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The Book of the Black Earth #1
Blood and Iron
This action-heavy EPIC FANTASY SERIES OPENER is like a sword-and-sorcery Spartacus set in a richly-imagined world. It starts with a shipwreck following a magical storm at sea. Horace, a soldier from the west, had joined the Great Crusade against the heathens of Akeshia after the deaths of his wife and son from plague. When he washes ashore, he finds himself at the mercy of the very people he was sent to kill, who speak a language and have a culture and customs he doesn't even begin to understand. Not long after, Horace is pressed into service as a house slave. But this doesn't last. The Akeshians discover that Horace was a latent sorcerer, and he is catapulted from the chains of a slave to the halls of power in the queen's court. Together with Jirom, an ex-mercenary and gladiator, and Alyra, a spy in the court, he will seek a path to free himself and the empire's caste of slaves from a system where every man and woman must pay the price of blood or iron. Before the end, Horace will have paid dearly in both. From the Trade Paperback edition.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
82 people are currently reading
3953 people want to read
About the author
Jon Sprunk
30 books362 followersFantasy author living in central Pennsylvania. I love to travel (especially places with old ruins), watch football (American NFL, not that soccer stuff), drink (rum and coke, preferred), and enjoy life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
February 6, 2014
Fantasy Review Barn
SEE! – The white male expat of DESTINY. Yes ladies and gents Horace is the real deal. Only a simple soldier joining the great crusade against the heathens but we know he is something more. When he is taken as a slave after a ship wreck he holds his head high, resisting just enough to earn the respect of his captors. When he sees a fellow slave being sexually assaulted it is he alone that plunges into the mix, saving the pour soul from her horror. His inspired charge brings out fellow slave Jirom to help, cementing a friendship with that one act.
WATCH! – As destiny allows him to do magic that others can only dream about. With no magic in his homeland one can only imagine his surprise when he shows he can do magic in this land better than those practitioners who have trained their whole life. And he doesn’t need their silly exercises and mental conditionings either, think it and it be done! Without any of the physical repercussions those silly heathens have either. He even (get this!) has access to a discipline of magic thought to be lost through the ages! Easy as pie my friends, easy as pie.
What can make this even better? Magic users are revered in this land! Once discovered there is no more slavery for our new friend Horace. Instead he is on the fast track to the high court, personally set up with the Queen. Hell, he hardly even knows the language when he is put in charge of her security.
MARVEL! – At his raw sexuality. There are two female characters in this book, guess how many want to get them some Horace? Did you guess three? Then you are either horrible at math or just not paying attention anymore. Yes the queen is certainly intrigued, and doesn’t bother to hide it. But young slave girl Alyra has the inside track. She is supposed to be spying on, someone? For something? But her and Horace, well, they got something going. (About the whole spy plot line, and maybe this is just me, but “Night has Fallen” may be the dumbest written code ever. Shouldn’t a written code be hidden in a more everyday text? Something like, ‘did you remember the eggs?,’ rather than a cryptic sounding note that screams ‘look at me.’)
WONDER! – If I am the only one bothered by some of these details. Such as language lessons involving mistranslations of homonyms. Do they speak English in Akeshia? Or am I just to assume that every world has a language where the words for ‘sun’ and ‘son’ sound exactly same?
CONFESS! – That despite all this, I actually enjoyed this book quite a bit and look forward to reading more of the series. Nothing that bugged me was a complete deal breaker. Horace was a man of destiny, but other than the sudden influx of magic wasn’t a complete Gary Stu. He had trials and had to fight through them.
The Queen was an interesting character all around. Strong, but holding on to her position tenuously as the other powers of the land pushed her relentlessly. In fact the Queen was probably the best character; alternately cruel and benign depending on which character’s eyes you saw her through. Horace’s dealing with her almost made me forget the circumstances in which we first saw her. I found the handling of this very well done.
So despite my ribbing please don’t make the mistake of thinking this I found this to be a bad book. It was a pretty good one. It was a book that’s sum was much better than any individual parts. But oh boy, some of those parts… Just wow.
3 Stars
SEE! – The white male expat of DESTINY. Yes ladies and gents Horace is the real deal. Only a simple soldier joining the great crusade against the heathens but we know he is something more. When he is taken as a slave after a ship wreck he holds his head high, resisting just enough to earn the respect of his captors. When he sees a fellow slave being sexually assaulted it is he alone that plunges into the mix, saving the pour soul from her horror. His inspired charge brings out fellow slave Jirom to help, cementing a friendship with that one act.
WATCH! – As destiny allows him to do magic that others can only dream about. With no magic in his homeland one can only imagine his surprise when he shows he can do magic in this land better than those practitioners who have trained their whole life. And he doesn’t need their silly exercises and mental conditionings either, think it and it be done! Without any of the physical repercussions those silly heathens have either. He even (get this!) has access to a discipline of magic thought to be lost through the ages! Easy as pie my friends, easy as pie.
What can make this even better? Magic users are revered in this land! Once discovered there is no more slavery for our new friend Horace. Instead he is on the fast track to the high court, personally set up with the Queen. Hell, he hardly even knows the language when he is put in charge of her security.
MARVEL! – At his raw sexuality. There are two female characters in this book, guess how many want to get them some Horace? Did you guess three? Then you are either horrible at math or just not paying attention anymore. Yes the queen is certainly intrigued, and doesn’t bother to hide it. But young slave girl Alyra has the inside track. She is supposed to be spying on, someone? For something? But her and Horace, well, they got something going. (About the whole spy plot line, and maybe this is just me, but “Night has Fallen” may be the dumbest written code ever. Shouldn’t a written code be hidden in a more everyday text? Something like, ‘did you remember the eggs?,’ rather than a cryptic sounding note that screams ‘look at me.’)
WONDER! – If I am the only one bothered by some of these details. Such as language lessons involving mistranslations of homonyms. Do they speak English in Akeshia? Or am I just to assume that every world has a language where the words for ‘sun’ and ‘son’ sound exactly same?
CONFESS! – That despite all this, I actually enjoyed this book quite a bit and look forward to reading more of the series. Nothing that bugged me was a complete deal breaker. Horace was a man of destiny, but other than the sudden influx of magic wasn’t a complete Gary Stu. He had trials and had to fight through them.
The Queen was an interesting character all around. Strong, but holding on to her position tenuously as the other powers of the land pushed her relentlessly. In fact the Queen was probably the best character; alternately cruel and benign depending on which character’s eyes you saw her through. Horace’s dealing with her almost made me forget the circumstances in which we first saw her. I found the handling of this very well done.
So despite my ribbing please don’t make the mistake of thinking this I found this to be a bad book. It was a pretty good one. It was a book that’s sum was much better than any individual parts. But oh boy, some of those parts… Just wow.
3 Stars
March 5, 2018
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
The thought that springs to mind after finishing Blood and Iron is disappointment. It really is a shame that such a well written novel – endowed with all the attributes necessary for it to be an epic sword and sorcery “must read” – allowed a familiar fantasy trope to derail such a promising story. Unfortunately, Jon Sprunk clung too tightly to the familiar “powerless to powerful” story line, and so instead of ascending to the ranks of epic fantasy masterpiece it stopped at “Just Okay.”
As the story begins, the focus is on Horace; a widower who has joined the great crusader army dispatched to conquer their eastern neighbors. This once happily married man has witnessed everything he loved destroyed by the horrors of plague, leaving him with nothing save a longing for death in combat. But before Horace can even reach the war, a great storm destroys the ship he is traveling upon. Happily accepting his watery demise, Horace is disappointed when he awakes to discover that not only is he not dead, but he has been saved and enslaved by the very easterners he had come to kill.
Fate is a fickle thing, however, and soon, Horace’s life changes again, as he is sold to a slave caravan. There he meets and befriends a fellow slave and former gladiator named Jirom; the two of them instantly overcoming their natural distrust of each other’s culture to become the truest of friends. And when a magical, sand storm threatens to destroy the whole caravan, Horace inadvertently unlocks his unknown magical power; one that is so strong, so wild that the slave master himself looks on in amazement as the untrained westerner rises up to dispel the storm with but a thought and a raising of his hand!
An outstanding act of bravery. One that not only saves Horace, Jirom and their fellow slaves from certain death but also changes our hero’s destiny. Instantly, he is revered instead of reviled. His single, unconscious magical act freeing him from bondage and sending him to the royal court of his former enemies. A place that bedazzles the westener in its ancient splendor, but also terrifies him in its insidious political machinations. And soon, Horace wonders if he would have better served to have remained in the slave pits with Jirom than be surrounded by people who pose as his friends yet might really be his enemies.
Wow, that sounds like a great story! One where the author has an opportunity to entertain fantasy fans with some amazing world building, explore the clash of cultures, delve into the tale of a simple man given immense power he didn’t earn, and fill the pages with sword and sorcery fun. And for the majority of the time Blood and Iron does all those things until one simple thing slows down its ascendant into the fantasy stratosphere: Horace’s transformation from haunted widower to sorcerer in the royal court.
Now, the way Jon Sprunk sets up Horace’s metamorphosis is perfectly plausible inside the bounds of the culture he find himself in. Magic is worshipped as divine. If you have it, you are yourself deemed divine and worthy of inclusion into the upper echelons of society. So there is nothing inherently unrealistic about what occurs to Horace. But, personally, the path to the royal palace is a bit too fast for my tastes; Horace’s rise from despised foreigner to beloved new kid in town too much for me to accept, even though I desperately attempted to suspend my sense of reality and force myself to believe that Horace could evolve from “powerless to powerful” this quickly.
Alas, once Horace’s astounding good fortune soured me on his odyssey, the other characters in the novel were not able to carry Blood and Iron without him as the compelling center piece. Jirom’s personal journey was very unique and interesting with several twists and turns that took me by surprise, but his limited page time condemned him to a decidedly supportive role. Alyra might have appeared to hold amazing potential, but she only scratches the surface of that. And Queen Byleth, while decidedly entertaining and multi-faceted in her behavior and motives, could only carry so many scenes.
Even with that criticism, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and felt that Mr. Sprunk did a lot of good things. The middle eastern setting was well done. The writing was superb with tons of very detailed descriptions of people and settings that brought the land to life before your eyes. There are more than a few characters who shine (even if sporadically): the Queen being my favorite. So even though I could not accept Horace’s sudden rise from slave to master, I do not view this first installment in The Book of the Black Earth as a bad story, or one not worth reading. Sure, there are some problems here, but I will be giving Mr. Sprunk the benefit of the doubt that he can correct those issues in the next installment of the series and deliver on the great promise this epic sword and sorcery tale holds.
I received this book from Pyr in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
The thought that springs to mind after finishing Blood and Iron is disappointment. It really is a shame that such a well written novel – endowed with all the attributes necessary for it to be an epic sword and sorcery “must read” – allowed a familiar fantasy trope to derail such a promising story. Unfortunately, Jon Sprunk clung too tightly to the familiar “powerless to powerful” story line, and so instead of ascending to the ranks of epic fantasy masterpiece it stopped at “Just Okay.”
As the story begins, the focus is on Horace; a widower who has joined the great crusader army dispatched to conquer their eastern neighbors. This once happily married man has witnessed everything he loved destroyed by the horrors of plague, leaving him with nothing save a longing for death in combat. But before Horace can even reach the war, a great storm destroys the ship he is traveling upon. Happily accepting his watery demise, Horace is disappointed when he awakes to discover that not only is he not dead, but he has been saved and enslaved by the very easterners he had come to kill.
Fate is a fickle thing, however, and soon, Horace’s life changes again, as he is sold to a slave caravan. There he meets and befriends a fellow slave and former gladiator named Jirom; the two of them instantly overcoming their natural distrust of each other’s culture to become the truest of friends. And when a magical, sand storm threatens to destroy the whole caravan, Horace inadvertently unlocks his unknown magical power; one that is so strong, so wild that the slave master himself looks on in amazement as the untrained westerner rises up to dispel the storm with but a thought and a raising of his hand!
An outstanding act of bravery. One that not only saves Horace, Jirom and their fellow slaves from certain death but also changes our hero’s destiny. Instantly, he is revered instead of reviled. His single, unconscious magical act freeing him from bondage and sending him to the royal court of his former enemies. A place that bedazzles the westener in its ancient splendor, but also terrifies him in its insidious political machinations. And soon, Horace wonders if he would have better served to have remained in the slave pits with Jirom than be surrounded by people who pose as his friends yet might really be his enemies.
Wow, that sounds like a great story! One where the author has an opportunity to entertain fantasy fans with some amazing world building, explore the clash of cultures, delve into the tale of a simple man given immense power he didn’t earn, and fill the pages with sword and sorcery fun. And for the majority of the time Blood and Iron does all those things until one simple thing slows down its ascendant into the fantasy stratosphere: Horace’s transformation from haunted widower to sorcerer in the royal court.
Now, the way Jon Sprunk sets up Horace’s metamorphosis is perfectly plausible inside the bounds of the culture he find himself in. Magic is worshipped as divine. If you have it, you are yourself deemed divine and worthy of inclusion into the upper echelons of society. So there is nothing inherently unrealistic about what occurs to Horace. But, personally, the path to the royal palace is a bit too fast for my tastes; Horace’s rise from despised foreigner to beloved new kid in town too much for me to accept, even though I desperately attempted to suspend my sense of reality and force myself to believe that Horace could evolve from “powerless to powerful” this quickly.
Alas, once Horace’s astounding good fortune soured me on his odyssey, the other characters in the novel were not able to carry Blood and Iron without him as the compelling center piece. Jirom’s personal journey was very unique and interesting with several twists and turns that took me by surprise, but his limited page time condemned him to a decidedly supportive role. Alyra might have appeared to hold amazing potential, but she only scratches the surface of that. And Queen Byleth, while decidedly entertaining and multi-faceted in her behavior and motives, could only carry so many scenes.
Even with that criticism, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and felt that Mr. Sprunk did a lot of good things. The middle eastern setting was well done. The writing was superb with tons of very detailed descriptions of people and settings that brought the land to life before your eyes. There are more than a few characters who shine (even if sporadically): the Queen being my favorite. So even though I could not accept Horace’s sudden rise from slave to master, I do not view this first installment in The Book of the Black Earth as a bad story, or one not worth reading. Sure, there are some problems here, but I will be giving Mr. Sprunk the benefit of the doubt that he can correct those issues in the next installment of the series and deliver on the great promise this epic sword and sorcery tale holds.
I received this book from Pyr in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
January 28, 2014
Despite the predominately male-centric, violent, testosterone-infused themes and stories, I love fantasy fiction. The magical domains of Patrick Rothfuss, George R.R. Martin, Mark Lawrence and Anthony Ryan are great testimonials for leaving the real world behind to travel into Westeros or The Broken Empire. These stories are why I love fantasy fiction, and it’s why I am always looking for new writers to excite and spirit me away to their worlds. When I picked up Jon Sprunk’s novel, Blood and Iron, I expected to find a new Kvothe or maybe another Middle Earth. Alas, all I found was a predominantly male-centric, hyper-violent, testosterone-infused book full of funky names, uninteresting characters, and confusing storytelling.
First of all, it starts out sloooowly. A shipwreck off the coast of the enemy country of Akeshia leaves Horace of Tines, a lowly shipbuilder, alone and at the mercy of slave traders. His meager knowledge of the country and the distinct language barrier force Horace, and the reader, to slooowly piecemeal where he is, who are his captors, where are they going, and what happened to his ship. A former gladiator/mercenary now slave, Jirom, speaks a little of Horace’s language and answers some basic questions. But it is not until one-third of the way through the book that the reader is finally allowed a semi-comprehensive view into this new world. Until then, the slaves are starved, marched through the hellish heat of the desert, beaten and/or killed on a daily basis.
In the capitol of Akeshia, Queen Byleth politically battles the Sun Cult, a religious sect, for her entitled right to rule the country. The reader is first introduced to Byleth after her slave, Alyra, arrives late one morning. To prevent further dawdling, Byleth has a 10 year-old slave girl whipped while she forces Alyra to watch. Alyra, it turns out, is a spy for the rebels and she endures the Queen’s cruelty to further their mission to overthrow the government and free the slaves.
After it is discovered that Horace is unknowingly blessed with magical powers the book picks up in the world-building department. However, the nonsense also increases as Horace quickly goes from filthy savage slave to a highly placed position in the Queen’s court with his own house and Alyra as his handmaiden. Oh, and his previously unknown magical powers are stronger than anyone else’s and, while it takes most Akeshian sorcerers years, he learns how to control his powers within a matter of days.
Meanwhile, Horace’s friend, Jirom remains a slave in a dog soldier camp where the slaves are starved, marched through the hellish heat of the desert, beaten and/or killed on a daily basis. It is as if the author is afraid the reader might forget how horrifically the Akeshians treat the slaves and must frequently remind us. The former gladiator is approached by a rebel leader and is asked to join their cause. How a group of slaves is able to sneak out of the camp, cause chaos at night, and return before morning is highly fantastical. And, even more implausibly, Jirom wants to sneak into the capitol and rescue Horace. He has…feelings…for Horace.
The dialogue is clunky and follows no consistent frame of reference in this fantasy world; sometimes it’s like listening to a bunch of teenagers. Most of the characters are one-dimensional and unsophisticated in their creation, and the author was unable to convince me the Queen is a flawed, but sympathetic, character. The politics and different levels of magic, while intriguing, are confusing. And when the Queen grants Horace his one true wish, I laughed out loud at the reasoning behind his decision.
So, I’m sure this book will have many fans and the saga will become a hit but, for me, it just did not have the beauty and sophistication and magic many fantasy novels have that grips the reader. Perhaps the second book will be better, but I’m not going to find out.
First of all, it starts out sloooowly. A shipwreck off the coast of the enemy country of Akeshia leaves Horace of Tines, a lowly shipbuilder, alone and at the mercy of slave traders. His meager knowledge of the country and the distinct language barrier force Horace, and the reader, to slooowly piecemeal where he is, who are his captors, where are they going, and what happened to his ship. A former gladiator/mercenary now slave, Jirom, speaks a little of Horace’s language and answers some basic questions. But it is not until one-third of the way through the book that the reader is finally allowed a semi-comprehensive view into this new world. Until then, the slaves are starved, marched through the hellish heat of the desert, beaten and/or killed on a daily basis.
In the capitol of Akeshia, Queen Byleth politically battles the Sun Cult, a religious sect, for her entitled right to rule the country. The reader is first introduced to Byleth after her slave, Alyra, arrives late one morning. To prevent further dawdling, Byleth has a 10 year-old slave girl whipped while she forces Alyra to watch. Alyra, it turns out, is a spy for the rebels and she endures the Queen’s cruelty to further their mission to overthrow the government and free the slaves.
After it is discovered that Horace is unknowingly blessed with magical powers the book picks up in the world-building department. However, the nonsense also increases as Horace quickly goes from filthy savage slave to a highly placed position in the Queen’s court with his own house and Alyra as his handmaiden. Oh, and his previously unknown magical powers are stronger than anyone else’s and, while it takes most Akeshian sorcerers years, he learns how to control his powers within a matter of days.
Meanwhile, Horace’s friend, Jirom remains a slave in a dog soldier camp where the slaves are starved, marched through the hellish heat of the desert, beaten and/or killed on a daily basis. It is as if the author is afraid the reader might forget how horrifically the Akeshians treat the slaves and must frequently remind us. The former gladiator is approached by a rebel leader and is asked to join their cause. How a group of slaves is able to sneak out of the camp, cause chaos at night, and return before morning is highly fantastical. And, even more implausibly, Jirom wants to sneak into the capitol and rescue Horace. He has…feelings…for Horace.
The dialogue is clunky and follows no consistent frame of reference in this fantasy world; sometimes it’s like listening to a bunch of teenagers. Most of the characters are one-dimensional and unsophisticated in their creation, and the author was unable to convince me the Queen is a flawed, but sympathetic, character. The politics and different levels of magic, while intriguing, are confusing. And when the Queen grants Horace his one true wish, I laughed out loud at the reasoning behind his decision.
So, I’m sure this book will have many fans and the saga will become a hit but, for me, it just did not have the beauty and sophistication and magic many fantasy novels have that grips the reader. Perhaps the second book will be better, but I’m not going to find out.
March 25, 2017
Actual rating 3.5
Horace a western crusader washes up ashore on the Arabian like nation of Akeshia after a magical storm where he is made a slave. During his slave bound journey he meets and befriends fellow bromancer Jirom. Only to discover he shares the same magical abilities as the Akeshian ruling class. Separated from Jirom, Horace is then drawn into politics, backstabbing, plotting and slave rebellions where he meets fellow romancer Alyra.
Not bad book in all but I feel just having finished reading Malazan all future books have books have been ruined. Thanks Erikson.
Horace a western crusader washes up ashore on the Arabian like nation of Akeshia after a magical storm where he is made a slave. During his slave bound journey he meets and befriends fellow bromancer Jirom. Only to discover he shares the same magical abilities as the Akeshian ruling class. Separated from Jirom, Horace is then drawn into politics, backstabbing, plotting and slave rebellions where he meets fellow romancer Alyra.
Not bad book in all but I feel just having finished reading Malazan all future books have books have been ruined. Thanks Erikson.
April 1, 2014
The Review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2014/04/...
"A fun sword and sorcery romp with an excellently developed world, Blood and Iron is a good read that fans of the genre will enjoy, with some excellent character development that will keep readers entertained even when this book might not be the most original on the market today." ~Bane of Kings, The Founding Fields
"Set in a richly-imagined world, this action-heavy fantasy epic and series opener is like a sword-and-sorcery Spartacus.
It starts with a shipwreck following a magical storm at sea. Horace, a soldier from the west, had joined the Great Crusade against the heathens of Akeshia after the deaths of his wife and son from plague. When he washes ashore, he finds himself at the mercy of the very people he was sent to kill, who speak a language and have a culture and customs he doesn't even begin to understand.
Not long after, Horace is pressed into service as a house slave. But this doesn't last. The Akeshians discover that Horace was a latent sorcerer, and he is catapulted from the chains of a slave to the halls of power in the queen's court. Together with Jirom, an ex-mercenary and gladiator, and Alyra, a spy in the court, he will seek a path to free himself and the empire's caste of slaves from a system where every man and woman must pay the price of blood or iron. Before the end, Horace will have paid dearly in both."
Jon Sprunk is a writer whose work I’ve been wanting to read for a while now so that when I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of his first new novel since concluding his debut trilogy, I dove straight into it and ended up really enjoying the book. Sure, it may be problematic in places and has plenty of flaws, but at its core, it is an entertaining, action packed and fun read that reads a lot quicker than most fantasy novels on shelves at the moment, and will leave you eagerly looking forward to future instalments in the Book of the Black Earth series.
If you read a sword and sorcery novel you’ll begin to notice that the genre shares a few things in common. However, despite the fact that Blood and Iron may not be the most original thing ever, like Paul S. Kemp’s Egil & Nix series for Angry Robot Books, it still manages to be lots of fun and incredibly entertaining – with the benefit of a richly detailed world that doesn’t come at a cost to the pace.
Meet Horace – a soldier from the west. He’s fighting in the Great Crusade against the people of Akeshia. However, something goes wrong and he ends up being pressed into service as a slave – before his latent sorcerer talents are uncovered and he becomes a member of the Queen’s Court. He’s also the main primary character of Blood and Iron – but not the only one. The third person narrative is split between Jirom, an ex mercenary now a Gladiator – and Alyra, a spy in the Court who uses the fact that she’s a slave for cover. Horace’s main struggle is against the empire, determined to free slaves from its iron grip.
Despite a relatively slow start, the book will pick up and move along at a quick pace once you get stuck into the narrative. I found myself flicking through pages desperately wanting to find out what happened next by the end, but despite this it took me a while to really connect to the characters. However, as well as the fun element that comes with the sword and sorcery genre – the book also benefits from a rich, fleshed out world that is one of the book’s highlights – you can see why it’s one of the first things that’s mentioned on the blurb. The comparisons to Spartacus are also justified as well, and it’s quite easy to spot the connection if you imagine what it had been like with a sword and sorcery twist.
Sprunk utilises a masterful narrative skill to keep readers engrossed in the series – people tired of all the characters in fantasy being white males will be relieved to see that there are several POC characters in this book as well – with narrative Points of View. Sprunk adds the diversity to a book successfully and gains bonus points in that regard.
The narrative is split between four main characters, two of each gender. Their meetings, interactions and development are very interesting to watch unfold – and Horace and company are very well developed. All four have a lot of attention put into their character growth and the end result is a success.
The book itself may be a little too predictable when it comes to the romance angle. It’s one of the problems in the book that should have really been improved on given the quality of the plot – and never feels as interesting as the main bulk of the narrative. This and the fact that there are multiple clichés inside also drag down the novel’s narrative in places – but despite this – Blood and Iron is still an engaging read.
Has it made me want to pick up the sequel? Sure, why not – I’ll certainly give it a try. However it doesn’t quite deserve to be at that top level of fantasy just yet, and it’ll be interesting to see how Sprunk’s work improves in future installments.
RATING: 7/10
"A fun sword and sorcery romp with an excellently developed world, Blood and Iron is a good read that fans of the genre will enjoy, with some excellent character development that will keep readers entertained even when this book might not be the most original on the market today." ~Bane of Kings, The Founding Fields
"Set in a richly-imagined world, this action-heavy fantasy epic and series opener is like a sword-and-sorcery Spartacus.
It starts with a shipwreck following a magical storm at sea. Horace, a soldier from the west, had joined the Great Crusade against the heathens of Akeshia after the deaths of his wife and son from plague. When he washes ashore, he finds himself at the mercy of the very people he was sent to kill, who speak a language and have a culture and customs he doesn't even begin to understand.
Not long after, Horace is pressed into service as a house slave. But this doesn't last. The Akeshians discover that Horace was a latent sorcerer, and he is catapulted from the chains of a slave to the halls of power in the queen's court. Together with Jirom, an ex-mercenary and gladiator, and Alyra, a spy in the court, he will seek a path to free himself and the empire's caste of slaves from a system where every man and woman must pay the price of blood or iron. Before the end, Horace will have paid dearly in both."
Jon Sprunk is a writer whose work I’ve been wanting to read for a while now so that when I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of his first new novel since concluding his debut trilogy, I dove straight into it and ended up really enjoying the book. Sure, it may be problematic in places and has plenty of flaws, but at its core, it is an entertaining, action packed and fun read that reads a lot quicker than most fantasy novels on shelves at the moment, and will leave you eagerly looking forward to future instalments in the Book of the Black Earth series.
If you read a sword and sorcery novel you’ll begin to notice that the genre shares a few things in common. However, despite the fact that Blood and Iron may not be the most original thing ever, like Paul S. Kemp’s Egil & Nix series for Angry Robot Books, it still manages to be lots of fun and incredibly entertaining – with the benefit of a richly detailed world that doesn’t come at a cost to the pace.
Meet Horace – a soldier from the west. He’s fighting in the Great Crusade against the people of Akeshia. However, something goes wrong and he ends up being pressed into service as a slave – before his latent sorcerer talents are uncovered and he becomes a member of the Queen’s Court. He’s also the main primary character of Blood and Iron – but not the only one. The third person narrative is split between Jirom, an ex mercenary now a Gladiator – and Alyra, a spy in the Court who uses the fact that she’s a slave for cover. Horace’s main struggle is against the empire, determined to free slaves from its iron grip.
Despite a relatively slow start, the book will pick up and move along at a quick pace once you get stuck into the narrative. I found myself flicking through pages desperately wanting to find out what happened next by the end, but despite this it took me a while to really connect to the characters. However, as well as the fun element that comes with the sword and sorcery genre – the book also benefits from a rich, fleshed out world that is one of the book’s highlights – you can see why it’s one of the first things that’s mentioned on the blurb. The comparisons to Spartacus are also justified as well, and it’s quite easy to spot the connection if you imagine what it had been like with a sword and sorcery twist.
Sprunk utilises a masterful narrative skill to keep readers engrossed in the series – people tired of all the characters in fantasy being white males will be relieved to see that there are several POC characters in this book as well – with narrative Points of View. Sprunk adds the diversity to a book successfully and gains bonus points in that regard.
The narrative is split between four main characters, two of each gender. Their meetings, interactions and development are very interesting to watch unfold – and Horace and company are very well developed. All four have a lot of attention put into their character growth and the end result is a success.
The book itself may be a little too predictable when it comes to the romance angle. It’s one of the problems in the book that should have really been improved on given the quality of the plot – and never feels as interesting as the main bulk of the narrative. This and the fact that there are multiple clichés inside also drag down the novel’s narrative in places – but despite this – Blood and Iron is still an engaging read.
Has it made me want to pick up the sequel? Sure, why not – I’ll certainly give it a try. However it doesn’t quite deserve to be at that top level of fantasy just yet, and it’ll be interesting to see how Sprunk’s work improves in future installments.
RATING: 7/10
September 16, 2014
Blood and Iron, not to be confused with the urban fantasy novel of the same name by Elizabeth Bear, is the first entry in a trilogy by Jon Sprunk about fantasy nations at war. Our hero is Horace, a shipwright and carpenter stranded on the shores of a hostile empire, at their mercy, who suddenly finds out he can do magic. What ensues in the slow self-destruction of the capital city of this kingdom within the empire while Horace stands around making amazed noises at it all.
Horace is essentially an Idiot Protagonist (TVTropes), so your mileage is going to vary quite a bit here. He goes from being a prisoner to a magic-wielding-but-still-clueless leader of the Queen’s guard in about a hundred and fifty pages. If this rise to power isn’t unbelievable enough, all this happens without Horace taking any initiative. Instead, he just reacts to everyone else manipulating him like the pawn that he is. From Mulcibar to Byleth to Alyra, all the supporting characters push and prod Horace into the few actions he actually takes on his own.
Although there is nothing inherently wrong with having an idiot protagonist, when deployed the way it is here, it gets boring. Fast. I just had nothing invested in Horace. Instead of taking stock of his impossible situation and coming up with a plan, he just waits for things to happen and then hopes for the best. That’s not how a clever, commendable hero should act! Even if their plans don’t work out (and it’s often more entertaining that way) heroes need to make them! Horace learns the language (with surprising speed) but consistently fails to learn much about court politics, assuming instead that he can continue to blunder about and act on his own recognizance without much threat to his life.
Horace not making plans comes to a head along with the climax of the book itself: rather than, you know, making a plan to save the queen and all that, Horace decides to run full tilt at the bad guys and rely on his precarious grasp of his magical ability. The result is a series of interlinked scenes in which Horace continually pummels people with magic. There is no brinksmanship, no intrigue involved, just a straight-up no-holds-barred magical firefight. And while this might be appealing to some people, it once again left me feeling cold and unsatisfied.
Then there’s the fact that Horace seems to have no distinguishing characteristics other than being a brooding foreign carpenter who suddenly can do magic—yet the only two women in the book of note are immediately, hopelessly fascinated by him. Horace is not fascinating. Horace is a dolt who once built ships and now does magic with the finesse of someone trying to embroider a throw pillow using a fencing sword. Now, in the disgustingly chauvinistic types of fantasy books of yore that Blood and Iron unfortunately seems to be trying to emulate, the women all swoon over the hero because he actually is, you know, heroic. Not because he is the designated hero of the story.
Let me tick off a few more clichés while we’re at it. Evil priesthood? Check. Slave revolution? Check. (Actually, I was extremely confused by Jirom’s entire subplot, and I had no clue what was going on for most of it.) Embattled queen forced into marriage with a charmless ape? Check.
By no means do I want to suggest that Blood and Iron simply retreads the same, old grooves in fantasy without much to show for it. There are certainly some commendable aspects. Sprunk includes a pair of gay characters in an offhanded manner and in a way that makes it seem like no one else considers it a big deal (and I think that they might be the first to get a romantic kiss as well). The magic system is interesting. Sprunk clearly has it worked out, but he doesn’t dump too much exposition on us, and I admit he has piqued my curiosity. (I just wish that it weren’t used as a sledgehammer in the climax.) Although the two supporting women were indeed pressed in service as Horace’s admirers, they are also fairly three-dimensional characters in their own right, with problems and desires of their own. Byleth reminds me a lot of Elizabeth I; Alyra is an interesting albeit not very competent spy with a believable backstory.
One last quibble, and one which has absolutely nothing to do with Sprunk’s writing: my edition has absurdly huge headers consisting of the title on the verso and Sprunk’s name on the recto. I’m used to headers and footers being in a much smaller font size than the body text. These were larger and darker type, in all-capitals, and very distracting. It’s a shame, because the large-format trade paperback is otherwise extremely nice to read.
Blood and Iron is not a stunning new work of fantasy. I’m not really interested in reading the next book in this series. But it’s also not a bad book. It leans a little too much on the conventions of the genre and seems to think it is more clever than it actually is. But I can see how other readers might find it more to their liking. So while I won’t recommend it, it is nice to know there are other options out there.
Horace is essentially an Idiot Protagonist (TVTropes), so your mileage is going to vary quite a bit here. He goes from being a prisoner to a magic-wielding-but-still-clueless leader of the Queen’s guard in about a hundred and fifty pages. If this rise to power isn’t unbelievable enough, all this happens without Horace taking any initiative. Instead, he just reacts to everyone else manipulating him like the pawn that he is. From Mulcibar to Byleth to Alyra, all the supporting characters push and prod Horace into the few actions he actually takes on his own.
Although there is nothing inherently wrong with having an idiot protagonist, when deployed the way it is here, it gets boring. Fast. I just had nothing invested in Horace. Instead of taking stock of his impossible situation and coming up with a plan, he just waits for things to happen and then hopes for the best. That’s not how a clever, commendable hero should act! Even if their plans don’t work out (and it’s often more entertaining that way) heroes need to make them! Horace learns the language (with surprising speed) but consistently fails to learn much about court politics, assuming instead that he can continue to blunder about and act on his own recognizance without much threat to his life.
Horace not making plans comes to a head along with the climax of the book itself: rather than, you know, making a plan to save the queen and all that, Horace decides to run full tilt at the bad guys and rely on his precarious grasp of his magical ability. The result is a series of interlinked scenes in which Horace continually pummels people with magic. There is no brinksmanship, no intrigue involved, just a straight-up no-holds-barred magical firefight. And while this might be appealing to some people, it once again left me feeling cold and unsatisfied.
Then there’s the fact that Horace seems to have no distinguishing characteristics other than being a brooding foreign carpenter who suddenly can do magic—yet the only two women in the book of note are immediately, hopelessly fascinated by him. Horace is not fascinating. Horace is a dolt who once built ships and now does magic with the finesse of someone trying to embroider a throw pillow using a fencing sword. Now, in the disgustingly chauvinistic types of fantasy books of yore that Blood and Iron unfortunately seems to be trying to emulate, the women all swoon over the hero because he actually is, you know, heroic. Not because he is the designated hero of the story.
Let me tick off a few more clichés while we’re at it. Evil priesthood? Check. Slave revolution? Check. (Actually, I was extremely confused by Jirom’s entire subplot, and I had no clue what was going on for most of it.) Embattled queen forced into marriage with a charmless ape? Check.
By no means do I want to suggest that Blood and Iron simply retreads the same, old grooves in fantasy without much to show for it. There are certainly some commendable aspects. Sprunk includes a pair of gay characters in an offhanded manner and in a way that makes it seem like no one else considers it a big deal (and I think that they might be the first to get a romantic kiss as well). The magic system is interesting. Sprunk clearly has it worked out, but he doesn’t dump too much exposition on us, and I admit he has piqued my curiosity. (I just wish that it weren’t used as a sledgehammer in the climax.) Although the two supporting women were indeed pressed in service as Horace’s admirers, they are also fairly three-dimensional characters in their own right, with problems and desires of their own. Byleth reminds me a lot of Elizabeth I; Alyra is an interesting albeit not very competent spy with a believable backstory.
One last quibble, and one which has absolutely nothing to do with Sprunk’s writing: my edition has absurdly huge headers consisting of the title on the verso and Sprunk’s name on the recto. I’m used to headers and footers being in a much smaller font size than the body text. These were larger and darker type, in all-capitals, and very distracting. It’s a shame, because the large-format trade paperback is otherwise extremely nice to read.
Blood and Iron is not a stunning new work of fantasy. I’m not really interested in reading the next book in this series. But it’s also not a bad book. It leans a little too much on the conventions of the genre and seems to think it is more clever than it actually is. But I can see how other readers might find it more to their liking. So while I won’t recommend it, it is nice to know there are other options out there.
February 28, 2014
This is Jon's first book after his debut trilogy. I found it to be an exciting one simply because of the things that the author has tried to accomplish with it. It's a different book than his debut effort as with the Shadow's Son, Jon went for a very tight narrative focus. With this book, we get a much bigger canvas and a much wider POV character cast. I enjoyed the pseudo-Egyptian flavor of the storyline but it's a very faint resemblance. The author's storyline reminds me a lot of James Clavell's Shogun with the main protagonist being shipwrecked, however that's where the comparison ends. The rest of the story is an epic one as we get POVs from a spy, a shipwrecked person, a gladiator, an arrogant queen and many more.
More to come in full FBC review...
More to come in full FBC review...
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April 14, 2021Blood and Iron is an engrossing novel of swords and sorcery. It’s tightly focused and complete, without a sprawling cast and endless appendix of subplots. That’s not to say Jon Sprunk tells a simple tale, he’s just managed to avoid the sinkhole of over-telling that sucks so much epic fantasy into the abyss.
Horace, a shipwright drafted for the Great Crusade, washes up on the shore of the land his company was set to invade, the lone survivor of a shipwreck. He is nursed back to health by the villagers who found him, only be taken as a slave with a good portion of the village. On the long and arduous trek to the temple, where the slaves will be given as an offering (we’re not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing for the slaves), he meets the gladiator Jirom, who has been fighting for his life for many years. Both men are strangers in a strange land and they form a tentative friendship that deepens as the journey tests the limits of their endurance and humanity.
When a strange storm strikes the slave train, Horace recognises the green lightning and awful power. The same supernatural effects sunk his ship. This time, the storm stirs the latent sorcery within him. Unwittingly, he joins his captors in the fight to break the storm and succeeds. Again, there is the question of whether this is a good or bad thing. While he certainly saved many, many lives, he has also exposed himself. He is a slave and a savage from another land, yet he is capable of wielding power bestowed upon the highest caste of Akeshians.
The journey is redirected to the queen’s court, where Horace becomes a house slave and Jirom is sent to a training camp. Again, both men face challenges. Jirom, the more physical as he throws his strength against a system designed to break slaves down and turn them against one another only to send them out as cannon fodder. Horace navigates the twistier course of power and politics as his sorcery is discovered and trained. The court sees him as a curiosity and a threat.
The loyalty and honour of both men continues to be tested as they are drawn into different facets of the rebellion set to undermine the already unstable rule of Queen Byleth. While the customs of the Akeshians range from inscrutable to cruel, Horace can see the queen truly cares for her people. Jirom is asked to choose between his friendship and a cause, time and again. Add in an evil cult and the true source of the supernatural storms and you have fast-paced and absorbing action interspersed with just the right amount of misdirection that all involved must hedge their bets before choosing a side.
Jon Sprunk’s world is familiar enough to be relatable, but different enough to feel somewhat original. The balance between might and magic is well done. The magic has definite limits and a cost, and neither Horace nor Jirom emerge from the climax unscathed. I would have liked a little more from Jirom’s point of view. I found his character fascinating and hope that as ‘The Book Of The Black Earth’ continues, we learn more of his history. I especially liked the fact he prefers men. More diversity in fantasy fiction is always a good thing! Up to this point I haven’t mentioned Alyra. She is a house slave at the palace who holds a fairly pivotal role in the plot and perhaps Horace’s future. Horace is an engaging hero as an everyman who discovers a hidden talent.
My favourite aspect outside of the storytelling, though, is the length of this novel and the fact it tells a complete story while setting the stage for further acts. At just over four hundred pages, Blood And Iron doesn’t take too long to read. I managed it in two days and I’m really looking forward to the next book, Storm And Steel, which released June 2, 2015. Review forthcoming.
Written for SFCrowsnest.
Horace, a shipwright drafted for the Great Crusade, washes up on the shore of the land his company was set to invade, the lone survivor of a shipwreck. He is nursed back to health by the villagers who found him, only be taken as a slave with a good portion of the village. On the long and arduous trek to the temple, where the slaves will be given as an offering (we’re not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing for the slaves), he meets the gladiator Jirom, who has been fighting for his life for many years. Both men are strangers in a strange land and they form a tentative friendship that deepens as the journey tests the limits of their endurance and humanity.
When a strange storm strikes the slave train, Horace recognises the green lightning and awful power. The same supernatural effects sunk his ship. This time, the storm stirs the latent sorcery within him. Unwittingly, he joins his captors in the fight to break the storm and succeeds. Again, there is the question of whether this is a good or bad thing. While he certainly saved many, many lives, he has also exposed himself. He is a slave and a savage from another land, yet he is capable of wielding power bestowed upon the highest caste of Akeshians.
The journey is redirected to the queen’s court, where Horace becomes a house slave and Jirom is sent to a training camp. Again, both men face challenges. Jirom, the more physical as he throws his strength against a system designed to break slaves down and turn them against one another only to send them out as cannon fodder. Horace navigates the twistier course of power and politics as his sorcery is discovered and trained. The court sees him as a curiosity and a threat.
The loyalty and honour of both men continues to be tested as they are drawn into different facets of the rebellion set to undermine the already unstable rule of Queen Byleth. While the customs of the Akeshians range from inscrutable to cruel, Horace can see the queen truly cares for her people. Jirom is asked to choose between his friendship and a cause, time and again. Add in an evil cult and the true source of the supernatural storms and you have fast-paced and absorbing action interspersed with just the right amount of misdirection that all involved must hedge their bets before choosing a side.
Jon Sprunk’s world is familiar enough to be relatable, but different enough to feel somewhat original. The balance between might and magic is well done. The magic has definite limits and a cost, and neither Horace nor Jirom emerge from the climax unscathed. I would have liked a little more from Jirom’s point of view. I found his character fascinating and hope that as ‘The Book Of The Black Earth’ continues, we learn more of his history. I especially liked the fact he prefers men. More diversity in fantasy fiction is always a good thing! Up to this point I haven’t mentioned Alyra. She is a house slave at the palace who holds a fairly pivotal role in the plot and perhaps Horace’s future. Horace is an engaging hero as an everyman who discovers a hidden talent.
My favourite aspect outside of the storytelling, though, is the length of this novel and the fact it tells a complete story while setting the stage for further acts. At just over four hundred pages, Blood And Iron doesn’t take too long to read. I managed it in two days and I’m really looking forward to the next book, Storm And Steel, which released June 2, 2015. Review forthcoming.
Written for SFCrowsnest.
September 10, 2016
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2014/03/04/b...
When trying to make a good impression, the saying goes you should put your best foot forward as soon as possible, and that’s definitely true for books as well. The fact that Blood and Iron was a bit slow in doing so may have weakened it a little in my eyes, but it is by no means a bad book. Indeed there are a lot of strengths, ones that I think would have made this book even better if the narrative had seized full advantage of them and taken things all the way.
The book’s description begins with “Set in a richly-imagined world, this action-heavy fantasy epic and series opener is like a sword-and-sorcery Spartacus.” If that sounds like your thing, then I have great news for you, because that is exactly what Blood and Iron delivers. “Richly-imagined world” doesn’t even begin to do the setting justice; this is one incredible feat of world building Jon Sprunk has managed to achieve in his creation of an empire resplendent in its diversity of people and places.
The writing certainly does not skimp on the details. Every time a character enters a new environment, we are treated to an explosion of information about the surroundings, from the beautiful shoreline where the main protagonist Horace washes up after a shipwreck, to the decadent throne room of Queen Byleth’s palace where he ends up being a political prisoner of sorts. When it’s discovered that Horace possesses the latent abilities of a sorcerer, we are introduced to the beginnings of a complex world of magic as well.
Individually, the characters are also pretty interesting. Considered a “savage” by the slave-keeping, bloodthirsty culture of the Akeshians. Horace is our main character simply trying to stay alive in the intricate web of customs and politics in Byleth’s court. Byleth herself is someone I could not get a bead on for much of the novel. Depending on whose point of view you’re looking at, she’s either strong or powerless, a tyrant or a victim, manipulative or vulnerable, though perhaps that is why of all the characters I found her the most intriguing.
For the most part, however, it feels like the plot of this novel is too too narrowly focused on the machinations at court, when my overall sense is that it wants to be something more. I didn’t exactly get the feeling there was war and a greater conflict on a grand scale out there, which is what I think the narrative wants you to know but somehow doesn’t quite manage to convey. It’s almost like the bigger story is always just there lurking beneath the surface, and I kept waiting for it to break out but it never did, at least not until close to the very end.
Part of this has to do with what I thought were a couple of underutilized perspectives, namely those of Alyra, a slave who is really a spy in the queen’s court, and Jirom, the badass mercenary and gladiator extraordinaire. Scenes with the former working for her underground network or the latter fighting in his army’s battles, both of which would have expanded the story’s scope, were only inserted here and there between Horace and Byleth’s dealings with each other. All the while, there seemed to be a lot more nonessential rehashing of events between the protagonist and the queen that take place at the palace.
It took a while for it to click with me where this story wanted to go. As such, the novel has the feel of a long introduction, albeit a good one. Like I said, there’s a lot to like in here; it just takes a while for everything to consolidate, but the ending was without question stronger than the way it began. Now that we’ve got the ball rolling, I’m looking forward to seeing what the second book will bring.
When trying to make a good impression, the saying goes you should put your best foot forward as soon as possible, and that’s definitely true for books as well. The fact that Blood and Iron was a bit slow in doing so may have weakened it a little in my eyes, but it is by no means a bad book. Indeed there are a lot of strengths, ones that I think would have made this book even better if the narrative had seized full advantage of them and taken things all the way.
The book’s description begins with “Set in a richly-imagined world, this action-heavy fantasy epic and series opener is like a sword-and-sorcery Spartacus.” If that sounds like your thing, then I have great news for you, because that is exactly what Blood and Iron delivers. “Richly-imagined world” doesn’t even begin to do the setting justice; this is one incredible feat of world building Jon Sprunk has managed to achieve in his creation of an empire resplendent in its diversity of people and places.
The writing certainly does not skimp on the details. Every time a character enters a new environment, we are treated to an explosion of information about the surroundings, from the beautiful shoreline where the main protagonist Horace washes up after a shipwreck, to the decadent throne room of Queen Byleth’s palace where he ends up being a political prisoner of sorts. When it’s discovered that Horace possesses the latent abilities of a sorcerer, we are introduced to the beginnings of a complex world of magic as well.
Individually, the characters are also pretty interesting. Considered a “savage” by the slave-keeping, bloodthirsty culture of the Akeshians. Horace is our main character simply trying to stay alive in the intricate web of customs and politics in Byleth’s court. Byleth herself is someone I could not get a bead on for much of the novel. Depending on whose point of view you’re looking at, she’s either strong or powerless, a tyrant or a victim, manipulative or vulnerable, though perhaps that is why of all the characters I found her the most intriguing.
For the most part, however, it feels like the plot of this novel is too too narrowly focused on the machinations at court, when my overall sense is that it wants to be something more. I didn’t exactly get the feeling there was war and a greater conflict on a grand scale out there, which is what I think the narrative wants you to know but somehow doesn’t quite manage to convey. It’s almost like the bigger story is always just there lurking beneath the surface, and I kept waiting for it to break out but it never did, at least not until close to the very end.
Part of this has to do with what I thought were a couple of underutilized perspectives, namely those of Alyra, a slave who is really a spy in the queen’s court, and Jirom, the badass mercenary and gladiator extraordinaire. Scenes with the former working for her underground network or the latter fighting in his army’s battles, both of which would have expanded the story’s scope, were only inserted here and there between Horace and Byleth’s dealings with each other. All the while, there seemed to be a lot more nonessential rehashing of events between the protagonist and the queen that take place at the palace.
It took a while for it to click with me where this story wanted to go. As such, the novel has the feel of a long introduction, albeit a good one. Like I said, there’s a lot to like in here; it just takes a while for everything to consolidate, but the ending was without question stronger than the way it began. Now that we’ve got the ball rolling, I’m looking forward to seeing what the second book will bring.
December 28, 2015
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
Blood and Iron is an epic fantasy novel about three enslaved protagonists who overcome hardship only to be entangled in politics and war. The main protagonist, Horace, is shipwrecked and forced into slavery. A chaos storm strikes the caravan, and he discovers his own affinity for lightning. Jirom is an ex-mercenary who was forced to become a gladiator. Inspired by seeing Horace stand up to their oppressive masters, he becomes involved in an underground resistance among conscripted soldiers. And finally, Alyria chose to be sold into slavery to give her the opportunity to spy on Queen Byleth, but the more she learns, the more she begins to doubt in her mission.
Blood and Iron had a slow start. We didn’t even meet Alyria until 1/4 of the way through the book, and she’s pretty important to the story. That said, the book’s pacing did pick up around the time she was introduced, and after that it was a pretty quick read.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the characterization of the three protagonists. Horace was too much of a special snowflake—not only does he magically have magical powers, but he has a very rare kind of power that doesn’t occur very often and that no other living person has. That’s too much of a coincidence, and makes him less believable. Jirom doesn’t seem terribly complex, although I did enjoy that he’s gay. And Alyria was so incredibly selfless and perfect that she’s just not an interesting character.
Queen Byleth, on the other hand, was fascinating. She’s not a good person at all, as we first see in a rather telling scene in which she orders a 10-year-old (give or take) slave girl to be whipped in order to punish Alyria. And yet at the same time, Byleth is cast as a sympathetic character who is all that’s left standing between her kingdom and a hostile takeover from mad cultists. She has very little political power and is being forced into a marriage that will effectively dethrone her, and she’s doing everything she can to stay in power. Byleth is the lesser of two evils, and our characters slowly come to the realization that despite her flaws, she’s the best hope they have. I love it when fantasy politics mirror those of real life, and where there is no easy solution or perfect answer. And the politics in Blood and Iron really worked for me, because everyone had their own agenda and there wasn’t a clear-cut line between right and wrong.
Overall, there wasn’t anything about Blood and Iron that seemed particularly new or innovative. It was a typical epic fantasy novel with a pulpy vibe, and I found it enjoyable despite its flaws. I’m looking forward to continuing the series, mostly to see what Byleth will do next.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
Blood and Iron is an epic fantasy novel about three enslaved protagonists who overcome hardship only to be entangled in politics and war. The main protagonist, Horace, is shipwrecked and forced into slavery. A chaos storm strikes the caravan, and he discovers his own affinity for lightning. Jirom is an ex-mercenary who was forced to become a gladiator. Inspired by seeing Horace stand up to their oppressive masters, he becomes involved in an underground resistance among conscripted soldiers. And finally, Alyria chose to be sold into slavery to give her the opportunity to spy on Queen Byleth, but the more she learns, the more she begins to doubt in her mission.
Blood and Iron had a slow start. We didn’t even meet Alyria until 1/4 of the way through the book, and she’s pretty important to the story. That said, the book’s pacing did pick up around the time she was introduced, and after that it was a pretty quick read.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the characterization of the three protagonists. Horace was too much of a special snowflake—not only does he magically have magical powers, but he has a very rare kind of power that doesn’t occur very often and that no other living person has. That’s too much of a coincidence, and makes him less believable. Jirom doesn’t seem terribly complex, although I did enjoy that he’s gay. And Alyria was so incredibly selfless and perfect that she’s just not an interesting character.
Queen Byleth, on the other hand, was fascinating. She’s not a good person at all, as we first see in a rather telling scene in which she orders a 10-year-old (give or take) slave girl to be whipped in order to punish Alyria. And yet at the same time, Byleth is cast as a sympathetic character who is all that’s left standing between her kingdom and a hostile takeover from mad cultists. She has very little political power and is being forced into a marriage that will effectively dethrone her, and she’s doing everything she can to stay in power. Byleth is the lesser of two evils, and our characters slowly come to the realization that despite her flaws, she’s the best hope they have. I love it when fantasy politics mirror those of real life, and where there is no easy solution or perfect answer. And the politics in Blood and Iron really worked for me, because everyone had their own agenda and there wasn’t a clear-cut line between right and wrong.
Overall, there wasn’t anything about Blood and Iron that seemed particularly new or innovative. It was a typical epic fantasy novel with a pulpy vibe, and I found it enjoyable despite its flaws. I’m looking forward to continuing the series, mostly to see what Byleth will do next.
June 4, 2015
Review Originally Posted At: FictionForesight
A "Pull No Punches" 4 1/2 Stars!
Blood and Iron is an action-packed adventure that hones all best pieces of fantasy into whats sure to be an amazing series!
A Quick Summary:
Blood and Iron begins as all epic tales do, with tragedy. In this case, tragedy comes in the form of a ship wreck. Horace, our main character, is a ship builder who was unlucky enough to be aboard a vessel that sank during an extraordinary storm. Washing up on the shore of his enemies homeland, Horace is taken captive and sold into slavery. Things don't look good. Not only a slave to his enemies, Horace is in a place where he doesn't speak the language, and doesn't know the customs. Combine that with the grueling conditions the slaves are put through, and you have a recipe for death.
Fate however, had another plan. Horace, and everyone else, soon discovers that he has latent magical abilities. Abilities which his enemies covet and consider a divine presence. It is because of this that Horace is soon broken from his bonds of slavery, and thrust into the even deadlier game of politics.
Along the way Horace crosses paths with a host of other characters, including Jirom, a gladiator and ex-mercenary, Alyra, a slave and spy, and Blythe, the queen of Akeshia (Horace's enemy). Each has a unique relationship, that inadvertently is affected by the other. And with each character having their own agenda, things don't look good for Horace.
The Good:
Lets start with the magic, because that was just awesome! I can't say that Jon Sprunk created a unique system of magic, because that's not necessarily true. Instead it seems that he did what he did with the rest of the book, he took some existing magic systems and reworked them with a bit of his own flavor mixed in. Well it worked. I loved the fact that each element had its own name, and own workings. For instance, throughout the book whenever the earth element was used, the character that was using it claimed they felt stronger. As if the element influenced the users emotions based on what we think of when we think of that element. Earth being strong, steadfast, unbending, etc.
The action was epic. Jon Sprunk knows what this reader likes. With some books the action scenes seem pitiful, or are seemingly indifferent to the other scenes. That's certainly not the case here. This book grabs you by the throat, and makes you take witness to a ton of "it's about to go down" moments scattered all throughout the book. Honestly, there are fight scenes in this book that literally gave me chills while I was reading. I can't stress how much I love that feeling in books.
Characterization was great too. I read quite a few reviews before reading this book (yes reviewers read reviews too!) and I have to admit, I was a bit bias going in. So many reviewers claimed that the characters were flat, one-sided, and lacked depth that's necessary in order to relate. I disagree wholeheartedly. I found the characters to be quite real, relatable, flawed, etc. I think there's a character for every personality too. I mean we have Horace, the conflicted foreigner with morals and beliefs akin to his homeland, who still is able to see the other side of the coin. He isn't perfect. He openly berates himself for his personal life and circumstances. He's this all-powerful sorcerer who has a hard time coping with the fact that he even has magic at all. Then even being an all-powerful sorcerer, he still has a lack of control over his own abilities, that doesn't "magically" go away. We have Alyra who is a spy, a fighter that serves and plays the role of a slave, who still comes to love and trust despite an upbringing that would not warrant such things. Jirom feels like your typical brute at first, but then we learn of a somewhat squishy layer that exists underneath. He set's himself a part from every other typical brute out there in that he's smart and calculating, but he's still not immune to his own hypocrisy. I could go on for days. Frankly put, these to me are not flat characters.
I liked the fact that while the story switched back and forth from different character's perspectives, we weren't in a stagnant rut. Some books switch back and forth from characters between chapters, but they always do the same switches. Chapter 1 is this person, 2 is that person. Back and forth. Blood and Iron switches between perspectives, but it does so in a much more flowing manner. The switches make sense. We learn more about situations when we get to see both, or all, sides. Not only that, but in a couple of situations the story flashes back a bit too, which is nice. So when we have an action scene take place with character A, we don't necessarily pick up at the same part with character B. We get to take a step back to see how the events built up to that point. I think this made this book much more enjoyable than others that have a similar story.
Speaking of story, lets briefly chat about the story-line / plot arcs. This entire plot, the idea of a stranger showing up, having magical abilities, finding a place in the world, it's all been done before. This isn't cutting edge stuff here. It's timeless stuff, the stuff that fantasy lovers want in their books. Jon Sprunk takes all the good things from other fantasy novels and twists it until you find something that's uniquely his. There were some parts where I already knew what was going to happen, because you could tell a mile away, and then others still, admittedly, surprised me quite a bit. (I. e. a certain someone taking a certain sibling captive!). It was these little surprises that kept me on my toes, and enjoying a story-line I had read a thousand times before, but never quite in that way.
The Bad:
I really had to think here to come up with something that I thought was bad enough to include in this section. I know other reviewers have their opinions (and they should!), but I just couldn't find a lot of fault here.
For me, setting was a point of contention. Don't misunderstand, the world building was pretty good. You got to learn quite a bit about the world that this story takes place in, but I still found myself picturing some place else. I know that this is set in Egyptian like times / locales, but all the while reading I kept finding myself picturing an Arthurian England. Why? Couldn't possibly begin to tell you. Mr. Sprunk clearly articulates the setting, style of dress, even the hierarchy that exists. And it all fits with the Egyptian theme. But short of the desert, I suppose you could take this story just about anywhere and still have it feel just as good. So in my head, were not in Egypt anymore.
Other than that petty point, I think the lacking romance was the biggest culprit. I mean I get it, you don't necessarily need people hooking up in every story. But that's not what I'm alluding to at all. I just wish there was a bit more romantically here. Sure Horace was fawning over other characters, and yes I understand the pain he went through and how big of a step this would be for him, but still. I'm dreadfully hoping for the romantic arc to take some major leaps forward in the sequel.
Overall:
Blood and Iron wasn't good. It was great. Jon Sprunk writes in such a way that little is held back, and in the end, everything is left on the page. For better or worse, he call's it like he sees it. For me, that's the key. That's what separates this book from all the rest. It was almost as realistic and gritty as a historical take on this type of era, with a great plot-line and cast of characters strewn in. I would definitely recommend this read to anyone who enjoys fantasy, or is looking for a little magic in their life. I can't wait for the sequel to follow Horace and the gang through to their next battle!
(www.FictionForesight.com)
A "Pull No Punches" 4 1/2 Stars!
Blood and Iron is an action-packed adventure that hones all best pieces of fantasy into whats sure to be an amazing series!
A Quick Summary:
Blood and Iron begins as all epic tales do, with tragedy. In this case, tragedy comes in the form of a ship wreck. Horace, our main character, is a ship builder who was unlucky enough to be aboard a vessel that sank during an extraordinary storm. Washing up on the shore of his enemies homeland, Horace is taken captive and sold into slavery. Things don't look good. Not only a slave to his enemies, Horace is in a place where he doesn't speak the language, and doesn't know the customs. Combine that with the grueling conditions the slaves are put through, and you have a recipe for death.
Fate however, had another plan. Horace, and everyone else, soon discovers that he has latent magical abilities. Abilities which his enemies covet and consider a divine presence. It is because of this that Horace is soon broken from his bonds of slavery, and thrust into the even deadlier game of politics.
Along the way Horace crosses paths with a host of other characters, including Jirom, a gladiator and ex-mercenary, Alyra, a slave and spy, and Blythe, the queen of Akeshia (Horace's enemy). Each has a unique relationship, that inadvertently is affected by the other. And with each character having their own agenda, things don't look good for Horace.
The Good:
Lets start with the magic, because that was just awesome! I can't say that Jon Sprunk created a unique system of magic, because that's not necessarily true. Instead it seems that he did what he did with the rest of the book, he took some existing magic systems and reworked them with a bit of his own flavor mixed in. Well it worked. I loved the fact that each element had its own name, and own workings. For instance, throughout the book whenever the earth element was used, the character that was using it claimed they felt stronger. As if the element influenced the users emotions based on what we think of when we think of that element. Earth being strong, steadfast, unbending, etc.
The action was epic. Jon Sprunk knows what this reader likes. With some books the action scenes seem pitiful, or are seemingly indifferent to the other scenes. That's certainly not the case here. This book grabs you by the throat, and makes you take witness to a ton of "it's about to go down" moments scattered all throughout the book. Honestly, there are fight scenes in this book that literally gave me chills while I was reading. I can't stress how much I love that feeling in books.
Characterization was great too. I read quite a few reviews before reading this book (yes reviewers read reviews too!) and I have to admit, I was a bit bias going in. So many reviewers claimed that the characters were flat, one-sided, and lacked depth that's necessary in order to relate. I disagree wholeheartedly. I found the characters to be quite real, relatable, flawed, etc. I think there's a character for every personality too. I mean we have Horace, the conflicted foreigner with morals and beliefs akin to his homeland, who still is able to see the other side of the coin. He isn't perfect. He openly berates himself for his personal life and circumstances. He's this all-powerful sorcerer who has a hard time coping with the fact that he even has magic at all. Then even being an all-powerful sorcerer, he still has a lack of control over his own abilities, that doesn't "magically" go away. We have Alyra who is a spy, a fighter that serves and plays the role of a slave, who still comes to love and trust despite an upbringing that would not warrant such things. Jirom feels like your typical brute at first, but then we learn of a somewhat squishy layer that exists underneath. He set's himself a part from every other typical brute out there in that he's smart and calculating, but he's still not immune to his own hypocrisy. I could go on for days. Frankly put, these to me are not flat characters.
I liked the fact that while the story switched back and forth from different character's perspectives, we weren't in a stagnant rut. Some books switch back and forth from characters between chapters, but they always do the same switches. Chapter 1 is this person, 2 is that person. Back and forth. Blood and Iron switches between perspectives, but it does so in a much more flowing manner. The switches make sense. We learn more about situations when we get to see both, or all, sides. Not only that, but in a couple of situations the story flashes back a bit too, which is nice. So when we have an action scene take place with character A, we don't necessarily pick up at the same part with character B. We get to take a step back to see how the events built up to that point. I think this made this book much more enjoyable than others that have a similar story.
Speaking of story, lets briefly chat about the story-line / plot arcs. This entire plot, the idea of a stranger showing up, having magical abilities, finding a place in the world, it's all been done before. This isn't cutting edge stuff here. It's timeless stuff, the stuff that fantasy lovers want in their books. Jon Sprunk takes all the good things from other fantasy novels and twists it until you find something that's uniquely his. There were some parts where I already knew what was going to happen, because you could tell a mile away, and then others still, admittedly, surprised me quite a bit. (I. e. a certain someone taking a certain sibling captive!). It was these little surprises that kept me on my toes, and enjoying a story-line I had read a thousand times before, but never quite in that way.
The Bad:
I really had to think here to come up with something that I thought was bad enough to include in this section. I know other reviewers have their opinions (and they should!), but I just couldn't find a lot of fault here.
For me, setting was a point of contention. Don't misunderstand, the world building was pretty good. You got to learn quite a bit about the world that this story takes place in, but I still found myself picturing some place else. I know that this is set in Egyptian like times / locales, but all the while reading I kept finding myself picturing an Arthurian England. Why? Couldn't possibly begin to tell you. Mr. Sprunk clearly articulates the setting, style of dress, even the hierarchy that exists. And it all fits with the Egyptian theme. But short of the desert, I suppose you could take this story just about anywhere and still have it feel just as good. So in my head, were not in Egypt anymore.
Other than that petty point, I think the lacking romance was the biggest culprit. I mean I get it, you don't necessarily need people hooking up in every story. But that's not what I'm alluding to at all. I just wish there was a bit more romantically here. Sure Horace was fawning over other characters, and yes I understand the pain he went through and how big of a step this would be for him, but still. I'm dreadfully hoping for the romantic arc to take some major leaps forward in the sequel.
Overall:
Blood and Iron wasn't good. It was great. Jon Sprunk writes in such a way that little is held back, and in the end, everything is left on the page. For better or worse, he call's it like he sees it. For me, that's the key. That's what separates this book from all the rest. It was almost as realistic and gritty as a historical take on this type of era, with a great plot-line and cast of characters strewn in. I would definitely recommend this read to anyone who enjoys fantasy, or is looking for a little magic in their life. I can't wait for the sequel to follow Horace and the gang through to their next battle!
(www.FictionForesight.com)
March 28, 2014
I wanted to like the concept of this book -- Crusader type gets shipwrecked in the country of his enemies, is enslaved, has to learn their language and culture to survive etc.
Unfortunately it's not terribly well plotted. Stuff just sort of... happens, as the protagonist(s) stumble through the story. There are multiple protagonists and storylines that intersect... once, about halfway through the book. I think the author was going for a story of mystery, intrigue, and the sense that larger forces/long-term plans are at work... but it just came off as "this stuff is just kind of happening and I don't really know why".
There's also some weird and unnecessary inclusion of sexuality in a way that didn't really feel necessary and kind of leaves a greasy taste in your mouth. I don't have a problem with sexuality in books, but it really needs to be there for a reason, and I couldn't figure out what the reason was here (unless it was as simple/shallow as some kind of weird "Egyptian queens were harlots" thing).
Specific spoiler-y questions below:
The book is just a mess of ideas all thrown together with no real sense of pacing or artistry. It's serviceable enough as beach fantasy reading, maybe, but it won't really bring anything new to the table.
Unfortunately it's not terribly well plotted. Stuff just sort of... happens, as the protagonist(s) stumble through the story. There are multiple protagonists and storylines that intersect... once, about halfway through the book. I think the author was going for a story of mystery, intrigue, and the sense that larger forces/long-term plans are at work... but it just came off as "this stuff is just kind of happening and I don't really know why".
There's also some weird and unnecessary inclusion of sexuality in a way that didn't really feel necessary and kind of leaves a greasy taste in your mouth. I don't have a problem with sexuality in books, but it really needs to be there for a reason, and I couldn't figure out what the reason was here (unless it was as simple/shallow as some kind of weird "Egyptian queens were harlots" thing).
Specific spoiler-y questions below:
The book is just a mess of ideas all thrown together with no real sense of pacing or artistry. It's serviceable enough as beach fantasy reading, maybe, but it won't really bring anything new to the table.
April 2, 2014
a reasonably well executed version of the "humble stranger turns out to have great powers in a different world" version of action adventure fantasy, engagingly written and refreshingly modern in attitudes and language but in the same vein not bringing anything new, while the characters and narrative energy on which such stuff depends the most are reasonably interesting to have kept me reading, but not outstandingly so to keep me overtly interested in what comes next
so mostly a B plus level pulp fantasy which lacks that extra to raise it to the top so far the way Brent Weeks novels (best practitioner of this subgenre of today) go
so mostly a B plus level pulp fantasy which lacks that extra to raise it to the top so far the way Brent Weeks novels (best practitioner of this subgenre of today) go
April 2, 2014
I was surprised by BLOOD AND IRON, part one of The Book of the Black Sun. Fantasy, this type anyway, is not my usual forte. But author jon Sprunk's writing style made the thing come alive for me. reading almost as a straight historical despite the magical elements.
Horace is a man marooned in the lands of the enemy, the sole survivor of a shipwreck. He discovers within himself a power, they call it zoana, he'd never known was in him.
he geys caught up in the politics of his new home, rising in status, makes a few friends, and sets off on an odyssey to change his world.
Quite enjoyable and ready for more.
Horace is a man marooned in the lands of the enemy, the sole survivor of a shipwreck. He discovers within himself a power, they call it zoana, he'd never known was in him.
he geys caught up in the politics of his new home, rising in status, makes a few friends, and sets off on an odyssey to change his world.
Quite enjoyable and ready for more.
October 13, 2014
It was a really good book, and I hope there will be a second :)
In the beginning I felt it was slow after the shipwreck, but the pace was natural for the events that took place. Overall I liked the characters, Jon Sprunk creates some really interesting and awesome characters :)
It was pretty obviously where the inspiration to the story came from, at least to me. But it made a really great story and conflict.
And the ending, what a ending! It was a really good ending in more than one way.
In the beginning I felt it was slow after the shipwreck, but the pace was natural for the events that took place. Overall I liked the characters, Jon Sprunk creates some really interesting and awesome characters :)
It was pretty obviously where the inspiration to the story came from, at least to me. But it made a really great story and conflict.
And the ending, what a ending! It was a really good ending in more than one way.
April 1, 2014
Magic and loss
Shipwrecked on a foreign country, embroiled in pol beyond his ken, Horace must come to terms with the power inside him. This was a great start to a new series that incorporates the political gamesmanship of a Game of Thrones with the visceral combat of Joe Abercrombie.
Shipwrecked on a foreign country, embroiled in pol beyond his ken, Horace must come to terms with the power inside him. This was a great start to a new series that incorporates the political gamesmanship of a Game of Thrones with the visceral combat of Joe Abercrombie.
April 23, 2014
I really loved the characters and the story that evolved around them. Magic, Gladiators and slaves. A great foundation has been laid for the future stories. I can't believe it, but this shows more promise than his last series which was outstanding!
May 10, 2022
OK, That's it.
I gave it an honest try, reached 70% but my heart won't go on.
I now fully understand the bad reviews I'd refused to heed (which I still strongly recommend. Never heed bad reviews; unless they're mine 😜).
You know what? The problem with this book is not form. Actually form is quite decent! I find the prose mostly competent. There is obvious polish and attention to style. That's not a given nowadays. A few repetitions here and there (Author seems to really like sheer, associated with female clothing for some reason...) but nothing worth lashing a cat, as we say in french.
No, the problem with this book is not form, it is matter.
Throughout the book, I felt like I was watching a cartoon. A very tropey cartoon.
Someone said this book reminded them of James Clavell's Shōgun, and I think the comparison is spot on. The same beats, but with lots, lots of plot-holes on top.
Where Shogun's MC John Blackthorne lands with most of his crew, Horace is alone. Where Blackthorne struggles with language, Horace keeps finding people who not only speak his language fluently, but are willing to converse in it between themselves for his benefit, . Where Blackthorne only has his experience as a pilot as a bargaining chip, Horace has... OP magic.
70% of Horace's dialogue is him asking questions. But surprisingly enough, he always gets answers, from everyone. The Queen, no less, ends up being his favourite Wikipedia. Irritated me to no end, how much people who should have better things to do were giving him the time of day... BTW, quite cultured, for a mere sailor. 🤨
But I kept my peace.
Conscripted slaves under a gruelling daily regime still find enough time to group up and mount an attack on the capital, then come back and resume their ordeal with no-one the wiser! 🤨
I still kept my peace.
But when MC becomes the recipient of the largest promotion in fantasy history, with zero demonstrated qualifications for the job, within 5 days (yes, 5!!!) of his arrival, my wtf-o-meter reaches the red zone.
With just a little bit more verisimilitude, especially in human interactions, it could have been good. Really good. There was real potential.
Funny enough, the most interesting parts of the book are the side plots, those that don't concern the MC at all. I feel like the book would have fared much better if Horace had been relegated to a support role, as a catalyst to the events unfolding in Akeshia.
But the way it is, it's not worth more of my time.
2 stars for the decent prose.
I gave it an honest try, reached 70% but my heart won't go on.
I now fully understand the bad reviews I'd refused to heed (which I still strongly recommend. Never heed bad reviews; unless they're mine 😜).
You know what? The problem with this book is not form. Actually form is quite decent! I find the prose mostly competent. There is obvious polish and attention to style. That's not a given nowadays. A few repetitions here and there (Author seems to really like sheer, associated with female clothing for some reason...) but nothing worth lashing a cat, as we say in french.
No, the problem with this book is not form, it is matter.
Throughout the book, I felt like I was watching a cartoon. A very tropey cartoon.
Someone said this book reminded them of James Clavell's Shōgun, and I think the comparison is spot on. The same beats, but with lots, lots of plot-holes on top.
Where Shogun's MC John Blackthorne lands with most of his crew, Horace is alone. Where Blackthorne struggles with language, Horace keeps finding people who not only speak his language fluently, but are willing to converse in it between themselves for his benefit, . Where Blackthorne only has his experience as a pilot as a bargaining chip, Horace has... OP magic.
70% of Horace's dialogue is him asking questions. But surprisingly enough, he always gets answers, from everyone. The Queen, no less, ends up being his favourite Wikipedia. Irritated me to no end, how much people who should have better things to do were giving him the time of day... BTW, quite cultured, for a mere sailor. 🤨
But I kept my peace.
Conscripted slaves under a gruelling daily regime still find enough time to group up and mount an attack on the capital, then come back and resume their ordeal with no-one the wiser! 🤨
I still kept my peace.
But when MC becomes the recipient of the largest promotion in fantasy history, with zero demonstrated qualifications for the job, within 5 days (yes, 5!!!) of his arrival, my wtf-o-meter reaches the red zone.
With just a little bit more verisimilitude, especially in human interactions, it could have been good. Really good. There was real potential.
Funny enough, the most interesting parts of the book are the side plots, those that don't concern the MC at all. I feel like the book would have fared much better if Horace had been relegated to a support role, as a catalyst to the events unfolding in Akeshia.
But the way it is, it's not worth more of my time.
2 stars for the decent prose.
September 28, 2014
Blood and Iron by Jon Sprunk is the first in a new high fantasy series that will feel both familiar and fresh. Blood and Iron has many typical elements of high fantasy while also pulling in more diverse characters. While the premise held promise, the writing and characters failed to deliver and I ended up simply frustrated. Many of the initially interesting and heartening elements of Blood and Iron ended up feeling exceedingly superficial as Blood and Iron morphed into a very typical high fantasy. If you are looking for another fantasy series just for the sake of reading fantasy, Blood and Iron might appeal, but if you were hoping for a story that brings something new to the genre, you’ll probably be disappointed.
Note: I received Blood and Iron through Edelweiss for an honest review. Some things may have changed in the final version.
This book has adult content.
Blood and Iron by Jon Sprunk (The Book of the Black Earth #1)
Published by Pyr on March 11th, 2014
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Length: 428 pages
How I got my copy: Edelweiss
It starts with a shipwreck following a magical storm at sea. Horace, a soldier from the west, had joined the Great Crusade against the heathens of Akeshia after the deaths of his wife and son from plague. When he washes ashore, he finds himself at the mercy of the very people he was sent to kill, who speak a language and have a culture and customs he doesn't even begin to understand.
Not long after, Horace is pressed into service as a house slave. But this doesn't last. The Akeshians discover that Horace was a latent sorcerer, and he is catapulted from the chains of a slave to the halls of power in the queen's court. Together with Jirom, an ex-mercenary and gladiator, and Alyra, a spy in the court, he will seek a path to free himself and the empire's caste of slaves from a system where every man and woman must pay the price of blood or iron. Before the end, Horace will have paid dearly in both.
Strengths:
The fantasy world of Blood and Iron is filled with warring empires, cults worshipping sun gods, and magic chaos storms. While we only actually adventure in a couple areas of the world, others are introduced or hinted at, building up opportunities for more adventuring in future books.
The characters in Blood and Iron are refreshingly diverse. There is a queen ruling without a husband and trying hard to hold on to that power, a gladiator who happens to be gay, a slave girl who is far more than she appears, and of course our main character Horace who’d like to think he is just a carpenter. For a genre that tends to fall back on a narrow range of character choices, it was nice to see this level of diversity.
Weaknesses:
The biggest problem that I had with Blood and Iron was that I just never cared about the characters. The writing was such that even during action scenes, I felt no suspense. It was obvious everything would turn out, and even if it didn’t, I wasn’t attached enough to the characters to worry for them. There was actually a part of me that was hoping the main character would be killed since then at least the story would feel fresher.
Blood and Iron has one main plot line told from Horace’s perspective and then another plot line that follows Jirom (the gay gladiator) after he splits from Horace. The problem is that those two plot lines never reconnect and therefore Jirom’s ended up feeling completely pointless. This further frustrated me since it made it feel like Jirom was a token gay character and he was only in the story to have a crush on Horace. Blood and Iron could have completely cut him from the story and nothing would have changed….
The romantic element doesn’t surface for a while, but once it does, it is just so awkward. There are some definite power issues Horace’s relationship, plus a strange love quadrangle because everyone is interested in Horace.
The magic system in Blood and Iron at first has nice and interesting rules: magic users get cuts all over their bodies when they use their magic, therefore they can’t use it for very long. However, Horace is of course special and proves very quickly that his magic doesn’t follow those rules and that makes him pretty much all powerful. There was promise of Horace still be limited because he lacked skill in the various elemental magics, but of course he then unlocks those secrets in the middle of battles whenever it is convenient for the action.
Summary:
Blood and Iron had potential and interesting elements, but quickly failed to live up to that potential. I was so excited to see a fantasy world with non-straight characters, but that hope was eventually crushed by the realization that those characters don’t actually matter to the story. If you are looking for a typical fantasy that is full of familiar elements, you might like Blood and Iron, but don’t expect to be surprised.
Note: I received Blood and Iron through Edelweiss for an honest review. Some things may have changed in the final version.
This book has adult content.
Blood and Iron by Jon Sprunk (The Book of the Black Earth #1)
Published by Pyr on March 11th, 2014
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Length: 428 pages
How I got my copy: Edelweiss
It starts with a shipwreck following a magical storm at sea. Horace, a soldier from the west, had joined the Great Crusade against the heathens of Akeshia after the deaths of his wife and son from plague. When he washes ashore, he finds himself at the mercy of the very people he was sent to kill, who speak a language and have a culture and customs he doesn't even begin to understand.
Not long after, Horace is pressed into service as a house slave. But this doesn't last. The Akeshians discover that Horace was a latent sorcerer, and he is catapulted from the chains of a slave to the halls of power in the queen's court. Together with Jirom, an ex-mercenary and gladiator, and Alyra, a spy in the court, he will seek a path to free himself and the empire's caste of slaves from a system where every man and woman must pay the price of blood or iron. Before the end, Horace will have paid dearly in both.
Strengths:
The fantasy world of Blood and Iron is filled with warring empires, cults worshipping sun gods, and magic chaos storms. While we only actually adventure in a couple areas of the world, others are introduced or hinted at, building up opportunities for more adventuring in future books.
The characters in Blood and Iron are refreshingly diverse. There is a queen ruling without a husband and trying hard to hold on to that power, a gladiator who happens to be gay, a slave girl who is far more than she appears, and of course our main character Horace who’d like to think he is just a carpenter. For a genre that tends to fall back on a narrow range of character choices, it was nice to see this level of diversity.
Weaknesses:
The biggest problem that I had with Blood and Iron was that I just never cared about the characters. The writing was such that even during action scenes, I felt no suspense. It was obvious everything would turn out, and even if it didn’t, I wasn’t attached enough to the characters to worry for them. There was actually a part of me that was hoping the main character would be killed since then at least the story would feel fresher.
Blood and Iron has one main plot line told from Horace’s perspective and then another plot line that follows Jirom (the gay gladiator) after he splits from Horace. The problem is that those two plot lines never reconnect and therefore Jirom’s ended up feeling completely pointless. This further frustrated me since it made it feel like Jirom was a token gay character and he was only in the story to have a crush on Horace. Blood and Iron could have completely cut him from the story and nothing would have changed….
The romantic element doesn’t surface for a while, but once it does, it is just so awkward. There are some definite power issues Horace’s relationship, plus a strange love quadrangle because everyone is interested in Horace.
The magic system in Blood and Iron at first has nice and interesting rules: magic users get cuts all over their bodies when they use their magic, therefore they can’t use it for very long. However, Horace is of course special and proves very quickly that his magic doesn’t follow those rules and that makes him pretty much all powerful. There was promise of Horace still be limited because he lacked skill in the various elemental magics, but of course he then unlocks those secrets in the middle of battles whenever it is convenient for the action.
Summary:
Blood and Iron had potential and interesting elements, but quickly failed to live up to that potential. I was so excited to see a fantasy world with non-straight characters, but that hope was eventually crushed by the realization that those characters don’t actually matter to the story. If you are looking for a typical fantasy that is full of familiar elements, you might like Blood and Iron, but don’t expect to be surprised.
August 25, 2016
Blood And Iron is Jon Sprunk’s fourth novel and the first book in his new 4-book series, The Book Of The Black Earth. It tells the tale of three people that are fighting their own war against the corrupt Akeshian Empire. Horace is a crusader who washes up on the shores of his enemies after a shipwreck. Jirom is a slave turned gladiator whose biggest wish is to bring down the empire that enslaved him. And last but not least, there’s Alyra, a beautiful young woman who enters slavery voluntarily to spy on the Akeshian court. Their paths become intertwined and will shake the foundations of the empire.
While Sprunk’s first series, the Shadow Saga, was epic sword and sorcery, The Book Of The Black Earth is a change in type of subgenre. Blood And Iron is still epic fantasy, but with a lot more political intrigue than Sprunk’s previous books. Horace’s and Alyra’s tale is one of court intrigues and finding out where their loyalties are lying. Horace finds himself in a web of lies and deceit in an empire where power display is everything, where showing or hiding weakness means the difference between a position of power or certain death. So, while this tale is completely different from the Shadow Saga, it’s still written in Sprunk’s familiar style: fast paced, with a lot of room for emotional and heartbreaking scenes, interspersed with great action sequences. The other familiar thing about this author’s style are his points of view. Sprunk tells his story from every angle, not only from the point of view from the good guys, but also from the other side. In this case from the point of view of queen Byleth. This is an approach I really like and it gives the author a lot of room for character development. Sprunk takes this opportunity with both hands and develops that masterfully. This character development is one of the main reasons that Jon Sprunk has become one of my favourite authors. Let’s take a look at those different characters now. Horace is the main protagonist and a man with a sad past, which was revealed gradually throughout the book, through flashbacks. He’s a fantastic character and it was a real pleasure to read his often emotional tale. Despite being washed up on the shores of his enemies and being captured as a slave, Horace tries to make the best of the situation to become a free man again. Alyra is a beautiful young woman who lost everything because of the empire’s strive for domination, so she enters slavery voluntarily to spy on the Akeshians. With Kit from the Shadow Saga, Sprunk showed us that he can write great female characters and Alyra is no exception. And although I didn’t like her as much as Kit, she’s still a character strong enough to have won my heart. Queen Byleth is the only character that I didn’t like as much as the rest of the cast. She’s not badly written, not by a long shot, but I didn’t felt enough connection with this character. Maybe a little more development in the next books and I do like her, we’ll see. And then there’s Jirom. This ex-mercenary turned gladiator is, to me, the best character in the book. I even think he’s one of the best fantasy characters ever. This guy is cool and his introduction chapter is one of the coolest character introductions I’ve ever read, period. It’s brutal and emotional at the same time and I love it! Sprunk takes with this character’s personality a direction I’ve rarely come across in fantasy books and I hope we’ll see a lot more from Jirom in the rest of the series. That’s enough talk about the characters. By now you understand that I like Sprunks characters a lot and the way he weaves his storylines is emotional, sometimes heart wrenching and always entertaining.
Read the rest of my review on my blog: http://fantasticalimaginations.wordpr...
While Sprunk’s first series, the Shadow Saga, was epic sword and sorcery, The Book Of The Black Earth is a change in type of subgenre. Blood And Iron is still epic fantasy, but with a lot more political intrigue than Sprunk’s previous books. Horace’s and Alyra’s tale is one of court intrigues and finding out where their loyalties are lying. Horace finds himself in a web of lies and deceit in an empire where power display is everything, where showing or hiding weakness means the difference between a position of power or certain death. So, while this tale is completely different from the Shadow Saga, it’s still written in Sprunk’s familiar style: fast paced, with a lot of room for emotional and heartbreaking scenes, interspersed with great action sequences. The other familiar thing about this author’s style are his points of view. Sprunk tells his story from every angle, not only from the point of view from the good guys, but also from the other side. In this case from the point of view of queen Byleth. This is an approach I really like and it gives the author a lot of room for character development. Sprunk takes this opportunity with both hands and develops that masterfully. This character development is one of the main reasons that Jon Sprunk has become one of my favourite authors. Let’s take a look at those different characters now. Horace is the main protagonist and a man with a sad past, which was revealed gradually throughout the book, through flashbacks. He’s a fantastic character and it was a real pleasure to read his often emotional tale. Despite being washed up on the shores of his enemies and being captured as a slave, Horace tries to make the best of the situation to become a free man again. Alyra is a beautiful young woman who lost everything because of the empire’s strive for domination, so she enters slavery voluntarily to spy on the Akeshians. With Kit from the Shadow Saga, Sprunk showed us that he can write great female characters and Alyra is no exception. And although I didn’t like her as much as Kit, she’s still a character strong enough to have won my heart. Queen Byleth is the only character that I didn’t like as much as the rest of the cast. She’s not badly written, not by a long shot, but I didn’t felt enough connection with this character. Maybe a little more development in the next books and I do like her, we’ll see. And then there’s Jirom. This ex-mercenary turned gladiator is, to me, the best character in the book. I even think he’s one of the best fantasy characters ever. This guy is cool and his introduction chapter is one of the coolest character introductions I’ve ever read, period. It’s brutal and emotional at the same time and I love it! Sprunk takes with this character’s personality a direction I’ve rarely come across in fantasy books and I hope we’ll see a lot more from Jirom in the rest of the series. That’s enough talk about the characters. By now you understand that I like Sprunks characters a lot and the way he weaves his storylines is emotional, sometimes heart wrenching and always entertaining.
Read the rest of my review on my blog: http://fantasticalimaginations.wordpr...
May 23, 2014
Posted first on The Qwillery
Blood and Iron is the first book in a gritty fantasy series by Jon Sprunk. The majority of the story takes place in a North African-like setting, with plenty of desert scenery. The Akeshian Empire has hints of Egyptian and Babylonian cultural influences. The back cover states that Horace is a crusader, which is only partially correct, he's a shipwright trying to overcome a tragic past by using his skills as a carpenter for the boat that is transporting crusaders. He's not a trained fighter. I feel it's important to clear that up as it misleads potential readers.
Horace, Jirom and Alyra are all great characters. You immediately feel they are real and want to see them survive the book. Alyra is a great female character, she's fully fleshed out. The last thing I'll say about characters is that Byleth the Queen is a great secondary character. Even after reading the book, I'm not sure how I feel about her, because she was so well written. She had moments that made me feel she was a good person stuck in a bad situation and other times I felt she was down right evil. I've always liked Sprunk's characters and find them to be one of his strengths as an author.
Sprunk is also great at writing a story with a great pace. There's plenty of action as well as moments of reflection for each of the characters and side characters so the reader can become fully immersed in the story. The plot of the story takes a natural approach to its progression with a few surprises I enjoyed.
I loved the way Sprunk developed Horace's latent magical abilities. It's refreshing to see someone not master their skills quickly. He struggles and fails enough to make it realistic. Even at the end of the story, there is plenty of room for Horace to grow in the next book. The magical system is also a great setup. I've seen a few like it before, but Sprunk puts his own twist on it that I really enjoyed.
There are only two areas I felt could have improved the book. First, there is an unusual love triangle in the story that for me didn't feel natural. I'll explain. After each of the characters meet each other, the reader is told that one person loves the other and visa versa between the three of them, but there was no real evidence that this occurred. No flirting or “oh wow” moments or mental or emotional connections made between the characters that would lead the reader to believe they were falling in love. We were just told they were and then later in the story we see some of the reasons why they were in love. I felt like Sprunk could have slowed down a bit and let the reader discover the characters loved each other more naturally.
The only other thing I would change would be to remove some of the swearing from the book. It felt like it was only added to make it feel more dark or gritty, but in fact it just kept throwing me out of the story. I felt like Sprunk was required to add a certain number of swear words in the book by his publisher. It just felt unnatural to the story and characters.
Blood and Iron is the perfect fantasy beach book. The setting goes great with water and sand. It's entertaining, and fast-paced with great characters and fascinating magical system. It is well suited for a reader who wants to have a quick, enjoyable read. Due to the level of violence and sporadic use of adult language and several implied sexual situations, I would recommend it to adults. I'd also recommend it to anyone who likes fantasies set outside of a European setting or well-developed characters.
Blood and Iron is the first book in a gritty fantasy series by Jon Sprunk. The majority of the story takes place in a North African-like setting, with plenty of desert scenery. The Akeshian Empire has hints of Egyptian and Babylonian cultural influences. The back cover states that Horace is a crusader, which is only partially correct, he's a shipwright trying to overcome a tragic past by using his skills as a carpenter for the boat that is transporting crusaders. He's not a trained fighter. I feel it's important to clear that up as it misleads potential readers.
Horace, Jirom and Alyra are all great characters. You immediately feel they are real and want to see them survive the book. Alyra is a great female character, she's fully fleshed out. The last thing I'll say about characters is that Byleth the Queen is a great secondary character. Even after reading the book, I'm not sure how I feel about her, because she was so well written. She had moments that made me feel she was a good person stuck in a bad situation and other times I felt she was down right evil. I've always liked Sprunk's characters and find them to be one of his strengths as an author.
Sprunk is also great at writing a story with a great pace. There's plenty of action as well as moments of reflection for each of the characters and side characters so the reader can become fully immersed in the story. The plot of the story takes a natural approach to its progression with a few surprises I enjoyed.
I loved the way Sprunk developed Horace's latent magical abilities. It's refreshing to see someone not master their skills quickly. He struggles and fails enough to make it realistic. Even at the end of the story, there is plenty of room for Horace to grow in the next book. The magical system is also a great setup. I've seen a few like it before, but Sprunk puts his own twist on it that I really enjoyed.
There are only two areas I felt could have improved the book. First, there is an unusual love triangle in the story that for me didn't feel natural. I'll explain. After each of the characters meet each other, the reader is told that one person loves the other and visa versa between the three of them, but there was no real evidence that this occurred. No flirting or “oh wow” moments or mental or emotional connections made between the characters that would lead the reader to believe they were falling in love. We were just told they were and then later in the story we see some of the reasons why they were in love. I felt like Sprunk could have slowed down a bit and let the reader discover the characters loved each other more naturally.
The only other thing I would change would be to remove some of the swearing from the book. It felt like it was only added to make it feel more dark or gritty, but in fact it just kept throwing me out of the story. I felt like Sprunk was required to add a certain number of swear words in the book by his publisher. It just felt unnatural to the story and characters.
Blood and Iron is the perfect fantasy beach book. The setting goes great with water and sand. It's entertaining, and fast-paced with great characters and fascinating magical system. It is well suited for a reader who wants to have a quick, enjoyable read. Due to the level of violence and sporadic use of adult language and several implied sexual situations, I would recommend it to adults. I'd also recommend it to anyone who likes fantasies set outside of a European setting or well-developed characters.
February 1, 2014
My copy of this novel is an ARC received through the Amazon Vine Voices program.
I see from the information on the back cover that this book is the beginning novel in an "epic" fantasy series. I can certainly see that this can be considered the first adventures in the life of an intriguing character. This novel shows how Horace progressed from being a simple ship's carpenter to being First Sword for Queen Byleth of Erugash. The countries and cities in this novel rely on a slave and master caste culture and Horace has his time of suffering as a slave before his latent powers in a very inventive sorcery come into the picture. Other perspectives in this fantasy world are shown through the actions of Alyra, a handmaiden of the queen and Jirom who is an ex-mercenary who now fights as a gladiator for his owners.
Readers who enjoy high action novels will certainly find that in this novel. Even though the start of the novel was somewhat slow in developing there was certainly enough action during the exhibition of the magical abilities by Horace and other sorcerers to get your heart pounding. I've not read any other novels by Jon Sprunk so I can't say if this style of writing is usual for him, but I would describe it as being on the sparse and elementary side when it came to description and dialogue. That was not completely to my personal taste and yet Sprunk does definitely get his points across. If you are already familiar with and enjoy other works by this author, I'm sure you will want to read this opening novel in a new series. If you aren't necessarily looking for lyrical prose, but prefer that the author give you more facts than fancy, this will also be a good reading experience for you. I do read quite a bit of fantasy literature and I would say this novel is standard in the amount of violence it contains. Especially considering that one of the main characters is a soldier and gladiator.
This was an interesting reading experience for me. I appreciated the unusual source of magical abilities and can see how the story arc concerning how to end slavery within this fantasy world will provide a lot of scope for the author to work with throughout the series.
I see from the information on the back cover that this book is the beginning novel in an "epic" fantasy series. I can certainly see that this can be considered the first adventures in the life of an intriguing character. This novel shows how Horace progressed from being a simple ship's carpenter to being First Sword for Queen Byleth of Erugash. The countries and cities in this novel rely on a slave and master caste culture and Horace has his time of suffering as a slave before his latent powers in a very inventive sorcery come into the picture. Other perspectives in this fantasy world are shown through the actions of Alyra, a handmaiden of the queen and Jirom who is an ex-mercenary who now fights as a gladiator for his owners.
Readers who enjoy high action novels will certainly find that in this novel. Even though the start of the novel was somewhat slow in developing there was certainly enough action during the exhibition of the magical abilities by Horace and other sorcerers to get your heart pounding. I've not read any other novels by Jon Sprunk so I can't say if this style of writing is usual for him, but I would describe it as being on the sparse and elementary side when it came to description and dialogue. That was not completely to my personal taste and yet Sprunk does definitely get his points across. If you are already familiar with and enjoy other works by this author, I'm sure you will want to read this opening novel in a new series. If you aren't necessarily looking for lyrical prose, but prefer that the author give you more facts than fancy, this will also be a good reading experience for you. I do read quite a bit of fantasy literature and I would say this novel is standard in the amount of violence it contains. Especially considering that one of the main characters is a soldier and gladiator.
This was an interesting reading experience for me. I appreciated the unusual source of magical abilities and can see how the story arc concerning how to end slavery within this fantasy world will provide a lot of scope for the author to work with throughout the series.
December 14, 2016
(These are book club questions for the entire book. There will be spoilers)
Blood and Iron by Jon Sprunk Book Club
1. What do you think of the 3rd person narration?
2. How do you feel about Horace?
3. Do you feel like you are experiencing the shipwreck with Horace?
4. Horace is dropped into a world where he cannot speak the language after the shipwreck, what do you think of this as a way to learn about the world with him?
5. What do you think of Jirom?
6. Compare and contrast Horace and Jirom at the beginning of the book?
7. What do you think of the world?
8. Does the world remind you of any place in the history of our world, especially Akeshia?
9. Do you want to know exactly what happened to Horace’s family when he first starts to flashback to them?
10. What do you think of slavery in Akeshia?
11. What do you think of Horace discovering he is a magician by stopping the storm?
12. Is it more interesting that he had no idea that he had magic or zoana before the storm?
13. Is it hard to know which characters to trust in the book?
14. What do you think of Alyra?
15. How is your opinion of her shaped by the fact that we find out she is a spy as soon as we meet her?
16. How is it disconcerting to follow Horace’s changes in circumstances in captivity?
17. How do you feel about Queen Byleth?
18. Do you feel like Horace that you need to pick sides without having all of the information?
19. Does the training of soldiers in Akeshia seem wasteful?
20. Who is your favorite character?
21. What do you think of Astaptah?
22. Is the flying ship cool?
23. Did you expect the ship to crash?
24. Did you expect the fight with the Kurgarru and was it super creepy?
25. Did you expect Horace to walk away at the end of the duel rather than killing his defeated opponent?
26. What do you think of solitary confinement without death forever as a punishment?
27. Should Horace have followed Rimesh after he saved Byleth?
28. Do you like it that Alyra saved Horace from Rimesh?
29. What do you think of Mulcihar’s final letter to Horace?
30. Did the Epilogue set up the next book nicely?
31. Did you like the book?
32. Do you want to read more in the series?
Blood and Iron by Jon Sprunk Book Club
1. What do you think of the 3rd person narration?
2. How do you feel about Horace?
3. Do you feel like you are experiencing the shipwreck with Horace?
4. Horace is dropped into a world where he cannot speak the language after the shipwreck, what do you think of this as a way to learn about the world with him?
5. What do you think of Jirom?
6. Compare and contrast Horace and Jirom at the beginning of the book?
7. What do you think of the world?
8. Does the world remind you of any place in the history of our world, especially Akeshia?
9. Do you want to know exactly what happened to Horace’s family when he first starts to flashback to them?
10. What do you think of slavery in Akeshia?
11. What do you think of Horace discovering he is a magician by stopping the storm?
12. Is it more interesting that he had no idea that he had magic or zoana before the storm?
13. Is it hard to know which characters to trust in the book?
14. What do you think of Alyra?
15. How is your opinion of her shaped by the fact that we find out she is a spy as soon as we meet her?
16. How is it disconcerting to follow Horace’s changes in circumstances in captivity?
17. How do you feel about Queen Byleth?
18. Do you feel like Horace that you need to pick sides without having all of the information?
19. Does the training of soldiers in Akeshia seem wasteful?
20. Who is your favorite character?
21. What do you think of Astaptah?
22. Is the flying ship cool?
23. Did you expect the ship to crash?
24. Did you expect the fight with the Kurgarru and was it super creepy?
25. Did you expect Horace to walk away at the end of the duel rather than killing his defeated opponent?
26. What do you think of solitary confinement without death forever as a punishment?
27. Should Horace have followed Rimesh after he saved Byleth?
28. Do you like it that Alyra saved Horace from Rimesh?
29. What do you think of Mulcihar’s final letter to Horace?
30. Did the Epilogue set up the next book nicely?
31. Did you like the book?
32. Do you want to read more in the series?
March 11, 2014
Welcome to the Crusades - only a little different. Horace is a ship's carpenter and finds himself shipwrecked on the shores of the heretics - the Akeshians. Horace seems to be the main player in the story as he discovers he has a magical ability not seen in ages. Because of this ability, he is offered a place at court where he meets Alyna. Alyna's role in the story is that of a spy for another country. Through her we see some of the inner workings of the Akeshian court that we may not have realized was going on. Our third player is Jirom, a slave-fighter that helps Horace at the beginning, but I'm not quite sure what his role long term is going to be.
There is a lot going on throughout this story. There is political and religious strife and conflict that the story is built around. Horace is lost as he tries to navigate this deadly set up and there are times he makes critical errors that come back to haunt him. You must like the political and religous intrigue/strife storylines to enjoy this story. While there is some good old fashioned sword and sorcery fighting, much of the tension and build up doesn't involve actual fighting.
I thought the author did a great job keeping the story on track (with the exception of Jirom - I still don't understand his part long run, but maybe book two will explain more). There were a handful of times that I thought the story moved a little too slowly, but never to the point that it became burdensome. This is a great read for fantasy lovers that like a little more of the politics in their story than you traditionally see.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/...
There is a lot going on throughout this story. There is political and religious strife and conflict that the story is built around. Horace is lost as he tries to navigate this deadly set up and there are times he makes critical errors that come back to haunt him. You must like the political and religous intrigue/strife storylines to enjoy this story. While there is some good old fashioned sword and sorcery fighting, much of the tension and build up doesn't involve actual fighting.
I thought the author did a great job keeping the story on track (with the exception of Jirom - I still don't understand his part long run, but maybe book two will explain more). There were a handful of times that I thought the story moved a little too slowly, but never to the point that it became burdensome. This is a great read for fantasy lovers that like a little more of the politics in their story than you traditionally see.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/...
March 19, 2014
The final verdict? I’m a little torn on this one. I honestly enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. I like the direction it is going. I enjoyed about half of the characters a lot more than I thought I would, one character less than I expected, and I can’t quite understand another one. The world is what sold me. Complex and real, vibrant and believable, and all of the magic, religious strife, and politics thrown in were just fantastic. The start is slow, but after that the book itself takes off. It’s a lot of fun, and very thoughtful and diverse.
When I really think about it, I realize that my complaints with Blood and Iron aren’t about the book as a whole, but the smaller parts of the book itself. Should that hold you back from reading it? No. Sprunk has started a series that promises to rival many other epic fantasy series, and has the ability to hook a lot of readers that might not anticipate being hooked. Deep, dark, violent, and full of complex politics and an even more complex culture, Blood and Iron has something for everyone.
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2014/03/...
When I really think about it, I realize that my complaints with Blood and Iron aren’t about the book as a whole, but the smaller parts of the book itself. Should that hold you back from reading it? No. Sprunk has started a series that promises to rival many other epic fantasy series, and has the ability to hook a lot of readers that might not anticipate being hooked. Deep, dark, violent, and full of complex politics and an even more complex culture, Blood and Iron has something for everyone.
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2014/03/...
November 30, 2015
Not a bad quick read. If you are a fan of fantasy, then this is a good book. It has shades of The Last Airbender in the way they deal with magic. Also the world in which the West mirrors Crusader Europe of the 11th Century and the East is a mysterious magical land that is being "liberated" is an amalgam of the Assyrians and Ottoman Empires is an interesting touch. The use to "normal" language versus the high prose normally associated with fantasy reminds me of the Black Company series.
I have to admit that I thought I would enjoy it more than I did and can not quite put my finger on why I did not. It has a slight more emphasis on romantic entanglements than I am used to in my fantasy stories and that maybe caused me to tune out certain characters more than I should have. I also understand that this is only the 1st of a trilogy, but I can honestly say I am not sure if I will be motivated to seek out books 2 and three to see how the story ends. Not a bad book by any means but neither is it a great read.
I have to admit that I thought I would enjoy it more than I did and can not quite put my finger on why I did not. It has a slight more emphasis on romantic entanglements than I am used to in my fantasy stories and that maybe caused me to tune out certain characters more than I should have. I also understand that this is only the 1st of a trilogy, but I can honestly say I am not sure if I will be motivated to seek out books 2 and three to see how the story ends. Not a bad book by any means but neither is it a great read.
March 24, 2014
Blood and Iron is a politically drenched fantasy novel that doesn't pull any punches. Full of the brutality expected in books that discuss slavery and war, this is not a book for everyone. The narrative is told in alternating chapters that revolve around three main characters: Horace, a foreigner who is now the pet sorcerer project to the queen, Jirom, an ex-mercenary and gladiator who is now a slave in the queen's army, and Alyra, a spy working to destabilize the queen's rule.
I really enjoyed this book, largely because it moved away from the simple "ruling class = evil" trope that is so common in fantasy. Each of the main characters are able to give different insight to the workings of the kingdom and create a much larger, much more complicated tapestry of political and religious power-mongering.
A good start, I look forward to seeing where the series goes next.
I really enjoyed this book, largely because it moved away from the simple "ruling class = evil" trope that is so common in fantasy. Each of the main characters are able to give different insight to the workings of the kingdom and create a much larger, much more complicated tapestry of political and religious power-mongering.
A good start, I look forward to seeing where the series goes next.
October 21, 2014
My favorite part of Blood and Iron is when Mulcibar tells shipwreck-survivor-turned-slave-turned-super-wizard-turned-Queen’s-Protector Horace, in all sincerity, that Queen Byleth is a strict mistress, but not cruel. Sorry, dude, you’re just wrong. Turning the brother who betrayed you over to your crazy mad scientist to be tortured as part of his experiment might qualify as “strict.” Sashaying down to the torture chamber/secret lab in your tissue-thin designer gown and gloating over said brother during torture is cruel. That’s okay, though, because tall, voluptuous, raven-haired, contralto-voiced Queen Byleth is not one of the main characters of Jon Sprunk’s new book Blood and Iron. She’s a high-fashion plot device, like Kim Kardashian doing a guest stint on Spartacus.
... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
June 11, 2014
I completely missed out on Jon Sprunk's previous series, the Shadow Saga, despite hearing lots of good stuff about it and definitely being interested. Sometimes you just don't get around to a series. When I was contacted about reviewing the first in Sprunk's newest series, I said yes with alacrity as it seemed a good point to finally read the author's work and the book sounded quite interesting. And it was interesting, but not just in a positive way. I had very mixed feelings reading Blood and Iron due to some of the elements in the setting, characterization and its pacing. Yet once the story finally found its groove, or perhaps I found my feet within the narrative, the story was entertaining and kept me reading wanting to find out what happened.
To start off with what I found problematic. The Empire of Akishia is a rather jumbled together mix of Ancient Egypt, Hellenistic Greece, the Roman Empire, and several other Near Eastern cultures with the serial numbers filed off. At least that was how it came across to me and these elements kept jarring me out of the narrative, as I kept thinking oh this is Roman, this is Egyptian and so on. And it's not that Sprunk doesn't create an interesting society in Akeshia, because he certainly does, but some elements just felt too familiar and didn't really blend together. The Crusade that the Arnossi are undertaking against the Akeshii reinforces the sense of cultural divide along East/West culture and religion, which consequently made Horace feel a bit too much like the White Saviour, come to show the Akeshii the error of their heathen ways.
That isn't to say that this is all there is to Horace's character. While I had mixed feelings about him, due to the whole White Saviour shtick and the fact that the other three main characters all fall in some form of love with him, I did rather like him. Sprunk draws out the revelations about Horace's past, revealing quite early on that he has lost his wife and son, but only giving us the whole of the story in drips and drabs throughout the novel, creating pathos for Horace, but also a draw to find out what makes Horace tick. His sudden development of what the Akeshii call zoana, a form of elemental magic, rescues him from a life of slavery, but also puts him in a position that he doesn't really know how to cope with. I really liked the concept of the zoana and the way that nobility was connected to this–only those who have zoana can be so-called zoanii, the nobles with true power.
While I liked Horace on the whole, my favourite character was the ex-gladiator Jirom. I loved Jirom, because of his past as a mercenary and gladiator and because what sets him apart is his sexuality. Jirom is gay and I liked that in the context of the Akeshian Empire this isn't a problem, there are several such pairings mentioned quite in passing, even if in other places in Sprunk's world it is taboo. The one thing that really bothered me about Jirom was the constant mention of his aching back due to an old injury, as is rather felt like a Chekov's gun that was never fired, at least not in this book. I did like his storyline best, as he is the Spartacus figure in this book even if he's not the inspirational leader of the revolt. The third viewpoint we get is Alyra. Alyra is nice, with an interesting back story, but she falls into the trap of letting her agency revolve around Horace once she meets him, instead of keeping it for herself, which I found disappointing.
The last main character we get a direct point of view for is Queen Byleth. She was the one who confused me the most as she generally doesn't seem to be an evil person – I mean yes, she has slavery in her kingdom which is bad, but she sincerely seems to want to do the right thing for her country – yet she cruelly has a child whipped to teach Alyra a lesson about tardiness and Alyra hates her and thinks she's cruel and unjust. This confusion may stem from the fact that Byleth seems to swing between kindness and cruelty in her own PoV and we only see her through Horace's somewhat smitten gaze and Alyra's hostile one; it's hard to discern what's objective and what has been coloured by their opinion of her. Her viziers, Astaptah and Mulcibar were both mysterious, though the former is clearly more of the school of Jafar, while the latter is a delight. Mulcibar is a lovely opaque character, who at first blush seems not that friendly and I loved the way the friendship between him and Horace developed.
Around the midway point of Blood and Iron the narrative reached a tipping point for me. Before that I found it hard to get into the narrative and I kept getting 'distracted'. I even actively discussed putting the book down as it was a bit of a slog, but as I try to finish what I start book-wise, I kept reading and I'm glad I did, because the latter half was quite gripping. So, mixed feelings overall, but I'd give it a cautious recommendation. If you like traditional Sword & Sorcery, but moving on somewhat of an epic scope, then you'll probably enjoy Blood and Iron, yet if you dislike classic tropes, then perhaps you might want to skip this one.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
To start off with what I found problematic. The Empire of Akishia is a rather jumbled together mix of Ancient Egypt, Hellenistic Greece, the Roman Empire, and several other Near Eastern cultures with the serial numbers filed off. At least that was how it came across to me and these elements kept jarring me out of the narrative, as I kept thinking oh this is Roman, this is Egyptian and so on. And it's not that Sprunk doesn't create an interesting society in Akeshia, because he certainly does, but some elements just felt too familiar and didn't really blend together. The Crusade that the Arnossi are undertaking against the Akeshii reinforces the sense of cultural divide along East/West culture and religion, which consequently made Horace feel a bit too much like the White Saviour, come to show the Akeshii the error of their heathen ways.
That isn't to say that this is all there is to Horace's character. While I had mixed feelings about him, due to the whole White Saviour shtick and the fact that the other three main characters all fall in some form of love with him, I did rather like him. Sprunk draws out the revelations about Horace's past, revealing quite early on that he has lost his wife and son, but only giving us the whole of the story in drips and drabs throughout the novel, creating pathos for Horace, but also a draw to find out what makes Horace tick. His sudden development of what the Akeshii call zoana, a form of elemental magic, rescues him from a life of slavery, but also puts him in a position that he doesn't really know how to cope with. I really liked the concept of the zoana and the way that nobility was connected to this–only those who have zoana can be so-called zoanii, the nobles with true power.
While I liked Horace on the whole, my favourite character was the ex-gladiator Jirom. I loved Jirom, because of his past as a mercenary and gladiator and because what sets him apart is his sexuality. Jirom is gay and I liked that in the context of the Akeshian Empire this isn't a problem, there are several such pairings mentioned quite in passing, even if in other places in Sprunk's world it is taboo. The one thing that really bothered me about Jirom was the constant mention of his aching back due to an old injury, as is rather felt like a Chekov's gun that was never fired, at least not in this book. I did like his storyline best, as he is the Spartacus figure in this book even if he's not the inspirational leader of the revolt. The third viewpoint we get is Alyra. Alyra is nice, with an interesting back story, but she falls into the trap of letting her agency revolve around Horace once she meets him, instead of keeping it for herself, which I found disappointing.
The last main character we get a direct point of view for is Queen Byleth. She was the one who confused me the most as she generally doesn't seem to be an evil person – I mean yes, she has slavery in her kingdom which is bad, but she sincerely seems to want to do the right thing for her country – yet she cruelly has a child whipped to teach Alyra a lesson about tardiness and Alyra hates her and thinks she's cruel and unjust. This confusion may stem from the fact that Byleth seems to swing between kindness and cruelty in her own PoV and we only see her through Horace's somewhat smitten gaze and Alyra's hostile one; it's hard to discern what's objective and what has been coloured by their opinion of her. Her viziers, Astaptah and Mulcibar were both mysterious, though the former is clearly more of the school of Jafar, while the latter is a delight. Mulcibar is a lovely opaque character, who at first blush seems not that friendly and I loved the way the friendship between him and Horace developed.
Around the midway point of Blood and Iron the narrative reached a tipping point for me. Before that I found it hard to get into the narrative and I kept getting 'distracted'. I even actively discussed putting the book down as it was a bit of a slog, but as I try to finish what I start book-wise, I kept reading and I'm glad I did, because the latter half was quite gripping. So, mixed feelings overall, but I'd give it a cautious recommendation. If you like traditional Sword & Sorcery, but moving on somewhat of an epic scope, then you'll probably enjoy Blood and Iron, yet if you dislike classic tropes, then perhaps you might want to skip this one.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
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