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Reforged #3
Madness and Gods
“I wanted to see cities, learn the beauty of this world. Instead, in a single, bloody minute I learned the danger of ignorance and the impermanence of innocence. I did not appreciate peace until I was rotting in a Banis prison cell. Now I just want to silence the person crouched inside my head. I left looking for wisdom.
Instead, I went mad.”
No one was prepared for the chaos mending the world unleashed. With Alea and Arman gone and the queen dead, Athrolan faces civil war. The kingdom fractures between two heirs—the disinherited and senile Daymir Blackhouse, and the Dhoah’ Laen’s rumored child. Except Alea’s mad son does not know about the power in his veins. Imprisoned in Ban, which teeters on the edge of its own war, his fragile mind may not survive the week, let alone a battle for the crown. The soldier who found him, however, sees more than an enemy in Athrolan, and uses her inability to speak to burgeon her growing rebellion.
Whoever runs from the crown faster—and survives their bloodline’s curse—will determine the Athrolani heir.
Madness and Gods is the third installment in the Reforged series and takes place almost twenty years after the events of the award-winning first book, Smoke and Rain.
Instead, I went mad.”
No one was prepared for the chaos mending the world unleashed. With Alea and Arman gone and the queen dead, Athrolan faces civil war. The kingdom fractures between two heirs—the disinherited and senile Daymir Blackhouse, and the Dhoah’ Laen’s rumored child. Except Alea’s mad son does not know about the power in his veins. Imprisoned in Ban, which teeters on the edge of its own war, his fragile mind may not survive the week, let alone a battle for the crown. The soldier who found him, however, sees more than an enemy in Athrolan, and uses her inability to speak to burgeon her growing rebellion.
Whoever runs from the crown faster—and survives their bloodline’s curse—will determine the Athrolani heir.
Madness and Gods is the third installment in the Reforged series and takes place almost twenty years after the events of the award-winning first book, Smoke and Rain.
513 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 14, 2018
1 person is currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
V.S. Holmes
28 books75 followersV. S. Holmes is an international bestselling author of dark, speculative fiction, from fast-paced hard sci-fi to slow-burn gothic fantasy and everything in between. He has two finished series: Stars Edge: Nel Bently Books, a queer archaeological sci-fi, and the dark fantasy Blood of Titans. Smoke and Rain, the award-winning first book in his fantasy quartet, became an international bestseller in 2018. Travelers is also included in the Peregrine Moon Lander mission as part of the Writers on the Moon Time Capsule. In addition, he writes game content for Stone Blade Entertainment and published short fiction in several anthologies.
He is currently working on a folk horror, inspired by death, sex, and their Frisian and Celtic heritage.
Beyond the keyboard, he lives in western Massachusetts, and like to garden, feed the birds, and watch the river change with the seasons. V worked as a contract archaeologist for over a decade before becoming an electrician. V is a trans guy, among other flavors of queer, and married to a fellow archaeologist. They enjoy quiet evenings with food, games, and films with a sweet lab-rottweiler, Rory and the not-so-quiet brown mutt, Millie.
He is currently working on a folk horror, inspired by death, sex, and their Frisian and Celtic heritage.
Beyond the keyboard, he lives in western Massachusetts, and like to garden, feed the birds, and watch the river change with the seasons. V worked as a contract archaeologist for over a decade before becoming an electrician. V is a trans guy, among other flavors of queer, and married to a fellow archaeologist. They enjoy quiet evenings with food, games, and films with a sweet lab-rottweiler, Rory and the not-so-quiet brown mutt, Millie.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 24, 2020
‘I left looking for wisdom. Instead, I went mad’
Massachusetts author V.S. Holmes earned her degree Biology for Keene State College and works as a contract archaeologist doing Cultural Resource Management, supplementing her interest in prehistoric people and stone tools. As a disabled and queer human, Holmes is an advocate and sponsor for those writing with disabilities, and is a significant advocate for the LGBTQ community. Her writing is in the SFF genre (Science Fiction Fantasy) and to date she has contributed short stories to four anthologies, as well as her own books – the STARSEDGE: NEL BENTLEY series, and her acclaimed REFORGED series, of which SMOKE AND RAIN was the initial volume, having won the 2015 New Apple Literary Excellence in Independent Publishing Award, followed by LIGHTNING AND FLAMES, and now MADNESS AND GODS is Volume 3.
As the fantasy expands, so does the author’s finesse. Again, the atmosphere surrounding Holmes’ saga is mesmerizing, enhancing the credibility of this fantasy tale. And that quality – related in eloquent and imaginative prose – suffuses every aspect of this installment. Holmes’s central heroine Alea grows in stature here, and she is accompanied by the cast of characters who have become credible even in their fantasy-imposed origins.
Continuing her polished style of composition, Holmes opens with a calendar image from this ‘other place and time’ and maps of the fantasy worlds, as she beckons us to enter this volume with her rich prose: ‘The room was deserted. Arman felt the absence before he opened the door. His gaze roved from the made bed to the hook by the door that no longer held breeches. It’s all wrong. They kept the truth of their bloodlines from their son, hoping he would live the life they could not. One of peace. Of anonymity. Perhaps it was a mistake. Pain gnawed at Arman’s gut. He thought Alea would panic, and he would comfort her. Instead, it was his body thrumming with fear and guilt…The part of him that heard too many legends expected a note on his son’s pillow, explaining he left for some adventure. There was none…’
In many new directions this installment explores the path the saga will take – ‘No one was prepared for the chaos mending the world unleashed. With Alea and Arman gone and the queen dead, Athrolan faces civil war. The kingdom fractures between two heirs—the disinherited and senile Daymir Blackhouse, and the Dhoah’ Laen’s rumored child. Except Alea’s mad son does not know about the power in his veins. Imprisoned in Ban, which teeters on the edge of its own war, his fragile mind may not survive the week, let alone a battle for the crown. The soldier who found him, however, sees more than an enemy in Athrolan, and uses her inability to speak to burgeon her growing rebellion. Whoever runs from the crown faster—and survives their bloodline’s curse—will determine the Athrolani heir.’
Following this fantasy experience is addictive and thoroughly satisfying. Volume 4 awaits. Very highly recommended.
Massachusetts author V.S. Holmes earned her degree Biology for Keene State College and works as a contract archaeologist doing Cultural Resource Management, supplementing her interest in prehistoric people and stone tools. As a disabled and queer human, Holmes is an advocate and sponsor for those writing with disabilities, and is a significant advocate for the LGBTQ community. Her writing is in the SFF genre (Science Fiction Fantasy) and to date she has contributed short stories to four anthologies, as well as her own books – the STARSEDGE: NEL BENTLEY series, and her acclaimed REFORGED series, of which SMOKE AND RAIN was the initial volume, having won the 2015 New Apple Literary Excellence in Independent Publishing Award, followed by LIGHTNING AND FLAMES, and now MADNESS AND GODS is Volume 3.
As the fantasy expands, so does the author’s finesse. Again, the atmosphere surrounding Holmes’ saga is mesmerizing, enhancing the credibility of this fantasy tale. And that quality – related in eloquent and imaginative prose – suffuses every aspect of this installment. Holmes’s central heroine Alea grows in stature here, and she is accompanied by the cast of characters who have become credible even in their fantasy-imposed origins.
Continuing her polished style of composition, Holmes opens with a calendar image from this ‘other place and time’ and maps of the fantasy worlds, as she beckons us to enter this volume with her rich prose: ‘The room was deserted. Arman felt the absence before he opened the door. His gaze roved from the made bed to the hook by the door that no longer held breeches. It’s all wrong. They kept the truth of their bloodlines from their son, hoping he would live the life they could not. One of peace. Of anonymity. Perhaps it was a mistake. Pain gnawed at Arman’s gut. He thought Alea would panic, and he would comfort her. Instead, it was his body thrumming with fear and guilt…The part of him that heard too many legends expected a note on his son’s pillow, explaining he left for some adventure. There was none…’
In many new directions this installment explores the path the saga will take – ‘No one was prepared for the chaos mending the world unleashed. With Alea and Arman gone and the queen dead, Athrolan faces civil war. The kingdom fractures between two heirs—the disinherited and senile Daymir Blackhouse, and the Dhoah’ Laen’s rumored child. Except Alea’s mad son does not know about the power in his veins. Imprisoned in Ban, which teeters on the edge of its own war, his fragile mind may not survive the week, let alone a battle for the crown. The soldier who found him, however, sees more than an enemy in Athrolan, and uses her inability to speak to burgeon her growing rebellion. Whoever runs from the crown faster—and survives their bloodline’s curse—will determine the Athrolani heir.’
Following this fantasy experience is addictive and thoroughly satisfying. Volume 4 awaits. Very highly recommended.
April 29, 2020
The storyline continues with the same intrigue, scheming and plotting. It is based around Keplan, the son of Alea and Arman who travels to Athrolan, eventually getting there after an unprecedented detour. The plot is well laid out with a promise of lot more to come. Good cliff hanger ending. I've enjoyed all of the series so far and I'm looking forward to reading book 4.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews