Blood and Bone

Bravelands #3

by Erin Hunter, James Fouhey (Narrator)

Heed the call of the wild…discover the third book in this action-packed, New York Times bestselling animal fantasy series from the author of Warriors!

Set in the African savannah and told from three different animals’ points of view, Bravelands will thrill readers who love Spirit Animals and Wings of Fire, as well as the fans who’ve made Erin Hunter a #1 nationally bestselling phenomenon.

An elephant entrusted with a powerful gift.

A lion treading a dangerous path.

A baboon trapped by the truth.

A great evil has risen. A murderer now leads the animals of the plains. As the elephant Sky leads her herd in a desperate search for Bravelands’ rightful leader, the baboon Thorn is forced to flee his old troop, and the lion Fearless, once their friend, is led astray by a tyrant.

The balance of Bravelands is about to shatter—unless predator, prey, and scavenger unite as one.

Genres: Fantasy, Animals, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Adventure, Audiobook

309 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 2, 2018

About the author

Erin Hunter is the pseudonym of five people: Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, Tui T. Sutherland, Gillian Philip, and Inbali Iserles, as well as editor Victoria Holmes. Together, they write the Warriors series as well as the Seekers and Survivors series. Erin Hunter is working on a new series now called Bravelands.

Erin Hunter is inspired by a love of cats and a fascination with the ferocity of the natural world. As well as having a great respect for nature in all its forms, Erin enjoys creating rich mythical explanations for animal behavior, shaped by her interest in astronomy and standing stones.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHATTTT JUST HAPPENED!? That ending was completely and totally epic. From the fight scene to the final reveal, I can't believe that Erin Hunter wen there! This is definitely the best in the series to date. I'm beyond thrilled to be immersed in this world. I wish that I could provide more of a review, but as the third book in the series, there isn't much that I can say without spoiling much. This definitely ends in a cliffhanger so make sure you have the next book on hand!

[Icer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bravelands is better than the Warriors series has been recently. Recommended for fans of Warrior Cats and animal fantasy.
This 3rd book wasn't quite as good as the previous one but trilogies often seem to have that problem, the second book is the best because it has the main exciting action, whereas the 3rd wraps it up. However this book wraps up the main story in a satisfying rather than disappointing manner. There is now a 4th book planned but it will clearly be starting a new arc of narrative.
Hopefully the series will keep being good since it makes less attempt to follow the 'formula' of other 'Erin Hunter' series, and seems like there was more effort involved at least in plotting the original trilogy. The story follows lots of different species and societies of animals rather than focusing on one (cats, bears, dogs) which runs into more limitations.

[Willemijn jufwillemijnopallstars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ik heb het idee dat ik jaren gewacht heb op dit boek, maar in werkelijkheid was dit ongeveer 5 maanden. En dat voelt als een eeuwigheid als het vorige deel met een cliffhanger eindigde. Ik ga mijn best doen om zo min mogelijk te spoileren, maar het kan zijn dat ik iets te veel los laat over deel 1 en 2.

De opstand is de titel van het boek, en eigenlijk ook het doel van de hoofdpersonen. Bravelands wordt geleid door een tiran, wie dat is laten we even in het midden, en de hoofdpersonages willen dat deze er mee stopt. Maar de meeste dieren van Bravelands zien het probleem niet. Hij zorgt toch goed voor ons? Maar ondertussen worden alle dieren die tegen de leider in gaan, vermoord.

Sky is op zoek naar de nieuwe Opperouder en weet heel erg zeker dat de leider nu, dat niet is. Ze probeert iedereen daar van te overtuigen. Doorn heeft eigenlijk dezelfde missie, en uiteindelijk gaan ze ook samenwerken. Fier is nog veel te druk bezig met Titaan, de leeuw die zijn vader vermoorde. Fier wil graag wraak nemen op Titaan.

In het slotdeel van deze verhaallijn krijg je antwoorden op vele vragen. Zo krijg je te weten hoe het zit met Fidel, of Fier Titaan eindelijk verslaat, of Doorn weer terug naar zijn vrienden kan en wie uiteindelijk de Opperouder is. Er was iets minder actie dan in deel 2, maar het boek is ook iets dunner. Toch was er genoeg actie, werden er vriendschappen gesloten en is deze verhaallijn zo goed als afgerond. Geen cliffhanger dit keer. Wel een zeer interessant einde om verder mee te gaan.

Ik ben groot fan van Bravelands! Ook deze cover heeft weer goudfolie en deze keer staat de baviaan Doorn op de voorkant. Eromheen is het donker met een groen tintje, leuk!

Bedankt Baeckens books en Fantoom dat ik dit recensie-exemplaar ontvangen heb, ik las het boek in 1 dag uit!

[Esther · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik weet niet zo goed wat ik van deze serie vind. Aan de ene kant wil ik de delen graag lezen. Omdat ik sommige stukken in het boek echt goed vind. Maar andere stukken zijn erg langdradig. Ik heb dus gemixte gevoelens over deze serie.

[shannon✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one so much. It was so action-packed, I think I sort of missed that in the first book and a bit in the second. I’m so glad that I continued with this series though. This was a great ending and I wonder what the rest of the storyline will be like, but I’m very curious!

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Thorn, a baboon, Sky, an elephant, and Fearless, a lion, have been friends since childhood. Due to the evil influence of another baboon, Stinger, who claims to be the Great Parent after the death of the Great Mother, the three have ended up in desperate circumstances and at odds with one another. Sky manages to keep Fearless from being killed, but he heads off to try to coerce a leaderless pride to come under his aegis, while Sky finds that she is the center of an atypical herd of many types of animals who all crave her protection. It doesn't hurt that she is carrying The Great Spirit and has some of the powers, although it is clear that she is not next in line to be the Great Mother. Thorn, along with Nut, is sent to another tribe to spy for Stinger, but they are not allowed to leave once the tribe accepts them. Told from alternating perspectives, we see how Stinger slowly falls out of favor due to his own vile character and how the three friends manage to keep their own charges safe until the final battle to determine who will rule the Bravelands and restore order and balance to them.

Just like the Warrior Cat books, the Bravelands titles are rich in hierarchies, histories, and allegiances. There are rituals and a well-developed spiritual belief system called The Code, which dictates how the animals are supposed to act. When Stinger violates the code and kills animals when it is not necessary, it's very clear that his time as a pretender will be short.

Thorn, Fearless and Sky are all complex characters with their own back stories and issues. Thorn is devastated to think he may have caused the death of his best friend, and doesn't really want to work for Stinger... but he doesn't want to die, either. Fearless buys Stinger's rhetoric for a while and starts to deal with his new found pride in ways that are not productive or kind, but he soon sees the error of his ways. As the bearer of The Great Spirit, and reeling from pointless deaths in the elephant community, Sky knows her mission without question, but also is unsure of her ability to carry it out.

This is a rather violent series, with animals being killed for food, dying in battle, and attacking each other for various reasons. This, along with the very strict hierarchies, complete with different names for each group of animals and each type of job or level, seems to be a large part of the appeal of these books. Bravelands is much easier to understand than Warriors because of the variety of animals, and will appeal to students who want a more exotic setting.

Do have to say that these are NOT my cup of tea, and reading them makes me a bit lightheaded. I swear I read one description (which of course I can't find) that made Stinger sound like a version of President Trump, and there were two scenes that just made me laugh-- Stinger ala the Evil Queen in Snow White, complete with thunderous rain storm and a cliff, and a "Luke, I am your father" moment concerning Fearless' parentage. Will student see these tropes, or care? Nope. This is why I have every single Erin Hunter book, even though I fear for the social life of children who refuse to read anything else!

[Axellesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een geweldig deel terug! 4,5 sterren.
Volledige recensie vind je op mijn blog: https://axellesbooks.wordpress.com/20...

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ stars! Great childrens book!

[Azra Ghasemi · Rating 4 out of 5]

چقدر تا آخرش حرص خوردم.
پایان جالب و غیر قابل پیش بینی داشت.

[Monica Haak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een heerlijk boek en wat een fijn einde. Nieuwe plottwists en oude bekenden. Echt een fijne serie!

Recensie binnenkort op My Perfect Book Life

[₊˚ ⁀➴ kenzie ⠀❦ jacks’ version · Rating 4 out of 5]

“What Stinger did—it didn’t just break the Code. I think it’s broken all of Bravelands.” — Sky
I liked this less than the first two, but it was still good with a great ending. My favorite parts were when Fearless claimed his pride and when Thorn showed Berry her mother, and my favorite character was Berry and Rush. I didn’t expect Snarl to die, and there were a few hints that led up to Loyal being revealed as Fearless’ father. Overall, I was pleased with how it wrapped up.
At the beginning, right before Fearless can land his jaws on Thorn from the last cliffhanger, Sky charges into him and carries Thorn away into the forest. She leaves him, and Thorn finds Nut and they run from the Strongbranches that chase them. As Sky goes to meet her family, she tells them of Stinger’s cruelty, the death of Moon, and how she holds the Great Spirit, and they believe her. Sky goes with them to confront Stinger, but when they do, he climbs up a tree and the elephants knock it down. Sky’s matriarch, Rain, dies as the tree falls to the ground and breaks her neck.
Later, as other grass-eaters send away the Strider family for attacking the false Great Father, Sky, Rock, and Silverhorn search for someone to pass the Great Spirit to. Meanwhile, Thorn and Nut escape to the Leopard Forest, and find a troop called Crookedtree Troop living there. They are deciding whether to let Thorn and Nut stay when an alarm is raised of an attack that was assumed to be led by Thorn and Nut. Thorn and Nut kill the monkey attacker’s leader and Tendril Crowleaf the leader lets them stay as members of the Troop.
Meanwhile, Fearless follows Keen’s group of lions that escaped when Titan tried to take control of their pride, Dauntlesspride, and challenges them for leadership, and wins. While Sky searches for the Great Parent, she encounters Titan trying to kill a cheetah named Rush. Sky, Rock, and Silverhorn save the cheetah and scare off Titanprode, and the cheetah joins their group. Then a Gathering is called so Sky and her companions decide to attend and tell of their search for the real Great Parent.
During the Gathering, Stinger humiliates Sky after she tells them that Stinger isn’t the true Great Parent. Sky leaves, and a few groups of other animals join her. Rush’s cubs are born, and a vulture leads Sky to the bones odd that killed by Stinger, and Sky interprets this as a message that she needs to act now to stop Stinger instead of later.
Meanwhile, Thorn asks about a baboon and figures out that she is the mother of Berry. He finds out that Stinger killed the Crownleaf of Crookedtree troop and then took Berry as a baby and left to join Brightforest troop. Thorn then leaves with a few Crookedtree members after a fight breaks out. Later, Thorn and Nut find Berry with a few guards, and while Nut distracts them, Thorn takes Berry to see her mother for the first time in seven years.
Meanwhile, Fearless is struggling to keep control of his pride, and decides to turn to the False Great Parent for advice. Stinger tells him to give the troublemaker in the pride, Snarl, a special job to make him stop acting up. Fearless does this, and soon finds out that Snarl died in a small valley when no one was nearby. Loyal encounters Fearless and finds that he still trusts the False Great Parent completely. Loyal then goes to Sky for help, who reluctantly agrees. They go to Fearless and try to convince him that Stinger is using him, but he won’t listen.
Afterward, Fearless goes to Stinger, only to find out the hard way that Loyal and Sky were right, Stinger was never on his side. He hears that Berry, Stinger’s daughter has been taken away by Thorn, but Nut has been captured. When Stinger hits Fearless with a sharp branch, he retaliates and the Strongbranches force him out of the camp. Meanwhile, Sky meets alone with Stinger, who brings Titan, his ally. Sky tells Sommer that his crimes will catch up to him and he will be exiled from Bravelands.
Later, as Sky gains more and more allies, Thorn and his troop; and Fearless and his pride join Sky’s Great Herd, and they prepare to fight Stinger and Titan. At sunset, they do and eventually trap Stinger in a tree. He’s about to escape when vultures come and attack him, and when he starts to run off, Sky picks him up and throws him into the water home with the crocodiles.
Later, Valor tells Fearless that Titan killed Loyal during battle, and when Sky touches Loyal, she sees memories that shows he is the true father of Fearless. Fearless is shocked, while Thorn is pleased he can finally be with Berry. The Strider family returns, and Thorn encounters the vultures that attacked Stinger. He realizes he can understand him, and they tell him he will rule as the new Great Father of Bravelands.

[Nodnarb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book, but not quite as good as the last two. After everything that happened, it felt like Stinger was taken down a little too easily? I felt like the climax should've been more of a battle of wits than it was a physical one, but what we got was still okay. The supposed moral of the story was also giving very mixed messages, but otherwise, it was a satisfying conclusion to an amazing series.

[Kaylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Low four stars. Not as amazing as the last book, but still pretty solid for an Erin Hunter book.

For the most part, this was normal Erin Hunter writing: easy to read, pretty basic vocabulary, entertaining enough, and generally average. I didn’t notice many typos in this one, which was nice. I don’t really have much to say about the writing, though.

The PLOT, on the other hand. . . My biggest gripe with this book is one that seems to be typical of semi-recent Erin Hunter books, like Shattered Sky and Veil of Shadows, that were almost BEGGING to be trilogies instead of six-book series: the pacing is, for lack of a better term, very weird when compared to the other books in the series. The book feels rushed, but it’s rushed in order to squeeze a plot into three books that was theoretically supposed to last six, so it doesn’t hold up to scrutiny, and it throws off the pacing of the entire series. Now, Blood and Bone is significantly better in this department than those Warriors examples I mentioned earlier, largely because it leaves a second threat (Titan) completely unresolved for the next three books. But it’s still noticeable, especially after how phenomenal Code of Honor was in all departments. This book skims over a lot of details that could, and probably should, have been dragged out to match the pacing of the previous two installments. For instance, Thorn and Nut’s stint in the Crookedtree troop is only about three or four chapters long, and two of those are spent on joining and leaving, respectively. While everything was properly explained, and we got the general gist of what those scenes were there for, there could have been much more depth, and some breathing room to get to know the Crookedtree setting before we were dragged back out. Not only would that have been consistent with the other two books’ pacing, but it would have allowed for some more organic character development and served as a way to raise the stakes, if done properly. There are tons of other examples of this, such as the entire climax buildup being way too fast, but nothing was egregious. So while it bothered me when compared to how well book 2 especially was paced, this book certainly wasn’t bad, and the plot itself remained engaging all the way through.

I think the characters took a bit of a hit this time because of the rushed nature of the story, but they certainly weren’t bad. Honestly, I don’t have much to say about most of them. They all served their purpose very well, but none of them really stood out as unique or unexpected.
Thorn doesn’t have much going on personality or development-wise, but his story and success in finally revealing the truth about Stinger is incredibly satisfying to read. And, despite how predictable they are, I do really like his relationships with both Nut and Berry in this one. Thorn’s third of the chapters, while nothing amazing, were very entertaining and never boring.
Sky was, as usual, the most dull of the three. Her personal development is kind of there, but it’s also very predictable. Her plot is much the same. Her chapters are always important though, and I look forward to seeing how her killing Stinger might impact her in future books.
Fearless was by far the most interesting of the three. His relationship with Stinger falling apart was actually really sad, and I enjoyed all his struggles with his pride and leadership. His story stayed the most grounded, I think. . . up until the end, when the Loyal twist arrived and threw everything out the window. The twist of Loyal being Fearless’s father is a very weird one for me. It doesn’t seem to add much, if anything, to Fearless’s character, and he finds out almost like an afterthought, through Sky after Loyal already dies. Also, I’m sure this gets explained later, but how did that work with Swift? Is she still his mother? Did she cheat on Gallant? Do lions even recognize cheating? There were just too many questions thrown in and then ignored in the last few pages of the book for me to feel like the twist was well-implemented. I honestly think waiting to reveal that until next book, somehow, would have been better, if it needed to happen at all. So overall, Fearless was great until a most likely unnecessary plot twist was thrown in for the sake of it at the very end. I really hope the next books are able to salvage this plotpoint and make it worth adding in.
I think the rushed nature of this plot hit the side characters hardest. Rock and Silverhorn especially lose relevance, presence, and whatever character they had significantly in this one. Especially with Silverhorn: it’s often easy to forget she even exists. Rock is easier to remember, at least, but that’s only because he’s a love interest for Sky, not because he’s actually interesting. I do recall him getting something backstory-wise in later books, so maybe that’ll elevate him a little bit, at least. Rush was a sweet edition, but again by the end of the book she was kind of forgotten.
Fearless’s plot had better side characters with Keen, Snarl, and Valor all staying mostly relevant when necessary. I hope his pride gets more focus next book, but what we did get was nice.
Thorn’s only real side character/partner in crime was Nut, who again suffered marginally from the too-quick pacing, but was overall pretty steady. I think the authors did a pretty good job capturing his unwilling-ally attitude, though again at the end it could have been stronger.

I really have to give Bravelands credit for its villains. They are so much more intimidating than most Erin antagonists.
Stinger was a little less incredible in this book, but that’s mostly because he reached the inevitable breaking point all poised, perfect, scheming antagonists have to reach before they are taken down. I do like that his breaking point comes from an irrational possessiveness of his daughter, Berry. Giving the motivation for his insanity made it much more realistic than just anger because his plans didn’t work. I also early enjoyed the very brief glimpse we got into his mind from Sky: the idea that he’s just, essentially, a baboon was horrible coping strategies for poorly managed anger and impulses is actually very interesting to me. I also like that he was given a backstory; though it didn’t explain his motivations (the best we got for that was that moment of Sky in his mind), it did help give context to his schemes, and definitely made him feel more threatening and intelligent. Despite how rushed his defeat felt, I do also love that he died in this one. He was certainly reaching the end of the time he could logically be evilly being a dictator over Bravelands. I like that we didn’t spend multiple books with the herds going along with him for plot convenience. Stinger, overall, was definitely best in book 2. But he was a pretty great antagonist for the first half of the series.
My favorite part of this book was that Titan DIDN’T DIE! Hooray! We have a menacing, already set up antagonist to continue the series! Seriously, this one writing decision made this book infinitely better than Shattered Sky. Titan is kind of at risk of being a little less scary now that Fearless and his friends have faced him a couple times and survived, but killing Loyal helped make that up a bit. I’m still excited to see him get infinitely creepier as the arc starts to conclude.

Overall, it was hard not to be disappointed in this mid-series climax after being so unexpectedly impressed with book 2. But this is still leagues better than many other book 3s in Erin Hunter series, which makes me tentatively hopeful this series may actually live up to my half-recollected high expectations. Next up is book 4, which I remember being my least favorite, and is typically the weakest in Erin Hunter arcs. Here’s hoping the series keeps its quality going forward!


SERIES RATINGS:
Broken Pride: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Code of Honor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Blood and Bone: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shifting Shadows: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Spirit-Eaters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oathkeeper: Currently rereading

[Amanda Tuinstra ( Liefde voor boeken Amanda) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recensie volgt op m'n blog

[Lena Westman - Lenas böcker och annant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Betyg: 4,5 / 5
Spännande, fantasifull och fullständigt underbar.

[Sarah Bauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book theme song: Monster by Paramore

A lot happened in this book and the last act felt rushed. But it was a very satisfying ending even if it was a bit predictable. We find out who the new Great Parent is and no spoilers but I totally called it.

I like that the ending came about without having to demote Stinger to a less effective villain. His villainous breakdown isn't a deus ex machina, it's the direct result of the main characters foiling his plans through their own bravery and wit.

The one thing that really bothered me besides the pacing was the overuse of adverbs. It got to the point where it was jarring and took me out of the story a bit. But that's a minor nitpick.

[bella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not as good as the others.

[KSena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yep. The thrill tag stays. I could also add a tag for a battle too, but alas I don't feel like creating a new tag.

Anyway.

This was incredible! It didn't feel like just book three, the mid-book. Since there was a lot that was solved in this one. I really liked the young elephant character and her suitor. They were quite the team in this one! I will say that I liked that even the musth in male elephants, where they go absolutely nuts and are extremely aggressive, was mentioned. And how the female elephants lived in a flock for protection even against the male of their own species.

Same thing with the lions, from what we see in this book. There's a lot that comes from real life lions. Especially the comments about how this is not how it's usually done, since one of the male lions is breaking all the norms. But the females sure show the signs of what you see in wild real lions.

I'm not that well versed in how baboons work though, so I can't say if they've taken heavy inspiration from real baboons, but I'm taking a wild guess that they have.

All in all it really shows that the Erin Hunter team does their research. Even if the basic story from the various series remind of each other, with someone that is power hungry and breaks the norms on how the animals usually live. But even though all the books have their own religion, this one is a bit different from the ones in the other books about cats and the ones about dogs. Here there's a literal Great Spirit that lives in one of the many animals on the savanna. And it's looking for a new host. I think that's pretty neat!

Also, the cult aspect from the previous book is really blown out of all proportions in this one! The bad baboon character is going totally nuts but his group of baboons buys everything he says. And most of the other animals do too. But there's more and more who are jumping off his cult. And there's more wicked things revealed too.

I really liked to follow the young lion in particular when he goes from a true believer of the cult leader to actually understanding how used he is and the lies coming from the cult leader. That whole journey was great to follow!

I loved the good guy baboon as well, who really got to shine in this book! What a journey he was on here! And he slowly became friends with his previous baboon-enemy. A sweet story there.

Anyway, I'll stop gushing over this book! Some might think the Erin Hunter team only repeats themselves. And maybe they do? With just a few differences. But they do it SO WELL! So who cares! I'll continue reading their books with kiddo!

[Josiah Smallwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up. Overall, while I don’t think this book quite matches its predecessor in overall quality, it definitely gives a fantastic climax sure to satisfy fans of the first two books.

I have a few nitpicks. One, since Titan’s villainy is pushed into the background early in the book, I think Fearless’ first couple chapters are lacking. They aren’t bad, but inferior compared to Thorn and Sky’s stories. Thankfully. Fearless’ story does get better.

Second, Berry’s decision to face Fearlesspride with Thorn doesn’t sit well with me. The story tries to paint it as proof of love, but love shouldn’t be defined by willingness to make stupid decisions. I someone thinks that, they’ll go around making stupid decisions for anyone they find attractive. I would change it to Berry coming down to help Thorn with the youngster he’s holding.

Third, and perhaps my biggest issue, is that when a character - such as Fearless or Mud - apologizes, the say that they’re beating themself up over their past decisions. While the story spins it positively, it’s not something I’d encourage if you’re trying to apologize to anyone. If your sorry, then the person you’re apologizing to should try and accept your apology without obligating you to hate yourself. Not that anyone in the story apologized to wanted that.

To end on a positive note, I just must say that the story was fantastic. If you ask me, Stinger is one of the best villains from Erin Hunter. His tactics - swaying crowds, humiliating his enemies, killing whoever questions him - make him quite the threatening foe. All the protagonists’ stories - Thorn trying to put Stinger’s reign to its end, Sky trying to find the new Great Parent, and Fearless realizing that his mentor is in cahoots with his father’s killer - all drive to a fantastic ending.

My worries are, with Stinger dead - and what a satisfying death it was - how will the series fare from now on? Are the next three books going to maintain the quality of the first three?

I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

[Booksanddrawings_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

De wrede en sluwe bavianenleider: Stinger. heeft zichzelf benoemd tot de nieuwe Oppervader van Bravelands. Sinds de sluwe baviaan aan de macht is, heerst er chaos op de vlaktes van Bravelands. De regelbrekers kunnen gemakkelijk hun gang gaan: er wordt onnodig en veel ste veel gedood en er verdwijnen zomaar dieren.

“De vlammen laaiden nog steeds op naar de door regen verzadigde hemel.Grote Geest, ik weet dat je bij ons bent.Ik weet het.Wanhopig trok ze haar kop in tussen haar vleugels en sloot haar ogen.Ik vertrouw nog steeds op je.Welk gevaar ons ook te wachten staat,bescherm ons.Berscherm Bravelands…”

-Bravelands, De opstand – Erin Hunter.

En nu Sky de opdracht heeft gekregen de ware opperouder te vinden heerst er ook veel onwetendheid in Bravelands want, wie kan je vertrouwen?.En zal het haar lukken de nieuwe opperouder te vinden voordat het kwaad Bravelands in zijn macht heeft?

Dit deel vond ik echt ijzersterk doordat er vele problemen in Bravelands zijn ontstaan is er een spannende sfeer opgebouwd.Overigens had ik bij dit deel meer moment waarop ik echt verast werd, bij de vorige delen kon ik de meeste dingen wel aan zien komen maar bij dit deel kwamen er echt wat verassingen op me af die ik niet had verwacht!

Gelukkig vinden Sky, Fier en Doorn allemaal het juiste pad en zullen ze er samen alles aan doen om Stinger van zijn machtspositie te halen. Dat bouwt de spanning ook erg goed op, zeker aan het einde van het boek lopen de spanningen op.En dat leid dan ook tot bepaalde noodzakelijke gebeurtenissen, wat Bravelands voor altijd zal kunnen veranderen.

Ook ben ik zelf erg verast met het einde, want het einde blijft een beetje mysterieus dus ik ben erg benieuwd wat het volgende boek gaat brengen want, ik heb al gezien dat er in het Engels al een deel 4 is uitgegeven!

Ik wil ook nog even een complimentje geven over de covers ze zijn echt prachtig!❤️

Dit (e-) boek mocht ik ontvangen als recensie exemplaar van de uitgeverij in ruil voor een eerlijke recensie,bedankt hiervoor!❤️

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fresh off my first-ever 2-star review, for Fantastic Beast: The Crimes of Grindelwald, by J.K. Rowling, I've now given out my first 5-star review of 2019 to Bravelands, Book 3: Blood and Bone, by Erin Hunter! Since the beginning, I've thought that the Bravelands series was Erin Hunter's best series, and Blood and Bone has got to be the best book in the series so far!

Like its predecessors, Broken Pride and Code of Honor, Blood and Bone is told from the alternating perspectives of Fearless the lion cub, Thorn the baboon and Sky the elephant. Fearless starts his own pride with other lion cubs. Thorn is on the run from Stinger. He teams up with his old nemesis, Nut. They find another troop of baboons, called Crooked Tree Troop. It turns out this was the troop that Stinger had once belonged to, when his name was Seed. He killed the Crownleaf of that troop, cementing that he's always been a murderous bastard. Stinger/Seed's mate, Pear, who is Berry's mother, is Crooked Tree's Goodleaf. She hadn't spoken since Stinger took Berry away from her. Mother and daughter are eventually reunited, and Berry realizes her father's deceptions and crimes. Fearless comes to this same realization, too. And Sky, along with her friends, bull elephant Rock, and Rhino Silverhorn, search Bravelands far and wide for the new Great Parent. They end up amassing an army of different animals to take on Stinger. The book culminates in a huge battle where Stinger is killed. Fearless finds out a huge secret. He actually isn't the son of Gallant, but rather of Loyal, the lion who took him him. He learns this after Loyal is killed by Titan. Yes, a lot happened in this book, and that has me looking forward to the fourth book, Shifting Shadows.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would (and probably should,)give this book 5 stars because I am eating this series up... but I’m giving it 4 stars because it takes an absolute masterpiece for me to give a book 5 stars. I will say, I was wowed by the ending. I totally saw the Loyal/Fearless parenthood situation coming, but I wasn’t sure what would happen between Loyal and Titan, and I actually thought Stinger was going to get away so that they could continue the series on that plot line.

I did feel like there were a couple of loose plot lines though. One of those loose lines was the elephant herd... Felt super weird that they were just gone/visiting the ancestral plains and not one time did Sky question how long their absence had been?? They were gone for like, weeks. And as Swift was dying, she told Fearless and Valor to stay away from Loyal, and they agreed to it... Next thing you know, F & V are okay with talking to Loyal. (Not so much Fearless, at first anyway, but eventually.) It just felt weird that they swore they’d never talk to him again and then Valor immediately presented Loyal as a strategic option in Fearlesspride.

Again, neither of these things were enough to deter me from reading these again... just discussing why I didn’t feel like this was a masterpiece. These are solid 4.8-4.9 star books. I feel deeply connected to the characters and I despise the villains. It’s hard to build such strong emotions in a reader. Can’t wait to get the 4th book!

[Critter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sky has been given the mission to deliver the Great Spirit to the next Great Parent. But she is uncertain of where to look as turmoil erupts around her. Meanwhile, Thorn just barely escapes with his life and journeys into the perilous Leopard Forest with an unlikely ally at his side. As secrets become undone and threats become known, the animals of the Bravelands must come together to fight or lose everything.

The exciting conclusion to this arc in the series was heart pounding and disturbing at times. At times this book became intense with the descriptions of piles of animal bones, animal deaths, and the fighting. Although, I didn’t find this book to be as exciting as the previous two. There were times that the action and suspense just seemed to be lost. The pacing was a bit off and the ending was rushed.

The characters themselves are some of the most interesting things in this series. They are well written and deeply complex as they struggle with themselves and others. The main characters are trying to figure out how to accomplish their goals without breaking the code. The villains don’t care for the code at all and will do whatever it takes to accomplish their goals of power and they never became cartoonish in their evilness.

This was a fast-paced story that promises more threats and conflicts within the series. The elements of the animals’ myths and beliefs is stunningly written as is the differences in the societies of the animals. I am looking forward to continuing this series and seeing what is to come.

[Margie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is possibly the last book in the Bravelands series but who ever knows? There was a great deal of action, tension and even some suspense as the animals of the savanna wondered who the next Great Parent would be. One baboon decided it was him though others disagreed especially due to his manner and behavior to others. Eventually many animals come together to lead a confrontation to force the usurper out. The true Great Parent is not revealed until the very last page serving to keep readers engaged. There is much to learn about many of the creatures living on the savanna from the very large to those much smaller. Readers will also learn many different collective nouns for the various animals which is also quite interesting.

[Go · Rating 4 out of 5]

More treachery. False accusations abound again, from Stinger as usual. While trying to escape an angry troop of baboons—“Thorn couldn't help deny there was a certain satisfaction in covering his old enemy in Dung.” I liked seeing that Nut reappeared and made some changes in this story and had a significant part to play. Sky acquired all sorts of animals along the way, joining her cause, and they made a weird herd of misfits but they were noble misfits. I think it’s cute when the animals get upset and say "Oh sun and stars!" There was an interesting revelation made in the last few chapters and the ending was refreshing, or should I say it was a beginning? 5 stars from my daughter.

[NG77 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the ending and can’t wait for the next book! The details of the whole story are vivid and interesting. I love how everyhting connects like you get new characters but they have something to do with the old ones. I love the animals and alternating points of view. I recommend the series to anyone who wants an adventure and animals. Spoiler Warning!

I couldn’t believe what I read! Loyal is actually Fearless’ dad! What! It was so sad that Loyal died but Sky told Fearless. Loyal was my favorite character. I’m so glad Stinger died and Berry is reunited with Thorn and her mother, Pear.

[Micayla Berry · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is pretty boring and predictable. Rain's death could've been easily avoided. It was nice to finally have Berry and Mud believe Thorn. Fearless too. I can't help but feel that Stinger reveals his true intentions too quickly and easily. Sky gains a lot of followers fairly quickly too, due to Stingers poor leadership. At least he finally gets his comeuppence. The ending is very abrupt and unsatisfying. Are Rough and Tough supposed to be a reference to How To Train Your Dragon?

[Azure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even tho this was picked and read aloud for my grandson, I enjoyed the story immensely. The conflicts, virtues, and character traits brought out through the safari animal characters are real and convincing. The story provoked so many conversations between reading sessions which were related to the characters and plot so I could tell it was frequently on both of minds. I was a bit sad when we finished the trilogy.

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sped through this thrilling continuation to Bravelands. These books are sodifferent from what I normally read but they're so good. Erin Hunter somehow connects with my YA heart, even though these characters are animals. I loved everything about this book and I'm dying to read book four. I want everyone to check out this series. It's SO GOOD!

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 3rd grader and I (and sometimes the 9th grader listens in) really enjoy this series about drama amongst herds, troops, prides and other groups of African animals. The action is intense, even though we laugh about what it would be like to see the battles and confrontations happen in real life on the savannah. The bad guys finally start getting what's coming to them in this book.