What do you think?
Rate this book
Setanta and The Blood King: An Irish Myth Reimagined in Dark Fantasy
*** Winner of the Five Star Book Award from the Open Book Awards ***
From the bestselling Setanta and the Lady by the Water comes the next chapter of The Raven Chronicles.On Kerins’ farm, cruelty is law. Those who run are crippled, those who speak out are silenced. Most bow their heads. Setanta does not. With only his hound at his side, he dares to fight back and sparks a rebellion that cannot be stopped.But beyond the farm lies a greater terror. In a village stalked by Arbatach and the Sluagh, the restless host of the dead, Setanta must turn frightened peasants into warriors and lead them into battle against an enemy that cannot die.Dark fantasy, Celtic myth, and epic coming of age collide in Setanta and the Blood King. Enter a world of cruelty and legend, where courage builds armies and heroes are forged in blood.
From the bestselling Setanta and the Lady by the Water comes the next chapter of The Raven Chronicles.On Kerins’ farm, cruelty is law. Those who run are crippled, those who speak out are silenced. Most bow their heads. Setanta does not. With only his hound at his side, he dares to fight back and sparks a rebellion that cannot be stopped.But beyond the farm lies a greater terror. In a village stalked by Arbatach and the Sluagh, the restless host of the dead, Setanta must turn frightened peasants into warriors and lead them into battle against an enemy that cannot die.Dark fantasy, Celtic myth, and epic coming of age collide in Setanta and the Blood King. Enter a world of cruelty and legend, where courage builds armies and heroes are forged in blood.
146 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 29, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
To start, what an absolutely KILLER opening. Wow.
Setanta’s journey is full of turmoil and strife as he goes on his hero’s journey. And holy crap, it’s so well written. The story structure flows so well, and despite being a novella, the plot is perfectly paced. There’s the exact right amount of tension and action while maintaining the YA accessibility.
The characters are compelling, unique, and interesting. Its source material is tied to Irish mythology, but it still keeps an original air about it. I loved how well JM Lane wove the mythology into the story to make it an original and interesting read.
Also? Why do I find the Ballybogs so cute?
Setanta’s journey is full of turmoil and strife as he goes on his hero’s journey. And holy crap, it’s so well written. The story structure flows so well, and despite being a novella, the plot is perfectly paced. There’s the exact right amount of tension and action while maintaining the YA accessibility.
The characters are compelling, unique, and interesting. Its source material is tied to Irish mythology, but it still keeps an original air about it. I loved how well JM Lane wove the mythology into the story to make it an original and interesting read.
Also? Why do I find the Ballybogs so cute?
April 11, 2026
Setanta’s journey continues as he arrives at a village needing support to overcome the oppression of the Blood King.
Beautiful, lyrical engaging fantasy from JM Lane. Eagerly anticipating the next instalment.
Beautiful, lyrical engaging fantasy from JM Lane. Eagerly anticipating the next instalment.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews