A Time of Courage

Of Blood and Bone #3

by John Gwynne

In A Time of Courage, angels, demons and heroes face the ultimate fight for the Banished Lands. This is the epic conclusion to John Gwynne's mighty fantasy trilogy, Of Blood and Bone.Battle the darkReclaim the world The King of the Otherworld is finally free. Armed with fearsome new starstone weapons, Asroth prepares to lead his demonic war-host south. And with the help of his bride, Fritha, he plans to crush the warrior-angels and their allies for good. In the shadows of Forn Forest, Riv and the surviving Ben-Elim hold a war council ­­– desperate to unite those who would stand against Asroth and his army. They decide to fly west, to join the Order of the Bright Star. But Drem and the Order are already under siege by a demon horde and their fragile defences may soon shatter. Across the Banished Lands, armies are gathering to settle ancient grudges and decide the fate of humanity. Drem, Riv and the Bright Star’s warriors will need to call on all their courage as they face the final battle. But will it be enough, as their darkest hour draws near?Start the heroic fantasy series with A Time of Dread.'Reminds me of why I became a fantasy enthusiast in the first place' – Robin Hobb on A Time of Dread'This book is so damned good . . . John Gwynne writes fantasy with the heart of a hero and the inventiveness of a master mage' – Sebastien de Castell on A Time of Blood

Genres: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Fiction, High Fantasy, Adult, Audiobook, Science Fiction Fantasy

613 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 2, 2020

About the author

I am the author of epic fantasy series The Faithful and the Fallen, Of Blood and Bone and The Bloodsworn Saga. I'm also a Viking re-enactor and enjoy nothing more than standing in the shield wall with my three sons, who are as passionate about swords and axes as I am (when I'm not stuck in my coat of mail; it's harder than it looks).
I live on the south coast of the UK with my beautiful wife, three sons and my daughter, and an assortment of animals (at the moment three dogs, a horse and a lamb who thinks she's a dog).
My dogs think I am their slave.

Malice, my debut novel, was published by Pan Macmillan in 2012 and went on to win the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Fantasy Debut of 2012. That was a truly wonderful moment, as David Gemmell is a hero of mine and one of the reasons I write.

The following three books in the series - Valour, Ruin and Wrath, were all shortlisted for the David Gemmell Legend Award for Best Fantasy Novels of 2014, 2015 and 2016, with Wrath winning the 2017 BookNest Awards for Best Traditionally Published Novel.

My second series, of Blood and Bone, is set in the Banished Lands, the same world as the first series. Book 1, A Time of Dread, begins 130 years after the events of the first series. A Time of Courage, book 3 Of Blood and Bone, made the Spiegel Bestseller's List in Germany.

My latest book, The Shadow of the Gods, book 1 of the Bloodsworn Saga, will be published in May 2021. It is inspired by Norse mythology, Beowulf and Ragnarök.

I am represented by Julie Crisp.

Reviews

[Petrik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo

ARC provided by the publisher—Pan Macmillan—in exchange for an honest review.

A Time of Courage is one of the best final books to a series I’ve ever read in my life. It was truly a bittersweet, satisfying, and masterfully crafted finale to conclude Of Blood and Bone and the entirety of The Banished Lands saga.

Permit me to start this review with words from Gwynne himself:

“So, finally we come to the end of this series, and with it, the end of the Banished Land’s tales. Although Of Blood and Bone is a trilogy that can be read as a standalone series, it is also the final chapter of a longer history that involves the four books from The Faithful and the Fallen series. When read together they form around a one-hundred-and-fifty-year history of the Banished Lands, and a sizeable chunk of my life. Roughly seventeen years have flown by, I think, since lifting my pen and writing down my first ideas. I hope that you’ve enjoyed your time spent here, and that this book feels like a fitting and satisfying conclusion to all that has gone before.”

And what a marvelously fitting conclusion it was. A Time of Courage is the third and final book in the Of Blood and Bone series; it is also the seventh novel that takes place in The Banished Lands saga. Gwynne has mentioned it already, A Time of Courage can be defined as a culmination of the previous six books. Honestly, A Time of Courage feels more like the end of a seven-book series rather than the conclusion of the new trilogy. The final battle is here, and alliances from the entire world have to be gathered and united. It is time for the guardians of justice to unsheathe everything in their power and strengthen their bravery in the upcoming final epic battle of light versus darkness. One out of several things about A Time of Courage that elevated the spectacular quality of the trilogy to a higher level is the return to the tone exhibited in The Faithful and the Fallen. The previous two books in the trilogy—A Time of Dread and A Time of Blood—have been relatively darker in tone, while A Time of Courage read like a return to storytelling style in The Faithful and the Fallen. In this final installment, Gwynne tells a grim story but the themes of hope, love, legacy, friendship, camaraderie, truth, and courage never leave the core of the narrative. I loved this book so much. As a fan of all of Gwynne’s books, it would be an understatement to say that I was emotional during my time of reading through it. A Time of Courage, to no one’s surprise, earned its place on my “favorites” shelf; it is the most heart-breaking, intense, and by far the most action-packed installment in the scintillating trilogy.

“That what we fight for is love and friendship. Not schemes and strategies, but people. Our kind, our friends. Our loved ones.”

Following my tradition of reviewing Gwynne’s books, I’ll refrain from mentioning the names of the characters to make this review as spoiler-free as possible. It’s ridiculously astounding just how well Gwynne, once again, nailed the characterizations of his cast with absolute precision, even more so for the new characters compared to the previous two books. In my opinion, Gwynne’s immense talent for writing characters that become real in my mind is undisputedly one of the best in the genre. The characters have endured a lot of hardship, rage, and grief; their feelings were powerfully palpable. I have praised Gwynne’s characterizations for six novels/reviews now; consider this the seventh because his talent with characterizations remains towering strong with each new book he publishes. Take a look at this short line of thoughts that immediately summed up one of the main character’s personality:

“How have I come to be here, standing before a horde of snarling creatures who want to kill me? I don’t even like crowds.”

It may look simple, but the passage immediately conveys a message to the readers that this particular character isn’t good with crowds and most likely is a reluctant hero. Also, I want to use this review to once again urge you to read The Faithful and the Fallen first before you read A Time of Courage. I genuinely feel sad when I hear that readers are reading this trilogy without finishing the first series first. I can’t even begin to emphasize how much you’re missing out if you read this book without having read through the first series; the knowledge and experience acquired from reading The Faithful and the Fallen is what elevates this fantastic trilogy to an exceptionally spellbinding series. Not only do the names and returning characters from the first series have a more prominent role in the narrative here, but you would also be missing the tremendous emotional resonance and significance of the story that can only be experienced by reading the first series beforehand. I’m serious, even the mere utterance of names of the characters from the first series felt, to me, like hearing about real friends who I can’t see anymore. As I mentioned, Gwynne writes characters that become real in my head. I—along with many readers—have lived the journey of the characters in The Faithful and the Fallen, many of the characters have passed away because the story in Of Blood and Bone takes place more than 130 years after the events of Wrath, but hearing their names, legends, and legacy lives on and constantly mentioned tugged at my heartstrings in a way that I didn’t think would be possible. Please, I beg you to do yourself a favor and read them first. There are still three months before the official release date of this amazing culmination; I’m sure you have some time to treat yourself to read four superlative books that would heighten your reading experience of A Time of Courage.

“We of the Order have sworn our oaths and sealed them in our blood, pledged ourselves to truth and courage. But you who have not said the words, I know that you are the same as us, in your hearts. Warriors, brothers and sisters bound to a cause. Otherwise you would not be here now, standing at ourside, risking your lives. This is the sharp edge of who we are. We will stand and fight, together. There is no retreat this time. We win or we die.”

At the beginning of my review, I’ve mentioned that A Time of Courage is by far the most action-packed installment in the trilogy; this is true, and it is also the most epic and action-packed book Gwynne has ever written. The riveting action sequences are back and stronger than ever. Prepare yourself to be enthralled by the breathtaking battle scenes of magnificence without any pause or mute button; once you opened the first page of A Time of Courage, the brilliantly immersive battle scenes will fully compel you to read this book to its completion. Remember the 160 pages long final war in Wrath? Gwynne increased that page count into approximately 200 pages in the final war of A Time of Courage. If you add that page count to the entire battle scenes spread throughout the book, you’ll have more than 400 pages of terrifically written battle scenes in total, and most importantly, none of them ever felt tedious to read, not even once.

“Truth and Courage. Those are the words that define a warrior of this Order. They are more than words; they are a way of life. Would you choose them? You will be swearing to a life of hardship, a life where you put aside your own pleasures and desires, and place yourself in danger’s way. Again, and again, and again.”

Gwynne is a virtuoso epic fantasy writer; he writes compelling storylines, empathizing characters, and he’s a genius at writing close-quarter battle scenes, either large-scale or small-scale. Seriously, seven novels now and there’s no sign of him slowing down the meteoric rise of his craftsmanship. He loves writing battle scenes. It shows, and he excels at it. Gwynne summoned intricate tempestuous devastations and unstoppable maelstroms of annihilations in his actions; bloody wrath and grim vengeance poured into the pages of this stunning narrative. The ruthless tactics employed were cunning, the brutal ground onslaughts were destructive, and the savage aerial combats were adrenaline-charged. Armies of monochrome wings filled the sky, battalions of ruin shook the land, azure flames conflagrate, and a storm of steels sang throughout the battlefield.

“Sometimes the only answer is blood and steel.”

It is worth noting that the last war in this book featured Gwynne at his utmost best. With his trademarked peerless cinematic perspective changes, Gwynne displayed the calamitous obliteration caused on both opposing sides. Compiling deaths and corpses from both opposing forces at the rapid rate of an Elemental disaster, the final war to end the Long War was a catastrophic clash of humans, steel, arrows, magic, animals, draigs, giants, Revenants, Ferals, Ben-Elim, and Kadoshims. The participants of the concluding battle reached a staggering number in the tens of thousands, and their compulsion for retribution and glory brought forth a plethora of chaotic explosions of blood and bone. Everything about A Time of Courage was maximally epic, elating, heart-shattering, jaw-dropping, and glorious. It has everything I want in a finale, it has everything I want in epic fantasy, and I can’t wait for the rest of the world to read this crimson behemoth of epic that certified A Time of Courage as the most epic installments in the entire saga. You heard that right; I’m not saying this lightly, the finale in Wrath was more poignant but A Time of Courage was more epic in every possible way.

“The defender of the innocent, protector of the weak. I will bring hope to the lost, give my life for the helpless... With truth as my shield... And Courage as my sword, I shall stand against the darkness.

It’s still January, but I might have found my favorite book of the year already. A Time of Courage was one of the two most anticipated books of the year for me, the other one being the fourth installment in The Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson, and let me tell that you that it will be highly difficult for even Sanderson to overcome the greatness of A Time of Courage. A 5 out of 5 stars rating won’t do this book justice. Just like Wrath, A Time of Courage is epic fantasy at its best; it’s a masterpiece that deserves a 6 out of 5 stars rating, simple as that. I’ve been repeating this statement over and over again, and I have to repeat it once more that if you’re an epic fantasy reader and somehow you still haven’t read any of Gwynne’s work, fix that mistake now. If you postpone reading the tales in The Banished Lands, know that you’re delaying yourself reading one of the finest—and completed—epic fantasy tomes out there. In fact, I’m confident enough to claim that the seven books in The Banished Lands saga, as a whole, is one of the best completed fantasy series of all time that I’ve read so far. Yes, I loved the entirety of these seven books as much as I loved The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb and Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. Please do yourself a favor and read both The Faithful and the Fallen and the Of Blood and Bone series; they are absolute master class epic fantasy, and they deserve to be read by every enthusiast of the genre.

“We are just people, all of us the same. Flawed, fragile, stubborn, angry, happy. And life treats no one differently. We are born, and we live, and then we die. It’s what we do while we are there that counts. And if we can be called friend, then we are lucky indeed.

The Banished Lands is one of my favorite fictional worlds, and it may have become almost too real in my mind. That’s why it also feels bittersweet to read this book. The tales of The Banished Lands end here, at least for now. Gwynne’s next book, The Dragons Unchained, will be a new story in a completely new series called The Bloodsworn Saga. Undoubtedly, this is already in the list of my most anticipated books of 2021. A new journey awaits, and I will be there. I hope you will join Gwynne’s Warband of readers, too. Years from now, the eternal legends of the Banished Lands will still be sung, and we’ll be the choir that sang its song of origin.

Thank you, John Gwynne. You’re truly one of the greatest fantasy authors of all time. Thank you for writing these legendary stories for us to read. Congratulations, and I look forward to seeing where your imagination goes next.

Truth and Courage.

Petrik Leo

Self-proclaimed Chronicler of the Order of the Bright Star

Series Review:

A Time of Dread: 5/5 stars
A Time of Blood: 5/5 stars
A Time of Courage: 5/5 stars

Of Blood and Bone: 15/15 stars

Official release date: 2nd April 2020 (UK) and 7th April 2020 (US)

You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping)

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions

Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!

My Patrons: Alfred, Devin, Hamad, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas.

[Matt's Fantasy Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out my YouTube channel where I show my instant reactions to reading fantasy books as soon as I finish the book.

An absolute masterpiece. Once again, John Gwynne has produced one of the greatest fantasy books that have ever been written

As you can probably tell from my name, I read a lot of fantasy books. And without question, A Time of Courage will go down for me as one of the greatest fantasy books that have ever been written. This book was perfection, and I struggle to find anything that I can criticize about what John Gwynne was able to accomplish here. While I still rate Malazan as the greatest fantasy series of all time, I believe wholeheartedly that this book series featuring the Banished Lands is my #2 favorite - and I don't know how that will ever get beaten.

This book had the ridiculously huge burden of having to wrap up not only the Of Blood and Bone series, but also wrapping up all the storylines that started in The Faithful and the Fallen. If you didn't already know, the predecessor series takes place well before this one, but it's a continuation of the same central storyline. Not only did it achieve wrapping up these two series in spectacular fashion, but it wrapped up all the story arcs for the characters in a spectacular way.

The story itself had a wonderful mix of predictable and unpredictable. The ending was so satisfying, and I legitimately felt sad upon reading it knowing that my journey in this world is finally at an end. There were moments in this book where I literally had to put the book down and had to pick my jaw up off the floor, due to how shocking the events were that I had just read.

While I think this book series is wonderful in virtually every way, I thought that John Gwynne's writing skills somehow got better over time culminating in this book. I have lightly criticized him in the past for his frenetic use of shifting POVs between chapters, and leaving the reader with too many cliffhangers, and I am so happy that he didn't do that much in this series. He copied a style that I think Robert Jordan perfected in The Wheel of Time where he spent several chapters dealing with the same event before moving onto a new one after things felt wrapped up. For me as a reader, it was much appreciated.

The major battle in this book was one of the most epic things I have ever read. It was grandiose, but you felt intimately involved in the action to the point where you could visually understand every single little facet of what was going on. It's over-the-top in a good way, spanned for an extremely long time, and it's a writing style that I think all fantasy authors should seek to imitate. Nobody on earth can write a battle scene as well as John Gwynne can, and this book showcased him at his very best.

I am left simply in awe over how John Gwynne was able to write two series back-to-back that are essentially perfection. And not only that, but he knocked it out of the park when it comes to writing a series set in the same world, and using things we are familiar with so that the reader is hooked back in, but also switches things up enough so that it doesn't feel derivative. This is something that is very rarely pulled off, and John Gwynne should be put on a pedestal for how he was able to accomplish this difficult task at such a high level.

If you are a fantasy fan, and you haven't read this book series - please just stop everything you are doing and go buy the 7 books that comprise The Faithful and the Fallen and Of Blood and Bone. They deserve to be devoured by you.

Series Book Ratings
Malice 5/5
Valor 5/5
Ruin 5/5
Wrath 5/5
A Time of Dread 4.5/5
A Time of Blood 5/5
A Time of Courage 5/5
Series Score 4.92/5

[John Gwynne]

A TIME OF COURAGE is officially out now in the UK and US! The seventh and final book in The Banished Lands is here and it is a massive moment for me. I have loved writing about the characters in The Banished Lands and hope you enjoy it. Truth and courage.


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The cover to A Time of Courage has been released. I hope you like it!

This is quite a moment for me, seeing the cover art for what is in effect the culmination of seven books and the end of 150 years history of the Banished Lands.

I'm thrilled with how this cover came out, and overjoyed at the level of detail the amazing Paul Young has put into it...
There are numerous elements in this cover that make my inner-geek extremely happy - the long axe with norse runes that spell 'The Final Battle,' the stars on shields - readers of my books will know what that means. Warrior-angels and demons, a certain dapple-grey winged warrior with a seax in each fist, a white bear...

[William Gwynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

BookTube channel with my awesome brother, Ed - The Brothers Gwynne
My personal BookTube channel - William Gwynne

Read A Time of Courage again as part of The Brothers Gwynne read-along! Made it a little different though as I listened to it via audiobook format for the first time. Damian Lynch is a fantastic narrator!

A Time of Courage is just up there with one of the best conclusions to a fantasy series... EVER. It has everything you need. The gathering of forces, the different PoV's stumbling across each other, twists and turns, and a grand showdown that gives you what you want, but still surprises you along the way. Papa Gwynne makes it so epic, but keeps the heart at the focus. It is an intimate story as well as a grand one. It just blows me away how he moves me so much with every single book.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not receive a free copy of this book for review. All two sentences and a borrowed gif are my own thoughts 🤣😂🤷🏻‍♀️

Gahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!



I love these fracking books soooooo much!! The characters, everything!! I love them so much!! I’m going to miss them, BUT can always come back to them.

I am looking forward to the new book as I know I will love that world too. Hopefully I didn’t just jinx it!! 🤨

Recommend to all fantasy readers!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[James Tivendale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced review copy of A Time of Courage in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank John Gwynne and Tor for the opportunity.

A Time of Courage is the final entry in the Of Blood and Bone trilogy and the seventh story that takes place in Gwynne's phenomenal fantasy world The Banished Lands. After completing and adoring all of Gwynne's work I am running out of ways to describe how exceptional a writer he is. I will not say too much here regarding the actual storyline here as I don't wish to spoil anything for people who are yet to read this or those fantasy fans who are yet to discover John's work.

Wrath is one of my top five books of all time and A Time of Courage is very, very close to hitting those same lofty heights. One aspect exceeds all that the author has written before and that is the incredible battle sequences featured here. You won't find many book reviews where the blogger doesn't comment on how spectacular the fights and skirmishes are that Gwynne writes but what is presented here blows everything that has come previously away. Especially the final battle, the epic showdown of "good vs. evil" which has been seven books and millennia of history in the making. The finale takes up about twenty-five percent of the novel and I'm content to say that it is probably the greatest final battle I have ever read in fantasy.

When Gwynne writes I often feel completely like I am part of the world and events. During the battles it's is as if I have been given an adrenaline shot - I read at seven-hundred miles an hour and I am sure my heart beats much faster than it normally does. This is heightened by the way the author often ends point of view chapters with a twist or a bang! This normally occurs when he switches POV scenes to numerous characters who are at the same meeting, event or battle to see different viewpoints which aids to build up the pace and excitement expertly. Gwynne's writing is addictive and it's always so easy to just read one more chapter and then look at the clock and realise it's four hours later.

In addition to the action segments, these books shine because of the amazing characters, their relationships with each other, whether friendly or utterly bitter, and the presentation of hope - that good will succeed in this very violent and often brutally unfair environment.

There are five point of view perspectives that are presented. We will be familiar with following the half-breed warrior Riv, the horse-tribe King Bleda, the Demon King's fiance and sorceress Fritha, and the tracker and revenge-seeking Drem. I had to chuckle quite often as the latter always finds himself right in the middle of scenarios and encounters and he seems to get saved at the last second by half a dozen different characters throughout the narrative! The new point of view perspective is from another player on the "evil" side. This is the viewpoint of Jin, Bleda's ex-betrothed who has a vendetta that can only be settled when she murders him.

After falling in love with the characters in The Faithful and the Fallen, when I started this series I never believed I would care about this new ensemble as much as I did about Corban, Storm, Veradis, Maeqin etc... By the end of A Time of Courage, I can confirm I shouldn't have been worried. The whole ensemble is excellent. As well as the point of view characters standout players include the talented, charming yet cocky warrior Cullen, the legendary giant Balur One-Eye, and The Order of the Bright Star leader Brynne. I couldn't finish a John Gwynne review without commending him on how excellent he presents animal characters. Talking crows, a loyal white bear, a half-woman/half-wyrm are just a few examples.

The finale and the way events are wrapped up is exquisite. There are extremely sad moments littered throughout the novel and some tragic events are presented as the conclusion approaches. Some of your favourite players will not see the final page, and some die in horrific fashion. Others die in the most shocking and unpredictable scenes I've seen for a while. I'm not embarrassed to say that I cried quite a few times and that shows Gwynne's skill as an author to make me care so damn much!

There isn't really anything else I need to say. A Time of Courage is bloody incredible and Gwynne will have a fan in me for life. I know it was only January when I completed this but I will be amazed if this isn't the best fantasy book released in 2020.

[Edward Gwynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My brother and I now have a booktube called The Brothers Gwynne. Check it out! The Brothers Gwynne

How I love Papa Gwynne's final books of a series. Nothing can prepare you for the sheer level of epic-climax and inevitable heartbreak.

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This won't surprise you, but I love this guy's books...

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A TIME OF COURAGE IS RELEASED TODAY!! What a moment, the Banished Lands Saga is over, 6 books have built up to this finale and it will not disappoint. Truth and courage!

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A Time or Courage, The final book of Of Blood and Bone is AMAZING. I won’t say too much, but it is a phenomenal last chapter in The Banished Lands that had me as always crying, laughing, punching the air and wanting to take up my spear and shield and join the shield-wall. Can’t wait for you all to read it. Truth and courage!

[Eon Windrunner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher (Pan Macmillan) in exchange for an honest review.

Flawless!

No word better describes the result of the time and effort John Gwynne has put into A Time of Courage, the finale of the Of Blood and Bone series. It is a monumental achievement to have wrapped up this series so perfectly and speaks to the care and dedication that the author has put into this work, the love for it permeating every page.

I will spare you any spoilers by not discussing the plot, but I will say this: Picking up immediately after the shocking finish of the previous book, A Time of Courage wastes no time in plunging you into the atmospheric setting of a world on the edge of disaster. The events of the first two books have been ominously building toward a climactic showdown, and the time for courage has finally arrived. 

‘They would kill us all. Every living, breathing creature that walks the Banished Lands.’He raised his hands, palms up. ‘That is why I fight. To protect those I love from death.’

From the first page, there is an urgency to every scene that promises a thrilling, frenetic and captivating read ahead, but I was still not prepared for how unputdownable this book was. Not only did the narrative set an inexorable pace, but it never shied away from spending a few quiet moments with its characters, bringing balance to a tale that could have easily focused too much on the action. It always stays true to its heart, giving testament to the themes this series embodies - family, friends, love, loyalty, truth and courage, blending these quiet moments seamlessly into the countdown to the inevitable showdown, never relinquishing momentum.

We are just people, all of us the same. Flawed, fragile, stubborn, angry, happy. And life treats no one differently. We are born, and we live, and then we die. It’s what we do while we are here that counts. And if we can be called friend, then we are lucky indeed.

The story would of course not have reached the heights it did if not for the brilliant characters; I find this to be another standout feature of the writing, evident across every book in both series. Every single character, be they human, monster or animal, villain or hero, is a fully developed creation who is flawed and relatable, more real to me than people I have met in real life, arousing a gamut of emotions deeply felt. I lived and breathed, fought, laughed and journeyed, hoped, cried and hated with them. I loved with them. And I confess, parting with them is bittersweet. It is a worthy ending, but the world of The Banished Lands has become a place I love returning to and friends I love to visit and I am sad to say goodbye. There is an abundance of superb characters to talk about, but I don’t want to inadvertently spoil anything, so let me just say that John Gwynne has outdone himself. If character-driven stories are your thing, this is as good as it gets. It speaks to the depth of the feelings instilled in me by the author's talent, that mentions of characters from the previous series, long since passed from this world, evoked incredibly emotional and poignant responses from me, resulting in tears on more than one occasion, and uh… there may have been some ugly sobbing when a certain wolf’s story was told. But there are no witnesses to confirm. 

Sometimes the only answer is blood and steel.

One of the most astounding achievements of this last book is the mesmerizing, mammoth final battle; eye poppingly ferocious in its intensity and all-encompassing in its scope. I was so gripped in the thrall of Gwynne’s spell, I completely forgot to breathe on a few occasions! The entirety of the Banished Lands was represented including humans, Kadoshim, giants, draigs, wolven-hounds, Ben-Elim, bears and many more! Everyone was involved and fought for not only survival but for the futures of those they love and care for in a fight of such magnitude and violence that to call it anything other than a brutal, bloodthirsty battle would be an insult to it’s raw, chaotic, savage nature. If you thought you were going to start reading this storm of fury and take breaks anywhere, think again. It’s a relentless maelstrom that does not let up for 196 atmospheric pages to be exact. Yes, you read that right. 196 pages of palpable tension and non-stop action that sinks its talons in you and refuses to let you go. Stakes are raised higher than anything Gwynne has previously written, the dread of not knowing who will survive flapping like a murder of crows above every heart-stoppingly near miss, every anguished cry, every bone-jarring clash of steel. Quick shifts between character points of view reinforce the frenzied feel of battle chaos and being beset by enemies with no respite, every sequence a vital cog in this cinematic final battle of the long war, and all written superbly by arguably the best in the business where close quarter combat is concerned; the fight sequences thrilling, impactful and concisely choreographed. When the dust settled, I was wholly exhausted, my emotions wrung dry.

No surprise then that it took me a while to recover from the impact this book had on me, all thanks to the vivid prose and it’s completely immersive quality. Talk about engaging and addictive! Upon starting A Time of Courage, I spent every waking moment either reading it or wishing to read it, resulting in an endless internal struggle - rush to know how it all ends, or savour this final adventure? I tried to pace myself, but there is a limit to the patience I can display when faced with such temptation. It was over far too soon, bringing my time in the Banished Lands to a close, the trilogy completed. And whilst this series stands perfectly well on its own, it is in essence one half of a two-part puzzle. A Time of Courage is the final piece of the second part, the culmination of seven books in The Banished Lands, delivering an enthrallingly epic and sublimely satisfying conclusion to the overall series that will have Gwynne fans reaching for the rafters in applause when the denouement has passed and the final punctuation mark dots the page. I certainly did.

When any beloved series approaches its end, there is always that nagging worry that an author won’t deliver a satisfying conclusion, leaving you without that sense of happiness and fulfilment. Some do fail at this admittedly difficult task, but most succeed at least partly if not fully, bringing relief from the worry and joy for a story well ended. There is another smaller group though. Exalted in the hearts of readers and deserving of accolades, these authors surpass the loftiest of expectations and are real-world heroes to us book lovers, gifting us exquisite endings that make our bookish hearts thump in all the right ways. A Time of Courage is such an ending, and John Gwynne is such an author. All I can say is thank you. 

‘You blaze bright as the sun. The world is a better place for having you in it.’

Official release date: 2nd April 2020 (UK) and 7th April 2020 (US)

You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping)

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the stars (Bright ones, of course)

*****

Now THIS is the way you end a series. Readers and writers beware, a new standard has been set.

A Time of Courage closes the story arc first begun in Malice, a tale of good and evil recounted by the many loved and hated voices of the Banished Lands. It culminates in a battle so visually and emotionally impactful that I had to put the book down several times just to process what I’d seen and heard and felt. Throughout the epic final section my heart beat too hard and my hands were clenched round my kindle. I reread sections over and over, desperate to know if something really happened, if a character was truly, definitely gone. Cheering their departure if they deserved it, crying when they didn’t. This is John Gwynne, after all, and nobody is safe. So much happened that I’m awed by it even now. And it was impossible not to talk about it. My fellow readers (Petrik/TS/Eon) and I all had multiple Whatsapp discussions going, repeatedly checking in on who was where in the book, so we could share our experiences of the major moments we’d just read. Then finally when we’d all finished, our chat was wild with back and forth commentary, a catharsis that lasted two days. None of us could even consider reading anything else.

It seems strange now but while I enjoyed the first two books in Of Blood and Bone, I struggled to find an emotional connection to the characters. Save Drem, who was immediately engaging, and Byrne, who is easily one of the best written female characters in fantasy. It was partly that my heart was still with Corban, Storm, and the others from the Faithful and the Fallen, but there seemed a comparable lightness to this series that was exacerbated by the ever present reflection on what came before. All the references to the past seemed nothing more than reminders of what had been lost, a trauma suffered by both the Banished Lands and by the reader. There was none of that here. Whereas the previous books felt to me like they relied on the past for meaning, this built on those foundations and grew into something more, something that was both a melding of the two stories and something unquestionably its own. Those people I found it so hard to let go were here in spirit, their acts of heroism serving to inspire this new generation. But more than that, it became clear how much the quieter moments of friendship and loyalty and love linked both groups together, those bonds giving them power to be heroes, to fight for each other and for the future. There was no distance, not even the possibility of it. Right from the first page, this book, and all the characters within it, demand your time, your attention, your every feeling. And it is paid back to you tenfold.

That’s all I’m going to write for now, the rest is for you to discover. But if you find yourself alone on this journey, just remember that those of us who have come to the end are here if you need a virtual shoulder to cry on….




ARC via Netgalley

[Anna [Bran. San. Stan] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another series done, leaving me heartbroken and breathless in its wake. If you‘ve read Gwynne before, you know he really knows how to write action scenes. After almost 200 pages of battle (!) I feel emotionally exhausted. And sad. Not everyone makes it out of this alive, as is fitting in war, but that doesn’t make those losses any easier.

The fact that I care so much is proof that Gwynne knows how to make you love a character. It might also have helped that there are relatively few points of view, two antagonists and only three protagonists. As much as I love our heroes, the villains made me want to scream in frustration and rage. Gwynne is also really good at that. I will say, though, that I still had my issues with the origin story of one villain whom I will not name in this section because it would be a spoiler for the earlier books.

—— SPOILERS BELOW ——





****************************************
Now that I‘m in the spoiler section, I can say that Fritha is the one I‘ve been talking about. The countless acts of murder, mutilation and experimentation she is willing and happy to commit are nothing short of horrific and near unspeakable. Her only motivation being revenge just did not convince me. Maybe it’s just me, I don’t know. But it bothered me, more so in the first two books, not so much in this third book. Here I tried to embrace her as the psychotic bitch that she is.

I already mentioned that this book made me feel so much. Rage for the villains, love and heartbreak for our heroes among them. But it wasn’t only our present heroes that made me emotional: My favorite scene in this book was when Drem and Cullen stand at Corban‘s and Storm‘s graves, the latter being inscribed with the epitaph "friend of Corban, protector of her pack. Faithful unto death.“ That moment moved me to tears; I just miss Corban and Storm so much and it made me mourn their loss – inevitable after 138 years but still. It was just so beautifully written.

Now to the overall plot of the series. At first I was a bit dismayed to realize that we’re dealing with a resurrected/re-awakened villain in this series, but then I framed that archetype differently in my mind and that helped me see it in another light: TFatF saw Asroth brought into the world of flesh and then indefinitely put to sleep. He now needed to be dealt with for good, which OBaB is all about. So he might be re-awakened but it no longer feels like a cheap plot twist. (“Avatar“ is doing that a lot and it really bothers me.)

This series also gives us something we have not seen before: Asroth roaming free and leading his army. In TFatF he came back to be encased in starstone soon after so seeing him now was a great way to show us what he could do. He also showed us who he really is: a coward at heart. He has the starstone made into armor and weapons for himself, making him almost unbeatable. It sure is easy to fling yourself at your enemies when you know they can’t hurt you and your weapons make you close to omnipotent. Like I said: coward.

So now that we’ve established that I‘ve embraced the resurrected villain archetype, I can also finally accept that Gwynne decided to give us vampires. I have stated in my spoiler-free reviews that I disliked one measure to make the evil forces more powerful. That was it. One Kadoshim was turned and he in turn bit seven others who again bit others, making them so-called Revenants. That and the fact that killing one of the seven originals automatically kills all those they have bitten has just been done so often in TV and literature that this bothered me. Seeing those vamps at work in the massive battle scenes now, however, shows that they are ultimately necessary for the action scenes to work on such an epic scale – and for the land not be overrun by "vampires" after the battle is done. It also turned out to be kind of cool.

It also looks like Gwynne is gearing up for another series set in the Banished Lands, what with Fritha and Asroth‘s child possibly surviving. While I hated reading that their offspring will likely make it, the possibility of a new series is wonderful.

****************************************



—— END OF SPOILERS ——

So, with all my misgivings allayed, I can honestly say what a great time I had overall. I cried, I laughed, I raged, I cursed. Only the best books do all of that to me; Gwynne really is a fantastic writer. While TFatF will remain my favorite series, I am grateful he gave us another series in that awesome world.

1 A Time of Dread: 4.25 stars
2 A Time of Blood: 3.75 stars
3 A Time of Courage: 4.5 stars

[Hamad · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We are just people, all of us the same. Flawed, fragile, stubborn, angry, happy. And life treats no one differently. We are born, and we live, and then we die. It’s what we do while we are here that counts. And if we can be called friend, then we are lucky indeed.”

Malice ★★★★ 1/4
Valour ★★★★ 3/4
Ruin ★★★★★
Wrath ★★★★★

A Time of Dread ★★★★ 1/2
A Time of Blood ★★★★ 1/2
A Time of Courage ★★★★

Literally all my friends gave this 5 friends aside from a friend who gave it a 4. I feel by giving it 4 stars I am doing something blasphemous so this is a disclaimer that 4 stars is still a very good rating. I also am not saying the first two books were better. I feel the whole series has been on the same level which stands somewhere between 4-4.5 stars for me. I usually don’t have to think very hard if a book deserves 5 stars like most of the books were in the original quartet and I think this series was close to that.

The story takes place after the final events and war of book 2 and I don’t wanna spoil that ending but it means there was a huge final war taking place in this book. In fact, most of this book was war and action scenes which is cool but personally I thought I needed to breath a bit, to connect the characters more -Which was the case in TFATF series- so that their actions impact me more. There were some parts of this book where I unfortunately did not feel that.

The writing is great as usual, Gwynne is one of the authors that writes beautifully and atmospherically. I was reading an Abercrombie books at the same time and the contrast between the vibes I was getting was as big as it can be. Gwynne’s books usually have that darkness but there is always light at the end of the tunnel, there is hope and I like the way relations are written. Gwynne even sometimes makes death sounds welcome because it will lead to something new and better!

I think I also liked the Sirak/ Cheren story less than I wanted to and I am still not sure of what I feel about how it ended. But the rest of the plots were handled well.

Summary: I don’t have much to say about the book. I liked it and I think it was excellent save for a few details that I think could have been done better given how much I enjoyed TFATF series. In fact, I think I kept comparing the 2 series in my mind which is not good and not fair but I just couldn’t help it. It is the end of my journey in The Banished Lands and it was a great one. I am so excited for the next series which I already have an ARC of and will read very soon!

[TS Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC received from the publisher, Pan Macmillan, in exchange for an honest review.

A Time of Courage is a stunning masterpiece that proved yet again that John Gwynne is a force to be reckoned with; primed and poised to joined the ranks of the greatest fantasy authors.

By now, you would've already seen my co-bloggers' raving reviews for A Time of Courage. Believe me, every single word and praise heaped upon this book was warranted and well-deserved. We pretty much read the eARC together the moment it was made available and spent a lot of time screaming at each other over our Whatsapp group chat whenever we encountered an 'OMG' moment - which was plenty. I challenge anyone to make sense of our chat transcript because it was a whole lot of incoherent ramblings and outpouring of emotions.

"We are just people, all of us the same. Flawed, fragile, stubborn, angry, happy. And life treats no one differently. We are born, and we live, and then we die. It's what we do while we are here that counts. And if we can be called friend, then we are lucky indeed."

As I've mentioned in my review for A Time of Blood, I felt that my enjoyment of this sophomore trilogy had so far been primarily attributed to nostalgia; emotions triggered by the commemoration of the main characters from The Faithful and The Fallen. I'm glad to say that I felt differently in this concluding volume. Not because I lost the nostalgic sentiment - far from it, it was heightened and enhanced to even greater levels in this book. What happened was that I finally started to be utterly invested in the protagonist characters and the outcome of the almost insurmountable battle against the Kadoshim and their allies. Gwynne has an uncanny ability to write the most captivating characters, of any race or species. Some of the best ones are indeed the animals, and believe me when I say that I often dread their probable death more than the human characters. The emotional resonance arising from the love and loyalty, friendship and camaraderie between the characters affected me deeply. There were so many moments where I was either struggling to read through hot tears or dreading to know what's coming next. But there were equally as many moments where my heart would soar and sing, or when my fists would pump in cathartic celebration.

"Death comes for us all. But we'll take some of you with us."

Having read his debut series, I knew that Gwynne never pulls his punches and I approached this finale with the expectation that I would inevitably suffer heartache. I was not wrong, but this is what makes his stories so special for Gwynne never cheapens a character's death. They all come to mean something, simply because of what they stood for. Truth and courage. Love, loyalty and friendship. As such, the emotional payoff was tremendous. And when the final battle comes to a head, we were gifted with one of the most visually spectacular and emotionally powerful climaxes I've ever read. Gwynne utilised his extraordinary skill in writing close combat scenes to great effect. Balancing that with sweeping and wider perspectives, the battle scene was rendered into cinematic brilliance. After dedicating a total of seven (amazing) books to tell the tale of The Banished Lands, this utterly epic climactic battle felt well-earned. It was rewarding and a well-deserved gratification. A brutal yet fond farewell.

"With Truth as my shield, and Courage as my sword, I shall stand against the darkness. From this day on, until the time of my death. This is my oath, sealed with my blood"

A magnificent finale to a phenomenal series of books which started from Malice, I'm certain that A Time of Courage would earn itself a spot in many "Best Reads of The Year" lists (as it would be on mine). It is time to say goodbye to The Banished Lands, but I will look forward eagerly to anything that John Gwynne writes in the future.

You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping)| Bookshop.Org

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Better to fight and fall, than to live without hope.”

4.5 stars!

I really enjoyed this book! This was a brilliant and action-packed fantasy about grief, power, courage, family, and friendship. A Time of Courage follows Riv, Bleda and Drem as they join together to fight an epic battle against evil. During this journey they make new alliances and enemies and discover more about themselves.

I was transported into this brilliant and epic world from the very first page. The pacing was perfect in the beginning and middle, although it was a bit too fast paced at the end. The plot was so interesting and engaging, there were also many surprises that I didn't expect. The world building was amazing, the author spent so much time creating and developing this epic world of warrior angels, demons, giant bears, giants, giant snakes, winged lizards, talking crows and warrior humans. I felt so many emotions while reading this book including sadness, happiness and anger. I really appreciated how the author highlighted grief, the author showed that grief can be consuming, but it can help when you have people by your side who can talk to. I have lost three of my grandparents so I can relate to feeling overwhelmed by grief at times.

Characters
The characters were relatable and each went through their own challenges. I love Riv, she is brave, strong, tenacious, fierce, stubborn, and kind. I love that Riv will do anything to protect and fight for the people she loves. I love Drem, he is kind, strong, loyal and brave. I love Bleda, he is loyal, smart, resourceful, kind and protective of Riv. I really liked the side characters, especially Bryne, Cullen, Keld, Meical and Rad. I don't like Fritha, she is mean, cunning and evil. I also didn't like Jin, she is rude, arrogant, and self-important. The character development was great I loved seeing different sides of the characters and learning more about them, although I wish the author spent more time on the characters at the second half of the book. I loved Bleda and Riv's relationship, they are so great together and I felt a connection between them.

Writing
The writing is excellent and very easy to follow. I was able to paint a very vivid image in my mind of the events of the book because of how descriptive the author's writing was. The author was able to create brilliant characters who came to life because of the author's writing. The story telling was great, the author used descriptive language and vivid writing to bring the story to life. The ending was action-packed and heartbreaking. I'm glad that the book was resolved at the end, although I'm sad about some aspects of the ending.

[Nick Borrelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

When people talk about the very best writers in the fantasy genre today, I always insist that John Gwynne's name has to be mentioned in that conversation. His The Faithful and the Fallen series is in my Top 5 fantasy series of all-time and an excellent example of how a story can be both heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. It's very rare that a writer has the ability to put you through so many conflicting emotions in the process of reading their books, but John has that unique knack and this has only gotten more pronounced with each subsequent release of his.


Now with his second series Of Blood and Bone, John Gwynne has expanded on the amazing story from TFatF and solidified it as one of the more imaginative fantasies of this generation. The final volume, A TIME OF COURAGE is in my opinion the most action-packed and heart-wrenching as anything he has ever penned up to this point. I was honored to be able to receive an early copy from publisher Orbit and would like to take a quick moment to sincerely thank them for the privilege. Here is my review of the closing volume in both this series and the overall 7-book story arc that takes place amidst the Banished Lands

.

The Demon Lord Asroth is finally free from his century long imprisonment, and what he has unleashed on Drassil and the Banished Lands is nothing short of an invasion of the damned. And as if fighting against the dreaded Kadoshim hordes wasn't bad enough, the faithful must also contend with a swarm of violent undead killing machines called Revenants who were created by the bite of Gulla, one of the high captains of the Kadoshim. Time could very well be running out on the Ben-Elim and their allies and darkness seems almost certain to prevail when all is said and done.


The only hope to potentially beat back the looming slaughter and annihilation rests with a band of determined fighters called the Order of the Bright Star made up of a handful of Ben-Elim and various displaced warriors from the kingdom of Drassil. Among those who would stand against Asroth and his army is Drem, former trapper turned newest recruit of the Order. What this group of would-be saviors of the realm lack in brute power and numbers, they more than make up for in superior strategy and guile. But is that enough?


Is it truly enough to prevail in the final cataclysmic battle against a virtually invincible foe that shows absolutely no feelings or mercy? Truth and Courage will be the defining rallying cry as swords clash, bones break, and fallen bodies litter the landscape of the Banished Lands. You will not want to miss how it all ends and who emerges victorious in the end.


Well that was one of the finest reads I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I knew this book was going to be one hell of a closing book, but I wasn't necessarily prepared for exactly what a smashing finale it would be. To call this book a thrill a minute would be to sell it very short. The sheer number of battles and amount of action that takes place in just this one book alone would fill most fantasy series in their entirety. John Gwynne said he wanted the series to end with a bang and by golly he is true to his word and then some.


There was not a moment in A TIME OF COURAGE when I felt like I could take a breath to gather myself and when I had to put the book down for any period of time at all, I was angry because I needed to keep going. The Kadoshim are still some of the most vile and ruthless antagonists I have ever read and part of what makes this book and series so awesome is that you literally loathe them. Part of this is due to the fact that yes, some of my favorite characters fall at their taloned hands, and so when you read a chapter where they are present you never know if someone important to you will perish painfully.


It's one of the things among many that John Gwynne does really really well. He puts your beloved characters in danger page after page and not knowing what may happen to them makes the reading investment that much more of a real one. There are very few happy endings where things get all tied up in a bow for you with John's books, and it is part of the reason why I relish reading his stuff. It's gritty, no-holds-barred, no apologies epic fantasy the way that it should be written.


If you want to read some of the very best fantasy going right now, pick up this series immediately. I will say that I would recommend that you read his first series The Faithful and the Fallen before venturing into this one if you want the best possible experience in my opinion. It isn't absolutely necessary as this is a self-contained trilogy, but I believe that having a solid understanding of who everyone is historically-speaking and why certain places are important will only serve to make Of Blood and Bone that much more rewarding when you undertake the journey.


I'm very sad that this series is over but at the same time I am totally psyched for John Gwynne's new upcoming series which will be Viking-based and take us away from The Banished Lands (at least for a little while). It will be interesting to see John stretch his legs in a brand new setting filled with different characters.


A TIME OF COURAGE will officially be released on April 7, 2020 for those who would like to buy it. If you are the type of person who thinks that incredibly well-written characters and masterfully detailed battle scenes can't both exist together in the same story, then you absolutely must read these books because they will prove you wrong. I'm blown away by what I just read but I can't say that I'm surprised anymore. John Gwynne is just that great and this series is another masterpiece from what is a brilliant fantasy mind.

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 6 out of 5 stars

“Truth and courage are the banners I live by. Love, loyalty and friendship shall be my guiding light. I will be the bright star in the night sky, the candle in the darkness. The defender of the innocent, protector of the weak. I will bring hope to the lost, give my life for the helpless. With Truth as my shield, and Courage as my sword, I shall stand against the darkness. From this day on, until the time of my death.”
— The Oath of The Order of the Bright Star.

I firmly believe that John Gwynne is one of the most gifted, powerful fantasy authors of our age. In the course of this trilogy and the quartet preceding it, Gwynne was able to create a world that feels as real as our own. The lore he wove into each book was fascinating and completely transportive. He crafted a compendium of characters for whom I cared so deeply that I rejoiced and wept with them as if they were my friends in reality instead of merely fictional. And don’t even get me started on his action-scene prowess. The fact that he can keep a battle going for 200 pages and keep everything in such incredibly clear focus that boredom has no hope of setting in and tension is so well maintained that I never once felt tempted to skim is an incredible accomplishment that I don’t think has been matched by any other author I’ve read outside of Brandon Sanderson. I honestly don’t know that anything about the series as a whole or this book in particular could’ve been improved in any way. In A Time of Courage, Gwynne penned an incredible finale that moved me deeply and left me feeling weepy and exhausted and content.

“Take your weapons and face your fear. There is only one hope today. And that hope is you… Take your Courage, and let’s go fight the devil with it.”

As with every other Gwynne novel I’ve reviewed, I won’t be discussing any characters by name as even their mention could potentially be a spoiler. This is because Gwynne doesn’t play it safe at all, and every character, even if they’re a perspective character, faces the very real possibility of death. Gwynne doesn’t hesitate to kill his darlings. There’s no malice or glee in such decisions, and you can actually sense in his writing how much it hurts him to pen such deaths. But he doesn’t shy away from them. These seven books document a war, and realistically we know that war can claim even the best of us. That’s what Gwynne demonstrates in his writing. His heroes are mortal, and mortals die. Remembering our mortality reminds us to live each and every day to the fullest, and his characters do that. There is true loss in these pages, and those losses are incredibly painful. I genuinely grieved over certain characters, alongside those they left behind.

“We are all just people, all of us the same. Flawed, fragile, stubborn, angry, happy. And life treats no one differently. We are born, and we live, and then we die. It’s what we do while we are here that counts. And if we can be called friend, then we are lucky indeed.”

Something I really appreciate about Gwynne’s novels, and A Time of Courage in particular, is his ability to show that no person is entirely good or entirely evil. In this book, there are five perspective characters, two of who are fighting on the side of darkness. These two characters could easily have been caricatures, but Gwynne managed to give them redeeming qualities such as loyalty and their own brand of honor. Did they have any interest in being redeemed and turning to the side of good? No. But even villains are heroes in their own eyes, and Gwynne demonstrates well how they could hold that belief. Gwynne also gently reminds us that his heroes aren’t perfect, but they’re good to their very cores. I love them all.

“Friend. So much of what we are and do is shaped by that. Our friendships. Those we love, those we choose to stand beside.”

While romance is a very small part of this story, I loved the way Gwynne handled each romantic relationship. I could truly feel the joy each couple found in just the sight of one another. I very much appreciated the lack of love triangles here. I feel that it’s a trope that has been done to death, and it was refreshing to see romantic relationships that weren’t muddled by such strain. I also love the way Gwynne portrays friendship. His novels proclaim that a shared bloodline is the shallowest building block of family, and that clans are comprised of those who love each other, regardless of blood or past or species. There are some friendships in this book that are so deep that reading about them makes my heart ache in the best possible way. And the best of these friendships always involve animals in some way. From the first book to the end of the story of The Banished Lands, Gwynne has written phenomenal animal characters whose love and loyalty to their humans pulses from the page. Gwynne has a gift for portraying deep and abiding relationships in many forms, and those relationships are what make these books so powerful.

“You blaze as bright as the sun. The world is a better place for having you in it.”

Even though war plays so strong a role in every Banished Lands novel, there’s an overwhelming wholesomeness at the core of the entire series. The side of good both represents and conveys through the characters who comprise it truth and courage, love and loyalty, kindness and faithfulness. In this way I’m very much reminded of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. While every character has their own depths, the divide between good and evil forces is clear cut. The fantasy world has an abundance of grimdark books, where each side is so gray you’re not sure who to root for, and I think it’s refreshing to read a series where the sides are black and white.

“Stop raging about the things you cannot change. Just be true to yourself and do what you can do. Love those worth loving and to the Otherworld with the rest of it.”

A Time of Courage was a stupendous finale to not just its trilogy, but to Gwynne’s Banished Lands saga. While I would love for him to revisit it someday, I believe that Gwynne wrapped things up perfectly. Not neatly, mind you, as that wouldn’t have rang true. There were losses and loose ends, as there should be in any believable tale with stakes this high. But I found the ending exactly right, giving closure while still providing room for wondering. I wish every fantasy lover the world over would pick up Malice and fall in love with Gwynne’s world and writing. Haïfa and I were the last Novel Notions bloggers to read this book, so I can now say with certainty that it’s a blog-wide favorite for 2020. Thank you so much for all the time and care you put into writing this book and all of its predecessors, Mr. Gwynne. Thank you for giving us an entire world and a plethora of characters to mutually adore. You and Brandon Sanderson are a huge part of the bond the six of us share. We all love you for it.

You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.

[Library of a Viking · Rating 4 out of 5]

And so my journey through the Banished Lands ends.

I have absolutely loved reading through these books by John Gwynne and I am glad to say that A Time of Courage is a great finally to an epic series. This book has everything that you have come to expect from a Gwynne book – fast-paced action, plot twists, characters, deaths and some fantastic themes. What makes this book stand out is the character growth that the main characters go through. These characters grow from being inexperienced apprentices in the first book to being mature leaders in A Time of Courage. Moreover, Gwynne fleshes out the character’s motivations and the relationships between all the characters.

Moreover, A Time of Courage is a story that explores some fantastic themes such as finding hope in the darkness, overcoming your fears and the value of friendships, family and love. This book gave me a deep appreciation and respect for people willing to put their lives on the line to ensure my safety. Gwynne also depicts the heartache of losing someone dear to you. These characters are deeply affected by seeing friends and family being killed, and I appreciate Gwynne focusing on their mental health. Lastly, Gwynne concludes this trilogy well. It can be challenging to end a long series well, but Gwynne nails it.

Unfortunately, I might have experienced a bit of ‘Gwynne fatigue’ while reading this book. While A Time of Courage is a fantastic book, it felt a bit too familiar. When I reflect on my read through the Banished Lands, I can see that it might have been better to pick up this trilogy at a later date. I would also have appreciated more scenes that didn’t focus on fight scenes. I wanted more character moments where we see the characters in settings, which do not revolve around war. I acknowledge that this is very much a personal preference and not a real criticism since Gwynne handles the fight scenes masterfully.

Although no more books are scheduled to take place in the Banished Lands, I would love to read a short story collection set in the Banished Lands someday!

In Conclusion, A Time of Courage is a fantastic conclusion to a great trilogy. If you have come to love Gwynne’s prose, pace and character work, then you will enjoy A Time of Courage. I must admit I will miss these characters and the world that John Gwynne has created. The Faithful and The Fallen and Of Blood and Bone is one of the most memorable series I have read, and I can’t recommend it enough to fans of epic fantasy.

4 / 5 stars

[Haïfa · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher, Pan Macmillan, in exchange for an honest opinion. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and the quotes included may have changed in the released copy.

Buddy read with one of my favorite warriors, Celeste.


You can find this spoiler-free review and more at Novel Notions.

A Time of Courage is the glorious and bittersweet conclusion of 140 hundred years (or I should probably say 2000 years) worth of bloody history in the Banished Lands!

I have to admit that I went into this final book with a lot of trepidation, in addition to the positive excitement and anticipation. Could this book really be on the same level as Wrath, the masterpiece that was the conclusion of the previous quartet? Will I love it as much? Would I feel as much joy, and sorrow and satisfaction? Will I stare at the book, blinking away tears and trying to calm my frantic heart as a beloved character met their end? Will my eyes fly through the pages, during a tension-filled battle or duel, to seek the outcome and make sure my heroes survived? The answers were yes, yes, yes, yes and yes. John Gwynne truly outdid himself in this outstanding finale.

Brace yourselves, friends and arm yourselves with courage before embarking on this final ride. There will be blood, and there will be heartbreak, and there will be glory.

Today there will be a reckoning. Today will be a time of vengeance.’
‘Today will be a time of COURAGE!’

If you are not familiar with this series, you should know that the central theme is the eternal battle between light and darkness, between good and evil. Gwynne pitted formidable foes against a bunch of warriors whose strength doesn’t only depend on their physical and tactical prowess, but most importantly on their bonds, their loyalty, their unflappable beliefs and the extraordinary animals they befriend. For that, I believe that this series as a whole is essentially a story of friendship and resilience. The theme of good vs. evil is only a context and a means to tell a very humane, universal and timeless story.

We are just people, all of us the same. Flawed, fragile, stubborn, angry, happy. And life treats no one differently. We are born, and we live, and then we die. It’s what we do while we are here that counts. And if we can be called friend, then we are lucky indeed.

Plot-driven kind of readers, have no fear, plot and action weren’t sacrificed for the sake of characterization. And character-driven readers, rest assured that the relentless pace and the multitude of battles and duels in this book (and in the series as a whole) didn’t prevent Gwynne from writing realistic, genuine characters to root for (or to loathe, there were plenty of those too, and Gwynne wrote them as intricately as he wrote his heroes). A Time of Courage was a very well balanced book and a maelstrom of tactical planning, dark magic, heroism, large scale battles, close quarter combat, emotions and nostalgia.

I won’t be naming characters in this review because the mere mention of a character past the first book in Gwynne’s series could be considered a spoiler. Not gonna lie folks, the man can be merciless toward his characters! I don't think I cared so deeply for fictional characters and cried so much reading any other series. Some deaths were a blow to the gut but the rational part in me could see they were organic and absolutely not written for shock value. First, these books tell the story of a millennia-old war; one couldn’t reasonably expect all the heroes to survive. And second, the meticulous growth of these characters, their very nature and selflessness made their sacrifice natural and necessary. But knowing this didn’t make it hurt less.

Having a part of the story told from the point of view of two of the baddies served the narrative quite nicely too in my opinion and added more tension (as if there wasn’t enough of that already!). The consistency and strength of the bad guys’ hatred and desire of vengeance and justice (at least their own twisted version of it) could have commanded respect were they not directed toward humankind and toward characters that dedicated their lives to defend those who needed defending and to protect those they love. While I disliked one of these 2 POVs in A Time of Blood (that character was particularly vain, delusional and disturbing), I found it more balanced and nuanced in this installment. It provided an invaluable inside knowledge and an up-close look at the “endgame villain” (Sorry guys, I couldn’t come up with a better name. I’m not the writer after all!). The other POV’s shrieks of rage every time they got routed were a balm and an intense source of satisfaction.

‘With Truth as my shield. ‘And Courage as my sword, I shall stand against the darkness.’

“Truth and Courage”, “Bright Star”, “Shield Wall”, “Corban and Storm”, “Drassil”, “Jehar and the sword dance”… these words and names and places will always mean something special to me. A reminder of a reading journey as real and authentic as any real life experience.

Gwynne infused both his characters and the continent he created, the Banished Lands, with strong, memorable characteristics. I usually have trouble visualizing the places an author spends pages describing and often end up with a vague idea of what they should look like. I didn’t have that issue reading Gwynne’s books. He has a talent at giving you a strong sense of space. The Banished Lands were vivid and vibrant in my mind’s eye and still are. I know the map almost by heart by now and can pinpoint most locations, with my eyes closed. Each of them is distinctive and familiar, like a path well-trodden or a place of which you have fond memories (if you exclude the creepy Wyrms, the fierce Wolven, the ravaging Draigs, the monstrous Ferals, the hound-sized bats, the blood thirsty Returned... of course).

When I strip all the politics and strategies away, it is quite simple: I am fighting this war for you. For my kin, the people I love.’

Another skill John Gwynne honed to a sharp edge in this finale was the way he played with his readers’ expectations. Sometimes, you had these impossible odds and extreme tension and everything worked out for the good guys. At other times, he lead you to believe that the day was won, and just as the anxiety started seeping from your bones and you stopped clenching your book with stiff, white-knuckled fingers, a betrayal or a surprise attack shattered your hopes and twisted your heart with the death of one or more beloved characters. At times, he just toppled plans that have been in the making for numerous chapters (and months or years in the narrative). There was no way you could guess the full outcome of a conflict! The sense of danger was ever-present.

And the same held true for the final battle. A grandiose, overwhelming, epic battle that spanned hundreds of pages. Gwynne gave his readers just enough hints of strategy and ruses to glue them to the pages and then unleashed death and destruction on a jaw dropping scale! It was both tragic and magnetic. All the characters, all the factions and races, all the magic, all the creatures converged to a single point and clashed in an ultimate battle between justice, friendship, honor on one side and evil and corruption on the other. And I just sat in my chair, well past midnight, and took it all in, mesmerized, horrified, helpless, hopeful, cheering, crying. The sheer brilliance of the ingenious battle strategies and tricks just blew my mind.


I hope this review either confirmed how you felt about this book and series or convinced you to give it a try! This was one of the best, most satisfying and gut-wrenching conclusions I’ve ever had the pleasure to experience. And this 7-book series will always hold a very special place in my heart and my shelves.
I will conclude this rather long review with these lines I wrote before starting A Time of Courage.

_____

Beginning this final journey across the Banished Lands with a mix of eagerness and trepidation, excitement and apprehension, joy and sorrow.

Eagerness and excitement because 1. this is one of my most anticipated books of the year, 2. this is epic fantasy at its finest, 3. this is John Gwynne we're talking about! A master of grand, emotional, tragic, heroic conclusions.

Trepidation and apprehension, because 1. this is one of my most anticipated books of the year (duh) and I'm trying to tame my expectations... and 2. there will be no more new battles, no more new adventures, no more new journeys in the Banished Lands.

Joy and sorrow because 1. I'm reaching the culmination of something big, genuine and beautiful, 2. I know I'm about to witness moving and inspiring acts of truth and courage and 3. again, this is John Gwynne we're talking about! Limbs fill fly, heads will be parted from bodies, beloved characters will cross the bridge of swords and hearts (mine for sure) will be broken.

[Deborah Obida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buddy read with Ikenna

You know an author is good at what he does when all books in the series are awesome. I remember the first time I came across John Gwynne's book, it was the cover that attracted me to read it and the writing, plot, characters etc made me a huge fan.

We are just people, all of us the same. Flawed, fragile, stubborn, angry, happy. And life treats no one differently. We are born, and we live, and then we die. It’s what we do while we are here that counts. And if we can be called friend, then we are lucky indeed.
So much of what we are and do is shaped by that. Our friendships. Those we love, those we choose to stand beside.

This book has everything I love in fantasy books, family, friendship, romance, magic, battles, diversity, female characters etc. There was no shortage of battle scenes in this and every single one was perfectly depicted, I was at the edge of my seat, my heart was pounding I felt like I was there, I love it!

The story is told in multiple POVs of the main characters, I enjoyed reading every single POV even Fritha's and I hate her that's how good the writing is, reading this is very easy cause even though its an epic fantasy it's still very comprehensible.

‘There is much in life that is beyond our control, events that sweep us up and along, actions that wrap us tight in their consequences.’ She paused, a faraway look in her eyes. ‘Stop raging about the things you cannot change. Just be true to yourself and do what you can do. Love those worth loving, and to the Otherworld with the rest of it. That is all any of us can do.’

The characters are all unique in their own way, I love that they aren't one dimensional or the same as the others in the previous series, they are all different characters. I can't even decide who my favourite character in this series is. I like Drem, Bleda, Cullen, Riv, Bryne and all the others I cannot name.

Riv What I love most about her character is that despite having major temper issues she still manages it without going crazy on her friends, she just want to e accepted which is what we all want.

Drem is calm and sweet but not in a Mary Sue kind of way, he's a terror in battle, he isn't reckless, he's calculated and wise. His dedication to his friends is what I love most about him.

Fritha I actually pity her, she let her hatred and grief take over her life. She has so much potential if only she didn't lost her way. Her character reminds me not to lose myself in hatred.

Bleda is an awesome bowman and swordsman, his skill with the bow is to be envied. He'll give DC's Arrow a run for his money. His relationship with his people is admirable.

This is the final book in the series so its filled with battle. Astroth is finally flesh and blood so they have just this chance to get rid of him forever. The Order of the bright star, Ben Elims and The White Wings have to join forces to fight them. The odds are not in their favour but its good against bad.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time of courage is without doubt one of the most powerful ending of a trilogy or even a saga I ever read.

When I began my journey in the banished lands I didn’t realize how much I will appreciate this saga. Seven books and never bored. John Gwynne is a incredible author and I think accurate to call him the lord of war. Through his entire saga we have navigated across epics battlefields, duels... no one similar to the other.

The strength of the trilogy and even the entire saga is beyond a great story we have a pace which never faltered. Everyone told me how hard it was to put these books down once pick up. We are so engrossed in the story we become one of them and forget the real world.
The characters are like every story the foundation and John gwynne succeeded to create a new set of person but with a lot of hint to the former cast. They are not completely evil or good but the standards still stand : truth and courage. And we find out that sometimes live by these morality standards aren’t something easy every day.
We assisted to a real evolution between time of dread to time of courage, some characters mature and learned to master their temper and fight when it’s absolutely necessarily.
The setting and the landscape had changed a lot because of the cleverest move in time and it’s always interesting to come back to a beloved saga and find out that everything had changed.
John Gwynne isn’t someone who take shortcuts I know it’s more realistic especially when your book is almost grimdark but reading the faithful and the fallen is getting certainly an heartbroken. We can’t help to attach to the characters...it’s still hard on me but I understand why he did that because not only the bad guys who have to die sometimes good people too. But it hurts nevertheless.

Finally I can’t say much about the ending except it lived up to the reputation of John Gwynne but I can’t help to notice that there’s a potentially for a sequel or am I hoping too much?
Truth and Courage 🐺⚔️

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have been reading this know that this stunning finale is absolutely fucking awesome and everything you want and need. It’s a goddamn masterpiece. It’s is easily one of the most exhausting books I’ve ever read in terms of the larger than life scale and length of the battle sequences.

This is definitely one of my favourite sagas of all time. The first four books were amazing and thrilling; classic epic fantasy as good went up against bad in one of the most bloodthirsty showdowns I’ve ever felt a part of. I loved that John choose to ‘continue’ his series by starting fresh 200 years or so later. All the history and lore was still relevant but the reader got a whole new story with brand new characters and none of the emotional hangover. The sense of nostalgia is there but in a really good way whereby the actions of the current characters cannot help but provoke fond memories of the previous ones.

Anyway we are at book seven. You’re either enjoying the books enough to see finale through regardless of my thoughts or you’re a sadist who is punishing themselves by continuing with a series they don’t enjoy. Personally this is one of my favourite series of all time. I cant wait to see what John comes up to next but if he never wrote another thing I’d still be very grateful for this amazing reading experience.


10/10

Thanks to the wonderful people at Orbit for sending me an ARC to review.

[Maja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoilerfree!

I can’t believe this journey is over! I’ve cried, laughed, been so so angry and had my heart broken over and over. All the emotions! I’ve fallen in love with so many characters in this new cast and hated some others. While still constantly missing the old cast, I’ve had many great new meanings, and a couple of fond reunions. And now I had to say goodbye AGAIN.

(Also I have to get it out of my chest but for almost whole series or since Blood I kept imagining Dagur the Deranged as Cullen. Not sure why, could be because I watched Dragons: Race to the Edge around reading the first two books. And don’t get me wrong, I love Dagur.)

This picks up straight where Blood ended, and you all know what happened there. You are really thrown straight into it. What follows are battle on battle on battle on battle on battle on battle. Did I get enough battle in there? It’s exhausting, no one is able to catch their breath, neither the characters nor the reader. And the last battle is. Big. And. Grand.

BUT our dear John wrore in the author’s note that one can never say never about whether we will get more books in The Banished Lands and I spotted with my (near sighted) eagle eyes maybe one or two doors. So, John, I’ll be waiting patiently.

TRUTH AND COURAGE

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here I am, at the end of the Banished Lands saga, and what a ride this has been! The whole range of emotions passed over me, being utterly immersed in this story; it was a wild ride, bloody and dreadful but totally worth it.

And there is hope in the future for another tale in this universe - I look forward to that.

[Shreyas Deshpande · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read and ending to this saga. From the outset you are taken on a roller-coaster of a ride, with ups and downs, twists and turns. The culmination in one hell of a battle you'll not want to miss. At the end you'll be cheering and crying, well worth it.

MASTERPIECE!

Ratings:-🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Nils | nilsreviewsit · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Take your weapons and face your fear. There is only one hope today. And that hope is you.’
~
If I had to describe a book which is my ideal kind of read, the very embodiment of a fantasy that is near on perfect for me, then A Time of Courage is that book. In fact, I would even go as far to say that this entire series is my all-time favourite. We first began our time in the Banished Lands in Malice, the first book of The Faithful and the fallen quartet. We began a tale of good vs evil, of unlikely heroes stepping up against all odds, we began a legacy of truth and courage. Then during the first two books of the, Of Blood and Bone trilogy, time had passed and the Banished Lands were once again rifted with strife. Well, in A Time of Courage, John Gwynne beautifully syncs together all seven books; all the threads finally come together to form an epic finale. And I mean epic - this entire novel is the ultimate climax to the Long War, it is a phenomenal last stand.

Therefore, if you’ve never read a book by John Gwynne before, I recommend starting with Malice. It’s honestly a pleasure to spot all the connections, to watch the world and its characters grow, and to deepen your emotional bond. Dear Elyon, what an emotional book this was!

Whilst reading A Time of Courage I could not help but be reminded of The Lord of the Rings. In particular, a line given by Gandalf in The Return of the King sprang to mind; “Courage will now be your best defence against the storm that is at hand— that and such hope as I bring.” I feel that at its heart, this is what A Time of Courage stands for. It’s about overcoming anxiety, focusing your mind, and finding hope and the will to fight against darkness. Knowing Gwynne’s love for Tolkien’s work, I feel safe to say that he pays homage to him in many ways in this book, in fact there were even a few lines which were clear nods to The Lord of the Rings, and I absolutely loved seeing that.

Without delving too deeply into the plot, Gwynne begins A Time of Courage by strategically placing our characters like pieces on a chessboard, and preparing them for the oncoming battle. Kadoshim, Revenants, and ferals, run amok. Evil has been endured for far too long in the Banished Lands. It is time for it to end. Our heroes put old prejudices and grievances aside, and unlikely alliances are formed - may I be as bold to say a fellowship? United in their one goal, to fight for freedom, deliver vengeance - to win a war.

Gwynne has always been an author who I’ve found portrays battle scenes with such authenticity. Ach, but he knows how to write such thrilling warfare scenes. From the council of war chapters, to the shield wall, aerial combat, archers, and all the fantastical creatures, it was truly a heart-stopping visual delight! Giants, white-wing warriors, Ben-Elim, the Order of the Bright Star warriors, Sirak horse clan, bears, wolvens, crows, they all come together to form the most epic warband I have ever experienced in my years of reading! Gwynne even added a few well executed tactical surprises that left me awed. If I had to sum up A Time of Courage in a few words, this would be it; one mother of a battle.
~
‘His world became a red haze punctuated by lunging talons and snapping teeth, their hissing screams as he tore their lives from them, the burn of muscles and crackle of blue flame as his axe and seax carved through flesh and bone.’
~
These are scenes which will hit your senses, but just as much they hit your emotions too. At times I would savour every word, and the next moment I had to slow my reading pace down, as I began flying through pages eager to discover what happened next. I was in a state of catching my breath once each chapter ended. That’s the kind of author John Gwynne is, one that leaves you a nervous wreck! As easily as he crafts a character that you laugh with, cry for, and feel for, their survival is never guaranteed. At the turn of a page, your heart can break. And many times, mine did.

I have always admired the way Gwynne balances POV’s from the heroes as well as the villains, and each are fleshed out equally. Heroes fight for a reason, a cause they believe is righteous, but then so do the villains. The two opposing sides both feel justified. And I have to admit, it was a joy to hate the villains, as much as I loved the heroes. However, it is friendship, family and love that is the key in this book. The comradeship between Cullen, Keld, Drem, Byrne and Riv, as well as the crows, bears and wolvens that are bonded to them, is wholesome and endearing. Each of them have personal demons to overcome, but together they grow, they protect each other, and ultimately they serve as a family. You are forever rooting for them to be the victorious ones.
~
‘We are born, and we live, and then we die. It’s what we do while we are here that counts. And if we can be called friend, then we are lucky indeed.’
~
When I first started reading Of Blood and Bone, although I loved having new characters carrying on the legacy that was left behind by the ending of Wrath, I couldn’t quite connect to them as deeply as I did with characters from the first series. However, this all changed in A Time of Courage. I very much felt a love for our main heroes, and I think that was because they were much more entwined with the past, driven by the morals and notions established in The Faithful and the Fallen. It felt as though Corban and the gang were living on, embedded within this world and it’s people, which made my eyes teary on many occasions! Seeing these characters, such as a few of my favourite ones which I have previously mentioned, fight for that same cause, it bridged the connection for me.

A Time of Courage is a compelling tale with such depth and heart, it will be engraved within me for many years to come. A relentless pace, high-octane battle scenes and characters who latch onto your heart, John Gwynne is the master storyteller of our time. So, for one final time, Truth and Courage!
~
‘Stay and die, fly and live.’
~
ARC provided by UK Tor in exchange for an honest review. All of John Gwynne’s books are out now, so get ordering folks!

P.S - 5 stars is not enough!!!!!

[Andreas · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I'm to be completely honest I didn't think this trilogy was necessary. The first series told a perfect story and had a satisfying ending. And to sort of open things up again and say that, 'nah, this is the real ending', kind of cheapens all that happened in the first series and how it ended. With that being said I still liked this trilogy. Not as much as the first series, but it was obviously still very good.
I'm very excited about his next series. It'll be nice with a new world and a fresh story. Can't wait!

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0/5.0 stars. Review to come.

[Jake Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Gwynne concludes our time in the banished lands with a gripping, heartrending, satisfying, and bittersweet conclusion.

For me book 1 of this trilogy had issues with it's end, and A Time of Blood at issues with it's start. A Time of Courage was straight fire all the way through.

Courage is good, but it must be tempered with wisdom and strategy

I feel like I am just going to save time and give the standard John Gwynne disclaimer.

The writing, pacing, character work, action, and relationships are all great.

The bonds of friendship and honor in this book feel so real. It is a bit jarring to read this after something like Abercrombie, because in grimdark worlds there is essentially no social fabric. Certain factions in the banished lands have a culture that pushes Truth and Courage, and it really comes through in the relationships.

I think one of the central themes of this serious, is that if hatred is your primary motivator you are going to do bad things, even if it is hatred of pure evil. A lot of the grey sides in this series are primarily motivated by hate of someone or something that did terrible things, or even hatred of pure evil. Usually those people do as much bad as the evil they hate.

We of the Order have sworn our oaths and sealed them in our blood, pledged ourselves to truth and courage. But you who have not said the words, I know that you are the same as us, in your hearts. Warriors, brothers and sisters bound to a cause. Otherwise you would not be here now, standing at our side, risking your lives. This is the sharp edge of who we are. We will stand and fight, together. There is no retreat this time. We win or we die.”

One of the main concerns I had for the first 2 books is that Ferals were totally useless, and not intimating at all. Fortunately they are not the main rank and file enemies that are fought, and there replacements are pretty damm intimating. This allowed for the final battle to be super well executed, it had me on the edge of my seat, or as writers would say. When I finished I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.(seriously why does every writer use that sentence)

Also unlike book 1 and 2 I did a horrible job at predicting who would die here, and I was floored a couple times. This was an incredibly well executed finally to the series.

8.2

[Sade · Rating 2 out of 5]

*SOME SPOILERS*

🖤🖤

There were so many things wrong with this series that I'm now wondering how good the first series that kicked off everything was.

📌THAT WHITE BEAR: No one thinks a rare white bear just tracking Drem all over the damn desolation and appearing exactly (not once, not even twice) at points everything was lost to save the day is bad writing?

📌It really just clicked in this book but i didn't like how the book focused heavily on specific characters. Would have preferred a more holistic view of everything because honestly it didn't have to be them.

📌I'm confused as to why Asroth was defeated this time. Like did they not have enough starstones then, that could be fashioned into a weapon to kill Asroth? Were there not enough allies? Why was the plan to imprison him in starstone, when it was the same thing that was melted and used as a gate to drag everyone back to their world. Was there a reason they couldn't just do it then? What changed now that killing Asroth was an option when it wasn't an option before?🤔 I want to say, maybe there's a reason for that in the first series but I'm pretty sure if there was, Gwynne would have rehashed it in this series.

📌Why were the characters stupidly charging Asroth with normal weapons when dude was decked in starstone and they CLEARY CLEARLY saw it wasn't possible to do any damage or even slow him down (I feel like some people might argue that they tried to slow him down but they didn't).
Why did Gwnynne keep killing the characters in that frankly dumb way? Was culling the character list so important that he couldn't think up a brilliant way to do it? Because did they not see it wasn't working? WTF!!

📌The battle scenes were super cool probably the only thing in this book that worked and it's crazy because the point of book 1, book 2 and heck even this 3rd book was the battle. Nothing else.
Quite frankly could have stuffed the whole series into one big book and ended it because i truly did not see the point of dragging everything out for 3 books.
But there's money a series must be made & other authors wring out original series to the death so why not Gwynne. Can't be mad about this to be fair.

📌Also, i honest to the book gods would like to think these characters were somewhat sensible because in what world did aligning with the Kadoshims even make sense to someone like Jin? Like how? Why?? For what reason?
Hated that she was turned into a raging bitch because of a man too. Me looking at fantasy authors like: Disappointed but not surprised.

📌Why was Riv always so fucking angry? Like insane, cannot think again, all consuming anger, like why? for what reason?

📌THE WHITE FUCKING BEAR🤬🤬🤬!!!! Every time i think of that bear, i want to rate this book 1 star. it was such a blatant inorganic plot device and i cannot understand how something so blatantly contrived was inserted in this series.

All in all, not a promising introduction to John Gwynne's work. YAY for that close to 200 pages battle scene (to be honest the whole book was one continuous long ass battle scene. Who needs a good plot when you can just describe battle scenes?).
Shit was too long if we're being honest, but it was basically the crux of the book so no choice i guess.

🖤🖤
If you're a fan of the first series, read for nostalgia sake. There's even that pointless part in the book where they find Corbyn's sword. For what reason? Your guess is as good as mine.
You'd be forgiven for thinking the sword was the answer to everything with the way that scene played out. smh*

I still need answers!!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

5-stars for Mr Gwynne, again!

This was a feast of battle that took me back to my D&D role-playing days. There are a few breaks from the fighting but for those combat fans out there, you will love this.

I believe it was 2015 when I happened upon a copy of Malice and Valour in a charity shop and so began my journey through the Banished Lands. I bought Ruin and Wrath when they became available afterwards and then went on to read this trilogy, and what a finale this was!

My favourite character was Drem but there are many to cheer and jeer for here. As with the earlier books you have not only humans but giants, bears, wolven, angels and demons to keep your interest. The key for me was the fact that the villains were just as easy to identify with as the heroes were. This dates back to the original quartet and remains a constant here too.

At one point in the book, there is an exchange between one character and Asroth; "I am your ally, not your servant." Asroth's reply; "Of course," he said, "now to business." To me, that showed just how indifferent Asroth is towards subordinates, no matter their power or importance.

Not sure if any other gamers out there would agree with me but the description of Asroth's armour and weapons put me in mind of the Greater Demon of Khorne.



A couple of quotes I liked:

"You blaze bright as the sun. The world is a better place for having you in it."

"Stop raging about the things you cannot change. Just be true to yourself and do what you can do. Love those worth loving, and to the Otherworld with the rest of it. That is all any of us can do."

I did notice a little oversight on page 352 when Bleda was referred to as Drem. Just my OCD clicking in there, lol.

As a whole, this has been probably the best 'series' I have read to date. It has a bit of everything. So, my time in the Banished Lands is finished, for now. Which leaves me with only this to say; TRUTH AND COURAGE!

Thanks for reading.

[Patricia Crowther · Rating 5 out of 5]

eARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

Gosh, where to even start? Firstly, I LOVED it! However, it’s difficult not to compare this trilogy with the Faithful and the Fallen quartet. In my honest opinion, there is no comparison; TFATF will always be up there with the best of the best. Corban and the gang were unforgettable and are simply irreplaceable in my eyes. Just the merest mention of Maquin and a tear springs to my eye. His scene on the bridge in Wrath is one of my all time favourites. His whole story arc, though really just a side character was amazing in itself.

Anyway, I digress! As a sequel, the Of Blood and Bone trilogy was a more than worthy follow on. It wasn’t just the classic good versus evil fantasy which was expected, it was interwoven with stories of love, loss, vendettas and vengeance too. Mainly and most of all though, it was about friendship and that’s truly what John Gwynne does best. Right next to his awe inspiring epic battle scenes of course, he gives us friendships that last a lifetime and beyond, and that is a rare and beautiful thing to behold. Now I don’t just mean friends in human form either, some of the most heartfelt and emotional scenes involved animal companions. The way Gwynne includes talking crows, wolven-hounds, giant bears and even draigs and ferals is beyond special. I’ll take one of each please.

I’m not going to go into any detail regarding plot points, as if you’ve got this far in the series there is no turning back. Reading A Time of Courage is an absolute must. There is no alternative path for you to take now. But I will say that a massive chunk of this installment is battle and in battle there is death. Death in war is not discriminatory and this is what I find unique with Gwynne’s writing. Death comes for the good and the bad, therefore his battles are always a somewhat emotional, sometimes joyful but mostly a heart-breaking true reflection, so prepare yourselves accordingly. Go forth with TRUTH AND COURAGE!