Cayneian: A Man from Blood

by Aaron Dennis

A man stands resolved. Dysart, clan Bloodhammer, has returned to the island of Volgunther to purge it of the evil called Salamandrus. He has given his tongue, so that he may speak no contracts. He has given his manhood, so that he may not know his power as a man. He has given his mind, so that no God may take pity upon him.
Wielding the forbidden power of Sang Daemanus, Dysart imbibes the blood of Daemons to cast his spells, to grow his strength, to fuel his powers, but will he be able to stave off the bloodlust before the evils upon the island claim him?

Genres: Fantasy

338 pages, Paperback

First published January 9, 2014

About the author

Dennis has been writing for 8 years and has accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time. Apart from writing and creating some wonderful stories, he learned editing from working with Chuck Sambuchino. His creative skills are easily recognized in books like War and Glory where scifi and horror are mixed, or books like Cayneian, where fantasy and horror are mixed, but he also portrays a great many psychological and philosophical issues throughout his writing.
Producers can check his list of titles at his Kirkus proconnect page.

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/author/...

Reviews

[Petepee · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I have to state that this novel is loosely based on a Dennis short story called Expedition, but like really loosely based. Secondly, this is another fantasy, horror, slasher mix, and a wild one at that. There is a lot of action, and a ton of gore, there's even a mildly intense sexual abuse scene, so beware.
The main character is Dysart, a member of the Cayne, the people that used live on the island of Volgunther, and oddly enough, he's mute. His tongue was cut out before the story even started, but he can use magic to talk, but it isn't really magic. it's called branding and it's all based on blood magic, something I've never heard of before.
Dysart is on a rather honorable quest though. He wants to kill the demon salamandrus who has not turned the island evil, he's also the demon that gave Dysart the power of blood magic, so the whole story is really intense.
After Dysart crashes ashore, and all his men and gear are at the bottom of the sea, he meets an old ranger or scout, and learns that there used to be a town nearby, so Dysart goes off in search of the town because he needs blood and a plant to make a special magic, but when he gets to the town, it's already destroyed, and there he meets my favorite character, the pyromancer Randall, who's gay, no less, but that's not really important.
Randall is looking for a gem or something, so the two become quick friends in order to travel safely to an abby, and there, they meet some knights that are trying to keep the isnald safe. Well, undead attack, there's a theif there, that Randall believes stole his gem, and then they all work together to kill the undead. After that, Randall, Dysart, the theif Pattius, and a knight called Marcus travel together in search of the knight's barracks, the order of the cross, or the ordo et crucis.
It seems like tehre's a ton of latin involved because the knights are really just crusaders, and demon magic is called Sang Daemanus, or blood of demons, so it's all very dark and sinister. I kept imagining something out of Spawn, really, like that real dark imagery. In fact, the sun never shines the entire time. It's always night, but a new problem arises when Marcus leaves in fear for his sister, and then randall tries to kill Pattius, but Pattius ends up stabbing Randall and running off, so Dysart gets Randall to the barracks, and then when Randall gets healed, they journey by boat to make it to the plains where Dysart is supposed to be able to get the plant to make his magic. Of course a sea monster attacks, and they all get split up again.
Without trying to reveal too much, I have to say that while this was absolutley amazing story, one of the best I've ever read, there was a bit too much action and gore. Like every page there was fight scene, or almost every page. I think there were one or two chapters that didn't have any action, but even so, the action is almost a neccesity because the island is evil and the demon unleashes a bunch of monsters to try to kill Dysart, so he has to fight his way to the castle where the demon is.
All in all, if your stomach isn't too weak, this is a great book.

[Nikinyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cayneian is more gory than Dead Rising, and that should say it all....

M'yeah, turn Dead Rising into a horror fantasy based on a blood drinking brute who has been granted daemonic powers, which he uses to battle the very daemons that gave them to him!!!

So, what's the problem with the story? It was just very, very gory. I have read Dennis stories before, as you all know, and like his writing style very much, but this book was a little different.

First, it had a bit more of an archaic tone, but this is fantasy, so that's fine, and I actually enjoyed that aspect very much. A breath of foul air considering the YA fantasy I've read lately, but there was too much action, and too much blood spattering, entrail pulling, skull crushing gore!

If you have a weak stomach, stay away. I literally fought off a few gags and cringed once or twice. It's that descriptive.

That's it, though, the gore and heavy action slowed the story down. I'd suggest cutting a few pages of that brutality from the story, but gore fans, go for it!

Here's the story: Dysart, a descendant of the original inhabitants of the island of Volgunther has reached the island, from God knows where, to cleanse of the evil that lives within its bowels, the daemon Salamandrus, a daemon born of flame, but which for some reason grants the powers of Sang Daemanus, which is, like, ritualistic, satanic, blood magic, so yeah, a wicked bad "tail".

On the island, the daemon, who seems to be trapped somehow, still has influence. It sends waves of monsters to terrorize the unfortunate people who crash upon the island's shores, and they can never leave because monsters even inhabit the sea, and there is constantly terrible weather, and the sun never rises!!!

Dysart meets other stalwart men and women who wish to fight the daemon, but only Dysart has found a way to free the daemon, so that he can kill it.

I honestly don't even to know how to feel about the story. It's very, um, bitter sweet? The writing is immaculate. The story's idea is unique. The characters are absolutely wonderful. The scenery is totally frightening. The monsters are crazy, but I was consistently slowed down by the level of violence and gore.

I will recommend this book to those of cast iron stomachs, but if you cringe from a paper cut, stay away. I mean, people, and monsters, are literally torn in half by Dysart's daemonic strength and bare hands! Still, over all, it was a great story that I think will haunt me.

I'd like to give 3.5 stars, but this is Goodreads :)

[Carolyn Keel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received this through First Reads.

A dark, chilling, riveting story of black magic and all manner of oogity-boogities. Ha. I really enjoyed it. It took a while for me to get through it because the writing style is a bit choppy and unpracticed, but still. Overall, it was a really good thriller.

[Aaron Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an action packed fantasy adventure with an enchanting story line, and extraordinary characters