will lap this up like a cat to milk." - Before We Go Blog
" The Trials of Ashmount was a great read with plenty of action, skulduggery, and skulfuckery, and one that I enjoyed from start to finish." - Queen's Book Asylum
"There is not one single thing I would change about this book, hence the 5 star rating." - The Nerdy Narrative
"And what a magic system. There are so many of these in epic fantasy these days that it’s tough to really make a standout one. But with this, Palladino hits the target and then brutally eviscerates said target." - E.L. Crocker, Goodreads Reviewer "This debut novel does all the right immerses you in a fresh and new fantasy world, develops a new magic system, describes action in fluid and thrilling ways and keeps the reader turning pages, leaving us wanting more." - J. H. Sageman, Goodreads reviewer.
- GenresFantasyDark Fantasy
641 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2023
About the author
John Palladino
3 books133 followersYou’ve stumbled upon somebody who takes nothing seriously, not even author bios. It’d be a good guess to say John Palladino was born in 1988, lives in Avoca, New York, has a bachelor’s degree in business management, and enjoys hibernating at home while writing. He might also lie and say he enjoys pets, long walks on the beach, and his hobbies include happiness and scuba diving. You’d see right through those lies, however, and notice he prefers the simpler things in life—reading, video games, and making ill-timed jokes. John also dislikes taking care of anything that excretes substances.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 1, 2023
My complete review of Buzzard's Bowl is published at Grimdark Magazine.
John Palladino takes his craft to new heights in Buzzard’s Bowl, the second volume of his grimdark fantasy series, The Tragedy of Cedain. I am delighted to see how Palladino has grown as a writer since publishing his first novel, The Trials of Ashmount. Palladino already showed great promise with his debut, and he has made all the right moves with Buzzard’s Bowl.
As with The Trials of Ashmount, Buzzard’s Bowl is told as a third-person narrative from the perspectives of five main protagonists. Palladino has improved upon his already strong character development skills, building layers of complexity and strong emotional connections to each of the lead protagonists. Palladino cites Joe Abercrombie as a key influence, and I can definitely see that inspiration in his outstanding character work. The protagonists of Buzzard’s Bowl are all profoundly broken in different ways; yet each of them is sympathetic and relatable.
First up is Edelbrock Brendis, formerly a minor nobleman who, through his own strategic missteps, finds himself as an enslaved gladiator fighting in the Buzzard’s Bowl arena. Edelbrock is a deeply pathetic and tragic figure, drawing equal parts sympathy and repugnance. Edelbrock grows a lot throughout Buzzard’s Bowl while oscillating between depth and shallowness of character.
My favorite protagonist from The Trials of Ashmount, Demri Slarn, returns in Buzzard’s Bowl with even more emotional baggage than in the first book. Demri is clearly inspired by Sand dan Glokta, Joe Abercrombie’s greatest creation first introduced in The Blade Itself. Like Glokta, Demri is simultaneously a despicable and sympathetic character who experiences tremendous emotional and physical suffering. Like Edelbrock, Demri occupies the full spectrum of gray morality, keeping the reader guessing as to his intentions and actions.
Next is Sera Wintlock, a bird-farming girl who rises to heroism as her family and village are slaughtered. In my previous review of The Trials of Ashmount, I noted the lack of a strong emotional connection with Sera, despite the tragic situations that she endures. This is no longer an issue in Buzzard’s Bowl, as Sera experiences one of the best character arcs in the book, growing as a leader while the emotional trauma from her past finally catches up with her.
Another character who fell strangely flat for me in The Trials of Ashmount was Villic the Imbuer, a nomadic warrior from the Camel Clans who is haunted by a mysterious voice in his mind which he calls Speaker. Villic is a revelation in Buzzard’s Bowl. His inner monologue with Speaker is by turns hilarious and tragic. The suffering that Villic endures in Buzzard’s Bowl and his ensuing character growth make him one of the most endearing characters in this second volume of the series.
Palladino also introduces a new point-of-view character with Ashen, a former street urchin who masquerades as Lady Hyrel to gain access to the inner circle of a particularly despicable noble. I was immediately drawn to Ashen’s character from the moment she was introduced. She reminds me of Vin from Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, but with a more grimdark storyline.
Buzzard’s Bowl is fast-paced and full of surprises for each of the main characters, especially when their storylines converge. Palladino shines in writing pulse-pounding action sequences. My favorite is the scene captured on the outstanding cover designed by Dusan Markovic , which depicts a flooded Buzzard’s Bowl arena with battling gladiator ships electrified by levitating Magicai wizards. This is one of several epic action sequences in the book.
Although I’ve already mentioned Joe Abercrombie, I’d argue that George R.R. Martin has an even greater influence on Buzzard’s Bowl. Like the first three volumes of Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, Palladino manages a sprawling scope and depth of worldbuilding with excellent pacing and a character-driven focus. As with both Abercrombie and Martin, Palladino doesn’t shy away from the raw brutality of his grimdark world.
Getting Sarah Chorn on board as editor was also a wise decision, as she has helped bring out the best in Palladino’s writing. In his most impactful moments, Palladino’s prose reminds me of Anna Smith Spark at her most emotionally devastating. This emotional wreckage is balanced by Palladino’s wicked sense of humor, which recalls Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora and had me laughing out loud several times.
Overall, John Palladino gleefully embraces the best of grimdark fantasy in Buzzard’s Bowl, which reads in many ways like an irreverent version of A Game of Thrones. Palladino shares Joe Abercombie’s talent at developing broken, morally complex characters, George R.R. Martin’s epic worldbuilding and well-paced story arcs, Scott Lynch’s incisive humor, and the raw emotional impact of Anna Smith Spark. Buzzard’s Bowl firmly establishes John Palladino as one of the most exciting new voices in the grimdark fantasy community. I eagerly await the next volume of his Tragedy of Cedain series.
John Palladino takes his craft to new heights in Buzzard’s Bowl, the second volume of his grimdark fantasy series, The Tragedy of Cedain. I am delighted to see how Palladino has grown as a writer since publishing his first novel, The Trials of Ashmount. Palladino already showed great promise with his debut, and he has made all the right moves with Buzzard’s Bowl.
As with The Trials of Ashmount, Buzzard’s Bowl is told as a third-person narrative from the perspectives of five main protagonists. Palladino has improved upon his already strong character development skills, building layers of complexity and strong emotional connections to each of the lead protagonists. Palladino cites Joe Abercrombie as a key influence, and I can definitely see that inspiration in his outstanding character work. The protagonists of Buzzard’s Bowl are all profoundly broken in different ways; yet each of them is sympathetic and relatable.
First up is Edelbrock Brendis, formerly a minor nobleman who, through his own strategic missteps, finds himself as an enslaved gladiator fighting in the Buzzard’s Bowl arena. Edelbrock is a deeply pathetic and tragic figure, drawing equal parts sympathy and repugnance. Edelbrock grows a lot throughout Buzzard’s Bowl while oscillating between depth and shallowness of character.
My favorite protagonist from The Trials of Ashmount, Demri Slarn, returns in Buzzard’s Bowl with even more emotional baggage than in the first book. Demri is clearly inspired by Sand dan Glokta, Joe Abercrombie’s greatest creation first introduced in The Blade Itself. Like Glokta, Demri is simultaneously a despicable and sympathetic character who experiences tremendous emotional and physical suffering. Like Edelbrock, Demri occupies the full spectrum of gray morality, keeping the reader guessing as to his intentions and actions.
Next is Sera Wintlock, a bird-farming girl who rises to heroism as her family and village are slaughtered. In my previous review of The Trials of Ashmount, I noted the lack of a strong emotional connection with Sera, despite the tragic situations that she endures. This is no longer an issue in Buzzard’s Bowl, as Sera experiences one of the best character arcs in the book, growing as a leader while the emotional trauma from her past finally catches up with her.
Another character who fell strangely flat for me in The Trials of Ashmount was Villic the Imbuer, a nomadic warrior from the Camel Clans who is haunted by a mysterious voice in his mind which he calls Speaker. Villic is a revelation in Buzzard’s Bowl. His inner monologue with Speaker is by turns hilarious and tragic. The suffering that Villic endures in Buzzard’s Bowl and his ensuing character growth make him one of the most endearing characters in this second volume of the series.
Palladino also introduces a new point-of-view character with Ashen, a former street urchin who masquerades as Lady Hyrel to gain access to the inner circle of a particularly despicable noble. I was immediately drawn to Ashen’s character from the moment she was introduced. She reminds me of Vin from Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, but with a more grimdark storyline.
Buzzard’s Bowl is fast-paced and full of surprises for each of the main characters, especially when their storylines converge. Palladino shines in writing pulse-pounding action sequences. My favorite is the scene captured on the outstanding cover designed by Dusan Markovic , which depicts a flooded Buzzard’s Bowl arena with battling gladiator ships electrified by levitating Magicai wizards. This is one of several epic action sequences in the book.
Although I’ve already mentioned Joe Abercrombie, I’d argue that George R.R. Martin has an even greater influence on Buzzard’s Bowl. Like the first three volumes of Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, Palladino manages a sprawling scope and depth of worldbuilding with excellent pacing and a character-driven focus. As with both Abercrombie and Martin, Palladino doesn’t shy away from the raw brutality of his grimdark world.
Getting Sarah Chorn on board as editor was also a wise decision, as she has helped bring out the best in Palladino’s writing. In his most impactful moments, Palladino’s prose reminds me of Anna Smith Spark at her most emotionally devastating. This emotional wreckage is balanced by Palladino’s wicked sense of humor, which recalls Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora and had me laughing out loud several times.
Overall, John Palladino gleefully embraces the best of grimdark fantasy in Buzzard’s Bowl, which reads in many ways like an irreverent version of A Game of Thrones. Palladino shares Joe Abercombie’s talent at developing broken, morally complex characters, George R.R. Martin’s epic worldbuilding and well-paced story arcs, Scott Lynch’s incisive humor, and the raw emotional impact of Anna Smith Spark. Buzzard’s Bowl firmly establishes John Palladino as one of the most exciting new voices in the grimdark fantasy community. I eagerly await the next volume of his Tragedy of Cedain series.
December 17, 2023
Palladino is back and better than ever with this second instalment in the Tragedy of Cedain series, and he did not come to play. I mean, with book 1 being such a strong debut, I knew we were going to be in for something good with this series. And yet, I was somehow just not prepared for this absolute masterpiece.
The way that this sequel improved upon every single aspect from book 1, which was already freaking brilliant, was just mind-blowing. Second book syndrome? We don’t know her.
Buzzard’s Bowl is easily one of the strongest sequels I have ever read.
I mentioned in my review of book 1 that it felt like a bit of a set-up book, yet I had the feeling that the slower build up would all be worth it once we got to see the bigger picture. And let me tell you friends, the pay-off here was even more satisfying and exciting than I could ever have imagined. The Trials of Ashmount ended with a bang and now we get to explore how our characters are dealing with the fallout of all of those crazy events and revelations. The war that was brewing in book 1 completely explodes here and holy damn, the consequences are brutal.
We mostly return to the familiar faces that survived book 1, but we are also introduced to some compelling new characters that I instantly latched onto. And the way that all of these separate storylines, and even the interludes, seamlessly start to interweave is just SO masterfully done.
Now, I was already really intrigued by the cast of (messed up) characters in book 1, but I didn’t yet have that emotional connection that I tend to look for in my books. However, the development of each character’s personal arc here was phenomenal and somewhere along the way I just became completely invested. Whether we got to see some beautiful character growth or a full-blown corruption arc, everyone’s journey was just so (frustratingly) realistic and believable.
I personally love that these characters are so painfully flawed and human, because their moral complexity is exactly what makes this story so unpredictable and compelling. We also get some very good and authentic neurodivergence, disability and mental illness representation in this story, which I was pleasantly surprised by.
Every single character just has so much emotional depth and they completely jump off the page with their strong voices and unique personalities.
Needless to say, this is one of the most memorable casts of characters that I have ever come across. And now I honestly don’t know if I am happy about my emotional investment or not, because literally NO ONE is safe in this story and my feelings were hurt, dammit.
Another thing that was brilliantly built and expanded upon from book 1 was the world building. The scope of this world is very big and the story that’s being told is ambitious and sprawling (like, think ASOIAF-level of big and sprawling), but Palladino proves here that he can handle it. And really damn well, at that.
All the rich cultures and vivid settings really come to life through the eyes of our diverse cast of characters, which made this such an immersive reading experience. Whether we were at court, in a gladiator arena, with a nomadic travelling group, on a bloody battlefield or in just any of the numerous other compelling settings, I was constantly right there along with the characters and I loved that.
But what I maybe enjoyed most about the expansion of the world building here was the way that we got to dive a lot deeper into the history, lore and magic of this world. All the different types and brands of the destructive magic system are on full display and we get to experience first-hand just how high the cost of using some of these powers can be.
I also love how themes of censorship, corruption, religion and the twisting of history over time are woven into the narrative as we learn more about the hidden truths of this magic system. These characters’ world views continue to be shattered in unexpected ways and some of the twists and reveals had my jaw on the floor.
I mean, the old status quo in this world might not have been ideal, but at times you will find yourself wondering if everyone wouldn’t have been better off just living on in blissful ignorance. This book is just nuts in the best way possible.
So yeah, I may or may not have devoured the final 300 pages of this book in one day, and I have zero regrets. The plot is just filled with intrigue on so many levels and the pacing is rock solid all the way through. We really dive deep into the brutality of politics and war, which leads to tons of deadly political scheming, brutal back stabbings and betrayals, bloody battle/war scenes and ruthless sacrifices.
And while the writing is fittingly visceral and bleak for this type of story, it's also filled with tons of amusing dark humour, so I was truly entertained and gripped from start to finish.
Okay, applause for you if you made it all the way through this absolute gushfest of a review. And now it should probably come as no surprise when I say that I can’t recommend this series highly enough. This story is honestly the perfect mash-up of all the best things from The First Law and ASOIAF, and I honestly prefer this series over both of those two pillars of fantasy. If you like the idea of a sprawling multi-pov grimdark fantasy with brutal political intrigue, deadly magic, painfully realistic characters and tons of crazy twists and turns, then The Tragedy of Cedain series is the perfect fit for you. Trust me, it’s bloody fucking brilliant.
Thank you to the author for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The way that this sequel improved upon every single aspect from book 1, which was already freaking brilliant, was just mind-blowing. Second book syndrome? We don’t know her.
Buzzard’s Bowl is easily one of the strongest sequels I have ever read.
I mentioned in my review of book 1 that it felt like a bit of a set-up book, yet I had the feeling that the slower build up would all be worth it once we got to see the bigger picture. And let me tell you friends, the pay-off here was even more satisfying and exciting than I could ever have imagined. The Trials of Ashmount ended with a bang and now we get to explore how our characters are dealing with the fallout of all of those crazy events and revelations. The war that was brewing in book 1 completely explodes here and holy damn, the consequences are brutal.
We mostly return to the familiar faces that survived book 1, but we are also introduced to some compelling new characters that I instantly latched onto. And the way that all of these separate storylines, and even the interludes, seamlessly start to interweave is just SO masterfully done.
Now, I was already really intrigued by the cast of (messed up) characters in book 1, but I didn’t yet have that emotional connection that I tend to look for in my books. However, the development of each character’s personal arc here was phenomenal and somewhere along the way I just became completely invested. Whether we got to see some beautiful character growth or a full-blown corruption arc, everyone’s journey was just so (frustratingly) realistic and believable.
I personally love that these characters are so painfully flawed and human, because their moral complexity is exactly what makes this story so unpredictable and compelling. We also get some very good and authentic neurodivergence, disability and mental illness representation in this story, which I was pleasantly surprised by.
Every single character just has so much emotional depth and they completely jump off the page with their strong voices and unique personalities.
Needless to say, this is one of the most memorable casts of characters that I have ever come across. And now I honestly don’t know if I am happy about my emotional investment or not, because literally NO ONE is safe in this story and my feelings were hurt, dammit.
Another thing that was brilliantly built and expanded upon from book 1 was the world building. The scope of this world is very big and the story that’s being told is ambitious and sprawling (like, think ASOIAF-level of big and sprawling), but Palladino proves here that he can handle it. And really damn well, at that.
All the rich cultures and vivid settings really come to life through the eyes of our diverse cast of characters, which made this such an immersive reading experience. Whether we were at court, in a gladiator arena, with a nomadic travelling group, on a bloody battlefield or in just any of the numerous other compelling settings, I was constantly right there along with the characters and I loved that.
But what I maybe enjoyed most about the expansion of the world building here was the way that we got to dive a lot deeper into the history, lore and magic of this world. All the different types and brands of the destructive magic system are on full display and we get to experience first-hand just how high the cost of using some of these powers can be.
I also love how themes of censorship, corruption, religion and the twisting of history over time are woven into the narrative as we learn more about the hidden truths of this magic system. These characters’ world views continue to be shattered in unexpected ways and some of the twists and reveals had my jaw on the floor.
I mean, the old status quo in this world might not have been ideal, but at times you will find yourself wondering if everyone wouldn’t have been better off just living on in blissful ignorance. This book is just nuts in the best way possible.
So yeah, I may or may not have devoured the final 300 pages of this book in one day, and I have zero regrets. The plot is just filled with intrigue on so many levels and the pacing is rock solid all the way through. We really dive deep into the brutality of politics and war, which leads to tons of deadly political scheming, brutal back stabbings and betrayals, bloody battle/war scenes and ruthless sacrifices.
And while the writing is fittingly visceral and bleak for this type of story, it's also filled with tons of amusing dark humour, so I was truly entertained and gripped from start to finish.
Okay, applause for you if you made it all the way through this absolute gushfest of a review. And now it should probably come as no surprise when I say that I can’t recommend this series highly enough. This story is honestly the perfect mash-up of all the best things from The First Law and ASOIAF, and I honestly prefer this series over both of those two pillars of fantasy. If you like the idea of a sprawling multi-pov grimdark fantasy with brutal political intrigue, deadly magic, painfully realistic characters and tons of crazy twists and turns, then The Tragedy of Cedain series is the perfect fit for you. Trust me, it’s bloody fucking brilliant.
Thank you to the author for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 22, 2023
My thoughts on Buzzard's Bowl are overwhelmingly positive. While the author relied on shock value a bit in book one, here he seems more confident in just telling his story and letting the characters and events be dark in their own right. There's a pending magical apocalypse but everyone doesn't know it yet and everything just feels more ominous, coherent, and better realized.
Does that make sense? We can simply toss a baby off a balcony for shock value, or we can stage intricate betrayals that involve elaborate plots and inflict a ton of personal suffering. Heck let's wipe the world clean while we're at it. Buzzard's Bowl might be 641 pages but it is a fast paced, engaging read that flows rather quickly.
Once again, the rotation of character point of views works. Sometimes it's hard to follow multiple POV but it's not when they are this distinct in voice and action. It mostly served to keep me interested in reading longer! The best part is how each character is important, while not being superhumans. They have faults and get killed and fall for betrayals, and everyone is swirling towards some moral gray zone where villain vs. hero just turns into "people trying to survive". That said, there are still some complete bastards.
Which means that there are also a ton of brutally hard moments where everything that came before becomes totally futile. If you want an author who's not afraid to destroy the world he built, this is the series for you.
My biggest gripe was the proofreading. There were multiple little issues and he listed the wrong King at least once, which was more confusing than anything but these things do add up enough to affect the reader.
Overall: Definitely a much stronger and more confident book overall than the first. It was darker in it's own right and seemed better realized overall, which is great when everything is going to rubble anyway. There are a wonderful batch of real characters with real issues and real grief. If you like dark fantasy, check these out!
Does that make sense? We can simply toss a baby off a balcony for shock value, or we can stage intricate betrayals that involve elaborate plots and inflict a ton of personal suffering. Heck let's wipe the world clean while we're at it. Buzzard's Bowl might be 641 pages but it is a fast paced, engaging read that flows rather quickly.
Once again, the rotation of character point of views works. Sometimes it's hard to follow multiple POV but it's not when they are this distinct in voice and action. It mostly served to keep me interested in reading longer! The best part is how each character is important, while not being superhumans. They have faults and get killed and fall for betrayals, and everyone is swirling towards some moral gray zone where villain vs. hero just turns into "people trying to survive". That said, there are still some complete bastards.
Which means that there are also a ton of brutally hard moments where everything that came before becomes totally futile. If you want an author who's not afraid to destroy the world he built, this is the series for you.
My biggest gripe was the proofreading. There were multiple little issues and he listed the wrong King at least once, which was more confusing than anything but these things do add up enough to affect the reader.
Overall: Definitely a much stronger and more confident book overall than the first. It was darker in it's own right and seemed better realized overall, which is great when everything is going to rubble anyway. There are a wonderful batch of real characters with real issues and real grief. If you like dark fantasy, check these out!
November 30, 2023
BRUTAL in its execution and masterful in its action. Buzzards Bowl is quintessential dark fantasy.
John has written what is honestly my favorite style of battle in this book. Faced paced frenetic and jumping from POV to POV. It was really good.
Also I have NEVER read a book that is so brutal in killing off characters WOW
Be warned it’s dark and full or adult themes and content.
John has written what is honestly my favorite style of battle in this book. Faced paced frenetic and jumping from POV to POV. It was really good.
Also I have NEVER read a book that is so brutal in killing off characters WOW
Be warned it’s dark and full or adult themes and content.
May 3, 2023
Author John Palladino is back with the second installment in his Tragedy of Cedain series:
BUZZARD'S BOWL.
I have been begging for an ARC from the author since January of this year and it finally landed in my email recently.
Palladino was swell enough to include a recap for the different characters and I didn't even make it all the way through before I put it down so I could reread the first book in the series, THE TRIALS OF ASHMOUNT, which was even better the second time through.
Plot - 10
Characters - 9
Atmosphere - 9
Intrigue - 10
Logic - 8
Writing - 8
Enjoyment - 10
Plot
Since this is the second book of the series, I don't want to get into specifics since it would spoil some survivors from the first book. What I will say is that the author took what occurred in the different character POVs and continued to expand and build upon those events and/or fallout in this installment. In my opinion, the plot leveled up from the first book.
Characters
My goodness. I'm a confused mess right now over the characters from this one. I had favorites in the beginning, met new characters that I enjoyed - but over the course of all that happened, I'm conflicted about some of my favorites. I know this isn't making sense and I wish I could give a better explanation, but I'm trying to avoid spoilers. This is a grimdark fantasy - meaning we have character(s) who are morally grey. Even knowing that, I still formed attachments to some of these grey characters....yet I hypocritically got "mad" when they reverted to their natures that I was given when I first met them. UGH!!!!!!!!!!
Atmosphere
The world of Cedain after two books feels real to me, I swear I can almost visualize it. Since we have alternating POVs, readers get exposed to several areas and as characters travel for one reason or another, the author did a beautiful job describing the landscape, different climates and what that area was known for. (Farming, raising gyrfalcons, desert)
Intrigue
I could not put this book down. I read until midnight every night and even got up an hour early this morning so I could finish it before I had to work. I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate unless I had finished it. Of course that meant I had to suffer a book hangover all day. Because all of the different characters had scintillating storylines, even when a chapter was over, I couldn't stop because I saw the name of the next chapter and was dying to see what happened next.
Logic
I totally understood the world of Cedain - its politics, its magic system and the motivations of the different kingdoms, people, groups, etc. The author teased a lot of this in the first book, but in this one, we learned so much about what was at stake for these characters and why. I personally did not notice any plot holes or have any questions.
Writing
Palladino's writing style and choices for POV style is very good - reminds me of GRRM, in fact.
Enjoyment
I need to read it again. This is going to be a favorite series once its completed, I just know it in my bones. After rereading the first book so I could go right into this one - I know that's how I'll approach it going forward and absolutely love it every time.
I don't usually comment on book covers in reviews, but good gravy these covers are absolutely GORGEOUS!
Palladino was swell enough to include a recap for the different characters and I didn't even make it all the way through before I put it down so I could reread the first book in the series, THE TRIALS OF ASHMOUNT, which was even better the second time through.
Plot - 10
Characters - 9
Atmosphere - 9
Intrigue - 10
Logic - 8
Writing - 8
Enjoyment - 10
Plot
Since this is the second book of the series, I don't want to get into specifics since it would spoil some survivors from the first book. What I will say is that the author took what occurred in the different character POVs and continued to expand and build upon those events and/or fallout in this installment. In my opinion, the plot leveled up from the first book.
Characters
My goodness. I'm a confused mess right now over the characters from this one. I had favorites in the beginning, met new characters that I enjoyed - but over the course of all that happened, I'm conflicted about some of my favorites. I know this isn't making sense and I wish I could give a better explanation, but I'm trying to avoid spoilers. This is a grimdark fantasy - meaning we have character(s) who are morally grey. Even knowing that, I still formed attachments to some of these grey characters....yet I hypocritically got "mad" when they reverted to their natures that I was given when I first met them. UGH!!!!!!!!!!
Atmosphere
The world of Cedain after two books feels real to me, I swear I can almost visualize it. Since we have alternating POVs, readers get exposed to several areas and as characters travel for one reason or another, the author did a beautiful job describing the landscape, different climates and what that area was known for. (Farming, raising gyrfalcons, desert)
Intrigue
I could not put this book down. I read until midnight every night and even got up an hour early this morning so I could finish it before I had to work. I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate unless I had finished it. Of course that meant I had to suffer a book hangover all day. Because all of the different characters had scintillating storylines, even when a chapter was over, I couldn't stop because I saw the name of the next chapter and was dying to see what happened next.
Logic
I totally understood the world of Cedain - its politics, its magic system and the motivations of the different kingdoms, people, groups, etc. The author teased a lot of this in the first book, but in this one, we learned so much about what was at stake for these characters and why. I personally did not notice any plot holes or have any questions.
Writing
Palladino's writing style and choices for POV style is very good - reminds me of GRRM, in fact.
Enjoyment
I need to read it again. This is going to be a favorite series once its completed, I just know it in my bones. After rereading the first book so I could go right into this one - I know that's how I'll approach it going forward and absolutely love it every time.
I don't usually comment on book covers in reviews, but good gravy these covers are absolutely GORGEOUS!
August 14, 2023
Easy 5 star. Fantastic sequel to this fantastic grimdark series.
While the POV characters in book one were all out and about doing their own thing, there was a lot more togetherness here. The scope of the world got narrow, but the depth of story expanded. The level of brutality grew.
This is a dark-storyline series. Real apocalyptic stuff. I have no idea if this series is a trilogy, but golly did this feel like the penultimate book.
Characters? Some grew in fun ways. Some got less captivating (for me). Some favorite side characters continued to shine. A new main POV came in and made for a good read.
Def a must read series.
While the POV characters in book one were all out and about doing their own thing, there was a lot more togetherness here. The scope of the world got narrow, but the depth of story expanded. The level of brutality grew.
This is a dark-storyline series. Real apocalyptic stuff. I have no idea if this series is a trilogy, but golly did this feel like the penultimate book.
Characters? Some grew in fun ways. Some got less captivating (for me). Some favorite side characters continued to shine. A new main POV came in and made for a good read.
Def a must read series.
May 14, 2023
A huge thank you to the author for providing an ARC copy of Buzzards Bowl in exchange for an honest review.
First up, this book was mental and I loved it. Lock up .. literally everyone. No one is safe. Book two in The Tragedy of Cedain takes no prisoners. It is unapologetic, dark has hell and one hell of a ride.
Taking place in the aftermath of the huge event taking place at the end of book one (I won't spoil it for you but seriously read it), our POV's old and new are now dealing with the consequences. Magic as we know it will change, and the secrets of the greater magics of the world are about to unfold. It turns out the magic users of Ashmount had a lot to hide, and the secret society of the legendary Elkavich will fight to expose its shortcomings and reset the world.
The characterisation and development, the worldbuilding and the brutality of this world was phenomenal. Palladino has taken all of the best elements of book one and taken them to 1000% in Buzzards Bowl. This may be one of the best sequels I have ever read and I will be impatiently waiting book three.
Book two in this series blew my expectations out of the water and I can see this becoming an all time favourite. If you are looking for Abercrombie like style and wit, with Martin's brutality and characterisation. Palladino is your guy.
First up, this book was mental and I loved it. Lock up .. literally everyone. No one is safe. Book two in The Tragedy of Cedain takes no prisoners. It is unapologetic, dark has hell and one hell of a ride.
Taking place in the aftermath of the huge event taking place at the end of book one (I won't spoil it for you but seriously read it), our POV's old and new are now dealing with the consequences. Magic as we know it will change, and the secrets of the greater magics of the world are about to unfold. It turns out the magic users of Ashmount had a lot to hide, and the secret society of the legendary Elkavich will fight to expose its shortcomings and reset the world.
The characterisation and development, the worldbuilding and the brutality of this world was phenomenal. Palladino has taken all of the best elements of book one and taken them to 1000% in Buzzards Bowl. This may be one of the best sequels I have ever read and I will be impatiently waiting book three.
Book two in this series blew my expectations out of the water and I can see this becoming an all time favourite. If you are looking for Abercrombie like style and wit, with Martin's brutality and characterisation. Palladino is your guy.
August 12, 2023
I finished this book very conflicted, but that's exactly why it stood out to me.
One of my favorite characters doesn't make it. However, I'm so appreciative that Palladino wrote the book this way. It shows me the stakes are high, and they're real. Also, the foreshadowing for the ending was given well in advance, and thematically, it influences the arcs of several other characters.
The character death is freshest on my mind because it happened so close to the end that it influenced my perspective of the entire book. However, the rest of the book reads with as much sarcastic, snarky dialogue and unapologetically gritty prose as the first book in the series.
If you liked the Trials of Ashmount and you want MORE of everything in the first book (I.E. blood, betrayals, death, war, action, banter, characters), then look no further. This book was just as wild as the first one, and it sets the stakes for a truly epic showdown in the third book.
Ultimately, Cedain continues to collapse, and the final battle promises to be legendary.
One of my favorite characters doesn't make it. However, I'm so appreciative that Palladino wrote the book this way. It shows me the stakes are high, and they're real. Also, the foreshadowing for the ending was given well in advance, and thematically, it influences the arcs of several other characters.
The character death is freshest on my mind because it happened so close to the end that it influenced my perspective of the entire book. However, the rest of the book reads with as much sarcastic, snarky dialogue and unapologetically gritty prose as the first book in the series.
If you liked the Trials of Ashmount and you want MORE of everything in the first book (I.E. blood, betrayals, death, war, action, banter, characters), then look no further. This book was just as wild as the first one, and it sets the stakes for a truly epic showdown in the third book.
Ultimately, Cedain continues to collapse, and the final battle promises to be legendary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2023
John Palladino in two novels has become one of my favorite authors. Full stop. No asterisks of ‘indie’ or ‘self published’ to be said.
Buzzard’s Bowl is a fantastic sequel to an already superb debut. Everything that had me hooked in Trials, the world building, the magic, the characters, continue to impress. Without getting into spoilers, the way John weaves together all of POVs, intersecting unexpectedly, was a joy. The prose is addictively readable.
I can’t praise John enough for what he has so far accomplished with Tragedy of Cedain. I can’t wait for him to continue telling this story.
Buzzard’s Bowl is a fantastic sequel to an already superb debut. Everything that had me hooked in Trials, the world building, the magic, the characters, continue to impress. Without getting into spoilers, the way John weaves together all of POVs, intersecting unexpectedly, was a joy. The prose is addictively readable.
I can’t praise John enough for what he has so far accomplished with Tragedy of Cedain. I can’t wait for him to continue telling this story.
February 29, 2024
The second installment in John Palladino's "The Tragedy of Cedain" series brings exactly what I anticipated after the ending of book 1...and then takes the story, world building, character depth and brutality to heights (and dark depths) I couldn't have dreamed of! Prepare your very souls for a magical ride through turmoil! 😈
Picking up right after the explosive events that ended book 1 "The trials of Ashmount", Palladino wastes no time jumping into the fast paced, action filled pages of book 2 "Buzzards Bowl" and sets this vengeful, brutal, chaotic, masterfully weaved, bloody brilliant adventure into motion. Buckle up and grab a stiff drink... a lot is going down!
We are placed back into this saga following our MC's from book 1 and this time around we get even more character depth with each that really drives home the motivation they carry in the decisions they make throughout this installment (some more shocking than the last). We also get introduced to a bevy of new characters that John works into each individual story line just beautifully and showcases the scope of the saga he is building for us lucky readers. However be warned...it was touched upon in book 1, but trust when I tell you, all bets are off and NO ONE is safe from John's Grimdark twists and crazy turns! With more characters only comes more tragedy.
Palladino is also at the top of his writing game with world building in this book. Trials was a beautifully imagined landscape in its own right...but Buzzards takes this and stretches the world Cedain into a Tolkien sized story board chuck full of magic, wonder, battles and detail. It's the detail in John's description of the scenes that will shake your very core. He really pulls you into his world with his writing!
Buzzards Bowl has it all, from adventure through tortured landscapes of war, to unforseen alliances that lead to betrayal on levels that left my jaw on the floor...(looking at that wild ending John!) 🤯 You are not ready for this ride...but you absolutely need to take it, fantastic edition to this building saga! 🔥 4.5 ⭐ 📚
Picking up right after the explosive events that ended book 1 "The trials of Ashmount", Palladino wastes no time jumping into the fast paced, action filled pages of book 2 "Buzzards Bowl" and sets this vengeful, brutal, chaotic, masterfully weaved, bloody brilliant adventure into motion. Buckle up and grab a stiff drink... a lot is going down!
We are placed back into this saga following our MC's from book 1 and this time around we get even more character depth with each that really drives home the motivation they carry in the decisions they make throughout this installment (some more shocking than the last). We also get introduced to a bevy of new characters that John works into each individual story line just beautifully and showcases the scope of the saga he is building for us lucky readers. However be warned...it was touched upon in book 1, but trust when I tell you, all bets are off and NO ONE is safe from John's Grimdark twists and crazy turns! With more characters only comes more tragedy.
Palladino is also at the top of his writing game with world building in this book. Trials was a beautifully imagined landscape in its own right...but Buzzards takes this and stretches the world Cedain into a Tolkien sized story board chuck full of magic, wonder, battles and detail. It's the detail in John's description of the scenes that will shake your very core. He really pulls you into his world with his writing!
Buzzards Bowl has it all, from adventure through tortured landscapes of war, to unforseen alliances that lead to betrayal on levels that left my jaw on the floor...(looking at that wild ending John!) 🤯 You are not ready for this ride...but you absolutely need to take it, fantastic edition to this building saga! 🔥 4.5 ⭐ 📚
August 23, 2024
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book and this series as a whole, but I think I'm enjoying it.
The plot is generally pretty good. It's hard to see exactly what it's trying to do/what direction it's heading in, especially with how many POVs there are, but I'm generally enjoying being along for the ride. Some of the POVs have also started to link up, which is helping generally. There have been some pretty good action sequences-- not the best I've read, but not the worst by quite a distance. I'd like to know how long this series is going to be because I feel like it would add a lot of context to the pacing/plot decisions.
I'm on the fence about the characters. Some of them are assholes and are supposed to be assholes and are generally pretty good at that. All of them are complex, but I feel like I just need to know a little bit more about them to fully understand and root for them.
A lot of my confused feelings about this book come from it being very much on the line between being a compelling dark fantasy and feeling like it's being edgy for the sake of being edgy. Again, I think this is something that I'll decide as I continue the series (whenever the next book comes out).
7/10
The plot is generally pretty good. It's hard to see exactly what it's trying to do/what direction it's heading in, especially with how many POVs there are, but I'm generally enjoying being along for the ride. Some of the POVs have also started to link up, which is helping generally. There have been some pretty good action sequences-- not the best I've read, but not the worst by quite a distance. I'd like to know how long this series is going to be because I feel like it would add a lot of context to the pacing/plot decisions.
I'm on the fence about the characters. Some of them are assholes and are supposed to be assholes and are generally pretty good at that. All of them are complex, but I feel like I just need to know a little bit more about them to fully understand and root for them.
A lot of my confused feelings about this book come from it being very much on the line between being a compelling dark fantasy and feeling like it's being edgy for the sake of being edgy. Again, I think this is something that I'll decide as I continue the series (whenever the next book comes out).
7/10
March 4, 2024
Gritty, gripping, and grammatically flawed
Enjoyable and gritty, with an understanding that even the most beloved character in a dangerous situation can die. I just wish grammatically it wasn’t so rife with errors and incorrect word choices.
Enjoyable and gritty, with an understanding that even the most beloved character in a dangerous situation can die. I just wish grammatically it wasn’t so rife with errors and incorrect word choices.
June 28, 2023
What a book! Do yourself a favor and go start this series!
Trials was one of my favorite books I have read and I honestly thought there would be a drop off. There was not. BB picked right up where Trials ended and pushed this story on and made me even more excited about the future of this series.
The character development was really done well. I thought they have all moved forward and have grown so much. Some I still hate and some I still love and some of both that are no longer with us RIP lol. The journeys of each of them start to overlap and meld with each other in BB.
There was some sexual scenes, that I personally could do without, so just wanted to give a heads up on that. Most times I wouldn’t even mention it, but this one just seemed kinda forced in there and didn’t move the story any. Again, just my opinion.
This book has different kinds of magic, it has gladiators, ships, voices in your head, betrayal, and lots of death. Did I mention death?
John Palladino is going to be a star one day in my opinion. At the very least, go buy Trials and give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.
Trials was one of my favorite books I have read and I honestly thought there would be a drop off. There was not. BB picked right up where Trials ended and pushed this story on and made me even more excited about the future of this series.
The character development was really done well. I thought they have all moved forward and have grown so much. Some I still hate and some I still love and some of both that are no longer with us RIP lol. The journeys of each of them start to overlap and meld with each other in BB.
There was some sexual scenes, that I personally could do without, so just wanted to give a heads up on that. Most times I wouldn’t even mention it, but this one just seemed kinda forced in there and didn’t move the story any. Again, just my opinion.
This book has different kinds of magic, it has gladiators, ships, voices in your head, betrayal, and lots of death. Did I mention death?
John Palladino is going to be a star one day in my opinion. At the very least, go buy Trials and give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.
January 19, 2024
and the saga continues!
Mr Palladino wasn’t kidding when he teased us with a list of who might die. I hope there is someone left at the end. The slowly declining group of characters are now starting to merge, with alliances shifting like the desert sand.
Mr Palladino wasn’t kidding when he teased us with a list of who might die. I hope there is someone left at the end. The slowly declining group of characters are now starting to merge, with alliances shifting like the desert sand.
August 1, 2023
Very dark. Very engrossing.
It feels wrong to use the phrase, "I enjoyed this book." I'm not a fan of darkness on this level, and yet, I found myself greedily reading every word of every character's story. Such is the author's talent for building this world that I found that I read, not because I wanted to know what would happen next, but that I needed to know.
There is so much happening and so much more simmering in the background with a huge cast of characters who each have their own stories but are all being driven to one moment that changes everything. Not everyone will make it. Heck, there were moments where I wondered if *anyone* would make it. I guess it's a good thing that Mr. Palladino started with such a large cast.
It feels against my nature to recommend this series to potential readers. But I am doing just that! I am beyond impressed with up and coming author, John Palladino. Enter his world at your own risk, but it is so worth the risk.
It feels wrong to use the phrase, "I enjoyed this book." I'm not a fan of darkness on this level, and yet, I found myself greedily reading every word of every character's story. Such is the author's talent for building this world that I found that I read, not because I wanted to know what would happen next, but that I needed to know.
There is so much happening and so much more simmering in the background with a huge cast of characters who each have their own stories but are all being driven to one moment that changes everything. Not everyone will make it. Heck, there were moments where I wondered if *anyone* would make it. I guess it's a good thing that Mr. Palladino started with such a large cast.
It feels against my nature to recommend this series to potential readers. But I am doing just that! I am beyond impressed with up and coming author, John Palladino. Enter his world at your own risk, but it is so worth the risk.
June 14, 2023
4.25/5 ⭐
Following on shortly after the first book, The Trials of Ashmount, this book brings everything dark and brutal about the first book, and multiplies that to unforeseen levels of gore, misery and heartbreak.
And I am here for it every step of the way.
With the stakes now significantly higher, and the political scheming now all out in the open, this book felt very developed and the world was so much more grounded because of it. Whether it was at the court of King Mikas, or the besieged walls of Remeria's capital, or the corrupt and duplicitous bowels of the Buzzard's Bowl itself, every element of the book felt more visceral and alive. The Elkavich were a new and fantastic addition to the storyline as well, acting almost as a terrorist cult hoping to reshape the world through its destruction. For Palladino to take the risk of tearing up his world by the roots within 650 pages, is testament to his guts as a writer, and for that anyone should be impressed.
Equally, the characters shone through so much more in this book: one of my only issues with the previous book was how some characters had periods of not doing a lot, and Buzzard's Bowl rectified that in almost every way. Demri and Villic were standout characters to me: both are excellently written, well developed, and have very clear motivations throughout the book (Villic is *almost* the best fantasy character I've read to date). Cyr Seradal and our new character Ashen both meet their stride too, coming up against impossible odds that at many times left me terrified for their lives. And Eldebrock - dear, sweet Eldebrock - became a triumphant example of Palladino's character craftsmanship: ground down and broken by violence, only to become the one thing he had always despised. His ending made me angry and disappointed, and the result of his actions even more so - but I believe, on reflection, that there could've been no more of a perfect end to his part in the book.
Another thing worth noting is how, not only do the main characters stand out, but the side-characters are wonderfully developed as well: Scayde Haklon, Duke Velturo, Savvakis, Myri, Tallas, Renard. There are so many of them here, and each feels very unique in their own way -something that many fantasy authors fall flat on, but Palladino shines through with in almost every way.
However, as the rating suggests, there were a few small things that I struggled with in this book (not enough to take away from my enjoyment of the story!). One thing was that, when trying to bring together so many different storylines into one coherent 'end' to the book, there may be some perspectives that feel more complete than others, and Buzzard's Bowl did suffer from this on a few of the perspectives (that I won't go into here to avoid spoilers). Equally, this book utilised the use of 'interludes' to talk about other side characters in the story, and some of them (like the Quothe perspective) were very helpful in advancing the plot - but there were A LOT of them, and admittedly it did make the story feel a bit disjointed in places.
And, people should be aware (especially when going into the book) that there is one character referred to in several chapters that sexually exploits and then murders children, and the descriptions are often quite graphic. I have my own reservations about this kind of content being included in any books, let alone fantasy books, and I flatly refuse to give a book involving this kind of stuff the full five stars, even when (as was in this case) the rest of the book was excellent.
So, overall, this book was a brutal, gory, spectacular grimdark journey through the heart of a ruined world, with great characters and impossibly-high stakes, and I am really looking forward to the next installment!
Following on shortly after the first book, The Trials of Ashmount, this book brings everything dark and brutal about the first book, and multiplies that to unforeseen levels of gore, misery and heartbreak.
And I am here for it every step of the way.
With the stakes now significantly higher, and the political scheming now all out in the open, this book felt very developed and the world was so much more grounded because of it. Whether it was at the court of King Mikas, or the besieged walls of Remeria's capital, or the corrupt and duplicitous bowels of the Buzzard's Bowl itself, every element of the book felt more visceral and alive. The Elkavich were a new and fantastic addition to the storyline as well, acting almost as a terrorist cult hoping to reshape the world through its destruction. For Palladino to take the risk of tearing up his world by the roots within 650 pages, is testament to his guts as a writer, and for that anyone should be impressed.
Equally, the characters shone through so much more in this book: one of my only issues with the previous book was how some characters had periods of not doing a lot, and Buzzard's Bowl rectified that in almost every way. Demri and Villic were standout characters to me: both are excellently written, well developed, and have very clear motivations throughout the book (Villic is *almost* the best fantasy character I've read to date). Cyr Seradal and our new character Ashen both meet their stride too, coming up against impossible odds that at many times left me terrified for their lives. And Eldebrock - dear, sweet Eldebrock - became a triumphant example of Palladino's character craftsmanship: ground down and broken by violence, only to become the one thing he had always despised. His ending made me angry and disappointed, and the result of his actions even more so - but I believe, on reflection, that there could've been no more of a perfect end to his part in the book.
Another thing worth noting is how, not only do the main characters stand out, but the side-characters are wonderfully developed as well: Scayde Haklon, Duke Velturo, Savvakis, Myri, Tallas, Renard. There are so many of them here, and each feels very unique in their own way -something that many fantasy authors fall flat on, but Palladino shines through with in almost every way.
However, as the rating suggests, there were a few small things that I struggled with in this book (not enough to take away from my enjoyment of the story!). One thing was that, when trying to bring together so many different storylines into one coherent 'end' to the book, there may be some perspectives that feel more complete than others, and Buzzard's Bowl did suffer from this on a few of the perspectives (that I won't go into here to avoid spoilers). Equally, this book utilised the use of 'interludes' to talk about other side characters in the story, and some of them (like the Quothe perspective) were very helpful in advancing the plot - but there were A LOT of them, and admittedly it did make the story feel a bit disjointed in places.
And, people should be aware (especially when going into the book) that there is one character referred to in several chapters that sexually exploits and then murders children, and the descriptions are often quite graphic. I have my own reservations about this kind of content being included in any books, let alone fantasy books, and I flatly refuse to give a book involving this kind of stuff the full five stars, even when (as was in this case) the rest of the book was excellent.
So, overall, this book was a brutal, gory, spectacular grimdark journey through the heart of a ruined world, with great characters and impossibly-high stakes, and I am really looking forward to the next installment!
July 3, 2023
This book did not hold back! It was a fast moving story from the start. We resume the story of familiar characters from book one, and add some fabulous new storylines in this second book. I had a tough time putting this book down.
July 9, 2023
What a sequel, the author is brutal no one is safe
February 7, 2024
In my opinion even better than the first book of the trilogy. I have to say behind the first law books my favorite books I've ever read. That's not to say its not even better than Joe his books, I am just biased regarding the first law series.
I really think that this is proper Grimdark, so many books claim to be that genre I however feel that every book that is gory or barbaric in anyway gets that label nowadays.
This trilogy is just so good so far. Without spoiling anything, Mr Palladino does not shy away from anything. Its just excellent if you love that kind of tension and suspense, however its not for the faint of heart.
I really think that this is proper Grimdark, so many books claim to be that genre I however feel that every book that is gory or barbaric in anyway gets that label nowadays.
This trilogy is just so good so far. Without spoiling anything, Mr Palladino does not shy away from anything. Its just excellent if you love that kind of tension and suspense, however its not for the faint of heart.
July 9, 2023
John Palladino is not so much a man as he is the personification of pure evil and he brings that expertise to his authorial efforts.
Picking up immediately after his grimdark debut, he weaves a tale of death, bitter revenge, complex cloak-and-dagger conspiracies, and bloody war across three continents and leaves a body count that would make Berserk blush.
But I’ll be darned if he doesn’t write compelling POV characters that are spread out across the morality spectrum so that even his most reprehensible protagonists have relatable goals and understandable motivations.
This book shines with its epic battle scenes, endlessly interesting arena fights, and an unflinching penchant for violent ends to friend and foe alike.
Where it stumbles for me is in the padding of the side characters. There are almost too many to actually care about most of them and given the dark nature of the book, there’s little point in getting attached to most of them in the same way you don’t get attached to the cast of a slasher flick.
But it’s not called The Tragedy of Cedain for nothing and in the telling of this tragedy, fans of grimdark will find plenty to love
Picking up immediately after his grimdark debut, he weaves a tale of death, bitter revenge, complex cloak-and-dagger conspiracies, and bloody war across three continents and leaves a body count that would make Berserk blush.
But I’ll be darned if he doesn’t write compelling POV characters that are spread out across the morality spectrum so that even his most reprehensible protagonists have relatable goals and understandable motivations.
This book shines with its epic battle scenes, endlessly interesting arena fights, and an unflinching penchant for violent ends to friend and foe alike.
Where it stumbles for me is in the padding of the side characters. There are almost too many to actually care about most of them and given the dark nature of the book, there’s little point in getting attached to most of them in the same way you don’t get attached to the cast of a slasher flick.
But it’s not called The Tragedy of Cedain for nothing and in the telling of this tragedy, fans of grimdark will find plenty to love
June 15, 2024
Beware! If you are a fan of grimdark fantasy novels, then look no further. This story is both grim and dark. Very, very dark. And I was here for it.
A summary of the first book helps clear the cobwebs before reading the next one. We follow five main characters and their journeys. My favorites are Villic, Demri, and Edelbrock. Everyone is of the morally grey character. Everyone has a human side, but doesn’t hesitate to do damage as necessary. I still hoped for better things for each character. But there are deaths I didn’t think would happen.
There’s a lot of brutality. A lot. So be forewarned when entering this world.
July 17, 2026
Excellent second book in the series. Nothing was overlooked from the first book - all the hooks that were laid out were picked up and built on, and everything escalated in bigger and better ways. The book gets darker (yes, hard to believe), and holds no punches.
There were some editing issues, things that should have been caught, and while that happens from time to time, it happens a bit too often in this book. But note the five star rating. The story is THAT GOOD, I looked right past the mistakes and just wanted more, more, more. I’m still blown away that this is John Palladino’s debut series - the depth of story and character development is impressive.
And John’s mind goes to some dark, scary places. All for us, the readers. He cares that much.
Or he may be just a little twisted. Regardless, we get a great work of fiction, grimdark to the core, with many layers of plot, and questions remaining to be answered in the next book, which I already eagerly await!
Link to my video review: https://youtu.be/kue3kGSCaQY
There were some editing issues, things that should have been caught, and while that happens from time to time, it happens a bit too often in this book. But note the five star rating. The story is THAT GOOD, I looked right past the mistakes and just wanted more, more, more. I’m still blown away that this is John Palladino’s debut series - the depth of story and character development is impressive.
And John’s mind goes to some dark, scary places. All for us, the readers. He cares that much.
Or he may be just a little twisted. Regardless, we get a great work of fiction, grimdark to the core, with many layers of plot, and questions remaining to be answered in the next book, which I already eagerly await!
Link to my video review: https://youtu.be/kue3kGSCaQY
December 9, 2025
Great book, this book as well as the author deserves more traction!
Did Not Finish
November 18, 2024Dnf @ 62%
I can't do it anymore. The first book was expertly crafted; I don't know what the hell went wrong in this one. How is no one talking about the many times King Alondo and King Mikas were switched?? How am I supposed to keep track of our cast of characters if the author can't? Do I have the April Fool's Day version of the book? Someone please tell me I'm missing something and not hallucinating.
Here are a few examples of why I'm so frustrated:
Page 51 - 4. Seradal Wintlock & Villic the Imbuer
"'Help us crush the Camel Clans, and we'll destroy Remeria together,' King Alondo said."
Uhmmm last I knew King Alondo was the King of Remeria.. why tf would he want to destroy it????
Page 223 - 25. Seradal Wintlock & Villic the Imbuer
"When Sera wasn't checking with Royal or King Mikas, she and Villic helped the Remerians. King Mikas had enlisted near everyone to clear rubble, search for survivors, rebuild whatever they could, and secure and patrol the city - in case of Calrym invasion."
Uhh what now?? Sera and Royal are not with King Mikas and most certainly would not be checking in with him, and King Mikas would absolutely not be enlisting people to help clear rubble and least of all help look for survivors. He doesn't give a shit about his citizens! let alone Remerian citizens! and he is the fucking King of Calrym so why would he care about a Calrym invasion???
"Only two Healers survived the attack, and they dedicated themselves to helping the injured, though under King Mikas's instructions, only prevented important people from dying; and even then, they weren't to be completely fixed."
Yeah, because King Mikas would totally do that...
"The Falcon Knights helped, under the guidance of Sera. With no true leadership available, everyone turned to Sera because she was the one King Mikas kept informed."
For sure, for sure. The guy who launched an attack on Sera's homeland of Cyrok is definitely informing her of his plans. Makes complete sense...
And now to some of the petty things that annoy me because a proofreader should have caught them:
Page 227 - 27. Edelbrock Brendis
"Why then, was he was he asking about things be already knew about?"
because because he was he was
Page 236 - 29. Interlude
"Khlaux didn't remember the man's name but, as he studied Khlaux with his one working eye." ...that is not a complete sentence
Page 239 - 31. Ashen Hyrel
"[...] and at night, she returned to her urchin past, donning a black suit and disappearing into the night, scouting the homes of the other dukes and duchess, hoping to discover any information which might help her. After weeks of espionage, she'd investigated Dukes Hemmel and Velturo, and Duchess Arena, and nobody had discovered Ashen. If they had noticed her, she'd have appeared an urchin wishing for a better life. Duke Hemmel brought home a new sex partner every night - several of whom Ashen recognized as urchins [...]"
If you use such a distinct word to describe someone, it is distracting to use it so many times within one or even two paragraphs. Bonus drinking game: take a shot every time the word urchin is mentioned during Ashen Hyrel's chapters
Page 245 - 31. Ashen Hyrel
"While I share the same dubious thoughts you, Your Highness [...]"
and you, Ashen
Page 257 - 33. Seradal Wintlock & Villic the Imbuer
"That's confusion. Elaborate."
confusion indeed, Speaker
Page 268 - 34. Edelbrock Brendis
"His hand slipped from the Savakkis's head."
congratulations on being a plural noun, The Savakkis. RIP
Page 300 - 37. Edelbrock Brendis
"Edelbrock hard feet slapping water."
???
Page 325 - 40. Interlude
"'Stick with Alyst. If he needs a messenger, you're the man for the job. Kolb,' Alyst said, turning back to Wickam [...]"
Wickam is Kolb Wickam. Alyst is a Garcovi.. and he is going back to Calrym because he received some news about a certain situation, but he was talking to a messenger in the third person? He told Whisper to stick with Alyst (himself) but Alyst is about to leave and Whisper is to stay with Wickam soooo am I stupid or does that not make sense?
Don't even get me started on Myri.. can you guess what she smells like? I'll tell you, because if you weren't paying attention and didn't notice it's been mentioned every single fucking time she's spoken about, she smells like lavender. Don't forget, it's a very important (and only) trait about her.
I'm so disappointed :(
I can't do it anymore. The first book was expertly crafted; I don't know what the hell went wrong in this one. How is no one talking about the many times King Alondo and King Mikas were switched?? How am I supposed to keep track of our cast of characters if the author can't? Do I have the April Fool's Day version of the book? Someone please tell me I'm missing something and not hallucinating.
Here are a few examples of why I'm so frustrated:
Page 51 - 4. Seradal Wintlock & Villic the Imbuer
"'Help us crush the Camel Clans, and we'll destroy Remeria together,' King Alondo said."
Uhmmm last I knew King Alondo was the King of Remeria.. why tf would he want to destroy it????
Page 223 - 25. Seradal Wintlock & Villic the Imbuer
"When Sera wasn't checking with Royal or King Mikas, she and Villic helped the Remerians. King Mikas had enlisted near everyone to clear rubble, search for survivors, rebuild whatever they could, and secure and patrol the city - in case of Calrym invasion."
Uhh what now?? Sera and Royal are not with King Mikas and most certainly would not be checking in with him, and King Mikas would absolutely not be enlisting people to help clear rubble and least of all help look for survivors. He doesn't give a shit about his citizens! let alone Remerian citizens! and he is the fucking King of Calrym so why would he care about a Calrym invasion???
"Only two Healers survived the attack, and they dedicated themselves to helping the injured, though under King Mikas's instructions, only prevented important people from dying; and even then, they weren't to be completely fixed."
Yeah, because King Mikas would totally do that...
"The Falcon Knights helped, under the guidance of Sera. With no true leadership available, everyone turned to Sera because she was the one King Mikas kept informed."
For sure, for sure. The guy who launched an attack on Sera's homeland of Cyrok is definitely informing her of his plans. Makes complete sense...
And now to some of the petty things that annoy me because a proofreader should have caught them:
Page 227 - 27. Edelbrock Brendis
"Why then, was he was he asking about things be already knew about?"
because because he was he was
Page 236 - 29. Interlude
"Khlaux didn't remember the man's name but, as he studied Khlaux with his one working eye." ...that is not a complete sentence
Page 239 - 31. Ashen Hyrel
"[...] and at night, she returned to her urchin past, donning a black suit and disappearing into the night, scouting the homes of the other dukes and duchess, hoping to discover any information which might help her. After weeks of espionage, she'd investigated Dukes Hemmel and Velturo, and Duchess Arena, and nobody had discovered Ashen. If they had noticed her, she'd have appeared an urchin wishing for a better life. Duke Hemmel brought home a new sex partner every night - several of whom Ashen recognized as urchins [...]"
If you use such a distinct word to describe someone, it is distracting to use it so many times within one or even two paragraphs. Bonus drinking game: take a shot every time the word urchin is mentioned during Ashen Hyrel's chapters
Page 245 - 31. Ashen Hyrel
"While I share the same dubious thoughts you, Your Highness [...]"
and you, Ashen
Page 257 - 33. Seradal Wintlock & Villic the Imbuer
"That's confusion. Elaborate."
confusion indeed, Speaker
Page 268 - 34. Edelbrock Brendis
"His hand slipped from the Savakkis's head."
congratulations on being a plural noun, The Savakkis. RIP
Page 300 - 37. Edelbrock Brendis
"Edelbrock hard feet slapping water."
???
Page 325 - 40. Interlude
"'Stick with Alyst. If he needs a messenger, you're the man for the job. Kolb,' Alyst said, turning back to Wickam [...]"
Wickam is Kolb Wickam. Alyst is a Garcovi.. and he is going back to Calrym because he received some news about a certain situation, but he was talking to a messenger in the third person? He told Whisper to stick with Alyst (himself) but Alyst is about to leave and Whisper is to stay with Wickam soooo am I stupid or does that not make sense?
Don't even get me started on Myri.. can you guess what she smells like? I'll tell you, because if you weren't paying attention and didn't notice it's been mentioned every single fucking time she's spoken about, she smells like lavender. Don't forget, it's a very important (and only) trait about her.
I'm so disappointed :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2023
Trials was great but Buzzard's bowl topped it easily for me. And yay, my favourite characters are still alive at the end of this one! Well, mostly...
Still the deaths in this second part of the series have hit me harder and I didn't even get attached that much to the characters who died (or at least I tried to.) There were definitely tears. :)
I loved how the different storylines slowly come together and how the characters struggle with their own changes, their own descends into darkness, as they progress. They are all so amazingly tragic and I wanted to punch and hug them at the same time sometimes. But there is, somehow, also the promise of greatness in most of the characters.
I'm keen to see where the next book will take us.
Still the deaths in this second part of the series have hit me harder and I didn't even get attached that much to the characters who died (or at least I tried to.) There were definitely tears. :)
I loved how the different storylines slowly come together and how the characters struggle with their own changes, their own descends into darkness, as they progress. They are all so amazingly tragic and I wanted to punch and hug them at the same time sometimes. But there is, somehow, also the promise of greatness in most of the characters.
I'm keen to see where the next book will take us.
May 24, 2025
Thanks goodness I finally reached the end. Not badly written (other than some editing misses) - I did want to find out what happens next, which is how I reached the end. But I had forgotten how repellant and self-serving the vast majority of characters are. And I’m concerned about the author’s state of mind, with his graphic fixation on torture, revenge and annihilation.
January 15, 2024
Buzzard’s Bowl is a novel of growth, not just for characters, but for the author John Paladino. No shade at The Trials of Ashmount but with BB Paladino really steps his game up.
Following the rather explosive ending of TToA, we meet the survivors dealing with the aftermath as well as a few new characters. Far from a slow burn, Paladino hits the ground running and never trips or slows down.
With a series like this, discussing sequels becomes much more difficult while avoiding spoilers so I’ll keep things as vague as possible. Don’t take the subjectively short review for a lack of enthusiasm, I would just hate to spoil one page of this bloody epic.
All of your favorite characters return (who survived anyway) and the stakes are raised even higher. Fighting for freedom is a common theme through all the various story lines although everyone’s struggle is unique and exciting. Characters start coming together and different plots begin to merge, giving us a shape of things to come.
The world gets expanded upon in very interesting and surprising ways, both through world-building and character development. The action scenes are top-notch, thrilling, blood-soaked, easy to follow and often jaw dropping in their consequences. John Palladino isn’t one to craft action scenes with no stakes or consequences, every battle/fight makes an impact on either the reader, the characters involved or, more often, both.
Palladino’s prose has leveled up on this one, finding the beauty in tragedy and vice versa. The dialogue is as quippy as ever, frequently hilarious and always organic. Once again, Palladino has matched Joe Abercrombie’s ability to write a character’s voice so distinctly that you can tell who’s talking without any dialogue tags.
Buzzard’s Bowl is an incredible continuation of The Tragedy of Cedain and this series is shaping up to be a favorite of mine. John Palladino has yet to disappoint, delivering two solid grimdark novels that are perfect for fans of the obvious, Martin and Abercrombie, but also Sebastien de Castell’s Greatcoats series, infusing humor with the dark seamlessly. I will continue to champion this series, at least until Palladino kills me off.
Following the rather explosive ending of TToA, we meet the survivors dealing with the aftermath as well as a few new characters. Far from a slow burn, Paladino hits the ground running and never trips or slows down.
With a series like this, discussing sequels becomes much more difficult while avoiding spoilers so I’ll keep things as vague as possible. Don’t take the subjectively short review for a lack of enthusiasm, I would just hate to spoil one page of this bloody epic.
All of your favorite characters return (who survived anyway) and the stakes are raised even higher. Fighting for freedom is a common theme through all the various story lines although everyone’s struggle is unique and exciting. Characters start coming together and different plots begin to merge, giving us a shape of things to come.
The world gets expanded upon in very interesting and surprising ways, both through world-building and character development. The action scenes are top-notch, thrilling, blood-soaked, easy to follow and often jaw dropping in their consequences. John Palladino isn’t one to craft action scenes with no stakes or consequences, every battle/fight makes an impact on either the reader, the characters involved or, more often, both.
Palladino’s prose has leveled up on this one, finding the beauty in tragedy and vice versa. The dialogue is as quippy as ever, frequently hilarious and always organic. Once again, Palladino has matched Joe Abercrombie’s ability to write a character’s voice so distinctly that you can tell who’s talking without any dialogue tags.
Buzzard’s Bowl is an incredible continuation of The Tragedy of Cedain and this series is shaping up to be a favorite of mine. John Palladino has yet to disappoint, delivering two solid grimdark novels that are perfect for fans of the obvious, Martin and Abercrombie, but also Sebastien de Castell’s Greatcoats series, infusing humor with the dark seamlessly. I will continue to champion this series, at least until Palladino kills me off.
August 16, 2023
John has really grown from book 1, and this book certainly doesn't suffer from second book syndrome it's an upward trajectory, and I can't wait for book three
We continue on from the grim events of trials of ashmount, and the grimdark and shocking only get worse(better? Depends on how sick you are).
As always, the characters are real, believable, and generate feelings towards them
John surprised me with his ability to turn your perception on characters, no spoilers, but characters I hated. I grew to like and characters I like I grew to despise.
The biggest surprise was very very unexpected tear jerker moment that i still can't understand how he managed to get me with! The damn magicai he is!!
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book and am very excited about what comes next
Keep it up John
We continue on from the grim events of trials of ashmount, and the grimdark and shocking only get worse(better? Depends on how sick you are).
As always, the characters are real, believable, and generate feelings towards them
John surprised me with his ability to turn your perception on characters, no spoilers, but characters I hated. I grew to like and characters I like I grew to despise.
The biggest surprise was very very unexpected tear jerker moment that i still can't understand how he managed to get me with! The damn magicai he is!!
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book and am very excited about what comes next
Keep it up John
May 10, 2023
"Throughout life we'll encounter many regrets, but it's not about wishing how we could've altered them, it's about coping with the results we've created for ourselves."
WOW!!! What a 2nd book. As is usually the case, I was slightly worried that this would suffer from 2nd book syndrome, as book 1- The Trials of Ashmount was SOO Good! BUT Palladino did not disappoint - in fact, he took everything from Trials and improved, as if it was possible. Buzzard's Bowl was a book that left me sad and crying (sometimes even sobbing) for certain characters, mad and pissed off for others, and yet completely understood why things happened the way they did and even saw some things coming. I had about 20% left in the book and was sobbing and seething with anger and yet HAD to continue reading - had to see just where he'd take this ending. And what an ending it was.
His characters developed in an incredible way, he dug deep in with each one of the characters and got to the core of themselves and their motivations. The plot progressed in a way that made 100% sense for the story and the characters, and yet still surprised me. It was evenly paced, never once did I feel bored by the writing or that it was moving too slowly - or too fast. Just an unbelievably well done job with this book and I can't wait to see where the Tragedy of Cedain series goes from here.
(I received an ARC copy of this book - to be released in June 2023 - from the author for consideration of review.)
WOW!!! What a 2nd book. As is usually the case, I was slightly worried that this would suffer from 2nd book syndrome, as book 1- The Trials of Ashmount was SOO Good! BUT Palladino did not disappoint - in fact, he took everything from Trials and improved, as if it was possible. Buzzard's Bowl was a book that left me sad and crying (sometimes even sobbing) for certain characters, mad and pissed off for others, and yet completely understood why things happened the way they did and even saw some things coming. I had about 20% left in the book and was sobbing and seething with anger and yet HAD to continue reading - had to see just where he'd take this ending. And what an ending it was.
His characters developed in an incredible way, he dug deep in with each one of the characters and got to the core of themselves and their motivations. The plot progressed in a way that made 100% sense for the story and the characters, and yet still surprised me. It was evenly paced, never once did I feel bored by the writing or that it was moving too slowly - or too fast. Just an unbelievably well done job with this book and I can't wait to see where the Tragedy of Cedain series goes from here.
(I received an ARC copy of this book - to be released in June 2023 - from the author for consideration of review.)
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